As Lord Hezeke Bromiln, son of Lord Jafeth Bromiln, toiled up the muddy hill, sliding back a foot for every two he advanced, he could only think of one thing: his parents were going to kill him. If his parents were not the ones to end his life, however, the Elders certainly would. Either way, it was a gloomy prospect. Jaw clenched in grim determination, he made it up the slope and found himself face to face with a tall stone wall. Taking advantage of the shelter from the bitterly chilly wind, he looked down at what he carried.

It was a girl only two years younger than himself. She was rather bony, but what that was to be expected of someone who had spent their entire life living on the streets. Her hair was long and wavy, a mouse-y brown color, and her skin was quite pale from the chill. Hezeke cursed himself again. He had been totally unprepared for this night, and he was going to pay for it. In an attempt to keep her warm, he took off what remained of his shredded coat and wrapped it around her. It was not good, he knew. The coat was shredded beyond recognition, and the shirt he had on now had fared only slightly better. The only way to get her warmed up again would be to get her inside, the one place he really did not want to be at that moment.

With a heavy sigh, he turned so that the wall was on his right and walked along it, in the direction of the setting full moon. The moon only served to remind him of his failure as it shown brightly over everything, reflecting off of the recently rained on trees and bushes. It was the nearing the end of the season where the leaves turned colors, and the coming season was already making its presence known. He had picked this night especially for this reason. The girl in his arms would have had to live unsheltered and alone on the streets through the start of the cold season if he had waited any longer, and he had put off his mission long enough as it was.

Long before he wished to see it, the gates of Moonstone Mansion came into sight, and as he had predicted, his arrival did not go unnoticed. The gates had already swung open as he neared them, and the clanged solidly shut behind him. The noise caused the girl to stir, and she blearily opened her eyes for a few moments before passing out again, but not before Hezeke saw again how brilliantly green her eyes were. He had never seen anyone whose eyes blazed as green as hers did.

“Hezeke, my darling! How did it go?”

The words died on his mother’s lips as she stepped out of the main doors of the mansion and into the chilly courtyard. Her eyes widened first in shock as she took in the state of Hezeke and his clothes, and the state of the girl he still carried carefully in his arms. The shock slowly melted into a blazing fury, and although no words were spoken, Hezeke flinched.

“Hezeke Rodric Bromiln,” she said, each word coming out slowly with carefully restrained anger, “Get her inside this instant, and then I think you should have a chat with your father.”

Hezeke hung his head in shame, knowing this had been coming, but this knowledge did not make it any easier to bear. The moment he stepped inside the doors, servants rushed out to carry her away, to the Medic’s room. Hezeke noted that there were fewer servants than usual, but that was also to be expected. He hadn’t been the only one on a mission that night.

“Hezeke,” said his mother from right behind him, her voice almost a low growl.

Hezeke hurried down the hall stood before to large oak doors. His hands trembling, he knocked.

“Come in,” said his father from inside the room.

Hezeke took a deep breath and entered.