CHAPTER 1
THE PARTING OF FRIENDS
A banner of royalty ripples in the wind as five children play in the courtyard. A guard standing in front of the stairway into the manner hears one of the children's mother speak loudly within the large structure. "This can not be true!" These are the words that fill the air around the manner. All becomes silent as the children stare into the designs of the stain glass window. The children seem confused as they wonder what is happening. Are there parents in trouble? Are they, themselves, in trouble?
As the children stare at the colorfully designed window, the commanding guard goes within the manner. As one of the inner guards open the door he is given a glare from what seems to be the hooded visitor that came by earlier. As the guard becomes tense from the fear of an unwelcome glare, he is surprisingly welcomed by the duke. "May I help you later my friend, I am in the middle of a terrible issue at the moment." the commander looks back toward the duke when he notices that he knows all the women in the room, because he is good friends with their husbands, he knows most of them from basic squire training as a younger child. Except the somewhat shorter one, he can tell this figure is female due to the structure of her body. Yet this female is unknown to him he can not tell if it might just be one of the village peasants, the cloak she wears is well known in this village to be warn by the elderly or the travelers passing through town. "That is the reason I am here sir." Replies the guard. "I over heard part of the conversation outside and realized that the children need not to hear their fate.
Forgive me my lord," begs the red haired mother as she bows in respect, "I was disappointed at not knowing the truth of my own child." she takes her seat.
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