This dress is too tight and this wine is too strong thought Els as she sat in her families dining hall. Her mother and father were away at a feast with the High Prince but the rest of her family was fawning over her. Her father had one brother and three sisters and they were all married with children.

"We all knew you would come back to us Elsie" said her aunt Isla.

"We all prayed day and night for your safe return" said Islas twin Esme. They were sat next to each other gossiping between mouthfuls of spiced wine. The feast hall was rife with servants, they marched to and from the kitchen taking up half eaten plates and replacing them with lavish new courses.

Els barely eat her first plate with gusto, enjoying the rich flavours, Much better than the camp food I've been eating since Finepoint thought Els.

The family was getting more and more rowdy as the wine flowed. Els had seldom seen her uncles this drunk, her father never allowed it. The head of the table was left empty, even though he wasn't here no one dared take Lord Weimaer seat at the table. Els wanted to go and rest in her room but the family insisted she stay and regal them with her escape from Finepoint. She told them of her battles against the possessed and the final confrontation against the witch, her family applauded when she finished her story.

"Excellent tale Els, we'll turn it into a play and it will be a hit at the theater" said her uncle Elias, he was the youngest of the Weimaer men. He was also the most successful outside of her father, he used the pittancy of his inheritance to start a theater in Heartford. Elias was a common name amoung the creatives of the Southlands nobility.

They don't believe me thought Els, it was obvious from their reactions. When she told them the lowest points when death surrounded her they still smiled and nodded as if it were nothing out of the ordianry.

"It sound like it was a terrible ordeal Els, but now you are safe home and we can find you someone to protect you" said her oldest aunt Lyla. Separated by her Father by only a year she was his closest confident in the family.

Fathers plans for me continue despite my resistance thought Els. "Thank you aunt Lyla" she said pulling at her tight corset.

Els's own sibling were absent from the ball, she had spotted a glimpse of her sister Lillian when she was thrust through the halls of the Weimaers Heartford estate. She knew her brother would be with the High Prince organising the cavalry troop he had been given command of. Lilli hates me for rebelling against father, and Adriel cares for nothing other than his wind up soldiers thought Els bitterly.

Being the oldest child meant things were expected of her: speak to these wealthy noble's sons, speak to those wealthy noble's sons, dress it pretty colours, learn how to play a pretty instrument. Els did it all for years as she watched her younger brother do as he pleased with no consequences. Flitting about with harlots when Els needed to remain pure, learning how to ride and fight when Els learned how to serve. She realised she hated her father when she learned how to ride in secret, he refused her request to learn. "A lady doesn't ride, she is carried" said her father.

She had a maid servent teach her, Cora, the first real friend I ever had thought Els.

Cora was a camp follower before becoming a maid servant and was well versed in the masculine arts. When Lord Weimaer learned of this he had the maid servant punished and forces Els to watch.

"In the Kings army, disobedience is punished with the lash, and since you were so eager to learn how to be a man your trainer will be punished like a man".

50 lashes for the horse riding, 50 lashes for the sword play. And another 50 for good measure thought Els as she remembered the pleasant day when a part of her died. Cora didn't survive the punishment but Els didn't find that out until much later.

Until Finepoint fell thought Els Father cast her into the gutter with no care given to her wounds anger burned in her chest as she remembered.

Her mood must have been plain on her face as her cousin, Jennifer, patted her arm, "it's all fine now Elsie, you are safe now" she said.

Els smiled pleasantly and took her cousin hand in hers, "Thank you Jenn" she said, sincerely wanting to crush her delicate hands.

The celebration finally started to die down and Els managed to slip away from the rest of her family. She walked through the estates halls looking up at the many portraits of her family members.

Father brought them all over from Finepoint, no other families in the Kingdom have so many paintings thought Els. She wanted to be away before her father returned, otherwise she would be shackled to her bed. Els unpicked her corset and took the first deep breath since she had put it on. The thickly carpeted floor was soft on her bare feet as she carried her uncomfortable shoes, she peeked out of a large window and saw the darkening sky. El pushed into her room and looked through the wardrobe.

All dresses, typical she thought as she pushed frilly lace dresses aside, she grabbed her black cloak and took off back into the mansion. She carefully avoided all the servants in the house and made her way to her brothers room. She grabbed a thick doublet with metal studs and a pair of purple breeches and tall leather boots. Her brothers clothes were a close fit to her, Adriel would go red if he knew he was the same size as his sister thought Els tugging the cloak around her shoulders. The estate was patrolled by 30 guards, the entrance was guarded by four halberdieers. Els would need to find a different way out. As she marched down the hallways Els noticed a loose window, she pushed it open and rolled out into the estate gardens. Keeping herself behind the bushses Els made her way to the servants entrance. There was only a single guard keeping watch over the smaller banded iron gate. The moon started to rise in the sky, Els knew that meant the day staff would swap over with the night staff. The thickly wrapped maids stepped out into the frosty night, the guard swung the gate open. Els fell in behind them as they left.

Freedom thought Els stepping out into the streets of Heartford.

Els walked with confidence in the middle of the street, she was stopped by every patrol of guardsman and asked her business. She told them she was a Weimaer and had business at the Princes keep. The guards advised she take off the dark cloak when walking at night, she tied it around her waist like a sash. The keep was up ahead and Els leaned on a wall when she noticed a train of people being escorted out of the front gate.

The lords of the Southlands, they all look drunk thought Els as she watched dozens of richly dressed men stumble toward horses and carts.

Els needed to get in and find Arthur, The front gate is a no, too many guards, maybe a servant entrance thought Els.

She walked around the keep looking for another entrance, she found nothing that wasn't swarming with guards. But Els spotted the plainly dressed figure of Mira heading toward a small door with two heavily armed guards.

"Mira" called out Els.

Mira turned and squinted into the darkness, "lady, you made it, is Arthur with you".

"No we were separated at the gate, he said he would be here" said Els.

"I haven't seen him yet, but the High Princes master servant has been running all of us girls ragged, Grace has been threating to rip his head off" said Mira.

"Can you find him I need him to come meet me outside of the keep we have much to discuss" said Els.

"Discuss what my lady, we are back and safe what other plans might there be" said Mira.

"You remember what we saw in Finepoint, it will change the world as we know it, we have to find that witch and some answers. I would hope you and the girls would come with me, you were the most trusted fighters I ever fought with" said Els.

"The girls will want no part in this my lady, they nearly died in Finepoint and I would never wish that fear on them again" said Mira.

"Is that what the girls want, or what you want" said Els glaring at Mira.

She tried to meet Els's frustrated eyes but failed and looked away. "I'll pass on any message you want just tell me quickly or else the guards will get suspicious" said Mira.

"Find Arthur and tell him to meet me by bridge ford by at least midnight, pass along my wishes to the girls and tell them I will find them and get them gainful employment at my estate if they so wish" said Els turning to leave.

"I'll pass along the messages lady" said Mira still refusing to meet Els's eyes.

Els struggled to look nonchalant as she strolled through the dark streets of Heartford. Figures holding lamp walked by as Els shrugged the cloak back on her shoulders. The ford bridge came into view, it was a large arch bridge wide enough to fit two marching columns of men. The thick stone was weathered from years of flow from the river. Moonlight flickered as large clouds passed overhead, a gentle breeze blew the hood of Els' cloak down revealing her face. She leaned on the wall of the bridge and looked down into the dark swirling water, she could almost make out her reflection in the moonlight. Midnight approached and Els turned to look down the bridge.

Quiet night thought Els, as she watch the few solitary individuals shuffle off back home.

"Els" came a voice from behind her.

"Arthur" she turned and a masked figure was facing her. "Who are you" she saw the glinting metal flash from under his leather half cape.

Falling backward onto the hard stones, she scrabbled away from the masked assassin. He held a short needle like dagger in one hand and bunched his cape in the other before stepping forward. Els frantically felt around for a weapon before realising she had none. She couldn't get to her feet, and she bumped her back into the stone wall of the bridge.

"Stop, stop" she said her heart hammered in her chest and tear wet the corners of her eyes.

The assassin made no sound as he stood over Els. She started to kick at his legs and threw a small pebble at his head.

"Where is he" said the assassin.

"What" gasped Els.

"Where is -" the assassin stopped mid sentence, his head twisted around before a dagger poked out of his chest.

The assassin tried to twist around and grasping hands reached for his unseen killer. Els noticed a familiar smoke leaking out of his chest. She heard a roar as the assassin was lifted off his feet and thrown off the bridge. Arthur was stood leaning over the bridge, a fistful of the assassin cape held in one meaty fist and a bloody dagger in the other.

Through heaving breaths he said, "dove he was heavy". He reached down and yanked Els to her feet, "you hurt".

"Fine, just a bit shaken up" she said.

"Who was that" asked Arthur.

"Obviously an assassin" replied Els sarcastically.

"But why was he here, after you?" said Arthur.

"He wasn't, he was looking for someone" her eyes dropped to the tattered cape in Arthurs hand. "Looking for you" she said pointing at the pattern sewn into the cape.

The pattern which matched the one burned into Arthurs chest.