rom the bed she had been lying on. It appeared as if she h

eyes as she s

did y

ir heads, diverting their attention a

r continued. 'Your lessons with the governess have been extended. You will spend

ng?' Cam da

wise' their mother

ortant lords and ladies, and who knew who blah, they would learn of science and alchemy blah, and how numbers worked together blah, they would learn about breeding and nature blah blah, and why certain insects chose certain flowers to visit blah blah blah and how their habits blah helped spread the growth of flowers blah and blah and crops which were blah by the peasants and how the food produced blah

ards on the table, his face hi

it up' Sylvia s

ffled by the pages of the book, his nose squashed against t

eside him, shaking him by th

is head over to face his brother, but not lifti

d been happy, but now trapped within th

mbled, pressing his hands upon the

ylvia asked h

e harshly, 'I like

governess replied softly to him, 'espe

ne?' Luke asked

place' Sylvi

ion' Luke glowered at the boo

by religious conflict a long time ago, a war which had lasted a hund

people go when they die?'

from his book

on the table with her lips pursed. 'I'm af

ing down at the picture in the book before him, a picture of a mounted soldier decapitating

ke spoke in a distant voice, 'but no one knows

your father' Sylvia spoke soft

fair...' he bowed his head, blinking back te

up after a few seconds. 'I wa

if that is s

udly, lifting his head with tears in

boy sadly, feeling s

bmitted. 'I will

exited the palace through a door that opened out onto a small balcony. From th

sky above their heads was beginning to darken now as the sun dipped towards the horizon, the garden around them was eerily still. Noth