The Western Keep 2
The commander of Grace's guard let out a shrill whistle and their carriage was almost turned over again as there was a loud bang.
Grace had not wanted to use these explosives. She did not want Ester and her people to know the true potential of trading beyond the Golden Sea, but it hurt her to see so many hurt.
The explosion was to the back and side of the convoy and she watched the ground ripple like a wave of water and roll under the carriages. The explosion was stronger than she had thought it would be.
She gained her legs and made her way to her children and family.
"Is everyone okay."
"Mom! You're a warrier!" She looked into Devon's wide eyes with a smile.
"I am just your mom love."
"We are all okay, and I agree with Devon. Do not worry about us. Go do what you need to do."
She looked at her father for a moment and nodded. She kissed her children each in turn. And left the room. Malcolm refused to let her out of his sight and followed her out.
Suddenly she was out of her dress and she wore a fitted body suit that accentuated every one of her curves. Someone cleared their throat and he looked to her guard commander and her pursed lips. Ashley laughed.
"Don't worry commander. He is just shocked. He is not the pervert he seems to be."
Malcolm straightened a bit and turned red, frowned, and then lightly cleared his throat. Grace ignored it all as she prepared.
She had always been a practical woman. When the former king insisted on her becoming close to her children she did so out of duty but that caused an intense need to protect them to bloom within her.
Soon she never truly trusted anyone for the task and, when the twins turned one, she began to train herself. First it was in defensive arts as her advisors suggested but then she understood no good defense was maintained without a bit of good offense.
She was a very smart and capable person and she ended up being a natural at many combative techniques. She always looked at all of this through the veiled eyes of an aristocrat. Because of this she spared no expense and she made sure she was well and exceedingly equipped.
She strapped a quiver of arrows to her back, a short sword to her hip and ready her bow.
It was made of a fascinating metal they had obtained from trades with Golden Sea. It seemed that this unique substance came from their territories. She didn't question it she merely appreciated it. The bow was short and broad and she used it for what it was created for but she also wielded it like a shield and a formidable thrusting weapon, taking advantage of its sharpened tip.
She steadied herself and thought of her children to strengthen her resolve and then she leapt from the huge carriage.
She only wounded but she fought severely, she fought like a mother fighting to protect her children. All the while her crier continued trying to talk the bandits down and de-escalate the situation.
The more the bandits watched Grace and how she fought the more they knew that the crier was telling the truth. Soon enough the fighting was called off and a large tall burly man stepped out of some dense over brush. He warily stepped to Grace and bowed deeply.
"We had heard of your coming your highness." He paused, as if trying to collect his thoughts. Grace recognized this and spoke first.
"I am no longer queen." She heaved a heavy breath. "I am actually unaware of my title now. Grace is fine, although many would not approve." She added the last comment in acknowledgement of several throats being cleared and a few audible "hmm's"
"I have been given these lands and those to the east. I have plans for the territory and all are included: you, your families, and the sick as well.
"I already have a plan in mind and this region will rise and prosper but once it does I promise that I will not be handing it back over to the crown."
The large man nodded. "Me and mine will join you My Lady. We already know what was done in the north and now that we see that this is not a ploy to eradicate us all, we will gladly join you."
She smiled like a royal. "Even if it means going to war with Lystra."
The big man nodded a smile slowly spreading across his face. "My Lady, we hear all. We will put our hat with you and Golden Sea. It is time that we finally prosper and stop struggling in the dirt for crumbs we don't understand or need."
Now Grace was nodding. She put her formidable bow to her back and extended a hand to the man. "And your name is."
He took her offered hand without a thought and responded. "I apologize for my rudeness. I am Omar Sidelong. We maintain three villages here in this area. All three will join you."
"Come Omar. Bring your command if you like. I want you to speak with my advisors and assistants so that we can understand your situation better and we can learn who else we can add to our growing army.'
Omar's smile broadened even as he raised an eyebrow. He turned and called out three names and three similarly built men walked out.
This was the beginning of Grace's forces and the point of no return for her. She had decided that she could no longer wait, nor hope, for Gabriel to come around. She had to think of her children, not her pride and certainly not her heart.
After speaking with Omar's community they convoy continued on with no further incidents. The sight of the keep was both a relief and a bit intimidating. From the outside it was a monstrosity. Huge thick walls and tiny windows completely utilitarian and merely constructed for function and not beauty.
They had to pass through the second set of walls to see the beauty that Grace had both requested of her people and designed herself.
There were beautiful homes with wide canals gently flowing through them. These canals were fed by underground springs and had been something the original builders wanted to simply horde. Now it had been shaped into routes between small districts and they all flowed into a large moat surrounding a grand courtyard that laid before a beautiful mansion.
Grace knew that the mansion was incomplete, she had ordered that the town be finished first, but there were four guests houses, two on either side of the courtyard, that could accommodate her and her family for now.
She frowned and pursed her lips as she turned to her father.
"I would prefer that all of you stay here with me but I do not want you to lose what you built. I have already secured your safe passage back home."
She had to pause a moment and collect herself. Her parents were too dumbstruck to respond so they waited.
"I appreciate all that you have done for me and all that you have given me. If it were not for the two of you I may never have survived any of this.
"When things are ready I will send trained units to protect you and your assets and then you will be able to travel as you please. But for now give me a few days to assign ten to twenty to you. They will work in rotating shifts until something more permanent can be arranged."
She bowed to her parents and began giving orders and directions to her people.
They had a lavish feast to celebrate this transition and after Grace was told of the first sets of emissaries from the different communities here in the West arriving at the outer wall.
She ordered them brought into the housing between the two sets of walls, fed, and accommodated, and she began to schedule how they would all be seen.
Her first priority being the people living on and near the small bay that they would use to import and export goods. She wanted to have some progress there before Samuel, or any Golden Sea vessel, showed up.
And this is how the great western domain of Alberton in Lystra began.