The climb up to the keep was not as long or as arduous as the ominous and foreboding feeling it gave, yet it had its own difficulties. First and foremost, the constant gawking of the citizenry. The constant gazes felt as if they were being looked at as bad merchandise. People looked at them for a moment with eyes that dissected each detail about them, giving some kind of value to each piece before they shook their heads or sneered at them. For some, they didn’t stop there, some decided that showing their contempt through their faces and stares wasn’t enough. Some began to shout and yell at Adrith and Evelyn. Calling them countless names, as if they were villains or criminals.

It was at this point that Adrith was unable to tell what was going on, let alone try and understand everything happening. Was he not to speak with the Lord of this land in good grace? Was he not to be given any respect as a man who once lived in this land? Who fought for and died for it.

Evelyn had known this feeling, well, she’s seen it be put upon another. Someone she cared for, as she had to watch the world treat them like a villain. She turned her eyes to Adrith and saw on the face she had once thought was a stoic piece of stone, sadness. She has seen him astonished, worried, or even confused. She’s even seen him in an agitated state, even if done so on purpose. Yet to see his face, he wore it much the same like everything else, yet it was his eyes that spoke volumes. The sadness in his eyes was something that seemed to almost pour out like water. It was as if, he had been struck by a lover, or had lost one close to him.

And all she could do was watch as they finally made it to the gates of the keep. The gates were made of maintained dark metal and attached to stone walls. The stone had a very smooth and clean texture, much of the wall seemed to be made from identical stone that must have been quarried from an area nearby. The craftsmanship itself told that it must have been created by an architect who wished to make an art piece rather than being made against a siege. However that only made the place seem much more ominous, everything here was perfect in a strange and almost unnatural way,

The moment the gate opened they could see that within there are countless guards moving through the area. Each one was covered from head to toe in metal armor, wearing their green capes. Yet among them are well dressed older men, wearing long robes of green and gold with slivers of white cloth. These men seemed to walk and talk among themselves as the guards followed them, as if being their very own small pose they have brought, and each one walked without a worry. They paid no attention to the two new faces, they were like ghosts as they were ordered to walk through the area quickly and with their eyes down.

Adrith and Evelyn walked through the open courtyard quickly and were only allowed to look at the ground. Yet that did not stop them from seeing the things around them. From their peripherals, they could see the people walking about. Their eyes never met, yet they could see the gazes they had, and unlike any of the others, they had smiles. Yet they were not smiling out of any feelings that were wholesome or happy. Their smiles were filled with wicked and dark intent. Their eyes were shrouded in darkness, their faces were warped, and as Evelyn saw them look at her, her chest began to tense. She began to take breaths as she quietly mumbled to herself, trying to keep herself distracted.

This moment of intense worry lasted for only moments as the moment they entered the halls of the estate, they were allowed to raise their heads. They then began to walk the halls, they were well-decorated and seemed to be gorgeously maintained. Yet Adrith noticed something strange, he remembered these were white-marbled halls. Yet now they were a dark onyx with spider webbing of white and red. There were images of previous family members, of times when this land was green, or times of when Fellwinter never existed.

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After a few more minutes of walking, they had made it to a large open room where multiple doors connected. People wearing those same outfits of the people walking around with the guards outside moved between the rooms. Some moved with great hurry, while others seemed to walk without a care in the world. Many seemed to carry countless tablets of wood and stone while others seemed to have groups of these people around them.

Adrith and Evelyn were ordered to stand in the center of the area as they waited for the guards to make their presence known. As the guards walked away, Evelyn turned to Adrith. She could see he was quite shaken by what had happened around him as Evelyn said, “This place it quite a lot”

Adrith nodded as he then began to look around. This large hall had countless plaques, marble statues, and names that covered the area. The gaudy and almost impossibly ornate area told tales, ones that Adrith never knew would have happened. Ones, that should have never happened. One that in the end told of greed, a greed he had never seen.

The men who walked these halls, they were called ‘your grace’, they were revered by who Adrith assumed to be their colleagues. They were well fed from what he could see. They held their heads high and wore no scars. He could not tell where anything came from, what sorcery or magic summoned them their opulence, yet they were able to. In a hospitable environment, within a world that wants them dead. In a land with no green grass, and no blue skies. They somehow live well. While others suffer. While others are treated like nothing more than trash, waiting to be burned.

Adrith’s head turned once more, as Evelyn looked around. The place hadn’t changed from what she could tell. There were new names on the plaques, and it seemed some shared their surname with others she remembered. Yet, when she tried to look around, it was hard for her to find where the ones she remembered were. She hoped to figure out how long it had been, yet it seemed difficult. It was not until they were grabbed by the guards and told to follow, did she saw their names, she saw near the front of the door that they were being led to, the plaques of over 20 people, all of which set in a venerated spot.

Evelyn was shocked, as that spot was only reserved for individuals who had died while serving their duty. As all of them are names she recognized to be those who work in these offices. And a few, who worked as advisors for the lord himself.

The moment the door opened, Adrith and Evelyn were brought into the room. It was filled with towering bookshelves, and a gorgeous red carpet under a dark wooden desk. Behind the desk was a man who wore long white and gold raiments like he was some kind of religious figure. He had behind him a large window that allowed the golden yellow light of the sun to fill the room and to either of his sides, large swords made of silver and gold stood at attention, almost in expectation of being used.

The man looked to be reading papers at this moment as his gaze rose from the paper and looked to them. His face looked to be a block of stone chiseled and shaped to be sharp and defined. He wore his black hair short and well kept and a small yet well-maintained beard. In his hair were multiple spots of white and gray showing. Yet it was not his strong and almost statue like features that caught their attention, it was his eyes. They looked to have been made of gold as they shined light. As the moment they landed on Evelyn, it felt as if he was staring with such intensity that he was ready to kill.

This was lord Michael Dorsainvil, Saint of her lady Elli’anor, and he said one word, “Speak”