Chapter 2 : Morya

We were in the courtyard with the other girls when a horse rider came riding in. 

 "Fire ! fire ! he was screaming, the east side of the city is on fire"

My father stepped out from the stables, coming back from a hunting session when he started giving orders.

"Bring buckets and I want as many soldiers as possible to secure the zone, now move and get started" he turned back around and headed to his horse as the men rushed out of the castle in perfect files holding buckets instead of spears, but they were still armed of they're swords and their shields were strapped to their backs. My father appeared on his gleaming white horse my brothers at his side before riding out my brothers following right behind. The calm in the courtyard had turned into sudden panic and I was bustled around by servants and soldier. I ran across the yard straight up the stairs and stepped up atop the castle wall, which was now armed with only a few soldiers. An enormous fire based east of the city engulfing most of the houses in the zone, the fire was moving quickly towards the market, but the clouds were moving quicker. With a growl drops of water started raining over the whole city, marking the end of the drought. 

"Pretty scary how the fire spreads this quickly across the city during these droughts your highness" said Soyrda 

"Yes, i answered, you can call me Moyra how many times do I have to tell you?" I added

 "A lot your highness" he answered giving me a charming smile. Soyrda was one of the youngest guards and probably the most friendly Moyra thought. A friendly silence passed by before I asked 

"How come you are not there?" he looked at me out of the corner of the eye before sighing

"I would love to help but i am not experienced enough and … they need the best fighter to handle the walls" he said giving me an ear to ear grin. 

"I can see you have still kept you modesty" I said before smiling and going back down as the rain started pouring down harder and harder. My maid hurried me inside as she saw that i was outside in this rain. The other noble girls were in the main hall chatting and making as much noise as chickens in a pen. Sick of all the noise and commotion, I turned around and went to my room? where i crashed into my bed and fell into a light sleep. 

I was woken up by a clatter of hooves on the wooden draw bridge a fe hours after this afternoons commotion. I stepped out of the room rested and curious of what happened. Down in the grand hall my brothers were talking about there great courage and strength and how they pulled some frightened children from the fire to the girls. I sighed and turned to my uncle who was tending his wounded hand. 

"What happened" I asked.

"Some men tried to rape a mother and daughter but the father and son arrived, there was a fight, there house lit on fire and they all died except the son, we found him unconscious on the side of the road holding his dead sister in his arms, the parents burned alive in the house. The boy is in the sick bay right now, with many soldiers and peasants, the fire spread and we were able to contain it your father and the men are still there making sure everything is fine and that order remains in the city. We are still trying to find those men who cause all this." I was about to ask an other question when he added

"Go make yourself useful in the sick room"

"Yes uncle" I answered before heading for the side room being used as a hospital wing. The sound of wounded and sick men and women made me hesitate about going in. Inside men and women were being tended by servants, I moved along the beds searching for a person who was not being tended, a boy was laying on a bed his hands were burnt and he was coughing. I stepped next to him and took a piece of wet cloth and softly played it on his forehead. I then grabbed two other pieces of cloth and dropped them in a herb mixture in a bucket on the floor in front of his bed.  I wrapped his left hand in the cloth soaked with that mixture, as I opened his right hand, i saw a recent wound, burnt closed, the boy would be closed, I lifted the cloth from his face and sat there stunned, my ever present cat jumped on the bed purring and rubbing his head against the fish boys chest. What was his name again, … Nelhino, right that was it. My hand caressed my cat before sliding down to his cheek. Suddenly his hand twitched and he started moaning and seemed to be  shodden by spasms. His eyes flew wide open he grabbed my first and looked around the room terrified. The cat had fallen of the bed and was hissing frenetically, seeing that he was in no danger he let himself fall back down on the bed and eyes staring at the emptiness in front of his eyes and he then started weeping, he suddenly realized he was gripping my hand, he turned and when he saw me he dropped my wrist. 

 "Forgive me your majesty" he said in a thick voice. 

"Its all right Nelhino, how are you feeling ?" I asked 

" Good thank you your majesty. You remember me ?"

"Yes I do" I awnsered with a warm smile 

"How about my family" he croaked, I opened my mouth to answer when someone behind me said

"They're dead and you'll be joining them if i don't get the information i want" 

I turned around to find myself facing my father, before i could bow Nelhino slid to the ground and knelt in a bow 

"Your majesty" he said, 

"You can lay back down" my father answered without a hint of sympathy in his voice. 

"What happened in your house and no lies." he added. I was stunned this had happened to him, 

"Father he may not be in the best state to talk" I said being more courageous than I ever thought I could. My father turned towards me calmly before looking at Nelhino who's eyes were wide with terror 

"Tomorrow you will talk in front of a closed court and we will express our verdict." He stood up and turned around and before he could take a step Nelhino cried out

"Your Majesty wait, please, I am fine, ... I would prefer to talk privately with you instead of in front of thirty other people" my father swept around and looked at him with interest before saying in an authoritative voice

"Moira, out!", before pulling a chair up next to him and motioning him to start talking, I turned around and headed out to my room for the second time of the day, I closed the door behind me and fell against it and sighed, those eyes, I have never seen some like that.