The Castle Guard

I have magic?

Darien tried not to flinch preserving a poker face to impress Sarinn the royal assistant’s healer as she put a wet cloth on his bleeding hand to cleanse it. She was the only girl he liked and mostly saw in his lonely sojourn in the dark halls beneath the castle mainly because she brought him food from time to time and she was the only one kind to him, all the other ladies were mean, cold with a side dish of ugly and fat. More than that she was the first one to welcome him at the castle with a kind smile, a smile which made the hellish darkness he lived in just little bit brighter. Sarinn was the daughter of Count Saran of a province in the kingdom being a second child from her brother she had no inheritance so she decided to apprentice for Lord Ramsey the royal healer when the opportunity came, to escape an arranged marriage by her father. She was of medium height being 5’7 long honey blonde hair with deep hazel colored eyes, her duties basically were to tend to the rest of the castle while Lord Ramsey a reserved his talents for the royals or anyone whose title began with arch-. “Are you scared?” She asked smiling while she applied alcohol on his wound, “No I am fine.” He lied, it took a significant amount of strength not to yell in pain Sarinn used the remaining clean cloth to wrap his hand “There! There!  It’s all patched up” she began gathering her items onto a tray Darien averted his eyes from her breasts which were exposed by the ankle length cream colored dress tightening around the navel region upwards then loose from the waist down.

“Thank you” Darien said flushing down dirty images from his mind, “Your welcome, don’t go hurting your face though some of us like staring at it” she giggled then left the infirmary leaving Darien blushing to the bone ‘By the gods She likes me’ he exclaimed inwardly, His reverie broke when the door opened hopeful she’d returned he racked his brain for something to say “I..”  Instead a guard stood in front of him in full armor

“Lord Dracenstark wishes to see you in his chambers!” he spoke in a rough tone

The guard led him to a stair case spiraling up walking in silence towards a door at the top, Darien between the attack and Sarinn hadn’t time to process just what happened ‘Why was I attacked? And most importantly why would the arch mage summon me?’ he pondered the questions in his brain but couldn’t find a plausible explanation. Darien hadn’t fathomed how deep in the castle he was until the guard opened the door blinding Darien with more light than he had seen in months.

The room before them was a bustle of activities with women all over carrying cloths in baskets to and fro Darien unaccustomed to so much movement paused for a minute taking in the scenery. The women wore large light blue gowns with white aprons around their waists busy chattering about, he felt confused as he did not remember using this way the when he went in the last time. The guard continued striding forward Darien had to quicken his pace to catch up they passed amongst the women who paid no heed to their existence. Darien stared at the windows outside it seemed to be the ground floor; soon they entered a hall with less lightened leaving behind the women’s noise behind leading to another shorter staircase to an entrance to a kitchen. Darien was instantly bombarded with sweet delicious smell of delicacies his stomach growled seeing a pie and other pastries on a table the kitchen had less people and was less active yet all the same bustling with activity no one gave them a second look a jovial looking short woman standing near the fire place reminded Darien of his mother she seemed to stare at him then turned back to whatever she was doing.

The great hall was a rectangular room between one and a half times long as it was wide with windows on its side its entrances were arched with no doors. The floor made of marble its walls designed to depict various people. Darien didn’t recognize any of them; the throne room was even more grandeur filled with paintings of past kings and queens. Darien thought of his own family back in their small cottage being farmers they hadn’t much in terms of wealth their only possession was a 3acres  farm which provided their daily food and occasionally items for trade at the local market when the harvest was good, his father tried hunting but the monarchs made it impossible for men like him to hunt by imposing taxes and permits that could only be paid for and acquired if one had money that his family didn’t have. Winter was the worst season for them as without crop production food became scarce thus hunger raged in their home. And that was before he was born bringing with him his peculiar disease , he remembered  many times lying on a bed barely breathing his sister tending to him while their parents struggled to find money for a healer, nights when he heard his mother cry when she thought he was asleep, he felt his heart ache  ‘only if we had all of this’ he thought enviously.

The guard stopped in front of a nice black door and knocked twice, the door swayed open he entered Darien followed suit.

Lord Dracenstark sat in a chair deeply engrossed writing something on his desk “Leave us!” he ordered without so much as a glance, the guard bowed and left the door shutting behind him.

“Lord Dracenstark you sent for me” Darien began not knowing what else to say, the arch mage didn’t say anything sitting in silence he continued writing “Lord…”

“Yes I sent for you!” he spoke with authority like other nobles unlike them there wasn’t any arrogance underlying, “Have you told anyone what happened in the dungeon?” he continued writing

“No My Lord!” Darien exclaimed wandering why he acted as if nothing happened “Good” he said closing his book then stood up “if you value your life tell no one!” ‘Is he joking? The castle has been attacked! Everyone should be on high alert.’ Darien wanted to say but instead said “Yes my lord!”

“ Since we have that out of the way” Dracenstark continued stared into Darien’s eyes “Tell me something….”

“How did you stop that dagger midair”