Snippet #1081370

Princess alleysae was not a tall woman, or a plumb woman or a woman to do what was expected of her. She did not ride the gentle mares that ladies society rode, nor did she ride side saddle. She sat straight and proud on her destrier. A war horse and massive in size. The muscles rippled in the sun and his mouth snorted impatiently. Alleysae commanded him with her thighs and the horse cantered forward.
She was clad in leather breeches and a black tunic cinched at her waist with a leather belt with a bronze buckle. Her mane of hair had been braided back and she wore tall boots. Her bow was in her lap. Massive and of yew wood. It curved at the middle, taut like a girls flat belly. she unlike the hunters of the era did not use a quiver but an arrow bag that was water proof.

Two women came out, small and willowy with blond silvery hair that fell down their backs. They were dressed in finery and looked like princesses. They had a sweet face with a rose bow as a mouth.
They were the daughters of the sister to the deceased queen. Allesay's cousins and she was selling them to the enemy with what seemed no remorse at all.
Their mother came out with a cry and hugged her daughters to her breast "alleysae...I beg you..spare my daughters...not my daughters...choose any other maid...any other girl...but leave them...they are your blood"

Alleysae stared down at her and hissed "control yourself... what is done is done. They are of royal blood and can appease the king of Porl...shall i take them our washing woman...our kitchen girl, the scullery maid...a whore from the streets? The insult would destroy us"
"there are other nobles...with other girls..." the woman begged and the girls sobbed in their mother's breast.
"they are by far the most beautiful of the land" Alleysae said coldly and motioned to the guards who grabbed the girls and pulled them from their mother. The girls clung fiercely sobbing louder while their mother cried "please...please...not them...not them"
"Control yourself Madame" Alleysae snapped and the woman collapsed as her daughters were taken away.

She ordered her horse forward but the woman threw herself in front of the horse "I beg you...I beg you...I will give you anything" And Alleysae's face broke from her controlled fury. she jumped from her horse and took the woman by the arm digging her nails into her skin " I have to sell myself too...and what mother is calling to me to stop myself. What mother is stopping me from riding to Porl and selling myself. It is for our country and for our people. Have some dignity and control yourself"
A guard took her aunt gently and led her back into the castle and Alleysae stood there shaking and then lifting her chin she climbed back onto her horse and rode to meet the man who would go with her.

On the day that Alleysae Goldenleaf collected treasure for Porl it came to amount to three chests of gold coin, four suits of finely wrought armor, ten royal dresses of silk threaded with gold and studded with gems., five war horses -trained and very expensive- two barrels of scented oils and the sword of eldine the hung on her waist. The scabbard was simple and it was not the scabbard of the sword but another to hide the fact that she carried it. The real sheath sat nestled between the dresses.
The sword itself was balanced and light and had a blue sheen to it. This sword would never rust or need sharpening and holding it Alleysae felt like she could conquer the world. The power rushed trough her hand and it made her reckless. With this sword she could face the King of Porl and demand to be left alone. With this sword she could defend her country.
She put it back in the scabbard and the feeling left her.
A guard called to her and she answered but she was distracted with the shock of holding the sword. She rode towards the carriage loading the treasure in and gave a nod of approval. Sturdy and it did not look like it carried more than it should. From the carriage she heard muffled sobs and with a groan she spurred her horse a bit forward.
She did not want to sell the girls...but everyone had to sacrifice something and for her country she would give up almost anything.