The songbird in the open cage

Part 1

There was a knock on the door so I looked up from the letter I was reading, thinking it must be Ryenne. However, one of my maids, Mindly entered my study. She was already here when I was still a child, so I trusted her immensely.

„Yes?" I asked her after turning my attention to her.

„Sir Ryenne has some visitors." Now that was surprising. Sometimes he went out to drink with other knights, but he had never had guests before.

„Did you escort them to the salon? Is Ryenne not at home?" She shook her head.

„Sir Ryenne said he would meet them outside as requested and asked me not to inform you, but..." She seemed troubled. She had a hard time looking into my eyes and putting her words together. "I thought you'd better be aware of it."

„Who are they?" Did they look like bad guys? But Ryenne would have no problem taking care of them.

„They are elves." She whispered and I involuntarily jumped up . My blood ran cold and then began to boil. The audacity! How dare they come here?

„Thank you for telling me, Mindly." Pretending to be calm, I stood up and after grabbing my sword, headed for the edge of the forest.

Elves prefer to stay close to nature, and Ryenne didn't want to trouble me, so it could have seemed like the perfect place for a secret meeting. I walked slowly because I wanted to hear some of their conversation before I let them see me.

„I am sure you would feel also better in your home than here... in this place." I could recognize the contempt in his voice. Pompous ass! „Come home with us, Ryenne."

„I don't remember hearing you say the same thing when my parents told you we would leave the forest." His voice was stern and cold as an iceberg. He never used that tone with me. „Home. What home?" He let out a little, bitter laugh. „I remember you all looked at my father like he was beneath you, like he was no better than garbage. And your voice is still clear in my mind as you insulted my mother and screamed at her that she was worse than an animal for choosing a human and bearing a child for him." I felt my stomach churn. How can they be so disgusting?

Ryenne never went into detail about his childhood or life before he met me, only the main parts. I understood why he didn't want to tell me, but I still wished I had known.

„We made a mistake back then." I sensed three, but he was the only one who spoke. „We were arrogant and ignorant and we are sorry for what happened to them." You should learn to lie better. It was obvious you only said that because you thought that was what he wanted to hear. „But we want to make it up to you. Come back with us and we will give you the highest position. Your kin and the forest need you." It was no surprise that they came because they wanted something from him.

I decided enough was enough, so I stepped in front of him and gave them my most menacing glare.

„Bold of you to come to my land, ignore me and refuse to greet me." I said haughtily.

„Lady Marchette..." Ryenne's voice was faint, but I could hear it. He rarely called me that, but when he did it was like a punch in the face. I shook off the pain.

„The land belongs to everyone and no one. No one can own nature." He gave me a nasty look, refusing to even pretend to respect me.

„Heh." I sneered at him. It wasn't beneath me to become a despicable villain for Ryenne. „And yet, according to the documents in my study, I am the owner of the land you stand on and I have to right to be both judge and executioner at the same time if anyone commits a crime on my territory."

They all wore cloaks, hiding their figures and faces, but the man I was talking to finally pushed his hood down. Seeing his face, I hid my surprise. He looked much younger than I expected. He seemed to be in his late twenties or early thirties, but I knew he was much older.