Snippet #2127797

Early dawn rose as birds chirped with the suns arrival, but the passing hours went unnoticed by Lillian who paced the floors of her chambers unconsciously wringing a silk handkerchief between her pale hands. Thoughts raced through her mind as her attempted to sort her options. On her bed folded lay a charcoal colored cloak trimmed in red that had once belonged to her mother. Until now it had been buried in the deepest depth of a trunk along with the contents it held.…

Boraguard Stonehammer, the blacksmith, had been killed….his head severed from his body, and was unable to be located. His son, Tybalt, pointed the blame to Bortaveous, but nothing tied the young lord’s guard to the blacksmiths brutal murder. Instead, it was Tybalts’s sword that had been used. His father’s blood still stained the blade.

The young blacksmith would have been taken to the dungeons that lay beneath the floors of the castle to greet death if not for Lillian’s father. He spoke for the lad, and demanded he be released. As the Kings hand, he handled all royal business in the Kings absents…and as the Gods would have it, Charles Godwin was hunting.

Alexavier had been enraged that Tybalt had been allowed free. Her love was certain the boy was a murderer, and demanded Lillian keep distance. He would see to Tybalt’s execution.

Reaching for the cloak, Lillian made her choice. Her nursemaid would be in soon to wake her, so she would have to move quickly. Unknown to her, the choice she made would save an innocent man, but end the life of others…many she cared for.

She, however, was not the only one who had made a life altering choice. Her father, Graham, had only moments ago sent a pigeon with gruesome news… the O’Connel children would be returning to Casterly Rock. He feared they may be those among them who wished harmed to him, and he knew the secrets he held may lead to his children becoming pawns in this game he was quickly losing.