"By the King's decree," the Herald shouted, "this is an Actual Hunt. The safety of the Keep does not extend beyond the treeline. Every hand may hold a weapon—bow, blade, or spear—but every soul is responsible for the steel they carry. Let no man cry foul if the forest bites back."
The announcement was met with a chorus of cheers from the knights and the "Outsiders," but the reactions among the princesses were a study in royal indifference. Genevieve and Christiana sat atop their pampered palfreys, looking utterly bored. They hadn't come for the blood; they were here for the audience. They adjusted their silk veils and scanned the rows of noblemen, looking for which young duke or wealthy merchant would be the first to fret over their "fragile" state or offer a poetic compliment on their riding posture.
