The caravan which stretched across the prairie finally reached Lullin’s gates, as Anna walked under the archway of the city gates she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of unease.

Tightly packed houses filled her view on both sides of the road they were now walking on, there were also intertwined narrow streets where, even in the smallest corners, people peddled their goods on small stalls. And yet they were barely visible, Anna could only make out the stalls through brief glimpses in between bodies.

“What’s with all these people?” Percy asked aloud, clearly uncomfortable with all the stares placed on them.

“Not sure, but I bet it isn't because of your good looks.” Aegon answered, prompting a few laughs from the youths escorting the caravan.

“Very funny Aegon.”

“I’m sorry man, don't get me wrong, you’re a good looking guy. As for your previous question, we can’t know for sure but I would take a wild guess and say they’re just interested in the massive caravan crossing the street.”

Anna’s eyes focused on Percy, his eyes set on the ground ahead as if that stone was the most interesting thing in the world while a fake smile rested on his lips.

[That idiot, I bet he can't even understand what Percy was doing.]

Stopping in her tracks, Anna waited until a certain blue eyed youth walked by her before resuming her walk alongside him.

“You’re an idiot.”

“Wow, that’s definitely a conversation starter.”

“You didn't even realize, did you?”

“Realize what?” Aegon’s eyes showed his confusion.

Shaking her head in disapproval, Anna continued. “Throughout this whole mission Percy has been acting a certain way, you know this, he’s been acting stupid, playing the fool to lighten up the mood.”

Aegon simply nodded.

“And that’s not easy, he’s probably just as traumatized as we are, can’t you be a bit more …”

“A bit more what?” Aegon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

“Well, not be a dick, he is already acting stupid, there’s no need to humiliate him.”

They continued walking as Aegon stayed silent for an uncomfortable amount of time.

Just when Anna was about to break the silence, Aegon quickened his pace and caught up to Percy.

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Her eyes followed him as he stretched his arm and firmly placed his hand on Percy’s shoulder, rattling the distracted young man. Aegon’s lips moved and even though she couldn't hear him from that distance, she could still understand his words through the movement of his lips.

“I meant what I said, you are really good looking.”

And with a shameless smile as a parting gesture, Aegon made his way back to her side with a flabbergasted Percy left staring at his back.

“What was that about?” Anna couldn't help but ask when he reached her side.

“I’m not sure I follow, you told me not to be a dick so I went and fixed it.”

Anna didn't see anything apart from sincerity and a tinge of confusion on his face and it only made her more annoyed.

[He really doesn’t get it.]

“Does that fix anything? You didn't even apologize.”

A sly smile appeared on the young man’s face and she immediately understood her mistake.

“Soo you were being nosy and listened in on our conversation?” His smile became wider and almost creepy. “That’s quite disrespectful, I wonder if you don't feel like me and Percy are owed an apology….”

Anna looked towards the ground and a slight tinge of red painted her cheeks, a tinge that only became deeper as Aegon’s silent stare continued, until finally he scoffed.

“Anyway, you were saying something about it not fixing anything but I think it does.” He signaled towards Percy with his head. He was now confidently looking ahead with his back straight.

“I like it when people compliment me and it always cheers me up so I figured it would be the same with others and, once again, I was right.” Aegon added.

[What you’re saying is essentially: I like bananas so everyone must like bananas too, but…] Shifting her focus to Percy’s figure and the slight but sincere smile on his face, she felt that maybe it wasn't such a baseless theory after all.

“You know when I made a joke about the keep? I just want to say that there’s really no competition.” Hearing Aegon’s serious tone, Anna shifted her gaze forwards.

As they talked, the caravan had made its way through the streets of Lullin and reached the base of the rock outcrop they saw at the entrance of the city. The geological structure measured 100 meters across and at least 20 meters high. At the base one could see a myriad of arched gateways with sculpted pillars and above them large glassless windows. On top of the entire outcrop stood the two towers.

From afar they looked fairly normal, impressive due to their size but nothing breathtaking, however, now…

[This is incredible.] Anna thought.

The towers rose into the sky, their black stone riddled with carvings of legendary beasts crawling, cawing and mauling at each other, so lifelike they seemed alive. Where the battle was fiercest was on the bridge that arched its way from one tower to another, it was small in comparison to the whole structure but the fierce battle depicted on it instilled reverence on those who gazed upon it.

As the caravan approached even more they stopped seeing the towers and their craned necks finally settled back down.

“This place is amazing!”

“I never saw anything like it, this shit is crazy!”

“Wow!”

The group erupted with praise regarding the towers of Lullin as the caravan slowly made its way through one of the larger gateways on the rock outcropping. Their eyes quickly adjusted to the darker environment and the group once again fell into silence.

The outcrop which from afar had seemed solid was actually mostly hollow, the interior was dome shaped and on the ceiling were carvings similar to those on the towers, even if these ones were a bit simpler. There were dozens of thick pillars carefully sculpted to match the outside facade and around each pillar’s base were racks of all kinds of weapons. The many open spaces were filled with barracks and the soldiers which occupied them.

Under Lullin's keep there was a hidden, fully equipped, five thousand strong army.