III.

III

 The high walls were now at plain sight, tall embrasures loomed over them with patrols of archers making their rounds. The reinforced dark stone wall stretched all the way across for miles until hitting impassible hills and mountain to the east and west.

 Collem had never seen the black gate before, it's thick ironwood high doors swung inward to allow the caravan in after a short blow of a horn.

 He felt uneasy, tightened his grip on the reins of his destrier. They've traveled for weeks, past open moors, hills and mist to get to the border town of Arleon. It was foreign to him, everything was. Before passing the ironwood doors, he took note of the large banners that flew on the embrasures; A field vertically divided in a dark red and blue, emblazoned with an open black hand raised to volunteer for duty. Their King's banner.

 The first new faces he's seen where the stern looks given to him by the gatehouse guards. Their open Sallet helms revealed dark skinned men and their investigating eyes meeting his own; brown, blue, even green. As the caravan traveled through the gate all the guards kept their hands rested on the hilt of their arming swords, Collem did the same with his.

 Lightly armored they were, but many. Enough to keep all outsiders in line. Sallet helms, gambesons or coat of plates dyed red. Logical. With so many guards why armor them all in expensive mettle? The numbers are effective on their own. They were no better armored than Collem with the exception of a longsword and arming dagger.

 The head merchant yelled orders down the line, "Time to unload! Set up the tents!" Collem dismounted, allowing a stable boy take his destrier's reins. He reached into his pocket for a coin and offered it to the boy. "Thank you, I'd appreciate some feed for him."

 The boy did not accept the coin, only stared in confusion. "F***s Sake." exclaimed Collem in a whisper.

"Uhm... Horse... Eat." Collem said as he patted his horse and a eating gesture with his other hand.

 The stable boy flinched in what appeared to be disgust, Collem wasn't sure what he had done until the Ebony man behind him spoke up.

"You suggested that the boy should feed your horse s**t." Collem winced, feeling slightly embarrassed but remained his posture. His accent was almost alien but clear enough for him to perfectly understand him.

 The man bent slightly to the stable boy's height, and spoke a line of a tongue Collem couldn't comprehend. The stable boy nodded, took Collem's coin and led his destrier in the stable. He heard the man chuckle and turned to him to explain his folly.

"That hand gesture for eating, It may mean something else where you're from. Here, it's a gesture to tell someone to eat s**t."

"Oh.. Forgive me I-"

 While interrupting him, the ebony man waved his hand over his belly. "This is the eating gesture, boy. Best you refrain from other gestures before you start a fight for the wrong reason."

"I'll be careful..."

 Collem took note of the man's apparel, brown tunic, breeches, leather boots and his sword belt. The belt itself looked to be patterned and decorated with bits of bronze creating excellent works of art. The sword and scabbard itself, look awfully regular and dull.

"...Mister-"

"Admir" Said the man, while offering his hand in shake. "Sir Admir"

 Collem complied his hand shake, "You're a Knight?"

"Well of course I am! This is most definitely your first time in Nadar isn't it?"

 Collem was often taught to know his place, and to pay respect to all people high or low. His manners tell him to apologize but by this man's nature he was confounded and only managed to let out a stutter. Admir caught sight of this and revealed his white teeth as he loudly chuckled, with an arm wrapped around Collum's shoulder they began rejoining the caravan outside the stable.

"Come boy, I'll take you to your caravan's tents. You must have had a long ride."

 Collem didn't like his smile, nor his touch or mannerism. It felt like he was being played in a game, but he went through with it and complied with Admir. It truly has been a long ride.

...

 The short gallop soon clopped onto stone instead of kicking up wet dirt, an actual road. Must be definitely close now, with a pull and release on the reins the destrier slowed to a stop. The knight lifted his visor to have a better look. From above the hill he was on he could see just a mile away the most noticeable thing the thick mist allows past the moors; the high black walls of Arleon that seemed to spread as wide as the horizon and of course, Arleon itself. With a short sigh, the knight lowered his visor and kicked the destrier forward.

 The reinforced dark stone wall stretched all the way across for miles until hitting impassible hills and mountain, the "mouth" as it was nicknamed, past the embrasures were open moors and the outside world. Though in these times, anyone outside is welcomed at the gate, however very few from inside dare go out.

 The border town of Arleon was bustling as usual, shouting men like to show off their deals and their most rarest of commodities. Pale and light-skinned men with strange accents and translators struggling to keep the language.

 The knight had reached his destination; the lord's home, Arleon Castle. He hailed the gatehouse guard and explained his purpose. An esquire quickly came to lead the destrier into the keep and the knight dismounted.

 Arleon Castle held a small court where the Lord of Arleon did his business and lordly duties. A stern gentlemen, though age still made an impression on him he was oh so eager and energetic as his younger self. With his reading lenses he reads over parchment and scrolls of requests, conscription of workers, records of rent payments, tariffs on outside traders the list goes on. His hall, was modest at best, not embroiled with elegant granite or expensive tapestries but it was his hall, and he wouldn't ask for any more.

 A servant; a lad of about 15 entered the court, "My Lord, Anjem?"

 The lord gave a slight grunt of acknowledgement, still keeping his eyes on the many documents.

"You have a visitor, my lord."

"Boy, I'm very busy. I've had plenty of visitors for the day, tell them all meetings are closed."

 The servant boy couldn't help but swallow, "A-actually my lord, this visitor is rather important."

"As every visitor claims they be, anything to take more of my time. Say it then, who is it?"

"A knight my lord... A knight of the herald. Straight from the capital."

 The old lord released his parchment and ink pen, looked at his servant with inquisition. "You're serious?"

 The boy only nodded, Anjem sighed and removed his reading lenses. "Very well, bring him in."

"At once, my lord."

 Lord Anjem was standing in front of his desk, as the knight entered the court. There was slight clanking in the Knight's armor when he kneeled before Anjem. The Knight wore thick steel plate armor painted black, bascinet helmet, a velvet cape and emblems on his tabard that belonged to the King. It betokened that he serves no one else but the king himself.

 He raised himself, and proceeded to speak the king's message by revealing a golden medallion holding the King's seal from his pouch. "My lord, Anjem. The king has given you a summons to Nadaros for an important council amongst other select lords. He asks that you keep your visit under reticence regard, and to not speak of it to anyone."

"When does his grace expects me?"

"10 days, my lord. This is an urgent summons."

"Very well, what is it that his grace needs my attention for?"

"That is something his grace will tell you himself, my lord. He's also commanded that you take this seal, reveal it to him at court in Nadaros as soon as the gallery is cleared out of the other lords and ladies." The knight respectfully walked up to Lord Anjem and presented him with piece of parchment, contained within were the king's seal and a few words along with the signature of the king.

In the name of your King, I hereby command Lord Anjem to be part of my council. He will be permitted entrance in Nadarian Hall and be accommodated for. He will be permitted to stay in court after meetings are at an end. He will be considered a character of utmost importance and will be under complete protection of the King's Own.

Jerren Nadfrey I

"I see... I thank you for the message, Sir..."

"Sir Hondo, my lord."

"I thank you, Sir Hondo. Will you be staying the night in Arleon? I'd be honored to accommodate for one of the king's own."

"Afraid not my lord, His grace requires that I return to Nadaros as soon as I've given your summons."

"Then I will see him in ten days, safe travels Sir."

 The knight then quickly turned and made his leave with a quickened step.

 He stopped, having forgotten an important gesture, he turned and slightly bowed his head.

"A King for Nadar."

 Anjem nodded and returned the gesture.

"A King for Nadar."

 The Knight turned once again and left.

 The lord let out another sigh and reached for his cup of ale. While taking a gulp he took a second look at his given seal. Anjem hasn't received a letter from the capital in a while, even longer so from the king himself.

 The last letter Anjem had ever gotten from the king directly was the command to pledge allegiance, back when Jerren Nadfrey was first crowned king as a young boy. Now it has been a near twenty years, Jerren's handwriting was absolute rubbish then, it is absolute rubbish now. The one thing that led Anjem to believe this is truly Jerren's letter was how there was a stark contrast between the message and the signature itself. Jerren Nadfrey was signed so delicately and in such a style that would have you presumed his writing would all be but rubbish, like an artist's mark on a masterpiece. Only in this case his masterpiece looked absolute s**t.

 Anjem contained his chuckle with a grin, He hadn't seen the king since he was a boy, and the city of Nadaros just as long. Finishing his ale he began to make his way back to his quarters, better to start packing now.