Stella was deep asleep . She was dreaming of running through the forest, chasing a man on horseback . He was trespa.s.sing in her forest, and he knew it . The only suitable punishment for his crime was death .

She woke suddenly, kind of foggy, but hearing murmuring that she knew wasn't normal . Just as she arrived at his bedside, Joseph woke up screaming .

"Joseph! It's okay! I'm here! Please wake up!" begged Stella, as she held him, looking terrified . He was soaked to the bone, with his eyes wide open, but not seeing anything, screaming like someone was torturing him . She would know, she had done it before as Sylva .

He clung to her like he was dying . She stiffened as he sobbed on her chest . Before she could try and reposition him, he was suddenly gagging . Letting go of her, he jumped out the carriage door . He threw up until he was dry heaving and then pa.s.sed out . Stella stood stunned for only a moment, as she became aware of a peculiar smell on the breeze .

As the guards woke from a slumber, probably induced by this smell, they rushed about trying to find out what the problem was . Stella jumped from the carriage, and grabbed Joseph under the arms . Dragging his still body back into the carriage took everything she had, but thankfully, some of her exercises were paying off .

Tucking him safely underneath his bed, propped up with blankets and pillows, to ensure if he threw up any more, he wouldn't choke, she grabbed her kitchen knife from under her pillow .

There were shouts of intruders, and she knew that a.s.sa.s.sins were around . There was no way she was going to let anyone harm her Joseph .

As a shadow moved slightly, she threw her blade, and took off running in its direction . The knife hit the man in the face, and he went down like a sack of potatoes . She didn't hesitate as she yanked it free and darted after the second shadow that had opted to run away .

Slicing at the hand that reached out to grab her, she heard a m.u.f.fled scream as fingers went flying . She kicked the man for his troubles, and he fell to the ground unable to breath, with his hands clutching between his legs . She flung her knife again, at the back of the man who was running from her, and he fell with a heavy thud .

Another man jumped at her, taking her down, and they rolled a couple of times, before she found herself pinned, with a knife to her throat .

"Who are you?" asked a voice she couldn't place .

"Not as important as the guard behind you," she smiled, and the guard behind him swung his sword, burying it deep into the side of the man's neck . She covered her face as blood went flying, and the man fell off of her .

She took the offered hand of the guard, smiling at his nod, then she took off running to retrieve her knife . He took off running in the other direction, as the sounds of fighting broke out .

Stella returned to the carriage only a short while later, and making sure the door was securely latched, with chairs in front of it, she closed her curtain only part way to change her clothes . She needed to check on Joseph, but she refused to do so with so much blood all over her . Sylva said she was being stupid, that blood washed off, that Joseph was more important than the laundry, but she couldn't do it .

As she pulled him out from under his bed, she saw that he was fine . His breathing was deeper than normal, and small puffs of greenish black were being forced out of his mouth with each exhale .

Once he was in his bed, safely tucked in, and clean and warm, Stella checked with the four guards who had suddenly appeared outside the door .

"Where were you?" she asked in a frigid tone .

Swallowing, all four of them turned to look at her in dread .

"We seemed to have overslept," admitted the oldest of the two adults .

She knew that was probably from the drugs in the air, but she couldn't let it slide . They didn't know that it was from that, and she didn't want them to think she would allow it under normal circ.u.mstances .

"You will be expected to do twice as much practicing tomorrow, as normal . Perhaps that will teach you not to put your master at risk . "

Fear and horror played over all of their faces, to one degree or another, and she knew that they would never allow themselves to oversleep ever again .

Returning to the carriage, she took a seat next to his bed, and waited . There was nothing more she could do for Joseph, until the poison in his system worked its way out, he would remain asleep . Sylva chided her for caring so much, but Stella had a life goal . She would never allow him to come to harm while she could help it .

She just wished it didn't take so long for him to become powerful .

Stella was deep asleep . She was dreaming of running through the forest, chasing a man on horseback . He was trespa.s.sing in her forest, and he knew it . The only suitable punishment for his crime was death . She woke suddenly, kind of foggy, but hearing murmuring that she knew wasnt normal . Just as she arrived at his bedside, Joseph woke up screaming . Joseph! Its okay! Im here! Please wake up! begged Stella, as she held him, looking terrified . He was soaked to the bone, with his eyes wide open, but not seeing anything, screaming like someone was torturing him . She would know, she had done it before as Sylva . He clung to her like he was dying . She stiffened as he sobbed on her chest . Before she could try and reposition him, he was suddenly gagging . Letting go of her, he jumped out the carriage door . He threw up until he was dry heaving and then pa.s.sed out . Stella stood stunned for only a moment, as she became aware of a peculiar smell on the breeze . As the guards woke from a slumber, probably induced by this smell, they rushed about trying to find out what the problem was . Stella jumped from the carriage, and grabbed Joseph under the arms . Dragging his still body back into the carriage took everything she had, but thankfully, some of her exercises were paying off . Tucking him safely underneath his bed, propped up with blankets and pillows, to ensure if he threw up any more, he wouldnt choke, she grabbed her kitchen knife from under her pillow . There were shouts of intruders, and she knew that a.s.sa.s.sins were around . There was no way she was going to let anyone harm her Joseph . As a shadow moved slightly, she threw her blade, and took off running in its direction . The knife hit the man in the face, and he went down like a sack of potatoes . She didnt hesitate as she yanked it free and darted after the second shadow that had opted to run away . Slicing at the hand that reached out to grab her, she heard a m.u.f.fled scream as fingers went flying . She kicked the man for his troubles, and he fell to the ground unable to breath, with his hands clutching between his legs . She flung her knife again, at the back of the man who was running from her, and he fell with a heavy thud . Another man jumped at her, taking her down, and they rolled a couple of times, before she found herself pinned, with a knife to her throat . Who are you? asked a voice she couldnt place . Not as important as the guard behind you, she smiled, and the guard behind him swung his sword, burying it deep into the side of the mans neck . She covered her face as blood went flying, and the man fell off of her . She took the offered hand of the guard, smiling at his nod, then she took off running to retrieve her knife . He took off running in the other direction, as the sounds of fighting broke out . Stella returned to the carriage only a short while later, and making sure the door was securely latched, with chairs in front of it, she closed her curtain only part way to change her clothes . She needed to check on Joseph, but she refused to do so with so much blood all over her . Sylva said she was being stupid, that blood washed off, that Joseph was more important than the laundry, but she couldnt do it As she pulled him out from under his bed, she saw that he was fine . His breathing was deeper than normal, and small puffs of greenish black were being forced out of his mouth with each exhale . Once he was in his bed, safely tucked in, and clean and warm, Stella checked with the four guards who had suddenly appeared outside the door . Where were you? she asked in a frigid tone . Swallowing, all four of them turned to look at her in dread . We seemed to have overslept, admitted the oldest of the two adults . She knew that was probably from the drugs in the air, but she couldnt let it slide . They didnt know that it was from that, and she didnt want them to think she would allow it under normal circ.u.mstances . You will be expected to do twice as much practicing tomorrow, as normal . Perhaps that will teach you not to put your master at risk . Fear and horror played over all of their faces, to one degree or another, and she knew that they would never allow themselves to oversleep ever again . Returning to the carriage, she took a seat next to his bed, and waited . There was nothing more she could do for Joseph, until the poison in his system worked its way out, he would remain asleep . Sylva chided her for caring so much, but Stella had a life goal . She would never allow him to come to harm while she could help it . She just wished it didnt take so long for him to become powerful .