30 March, 1359. Magdaline Castle, Islia
Violet's feet were aching from wandering the corridors of the castle that flanked the northern garden, looking for Leo. She was growing more irate by the minute as she failed to find him.
He'd told her there was a cockfight scheduled in the garden that afternoon and he'd be attending with a group of nobles.
Violet had refused to attend. She loathed cockfighting and any messy, violent blood sports. It mystified her that Leo and the other princes seemed to enjoy them.
Her husband had promised he'd return to their apartments after the cockfight ended. She needed to discuss a financial matter with him. Nothing pleasant of course, but it couldn't be ignored.
Violet's father had recently pleaded with her to provide him with funds. She'd ignored his desperate letters for years but the situation had recently turned very grave. The Duchy of Orravalo might actually cease to exist, crushed to nothing under the weight of its debts.
