In no time, Warna had a small chest of the basics, and new shoes besides. The Quartermaster had trouble with standard gray tunics and trous, for all were meant for maels. They either threatened to split at the breast or the hip, or hung on her like sacks. But he’d a small sewing kit that he added to the pile with a shrug. “Seems to me this is only temporary,” he said. “We’ve no real supplies for a lady like yourself.”
“It’s enough to get her started,” Ricard said. “I’ll help ya carry it, miss.”
But Warna had other ideas as they left. “Where’s the washhouse?”
Constable Ricard wasstanding guard when she emerged from the bathhouse, washed and changed. “Feel better then, miss?”
“Yes, thank you,” Warna smiled.
“I’ve duties to be about, then.” Ricard said. “The noon bell will ring for the meal, and the Lord said you’d dine with him this eve.”
“Thank you, Constable.” Warna settled on a bench in the sun to dry her hair. “I’ll try not to be a trouble.”
“Much appreciated, miss,” Ricard gave her a nod, and walked off.
Aeric was still drilling his men. Apparently marching in formation with pole arms was more of a challenge than she imagined. But after a while they stopped and formed opposing lines.
“All right then,” Aeric barked. “Front lines, take up sword and shield. Second line, halberds.”
Warna watched while they practiced. She’d never really seen anyone use a halberd before. It did seem effective, as the men behind jabbed at the attackers over the shoulders of the front line. But it seemed to her that you’d really have to trust the man behind you to know what he was doing with that heavy pole.
Her attention wandered. As nice as it was in the sun, she felt the need to move, and explore.
She took the bundle of her clothing and her comb up to the small loft chamber she’d been assigned to, and left it there. Tunic and trous felt odd, but they’d do until she could get more suitable clothing. She figured that, to some extent, that was Lord Verice’s problem, not hers.
She felt odd. Empty. As if there was something she should be doing.
Warna shook herself, and headed back outside. The least she could do was walk around and learn more about the castle.
The courtyard continued on, surrounding the keep at its center. Warna started to walk, thinking to circle the entire keep. She wanted to see the other buildings, designed to supply the keep with its needs. A laundry, an outside kitchen, storage of foodstuffs, perhaps a brewery.
But once she started around, there was an odd stillness. An emptiness.
Warna frowned, but kept going, curious. The sounds behind her faded as she walked the cobblestone yard as it curled around the white marble building in the center. Here the buildings stood silent and vacant.
She thought about the quartermaster, all crammed into those rooms with barely an inch to spare. Why not use the space available? As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, she’d been trained to marry a noble, and in the running of a noble holding. Not one as large as this place, but still. Narthing had said that the keep was not being used, which made no sense at all.
Unless its Lord had turned his back on all but war.
Warna frowned as she walked farther around. A castle’s purpose was not just living quarters of its Lord. It was also a symbol of power, a key defensive position, a storehouse of supplies in case of siege. To empty it out? Abandon it? That made no sense.
There were guards on the outer walls, and one or two acknowledged her with a wave of their hand. They didn’t seem to find it amiss that she was wandering this way.
She got dizzy, walking along, gazing up at the tall white marble towers and arched windows. She’d never seen anything like this in Farentell, not that she’d ever traveled far. She’d heard tales, of course, but to actually see it was quite another thing.
At the rear of the building, there was a large circular window. She shaded her eyes, and retreated a few paces, trying to make it out. It was dark, and she couldn’t see any color. She narrowed her eyes. Was it broken out?
She continued on, filled with questions.
She was almost back around to the practice yard when she spotted the open doorway in the wall of the keep. The room beyond was dark and still. She stepped closer, peering in, seeing nothing but darkness.
Was it the same door? She thought maybe it was.
The guards were paying her no mind, and no one seemed worried as to where she was or what she was doing…
What had Lord Verice said?‘You have the freedom of the castle and its grounds—’
Warna slipped inside the door and stood silent, letting her eyes adjust, listening for sounds of protest or pursuit.
