THE GREAT LADY OF ALKION

CHAPTER 15

Now that Aretha was alone in her room, her mind wandered. She wanted to find something interesting to do. Taking her quill and inkpot,she wrote a letter to Germaine apologizing for the previous night and had someone deliver it to her. She still felt bored and stood in front of her bedroom window. That was when she remembered her encounter with the strange woman in the woods.
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The woman began to ride away when Aretha called out to her.
"Do you need something else ?"
"No. Not really. You've helped me a great deal and I want to repay you. Tell me your name and where we will meet for me to repay you for your help."
" Since you want to see me again so much,you will see me soon. Hunting brought us together for the first time so shall it again. As for my name, I'll tell you when we meet."
" Alright. Travel well."
" You too Aretha. Keep safe and get well soon."
She rode off quickly leaving Aretha all alone.
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The new hunting ground secured for her was large. There were more soldiers to guard her when she was out. She spotted a hare and smiled. She would definitely catch something and was glad that she decided to go hunt.
She spotted a hare beneath a tree. She took out her crossbow and got an arrow out of her quiver. She slid in the arrow until it was set against the string. She kept sight of the targeted hare and fired the crossbow.  She focused on her target and the arrow hit the hare.
"Yes!" she said happily and rode forward to take her game. This would be for the king because he loved hare meat. She dismounted the horse and took the dead hare placing it into a sack she had. She suddenly heard some footsteps just before her and when she looked up,it was the woman who had rescued her.
"You are a good hunter," she said.
"You were watching me ?"
"Maybe I was," she replied in the sassiest way possible. They smiled at each other and the woman hugged Aretha. The latter was surprised by this gesture. The soldiers came rushing to find out who was talking to the princess.
"Who are you ?" one demanded. The woman looked unbothered.
"It's alright. I know her. Just wait for me over there," Aretha said and the soldiers did as they were told.
"What was that for ?"Aretha asked when they left.
"It's nothing. I'm just happy to see that you are well."
"I am. This is private property. You are trespassing. If any soldier sees you,you will be taken to the king."
"I'm not afraid of him. It's just a piece of land and I have to go where I want to. Some few guards won't stop me."
" You really are brave to go against the king."
" He wouldn't hurt me. I'm sure of it."
" Why do you sound so sure ?"
" It doesn't matter. This is the longest you've gone without asking my name."
" I kept asking and you kept silent about it."
" Are you sure that you don't want to know what it is ?"
" I want to."
" It's Audelia," she said with a smirk.
" Audelia ?"
" Yes Aretha. I am Audelia."
" It's a rare name here in the kingdom."
" It is. Just as rare as a person like me."
" You're right. I haven't met anyone like you. A woman for that matter. Very few women have the courage you have and very few wear armours like you are now. Well except my cousin Astrid."
" Astrid ? She is also a fighter ? Wow. It seems that women being fighters runs in the family."
" But Astrid is the only female in the family who can fight."
" You will understand what I mean someday," Audelia laughed.
" Where were you headed ?"
" To the market. I'm meeting someone."
" Maybe we could ride back together."
" I would love that Aretha," she said and walked back to untie her horse. She mounted it and together they rode back followed closely by the soldiers. Audelia said her goodbyes to Aretha when they reached the market. Aretha stopped to watch as Audelia entered into a tavern.
When she was about to leave, she saw Eugene enter the tavern too. She didn't like him and so she just rode away.

Three days later in the throne room, some knights led by Fabian delivered some bad news to the king.
" What !" the king shouted upon hearing the news." How did that happen ?"
" We are also trying to look into that matter, sire," Fabian said.
"How did those men find out about the plans to attack them ? That was a good plan we had to safeguard Alkion's borders and now you are telling me that we lost thirty men ? It must be the work of the person who stole those damn papers from my study. Do you have any lead as to whom the perpetrator is ?"
" Not yet my lord."
" Then what are you doing Fabian ? We lost thirty of our men because the plans we had planned were discovered. Send some compensation to their families. We shall find the person who did this and he will regret what he did."
" This can mean that it was someone within our inner circle who stole the papers. Very few people are trusted with the knowledge of such information. Either that or someone just broke into your study and found them."
" I don't care if you don't eat or sleep but I want results immediately. We have to find that traitor who is in our midst. I have a plan. Come here and let me tell it to you," Anthony said and whispered  the plan into Fabian's ears.
" Only your very trusted men can know about it. Understood ?"
" Yes my lord."