Chapter 17: A Desperate Plea

Master Hunt had once saved Lord Yun Blackwood's life. In the sixth year of King Alaric's reign, the Blackwood forces were at war with the private army of the traitorous Dread-Knight Hakan. Lord Yun was ambushed by assassins and shot with an arrow that pierced his chest. It was Master Hunt who pulled him back from the gates of death.

To survive an arrow through the chest was a miracle. "Master Hunt is from your home, Riverbend Hold," Lord Thorne had once said to her, sighing in awe. "He only agreed to stay because my sixth brother told him of his close relationship with your father. Master Hunt had long admired your father and accepted his invitation."

Lady Elara had been so proud then. Even though her father was gone, Lord Yun still spoke of him, and so many people still remembered his greatness. Now, she realized that Lord Yun had been using Lord Anson's legacy to win over men. He had done this more than once, and many of her father's old friends and allies had been won over in this way.

After Master Hunt became famous, Lord Yun did not keep the life-saving healer for himself. He sent him to Lord Kael instead. In times of war, having such a healer at your side brought immense peace of mind. Had Master Hunt been with her father, Lord Anson might not have died. Elara and Kael had been deeply moved. In gratitude, Kael had allocated a hundred thousand of his own troops to Lord Yun, helping him defeat Dread-Knight Hakan's army and seize three territories.

This was not the first time the Thorne family had lent their troops, nor would it be the last. Over the next few years, the Thorne forces were depleted while Lord Yun's grew ever stronger, rising to the top three among the realm's Lord-Warden. After the death of Lord Arin Wolfbrand, Lord Yun was appointed Throne-Adjacent Marquis.

The Great Kingdom of Alaric had ten Lord-Warden, but only three were truly powerful. Dread-Knight Hakan's family had rebelled because the royal consort was their kin. Lord Arin Wolfbrand was a brave and cunning general who controlled the Northwest. And the Thorne family had, under Lord Anson's foresight, built up a stable power base in the Southwest. But all of the Thorne family's hard work had been for naught, a mere tool for others.

Internally, the Thorne family's infighting had eroded their reputation, and externally, Lord Yun had consumed their troops and their glory. She remembered how the Blackwood family had often brought her news of her brother’s victories, telling her how his troops had won back cities from the rebels, and she had been so proud and happy, thanking them for their help. In the eyes of the Blackwoods, she must have seemed like a fool.

Lord Yun, Throne-Adjacent Marquis.

Lady Elara looked at the words she had written on a piece of paper. He had become the Throne-Adjacent Marquis by standing on the shoulders of the Thorne family, and in the end, he would frame them for treason, wiping out every last member of her lineage. The world would forget the Thornes, and only the Blackwoods would remain.

Lady Elara took the papers, lit them, and tossed them into the incense burner. Master Hunt was not essential to her plan, but he was in Riverbend, and he was the most convenient person for her to find.

Mistress Glynnis entered the room and showed no curiosity about her actions. "My Lady, it is time for dinner," she said, carefully arranging the dishes on the table. Lady Elara had her own kitchen in the manor, with cooks who had come from the Swordfall Marches.

Lady Elara rose, washed her hands, and sat down to eat. "Does My Lady intend to go out these next few days?" Glynnis asked.

Elara nodded. So she would be staying at the manor and had no intention of going to the Blackwoods. Glynnis understood. "I will have your personal things moved in then."

Aside from her bed, Lady Elara's room was empty, just as she had left it. She had not cared to have it decorated, and Glynnis had been reluctant to let anyone in, so she had not touched it. Now that her lady was going out, she could finally make the room more comfortable. Lady Elara did not care for these small matters, nor did she feel any inconvenience, but she was happy to have something for Glynnis to do.

Lady Elara’s carriage left the city gates at dawn. A few Thorne family members followed discreetly, and as long as they kept their distance and did not bother them, Valerius did not try to drive them away.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Lord Corvin Blackwood stood at a corner of the city gate, watching them leave. "Can't I even go say hello?" he said, annoyed. He was with the Blackwood family's Second Butler, who had been sent specifically to accompany him.

"Lord Yun told me not to bother Lady Elara," the butler explained softly. "She won't even let her own family close to her, so she obviously does not want to be seen."

Lord Corvin shook his head. "This young lady has a more difficult attitude than her Grand Matron." Then he chuckled. "My brother Kaelan is in for a hard time."

The butler said, "She is still a young girl, and she has suffered a great deal."

Lord Corvin gave him a sidelong glance. "There are no outsiders here. Am I not allowed to make a joke about the girl?"

The butler laughed good-naturedly. "No. Lord Yun said you cannot make light of her. Young ladies are sensitive, and she will know you are mocking her."

Lord Corvin clicked his tongue. "What else did Lord Yun say?"

The butler ignored Lord Corvin's tone and said seriously, "Lord Yun said that Lady Elara can leave whenever she wants, and you should not question her or try to rush her."

Lord Corvin put his hands behind his back. "Fine. Lady Elara is out to clear her mind, and I will go have some fun myself. I will enjoy my time in Riverbend so much that I will want to stay here even longer than she does."

With Lord Cassian's spies following Lady Elara and the Grand Matron no longer paying close attention, the family's daily life returned to normal. The wives went back to managing the household, and the young ladies resumed their studies and needlework. And now, they were even allowed to go visit their relatives.

Lady Gwynn's grandmother was ill, and she was to go with her mother, Lady Wang, to visit. After Lord Anson's death, the Wang family had shown great concern, and the Grand Matron was very pleased. When she heard that Lady Wang's mother was ill, and since Lord Galen was away in the Swordfall Marches, she kindly allowed Lady Wang and Lady Gwynn to go and stay for a few days.

There was a great bustle as the Third Lady and her staff prepared for the visit. Lady Gwynn was busy, too, with a crowd of maids and servants filling her room. Lady Clarice and Lady Serena were also there.

"What about this outfit?" Lady Gwynn asked, holding a new dress in front of her and turning to her two cousins. The dress was a riot of colors, and Lady Serena, who was biting on a candy, nodded. Lady Clarice waved her hand. "Your grandmother is ill. You should wear something more somber."

Lady Gwynn reluctantly threw the dress back to a maid. "If I dress too plainly, they will look down on me."

Every girl had cousins and other relatives of the same age, and when they were together, they would inevitably compare clothes and finery. Lady Clarice pointed to the back of the room. "If you wear something plain, you can wear something ostentatious to go with it."

The three girls crowded around the dressing table, selecting from a pile of gold, silver, pearls, and precious gems. They would argue about what to wear until they all agreed, and then they would still feel underdressed. "What about that long pearl necklace that can wrap around your neck?" Lady Serena said, her eyes lighting up.

Lady Gwynn had worn it once for the New Year, and the lustrous pearls, with their soft sheen, had made her shine against her plain silk dress. Lady Serena remembered it well. Lady Gwynn also remembered. "My mother sent it out to be restrung with gold thread a few days ago," she said, and told her head maid, Nina, to go and get it.

Lady Clarice also remembered the necklace. "With that necklace, you could wear the same dress for three days and no one would look down on you."

Lady Gwynn smiled broadly. "My father brought it back from the Swordfall Marches when he went to deliver the New Year's gifts."

An ordinary family would treat such a necklace as a family heirloom to be kept safe. When Lord Galen brought it back, Lady Wang was shocked. She had to get the Grand Matron's permission to keep it. She would let Lady Gwynn wear it on occasion, but she was still debating whether to use it as a dowry for her daughter or to save it for her son as a family heirloom.

Once they had picked out the clothes and jewelry, all of their problems were solved. Lady Gwynn sat down and chatted with her cousins, leaving the maids and servants to their work. The curtain lifted, and Nina came in, her hands empty. "My Lady, the Madam said the necklace has not been returned yet. The pearls are very delicate, and the craftsman is being very careful. It will not be back for another three days."

Three days was too long. Lady Gwynn threw her sleeve. "I am not going to Grandmother's house!"

The news of their visit had already been sent to the Wang family, and they were expecting them. If Lady Gwynn suddenly did not go, her grandmother, who was eagerly awaiting her granddaughter, would be very disappointed. This was not a small matter, and the maids and servants panicked.

"Do not worry, My Lady," Nina said hesitantly. "You could borrow a necklace."

Borrow? Lady Gwynn was furious. "I'd be surprised if there was a second one like it in this house!"

"My Lady," Nina said, "I just saw Mistress Glynnis moving in things for Lady Elara, and I saw a necklace just like yours in her jewelry box."

Lady Elara.

Lady Gwynn froze. Lady Serena bit down hard on her candy. "That's it," she said. "There's a ghost in this house."