Rowena Surrounded

Lady Rowena gazed out at the approaching ring of riders and shook her head bitterly. She had underestimated her foe, or perhaps she had overestimated herself. What had she been thinking?! In her haste to reach Collinswood, the great ducal estate of the Collins family, she had chosen to ride as hard and fast as she could. She had not even slowed down when she passed by the castles of her fief lords. She had not thought it necessary, but now, with a force of hostile men pinning her round, she realized that she was without friend or hope of aid. She blamed herself of course. She should have been more careful, especially now when there was so much at stake. But how could she have guessed that here, within the bounds of her own beloved Suffex, that she would be vulnerable to attack? She was after all the de facto ruler of these lands.

"Milady! Look!" a servant suddenly shouted.

Rowena turned and saw a new force of men. But these were not masterless brigands who carried no standard and flew no colors. Rowena squinted and shaded her eyes from the noon day sun. As the armored riders came up to the ring of outlaws she could just barely make out their coat of arms.

1. It was the Gryphon, the symbol of the House D'Honaire!
2. It was the Lion, the symbol of the Royal Court!
3. It was the Shrike, the symbol of the House Mollari!
4. Rowena suddenly paled for the riders carried the standard of the Dragon!

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