The Warden's Awakening

Chapter XIX - Homecoming

"Lady Prand," the former tour guide called as she watched her new employer's focus shift from her report to the window of the office she was in. "Ma'am, are you alright?" she asked. Senara had learned her name to be Lerin Baxt, and she was the daughter of a farmer on the outskirts of Uthrapan; New Veldar's second largest city. That was not counting New Veldar minor, however. Senara's gaze shifted beyond the window and out to the fields and grasses of Calcin. From her window, she could also see the great divide. It was the boarder between the Heatlands and the rest of the Imperial regions.

"I am lost in thought, Lerin. Please, continue. I shall keep listening," Senara said. She tried to listen, but even as good a teller as Lerin was, the politics of Agalor bored her. She had grown up with them, but now that she was her own woman, she needed to get away. Somewhere she could explore the mysteries of the world. Somewhere she could find answers to all of her questions.

"...and a man is here requesting your presence. He says it is imperative that he meet with you regarding..."

It had been almost a month, and Senara had only memorized everything in the Seer's sanctum beneath the castle. She was no further along in her investigation than when she first discovered it. She felt that she'd been wasting time. She needed to find answers and quickly. More of these stones were appearing. Last month, it had only been one in a city. Now, there were reports of three in Calcinia, two in Agalor, and four in Keldris City. More reports were coming in, but she tended to keep them in the back of her mind. A way of reminding her to keep pushing for answers.

"Thelan has reported increases in bandit activity around the castle..."

It was hard to believe that she owned a castle. She looked around the office at the high ceilings and artwork that decorated the walls. Everything had been preserved pretty much exactly as the Occanum Order left it. The wall blocking the dungeon was new, and some of the wall décor, but aside from that, if one of the Champions entered the castle, they would still feel right at home. That was not going to happen any time soon, however.

All of the Champions were killed by Balnor and his followers.

Wait, Lerin had mentioned something.

"Lerin." Senara said, stopping her from giving the rest of the report. "You said something about a man? Is he a Seer?" she asked.

"No ma'am. He seems to be a noble, however. Quite handsome if you ask me," she said, trying to hide her blushing. Senara could see through her, however. The smile gave everything away.

"I suppose I should change into something a bit more sensible then, wouldn't you say?" she said, standing up. How long had she been sitting for. She could scarcely feel her legs. "Tell the man that I will receive him shortly in the throne room, but have Thelan check the man out first. I don't want him causing any trouble here," she said. Thelan had been made Senara's chief of security on the baroness' order. She had served her faithfully in the past, and she needed someone around who was new enough not to be corrupted by any sort of distension in the Militia. There was also no harm in requesting such an order as well.

Senara climbed the large flight of stairs to a second set of stairs, which led to a final, smaller set, which lead to a corridor down which the baroness' room was. The maze to find the room took almost a week to solve. Many nights Senara would sleep in the halls, or find a smaller room to just collapse into. Once she knew the route, however, she never was lost again. Mar Danis had not bothered to give her a tour when he sold the castle for half of Senara's land assets. The half that she sold, however, she had promised any living there that if they were unhappy with Baron Danis to move out and come stay with Senara in the castle until they found more land to settle. As of that day, only two families had left. Senara believed there would be more.