The Bane of the Empire

Chapter 9.1

Dawn walked the path to Ilaburn Castle. It was an alabaster structure with towers marking each corner. Guards patrolled the castle grounds with more posted on the exterior wall. A large wooden gate stood facing the cobblestone streets, which separated the city from the castle grounds. The castle was built to withstand a siege, with the exterior wall notched to hide archers and allow weapons to be positioned. She remembered hearing about the intricacy of warfare from soldiers that passed through Eastmaw, but seeing one of these fortresses in person was daunting. Past the exterior wall, the main structure stood tall and proud, with a large balcony facing the main gate. As she neared and walked past those dressed in the finery of the royal city, she noticed the many bridges that connected from the exterior wall to the main structure. Coming to stand at the main gate, she peered up at the sentinels dressed in gold and red uniforms. The roaring lion, the symbol of King Arnoldus, adorned their breastplates. They stood at attention, hands clasps around the shaft of their spears.

There were people lined in front of the gate. Men dressed in velvet cloaks and gold chains hanging from their elaborate collars stood with their head held high. Standing behind them were families that led harsher lives; their torn clothes hung from their shoulders and grime covered their skin.

"I wish to seek audience with the King." The man in the heavy velvet cloak said.

Dawn stood behind an elderly man who was hunched over. His shirt loose over his hunched frame as the individual bones of his spine peaked through his skin. He shook as he waited in line and she took a step closer to him, poised to catch him if he collapsed in front of her.

"The King is a busy man. Go to your Minister and he will relay your concerns at the next gathering." The sentinel standing to the right said, and moving the arm that held the spear, he pointed the tip of the polished metal to the side, indicating him to leave.

The man huffed and swiping his cloak to the side. He walked away with his chin held high, looking down at the others in line. The man in front of Dawn walked up to the guards and in a weak voice he said, "Long live the King."

The sentinels stomped the end of their spear to the ground and answered, "Long may he reign!"

Dawn watched the exchange as the man nodded. He held out a small bag and each man dropped a copper coin into his empty coffer. Dawn's eyes widen seeing this. She had grown up seeing people chase off beggars or ignore them entirely. But royal guards were entertaining and even giving to the poor here!

"Thank you. Gods bless you and Gods bless the King." The man said and shuffled away, the two copper coins clinking in his bag.

"Next!"

Dawn stepped forward. The sentinel watching her appeared to be young, no older than thirty. She cleared her throat and said, "I am here to visit the Royal Library."

She heard a few gasps and voices behind her, but the guards only regarded her with stoic expressions.

"All visitors must submit an official request with the Head Scholar. Only registered families may enter the sacred halls of the Royal Library." He gestured to his left, to a wrought iron gate. It stood at the base of one of the tall towers and behind it she could see stone steps leading down into darkness. A few torches were lit, and the flickering flame danced along the stone walls.

She looked back at the guard who was still watching her, but underneath the stoic expression was suspicion. She saw his eyes sweep her person and take in her worn riding leathers and sword. Standing tall she repeated the words, "Long live the King!"

The concern vanished and the guards hit the ends of their spear to the ground and answered, "Long may he reign!"

She nodded and turning to the ancient gate she pushed against the cool iron until it swung open in front of her. She looked down at the steps that appeared to go on forever. Only the dimly lit torches illuminated her path. The sounds of the city slowly faded away and only the clink of her boots against the stone steps filled the passageway. The faint drops of water echoed off the walls and the smell of still water surrounded her. At the base of the steps, a desk was built into the dark stones. Against the wall, carved slots housed single golden bells, meticulously placed in their own spot. It felt as if she had descent not underground but back in time. The alabaster stone above ground and the innocence of light were absent here. The unpolished and uncut rocks around her looked ancient and the jagged edges suggested neglect from the architect.

But looking closer at the black stone, a faint glint shone on their surface as she tilted her head.

These walls were not just stone.

The jagged edges, that she first passed off as architectural negligence, were large fragments of onyx lodged into the wall. Dawn raised her hand to run her finger along one of those fragments when the sound of someone clearing their throat pulled her back. Her gaze locked with a pair of greying eyes belonging to an elderly woman who sat hunched over a book behind the desk.

"Why have you come here?" The old crone said with a gravelly voice.

"I would like to request entrance to the Royal Library." She raised her chin and squared her shoulders, waiting for the woman to answer her. The woman kept her eyes on her and slammed her book closed with a strength that contradicted her shrivelled appearance.

"Only scholars can enter."

Dawn bit the inside of her cheek, stopping herself from saying anything else to anger the woman, who was now looking at her with a smug expression on her face. The grey hue of her eyes flickered as the woman watched her struggle with her words. But in a flash, her father's words came back to her.

"I am the daughter of a scholar. I am the heir to the Rentradie line."

She smirked when she saw the woman rapidly scan her face. Her grey eyes moved across her form and she silently rejoiced having broken through the crone's barrier.

"You are a... Rentradie?"

A/N: Chapter 9.2 coming sooner than expected. 😉