Smoke, there is smoke everywhere. It burns my lungs and stings my eyes like a thousand fiery demons are dancing beneath their lids. I look around and cry out,

"Mama! Papa! Where are you?" There is a loud banging and creaking coming from above me. I am frightened, my heart hammering in my chest and blood pounding in my ears. Again I cry out I am only a young girl, my small nightgown trailing around me. I can see orange and yellow lights dancing beneath my door. Hungry, searching for more to engulf. To destroy. There is a loud cracking and the door flies open, splintering into a million pieces. Papa is there. I am safe. Papa has come for me. I watch as he falls, twitching as the smoke billows out of him, swallowing him whole. I scream a cry of desperation and anguish. I can hear someone calling my name but I see only my Papa. The light in his eyes replaced by reflections of the blaze around him. I can feel myself being carried by someone, their touch is warm and loving carrying me away from my fallen father, my Papa, my hero.

          I jerked awake, ripping off the bed covers. My forehead was beaded with sweat and my body was trembling.

"They're back," I murmured as I went over to my nightstand and poured myself a glass of water. I hadn't had those flashbacks in three years. I grabbed a handkerchief and dabbed at the sweat on my forehead, before taking a long sip of water from the glass. Looking outside my window I saw that the sky was beginning to glow orange with the approach of dawn. I opened the doors and stepped out onto the balcony, breathing deeply in the cool morning air. I watched the sky become lighter and lighter, the air warming as it heralded the approach of summer. Soon I heard a tap at my door, my maid Tia stepped in and looked at me with surprise as she said,

"M'lady, I did not know you were awake. I would have woken earlier to assist you!" I smiled at her gently and replied,

"That's quite all right Tia, I have not been awake for long. Would you prepare a bath for me?" Curtsying, she added,

"Of course M'lady I'll start right away." With that she hurried out the room. I shook my head slowly. Tia was such a timid girl always hurrying from place to place, thinking any mistake she made would mean punishment. I wished she would calm down a little and stop fretting over such small and trivial things but I knew she meant well. I sighed and faced myself towards the sun once more, basking in the warm golden light. After a few moments I went at my oak vanity and began to comb my hair. I started singing softly to myself as I pulled the comb through my tangled hair. The song was an old lullaby that my mother had sung to me when I couldn't sleep.

"Deep in the valley.

High in the trees.

No matter how far away we may seem.

Our love for you will always be strong.

Sweet little child.

Lay down your head.

Don't say a word.

You're safe in your bed." 

          I finished combing my hair and turned to see Tia frozen in the doorway holding two large buckets of steaming water. She looked at me her blue eyes glassy.

"What is it Tia? You look as if you've seen a ghost!" I chuckled. Tia quickly snapped out of her daze and stammered,

"I'm so sorry M'lady! It's just I c... came in and your v... voice is so lovely!" She scurried off into my washroom and began filling my bath with the water. I smiled to myself and blushed. I wasn't used to people hearing me sing. It had always made me feel vulnerable, as if they were reading my mind and all my feelings were on display.

"M'lady, your bath is ready" said Tia coming out from the other room. I got up and walked behind my divider where she was waiting to undress me before I stepped in to the bath. I dipped one toe in carefully, testing the temperature before sliding my whole leg in. Sighing happily, I sank my whole body in and let the warmth envelop me. While I soaked, I thought back to the ball and shuddered as I remembered Sir William's actions. I grabbed a washcloth and began to scrub furiously at my skin until it was pink and burning. Tia approached the tub and began to wash my hair, combing it out in the water and massaging my scalp. As she washed me she spotted the faint bruises that had begun to appear on my neck.

"M'lady what happened to your neck?" she asked in alarm, her fingers lightly trailing the marks on my neck.

"It's nothing," I said hastily, turning in the bath to give her a reassuring smile. Whether she believed me or not I did not know, but she was too shy to press the matter.

          After I had bathed, I instructed Tia to dress me in my riding gear. I hadn't been paying enough attention to my horses lately and I wanted to see how they were after the outbreak of sickness. Once I was dressed I went down to the kitchens and took two apples, one for myself and one for Moon who was partial to them. Eating my apple hastily I went out to the back of the manor into the gardens. I noticed George cleaning one of the stables and felt sorry for him when I noticed the purple and black bruise on his cheek where my Uncle had struck him. I went over the Stablemaster, Geoffrey. Geoffrey was man of about thirty years, with black hair and dark eyes. Of all the people who worked at the manor he was by far my favourite. When I was a child he had bought Moon for me with his own money for my eleventh birthday. I had been so excited when I had first seen her. She had only been a yearling at the time but we grew together. Geoffrey was a rough, stubborn man but he possessed gentle spirit, with a kind heart that showed when he interacted with the horses. As I approached him I called out a cheery greeting, he turned to me and teased,

"Milady, it has been too long! Why have you not come to visit?" I gave him a look and replied,

"My apologies. It seems my duties have left me no free time these past few days." He cocked an eyebrow and said,

"Oh is that it? I would have thought it was your betrothal to Sir William!"

"I'm not even betrothed to him yet!" I retorted, irritated. Geoffrey bowed his head slightly and laughed,

"Ah my apologies to you Milady, you are so fun to tease." I gave him a half-hearted smile, before heading over to Moon, who was eating hay in her stable. She turned to look at me when I approached and happily took an apple from my outstretched hand.

"How many have we lost?" I asked, turning to Geoffrey as I leaned against the stable.

"A dozen or so", he responded, his voice grave.

"Is the worst of it over? Is Moon going to be okay?" I pressed, my concern adding urgency to my words.

"I am not sure," said Geoffrey, "pulling the carriage last night will not have aided her condition. We can only hope that she and the remaining horses pull through whatever it is that's ailing them." My heart squeezed painfully at the thought of losing her. 

          With no horses well enough to be ridden I decided to walk in the small woodland near the stables. I had always loved the woods, they were full of life, yet quiet enough for one to reflect on their thoughts and feelings. I clambered over a fallen tree and thought back on all the times I had ridden through here on Moon. I missed the feeling of flying when we galloped in the countryside or leaped over anything in our path. When I was riding Moon I always felt so invincible, like the weight on my shoulders had been lifted and I could just forget about what was proper and what was expected of me. I walked through the woods reminiscing for over an hour, relishing in small freedom it brought. Geoffrey called me in however, saying I had a visitor at the house and that my uncle desired my immediate presence. I raced up to the house and called out to my uncle.

"I'm in the main hall!" came his reply, and I hastened towards the front of the house.

"Uncle what has happened?" I began, but stopped in my tracks when I saw him holding a bouquet of flowers. I stood staring at the red flowers until Uncle Henry said,

"It appears Sir Lewis took a liking to you at the ball."

"These are from Ch... Sir Lewis?" I answered, correcting myself just in time.

"Yes, he sent a letter along with these flowers. Would you like to read it?" he said, offering me a small piece of parchment. I walked over to him and took the paper from my uncle, my hands shaking.

To the sweet Lady Amelia,

When I saw you at the ball I could scarcely believe my eyes. Your beauty and elegance are beyond compare, that dance I shared with you was so sweet, yet so short. I believe you have captivated not only my attentions but my heart as well.

With love,

Sir Lewis

My hands shook with rage as I finished reading the letter. That complete and utter fool! I thought to myself angrily as I crumpled the letter. My uncle watched with mild amusement as I threw the paper into a nearby fire and ran upstairs. Once in my room I locked the door and unlocked my wardrobe. I hurried down to my den and changed into my black robes, not bothering with any weapons or any of the red paste. I went through the tunnel and up through the woods, all the way to the forge. Pushing the door open I found Charlie standing over an anvil holding a hammer in the air, mid-strike. Seeing the look upon my face he dropped the hammer, held his hands out in front of him and said,

"I can explain!"