There was nothing special about the stop over Thorpe between Greenstown and the capital that I was headed to. In the far distance on the horizon I could see the parapets reaching into the sky marking the grand castle that was built in the heart of the King’s lands. The dampness of the rain that made my travels a little slower had me soaked to the bones but I had to push through it as best as I could.
The great stone blocks that made up the castle had been mined so far away that the place it came from was lost to history. Only the barest hints of it would be buried in the royal library. Books were far too expensive for the common man to have access to. That was a big reason for me to be heading to this thriving city. With Duke Ursal’s recommendation and if the Rutherford’s words carried any weight at all would give me some ability to slowly ingratiate myself into playing in the court.
How I would get into the library I didn’t know yet. I would have to improvise and see who had access. If there were any servants, scribes, or serfs that could guide me and infiltrate it. If I could get into the mind of the king and earn my way into it. A dozen ways to make it into that which I could think of. I couldn’t predict if any of them would work.
With a lot on my mind the city that surrounded the walls to the castle started to bustle around me. The palisade around it was in better condition and a little taller than Greenstown. The streets were much cleaner and it seemed that some advancements had been made in dealing with the wastes of mankind. The air remained stagnant inside the walls though. There were no signs of a more noble quarter in this final town like Greenstown.
The streets were bustling with those that served the king and all the nobles around him. Many of them wore different colors of the many houses of the Dukes that served the king. Four more intricate and powerful servants to the King besides the waning power of Duke Ursal. The young man has lost much since his father died. No doubt one of his advisors would be representing him in the greater court so that he would be able to continue his education with his mother.
I followed the main thoroughfare in the town heading to the inner sanctum of the nobles and eventually the king’s court. With the thoughts of seeking refuge in Duke Ursal’s estate I approached the grand inner gate.
Dozens of guards stood around inspecting everything that went inside the walls. A line of carts each piled high with goods lined themselves up before the gate. A few people milled about in clothes that appeared quite nice sat in line after the carts and I knew I would have to wait for them. I walked to the group of those waiting and ignored the sneers and side eyes that were given to me for my traveling clothes.
No doubt I would face some trouble if it were not for the missive’s I carried in Ursal’s name. It was serendipitous that I was able to meet with him and earn the right to enter the noble quarters. I made no attempt at small talk and instead took the messenger back and sorted through it for the proof I would need to enter the inner city.
It was a long wait in the streets as the sun danced behind clouds that lazily made their way across the heavens above. Boys and men with great wheelbarrows made their way through the alleys with shovels for the excrement that was tossed out by those living above. Now I understood how they kept everything clean. I wondered if it was eventually used as fertilizer for the different towns around the capital. A good trade for those that had fields and needed more than just manure.
Finally I was upon the gate entrance and was stopped by one guard who looked me up and down before approaching, “State your business peasant.” His tone was clipped and already dismissive of me.
Without missing I beat I responded, “I carry missives for Duke Ursal that I am to deliver to his estate and a recommendation to attend court as a minstrel.”
The man looked halfway interested now and held out his hand for my proof. I pulled out the proper letter and handed it to the guard. Though I doubted he could read. He inspected the seal upon the letter and walked me to the side door in the gate. “Come wait inside while we compare this stamp to that of the Duke. If it matches you will be let inside.”
There was a light wooden bench with an attempt at a cushion laid atop it. I decided the luxury was better than the hardwood it otherwise would be so I made my way over and sat down.
The flickering of the lamps around the rooms and the tall candle that sat upon a desk lit the place well enough as the guard I spoke to brought the letter to an older fellow. He must have been the captain, though he was long past his fighting years. His graying hair has thinned considerably. He was still lean and well muscled but the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes spoke of a man that appreciated the learning he could accomplish.
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The letter handed over the man took some sort of seeing glass and took a close look at the seal before he opened a book and sorted through the many pages until he found his reference and compared the two. He was careful and meticulous in a way I could appreciate despite it eating of some of the daylight that was so precious for me to accomplish what I was looking to do. With a nod he spoke, “Everything looks correct. We will let him in.”
I was escorted through a different door and emerged into the greater city beyond the gates. If I thought the other streets were clean these were on a whole other level. Each home had large tall towers that served as places for people to relieve their bodies. The locked and sealed doors at the bottom for servants to come and clean it out littered the backs of every home that was placed far from one another. There were no alleys, small gardens lined every home. Each of them at least two stories in height if not greater. Each of them reminded me of the estate of the Ursals that I stayed in. Somewhat lesser but nonetheless grand enough.
I made my way through the streets and got more than a fair share of stares from those that lived in the homes or gardened out of them. Even the servants were well dressed and seemed happy to live in such luxury that the noble quarters offered. With eyes open I searched for the Ursal estates. It took me into evening when I ran across the correct home. The crest of Duke Ursal hung above the door on a banner. It seemed quiet in comparison to some of the greater homes but it was greater than the estate I had spent a few nights in.
It stood three stories tall and grand in depth and width. An entire room seemed to be grand enough to hold a dinner for a large noble party. A ballroom for those that would dance at such a party was there as well. The whole thing was surrounded by an iron gate and a few men in Ursal’s colors stood in front of it with their weapons on display and halberds in hand. As I approached they crossed them in front of the gate and stopped my entrance.
I pulled the letter out in response to their silence and offered it up to the men. With another level of scrutiny given to it they whispered to one another about the fine details of the crest for anything that I might have forged. Satisfied, the younger of the two opened the gate for me to gain access to the grounds. As I approached the front door I was met by a serf of some kind.
He wore a great half cloak of fine cotton. His shirt itself had large buttons holding the chest clothes and its tails hung down to his ankles like an open skirt. His collar was tight and proper as he saluted to me in the way the Ursals had decided. He held two hands like claws and crossed them over his chest reminiscent of a bear crossing his arms. An acknowledgement of servitude. I responded with a salute. The king had decided on a closed fist placed over my heart and a bow of the head.
The man frowned but nodded anyway. “What might I do to serve you today good messenger?” His tone was formal and soft.
”I have been given missives by Duke Ursal some weeks ago and he sent me to the capital to deliver them. He provided a recommendation as well so that I might be able to prove myself to the court. Would you like to see it?”
”Please, let us go inside and I will look over what you have brought. Should it prove to be what you say I will call the advisor that stays at the estate while he waits for the good Duke to finish his education so that he could stay in our good estate here.” There was tension in his words that hid something. A note of fear and hope that his words wouldn’t be true.
The servants that moved around were demure and quiet as they cleaned and attended to their duties properly. I watched all of them out of the side of my eye and caught that each of them was tense and had something weighing on their mind. We entered a grand study that was lined with heavy well worn books. Journals of all kind lined one wall and some ledgers of taxes paid and owed sat open.
As the servant looked over and read the letter I provided I glanced at the ledger. I noted that there were several scribblings that spoke of something was going wrong with the taxes. Though they were being met the amount of wealth being returned to the Duke was not as much as it should be. I cared somewhat for the home of Ursal and might do some snooping into what could be the problem. If the advisor was noticing it I might not suspect him.
”This looks proper good Dolan Talespinner, I see the master has decided to trust you.” Standing he saluted me once more, “I am Terrance. I am the head servant here on the grounds and will do my best to provide what you need. The letter states that you are to be given a room amongst us. I see that you are quite wet by the squelching of your boots so I can provide a place for you to strip, dry, and bathe. Does that sound amenable?”
”That would be lovely. I hadn’t had a full bath since I was in the estate of the good Duke. Please lead the way.” I stepped aside to follow Terrance to where he was leading me. We snaked through the halls that led to various meeting rooms and walked up a grand staircase into the rooms that were designated for guests of the house. Each of the rooms was grand enough to be a home for a family. Grand lounges, four poster beds, and studies for any that might need them.
I was brought to the middle of the eastern wing and escorted into a grand room. There was no fine layer of dust that I would have expected. This place was well tended by those that were not going to slack in their duties to their master. Being led into the bedroom I stripped off my bags and lute setting them down for me to unpack later. “I’ll take that bath now if you wouldn’t mind.”
He bowed a little, “We will need some time to heat up the water and fill the tub properly. Please, I ask you to strip down and give your clothes to the maid Angela. She will be seeing to all your needs while you are here. All you need to do is pull this cord on the wall and she will be summoned. Once you are changed into something you can wait in just a ring and she will come to collect, wash, and dry your traveling clothes.
Terrance walked off without further explanation and I stripped free of the outer layers until I was nude in the room. I folded them all nicely in a soggy pile I refused to put upon the good furniture lest the water cause some damage. I slipped on the cotton underclothes that the tailor had made for me and pulled the rope to summon Angela. As I waited I walked through the lounge to the study and looked around. There were no books but a few sheets of paper and some writing utensils. A capped bottle of ink sloshed thickly and a fountain pen was sitting ready for use.
I heard the door to the lounge open and a musical voice called out, “Good sir. You have summoned me?” She had light brown hair and large front teeth. Freckles sprinkled like stars across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.
I stepped out and the very young woman flushed at my state of undress. She must have barely been into her womanhood. Maybe her fourteenth year of age. She glanced down and kept from staring at me. “Yes, there is a pile folded and sitting on the floor of the bedroom. I would like the leathers dried only. I don’t want the oils that they have to be washed away. The wool needs the full treatment. Let me know when the bath is ready.
She curtsied deeply, “I would be honored to serve you.” She scurried off like a scared squirrel with her auburn hair and nervous demeanor.
I relaxed and waited.