"Summer country," said Duo, staring in awe at the white polished surfaces of the looming building. It looked as if someone had built a sand castle, then plunked it down on a hill, smoothing the edges with a careless fingertip. He wasn't sure how they had even quarried enough stone to build it, let alone push the rocks up the hill.
"Magic," said Howard, his manservant, pointing with his large nose. "They've got magic running through their blood. It's dripping from the pores, waiting to burst out and wreak havoc. Don't let none of them spit on you; you could come away burned worse'n Hell."
"Surely you overestimate," said Duo, rolling his eyes. "Remember, you are the one who raised me on tales of giant killers and archers with golden bows. I never expected blind fear from you."
"Not blind fear, but learned wisdom," said Howard. "If we go in, I've a feeling we're never to come out."
"Don't be silly." Duo sneezed the dust from his nose, rubbing his mare with a gloved hand. "Nothing to be afraid of at all. Even the gods must die one day."
With that, he dug his heels into his horse and sped towards the gate at the moat, leaving a thick trail of dust in his wake.
"Fool boy," said Howard, coughing. "You'll get yourself killed before you're done." Sighting a wagon filled with gold idols and strange animals being curried with purple lace, he allowed himself a small smile. "Either that, or married."
At the gate, Duo was greeted with sharp spears in his face. Two thick-necked guards peered down at him from their lookout post, their armor clanking. "What d'you want?" one of them said, spitting. He sidestepped smoothly, wincing as the stone sizzled beneath the liquid.
"I come from Pastoral Country [1] with urgent news for the Triumvirate," he said, bowing. "Let me pass, or your council shall hear of it."
"News?" The first guard snorted. "Ain't no news from th' north country in years. You sure you're not heading a caravan?" Duo blinked, squinting as his horse brought him in line with the setting sun. "You look young to be carrying messages all by your lonesome."
Duo was about to pull out his sword when a blonde figure materialized behind the two guards. From the bits of the conversation drifting downwind, he could hear they were being chastised thoroughly.
"...didn't know there was a treaty..."
"...little runt like that, nothing to take notice of..."
"Report to your superior," a voice rasped, and then the gates were lifting, just as the wagon he had passed on his way caught up to him. The driver was a young boy dressed in translucent silks, his skin painted with gold gloss. Duo suspected the two oxen that pulled the cart were trained to navigate by themselves. "Who goes there?"
"Maxwell the Younger," called Duo, "from Pastoral Country. My man will be here momentarily. There is also another here," he added, running his eyes over the clumps of arms and legs, "bearing gifts, I believe."
The man above snorted. "Come in, come in. It's almost time for dinner in the hall; you'll want to get cleaned up a bit."
After his horse had been curried and fed a bit of grain, Duo sought out Howard. "There you are," he said, grinning at the sight of the older man chatting amiably with a few of the serving girls. The girls giggled, covering their mouths with their hands, batting their eyelashes. "Can't leave the women alone, eh, Howard?"
"Maxwell?" He turned to find that same blonde standing before him in full military dress, his breast decorated with several medals of honor and tags of ranking. A tiny eagle soared alone on his red collar. "I apologize for the guards' behavior. As of late, we've had several incidents with unexpected guests."
"Unexpected, Lord Zechs?" said Duo through his teeth. "My Lord was under the impression that my arrival was entirely planned, and, indeed, long overdue." The blonde shrugged.
"Perhaps it was," he said. "Forgive me; forgive us all our carelessness. As I said," he added, motioning for them to follow him inside one of the buildings, "we've had incidents." Not caring to elaborate, they walked silently through a maze of passages, emerging in a cool, slightly moist wing. "Dinner will be within the hour; an escort will be by to bring you to the hall."
"Thank you, Lord Zechs." Sighing as the door swung shut, Duo turned to Howard, throwing down his single bag. "What is it with this place?" he said, throwing himself onto the bed. The mattress was soft enough, and the quilt embroidered with silk thread, though it seemed to be fraying at the edges. He wondered when Sanquadia had last entertained a large number of guests.
"Well," said Howard, stripping off his boots, "Lord Odin's last son just came of marrying age." Duo rolled his eyes as he ransacked his belongings, searching for a clean change of clothing. "The travel dust becomes you," said Howard, smirking as Duo pulled out a velvet suit he'd last worn to his fifteenth birthday party.
"He ought to marry a woman like a proper man," said Duo. "He's probably a spoiled brat; used to getting everything he wants. He'd faint at the sight of real work."
"Master Duo, if you don't mind my saying, you'd faint at the sight of real work. You've spent your life playing with horses and romancing the country noblewomen." Howard took a sip from his mostly empty flask of water. "Ruling an entire country, especially one so powerful as Sanquadia, must drain a lot from you. There's a kind of comfort that only a man can give another man, so's much as that's involved."
"Whatever you say."
"And I do say," said Howard. "Women are unfit to rule. [2] Men must protect women; they're weak. The duty of the mate of a lord is to comfort and soothe, not be comforted, as a woman needs be."
"This conversation is over," said Duo, walking stiffly to the water basin.
"Duo, you can't keep thinking of Gerald and his foolish--"
"Howard." Duo turned, his bangs dripping, and wiped his face on his old shirt. Two spots of color glowed in his cheeks. "Drop it. Please."
"Consider it dropped." A moment later, the old man turned on his side and, mumbling from beneath his pillow, said, "I'm going to rest these old bones. You go and play the good lord at dinner. Get lots of gossip for me to hear about later." There was a knock at the door; Duo sighed as he straightened his collar, moving to answer it.
"Of course I will." Imagine, he thought as his escort led him by a parade of wagons, presumably filled with courtship presents, spending all that money--money which could feed the poor, build better roads, pay for loyal officials who could not be bought with bribes--on gifts for one sixteen year old brat!
End Part One
[1] Heehee! "Set in the country Country..." Heehee... (Duo: Wow. Good joke. o.0;)
[2] This isn't my opinion. In my primitive society, male dominance and sexism rule. Poopy on them.
Bianca
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