A/N: Sorry for the longer than usual wait for this chapter! I had a bout of writer's block for a week or so and just couldn't get this chapter to come out the way I wanted it to.
But it's here now! It's also a little longer than the last few so hopefully that makes up for the delay ;)
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoy it.
As always vote if you enjoyed it and share your opinions in the comments below :)

"Who's gone Tia?" I asked, my voice impatient.

"Lord Alder m'lady. Your uncle." My stomach lurched as I stared at her dumbfounded.

"How?" was all I managed to say.

"The man I've been speaking to... I thought he loved me but he was just using me to find out about m'lord and you and..." she trailed off, sniffing loudly as she attempted to dry her still falling tears on her sleeve.

"What did you tell him?" I pressed.

"M'lady, I'm so sorry, I know it was private but I... I found out about your secret and he got me drunk and I never meant to tell him. I never meant any of it!" She was clutching the front of my dress now, looking up at me with pleading blue eyes. I shut my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to refrain from lashing out at her.

So you told him about the secret passage?" I asked slowly, opening my eyes to look at her.

"Y... yes," she replied, her voice trembling as she quailed beneath my hard gaze.

"And he used it to kidnap my uncle." I stood up as I said those words and began to pace about the room.

"Do you remember what he looks like at least?" I said, stopping to look at her for a moment.

"Of course m'lady!" she exclaimed, "he has brown hair and brown eyes. He's real' tall and he dresses a bit like a sellsword." I covered my face with my hand my irritation beginning to emerge. She had described almost every man who frequented the local tavern.

"Is there anything else you remember, a distinct feature, a name perhaps?" Tia paused for a moment before replying,

"Well he told me his name was Jack, but I guess he was probably lying about that too..." she trailed off into a hiccup as her tears returned. I considered comforting her but I still felt too bitter to do so.

"So there's nothing else to go on?" I sighed, sitting on the window seat. Tia had her head buried in her hands, desperately trying to remember everything she could.

After a few minutes had passed Tia suddenly sat upright and shrieked,

"I remember!" I flinched at her sudden volume. She stood up and walked over to where I was before she continued, "he has a mole behind his ear, about the size of a pea!" I could almost feel the relief flooding through her as she finished speaking and wished I could be as optimistic. A description was not much to go on and I would need to hurry if I were to have any chance of catching up to the man and my uncle. Nonetheless I still thanked her for her help and reassured her that she was not going to be punished for being naive. Despite the slim chances, I was resolute in my decision to save my uncle, he was the last relative I had. I decided to head back into the village to ask around about the man Tia had described, hoping someone would have seen him. I considered visiting Charlie but my cheeks flushed as I remembered the way I had awoken this morning. I had Tia dress me in an elegant green gown that I hoped would accentuate my status and make the townsfolk more likely to help me in my investigation. As I descended the staircase leading to the main hall I noticed the steward Arthur was speaking to Geoffrey. When they saw me they stopped speaking and greeted me.

"Lady Amelia, you look enchanting this morning," came the steward's honeyed voice. They don't know I know, I thought to myself as I approached them.

"Thank you Arthur," I responded, "where is my uncle this morning?" I saw an odd expression flit across his face as he cleared his throat and said,

"He had some errands to run in the next town, it may take him several days to return, he asked me to apologise for not saying goodbye to you." Liar. I was disappointed with him but I knew he was only trying to protect me from the news of my uncle's disappearance.

"I see," I responded, noticing both he and Geoffrey visibly relax when I did not question them. "I'm going into the village now; I shouldn't be too long." I ignored their disapproving replies and walked out into the courtyard, knowing the only person who could forbid me from doing anything was my uncle.

The village was rather busy when I arrived, despite the early hour. I walked through the markets heading for the tavern, my journey made easy by the townsfolk, who gave me a wide berth once they saw me. Some of the townsfolk stared, others called out greetings and many kept their eyes downcast. I smiled and nodded to those that called out to me, thankful that my choice of apparel was aiding me. When I approached the tavern I noticed that it was empty, though that was not unusual during the morning. I pushed open the heavy oak door and breathed in the rich scent of ale and spices that greeted me. The tavern was large and well lit, with at least two dozen different arrangements of chairs, tables and benches scattering the room. Behind the serving counter stood a young man of around thirteen years cleaning mugs, who I recognised as the son of the barkeeper. He looked up when I entered and seemed surprised to see me, even more so when he realised who I was. The mug he was cleaning slipped through his fingers onto the counter with a loud thud, he cleared his throat nervously and said,

"Welcome m'lady, to what do I owe the pleasure of yer visit." I could tell his manners were rehearsed but I smiled nonetheless.

"I'm looking for your father, is he around?" I asked, taking a seat at the counter. The boy nodded and hurried through a nearby door.

He returned a few minutes later with a portly man of forty or so years. He was bald, his face covered with a thick black beard, and his eyes were two blue pools peering out from beneath his thick brow.

"Lady Thorel," he said his gravelly voice filled with surprise, "what can I do for you?"

"I'm wondering if you've seen a man recently who has brown hair, brown eyes, dresses in mercenary garb and has a mole on the back of his neck." At my words the man burst into loud guffaws of laughter. Once he had recovered he responded,

"I'm sorry m'lady but you just described a dozen fellows I've seen in the last month." His response didn't surprise me but I was desperate for answers so I pressed further,

"He would have been in here last night with a serving girl of fourteen years, blonde hair, blue eyes, timid but very pretty." The barkeeper's brow furrowed as he tried to remember.

"Last night you say," he began before pausing to think some more. "Yes I believe I remember her and the man she was with. He seemed rather old for her, around twenty years I'd say. He's been coming in with the lass throughout the last two months. He never gave me his name but last night I saw him and some other fella ride off toward the mountains on a white stallion." By the time he was finished speaking I had begun to feel hopeful, the man could not be far ahead. I thanked the barkeeper for his help and gave him a few gold pieces before I left.

I walked through the village once more, deep in thought about my uncle's plight. Without realising it, my feet had carried me toward Charlie's forge. When I arrived Charlie was sharpening a collection of swords and daggers at the grindstone, making a shrill rasping noise as the stone clashed with the metal. I suppressed the blush I could feel rising to my cheeks when I saw him and focussed on telling him about my current predicament.

"Charlie," I called out, over the sound of his work. He looked up, pushing his sweaty hair back from his forehead and smiled.

"Back so soon?" he teased. I rolled my eyes and pretended to peruse his wares. Setting his work aside for the moment Charlie's smile was quickly replaced by a frown as he took in my appearance.

"You're not dressed as Skylar?"

"No, I'm not." I replied flatly, "So we'd best not appear to familiar with one another." At my words Charlie resumed sharpening a small dirk, keeping his eyes down as he said,

"Has something happened? You never come in to town as Lady Amelia without Lord Alder."

"While I was gone last night, my maid Tia accidentally revealed the location of my secret passage to a man who was pretending to be her lover. He took my uncle while he slept and rode out of the village toward Otkir Mountains." As I explained my heart clenched painfully in my chest and my lip trembled. Sensing my distress, Charlie stood up and went over to where I was standing, facing away from him. He placed a hand on my shoulder and murmured,

"It'll be okay, surely people are already looking for him. They'll find him." At the sound of approaching hoof-beats Charlie quickly snatched his hand away, looked up and cursed under his breath. I followed his gaze to a large chestnut horse with white markings on its hooves.

"Lady Amelia, I've found you at last!" At the newcomer's words I looked up and glared at the approaching figure.

"Sir William, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I spat, trying to refrain from shaking as he drew closer.

"Haven't you heard? You're to be taken into my household until your uncle is returned." His eyes narrowed, their usual bright green turned dark by contempt.

"Lord Alder will return in a few weeks' time, once his business in a nearby village has concluded," I bluffed, my voice icy.

"Come now Amelia," he said quietly, "you and I both know the baron did not leave of his own volition." My eyes widened in surprise. How did he already know? I took a few steps back and could hear Charlie furiously hammering at the anvil somewhere behind me.

"I thank you for your offer Sir but I would be much more comfortable in my own home until my uncle's return," I responded, my heart thrumming rapidly in my chest.

"My home is soon to be your home, why not become familiar with it a little earlier," Sir William replied, his voice oozing with false kindness as he eyed me like I was his prey. Charlie dropped his hammer and stormed over to where Sir William stood only inches away from me.

"Forgive my interruption Sir," Charlie began, his voice hard as he reminded himself to be polite, "I believe Lady Thorel has already declined your offer."

As Charlie spoke Sir William tore his eyes away from my face to look at him, a small flicker of recognition in his eyes. He looked confused, as if he was trying to remember a dream or a childhood memory. He's too close. I thought as I desperately tried to think of a way to stop him from recognising Charlie.

"Perhaps you're right!" I exclaimed, wincing at my overly loud voice. Sir William immediately looked at me once more and looked mildly surprised. "It would not do for me to stay at home, especially with the manor being so vulnerable to intruders." I clutched at Sir William's forearm as I spoke, turning him away from Charlie toward the horse. Over his head I could see Charlie was astounded, his mouth agape and his eyes burning with questions. I shot him a warning glance before plastering a sickly sweet smile across my face once more.

"I'm glad you're being so agreeable," said Sir William with a smirk, his hands snaking around my waist as he lifted me up onto his horse. I gave Charlie a final glance, silently pleading with him not to do anything foolish, as Sir William mounted before clicking his tongue to urge the horse onward. It wasn't long before the bustling village had receded into fading chimney smoke and the wilderness began to take over. The horses breathing and the snapping of the reins were the only noises permeating the thick blanket of silence that had fallen. It was in this silence, that I began to feel truly afraid.