Alera excused herself with a wave to the crowd and a nod to her father— she was certain the king would be updated soon enough. But the Princess and the Captain fo the Guard wasted no time following the guard out from her father's sleeping quarters to the main floor of the castle, to a small sitting room off of the main foyer where the door was being watched by additional guards.

She nodded to them to allow her entry, and they opened the door to reveal Brigette, sitting on the edge of a chair with two more guards on either side of her. All turned towards the door once Alera and Jere stepped in, and Brigette had the sense to stand upon seeing the Princess.

The maid looked only slightly better since the last time Alera had seen her. She had bathed and clothed in a clean dress, with her scratches and bruises tended to. Around her neck, however, was a bandage, round twice and tied tight. Just above and below it Alera could see the dark discoloration from what she assumed was the remnants of her almost being hanged, and she didn't want to think about what under the bandage looked like, or if it would ever heal.

"What is this all about then?" Jere asked, far more outward with his curiosity than she was, but Brigette's attention was solely on Alera.

The maid remained silent as she reached into her pocket to remove an envelope, but the guards on either side of her immediately went to draw their swords as if they hadn't already searched her before allowing her entry into the castle. Even Jere, who had sold his daggers to make the ring on her fingers, instinctually went for a weapon. But Alera stepped forward, arms out to urge everyone to calm, as she took the envelope from Brigette.

The princess's name was scrawled in a penmanship Alera had never seen before, but when she opened it to retrieve the letter within, her heart soared with recognition:

Dear Alera,

It is my hope that this letter finds its way to you in the hands of your personal maid, Brigette, of whom we have become quite familiar despite her shortcomings with the Prince of Abignor. When we found her, she was curled upon the forest floor, barely able to move and clearly unable to speak. It did not take us long to discover what had happened, both from the evidence left within the forest and through Brigette's own recounts once she was able to write it down for me.

Do not expect Brigette to speak much from here on out. The damage done to her throat was irreparable, unfortunately, and she will not be able to speak more than a few words at a time before the pain becomes unbearable— unfortunately there was only so much we could do. But in the moments when she could speak, she asked for forgiveness and begged for mercy. Do with that as you will.

I will say the mercy you have already shown her would have made your mother proud—as proud as I am. You will make an honorable leader one day, Alera, and if your father doesn't already know that, know that I do.

Do not forget where your roots grow. You will always have a home with your mother's people. Your people.

With all my love,

Hevea

Alera let out a small sigh as she handed the letter to Jere to give him a chance to read it as well. Brigette was looking at her with a state of hopefulness and expectancy as if waiting for her fate to be decided.

"Leave us," Alera ordered the guards on either side of her, and they passed on glance between them before bowing to their princess and exiting the room, joining their brothers-in-arms on the other side of the door while Alera contemplated what to do.

"Have a seat," she instructed Brigette once they were alone in the room. The maid silently obliged.

A whistle left Jere's lips as he folded the letter and handed it back to Alera. "So what do we do now?" He murmured, his attention returning to the maid.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Her grandfather applauded her for her mercy, yet Alera could have done more. Instead she chose to leave Brigette behind— she had betrayed her, after all. And yet the forest people took her in, healed her, cared for her, knowing well she was with Nicholas when he attacked. How had she shown mercy when it was them who nursed her back to health and sent her on her way back to Palazia with a letter and a plea.

Alera drummed her fingers against her arm while she thought, and she watched Brigette shift in her seat. If the maid truly couldn't speak she would need to make sure her questions can be answered with either 'yes' or 'no' for prosperity's sake.

"Is what Hevea said true? That the forest fae took you in and cared for you, and you return here now seeking mercy?"

Brigette nodded her head.

"You do realize that you should be tried for treason, alongside Nicholas and Xavier, for what you've done."

Her eyes widened slightly, though she still nodded her head.

"Do you know where Nicholas and Xavier are now?" Jere interjected, asserting his power as Captain of the Guard.

Brigette looked to him, and shook her head.

"They're both in the dungeons," he informed her. "Awaiting trial."

Brigette's gaze turned to one of pleading as she looked back towards the princess.

"Did Nicholas do this to you?" She asked, needing that confirmation before she made her choice.

Brigette nodded.

"Did Xavier do anything to stop him?"

A shake of the head.

"Did Xavier help?"

Brigette's lip began to quiver as her eyes brimmed with tears, and she shook her head.

So they both had abandoned her and left her to die. She glanced at Jere but he already knew what she was going to say next.

Alera let out a breath. "Xavier and Nicholas are both to stand trial for their crimes against the people and the kingdom of Palazia. You should be there to stand with them but..." She looked the maid over. "It seems you have received more than your fair share of the punishment. So I will make you an offer, and I will only make it once. Do you understand?"

Brigette sat straighter in her chair, and nodded enthusiastically.

"Good. Because as part of your reparations, you will be required to testify at Xavier's trial, and later again at Nicholas', before you will be allowed to return to my service."

A panicked look struck Brigette's features and a hand immediately went to her throat. At the same time Jere looked at his fiancée with a confused glance— she would make sense in a moment if they just allowed her to continue to speak.

"That you cannot speak outwardly is merely a technicality we will resolve when it is time for you to tell your side of the events that transpired. Whether through scribe or magical means, we will—"

Brigette shook her head, wringing her hands in front of her as if she was begging.

"No magic?"

Another violent shake of her head.

Alera frowned, and didn't want to know what Nicholas had done to her if she was that vehement against anything metaphysical.

"A scribe then. A written recount." Brigette swallowed, wincing, but nodded.

"And despite her thoughts towards me," she informed her Captain, "she was a decent maid. This is the next best thing than keeping her in the dungeons, where I can personally keep an eye on her. And I rather keep someone in my service who knows me and the castle rather than having to train someone new and rebuild a trust."

"Because that's what this is, Brigette," she informed the servant. "A rebuilding of trust. So if you assist me in setting things right, you will be safe here, so long as I am heir."

Brigette bowed her head, almost in reverence, in the presence of her princess. That would be answer enough, and actions truly will speak louder than words.

"We're understood then. I'll have the guards take you back to your quarters, to watch over you until Xavier's trial tomorrow, and then we will proceed from there."

The maid nodded, and mouthed a 'thank you'.

"You're welcome," Alera responded before leaving the room, reiterating to the guards the instructions for Brigette's care and that she would be expected at trial in the morning.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he whispered to her once they had cleared the distance from guards and the sitting room. "She knows that both Xavier and Nicholas are here. What's to say she won't run to them, like she did before?"

"Are you doubting the quality of your guards, Captain?"

He huffed. "No... I trust them. It's everyone else I know I can't trust."

Alera cast one more glance back over her shoulder. "Me too..."