Arya

Branded

✿ Reign

Oliver came to my chamber with wood in his arms. "Excuse me. Castle is freezing, and, as I suspected your hearths gone cold. I'll only be a moment." He approached it and set the wood on the floor.

"How long are you going to keep playing this game?"

"I don't understand."

"I told you that we would lead separate lives. And yet, every day or two, you come here with something to keep me more comfortable." I fixed Aladars hair as he was asleep on the sitting area near the window. "You don't say anything, but I can feel you pressing me to talk."

"You're wrong." He stood to face me. "I don't expect you to talk to me or do anything you don't wish to do."

"I was thinking, it might be good to get away from the castle for a while--away from the memories. I haven't yet visited our château in Chambord."

"Well, that sounds like a very good idea. I'll come with you to make sure you're safe."

"I prefer to go alone. Don't you see, Oliver? If we go together, it will only give you hope. Hope that things will return to the way they were."

"I don't have hope. I know that I'm a constant reminder of what happened. Additional guards then, to accompany you. I'll see to it." He dismissed himself and I looked back at Aladar. The cuts on his face we're very unpleasant so I gently touched the most damaged area and healed them.

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I overheard the Cardinal and Oliver speaking in the throne room. "My men will bring Major Michael in and we will see if he has the brand or not. If he does, he'll hang." I quickly walked to Daisy, "to the carriage at once."

"Your Grace, as the new Captain of the Royal Escort, I am charged with providing your protection to Chambord."

"Chambord can wait." I looked at Walter as he approaches us with guards behind him.

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"Besides you, the only other person who saw the brand was a woman named Josephine."

"Whom you slept with? After you'd been branded?"

"Yes." He quickly packed his things.

"Uh, why are you taking your spurs?"

"My horse is..."

"No, forget your horse. You'll be arrested before you've gone half a mile." I grabbed the sword and gun that were strapped onto his belt and walked over to him. "You'll travel in my carriage-- I will take you to Chambord. Your home is the first place they'll look for you." He grabbed his belt.

"And if someone finds out we're traveling together, chambered will be the next place they look."

"If only we could get you to your brother-- the roads along the border will be crawling with Swiss guards."

"My brothers not there. There's an estate one day's ride south from here. It belongs to a friend of Roger. He winters there often."

"If we can get you there you can travel to Navarre under his protection."

There was pounding on the door. "Major Michael. By word of Cardinal Perazzo we demand you to open up."

"Quick, to my carriage. It's in the alley, out of sight." I walked towards the window and climbed out with him behind me.

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"Arya, Queen of Cumbeachcaux and Avallon. Major Michael and Lady Daisy." A man at the doors introduced us as we walked inside.