A Crown Of Blades(ARTK, Book 3)

Chapter 43-44

Manor 2nd,3330 A.G

Segar stopped for a moment, wiping sweat from his forehead. Somehow, after being confined to a ship for weeks- he were expected to walk up those steep stone steps. Each step hurt his legs- though in his defense it weren't just laziness.

Being still for any significant amount of time would hurt someone, and taking up the company of a ship captain after being so still really hurt(in the good way). Their nights together had been short lived, but they'd left more than one mark on Segar's body. He pulled at the collar of his shirt, conscious of anyone in such a conservative territory seeing the marks there.

His sister could only protect him so much, if she could still be called that. War had been known to change people from time to time.

He stared up at the stones, then the sharenian soldier- and looked behind him to the servants and small guard he'd brought along.

"Has he lost his damned mind?" Segar raised an eyebrow, and some of the servants chuckled in agreement. Segar were far kinder than most noblemen, but working for him were work- and so their bones also ached. They would do as told and struggle their way up the steps of that were the only way-

"I have not, Mi'lord." The solider said, annoyed. He'd spent half his life climbing those stairs, whether he were tired or achey or not. It weren't that difficult. "There used to be a carriage designed specifically for carrying people down it, but it caused too many deadly arguments so Lady Helwyse's ... dead brother in law had it burned."

Segar said nothing then. He supposed it would be possible to crawl up the steep hill like an insect, but he imagined that would only be more painful. And so they began the journey that took locals less than a hundred moments.

Half an hour later, he collapsed onto the small strip of desert grass between the stairs and outskirts of the city. Multiple mouths fell open at the sight. They'd all heard of what Maude Beckett did. Everyone with ears knew, but to see it were another thing.

They appeared to be about halfway done with repairs, yet there were so much permanent damage they could tell exactly how far it'd spread. Segar wondered of the exact death count and how many civilians it included; and of whether or not the young warrior lost sleep because of this.

Just looking at it, he knew he would.

"My lord-" one of his younger, female servants said. "We must get up now. For if we don't...I fear we never will."

She were up first, then the others- leaving him last. The girl offered her arm, and he gladly took it- using her as leverage to stay up when his legs felt like they'd fall out from under him. She were surprisingly strong, but he supposed she'd have to be. He tended to travel very heavy.

He didn't spend long looking around at what their ancestors would call "the city", as he intended to speak with his sister now and then take a very long nap.

Apparently someone in the main home had seen them coming, because by the time they arrived there was a guard waiting at the main entrance to take him to her.

"Mi'lord." The men bowed. "This way."

He followed them without protest, though his legs contradicted his silence.

The room they took him to appeared to be her working office, smaller than bed chambers or even a small hall- but still larger than his chambers back home.

And despite his purpose there, he couldn't help but smile.

"Sister-" He hugged her and missed their other sister in that moment. "You may leave us now. She will not harm me."