The next few weeks were in the Leoch Barony were spent rebuilding and recovering. The attack made them tighten their security and defences. Down in the interrogation room, Maxim sat across from Byon who was shackled. "It seems your life has gone from bad to worse Byon."
Byon didn't reply, he only stared back.
"Finding out the weak point of the Barony and attacking when I was not around... Seems you've been here a long time," Maxim said.
"I know the Barony like the back of my hand, I didn't need to be..."
"No you don't Byon," Maxim interrupted. "The Barony has changed alot since your exile and you know it. What baffles me is how you managed to get in. You must've had some help."
"Your security had lapses...."
"Byon, Byon, Byon," Maxim interrupted again. "From my estimation, you've been here for about two months. You visited your sister and spied on your wife and kids. Doing all that without a single guard seeing you means you had inside help. Who was it?"
Byon laughed and spat on Maxim. "I'm not a tattletale."
Maxim cleaned off the spit, stood up and said,"I will break you Byon and when I do, you'll tattle."
He walked out of the room and said to the guards outside, his voice devoid of emotion, "Take him to the tracks and pull him around with the horses. Stop when he is near death, get the mage to heal him then repeat the process."
"Sir!" Both knights said, bowing.
Maxim walked away from the knights towards the yard. "Lets see how long that bravado of yours lasts Byon" he thought as he disappears into the yard.
In the Medical bay, Amnest laid, unmoving while Lucas cast {Recovery} on her. Hours passed and Lucas, out of mana, sat beside her. "I never thought you'd be in such a state with your skills my lady. Everyone thought you were the second coming of Petra Leoch, the queen of battle.... Please wake up. Your kingdom still needs you."
He stood up and leaves the Medical bay to get something to eat. Amnest's finger twitched and she let out a soft moan as consciousness slowly returned to her. Her eyes flutter open. "Where am I...." Her eyes darted around, taking in the scenery. "Why am I in the medical bay?" She thought. She tried to sit but felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She forced her self to look and saw the bandages, then she remembered. "Bandits.... The Grand hall.... I was stabbed." The memories came crashing like a splash of cold water. "Kaleb and Selim, what happened to them?" She thought.
She forced herself to sit, bearing the pain from her abdomen. She stood up, using the wall as support. She began to walk to the door. Every step was painful but she only thought of her siblings as she moved. She came out of the medical bay and immediately winced, closing her eyes. She slowly opened them and saw knights running around with wood and blocks for repairs. She smiled and muttered,"Leoch always gets back up."
She turned to move but came face to face with Lucas. His eyes lit up, tears slowly running down his cheek. "My lady, you are awake."
"Yes, I got up not long ago," Amnest replied.
"You shouldn't be moving, you might reopen your wound."
"I can't lay in bed when the state of my younger siblings is unknown," Amnest pressed.
"Lord Kaleb and Selim were fine when we found you all. Lord Selim was asleep as always and Lord Kaleb was unconscious. They sustained no injuries," Lucas said.
"What a relie...."
Amnest collapsed, her energy drained. Lucas caught her before she hit the floor. "My lady. My lady," he said as he frantically shook her for a response.
Amnest moaned, her hand on her stomach. Lucas looked at the bandage and saw it was reddening slowly. He quickly took her back into the medical bay and laid her on the bed. He cast{Heal} to stop the bleeding and heal any tear, then {Recovery}. Amnest slowly opened her eyes whilst Lucas was still healing her. She looked at him and smiled. "You'd overwork yourself that way if you don't rest."
Lucas stopped and fell to the ground with teary eyes. "My lady, you're awake"
"Yes but i don't think I'll be moving anytime soon."
Lucas ran out and said to a knight,"Inform the Lord that Lady Amnest is awake."
The knight nodded and went. Lucas went back inside and met Amnest sitting, her back rested against the wall.
"My Lady, you shouldn't...."
He was stopped by Amnest's raised hand. "It's fine, I can manage this much."
"Sorry for asking you this when you just got up but what do remember from the attack?"
She was about to speak when Maxim burst through the window, screaming her name
AMNEST!
Glass scattered everywhere, Lucas fell off his chair, shocked at Baron Maxim. The Baron turned to his daughter and said," Are you ok? Does it hurt much? Do you want daddy to carry you around?"
"It's ok father, I'm fine. I'll just be out of commission for a while," Amnest said.
"If that's the case I don't have to worry much. Lucas, see to it that she recovers fully," Maxim ordered.
"Yes My Lord."
"Taking down Byon is no easy feat, even though you got injured in the process. I guess making you a squire is the best reward," Maxim said.
"But.."
Maxim placed a hand on her lips, "Save your strength, it has already been decided. After you recover, there would be a ceremony for it, the day you become a squire."
"You'll be the first female squire since Lady Petra," Lucas added.
"Yes indeed but you are not to going to be like her and not get married, right Amnest," Maxim clamored.
A knight entered the medical bay and dropped to a knee."My lord, a messenger from the Energ Duchy just arrived. They say they have a letter for you."
"Take me to them," Maxim said as he rose off the bed.
Some where far away from the kingdom, in a room, 6 rulers gathered. They all sat round a table but the head seat was empty. Soon a man walked in, dressed in royal regalia and sat in the head seat. "It seems the plan failed," he said in a calm commanding voice.
"Don't worry," said the ruler in red royal regalia, a devilish smirk played on his lips. "The next plan has already been set in motion."