Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

Castle Eleago reminded me of tales my mother had told me of the few times she'd been inside of castle walls. Massive stones and mortar built up the sides, and the entrance was large enough for several carts to pass through. The entrance was actually a barbican, with two massive portcullises, one in front, one at the other side, so as to trap invaders between the two if needed, cordoned off from either side.

Turrets rose high above the curtain wall on the back side, two of them connected by a passage protected by battlements. On the front, two rounded watchtowers rose, facing the open road. The battlements around the watchtowers allowed archers to shoot from above. The castle wall was large enough to enclose an entire village, and since I didn't see many houses outside of the castle, I assumed the Wolf People lived together, within the curtained city.

Crows lined the castle walls, watching us as we approached. As we rode up to the front, the guards opened the iron latticed gates. They bowed as Bran rode through, then stood back for the rest of us to enter.

"How many of you live here?" I leaned over to ask Fenling.

She shrugged. "I think we have around five hundred people living within the walls. There are a number of others who live just in the thickets of the Bramble Fel Forest. All told, we have about a thousand people here. There are other Wolf tribes, but they don't live near us."

As we passed the gatehouse, entering into the main yard, I saw dozens of small wooden houses, built inside the castle walls. The Prince's residence was central, a great keep built of stone just like the rest of the castle, and a balcony, with battlements, surrounded the entire structure. None of the houses were attached, but they surrounded the keep like a bevy of suitors around the most marriageable girl in town.

I stared up at the massive structure as a sudden cavalcade of noise assaulted my ears. After so long in the forest, hearing only the quiet talk of a handful of guards, the hustle and bustle of daily life felt alien. We rode along, with a few of the children racing after the horses. I smiled down at them, waving. They seemed to know I didn't belong, because several of them stared at me with wide eyes, looking confused.

We approached the entrance to the keep, where the guards took our horses. I glanced at Yaran, who was carrying my saddlebags. "What about my things?"

"They'll be delivered to your quarters. Don't worry, no one will touch them or go through them." Fenling pointed to a side stairwell. "Come. While Bran visits his brother, I'll take you to your quarters."

As we headed up the stone stairwell along one wall, I glanced back at the cobblestone court where the spread of vendors and stalls were closing for the night. An uneasiness that I hadn't felt among the scouting unit began to creep around me, though I couldn't understand why. Nobody looked furtive, I didn't see any fights breaking out…but immediately, I knew that I didn't belong here. What was I going to do when I settled in with the Wolf People, if Eleago continued to feel this odd?

By the time we reached my chamber, I was looking over my shoulder, but no one followed us. We reached the fourth floor of the keep, where Fenling stopped in front of a door.

"This is your room," she said, then pointed to a room down the hall. "That's my chamber. You can always knock on my door if you need something. I'll assign a servant to you as soon as I drop off my things." She unlocked the door and handed me the key. "Come in and see if this will meet your needs."

I entered the room, looking around. It was spacious, with a large bed piled high with blankets. A massive fireplace was built into one wall and Fenling immediately struck a flame to it, using the lantern she carried. As the kindling took the spark and flared to life, the illumination lit up the room. There was no window, but massive tapestries draped down the walls—probably to keep in the warmth. They were woven with silvery blue thread, embroidered with winter scenes of wolves and forests and the moon.

"This is beautiful—are you sure you don't need it for somebody else?" I asked, turning around in wonder. My entire childhood home would have fit in this one room. If the guest quarters were this nice, I wondered how grand the family rooms were.

"It is pretty," Fenling said, standing back. "But it's just a modest room in the keep. The prince likes his environment…adorned."

I hesitated for a moment, but had to ask. "Do you like your cousin? The prince, that is?"

Fenling turned away, her voice dropping. "He's not like Bran, I'll tell you that." She paused, then leaned in, cupping her hand to my ear. "The walls have ears. We'll talk about this later, when we're outside."

I nodded, smart enough to recognize a warning when I heard one. I let out a sigh and bounced on the bed, grateful as the billowy bedding encased me. "This is luxury. Our house, when I lived in the village, was nice enough but nothing like this. My mother would fall on her face if she saw where I'm at."

"Did you love her?" Fenling sat on the bed next to me.

"Yes, actually, I did. My father didn't treat her very well. Or me, for that matter, but when I learned to hunt, he said that at least I was useful. He blamed my mother for being timid. She wasn't, except around him, because now and then he let his temper slip."

"Did he hit her?" Fenling grimaced.

"Yes. A few times. She always told me that if he was hitting her, I was to run to my room and hide until it was safe to come out. But he only whipped me when I was young. I learned to mind my manners when he was near. It helped that I liked being in the woods, hunting. I think he wanted a boy." I had thought I had come to terms with his disappointment, but a faint ache in my heart told me that I wasn't fully over it.

"I can't stand men like that," Fenling said. She frowned, glancing around the room. "Do you feel like a walk? I can show you around the square before full night hits."

I nodded. If the walls had ears, this would be a good time for her to tell me whatever it was she wanted to say. "Yes, I'd like to stretch my legs after so long on a horse."

I pulled on my cloak and gloves, then followed her out, locking my door.

Fenling led me down a different staircase. It was secluded away from the more public staircases like the one we'd come up. As we wove through the hallways, I quickly realized that the keep was a giant maze for anybody who didn't know it well. I kept quiet, though, waiting till we emerged in the main courtyard.

By now it was nearing twilight, and the vendors had closed their stalls. Here and there, soldiers wandered the courtyard, and a couple of times I caught sight of what looked like an inhabitant of Eleago, burdened under a basket of what looked like bread or some other food, hurrying toward one of the houses.

"I've never seen anything so grand," I said. "Not even down in Lake Shore, south of the Leanderial Line." The sky was clouding over. Snow was coming in again. "We're close to the upper mountains, aren't we?"

"Yes, the Eiralpine Line is only a few leagues north. The ice giants are too close for comfort, but the castle is sturdy and we've withstood their attacks before." She paused, looking around. We were alone, with no one near. "You asked what I think about the prince. Watch him. He can be charming—terribly charming. But he's shrewd and he likes power. He keeps Bran away from the castle on purpose."

"Why?"

"I believe that if Karehl could do away with Bran and not get caught, he would. He wants to cement his position to the throne and will do anything he can in order to make it happen. Since he won't become king until the stars align, he's taking no chances. The moment he took the throne, he ordered Bran to head up the Lorani. That's when I volunteered."

"Does Karehl dislike you, too?" I had thought something like this was going on.

"Not exactly. I have a long ways to go to reach the throne, so I'm not a threat, at least in that manner. In fact, before he was married, Karehl liked me too much. He was always jealous of Bran's and my friendship, even when we were children and played together."

I began to catch her meaning. "You ran away from a man, too, didn't you?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did. Karehl began to talk about how we could cement the family line fully if someone like me married him. I knew that supposition could too easily turn into action, and I wasn't about to let him get hold of me. So I signed up for the Lorani before Karehl could stop me, and once I gave my oath to the protect the throne, I was safe. The oath supersedes anyone—even the prince or king—forcing someone into a different trade. It's for life."

I let out a long sigh. "You say he married?"

"He did, but he's not happy with her. She hasn't given him a child yet, and it's been several years. He needs an heir. He also likes his women. Charla is jealous, but there's nothing she can do but accept his straying eye. If she complained, she'd quickly become the ‘late' princess."

"So walk softly around him? I mean, I'm not one of the Wolf People, so I'm not worried about him focusing on me?—"

"Don't be so sure. Also, should Bran show too much familiarity with you, it might trigger Karehl's paranoia. True, you're not from the Wolf People. But Karehl is paranoid about Bran bringing in outside connections who might back him up if he made a play for the throne. Don't expect the prince to be logical. There have been too many events lately that prove otherwise."

That made sense. "Okay, I'll watch my step and keep myself a bit distant from Bran so he won't get in trouble." Pausing, I asked, "Since he invited me to join your people, can I sign up for the Lorani? I don't think I like this place."

Fenling laughed. "Following my lead?"

"Making sure that I'm comfortable. I felt right at home with the Lorani, but since we entered the castle walls, I've felt uneasy. I don't belong here. I feel like I'm just waiting for something to happen." The snow started again, falling in thick flakes. My breath froze in front of me, and I shivered.

Fenling sighed. "I know. I used to love this place, but now it makes me long for the open road again." She turned back toward the keep. "We should get back. I'm hungry and dinner will be announced soon. We need to dress."

"Dress for dinner?" That seemed odd to me. I'd never heard of anybody dressing up for dinner.

"It's standard here. At least, among the nobility. And Bran and I are nobility. So come, we'll find you a dress that will suit you, and my maid can do your hair."

The idea that Fenling had an actual maid seemed to conflict with what I knew about her. "What does she do when you're in the field?"

"She takes care of my room. I specifically forbade the prince to assign her other work. Tonyah's had a hard life and I want her to be comfortable."

Fenling led me back to the staircase and we headed to her room. While she dressed, I bathed in a real tub with hot water. Then, her maid laced me into a long blue gown with an empire waistline and a low bust. She brushed my hair back, fixing it with a crystal headband, then slicked my lips with a balm, and used kohl on my eyelids. I barely recognized myself when I looked in the mirror. The pale ice blue contrasted with my copper hair, and for the first time in my life, I truly felt beautiful.

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome, Miss." Tonyah dipped slightly in an abridged curtsey, then gathered my things. "I'll have these cleaned and returned to your room. If Mistress Fenling will let me know when you're ready for bed, I'll help you undress."

"Of course," Fenling said. "Tomorrow, can you find someone suitable to look after Asajia?"

"Certainly, Mistress." As Tonyah exited the room with my clothes, a gong rang.

"Dinner time. Are you ready?"

"I think so. What do I call him? And do I curtsey?" I suddenly thought of a thousand questions. I'd never met a prince before, and knowing this one wasn't all that pleasant left me unnerved.

"You'll call him Your Majesty unless he tells you otherwise, and yes, when you are introduced, curtsey. When he stands to leave the dining room, we all stand and you'll curtsey again. I think that's about it. Shall we go?"

With that, Fenling led the way and I followed, wondering what the hell dinner was going to be like, and whether Bran had found out why his brother had summoned him back to the castle.