Presently untitled original story by CE Dalton

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The female rider ducked her head as she rode through the open manor house's gate, nodding at the guard. "I'm on messenger duty," she called. "Is your master here?" He nodded, sending a guard to get him for her. She stopped in the courtyard and slid down off her horse, patting her on the side of the neck. "Good girl. Thank you."

She looked at the amused looking older man coming out. She had met him many times in the last few years for just this sort of thing. This Lord of the Manor sat on her country's borders so it was a common messenger route. "My father bade me give you this so you can tell the other one the bad news for me. I would but I don't want yelled at right now."

She pulled a letter out of her bag to hold out, smirking slightly. She was swarthy skinned, longer brown hair that ran mostly straight over her shoulders. She wore very little jewelry and pretty plain clothes of good quality cloth. Well made boots. The horse wasn't hers, the lesser saddle showed that.

The man stared at her. "Legara, is it that bad of news?"

"Well, slightly." She grinned at the older man who huffed out. "Duke," she said with a nod and a grin. "Want to hear the bad news directly or read the future queen's snotty comments?"

"How bad?" he sighed.

"The Crown has Bonded your son to us."

He stared at him. "Of course it did," he sighed, taking the letter to read over. "She really is not pleasant," he muttered.

"No, she's not. Like my newest stepmother, she's not good for much." She leaned on the horse's side, looking behind her as a guard rode in. "Morning, Newfuir."

"Legara, why did you leave me behind?" he demanded.

"I didn't know I was supposed to bring you. Who sent you after me?"

"Your father. He wants you to take refuge here."

"He can kiss my behind," she said dryly. "I know exactly what's going on and I'll fix it when I get home." She looked at the other two, who looked amused at her being a self assured young woman. "Oh, no, I'm about to get a fourth stepmother and she's one of the new Consort's maidens of doom." She waved a hand slightly. "I'll hate that."

They smiled. "You can come running back here, Legara."

"Thank you." She looked at the duke, who still looked amused. "Anyway, your son's nice enough. Better than many of the squires. I'm pretty sure we both know why he was Bonded that way."

He nodded. "I'm aware of why, Legara. Is he safe?"

"That could depend on the new Consort. She's rather got the king by his manhood." He nodded once at that. "He may be very safe."

"Good. Tell him to write to me?"

"Of course." She smiled at him. "Let me go rescue my father and our home." She swung up into the saddle again, walking the mare around her guard. "Did you bring my mare? I know she threw a shoe yesterday."

"Yes," he said patiently. "That was dumb and unsafe, Legara."

She snorted. "Not like I don't train, Newfuir." He waved so she dismounted then went to find her mare. Who was still limping slightly. "Crap."

"Legara, take one of mine," the local lord ordered. "Leave yours here and bring mine back the next time. We can watch that and the messenger's horse you borrowed."

"Yes, sir." She walked her mare in there. "She's due to be bred this year."

"I'm sure she'll give great foals." He grinned and patted her on the cheek. "We enjoy them sending you to pass news, dear."

"I do try to be amusing at least." He laughed but got one of the guard's horses out to send her off again. She clearly had to go handle things as a heroine. The guard followed after nodding at them. He'd never catch up to a messenger's horse. That poor girl.

The duke grimaced. "That poor girl."

"At least she has her father's sense."

"True." He huffed. "My younger son will not be amused he's now the heir."

"I feel for him," the lord said, smiling at his old friend and liege. "I really do, sir."

He went to tell his family of that news. His wife was prone to wailing fits and this would probably be a prolonged one. The local Lord went to make notes in his journal for history studiers. They'd probably want to see how things had started.

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Presently untitled original story by CE Dalton [Reviews - 0] Chapter or Story Table of Contents - Text Size + The female rider ducked her head as she rode through the open manor house's gate, nodding at the guard. "I'm on messenger duty," she called. "Is your master here?" He nodded, sending a guard to get him for her. She stopped in the courtyard and slid down off her horse, patting her on the side of the neck. "Good girl. Thank you." She looked at the amused looking older man coming out. She had met him many times in the last few years for just this sort of thing. This Lord of the Manor sat on her country's borders so it was a common messenger route. "My father bade me give you this so you can tell the other one the bad news for me. I would but I don't want yelled at right now." She pulled a letter out of her bag to hold out, smirking slightly. She was swarthy skinned, longer brown hair that ran mostly straight over her shoulders. She wore very little jewelry and pretty plain clothes of good quality cloth. Well made boots. The horse wasn't hers, the lesser saddle showed that. The man stared at her. "Legara, is it that bad of news?" "Well, slightly." She grinned at the older man who huffed out. "Duke," she said with a nod and a grin. "Want to hear the bad news directly or read the future queen's snotty comments?" "How bad?" he sighed. "The Crown has Bonded your son to us." He stared at him. "Of course it did," he sighed, taking the letter to read over. "She really is not pleasant," he muttered. "No, she's not. Like my newest stepmother, she's not good for much." She leaned on the horse's side, looking behind her as a guard rode in. "Morning, Newfuir." "Legara, why did you leave me behind?" he demanded. "I didn't know I was supposed to bring you. Who sent you after me?" "Your father. He wants you to take refuge here." "He can kiss my behind," she said dryly. "I know exactly what's going on and I'll fix it when I get home." She looked at the other two, who looked amused at her being a self assured young woman. "Oh, no, I'm about to get a fourth stepmother and she's one of the new Consort's maidens of doom." She waved a hand slightly. "I'll hate that." They smiled. "You can come running back here, Legara." "Thank you." She looked at the duke, who still looked amused. "Anyway, your son's nice enough. Better than many of the squires. I'm pretty sure we both know why he was Bonded that way." He nodded. "I'm aware of why, Legara. Is he safe?" "That could depend on the new Consort. She's rather got the king by his manhood." He nodded once at that. "He may be very safe." "Good. Tell him to write to me?" "Of course." She smiled at him. "Let me go rescue my father and our home." She swung up into the saddle again, walking the mare around her guard. "Did you bring my mare? I know she threw a shoe yesterday." "Yes," he said patiently. "That was dumb and unsafe, Legara." She snorted. "Not like I don't train, Newfuir." He waved so she dismounted then went to find her mare. Who was still limping slightly. "Crap." "Legara, take one of mine," the local lord ordered. "Leave yours here and bring mine back the next time. We can watch that and the messenger's horse you borrowed." "Yes, sir." She walked her mare in there. "She's due to be bred this year." "I'm sure she'll give great foals." He grinned and patted her on the cheek. "We enjoy them sending you to pass news, dear." "I do try to be amusing at least." He laughed but got one of the guard's horses out to send her off again. She clearly had to go handle things as a heroine. The guard followed after nodding at them. He'd never catch up to a messenger's horse. That poor girl. The duke grimaced. "That poor girl." "At least she has her father's sense." "True." He huffed. "My younger son will not be amused he's now the heir." "I feel for him," the lord said, smiling at his old friend and liege. "I really do, sir." He went to tell his family of that news. His wife was prone to wailing fits and this would probably be a prolonged one. The local Lord went to make notes in his journal for history studiers. They'd probably want to see how things had started. Next You must login (register) to review.

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