Amelia’s father has been wounded.

Noticing the grave expression on Jacinta’s face, Amelia felt a dagger of fear and apprehension slide through her stomach.

“By the Gods, what is it?” Amelia asked afraid to know but **** to hear at the same time.

“My lady. Your father has been wounded and his men fear they may lose the castle's outer walls,” Jacinta said with tears breaking from her face.

Amelia whole world turned grey and she swooned, grabbing the nearest post of her large wooden canopied bed to steady herself.

“But, but, our men have always held these walls. In three years Lord Maugh’s men haven’t laid a foot upon our battlements. His soldiers haven’t attempted a full **** against us in months. They were trying to starve us out,” Amelia argued trying to deny the truth of what she had just been told.

“I don’t know my lady. I’m sorry,” Jacinta sobbed, she too wishing she could undo the news.

Suddenly Amelia’s thoughts turned to her father and that he had been injured. “My father! What’s happened to him? Where have they taken him?” she begged Jacinta to know.

“I don’t know but he’s was brought to the main hall.”

“I must go to him at once!”

“But you’re not yet dressed, my lady.”

“I don’t care,” Amelia yelled as she ran from her bedchamber. Jacinta following, begging her liege-lady to put on a shawl at least.

Amelia and Jacinta arrived in the main hall to a scene of absolute chaos. A large huddle of men were grouped together at the head of the enormous great table. Armed and armoured men were running back and forth from this group and the entrance to the hall.

Knowing this is where she would find her father, Amelia ran to the men and tried to push her way to its epicentre. Her father, The Lord of Arrowthorn was laid out on the great table, a trio of healers tending to his grievous wounds. A pair of crossbow bolts jutted from the Lord’s breast plate and he was bleeding heavily from a sword stroke to his left thigh that had sundered his chainmail. On the opposite side of Lord Arrowthorn from Amelia was her cousin Welwyn.

Upon seeing his daughter, the Lord reached a shaking hand to her and grasped her palm. “My girl. You shouldn’t be here,” he said in a weak raspy voice.

Just then the healers pulled Lord Arrowthorn breast plate up over his head, taking the two bolts with it. Mercifully the big bull of a man passed out and was spared any further pain. The healers immediate plugged the holes in an attempt to halt the bleeding.

With the father **** Amelia turned her attention to her cousin intending to find out how her father had come to be so mortally wounded.

“How could this happen?” she cried to Welwyn.

Welwyn eyes were downcast as he replied, “The cur Maugh has been reinforced by troupes from Duke Blackmuir. He’s obviously grown tired of the siege and wants to break us open. Your father was helping to tip a siege tower over when he was struck by a lucky bolt from the ground. He took a sword to the back of the leg as he fell before we could get to him and bring him back here to safety. He’s too brave for his own good your father.” The words meant as comfort but felt hollow to Amelia’s sorrowful heart.

A runner from the walls interrupted the noble cousins before anything further could be said. He panted from his sprint to the keep and delivered the news in gasping breaths, “My lords. They have righted the siege tower. They’re pulling it back into position to attack the walls once again.”

“Damn it,” Welwyn cursed. “Send all reserve troops to the wall. We will make them pay for every soul that sets foot atop Castle Arrowthorn.”

Men started to take up arms that they had dropped as they brought Lord Arrowthorn’s stretcher in. A knight of Amelia’s father asked Welwyn when he made no move to join them, “Are you coming My Lord?”

“No, my place is here with Lord Arrowthorn. I am now acting commander of this castle.”

Amelia saw the fearful faces of the men as Welwyn informed them he wouldn’t be joining them in battle to come. She saw them whisper to one another. Steeling herself she spoke, “No. I am commander as natural born daughter of Lord Arrowthorn. Bring me my brothers armour, I will join you to defend my family’s home.”