02 - A Late Evening Arrival

3rd of Autumn YSTR 115

“ The reality is that sometimes in life we find ourselves in places we’d rather not be. “

…

The elder steward arrived at the carriage in short order offering her the brief stiff bow before snapping his fingers and motioning to the guards in his company to collect her belongings. Then without a word, he motioned them to follow as he started walking back the way they had come.

…

If there was a word to describe the place An’neer found herself she would be at a loss to think of what that word would be. The air was unnaturally warm and heavy, almost suffocatingly so and the few people whom she had chanced to encounter thus far did not strike her as being the most sociable of sorts. Still there was the music and laughter that she had heard from the Inn so not as bad as it could be she guessed.

The elderly steward for his part clearly did not care for her either nor war he all that pleasant of company. The elderly human walked at a quick pace with his steely gaze fixed ahead of him focused on some unseen destination somewhere ahead of them and not bothering to offer her either a passing look nor kind word.

It struck her that he likely wanted to be in this place even less than she did.

After a short time the dim lights could be seen and an well aged but stately three-story stonework manor took shape as the mist parted before them. No doubt the largest structure to be found in this township and clearly the official residence of the Dumont Family within the township proper.

A few moments later the small group passed through the threshold of the Manor stepping from the seemingly endless mist and darkness into a brightly lit main hall where the elder steward paused briefly letting his gaze adjust before grunting loudly and motioning to one of the waiting household staff appeared to take charge of her before again stiffly bowing before departing to take care of some as yet unspoken task.
A young maid stepped forward and politely bowed. “ This way my Lady.”

The young maid much like the elderly steward motioned for An’neer to follow as she led the elf deeper into the manor. Though the young maid was clearly considerably more talkative than the aged steward.

“ The first floor is divided between the left wing which is made up of the public offices and meeting rooms while the right wing is where the kitchens and official dining rooms are located. The servants and household staff are quartered there as we as the guards so it is best avoided.” she announced in a pleasant voice as they walked. “ The second the third floors in turn are the Official family residence itself .”

The maid started up the main stairway turning down the left-hand corridor and walked its entire length before arriving at a double door at the corridor's end. Where the maid paused briefly before she opened the doors.

“ The 3rd floor belongs to the Lord Baron with the The West and East wings of the 2nd level divided between his sons. The West belonging to the elder brother and the East belongs to the younger. The brothers do not get along all that well and the East wing its best avoided unless you are invited.”

The maid paused briefly before she continued.

“ That said Lord Dumont has stated that these will be your private quarters during your stay with us.” The maid announced motioning to the rooms with her off-hand, directing An’neers attention as she guided her through the suite of rooms. “ You have this day room for greeting guests connecting to your bedroom and bathe. There is also a studio that can be accessed through the doors on the opposite side of the bedroom that can be used as you see fit.”

The maid paused again giving An’neer time enough to absorb her surroundings.
“ If this is acceptable my Lady, I’ll see to it that your things brought up.”

" Is the Steward normally that pleasant a companion?" An'neer thought to ask.

The maid nodded. " Pleasant is not the word the maids and staff would use to describe him. He has however been in the employment of the Lord Baron a long time and ultimately answers only to him."

An’neer could think of nothing more to say and simply nodded.

The maid bowing politely and taking the opportunity to depart and see to whatever task needed to be attended to next.

...