Dawn at Dusk

Castle

It was large, larger than any other building in the area. To Esel is was a maze of walls that often left her dizzy. By no means was the chieftain family home as large as the capital's, in fact it wasn't technically a castle at all. If anything it was a fort, maybe a fortified home that held the wealth of the town. It'd seen war, death, birth, and all the things a castle could see so the town called it such.

With technicalities involved, it was a fortress. A tall stone stone structure that felt cold and lifeless at first sight. It hid behind a thick wall which also concealed the fact that it was constantly teaming with life. Tapestries hung from the stone walls to give both decorative entertainment and a sense of insulation. The Great Hall consisted of a series of large mahogany tables situated to create the illusion of two enormous dining tables placed parallel of each other, concealed by large cloths. The conjoining table at the heads of each was adorned with that of the chieftain family. Table cloths were routinely traded with the time of the year, showing intricate patterns and impressive craftsmanship. As a child, Esel was taught that the cloth was made by generations of head mistresses and wives of chieftains. A symbol of their status of high class. It always made her wonder why that symbol's purpose was to be eaten upon, but regardless they were admirable pieces that took years of dedication.

Her feet hurt as she stepped into the Great Hall. A sudden sign of how overly active she was at dawn. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she dismissively surveyed the room and realized she wasn't the first to be awake. Glòir was hosting guests of a nearby village. Glashire was just north of Glòir and they were known for early sunrises. They were a proud people and commonly boasted about their involvement in the Overthrow. Before they were a small farming village, but with their new found gold from the current king they've become --

Esel pondered momentarily, what have they become? A slightly larger farming village, she supposed before changing her thoughts to the current situation. People both familiar and not began to fill the seats and Esel realized this wasn't the semi-quiet hall it usually was and turned back towards the series of halls that led to the kitchen. Might as well bring porridge to the medicine room and eat while she continued scouring over her mother's studies.

"Essy!" The nickname echoed into her thoughts right before she stepped out. Her head perked up to the sound of her name. Her eyes locked with a very familiar face, "There you are darling, come sit!" Doran was already situated closer to the large fire place, near the chieftain's table. She smiled politely, walked towards him. Feeling like a fish on a hook, she murmured a, "Already have a drink this morning?"

"I actually don't remember falling asleep," he absently pulled out the chair to the right. Doran grinned, "Aren't I a gentleman?"

Esel smirked, "You've got the pompous voice, not sure about much else."

Doran Kingsmith hailed from the King's capital, like his surname suggests. His father and his father's father were born warriors, knights who served under several generations of royalty. Before he was of age, he was sent to several villages on the outskirts of the kingdom while the capital suffered political turmoil after the Overthrow. The former chieftain brought him under his wing as a favor and he trained alongside his own son. From a boy, he was always loud and bold. The two boys were their own foils, and caused havoc in the fortress in their youth. Not too long after, Esel had arrived with her mother.

"-so indeed it was a night to remember," his grin continued. The night before marked the welcoming of the Glashire company. Their own new chieftain was among the group and they surely expected a warm arrival as they paused their travels south. Being a trading town, it wasn't uncommon for the castle to host a few times per year. Being the village of sunrise and agriculture, Glashire was used to awakening at the early hours and the kitchen was ready to impress. Bread baskets were already laid out and wrapped in cloth to protect them from the piercing cold. Esel wondered if it felt the same as the fire's warmth on her back.