Part Two: What They Tended

Sealing the Deal

After he met the staff, Manu and Motiwala were led away by the Chamberlain. A few guards followed behind them, clinking along in burnished chainmail and greaves. They walked together in the direction of the carved doorway in the side of the hill, which Manu admired as they got closer. The masterful stonework took the form of two lifelike tree trunks with branches arching overhead. Near the top of the arch, Manu saw slits and realized there were rooms carved inside the gate from where guards could be stationed in the event of a siege.

The more he looked around, he noticed how easily fortified the entire grounds could be. The buildings all had ladders to the roofs, and were built in such a way that the taller buildings were closer to the hill, and decreased in height as they neared the walls - an intentional design so that archers on the taller buildings could shoot and avoid hitting friendly archers on the shorter houses. Before they crossed below the gate, he noticed how the rocky hill would make it almost impossible for anyone to climb up the side of it and reach the staircases and buildings carved into the small mountain. The only entrance was the gate under which he now passed.

"This place could hold its own against any siege." He commented, using conversational politeness as a way to probe a bit further into the sentiments of Chamberlain Amir. He looked to his right and noticed a large passage, big enough for horse carts, went that way deep into the mountain.

"It has," the dark man said. He did not turn around. "When the Crown came to arrest the Chamakeela family, they decided it would be easier to burn the fields around the Fort than to actually besiege it." His voice was neutral, and Manu could not determine the nature of his words - they were factual and bland, which was strange. They were too removed from emotion, too mechanical.

"Did you know them well?" Manu asked as they started up the large staircase. He looked up and saw sunlight not too far above them.

"I am no traitor, Magister." The man replied curtly. "If that is what you are concerned about."

"Not at all," Manu lied. "Just trying to better understand how it was you came to become Chamberlain here, that's all."

They walked up a few dozen steps in uncomfortable silence. Motiwala shot a look at Manu that all but asked "why are you like this?" Manu shrugged in response, and then turned his attention to Amir's back.

"Lady Chamakeela bought my freedom from Neolandian slavers when I was young." The Chamberlain intoned. "That is how I came to be here."

They reached the top of the stairs, and Manu stepped up onto the middle of a mosaicked courtyard. A circular fountain at the far edge, built like a small pond into the stone. One of the stone buildings Manu had noticed from afar sat nestled against the stony face of the mountain. Through the open door he could see bunked beds and racks of weapons - an armory and barracks. They did not enter, instead going around it and taking a stone staircase that curved around the spire. Benches and patios grew more common as they climbed higher.

At one point, Manu had to stop. It wasn't to catch his breath - he was more than enough in shape that the climb barely bothered him - but instead to just look out at the landscape around him. All of Duren seemed to spread before him. He could see the paneled roofs of North Jindagree in the middle of the encircling forest, could see the bridge he had crossed and the river that ran beneath it; but even more impressive was the green domes he could see glow in the sun far in the distance with the mountains climbing behind them. For the first time, he noticed how tiny and insignificant the palace was compared to the scale of the kingdom around it.

Motiwala spoke from beside him. "Not as high up as your home, your Grace," he joked. "But still a bit of a drop."

Manu chuckled. "I don't understand how this mountain came to be in the middle of this river. They don't just sprout out of the ground."

"I think the elves used to live here before the Split," Motiwala said, rubbing his chin in deep thought. His dark eyes scanned the landscape. "Maybe magic had something to do with it."

Manu turned to see Chamberlain Amir watching them with his hands clasped behind his back. His dark eyes met Manu's. "A good view of the Kingdom, your Grace." He said, voice and face equally disinterested.

Manu nodded. "Everything looks so small from up here."

The Chamberlain blinked. "The Chamakeelas thought so as well."

Alright then, Manu thought to himself.

They continued their way up the stairs. As they kept going, Manu could not help but remember how fit every Chamakeela had been. If they had to climb up and down these stairs every day, he could certainly see why. Motiwala, which his advanced age, was having a bit of a difficult time keeping up, but stuck on his blushing dark face was a grimace of determination.

After passing a few dark tunnels in the stone, they turned a corner and found themselves at a large stone gateway to stone citadel. Manu looked to the right and saw the stone walls wrap around the edge of the mountain - it was clear that the entire building had been carved out of the original stone. He could only imagine how long it took to carve the citadel, and then all of the tunnels and rooms that he knew would be within the mountain. He looked around and saw at least three large towers that rose from further down the mountainside, feats of architecture and human perseverance that he could hardly fathom doing himself. Motiwala's suspicions of the use of magic here seemed more than likely, however Manu had no idea what dark magic spells could have been used. The possibility of ancient elves building the Fort, Manu thought, was less likely. He would have read about it somewhere by now.

They passed through the gateway and stepped into the main hall of the Chamakeela citadel. Manu looked around at the long chamber, noticing the sloped ceiling held up by six mighty stone pillars. A long balcony was carved into the left part of the ceiling that looked down over the hall. The back right side of the room opened up to a large open stone patio that Manu had not noticed from the gateway. In the center of the room were three massive tables with wooden benches to both sides. At the far end of the hall Manu could see the Lord's table, plain and undecorated. A few doorways were scattered around the walls: two to either side of the Lord's table, one larger one in the center of the left wall, and one that led to a large hallway to Manu's immediate left. It all reminded him strangely of a temple, but without any banners or colors hanging from the walls, he was unsure of that it would be dedicated to.

"This, your Grace," the Chamberlain said. "Is the great hall."

Manu took a few steps forward, his feet clicking against the smooth stone floor. He turned around and walked backwards a few steps, taking in the entirety of the room. He saw another balcony carved into the stone above the gateway, and noticed the sunlight coming through from a balcony there. He had not noticed anything above the gateway from the outside, but he now recognized that was probably intentional. If everything was carved out of the same stone and meant to look natural, he would not have been able to recognize it looking up from the angle of the stairs. How many other secret paths and open air rooms had the mountain hidden from him during their climb?

"Amazing." Manu said. He looked up at the windows in the ceiling that let sunlight in to light the hall, and noticed a large golden chandelier styled to look like the top of a large tree. He looked back down at the Chamberlain, whose face was still blank.

"If you'll follow me, your Grace," he intoned steadily. "The bill of transfer is prepared for you in the library."

Manu nodded, his interest and excitement peaking. A library in a place this grand? He could only imagine the huge wealth of knowledge stored there from over the years. He would have to move his collection of books from his villa here at some point.

He followed the Chamberlain and Motiwala down the long stone hallway, leaving the great hall behind. The walls of the hallway were barren of any decoration or staff, giving Manu the impression that anyone remained in the citadel besides the freedman Chamberlain.

They turned a corner and stepped in to the library. It was not as great as Manu imagined, but it was still spectacular. It was half the size of the great hall, and large bookshelves lined the walls with a rainbow of books. A wooden staircase on the far end of the room led up to a second level with more bookshelves, but also a vast collection of maps hanging on the walls. The room was lit by two large openings in the middle of the ceiling which were filled with murky glass. There were a few tables in the room, all with new candlesticks on them. It was a quiet and peaceful room, but it felt like a mausoleum to Manu.

He looked up at the second level and noticed in the shadow, a figure in a dark cloak and hood looked down at them. He could see nothing of their face, but he was certain they were staring right at him. Then he blinked, and they were gone. Was it his imagination?

Before he could ask if anyone else had seen the specter, Motiwala tapped on Manu's shoulder. Manu snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at his friend.

"The deed, your Grace." Motiwala said, gesturing to a large roll of paper on one of the tables. Two candles were lit there, one sky blue, and the other a dark blue. A quill pen and ink well rested between the candles.

"Right." Manu said. He stepped to the paper, ignoring the formal writing and regal decoration. He focused on the ink words, which had much more meaning than the traditional artistry of the deed.

"I, Manu of the House Amin, joined into House Amin through legal adoption, do hereby take ownership from the Royal Holdings of the Duren Crown the former lands and titles held by House Chamakeela on this date. I hereby swear to uphold the laws of the Crown and will serve faithfully Her Majesty of the Satin Throne, Aanya of House Amin, first of Her name."

Motiwala looked from Manu to the paper and then back to Manu. He picked up the dark blue candle, the color of House Talika, and held it over the paper. He focused on Manu as the wax dripped onto the paper. It was the only sound in the large library.

When enough wax had formed, he took a large metal seal from within his clothing and pressed it onto the paper.

Then he looked at Manu.

"Your Grace," he said softly. "Your seal."

Manu carefully grabbed the light blue candle and held it over the paper. He let the wax drip to the left of the royal crest Motiwala had pressed. Every drop of wax that fell reminded Manu of water dripping in a dungeon cell. It echoed strangely in the empty library. He did not think of what he was getting himself into, nor did he consider any of the warnings that his friend had given him during their journey together. With his seal, he was affirming his dedication to his family: to his sister, to the Crown, and to House Amin. He would face whatever trials that came with a resolute heart.

He pressed his signet ring onto the hot wax, and then used his other hand to pick up the quill and sign his name, declaring House Amin as the new owners of the Chamakeela estates under his Lordship.