My Lord! Please! (A Character Driven Kingdom Building Novel)

Lucien and Talia exchanged brief looks at Tomas's words.

"Did she seem injured, Tomas?" Lucien asked, turning back to the younger man.

"No, My Lord. I escorted her to the dining hall. Alicia has been..." He cleared his throat. "She's been fussing over her. And the children are trying to speak over one another about Cora being missing."

A furrow formed on Tomas's brow. "I am sorry, My Lord. We've seen no sign of her within the village so far. Henric is still searching."

Lucien shook his head. "Tell him to stand down, Tomas. If you haven't found her yet, then she is likely not within the village anymore."

"Tell Dorian to come and find me in my study, but go and have a rest after that...I suspect the guards will be busy in the days ahead."

Tomas bowed before turning to leave.

Once the younger man was far enough away, Talia spoke, her voice softer than usual.

"She's too early."

He inclined his head. "Sera left on foot...if she's back this soon, then there are only a few reasons why...none of them good."

They shared a look once more before making their way back to the manor.

By then, the light had begun to thin across Ashridge, stretching the shadows of the palisade over the packed earth below.

A few villagers lingered near the southern road, speaking in lowered voices until they noticed them passing. Then their words faded, replaced by bows and uneasy glances toward the gate.

Lucien acknowledged them with a slight nod while Talia gave an easy wave toward the laborers returning from the northwestern site in small groups.

Word hadn't spread far yet, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the village knew of both the missing child and the orcs.

By the time the manor came into view, lamps had already been lit near the entrance of the courtyard, their glow spilling faintly across the ground.

One of the guards saluted at the sight of him before he spoke.

"My Lord. Cora's mother is inside with Maris and your maid. A few of the parents have stopped by as well, but we assured them that their children would return as soon as you have no more questions for them."

"If they come by again, tell them I am releasing them shortly," Lucien replied, gaze shifting to the palisade walls. "Is there anyone available to escort them to their homes?"

The man shook his head. "No, My Lord. Not without pulling men from wall duty or rest."

Lucien considered the matter briefly, only for steps from behind to interrupt him just as he was about to speak.

Approaching from the eastern road, Bran stopped at a distance and dipped his head.

"My Lord. I heard the news...Maris is already inside, isn't she? We can help bring them back to their homes together, if you wish."

Talia clapped her hands lightly. "Bran! It's been a while since I've seen you. Your wife's been a great help at the shop, but you don't stop by as often as you should."

She shot him the kind of look that usually spelled trouble for Lucien. "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me somehow."

"...Apologies, Lady Talia. I am usually too busy to stop by...and Maris already brings back what we need from your shop, so...there was no need for me to trouble you."

Bran cleared his throat, wearing the careful expression of a man who had stepped near a trap and noticed only after hearing the click.

Feeling sorry for the older man, Lucien cut in. "It will help, Bran. Come. We shouldn't let the children wait too long...and I need to hear Sera's report."

While Talia gave him a knowing look, Bran nodded, looking grateful that the subject had changed.

The guards exchanged bemused looks as they walked past, making their way into the manor.

Before they reached the dining hall, Lucien could already hear the children's voices through the door.

Lucien's gaze found Sera seated near the window, with Alicia piling food onto her plate the moment they entered the room.

The maid looked up at his entrance and dipped her head before smiling at the sight of her father.

Maris kept the younger children gathered near one side of the room with Zara and Aisha, though that hardly helped when Roland kept talking from the other side.

Even then, it sounded less like his usual chatter and more like he was trying to fill the space someone had left behind.

Cora's mother sat nearby, pale and rigid, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. When she saw him, her eyes filled with hope for a brief moment, only for it to fade when he slowly shook his head.

That was enough for the other children to notice him.

Before they could ask, he spoke first, answering what he could and letting them know enough that Cora was being searched for beyond the village. Then, before fear could turn the room restless again, Lucien asked the adults in the room to escort them home.

By the time the last of them had been led out, the dining hall felt suddenly quiet in their absence.

When Alicia made to set a plate down, he shook his head.

"I need to speak with Sera first, Alicia. Dinner can wait."

He looked away from her faintly reproachful look as he turned to Sera. "Sera. Meet me at the..."

Before he could finish, Sera had already risen from her chair and set her half-eaten plate on the table.

The hunter paused at the crease in Alicia's brow before shaking her head lightly.

"Seems like it's urgent, Alicia. Let's leave them to it, and then you can remind them later after the meeting!" Talia piped in, moving to sit at one of the dining chairs, eyeing the food from the trolley at the side of the table expectantly.

"...I will be bringing you two your plates after, My Lord," Alicia said after a brief moment as she moved to serve Talia.

Lucien gave a nod before gesturing to Sera. "Come. Dorian should be at the study soon."

At the captain's name, Sera, who had already started toward him froze.

Talia, of course, noticed immediately. "...You're still avoiding him, huh? It's not like he's going to bite, ya know."

When the hunter's eyes snapped to her, Sera gave a slow shake of her head before turning toward Lucien, her head tilting in question as she pointed to the table in the dining hall instead.

Lucien answered with a shake of his own, watching as Sera's shoulders lowered.

The sight eased something in him, if only slightly. At least she hadn't retreated completely to the girl she had been when they first met.

The moment they walked into the study, Sera moved to stand by the window.

This time, however, she seemed unusually tense, her eyes continuously flicking outside.

Seated behind his desk, he observed her behavior closely, inwardly wondering if it was due to whatever she had noticed while tracking or the inevitable presence of Dorian.

The rough map of Ashridge and the surrounding forest lay spread across the desk before him, the creases and worn edges showing how much use it had seen as of late.

A line had already been drawn along the Easthollow River so Sera could show where the crossing might lie, while a blank piece of parchment and a charcoal stick had been set aside in case she needed to write something.

His thoughts were interrupted when Sera stilled, her head shifting toward the door.

It seemed Dorian was here.

Sure enough, a knock sounded.

"Enter."

The captain stepped inside looking somewhat tired, the fact made apparent by the slight sag of his shoulders.

Lucien gestured to the chair across from him.

"Please sit, Dorian. It's been a long day...for all of us here."

Dorian glanced toward the hunter, who had been watching him closely ever since he entered the room, before inclining his head.

Sitting down slowly, the captain made to speak, only to stop halfway through and look over at Lucien instead.

For a moment, Lucien had the distinct impression that Dorian had been about to demand a report, only to think better of it after looking at Sera.

He let out a soft breath before turning to the girl still standing by the window. "Sera, if you would report on your findings?"

She nodded before deliberately making her way to his side of the desk, then leaned over to tap once at the forest along the Easthollow River. Then she traced two fingers from Ashridge to the point she had marked, showing the distance from the village.

"...You made it only that far, Sera?" Lucien asked, glancing toward her.

When Sera answered with a slight nod, Dorian cleared his throat, causing the hunter's eyes to flick over to him.

"You didn't manage to find the river crossing," the captain said, a slight frown on his face.

Sera only unstrapped the leather satchel she usually carried with her and emptied its contents onto the desk beside the map.

At first glance, the things she brought back didn't make sense to Lucien.

A broken twig lay among them, fresh sap still gleaming at the break. Beside it was a blackened feather stained with soot, along with a scrap of bark rubbed with charcoal, the faint shape of a print marked across its surface.

And a crude length of cord.

Lucien's gaze had barely passed over it before Dorian went still.

The captain's hand tightened over the armrest of his chair, the leather creaking faintly beneath his fingers.

"...Orc cord," Dorian growled, the restraint that normally held him beginning to crack.

His captain's reaction made Lucien look back at the cord to examine it more closely.

It was short, barely long enough to tie anything properly, and twisted from coarse fibers that looked closer to inner bark than proper hemp. Strands of stiff hair had been worked through it as well, jutting out in uneven bristles along its length.

Dorian's voice interrupted his observation.

"They twist it wet, then let it dry stiff. It makes it harder for women to bite through."

At some point, Sera had stepped back from the desk, standing slightly behind Lucien while eyeing the captain warily. Only when the man unclenched his fists did she move back to her previous spot.

Lucien's gaze shifted toward the area Sera had marked. "You found these things there, Sera?" His hand went to trace the spot. "Is it just in that specific area?"

She shook her head firmly before reaching for the charcoal stick and the blank parchment. For a long moment, the faint sound of charcoal scratching filled the room.

As Lucien watched, rows of slanted lines began crossing back and forth across the page, as though marking a trail repeatedly taken through the forest.

Then she pointed to the items on the table, specifically the broken twigs, feathers, and the scrap of bark. Finally, Sera circled the area where she had marked in the forest.

By then, Dorian had composed himself, expression stony as he exchanged looks with Lucien.

"They are lingering around that area, My Lord," the captain said, eyes falling back down on the map.

Before Lucien could reply, Sera's movements caught his attention as she tapped one finger on the parchment along the river. Sliding it upward, she dragged it across toward the forest before sliding it back.

The path she traced formed the shape of a box, with the only opening facing the direction Sera had come from.

Lucien's gaze sharpened as it snapped upward. "They noticed you?"

Sera gave a small nod.

They had tried to drive her into an ambush.

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