The Ashes Wake

Chapter 23: Lana

LANA
"Covenant law states that the King or Queen must remarry ten years after death of their bonded. However, if the Royal fails to find a suitable counterpart within that time, they will be forced to take on a creature chosen and deemed worthy by the Board of Covenant Officials."

Speech given by Primary Advisor Lennox to the Citizens of the Imperial Capital after King Tomlin's death
6923 Year, Majira Season
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Highborn Castle was a place of disgusting wealth and overwhelming beauty.

The tour had been lengthy and detailed, though the two Infirmaturs didn't speak other than stating information. They started by going through the deep hallway on the left, leaving the Queen and the Chief to talk. Lana felt their eyes boring into her as she walked away.

Everything, she noticed, was tiled and pristine. Not a speck of dust nor a smudge of dirt could be found on the floor. Bannisters, tapestries, and berry-mashed paintings accented the walls. A soft, reed flute reverberated throughout the castle, but Lana didn't know where it was coming from. Various other maids scattered about with dusters, brooms, or plates of food-all seemingly Infirmatur with the mere exception of a few Kalieds. There eyes were blue.

Shouts and clanging swords rang loudly during parts of their walk-near large windows, or the balcony that overlooked the training fields. Lana's body was torn between collapsing into a deep sleep or wishing to be in the heat of a good battle.

The servants, who didn't name themselves, spoke in monotone voices. They droned on relentlessly, describing each grand ballroom, scintillating staircase, or Royal bedroom like a rehearsed script. Lana discovered that the castle was full of life and movement despite the Queen's lack of children or husband; dozens of castle staff, militia, and officials scurried around as if in preparation for something. Covenant Enforcers and Informers milled about too, and Lana refrained from sneering at them; perhaps if they were in the streets protecting creatures rather than strutting around Highborn no one would be snatched in the first place.

As she continued to follow her guides, a soldier passed them in one of the smaller hallways leading to the library. He was only a bit taller than she, but looked to be in his mid years. His body was muscled underneath the uniform, and his biceps swollen while carrying a large crate of dry ice.

Freezing smoke rolled from off the top, creating a hazy cloud around the soldier. Dry ice was a rare sight, but Lana refrained from asking what it was for. The name plate on his uniform read Bishop. He was clearly a Szithorith with his scaly skin and red eyes. As Bishop passed Lana and the servants, he flicked his forked tongue at her and grinned eerily through the smoke.

Lana stuck her own tongue out at him and made an obscene gesture that no respectfully aged thirteen creature would. The solider huffed a laugh, but then his mouth formed a thin line as he made a sharp turn down a dissecting corridor. The Infirmaturs walked on in front of her, silent as ever.

Lana couldn't tell if she was making friends or enemies at her new home, but she convinced herself she didn't care either way.

After briefly stepping into the fortress' grandiose library, they made their way up a red spiral staircase with golden rails engraved with the castle's insignia. Lana suspected only one person's quarters was located ahead. Their footsteps echoed with resounding clacks as they began the ascent.

They stopped at a door and Lana's breath hitched inside her throat. It was a solid, impenetrable, wall of dragonscale. How in the Realm the Kingdom had forged so much of the material was beside her-the precious metal was sheen and it shone like a polychromatic fortification. All the light in the area was drawn to it, seemingly making the corridor darker.