Midnight Blue
People. So many people on the streets. When we passed the road going to the plaza, there were groups of them conversing amongst themselves. If I had to guess, they were just repeating what the crier announced while adding a little flourish of their own. It won’t take long before speculations arose. Good thing Litoc’s people were already on it.
The plaza was packed. Citizens living nearby took it upon themselves to start bringing benches, tables and chairs around the circular plaza with a high platform in the middle. Lenra took a route he said was like to be less congested after we passed the plaza but even that route was starting to fill. Most of the people seemed to be heading to the center of the city.
Perhaps it was because of my indifference to anything that remotely had to do with authority or celebrity, I found this seemingly automatic reaction of citizens a bit puzzling. While I had no doubt at all that if all the other towns in the kingdom were only an hour’s ride away they would be here, I could not help but ask why. I get that the monarch’s were the symbols, the leaders of the kingdom, Cheki even mentioned that the monarch’s reign was a relatively peaceful one, but the kind of autonomous reaction I witnessed was something bordering on devotion. I wondered if it had something to do with the crown being the high authority in the kingdom’s religion.
Briefly, I entertained the idea of opportunists. If one wanted the most out of something, scouting the area and the general situation early on would be top priority. But then, I reasoned, people would know this. They will expect it. People are not naïve, and this is not the first time a monarch has died. The same practice was held for nobles in the towns they controlled so it’s not only practiced here.
Is it just entertainment then, or do they really care?
Because of traffic, dusk was almost upon us when we arrived back at Bariststal. Along the side of the road leading up to the gate, a long line had already formed. These were citizens from the communities near the castle.
A detail that I found interesting was almost none of them came alone. It was common to see a group inching towards the castle than a single person. Some even brought their children with them. Judging from the splashes of colors on their garments, these people actually put on their best clothes. And most of them brought food.
…
You who brought order
Your will made manifest
Through your vassal, blessed he be
We have heard, and we listen still
And now his charge is done
…
The mournful notes emanating from the inside of the castle gates rose above the quiet of the late afternoon. I heard wailing, not from the workers in the castle’s employ but from the common folk that surrounded the church’s cleric in an arc on both sides. He wore a clean white robe with thick swathes of yellow along the seams and cuff. He also wore a headdress of the same colors that reminded me of a nun’s veil.
“Domi, here.” I tossed an unal to Lenra.
“Lord this-” he started to protest.
“You did good showing us around today. Brun.”
“I… Thank you, Jorj. I wish it was in better circumstances.”
I flashed him a smile and pulled on the sack of clothes laying on the wagon. Jibel looked comically small donning the backpack.
“L- Jorj, I should carry that.”
“Keep your hands off my treasure.” I jested, flashing him a smile and hoisting the sack over my shoulder.
We walked towards the castle entrance after a boy took the reigns of Fletching from Hanni.
“Would your party like to have dinner at the hall first or shall it be your rooms?”
“I think food will be flowing till dawn, there’s no hurry.”
“Right.” Cheki answered snappily and led the way.
As we reached our quarters, I dug into my pouch and pressed a coin into Cheki’s hands.
“Don’t try,” I cut him off before he could protest, “you did well today, showing us around and telling us the history of places. Now go and rest.”
“I… Jorj, my orders are to always make myself available-”
“You won’t be doing any of us any good if you’re overworked. Go. Come back when you’re rested.”
He bowed, thanked me, and retreated.
“Generous of you.” Hanni noted, pushing the door open.
“They helped us today, Cheki especially. Figured I’d give them something to be happy about.”
“They’re employed by the crown. That should be enough.” She looked around before stepping in.
Our rooms had been rearranged since we left, I noted as I entered. Instead of five, there were only three beds remaining and the two tables were now in between each bed, restocked with fruits. Two pitchers and two metal cups were on top of each. The sectioned off part to the left of the door, with the dividers, was expanded. To the right side of the door were two large, wooden chests.
Jibel dumped the backpack into the bed in the middle of the room, Hanni threw her baldric into the bed on the left and poured herself a drink. Jibel approached the bed on the right but decided to pass by the table near it and grab some fruits first. I threw the sack into the bed in the middle and went to check the chests.
The first chest was empty the second one was not. Among its contents were blankets, clothes for the children, five bedrolls, swords, axes, and knives
The weapons were probably for the innkeepers, seeing as we liberated them of theirs on our hasty departure. The bedrolls too, I assumed, although I don’t remember us having five. All in all, the contents of the chest were worth a lot. I liked it that Litoc thought about the children.
“What’s in them?”
“Supplies for the inn, I think. This one’s empty.” I answered.
I turned towards the bed to retrieve the sack, hoping all of its contents would fit chest with the supplies. On my way back to the chest, a knock came from the door.
“Who is it?” I called out.”
“Servants, Lord. We come from the kitchens, with provisions.”
A man and a woman bearing trays entered when I let them in. They came with two guards who, I found, placed themselves on either side of the door.
“Thank you. I didn’t ask for these. Who asked you to send them?” I said, curious.
The pair looked at each other nervously before the woman answered.
“The messenger, Lord. He told us your, ah, company wanted to dine here, in your quarters, Lord.”
“Ah yes,” I pretended to remember, “I must have forgotten. Thank you, again. You may go.”
They visibly relaxed, bowed and left. It struck me then, as they disappeared behind the door, how this whole castle life and lord thing was changing how I acted. I was not the only one who noticed.
“Lord? Shall we partake now, Lord? We await your command, Lord.”
What in the world?
I wheeled around to find Hanni making exaggerated gestures while Jibel suppressed his laughter.
“I demand that we partake at once, that we may awake refreshed and ready for travel come sunup!” I replied with a flourish.
Jibel cackled. I motioned to him to approach the table near Hanni’s bed where the servants placed the food. Hanni served us thick soup on bowls while I went on to carve pieces of meat off a rump.
I didn’t know what to make of it. Hanni and I shared exactly one moment where we exchanged jokes. Whether she was joking, sarcastic, or critical I could not tell.
Is she always like this with the children?
“Are we really going home tomorrow ora?” Jibel asked, taking a bowl from Hanni.
“We are. Unless you want to stay longer.”
“No!” He exclaimed. “Well, yes. But Bira must be worried by now.”
“Home it is.” I declared, keeping one eye on Hanni.
She wasn’t looking. If she planned on coming, there was no indication. The only good thing going in that regard was she was still with us, other than that, I could only hope. Why exactly, I wasn’t sure either.
Home. That was one good thing at least. I reflected on what that word actually meant for a child like Jibel as I noticed that it was already darkening outside. As long as it doesn’t rain, we’d have no issues leaving in the morning. The grieving public would have already left by then, or slumped on the castle grounds from drinking too much.
Home. It wouldn’t be so bad to have one.