Chapter 3Three Years at the Northern Frontier

"When did you ever send men to protect us? When did you ever send us money or food?"

"Do you have any idea that for the past year, my children and I have been hiding from your enemies, living on nothing but wild vegetables?"

"You're disgusted by how our children eat, by their lack of manners? Have you ever once stopped to consider why they are this way?"

My barrage of questions silenced him.

After a long pause, he finally mumbled, "I'll go find out what happened."

He turned and strode away.

That afternoon, Joseph came to my room, his face a mask of embarrassment. He explained that he had given Liz control of the household finances. The responsibility of caring for me and the children had been delegated to her as well. But, he claimed, she had been so overwhelmed with managing the manor that she had simply... forgotten about us on the distant frontier.

"Forgotten?" The excuse was so absurd I almost laughed. "Did she truly forget about three living, breathing people, or did she see an opportunity to eliminate us so that she and her children could take our place?"

My tone angered him. "Aurelia, the fault lies with my negligence. Blame me if you must, but Liz is innocent."

"She has to manage this entire manor for me and look after her two children. It hasn't been easy for her."

His words were the final straw. "You say it hasn't been easy for her? Then what about the three years of suffering my children and I have endured?"

"If life in the General's Manor is so difficult for her, why don't you send her and her children back to the frontier?"

Seeing my refusal to back down, Joseph's anger flared. "Can you stop being so unreasonable?"

"And don't you forget," he spat, "if it weren't for Liz's husband, I would be dead!"

I let out a cold laugh. "And don't you forget, if it weren't for my father taking you into his army, you'd still be begging for scraps somewhere!"

He fell silent. The room was thick with tension.