Chapter 13: Trip to the Castle City
A new day began, and following breakfast, Sissel ushered Unen’s group from the tower’s manor hall to the main residence. They all knew why without needing to be told—Unen had to contend with the rest of Harabal’s questions that had been left over from yesterday.
They walked by the reception room where they’d had an audience with Klinack the day before, and Sissel knocked on the door just before the corridor turned. Unexpectedly, it was the freeloader’s voice that answered the knock.
“Come in.”
With that invitation, Sissel opened the door, and they were greeted by a room bathed in the morning light. On the wall straight ahead were four large windows that could easily be mistaken for other doors, and a neatly manicured garden that spread out beyond their sight from the diamond mullions. The windows faced north, which left the room cool—despite the abundance of sunlight filling it. Unen’s chambers in the tower had also remained cool; the thick stone walls seemed to obstruct the sun’s heat.
I feel like I’ll forget what season it is by staying in this castle, Unen thought to herself.
“Did you sleep well?” Vrba raised his right hand in greeting from where he lounged on an ottoman. Standing at attention slightly behind him was a young man with vestiges of cherubic youth still in his handsome face.
Sissel signaled to Unen with his eyes to greet Vrba.
“Yes, thanks to you,” Unen replied.
“Glad to hear it.” Vrba’s smile stretched sweetly, until the corner of his lips turned up in a gloating smirk. “This is my favorite guest room in the castle. I asked His Majesty for permission to use this room so you will be able to relax a little more during the continuation of your unpleasant conversation with that uptight aide. What do you think? Isn’t it bright and comfy?”
Vrba proudly spread out his arms as if it was his castle and room. “It’s like heaven on earth to have such great sunshine yet remain far cooler than outside. As one would expect of our great king, even the summer sunlight submits to his might.” He shut his eyes wistfully and put his hand over his heart in a theatrical gesture. All the while allowing the morning’s sunlight to dance over his visage—in that moment he truly looked like a lord capable of commanding the very sunlight to do his bidding.
Sissel turned a carefree smile toward him. “Now that I think about it, it is unusual for you to spend a long time in the royal capital at this time of year, Lord Vrba.”
“My territory is ideal for summering, after all. Schaehor: the cool land surrounded by gold-filled mountains. How would you like to spend your time there? You’re all invited.”
“The winter season sounds freezing,” Mouru smoothly deflected.
Unen and the others held their breath. The remark was hard to take as a friendly reaction.
“Don’t let that stop you. You can just escape to the capital when it’s cold,” Vrba jovially replied, unaffected.
He’s not like a certain someone who held a grudge over being called shady once, Unen mused.
“I see. If you can go summering to get away from the summer heat, then you can go wintering to escape the winter chill. Makes sense,” Mouru replied ever so politely, then keenly asked, “By escaping to the capital, you mean coming here to the castle?”
“Lord Vrba owns a manor in the city,” Sissel clarified.
“I can see why you’d think that when His Majesty calls me a freeloader,” Vrba laughed. “I don’t leave many of my people in the manor during the summer. I barely brought any servants with me this time either, so it’s been inconvenient getting by. Hence why I decided to depend on His Majesty’s great kindness and hospitality.”
“What beautiful friendship you have. I aspire to have a friendship like that… Don’t you, Ori?” Mouru looked back at his partner.
Unen and Irena shot frosty glares at him in place of Ori’s poker face. Not the least bit unnerved by their death glares, Mouru turned his debonair smile back on Vrba.
“In other words, your stay here this time was unplanned.”
“Isn’t it only natural to want to meet special guests after hearing about how amazing they are?” Vrba looked over his shoulder for agreement. His chamberlain nodded silently, upholding his reserved attitude to the end.
“An unparalleled mapmaker with the eyes of a bird, who can even capture the flow of rivers and the shape of hills and put it on paper—that’s how the messenger from Chelveny described you. How can I not take an interest, especially after hearing that the mapmaker is a sweet girl of not many years to boot?”
Unen stiffened under his gaze. He had called her a “sweet young girl.” Unsure of how to react, she uncomfortably stood stock-still like a tree.
“Is what you said yesterday about being able to record the undulations in the ground true?” It looked as though Vrba’s barrage of questions would continue, except Harabal came in through the corner door, putting an abrupt end to it.
“My sincerest apologies to ask this of you when you are all gathered here, but would you mind continuing the conversation in the afternoon? Some urgent business I must attend to came up, and I must take a short leave.”
His sudden announcement got confused looks from not only Unen’s group, but also Sissel, who had dutifully led them to the room.
A curious look crossed Vrba’s face as well. “Leave? Is Klinack going with you?”
“No, His Majesty will be staying in the castle. However, all discussions with Lady Unen are entrusted to me due to his lack of understanding when it comes to scholarly matters.” Harabal slowly ran his gaze over everyone present and repeated, “I apologize that this came up, but will you grace me with your presence once more when I return after lunch?”
There was only one answer Unen could give: “All right.”
“On that same note, I’m sorry, but this room is somewhat inappropriate for conducting discussions about your surveying techniques. I would like to change locations later.”
“Why’s that?” Vrba’s immaculately trimmed eyebrows knitted, but Harabal’s expression remained the same.
“Either it should be conducted in the library with a desk large enough to be suitable for mapping, or…perhaps it would be easier to figure out somewhere we can talk while gazing upon a real landscape…”
Harabal stroked his chin contemplatively, then nodded to himself and took a good look around the room. “Yes, that sounds best. Let’s hold the conversation on the turret to the north of this main residence. The rooftop is quite narrow, so I request everyone aside from Lady Unen to refrain from joining us. I will call for you once I find the time. Please spend your time as you see fit until then.”
Everyone exchanged mystified looks after Harabal left the room.
“Why don’t you take a stroll through the city now that you have some spare time?” Vrba offered modestly.
His suggestion was incredibly appealing and unrealistic at the same time. Unen didn’t think they could freely leave the castle, and she was horrified at the prospect of asking His Majesty the King if she could go out and play because she was bored.