Castle Planners Journal: The Meridell Day Tragedy - Part 2

      “Congratulations again on the meeting going so well! I can’t wait to see the vision realised! It should be pretty!” Jeran complimented Gaius.

      “Thanks. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it will be worth it. I’m looking forward to really celebrating during the ball, but before that, I have to help out with some of the setup. See you later!”

     They gave each other little goodbyes as they parted ways in the hall after sharing a meal. Gaius had to return to his office to grab his trusty measuring stick, and note-taking slates. Sir Borodere had other important plans as well: the Blue Lupe was due for a meeting with King Skarl. The king was interested in meeting with him in private to discuss a few things, specifically in regards to the missing Count Durlston.

     Jeran navigated the long halls to reach the throne room without much need for navigation. He had made his way there so many times before, that, at this point, it was second nature. Once he arrived a few minutes early for his appointment, Skarl noticed him waiting outside and invited him to the chamber.

     “Now, before we go any further. Jeran, you must answer this question. When you arrived, what was the first thing you said to me?” Skarl asked, his a paw on Jeran’s shoulder, to show it was a serious inquiry.

     “Oh...um, I believe I said ‘There are no kings in Neopian Central.’ and then I tried, and failed, to suplex a guard that was twice my size.” Jeran recalled the vivid memory, “Why?” Jeran was concerned.

     “I had to make sure it was you. You will see soon enough.” Skarl took his hand from Sir Borodere and turned to the two guards flanking the door to the hall. “Guards! Dismissed. I will send your Captain here to retrieve you when you should return.”

     The guards nodded and filed out of the room as they were told, leaving just Jeran and King Skarl in the throne room.

     “Now then. Follow me.” Skarl walked behind the large red and gold throne and yanked on a small disguised lever on the back. Jeran could hear a mechanism of wires and pulleys spring to life, and a large stone tile popped up. The previously flush floor revealed itself to be a trapdoor.

     “If you would please open that for me.” Skarl gave Jeran the command.

     Jeran knelt down and lifted the heavy stone to reveal a set of stairs heading downwards. Jeran knew that Gaius had suspected there to be a secret room here, but Jeran never thought that he had been walking on top of the entrance the whole time! They both descended the stairs to a small private chamber.

     “This is the Chamber of Whispers, and it has one rule. Anything said in it, cannot be said outside of it. Got it?” Skarl laughed before Jeran could even respond. “But, of course you do. That's why I have you in here in the first place.”

     Jeran chuckled along with Skarl, not really sure what was going on. The room around him was dimly lit, and covered in various scraps of paper written in a coded language. He couldn't get a good look in the dim light with his one good eye anyway, so he stopped trying to decipher their meaning.

     “Now, back to business. Durlston is obviously not who he seems. I myself do not know much, but I do know a few important things. I first learned about him when my brother and I went with my father to a disguising ceremony... At least that’s what he called it. We were brought along to share the family secret. The man who would become Durlston was a Red Meerca named Mr. Bourganeuf when we went into the woods. When we returned, a black and white Ixi. The same person, but under a new identity: Count Durlston.” Skarl recounted his memory from long ago.

     “He transforms?” Jeran thought about it for a moment. “So that’s why you had to verify my identity?”

     “Yes. All I know is that he has been a prisoner in this castle for many many generations, and keeping his age a secret has involved a whole production to keep people from asking questions. This is where you were to come in.”

     “Me? How do I factor in?” Jeran was curious how he, an outsider to Meridell, would be given this secret.

     “You are the Champion! When we escorted this prisoner to the woods, we needed some enforcement, but we also needed as few people to know as possible. Only the royal family, and the Champion at the time of a disguising ceremony can know.”

     “But why the woods?” Jeran asked, adjusting the eyepatch he was still getting used to.

     “We use the excuse that we are doing a prisoner exchange. That way, the new identity can stay put for as long as possible without people questioning his apparent immortality.”

     “I suppose I should ask why we were keeping an immortal being prisoner.”

     “Like many things, I suspect that knowledge was lost to time between generations. All I know is that should he escape, it is said that he will return with an army to conquer Meridell. We had a...tenuous agreement...that he would peacefully remain a prisoner in exchange for passage and freedom within the castle, and a promised life of decent luxury. But since this monster escaped with him....I fear his attitude has changed, and he is dangerous.”

     “Should I prepare the troops?”

     “No. No...not yet. Let the people enjoy the celebrations…” Skarl lamented. “I sense incoming danger, but I will not have our people suffer while we wait for it to show up.”

     “Sir...”

     “It will be fine. He can't raise a bigger army than ours in a month. Not after being stuck here for centuries.” Skarl laughed. “Oh, and one more thing, speaking of celebrations... I have been speaking to a Lady Aberlaine.” Skarl glanced at Jeran to gauge his reaction, and to see if he knew where the conversation was going.

     Jeran immediately tensed up and started blushing. It was obvious, even with his blue fur. He definitely wanted to avoid the topic, but Skarl continued.

     “She has not heard of anyone going to the Meridell Ball with you! She asked me to pass along the message that she is hoping to go with you. I think it’s a fine match myself.” Skarl felt proud of his matchmaking.

     “Oh, not to reject your offer, but I cannot take her.” Jeran struggled to reject his King’s proposal.

     “Oh?” Skarl squinted at Jeran, trying to figure out a good reason. “And why not?”

     “I am already planning to go with someone.” Jeran admitted.

     “You are? Why haven’t you mentioned it before?” Skarl was confused. “Who is she?”

     “I’ve been seeing Gaius, the Castle Architect, for almost six months now. I was going to take him...” Jeran braced himself for the king’s reaction.

     Skarl stood there without reacting as he tried to remember who this Gaius person was. The silence wracked Jeran with fear but knew he couldn't show it. Once Skarl finally remembered the Orange Bori, he continued. “Oh, well, your fealty to him is important then... You know, you could break a lot of hearts in my court with a secret like that.”

     Jeran let out a small sigh of relief. “It’s only a secret because nobody else has asked. For now, our relationship has just been an open secret. I like it that way. This is the Chamber of Whispers, after all...” Jeran gently asked King Skarl to keep the secret going.

     “Fair enough. Jeran, please be ready for impending disaster, but don’t let despair into your heart. You will need that room for gravy and stuffing!” Skarls serious tone melted away with his joke. He led them both out of the Chamber of Whispers, and Jeran returned the tile back to its typical place, while Skarl pulled the lever to make the secret entrance invisible once again.

     Jeran was dismissed from his meeting with Skarl, and had the guards return to their posts as he left the throne room. The Lupe wanted to tell Gaius about the hidden room so badly, but he knew that the Chamber of Whispers represented much more than just an interesting secret passage. Besides, if Gaius knew, he would have to deal with the temptation of adding the Chamber to his notes. Jeran decided to spare him the struggle.

     Meanwhile, Gaius was busy trying to dislodge a ladder from behind a pile of picks, spades, shovels, rakes, and hoes left in the gardening shed. After a mighty heave and a lot of noise, he was able to yank the stick ladder free, and get it out of the shed. Now he just needed to grab the decorations.

     Upon seeing the Orange Bori walking down the hall with a ladder, the Pink Lupe in charge of the ball’s planning rushed over.

     “Oh, thank you. You’ve made this so much easier on everyone!” She said, hurrying him along.

     “No problem, I guess. What am I hanging, and where?” Gaius asked as they made their way towards the Ballroom.

     “Worry not, I have gotten two little pages to bring you the materials. There’s instructions written in the boxes!” She assured Gaius as she left him to finish the job in peace.

     “Pages?” Gaius wondered as he made his way to the old ballroom. “I wonder who.” he thought, but did not have to wonder for long, as Morris and Boris soon showed up with heaping armfuls of flowers and string.

     “Oh, hi Gaius, Lady Helena wanted us to drop these off in here.” Boris said, placing the box down on the tiles.

     “Perfect, then you can help me string these up. Can you light the chandeliers so we can see while we work?” Gaius happily volunteered the two pages for more work.

     “Okay...” They both moaned, being unable to refuse work assignments. “I can't wait to be a squire, so we can stop doing all this menial work.” Morris complained.

     “At least it’s only a few months more until we can be squires.” Boris rolled his eyes as Gaius started walking up the stairs to the side.

     Bori and Morris were giving each other a boost to reach the rope that held the chandelier up, and untied it from its anchor. Being very careful not to let the chandelier drop like the last time they tried, they lowered it down close enough where they could light the candles with a wall torch from the hallway. While the two were getting all set up, Gaius was walking across the freshly illuminated balcony. He was looking at the pillars Lady Helena had specified in her plans. Gaius leaned the ladder up against the wall, and fished through his trusty side pouch for a nail. Climbing up to the top, he got his hammer ready to sink the first nail in.

     Before Gaius could even swing the hammer, he heard a sudden crack. He looked around for Morris and Boris, who stared back at him. They were not up to any mischief. Gaius tried to think about the source of the noise, but before he could come to a conclusion, the ladder suddenly shifted from underneath him. It shifted only a couple of inches, but in a moment of panic, Gaius scrambled to try and stabilise himself on the ladder. He over-corrected and knocked everything off balance. The simple ladder started leaning over to one side, and Gaius fell a couple of yards to the floor with a great cracking sound.

     “Ooooooww...” Gaius moaned in pain as the two pages ran up the stairs to check on him.

     “Are you okay?!” They asked.

     “Wait. Stay there... Don’t come closer. The floor feels squishy. Don't put any more weight on it.” Gaius was bruised, but was fine enough thanks to his thick natural armour. He stayed lying down, to distribute his weight more evenly, and crawled to the safety of the edge, where Morris and Boris helped him up.

     “What happened?” Boris asked.

     “I... I don't know. Let’s check.” They helped him down the stairs, and Gaius immediately saw the problem.

     “One of the braces broke!” Gaius pointed to a dangling wrought iron brace that had popped out of the wall. “How could this have happened?”

     “Did you put too much weight on it?” Morris asked.

     “No, it's supposed to be able to support many dozens of people.” Gaius looked closer, and saw the rust at the breaks of the metal. “This is wrong. I checked this three weeks ago. There’s no way this much corrosion could have happened.”

     “It’s rusty here too.” Boris pointed to the next brace over.

     “Oh... oh no... Moris, go fetch Chamberlain Lazlo. I think this is an emergency. Have him meet me in the infirmary.”

     “On it!” Morris rushed off to do his duty. He was very excited to play a small part in being a hero.

      “Should I take you to the infirmary?” Boris asked.

      “Not yet. First, I have to condemn this room. I can’t let anyone else get hurt...” Gaius was very serious in his tone. He didn't use this power often, and if anything, using it felt more like an admission of a poor effort on his part, but people's safety was his job. Using the garland as an improvised rope, He cordoned off the entrance to the ballroom. He worried that the ball might have to be cancelled!

     To be continued…