ILLBORN: Book One of the Illborn Saga by Daniel T. Jackson

Author:Daniel T. Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2021-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

22

Allana

–

Year of Our Lord,

After Ascension, 769AA

On her twentieth birthday, Allana was standing on the eastern battlements of Septholme Castle, looking outwards to the hills beyond.

She had been living in the castle for eighteen months. And for seventeen of those months, she had been the lover of Duke Conran Sepian. Sleeping in his bed for a single night each week, and delighting in the undiminished desire which she could see in his eyes whenever she was near to him.

She would be visiting his bedroom again this evening, and she shivered as she experienced a brief thrill of anticipation for the night ahead.

If only Aiduel’s Guards weren’t here, Lana. If only they would leave. Then you would truly have a chance to be happy and content.

Allana peered now towards the partially constructed fortress being built to house a garrison of Aiduel’s Guards. It was on an opposing lower hill, which was four hundred metres inland from Septholme Castle.

The fields in front of the fort were full of tents and people, many of whom were wearing the recognisable red cloak and sash. The party of the religious soldiers had first arrived outside Septholme eight months earlier. Their occupation of the shallow forested hill to the east of the town had been undertaken with the permission of Duke Conran, a condition of the agreement which the Duke had reached whilst in Sen Aiduel.

Allana recognised that the increased presence of Aiduel’s Guards in and around Septholme made her life in the castle more dangerous. Because of them, for all of her time there she had never left the castle grounds. Even then, she was never completely safe, because contingents of the Guards were regular visitors to the castle. However, the Duke had insisted that the religious soldiers could only visit with prior invitation, and he always warned her of any expected visits. On those days, she made sure to stay inside her sewing room all day, and only came back out when the Duke notified her that it was safe to do so.

Today, no visitors were expected. She was therefore indulging herself on her birthday by escaping from her work in the sewing room, to walk upon the castle battlements. She was enjoying the warm sun on her neck, and was reflecting on the events of her life since she had arrived in Septholme.

How much things have changed in two years, Lana.

–

She had become the Duke’s confidante, over the course of their affair. He had gradually shared the secret burdens of his office, particularly in the last half-year.

She therefore knew that the proximity of Aiduel’s Guards was a source of deep agitation to the Duke. In recent months, he had often told her about this when they were alone together.

‘Sometimes, I just want to muster the troops and drive the lot of them into the sea,’ he had once said to her. ‘And peace treaty be damned!’

‘Why?’

‘Because, come what may, they’re determined to find themselves a victim from amongst the people of Septholme. Someone to burn on their hill.

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