Chapter 4: The Men from the North

Azriel awoke on the shore of the lake in front of the ruined castle. The lake had now been turned into a pleasure spot for the people to come and enjoy a boat ride and picnics. The paths leading to the ruined castle had been cordoned off and the lake had become a popular spot.

She felt the soft mud of the lakeshore beneath her hands and propped herself up. Somewhere along the flight, her wings, claws, and beak had retracted and she had assumed her human form. Her hair was scraggly, her dress was torn in places with splotches of mud. She must look a sight, but luckily, the sun was still not high in the sky and it was not a holiday today. The lakeshore was empty yet, but her mother would be surely raising hell at home looking for her. There were important visitors coming to meet her father today and their home would be in a tizzy. Mother would obviously be wanting her children all bather and dressed like young nobles to greet their visitors. Her brothers would have already ridden ahead to the Southern border to greet them. She was brushing the mud off her dress when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Azriel....what are you doing here all by yourself?"

She looked up startled and was shocked to see her brother trotting upto her on his horse.

"I.....came here for a walk and fell down....but what are you doing here so early? Why are you not riding to the Southern border to greet our guests?"

Malvin, her brother, looked behind him at the small group of men all on horses and got off his horse.

"Sister, you do not pay attention to any conversation that happens in the family do you? Our guests are not coming from the South, they are coming from the last Kingdom of the North. The Kingdom of Irismus."

She looked at him in shock, her jaw dropped.

The people of Irismus usually kept to themselves. They had no desire to mingle with the rest of the Kingdom and their main job was to protect the Northern borders from the invaders and hordes that kept happening there. Most of the Kush mountain ranges were actually part of Irismus and it was rumoured that the people of Irismus and the wild creatures of the mountains had some sort of truce.

"No....Northern men here, at Andora....really?"

Her brother smiled self -importantly.

"Yes, it's the Duke of Irismus and his brother who have come to meet us now."

She looked at the men on horseback in shock and made a quick curtsey. She realized how terrible she looked in her muddy clothes and scraggly hair and she tried to muster as much grace and poise as she possibly could in this situation.

The men were dressed in all black and looked at her with something like amusement. They looked big and broad with firm jawlines, the rest she could not see as she kept her gaze on the ground too conscious of her own appearance.

"What are they doing here near the ruined castle, the path is a way off."

"Duke Ashdeer was keen to see the ruined castle, so ...," he shrugged.

Garvin, her other brother suddenly called to Malvin..."Come on brother, let's get going and not make our guests wait. Azriel can sit behind you."

She sat behind him on the horse and whispered, "Drop me at the kitchens will you brother? Mother will kill me if she sees me like this"