The house where the Lowed family lived felt quite cozy. Its walls were built of stone, and the small windows were adorned with intricate wrought-iron grilles and oak shutters.
When the guests entered the home, the household staff escorted them to the guest rooms, where they could rest and freshen up.
In the grand hall, the dining table was laden with mouthwatering dishes. There was smoked and boiled meat, cured and baked fish, vegetables and greens, as well as wheat porridge and a hearty onion soup. The red wine, poured into goblets and crafted by local winemakers, seemed refined and delicious. A woven willow basket on the table held small round rolls and rye loaves. Mrs. Lowed was passionate about baking, often experimenting with new recipes with the help of the household bakers.
As the guests took their seats at the table, Demi breezed into the hall like a gust of wind. She wore a light red dress with long, flared sleeves. The round neckline was rather revealing, but Demi didn’t seem to care. The vibrant outfit accentuated her milky-white skin, and her slender fingers were long and strong, a testament to her frequent archery practice.
Peter once again smiled dreamily as he watched the lively girl, while Erik cast her a sharp, piercing glance with eyes as dark as night.
During the meal, Marie and Demi sat side by side on carved oak chairs, occasionally exchanging subtle smiles. The hungry men eagerly devoured the appetizing food, sipped their wine, and discussed recent events.
“There are troubling rumors among the people that an attack is being planned from Martenshire,” Nick said grimly, chewing a piece of roasted turkey. “We need to stay on guard, though it’d be tough for them to get through the dense Borderland Forest…”
The rival counties of Grandwell and Martenshire were separated by a thick forest considered neutral territory. In the past, Marten warriors could pass through it unhindered to attack the Borderland settlements, but now that was far less feasible due to a band of forest outlaws—fugitives from the law—who had formed an organized group. Surprisingly, they rarely attacked people from Grandwell’s domain; even bandits feared Count Erik. However, those traveling through the forest from Martenshire were often robbed and killed, so few from the enemy side dared venture into the thickets. For this reason, Erik paid little mind to the existence of the outlaws, though he could easily eliminate them if he wished. At the moment, it wasn’t in his interest to do so. Additionally, one of his squads, led by Lowed, patrolled along the forest edge.
“We discussed this matter at the war council in my fortress. Everything’s under control,” Erik’s commanding, gravelly voice rang out with conviction, each word sharp and deliberate. “My warriors, like you, regularly report on the border situation. Recently, we caught a Marten spy. I executed him personally in front of the council members… I reckon after that, there’ll be far fewer willing to betray or spy on us.”
A tense silence fell over the hall. Demi picked up a small knife and, with a swift motion, speared a juicy red apple. She slid the fruit off the blade and took a blissful bite, closing her eyes in delight. Sweet drops of apple nectar trickled down her fingers, and she casually licked them off her skin. When she suddenly looked up, she froze… Count Erik, seated across from her, stared openly and unblinkingly, his eyes wild and hungry, burning like the mouth of a volcano. Demi felt flustered and turned to her sister, still holding the apple. Her cheeks flushed with heat, and she wished she could vanish or hide somewhere.
“What on earth is this?” A strange unease gripped the girl. She’d never reacted to men like this before. Sure, there had been admirers and friends, childish crushes, and village boys she grew up with who taught her archery, like Den and Rye…
“Demi! What kind of manners are those?” Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Aunt Seylin’s stern voice. The woman disapproved of the apple incident at the table. Demi raised a surprised eyebrow, while Marie quietly giggled. Watching the young Lowed, Peter pulled his dagger from its sheath and, in a playful show, speared an apple from the nearby basket. With a charming smile, he said:
“Fine manners, if you ask me! I don’t see anything wrong with it!” He slid the fruit off the blade, took a bite, and winked at Demi. “What a tasty, sweet apple…” He gave her a warm smile.
Demi laughed in response, trying not to look at Erik. For some reason, this commanding man made her feel awkward. Peter, on the other hand, seemed sweet and charismatic. She felt at ease around him, an instinctive comfort despite meeting him for the first time.
“It tastes better this way,” she said with a playful grin at her displeased aunt, who only shook her head sadly and sighed. Meanwhile, Peter had already speared a piece of roasted chicken with his dagger and began eating it with gusto. Demi stifled a laugh, while Count Erik shot his brother a stern look. The younger Grandwell merely sighed dramatically as he swallowed the meat.
“My dear girls, have you finished eating?” Aunt Lowed asked after a while, hinting that it was time for them to head to their room. She wanted to speak with the guests without the girls present.
“Yes, we’re done,” Demi and Marie replied, slowly rising from the table. They bowed politely and headed to their rooms, while Seylin and Nick exchanged tense glances. They had an important request to make of the count…
“My daughters… they’re growing up so fast. Marie is seventeen, and Demi is nineteen. They could use some refinement, see more of the world beyond the Borderland outskirts… Especially Demi… It’d be good to see her married well and taught proper manners. With her wild nature, she might stay single forever, and we only want a happy future for her. Our Marie is gentler and more obedient, so we worry less about her,” Nick said, sighing occasionally and shaking his head, while his wife nodded silently in agreement, sipping red wine from her goblet.
“Why not help out?” Peter said, looking at his brother questioningly as he savored a piece of rye bread.
“There’s a school at my fortress where young ladies from noble families are educated. I believe that’s exactly what your girls need… The right environment and education will undoubtedly do them good,” Count Erik said decisively and convincingly. The Lowed couple was overjoyed at their lord’s generous offer.
+++
The next morning, at sunrise, the esteemed guests were ready to depart for their fortress. The journey on horseback would take about five hours.
The entire Lowed family came out to see Count Erik and Peter off, wishing them a safe trip. A sleepy Marie shyly mumbled her farewells, bowing her head in respect. Unlike her sister, Demi acted more boldly. She gave Peter a sweet, genuine smile but cast a quick, timid glance at the count.
“Safe travels…” she said softly, meeting Erik’s gaze. Her heart fluttered like a bird caught in a net. Those piercing, dark eyes of his seemed to peer into her very soul, delving into its most hidden corners, drawing her into a hypnotic abyss. Demi froze for a moment, but when she broke eye contact, she sighed with relief.
+++
Nicholas and Seylin Lowed had long dreamed of sending their girls away for education. The topic had come up repeatedly, though Marie always reacted with displeasure, saying she didn’t want to leave her home. But there were reasons for her reluctance that her parents didn’t know about… At Grandwell Fortress, far from the Borderland Forest, she would lose contact with her secret lover, one of the forest outlaws. Only Demi knew about this. She occasionally delivered messages from her sister, leaving rolled-up pieces of parchment in a specific spot deep in the forest—a crevice in the trunk of an ancient oak tree—where she also retrieved replies from Marie’s beloved.
Daniel Ringard had been a childhood friend of the Lowed sisters. They spent a lot of time together, wandering through the woods, swimming in the pond. The young man taught Demi archery and sometimes took her hunting. But with Marie, he fell truly in love… Daniel would watch her smile with bated breath, playfully tousle her silky, light hair, and entertain her with exciting adventure stories from his life. However, when their childhood friendship grew into a deep, mutual affection, they were forced to part ways.
A year ago, Daniel had been at a local fair when he witnessed a nobleman brutally beating a homeless boy who had stolen a purse of silver pennies out of hunger. If Daniel hadn’t intervened, the poor child would have been beaten to death. For assaulting a respected lord, Daniel faced years in prison, or possibly even execution.
He managed to escape the scene by some miracle, though there were plenty of witnesses, and identifying him wasn’t difficult. Daniel raced home, gathered his essentials, and fled straight into the forest thickets, leaving behind his lonely, elderly father.
For Marie, this event was a true tragedy… How long she had dreamed of marrying Daniel, of always being together, sharing life’s hardships and joys. Now, all that remained were fleeting scraps of hope in the form of those notes left in the crevice of the oak tree trunk…