comments please.

[Blade]

A few weeks had passed and there had been no signs of trouble from within the court. Everything had been routine. This was unusual but no one had noticed. It was usual for beginners in any workforce to cause trouble of some sort. Jamal had never said a bad word in regards to Natasha. Nor had Catherine mentioned anything about the cooks in the kitchen. Catherine, herself was quite startling, within a week of her employment had she ascended to the position of head cook over all the male chefs. It was like Jamal and Catherine were never there. There had never been a sign of trouble since their arrival and Liam no longer gave them a thought.
Flynn knew otherwise, as did Alan and other members of the court. Flynn had often entered the kitchens when Catherine arrived to see how she was doing. Flynn knew Liam would never check in on her. He was too foolish. Catherine was just content to do what she was told to start with but at the first sign of trouble, she would remove herself from the room, and by some miraculous means the conflicts would resolve themselves. Flynn was first perplexed on how this was possible as she immediately recognised the pattern. She noticed over time, as conflicts would emerge that Catherine would remain in the room and within minutes the conflict would resolve itself. Flynn couldn’t tell why but one day the other cooks just approached Catherine and asked her if she would like to be head chef. Catherine was no fool and agreed immediately. Her culinary skills had all ready delighted the chefs for a week or more when she was given the opportunity to express herself in her work. Flynn knew something was going on but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Flynn had decided to oversee how Natasha and Jamal were faring. Flynn found the pair in the amphitheatre that was often used as a contest arena when the kingdom needed to raise revenue. Natasha had taken her time with Jamal, he had been a mercenary, and she had expected to see some skill from him. She saw none; he was going to be a challenge she had thought. He must have been lucky to survive all the encounters he had had.
Natasha had started Jamal out with the very basics. First she started him with the stances, he had some trouble adapting to them, but then Natasha realised his problem. He had no balance for those stances and countered the problem by giving Jamal a sword to actually hold. When she had done that, she realised just how stupid her mistake had been. He should have been armed with a sword to begin with for balance. Jamal immediately overcame his problem with the stances and progressed quite rapidly through them. Next they moved through grips on the sword. And now Natasha and Jamal were up to practising swordplay.
Natasha began with a sword for each of them but realised her error when she almost cleaved Jamal’s head in two. She traded those swords for wooden practice swords. Instead of almost always killing each other they ended up with quite a few bruises at the end of their session. Well Jamal did anyway. When they had finished Jamal made an immediate trip to the bathhouse. Flynn wended her way down to Natasha.
“Heiress!” Natasha exclaimed.
“Did I surprise you Natasha?”
“Why, yes.”
“I didn’t mean to. Sorry.”
“That’s quite all right, Heiress.”
“Natasha, we know each other better than that, call me Flynn.”
“Yes Heiress. I mean yes Flynn.”
They both laughed.
“How is Jamal coming along?”
“Did Liam send you?”
“What on earth gave you that idea? Liam’s too lazy to look in upon the castle’s new employees. He’s probably all ready forgotten that we employed them. I just wanted to see how Jamal is doing. Catherine has made remarkable headway.”
“Has she? I wish I could say the same for Jamal. Don’t get me wrong he is making progress but slowly.”
“Why, whatever is the problem? He seems to be doing fine to me.”
“Well he is now I just expected a little more skill from him being a mercenary and all.”
Flynn sighed. “Natasha, I don’t know. I don’t know much about mercenaries and all that I’m only seven.”
“I just expected to see a bit more skill from Jamal, that’s all, I hoped to be a bit more advanced than this. It’s going to take ti-” Natasha halted mid-sentence. “Why, Flynn, Happy Birthday. Unbelievable you are only seven, often when I talk with you I feel as if I’m speaking with a grown woman.”
“Thank you Natasha. Just a little thought you may want to wear some leather armour in your practice sessions with Jamal in the future. Hope to see you at the celebrations tonight.”

[Blade]

The celebrations commenced early in the evening and had the usual carousing and joyous ceremonies that were involved in any celebrations in the Sidean kingdom. Even the Regent was in on the act drinking and revelling with the court. It was Flynn’s birthday celebration but she seemed left out of the event but she didn’t seem to mind. She had seen this behaviour before and quietly retired to her room until she would be called upon to blow out the candles on her cake, her only real official duty of the night. The rest of the court enjoy any excuse to make merriment within the castle walls and this probably would be a good time as there was no direct trouble assaulting the Kingdom or the palace walls itself.
The dining room was massive. All the staff of the palace was seated around it. At the head of the table were two seats, one for the Regent himself and one for the Heiress. Dinner had yet to be served. The men were all ready demanding their brass goblets been filled with ale again.
“Patience!” a voice boomed. The crowd ignored it and continued their racket. Again the voice thundered, “Patience!”
This time the crowd turned to see whom it was making the noise. Much to the crowds surprise it was Jamal. Jamal hunkered in the doorway, empty goblet in hand. Everyone had been silenced by Jamal’s voice. He was a giant of a man. To look at he was not a man you would want to mess with; he was solid, well-muscled man. The court had taken Jamal for a rather quiet man or perhaps that was just because he was under a woman’s command. Tonight the court learned that Jamal was only quiet until something upset him. The look he gave the court was one that said he had a temper to match his fiery red hair.
“Dinner and Ale is coming,” he said once he had everyone’s attention.
No sooner had Jamal uttered these words when more ale was served. The court functionaries were becoming rowdier and rowdier. If they were to go on much longer at the pace they were setting they would soon forget dinner altogether and the purpose behind this celebration.
The courtiers and other palace servants couldn’t have been more than half way through their goblet of wine and ale that Jamal had provided for them when dinner was laid out before them.
On the massive table before them was a giant spread of roast chicken, shoulders of ham, legs of ham, pheasant and of course the all-important vegetables. The Regent under the influence by this time silently noted the absence of Flynn at mealtime. He dug into his food without another thought about her, he knew his condition would disintegrate if his hunger was not satisfied. As everyone concluded his or her meal, Liam raised a toast. “I note her absence at the beginning of our meal and note she still has not joined us but this feast was in her honour to celebrate her seventh birthday. I raise a toast to our future queen, the young heiress, Flynn!”
“Flynn!” the crowd chorused and drank.
“If she’s not careful, she’ll miss out on her cake too,” one member of the court bellowed.
His timing couldn’t have been better. Flynn walked in on cue as the courtier finished his remark.
“What remarkable revelry we have here,” Flynn said on taking her seat. No formalities took place as the heiress walked in as the crowd were clearly too encumbered to notice.
“So glad you could join us Flynn,” Alan said sarcastically cosying up to Victoria. Alan was still allowed in the court and the palace but no one was entirely sure what his purpose was.
Liam greeted Flynn as she took her seat. She returned the salutation.
Jamal rose from his seat. “A toast,” he said, “a toast to the wonderful cook of all this magnificent and delicious food.”
“Here here,” said a large collection of people seated at the head of the table.
“Yes,” Liam said, “who is our wonderful cook this evening?”
“Catherine,” Flynn whispered to Liam.
“Our treasured little heiress tells us our cook this evening is none other than one of the castle’s newest employee’s Catherine. Congratulations to Catherine on providing a wonderful sumptious meal for us all. Here’s to Catherine,” Liam toasted her. The others followed heartily.
Flynn sat and listened to the inebriated crowd for a while and made no input herself. She was about to make her excuses and leave when she couldn’t tolerate the nonsense anymore when in rolled the cake. Catherine herself brought in the multi-tiered bejewelled cake. Flynn couldn’t take her eyes of the cake. Her young eyes had never seen anything more beautiful.
Liam’s heart became cleft in his throat when he laid eyes on Catherine. He could only watch in silent admiration.
The candles were lit and a chorus of happy birthday was sung. Flynn seemed a bit tentative about blowing out the candles.
“Go ahead and make a wish,” encouraged Natasha.
Flynn blew out the candles with one extraordinary breath.
The cake was sliced and passed around to the numerous people around the table. Flynn looked at her piece of cake and mumbled, “Shame to ruin something so beautiful.”
“What?” Liam asked, well gone into the drink.
Flynn shook her head as she had a mouthful of creamy cake.
They all ate their cake and then the real festivities began. Of course there was more wine and ale but now there was music and dancing too.
Flynn saw that the celebrations were going to get out of hand so she made her excuses and left but not before thanking Catherine for her cooking and Natasha for attending.
Catherine and a few servants were left to do the cleaning up in the kitchens.

[Blade]

Liam became more and more inebriated. Soon he was so drunk he didn’t know what he was doing. He began fetching drinks for more and more of the maidservants including Victoria. He brought and brought them drinks for no apparent reason at all, that sent Alan packing, he couldn’t compete with that.
Catherine soon finished her duties and went to enjoy the festivities. She danced, and laughed and frolicked her way through the dance floor.
Jamal and Catherine were soon in an embrace on a nearby bench when approached by Liam. Liam did not recognise Jamal at the time. In fact he ignored him completely. “I am infatuated with you,” Liam said or something to that effect. The trouble with it though was that it was true. “But you all ready knew that didn’t you?” he asked. Catherine shook her head. She was polite enough to carry a conversation with the drunken Regent though. However, she did get to the point, “What are you trying to say?”
Liam was dumbfounded, this was a better response then he had expected but he never expected that question.
Liam searched his intoxicated brain for an answer. “I guess I’m asking you for a dance.”
Poor Liam was rejected by Catherine at that stage as she made some remarks that referenced her seated companion Jamal.
Somehow on the whole though through all the alcohol Liam felt better for getting that out of his system. He never bothered Catherine for the rest of the night. Even through the blur of alcohol, Liam knew his obsession with Catherine was nothing but an infatuation. He didn’t fancy taking her to the bedroom or stealing kisses from her. He was just glad to know she lived up to her reputation in the castle of being a rather friendly person.
The night continued to blur for many of the palace staff. Liam especially. He could say when he awoke the following day without all the usual drawbacks of alcohol and he believed he had a good time. That day passed quite uneventfully.
So did the next.
The evening didn’t however. They were at it again. Revelling in the night. Liam decided not to join in this time. Flynn was safe and snug in bed this time. Her birthday celebrations became a memory of the distant past.
Liam found himself head to head with Jamal on this night. Jamal had taken rather strong offense to the improprieties that Liam laid before his wife. Words were exchanged. Liam’s words were rather meek. Jamal made some threats that he would come to regret later. Liam understood where Jamal was coming from except he didn’t think he would go as far as threats. That hurt Liam to the heart.
Many of the court functionaries know how hard it is to infuriate Liam. Many have tried and none have succeeded until now. Liam didn’t have any real friends at court. The only person he could turn to was Flynn.
He thought she wouldn’t understand. For crying out loud, she’s only seven, he thought to himself. Liam went to her bedchamber and laid the scene out before her. “Tonight,” he said, “I was only going to make sure I didn’t say anything that offended her and then he stepped in.”
Flynn gave him a compassionate look and promised that she would have words with him about it.
Liam thanked Flynn but he didn’t feel any better about it. What Jamal had said had hurt.

[Blade]

Natasha had given up on expecting Flynn and Liam to find alternative accommodation arrangements for her. In fact, she was quite content to live with Alan these days. She still found him charming and attractive but she was able to resist his charms to a certain degree in more recent times.
In the simplest terms Natasha had become used to her life at the Royal Palace. She had finally gotten used to Alan and his moodswings. She began to enjoy the training she was giving Jamal. She was happy.
Natasha had adopted the leather armour that Flynn had suggested in her practice sessions. Jamal was now becoming quite adept in his use of the sword. It wouldn’t be long before he will be ready to confront any armed man or woman without armour but for now the armour was more or less a safety precaution. It wasn’t nearly as burdensome as chain mail as more of the bulkier armour would be.
Jamal had even began to practice on his own on occasion. Natasha was confident that he would be a success.
Natasha was thrilled with her little victory over what was an awkward start for her with Jamal. She still wasn’t certain of her appointment to the royal palace here in Sidea though. She had no idea why she remained on at the palace. She had only sought shelter for a night and she was lucky that Liam had given it to her. Liam had obviously seen something worthwhile in her.
Something had stirred in Natasha’s warrior’s blood that insisted she remain. She didn’t know what it was or why, she just knew she had to stay. It was instinct.
Natasha was descending the stairs into the outer compound when she heard a commotion at the gates. On inspection it was a mass mob of riff-raff trying to storm the gates. The Royal Guard was fending of the mob from storming the castle grounds.
The Guard eventually forced any that penetrated the compound back out on the streets and secured the Gates. Additional sentries were added to the palace gates. There was much fear of a riot on the streets just outside of the palace. No logical reason was given for the commoners’ mass attack on the palace gates.
Natasha felt her blood stir. There was going to be fighting in the future. She garbed herself in her warrior’s outfit. Some light chain mail under a relatively common smock. A leather belt around her waist that continued to formed the scabbard that sheathed her sword. Her blond hair tied back and braided. A look of sheer determination became set on her face. Her blue eyes flashed to steel gray. Natasha began to harden herself, as she knew what was going to ensue.
She went to find Jamal. She found him in the stables about to select a mount. He immediately recognised the look on Natasha’s face. He had seen it on many a men during his fights from his mercenary days. Jamal really didn’t like fighting but it earnt him his keep and his skill had improved remarkably since he’s been under royalty’s roof.
“Trouble?” Jamal asked.
“Most likely. A mob just attacked the gates. It doesn’t look good.” Natasha replied.
“I was just going to select one of these beasts to use for my horse in battle or battle training.”
“No time. We need to hone your other skills if there’s something afoot in Gondwana.”
“Whatever you say, let’s go.”
“The ampitheatre isn’t safe. Follow me.”
Natasha led Jamal to her place.
Admittedly Natasha wore some light chain mail but ordered Jamal to go unarmoured. On foreign training grounds they fell into their routine. After some to-ing and fro-ing Natasha decided Jamal was ready. He had parried everything she had thrown at him. Natasha had also parried everything that Jamal had thrown at her but that was to be expected. “Go suit up in some chain mail,” Natasha advised, “we will need to be ready.”
Jamal left. Natasha went to see Liam.
Liam was being briefed on the incident outside. So Natasha was forced to remain and wait until the Royal Guards had finished their reports before she could gain entry.
Natasha was finally allowed in. Liam let out an explosive breath as she entered. “Natasha,” he said in acknowledgement.
“Liam, we’ve got a problem,” she said.
“No Natasha,” Liam replied, “we had a problem. The Guards took care of it.”
“I’ve seen this before Liam, I know what I’m talking about. That wasn’t just some random attack at the gates.”
“The Guards have assured me that it was. There is no cause for an uprising or rebellion in Sidea.”
“There may not be in Sidea but there may be elsewhere.”
“And if there is Natasha, it has nothing to do with Sidea.” Liam strode out angered.
Natasha was baffled.