“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” - Carl Sagan.
“The beds aren't very comfortable,” I say as I enter Aedan's room, finding him in bed, staring at the roof.
He turns on his side and looks at me. “It beats sleeping on a tree branch.”
“It is a more comfortable, but also more restricted - and the view isn't nearly as charming.” I sit down next to Aedan. “Faolan and the Order will be here for two weeks?”
Aedan nods his confirmation. “They are also recruiting in the next few days,” he says lazily.
“I remember them talking about sending out notices a few months ago.”
The recruitment of new members for the Order is always a big deal. They send notices out whenever it has been decided that recruitment should be done. It doesn't happen very often - only once every few decades, and always with the blessing of our sovereign. When a human wants to join the order, and no recruitment has been announced, they can just write their name on a piece of paper and leave it in a shrine or temple of the Second One. In contrast, an announced recruitment is a big, spectacular event to showcase and celebrate our power.
“Do you think we will be allowed to attend?” Aedan asks me.
“I don't see why not, but our priority is to build a relationship with Prince Pa'Drig.”
He sighs.
“Do you want to join?” lI have harboured the suspicion that Aedan wants to join the Second Order for a while now. He hasn't said anything directly, but I know Aedan better than I know my own desires.
Aedan evades my question. “You are right, Mother has given us this mission. It is our most important goal at the moment.”
“Then we better get dressed and join Prince Pa'Drig for breakfast,” I tell Aedan when standing up from his bed. I want to tell Aedan about the secret passages, but now is not the moment.
Aedan and I meet each other outside our rooms half an hour later, looking as presentable as we can muster. We head towards the only other place we know in the castle - the study where we were received yesterday.
Pala, the maid from yesterday, meets us in the hallway - eyes wide and cheeks pale. “Your highnesses, the Prince sent me to gather a team to wake and dress you.”
Aedan and I give her smiles. “We are early risers.”
She gives an apologetic smile. “The Prince is in the Great Hall. If your highnesses have no objection, I will accompany you to the Great Hall.”
“Thank you, Pala.”
We enter the great hall of Raven's Peak. The members of the Second Order are all seated in the hall. The maid leads us to a platform at the end of the hall with the main table - the table decorated more lavishly than all the others.
“It has always been the tradition when receiving visitors that the highest ranking among them would join their host at the main table. Those of lower stand dine on the floor.”
“At our feasts, the tables are spread out through the venue so that anyone can access the food and dine themselves,” I share with the Prince, because I reckon that he is as curious about us as I am about them.
“We are not as conscious of social standing as you are,” Aedan says more bluntly. “We don't believe in making people wait on us.”
“It might be because you do not have the numbers we have. It is simple: there are too many humans. Not all of them can be rich and noble. The majority of people have to be servants.”
“That is a very interesting perspective,” I answer, not agreeing in the least with what he said.
Aedan throws oil on the fire: “If you manage your society correctly, then there would be no need for its current structure. Your situation came to be due to greed, and not an excess of people.”
Giving the prince an apologetic smile, I try to douse the fire. “Should we take our seat at the table?”
Faolan is already seated at the table. Breakfast passes pleasantly. We are served a king's ransom worth of food.
“I have a whole list of activities planned for entertainment, but first I will take you on a guided tour of Raven's Peak Castle and other historic or noteworthy sites. That will keep us busy for most of the day. Prince Faolan, you are here for two weeks?”
“Yes, then the Second Order will have to leave. Only my brother and sister will remain here.”
“You will join us for the next two weeks!”
“Unfortunately, Prince Pa'Drig, I have responsibilities toward the Second Order that I also have to complete.”
He sees the prince's fallen face: “But I will seek your company out as often as possible.”
The Prince's face lights up, but I can still see that he is still sulking a bit.
“Maybe Prince Pa'Drig, Aedan and I can attend some of the recruitment sessions? Please?”
The corner of Faolan's mouth twitches, but he wants to torture me.
Finally he gives in. “Sister, it is an excellent idea, but only if Prince Pa'Drig wishes to attend.”
“Thank you, dearest brother!” I almost embrace him.
Aedan elbows me lightly. “I thought I am your dearest brother.”
“You are my more dearest.” I look at Prince Pa'Drig. “Prince Pa'Drig, would you like to attend some of the sessions scheduled for the recruitment of the Second Order. I promise it will be very momentous in your life, and you might even get to see our lord the Second One. He is obligated to attend.”
Prince Pa'Drig's smile reaches from ArBrae to Alesam. “I would be pleased at the honour.”
“Excellent!”
“If you want to, you can attend the opening tonight at sundown,” Faolan offers. “The events will not take place in the castle, but at the Marlin residence. The Marlins have always been friends of the Order.” Faolan stands up. “I must beg my leave. It is time for the recruitment to begin.” Faolan bows deeply. Like one person, the whole Second Order stands up and leaves.
Aedan, the Prince and I wait for the silence to settle. The Prince stands up. “I will start with the tour immediately, since we are at the starting point. You would have to excuse me if I appear too pensive at times. I have never presented the tour. Raven's Peak is not really any tourist's first choice of attraction.”
“We are honoured that you are choosing to spend your time with us,” I say politely. I have to try and make up for Aedan's behaviour earlier.
“Princess Laelia, believe me, it is my absolute pleasure. This city is my prison. I welcome any distractions.”
I don't know what to say to that; luckily the prince doesn't expect an answer.
“The hall has a specific layout. This area where we are now, is where the host dines. The reason for this is so that every attendee can feel as if they are partaking at the main table, or that is what they told me years ago. However, I believe that it is just so that whomever is in charge can feel more important.”
He smiles apologetically. “The Map Room, where you were received yesterday, is adjacent to the hall. This you already know. It has been built so that the lord of the castle can step out into a private room whenever urgent messengers and affairs arise. During the Ardam Conquests, King Ardam would spend hours and hours in the room, planning his victories.
“The castle was built more than two millennia ago. It is one of the only castles in Ardam that has never changed hands. It has always been in my family. The walls connecting the mountains and the towers on the mountains were added a century later. You didn't see it when you came in, but the city has expanded since the Second War. The battlefield where all the battles were fought has now been swallowed up by houses and businesses. All that remains there to remind us of that terrible history is a hilltop with a monument and a museum with artefacts. My family has always believed in the preservation of history. There is a whole museum dedicated to my family and the first of the Ardam kings in Ligeia. It is on our itinerary for today.
“The current stewards of Raven's Peak can trace their family tree back to the family of King Ardam, but their blood is so diluted that it doesn't even count. King Ardam spent his last years at Ligeia. He made his brother the steward of Raven's Peak.”
Lord Gibbon enters the hall.
“Ah, Gibbon! I am so glad that you could come. I have started the tour without you. I was just telling the lovely princess and prince that the current stewards are related to me, if you trace the history back a thousand years.”
“Prince Pa'drig, if you trace any noble's family tree, you would see that they are related.”
“That is also true. I am sure that Princess Laelia and Prince Aedan also understand that some bloodlines should be preserved. You simply cannot mix our blood with those of commoners, and if it happens those bastards have no claim whatsoever to their family's inheritance.
“The lucky thing is that no one really schemes for the throne. You do get your nobles who want more power, like my dear friend Gibbon, we both know it is the truth Gibbon,” the prince offers his friend an apologetic smile, “but they don't want the throne and the burden with it at all, which is very wise.
“It is because my family is cursed. We have been cursed since the Second War. I don't know how much you know about the Second War, but towards the end, the First One of the Council cursed King Ferdaid and his descendants.”
I have heard of the curse of King Ardam's line, but I have always thought that King Ardam himself was, in a way, cursed. If you look at the fate of his three children, it certainly seems so: the first was murdered, the second doomed to the throne and the fate of being murdered by his own son, and the third, well nobody really knows what happened to the Princess Aebbé.
We spend the next two or so hours being educated on things we already know - both being too polite to point this out to pur new friend.
We return to the hall and are served tea and pastries.
“I hope you don't mind that I invited a few other friends to keep us company?"
“Not at all! Your friends are our friends,” Aedan replies diplomatically.
“Excellent! Because they have just arrived,” he indicates to a party of a man and three women that just entered the hall.
“I gave them a skip on the castle tour. They must be bored of the castle by now.
“This charming lady is Laurencette. Laurencette is Gibbon's bethrothed. Their wedding will take place in spring. We are all very excited to celebrate their union, and Solav here is Gibbon's brother. Then lastly is ladies Vivienne and Elaise, whose fathers are some of the King's most trusted advisors. These three charming ladies were responsible for overseeing the decoration of the Great Hall where you ate your breakfast this morning. Things like decoration are better left to the fine touch of a woman. If I had to decorate the hall it would be filled with weapons. Weapons are unfortunately an impolite decoration in an eating area.”
Pa'drig never stops talking as we are carried through the city on gilded litters with golden curtains - Aedan and I both shifting uncomfortably as the men carrying the litters huff and puff. Even though I disagree with most of Pa'Drig's philosophies, his constant chatter is charming in a way.
Most of the old battlefield has been engulfed by new developments, but a small area has been set aside for a fascinating museum. I know the history of those times like the back of my hand, but seeing my father depicted as a hero, the unwavering leader of the Second Order, fills me with awe.
“Do you know that it is said that one day my family's curse might be broken, when another child of Ardam steps up to claim the throne?” Pa'Drig stands in front of a display of two wine goblets, the copper faded by verdigris. He points to the display. “These are goblets from a wedding held in Raven's Peak mere days before the final battle. All the palace logs from the time indicated that preparation was in place for a banquet - the books say that a feast with enough food to give a five course meal to all the members of the orders, and the inhabitants of Raven's Peak. We also have evidence that the wedding took place, like the goblets here, and even a journal indicating that some of the family jewels were taken out of the vaults to be worn by the royal family members. But do you know what is truly baffling? There is no indication, no mention at all, of whose wedding it was. It had to be two individuals of great social standing.”
Pa'drig continues to share little snippets of gossip and history about every artifact in the museum.
My brother is, quite frankly, embarassing us at any available opportunity. I have never seen him this hostile and unpleasant. Usually it is his burden to remind me to be contained.
When the others are distracted, I turn to Aedan. “You are very unpleasant company. I know that almost everything they do is against what we believe in, but we also do not believe in impoliteness and snuffing our hosts at every opportunity. Please try to behave.”
He offers me a grimace. “Their company is killing me.”
“That may be so, but you cannot let it show.”
“Laelia, darling, when does that circus with your order start? Shouldn't we start heading there?”
Aedan flicks his piece of silver hair behind his ear. “The spectacular extravaganza starts at sunset. If we still want to attend, we should start to make our way there.”