“Now that we’re in sight of the city, get down from there.” Magdalene called up from inside the carriage. “It’s important that we get you into the castle without being seen by the Dark Elves. Myself as well. We can’t let them know you’re here until the right time.”
Sheilah and Fialla traded looks, but slipped inside the carriage. Although it was meant to sit six people comfortably, it still felt stuffy and cramped with the four of them inside.
Part of it was the pile of weapons; Fialla wasn’t willing to let anyone touch her spear, or pack it away, so it slanted at a weird angle. Sheilah’s bow took up a spot on the floor, as well as her quiver and sword. Sheilah and Fialla sat comfortably together, but Magdalene and her maid Andrea sat uneasily together, forced into uncomfortable closeness by Fialla’s spear.
Part of it was the awkward silences that permeated the air when it came to Magdalene’s conversation gambits falling flat.
Sheilah and Fialla didn’t have any problem talking with each other; they shared stories and amusing anecdotes with each other, making references and allusions to stories that they’d been told growing up.
“Do you think it’s time for Kellia and Sellia’s-” Fialla cut herself off and glanced at Magdalene and Andrea- “you know?”
Sheilah shook her head. “Certainly not. I doubt they’ve even-” She paused, and touched her necklace. Fialla nodded, absently touching her own.
“The both of you keep trying to speak cryptically, but you’re making it too obvious.” Magdalene observed drily.
“Do you know what we’re talking about, then?” Fialla asked curiously.
“Not really.” Magdalene replied easily. “But I know it’s important. Will you tell me?”
Sheilah shook her head. “You’re not a Dragon.” she replied dismissively.
Magdalene frowned at that, and Andrea studiously stared at her hands, waiting to be called on.
“Those... beasts?” Magdalene asked, curiously. “The one you talked about before?”
Fialla made a face, but Sheilah patted the girl on the knee. “We can talk about that later.” Sheilah replied to Magdalene’s question.
“Your language is atrocious.” Magdalene complained.
“It’s just fine.” Sheilah disputed. “We don’t really speak the Stornheim tongue often, but we learn it.”
Thorfin rode close and warned that they were approaching the gate.
“The Clans don’t really have a name for their tongue, but there’s an ancient form, and there’s the normal tongue, and then there’s also the Stormheim tongue we’re taught as kids.” Sheilah repeated.
“Well, you said that Stormheim was the enemy. Why would you learn-” Magdalene began, but cut herself off and rolled her eyes. “Either way, your language is atrocious, and you’ll need a tutor.” She folded her hands as they moved through the commoner districts.
Sheilah and Fialla eyed the buildings and streets curiously, shops and stalls, inns and smithies and watched as those all disappeared as they moved further into the city.
“Not looking forward to seeing those damnable elves.” Magdalene remarked pensively, and Fialla’s gaze sharpened.
The Queen of Stormheim glanced at Fialla’s growing anger whenever she mentioned the elves. “How do you feel about Dark Elves?”
Fialla looked up at the queen. “They liked to kill my people for sport.” She snarled. “My uncle- my father’s brother- was tortured for a bet.”
Magdalene covered her face and sighed. “Then you especially need to be hidden. We can’t have you killing them, and we can’t have them killing you, either. Follow Andrea through the maid entrance. I’ll be behind you shortly.”
Fialla chuckled darkly. “You don’t need to kill them to teach them to leave you alone.”
Magdalene muttered an oath under her breath, but apparently Andrea heard it; her eyes widened briefly, in surprise.
“Thorfin, take us ‘round to the servant’s access.” Magdalene ordered. “We’ll let Andrea and the two girls off there. Load them up with the wolf pelts. Andrea will lead them in while you take me in through the front.”
She locked eyes with the maid, and passed her an ornate key. “Take them to the apartments- use the service passages. Try to make sure they’re not seen. I don’t know if any of the servants have been bought off- I pray to the Sun and the Storm that they haven’t- but all the same, it’s best that they aren’t seen yet.”
Andrea nodded, and looked to the girls, who were listening. “You two will follow, yes?” She asked, and Sheilah nodded. A moment later, Fialla nodded as well.
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The carriage came to a halt, Sheilah and Fialla scooped up their weapons as Andrea piled on the wolf pelts until they were sufficiently weighed down and covered, then she took the lead.
They took servant passages and empty hallways, following the dark-haired, dark-eyed maid while carrying their luggage. The maid was clearly unhappy with Sheilah, and by extension, Fialla, carrying their own luggage, but given a choice between disputing the matter and potentially getting spotted or letting them do as they wanted, it was simply easier in the moment to bow to expediency.
They were led through a number of extremely narrow twisting passages, crossed much larger corridors that seemed large enough to accommodate dozens of people only to enter more narrow passages, climbing steadily upwards until they arrived at another corridor, this one ending with prominent and heavy doors that were opened to reveal another set of doors that were much narrower, but just as tall.
Andrea used the key on those doors and ushered the two girls inside. The maid explained to them that when Sheilah had been born, a whole suite of rooms had been prepared for her to use as she’d grown up, but they’d lain unused while she remained in the custody of Davian.
For Sheilah and Fialla, the rooms were ridiculously expansive. They were huge enough to host an entire tribe with room to spare. Each room was dedicated to specific functions, too. What was a ‘kitchen’?
Even if they were overzealous in their size, they all had one thing in common; the nearly oppressive feel of abandonment. The rooms had been cleaned of dust and dirt, the carpets had been cleaned and the tapestries beaten, all the furniture had been polished, but even so, there was the sense that the rooms had seen long years of neglect.
Her balcony that was accessible by several of her rooms, wrapped around part of the upper edge of the castle. It had a view of the city and the mountains that butted up against it to the north. When she leaned over the railing on one side, Sheilah could spy the very edge of a river that the city depended on.
Sheilah and Fialla went out on the balcony after unceremoniously dropping their bedrolls and mounded pile of Mist Wolf pelts onto the massive bed, big enough to sleep Sheilah’s entire family.
Sheilah looked up after looking out curiously, and frowned at her half-elf companion. “It’s not nearly high enough.”
Fialla burst into laughter at that, but nodded. She turned and pointed up, and Sheilah eyed the stone blocks that went up and up above their balcony.
“Looks easy enough to climb.”
“It’s a feeling like the Mother Tyrant.” Sheilah replied. “I’ll never be satisfied until I can see everything beneath me.”
Fialla laughed again and nodded.
“...climb, My Lady?” Andrea asked in a confused voice, looking up where Fialla pointed.
Sheilah nodded. “It certainly looks easy enough.” She looked at the maid, who was covering her mouth with her hands. “What’s at the top?”
The maid gave her a baffled look that turned alarmed as Sheilah took off her gloves and tucked them behind her belt.
“Princess, please don’t-” She began, but cut herself off as Sheilah elbowed Fialla.
“Race you to the top.”
“You’d best not be a sore loser.” was Fialla’s reply.
“You mustn’t!” the maid blurted, causing the two girls to turn to the woman.
“Why not?” Fialla asked curiously, eyeing the maid and Sheilah.
“It’s just- it’s just not done.” The maid stammered.
Sheilah and Fialla eyed each other, and then looked up at the stone walls.
“It certainly looks safe enough.” Sheilah remarked thoughtfully.
“Definitely easier than the Redstone.” Fialla agreed.
“And the cliffs in the Ashlands.” Sheilah pointed out.
Fialla nodded at that. “And no dragons to worry about.”
Suddenly, Sheilah stiffened and turned to look into the rooms beyond. “Someone’s here.”
She hurried back into the bedroom, picked up her bow and a fistful of arrows, and nocked one. She lowered her center of gravity as she drew the arrow to her cheek and Fialla scooped up her spear.
“A bow, in these rooms?” Fialla offered skeptically.
“Oh, hush. It was you that pointed out that I wasn’t good enough with the sword, Fialla.” Sheilah complained, and gestured to the door that led into the connecting rooms.
As Fialla moved towards the door, it opened and Magdalene walked in. She eyed the two girls with some alarm, and then put her hands on her hips.
“That’s not the correct way to receive guests, you know.” The older woman admonished.
Fialla and Sheilah traded glances, and Sheilah lowered her bow and tucked the arrow away, rising from her crouch.
“There are plenty of rooms here.” She observed, leaning her bow against a couch. “Which one is mine?” Sheilah asked. Taking her lead, Fialla settled her spear and leaned on it.
Magdalene let out a sigh. “Come with me- and leave the weapons.” She instructed.
Sheilah rested her hand on her sword and wondered if she needed to leave that as well. However, it was a sign of her heritage, a reminder of where she had come from that she was loath to let go.
After a long moment of frustrated debate, she straightened. “I am ready.”
Magdalene eyed the sword and frowned. “You will not need that.” She replied.
Sheilah frowned back at her. “Show me what needs to be seen, and then I will explain why I cannot leave it.”
Magdalene rolled her eyes. “Agreed- for now. But you will need to learn that a princess does not go about armed.” She gestured for the two girls to follow her.
“I would think that with Dark Elves around, everyone would go about armed.” Fialla remarked to Sheilah.
“You say that, but are they really monsters?” Sheilah asked curiously in a low voice to Fialla as she followed Andrea and Magdalene.
The smaller girl nodded fiercely, her eyes set and determined.
She touched Sheilah’s hand. “You don’t know because you haven’t been told, so I’ll explain later.” she replied in an equally low voice.