“You should have taken more care.” James said after waiting for the servants to leave. He didn’t need anymore prying eyes or ears for that matter. He’d made sure the girl had been taken up to a secure room and was safely guarded. He’d even seen to it that she had a maid to look over her while she rested.
“I did what was needed.” phillip replied tersely. He was damned if he’d be schooled by a Magi, even if it was James.
“She’s half dead on her feet. You brought her here like she was some sort of traitor…”
Phillip gritted his teeth and got up to pour himself a drink. The girl wasn’t the only one that’d had a hard journey, he thought but was immediately hit with a sense of guilt. James was righ
Lyra yanked the dark blue dress over lisa’s head even as she still muttered about not wanting to wear it.“It’s the blandest one there is.” lyra replied. “You said you weren’t going to wear anything fancy and this is it.”“By fancy I meant a dress.” lisa said as she looked down at herself. She looked like something out of a costume drama. In fact, she thought she’d fit right at home on the set of Robin Hood.“What else were you going to wear, a suit of armour?” lyra half giggled at her own joke and lisa knew it was no good.In the situation she was in this was the least of her problems and on the plus side at least they’d finally given her
Lisa stomped around her room in a grump. She’d spent half the night tossing and turning, trying to get her head around everything they’d said and everything they’d not said too.A part of her still didn’t believe she was Fate even though deep down she somehow knew it was true. But then a part of her didn’t care that it was true because it didn’t make any difference in terms of how she felt; she was still stuck in this place, still a prisoner or as good as. And what did this war matter to her anyway? Even if she was Fate why should she help them? Prince phillip had already said he didn’t trust her so why should she put her life on the line for them?“Have some breakfast. Sit down.” lyra said as she followed her round. Lisa sunk into one the chairs then immediately jumped back up. &
Morning came not a moment too soon in lisa’s opinion. She wolfed down her breakfast and could barely wait to be out of the room. It felt filled with the memories of last nights dreams. Filled with the nightmare of her old life that still clung around her like a bad odour.“Are you ready?” Mira asked as she pulled her cloak on.“Never been more so.” lisa said. She wanted to get to the gardens. She wanted to feel fresh air and remind herself that she was far far away from that school and in a completely different world from the one where Matt and Bianca existed.More guards followed behind their every step as they made their way down. Indi and Nela walked with them as though they were four companions out for a stroll rather than under their watch.
Lisa didn’t want to go to the ball. She had every intention of saying no but Mira had insisted that it would have been a hanging offence to refuse the High Queen. She thought about feigning a sickness but knew no one would believe it. She was stuck. She’d have to attend the damn thing whether she liked it or not.Mira had taken great pride in picking out a fabric for her dress; a deep shimmery red that offset against the gold streaks in her hair. But now that she had the dress on though she had some reservations; it was far to attention seeking for her liking and without wishing to be ungrateful to Mira she had a good mind to change into something paler and less noticeable. She fidgeted in front of the mirror trying to make the dress less ‘huggable’ to her frame.“You don’t have to wear it.”
Prince philip was halfway down the corridor when he realised there had been no guard on her room. He paused thinking, even with the Ball going on they wouldn’t have left their post. Then he heard the scream. He knew without doubt that it was her. He ran back into the room smashing the door off its hinges. Inside he saw two men, one had lisa by the throat, the other made a lunge at him. He punched the man but he got back up and jumped on his back. Roaring he spung round and flipped him onto the floor.Lisa watched, feeling the other man’s hands holding her firm, but she decided that she’d had enough of being a bystander in these attacks. She’d had enough of being a bystander in any of it. She stamped on the man’s foot as hard as she could then elbowed him in the stomach. He doubled over and released his grip cursing as he did. He made a lunge and her and she kneed
High King Uther walked into his privy chamber and was hit with a barrage of noise. Clearly his councillors wanted to discuss all the issues that had arisen since he’d gone to Seford and all he wanted to do was talk to James about the supposed Fate Girl. He gave them an hour of his time before he’d had enough and dismissed them, slamming the door on their faces as he pushed them out.His head was pounding and not just from a morning spent in banality. He ran his hand through his thinning hair and thought how long it would be before he could go to bed, and to his beautiful Cait who was probably already bored waiting for him.“So how was it?” Prince Rillon said as he flounced into the room and deposited himself in the nearest chair. “How was Seford?”
Lisa huffed with frustration. She’d been trying for the last half hour to light the damn second candle in front of her. The first had been easy. She’d barely thought about it and the flame had flickered to life. But this second one, it was like all the Magic, all the energy inside her had ebbed away.“Focus.” James said not for the first time and she gritted her teeth before replying.“I am focussing.” She muttered still not taking her eyes from the candle. A light smack to the back of the head made her look round. Now she realised why he was wearing gloves.“If you were focussing properly the candle would be lit.” He remarked and she cussed under her breath. It turned out James was a complete taskmaster of a teacher and
They walked into the same room lisa had met the High King before. She looked around to see who else was there and saw a group of men she didn’t recognise, sitting alongside High King Uther, James, and to lisa’s distress Prince Rillon was there, sitting alone from them but the very fact he was in the room made her stomach clench in fear.She stopped dead when she saw him and thought she was going to vomit right in front of them all.“Is this really necessary?” Prince phillip said next to her. She glanced at him and was shocked to see him glaring up at the High King.“Prince Rillon has serious charges to account for.” Uther answered ignoring the look on phillip’s face. “It must be a fair process.”