Red's Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Two

Alera excused herself with a wave to the crowd and a nod to her father— she was certain the king would be updated soon enough. But the Princess and the Captain fo the Guard wasted no time following the guard out from her father's sleeping quarters to the main floor of the castle, to a small sitting room off of the main foyer where the door was being watched by additional guards.

She nodded to them to allow her entry, and they opened the door to reveal Brigette, sitting on the edge of a chair with two more guards on either side of her. All turned towards the door once Alera and Jere stepped in, and Brigette had the sense to stand upon seeing the Princess.

The maid looked only slightly better since the last time Alera had seen her. She had bathed and clothed in a clean dress, with her scratches and bruises tended to. Around her neck, however, was a bandage, round twice and tied tight. Just above and below it Alera could see the dark discoloration from what she assumed was the remnants of her almost being hanged, and she didn't want to think about what under the bandage looked like, or if it would ever heal.

"What is this all about then?" Jere asked, far more outward with his curiosity than she was, but Brigette's attention was solely on Alera.

The maid remained silent as she reached into her pocket to remove an envelope, but the guards on either side of her immediately went to draw their swords as if they hadn't already searched her before allowing her entry into the castle. Even Jere, who had sold his daggers to make the ring on her fingers, instinctually went for a weapon. But Alera stepped forward, arms out to urge everyone to calm, as she took the envelope from Brigette.

The princess's name was scrawled in a penmanship Alera had never seen before, but when she opened it to retrieve the letter within, her heart soared with recognition:

Dear Alera,

It is my hope that this letter finds its way to you in the hands of your personal maid, Brigette, of whom we have become quite familiar despite her shortcomings with the Prince of Abignor. When we found her, she was curled upon the forest floor, barely able to move and clearly unable to speak. It did not take us long to discover what had happened, both from the evidence left within the forest and through Brigette's own recounts once she was able to write it down for me.

Do not expect Brigette to speak much from here on out. The damage done to her throat was irreparable, unfortunately, and she will not be able to speak more than a few words at a time before the pain becomes unbearable— unfortunately there was only so much we could do. But in the moments when she could speak, she asked for forgiveness and begged for mercy. Do with that as you will.

I will say the mercy you have already shown her would have made your mother proud—as proud as I am. You will make an honorable leader one day, Alera, and if your father doesn't already know that, know that I do.

Do not forget where your roots grow. You will always have a home with your mother's people. Your people.

With all my love,

Hevea

Alera let out a small sigh as she handed the letter to Jere to give him a chance to read it as well. Brigette was looking at her with a state of hopefulness and expectancy as if waiting for her fate to be decided.

"Leave us," Alera ordered the guards on either side of her, and they passed on glance between them before bowing to their princess and exiting the room, joining their brothers-in-arms on the other side of the door while Alera contemplated what to do.

"Have a seat," she instructed Brigette once they were alone in the room. The maid silently obliged.

A whistle left Jere's lips as he folded the letter and handed it back to Alera. "So what do we do now?" He murmured, his attention returning to the maid.