Oda and I met Tuli outside the bath house door and followed her as she led us further down the main hall of the castle. The slippers we had been given to wear around the castle were filled with fur and thumped softly against the smooth, stone flooring.
Oda shuffled around in his multiple layers of fine clothing, tugging at the neck of his undershirt and blouse. The Marchioness had sent down a thick, long-sleeved chemise with a white poet's blouse overtop. She then stuffed the poor changeling into tight doublet, leaving only the plume of his blouse exposed.
Lady Pia gave me a icy blue bliaut and white fur shawl. The heavy material was surprisingly pleasant, feeling like a warm blanket. Tuli then placed a white and blue damask obi that was wrapped tightly around me, taking some of the pressure I'd been feeling off of my back before placing my crossbow back where had been for days.
The throne room was light by rows of candelabras and the massive stain-glass window that reached from the floor to the ceiling. The window told the story of a young man slaying a frost dragon with a large battleaxes behind a blue sky. From a distance, all we could see was the looming shadows of the Marquess and Marchioness' thrones. As we inched closer, I could make out the silhouette of a frail, old man.
"I present you to the troll hunters, Arlene and Odin, my lord" Tuli spoke softly as she bowed and then left the room.
Oda and I swiftly kneeled, keeping our heads down.
"Thank you for your hospitality, my Lord" Oda proclaimed.
"Yes, thank you, my lord" I reiterated quietly.
"You two may rise and you are most certainly welcome! You've cleared out more frost trolls than my guards have taken care of in weeks!" Marquess Laurent cheered, "I just want to know how you two alone got it done".
We lifted our heads and were met with friendly smile, the Marquess nearly on the edge of his seating waiting to hear our traveling tales. His long hair was white and his face was covered in scars older than myself. Despite his thin arms and legs, there was a fire in his eyes like he could bounce out of his seat at any moment.
Adorned in a fur cloak and a traditional Elven circlet, his larger than life wardrobe was fitting of a king. At the center of his circlet sat a moonstone and gleamed in the blue light of the room. Although the Marquess had an overwhelming grandiose aura, the soft smile on his face was that of a benevolent father.
"I was once an apprentice conjurer and my companion is an archer" Oda began, "We were attempting to sneak through the mountains, but as your scribe and maid could see, our original plan didn't go so well".
"A former apprentice mage and an archer with an old crossbow took out multiple frost trolls, let alone a single one? And to be so young on top of that? Who did you two train under? I must know!" the Marquess pressured on.
"He trained under his mother and I trained under my great-grandfather" I alleged, "It was simply the need to survive than got us through. Pure luck."
The Marquess chuckled and got down from his throne to walk over to meet. His legs nearly crumbled with every step and I watched him anxiously, fearing the old man would stumble down the stairs. As he reached the last step, his knee seemed to give out. I swoop down and grabbed him, holstering him back. His nearby guards ran over to check on him, but the Marquess was quick to shoo them away.
"Nothing is pure luck, my dear" he chuckled "this old knee sure isn't! It took one arrow and then gave me trouble for the rest of my days".
"What happened to the other leg?" Oda blurted without thinking.
"Oda...din!" I shouted.
"I like an inquisitive fellow" Marquess Laurent laughed, "that was one didn't get bad until I went and tried to take care of those frost trolls myself. I guess being nearly three-hundred years old is a little too old to be swinging around a battle axe, but it's all I've ever known as a fighter".
"I'm so sorry, my lord" I apologized.
"Why should you apologize, Miss.. Arlene, right?" the Marquess explained, "You have absolutely nothing to do with our frost troll problem. There was a time when we had an agreement with a neighboring town, but not everyone holds true to their promises. You seem like the type of young adventurer who sticks the plan they make, despite whatever challenge comes your way."
"Thank you, Marquess" I said softly, "I strive to be that way."
"Laurent, these poor children need to sleep. They've hiked miles and fought both those beasts and the wicked storm" a proud voice echoed from down the hall adjacent to the thrones.
The Marchioness of Lorshire walked into the throne room with her braided hair covered in fine gems. Her purple gown filled the doorway and trailed behind her as she walked to her husband's side. Lady Pia had the same snowy, white hair as the Marquess, but it was her blue eyes and rosy red cheeks that most defined her thin face.
"I'm so glad you came down to join us, my love" Marquess smiled, kissing his wife on the cheek "You're usually relaxing and tending to your garden around now. Before you two leave, you must go see the work my wife has done with her exotic plants!"
"Cremia told me there was a stunning pair of elves here and what you two had done, so I knew I had to thank you! I know it isn't much, but I felt having some warmer clothing would do you two some good. Laurent nor I have worn those clothes in decades, if not nearly centuries" Lady Pia chimed.
Lady Pia continued to analyze my face and I could feel myself shrinking. Although Marquess Laurent seemed simply happy to have interesting guests, Marchioness Pia was reading between the lines. She was taking note of every move I made, much like Cremia had before.
"I apologize if my curiosity is getting the best of me, I just can't help but appreciate your features, Arlene" Lady Pia said, coming closer to me, "I've seen eyes like those before, but it's been a very long time since then."
"I know" the Marquess agreed, "I wonder if this is what our Violetta would have looked like... Where are you from, Arlene?"
"I... don't know" I froze, "I mean, I don't know if where I lived has a name. I'm Arlene of Orah."
A spark lit up in Marquess Laurent eyes, but the Marchioness simply shook her head.
"She's too young to be our Violetta, Laurent" the Marchioness sighed, "Violetta would be old enough to be her mother by now... How quickly time passes."
"I can keep an eye and ear out for her during my travels, if you'd like" I offered.
"We don't even know if she would know her true name" the Marchioness explained, "She was taken from us as a baby during the Great Elven War..."
"I'm on my way northeast from here, so I can at least ask around" I insisted.
"You are a brave and righteous traveler, young Arlene" the Marquess proclaimed, "But even the most righteous must get their rest. I will be eager to discuss things further with you at breakfast in the morning. May you both rest peacefully."
We bowed as the Marquess and Marchioness retired to their room. Tuli was quick to lead us to our quarters. The large guest room featured two canopy beds with fur blankets and a mammoth rug. Between the two beds was a fireplace and long, plush bench. Someone had already started a fire for us, leaving the room much warmer than the rest of castle. On each bed sat a pair of wooly pajamas.
"We really left Sivero to sleep out in the cold while we got all of this" Oda muttered in disbelief, "I've never seen more pretentious bedroom. At least Sivero didn't get dressed up like doll. I think he would have preferred to sleep outside to this torment."
"I think you look dapper" I snickered.
"Would you consider me.... a suitor if.... I dressed more like this?" he teased, poses like he having a portrait painted.
"Clothes don't change anything for me" I articulated, "I just need to reach the Fountain of Spirit and that's all I can keep my mind on."
"And afterwards?" Oda questioned.
"Bring peace to the land?" I returned his question.
"I mean after the questing, once you rule the world, who is gonna be in that other throne?" he insisted, "... Do you have someone you want to go home to?"
"I tried going the whole love route, but all I found were meatheads and power mongers" I admitted, "Not to mention they were all pretty ugly on the outside too."
"Well, that's what happens with your uncle's second wife is your sister" Oda sneered, "So, I've still got a chance? I'm not being a pest?"
"You've never been a pest" I assured him, "Well, maybe to Sivero, but that's different. He's family."
We got dressed for bed and sleep underneath our thick, fur blankets. The pressure from the weight of the blanket was calming, like a reassuring hug. I watched as the light of the fire dances long the thin veil that incased my bed until my eyelids grew too heavy to keep open. In my final moments of consciousness, I pondered how I would ever find Lady Violetta of Lorshire.