Storm Sisters

Chapter Eleven

~1~

Kara

There was something that bothered Kara, well something besides the horrors that she had witnessed in Pike's room; She couldn't make sense of Emily's disappearance. There was this gnawing sensation in the back of her mind telling her that she'd been betrayed. Somebody must have informed Pike about Emily, and she had and idea of who that somebody was.

Lord Gilroy was a master of playing all sides, moving them against each other to serve his own interests. He had seemed unusually panicked the last time they'd spoke about Emily, like he didn't really want her to be found. If that was the case, and Lord Gilroy was in fact working with Pike behind the scenes, then there was something much bigger at play here.

She racked her brain, trying to connect the pieces, but as the queen, she wasn't always privy to direct matters of state, only witnessing small glimpses.

On the surface, Pike and Lord Gilroy's interests were opposed. Pike seemed to be agitating for the escalation of conflict with Carth. While Lord Gilroy was opposed to war in this instance. There was something that she was missing, and she thought of somebody who she knew that could provide her with the full picture.

It was Sir Heston, the king's top general, who she decided to approach for answers. Sure, he was a fat boorish man, with a vulgar tongue and a one track mind for war, but as a widower he was likely longing for female companionship. She had noticed that longing in his gaze on more then one occasion. Although it was somewhat unethical to use her feminine wiles to manipulate his loneliness in such a way, the current situation called for action beyond ethical concerns.

That evening, she found Sir Heston in the courtyard practicing archery by himself. He was a crack-shot, dead on target every-time.

"Impressive." she said as she approached.

Sir Heston did not turn his focus from the target. "Years of repetition.. that's the key."

"Perhaps you could teach me how." she said.

"What use would a women have for a bow." Sir Heston said plainly, and then seemed embarrassed by the words that he has just spoken.

"My apologies my queen.. years on the battle field have worn away at my skills of polite conversation. Of course I will show you how.. if that is what you'd like." He bowed his head as he spoke.

He preceded to demonstrate the proper stance with a bow, his back arched straight placing his shoulders into alignment. He showed her how to knock the arrow, pulling the string back toward her chin.

It was far more difficult to pull the string then she had imagined. Her arms trembled from the strain and the string dug into her finger tips.

She released the shot, feeling the burst of energy as the arrow flew past her cheek, sending it gliding through the air, but landing just shy of the target.

"Not bad for a first try." Sir Heston attempted to sound encouraging but was unconvincing.

"That's terrible!" Kara laughed.

"Its not the best I've ever seen." Sir Heston agreed.

"Can I ask why the sudden interest in archery my queen."

"I've been reading more about the history of Corinth lately, and I found the chapters on battles most intriguing." She said.

Heston studied her for a moment. He still had a strong face for a man of his age, hidden behind that bushy beard, with eyes grey like steel.