The House Of Blood and Dust, Book One: Darkness Rising

Stray Away From The Martyr, Bow To The Drowned King

My mind arises and the sun decides to disturb my slumber. I shield my eyes with my forearm and roll from the bed onto my feet, the carpet is soft and slightly rough. I check the clock to see that it’s around about four,

          “Do I even know how to sleep?” I ask myself and laugh to only look around and see the maid cleaning, staring at me, “I’m naked aren’t I?” she nods and I run to the wardrobe to get some clothes. I place them on: black skinny jeans and vermillion t-shirt, “I shall leave you to do your job.” I walk from the room and burst out laughing to myself. I walk down the carpeted halls and go to the kennel to see the wolf,

          “Hello Mister Arkness... Frank is in the courtyard.”

          “Thank you Joffrey, did my brother take him?” he shakes his head in awe of me, he seems to love me or something

          “No it was that lovely elven girlfriend of yours.” Or he wishes to fuck Lúthien, 

          “Lúthien?” I smile and recall back to his demeanour with her. “Oh he normally wants to bite the fingers off her.” I walk out and gently stroll down the halls the carpet tickling my bare feet, Jason bows to me in the library

“Why aren’t you in the yard with everyone else?”

“I was sleeping… how’s Karl?” He smiles

“He is fine, you should go see him. I am sure he’d love to see you.” I nod and bow to him,

“I shall take my leave, I am sure they’ll be wanting me outside.” He smiles and bows, going back to his books.

I open the newly fixed doors for which she’s still not forgiven me for and I highly doubt she’s forgiven Tayovason for it as he’s still locked away in the dungeons, I have spoken to him once and that ended with me being banished from ever entering the dungeons so I’m guessing he knows something Selventine doesn’t wish me to know. The sun shines down heating the world

“So you arise to see another day, brother.” Zachary is stood with Triss, he’s peered his eyes away from her for a second to look upon his brother.

“Indeed, what does today have for us?” He’s wearing robes, white with the hood down, his armour over the top.

“The queen wishes to speak with us later… she’s in the town at the moment.” I think about Tayovason and how I could probably get in there to free him from his unjust torture,

“Perhaps this is a good time to talk to the poet?” Zachary’s hair has grown longer and his and my own beards have grown also. We both stroke our chins feeling the hair there.

“Perhaps but are we to risk death for a man we hardly know?” I drop my arm to my side, his remains and Triss links with his other.

“He gave me the means to overcome the reverie… to become superior in my mind.” Zachary looks at me with his mixed eyes and he laughs, grabbing me by the shoulder, staring me deep in the eyes smiling with his kind lips and dominating stare,

“That’s hubris, brother… you are no more superior than the kings and queens of old neither blessed nor cursed with vile shamed guilt or depressed with the ideas of hatred and violence are a gift from the tainted gods, the demon sons of the core defiled neither your features nor your mind, you are human and you will die.” I stare awestruck at the sudden explosion of belittlement from my brother,

“Still… I should speak to him, perhaps even save him from his torture.”

“There is no torture… but you may do as you please as you’re a man grown with an immature mind.” He smiles