Chapter 2 - The Stone Palace

Walking up the cobbled street toward the stable, Morgan hid her sword sheath and grabbed her satchel. After checking the streets outside, she changed into a silver silk dress and tied her hair into a bun.

Now looking proper for the title she bore, she continued to walk toward the great Stone Palace. A guard, dressed in silver and green, bowed to her and let her inside.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” He said politely, she gave a polite nod and soft smile. By now, the guards knew not to question her whereabouts. She had them trained well.

“Morgan! Morgan!” A young boy rushed up to her excitedly. Ruffling his hair, she gave him an apologetic smile.

“Not right now, Edward, I have things to do,” She said gently, knelt in front of him. His pale green eyes turned to the floor, and he nodded slowly, then turned as she stood up again with a smile. Her spine stiffens, gaze falling as she clasps her hands in front of her as a tall man with the same brown hair as Edward approached her.

“Where have you been?” He hissed, his brown eyes grew cold, matching his tone. He crossed his arms, looking down at her expectantly. She hated the way it made her feel like a child.

“I went for a walk,” She replied calmly, not meeting his eyes. His gaze seemed to intensify and his voice grew thick with anger.

“A walk? Again, Morgan? Is there something going on between you and that stupid boy?”

Slowly, she looked into his eyes and shook her head. Apparently unconvinced, he took her by the shoulders and put his face far closer to hers than she was comfortable with.

“Just because you're angry that you must be married doesn't give you the right to just disappear into the night. I expect you to act as a princess should. You have one hour to get ready for the suitors to arrive.”

Annoyed, she stalked off to her quarters. The castle was impressive, she'd give it that much, but it was never a home. Not to her.

The first thing in sight upon entering were two long tables on the tier above the entrance hall. In between the tables was a large stairway leading to the dungeon. Behind the stairway was another raised level where the throne stood. Many rooms and decorations adorned the high walls and long, empty halls of the palace. There were two large open doorways with staircases on each side of the throne which lead to the royal family's chambers and the great balcony. The servants all shared a large, open room to the right of the entryway. The Alchemy Master and Court Mage, Geoffrey, had a study just behind the left long table. The kitchen lay on the opposite side. Morgan's room was the first room to the left of the centered balcony doors.

She was defying the King by being in the Brotherhood of the Grim; he thought she was having an affair, however. Edward seemed to be the only one she could be herself around. The servants, the Brotherhood, everyone, really, held her to higher standards because she was royal. She hated it.

King Philip didn't always hate Morgan. It wasn't until her mother's death he resented her. It's because she reminded him of his late wife, her mother, who died shortly after she married him. Edward was as oblivious to it as he was to everything, still in the innocence of childhood. It happened when he was so young, most of the servants didn't believe he remembered his mother anymore. Morgan hadn't the heart to remind him of her, or try to tell him of their father. He loved Philip dearly, and she couldn't take that one bit of joy from him.