"There is trouble brewing within the realm, my lady, and while I do not know who is fully behind what is taking place, your life is surely in danger and your safety is my primary concern, at the moment."

"But, my mother, the queen..." she began, but then stopped, at a loss for words.

"Frances is queen by right of marriage, only," Humphrey told her, "while you be the only living child to the king, so by birth the rightful heir and ruler of this realm."

Isabelle pulled Chestnut to a stop, a puzzled frown on her face. "I...I am..." she stammered, unsure of how to continue.

Humphrey halted next to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "You are now Queen Isabelle, my lady," he told her, softly. "That is why we must seek a safe haven for you, as far away from Hampstead as possible. As the new queen, you are the only hope for this realm, and your safety is more important than anything else we can think about, right now."

"But, why are we running away at all?" she asked. "Should I not be at the castle, to find out what is going on and attempting to rescue my mother?"

"It is still unknown who is behind everything that has happened," he tried to explain, "and we do not know if Moorcroft is working alone, or has help from some other quarter. Even if the king's death was a fortuitous accident, or was part of a larger scheme, we must be concerned with your safety first, and then consider the rescue of Frances from a position of greater strength."

Before she could respond, Bruce and his roan trotted up to them, a dozen slightly puckered apples tucked into a fold of his cloak. He took one and handed it to Isabelle. "Here, my lady...er, I mean, Victoria," he said with a wide smile. "They be a bit dried out, but still tasty. I tried a few, just to be sure."

She took the offered fruit and said, "My thanks, Bruce," although she sounded somewhat distracted. She looked up to Humphrey as Bruce handed him a couple of the shriveled apples.

"My thanks, lad," he said, and took a bite. "We best be moving on," he said, then looked at Isabelle. "We will continue our talk, later, if you wish." She nodded, slightly, and Humphrey slapped the reins on Bastion's neck. The horse snorted, then took to the trail once again, with Isabelle and Bruce following.

Some time later, the rain began to fall. A steady, light rain it was at first, and though they were shielded from the brunt of it by the thick canopy of leaves overhead, there were still soon soaked. They rode in silence--even the sounds of their horse's hooves were muted in the wet loam of the forest floor. The continuous drip of rain falling from the branches above them was the only sound they now heard, as even the wind had died. The whole world seemed damp and sodden; all sound mute and deadened.