The Dead King

The cart ride from White Forest to Nocturne Castle had consumed most of the day, but it had been well worth it when Marge saw the magnificence of the stone fortress. It was a relief for her to know that this was not a waste of time, especially after seeing the condition of Heroca Town.

“Yeah, there it is,” the cart driver pointed out. Even though he had made several supply hauls to the castle already, it still impressed him every time he saw it.

“It is quite a work of art,” she had to admit.

As the cart grew closer to the castle, she was able to make out the architecture better. It resembled some of the pride structures in other kingdoms, and she guessed who could’ve been responsible for its design.

Regardless, much time and money was spent in building this castle in a not so strategic location. It felt isolated from the rest of the world, making trading and supply trips to the kingdom more tedious. Not many would ever see it or even know about it.

On the other hand, that might just be exactly what the original planner had in mind. Being tucked away in the mountains meant that not too many would bother anyone here. Any army that would march to this castle would spend much energy just to arrive.

The cart driver dropped Marge off at the large entrance, while he continued on to the side of the castle where goods could be unloaded. Even with most of the snow shoveled, Marge’s high heels didn’t much appreciate the new terrain they were forced to walk in.

She made as much of an effort as she could to not slip. Two guards on either side of the entrance eyed her as she approached.

“I’m here to see King Marin. I am Marge Halkress, I received his letter yesterday,” she explained.

The guards nodded. “Walk across the foyer and take the staircase, then enter on the first left. In the office, inform them who you are,” one explained.

Marge stomped her heels on the carpet when she walked in. Her eyes gazed upward at the large rafters which held up the ceiling. Beautiful red banners with golden crosses hung from above. The chiseled design of the walls and ceiling were akin to the carvings of the castle outside.

It scarcely reminded her of Fairgoth’s castle, which was arguably the most impressive of any other kingdom. She particularly liked the solid gold cross adorned at the end of the foyer. Even for someone as fancy as Marge, she conceded that the castle alone was well worth the several hour trip to get here.

Workers carrying curtains, rods, and tables all walked around her. She took note of how quickly they all moved, it was as if they were being paid extra to get the job done sooner than later.

She then walked forward to the dual staircases, avoiding any brisk workers who she might bump into. It was nothing she was not used to, as she regularly avoided busy people in Whitewood. She marched up the stairs, her high heels producing a firm tap on each step.

When she got to the top, she noticed a sign that read Main Office. When she entered, she saw Helva at the front writing up a storm.

“Hello?” Marge asked when she was not immediately acknowledged.

“Can I help you?” Helva asked in a monotone voice as if she had uttered the phrase one hundred times already today. She didn’t even look up from her writing frenzy.

“I’m here to see the King. You see, I have a letter-”

Helva quickly called a maid over.

“Summon King Marin, tell him that the librarian has arrived,” she commanded. The maid ran off.

She finally looked up at Marge.

“You’re Marge Halkress, right? Your reputation proceeds you.” Helva stated while pushing the paperwork to the side.

“Well, I – I would hope so. The King knew much about me from the letter I was mailed.” Marge was not enjoying Helva at all. She did not leave a good impression of her, seeing that her paperwork was apparently more important than her when she first walked in.

“You may take a seat over there. I’m sorry, but I have quite a bit of work to get done. I must get back to it. The King will be with you momentarily,” Helva explained while turning her back to her.

Marge pursed her lips in annoyance, but conceded to the chair.

This King better be as impressive as the castle, she thought.

When sitting down, Marge crossed her legs and adjusted her necklace. She looked off to the side, reading some papers pinned to the wall. After a while, she looked to both to Helva and Harrel, who had no time to idle.

Well, they do look fairly busy. Perhaps I thought too roughly of her.

Moments later, Loid and Marin walked into the room. They turned and saw the librarian in the chair. She immediately got up.

“Ah, you must be Marge!” Marin greeted.

Her eyes widened. The last thing she would have ever expected is for the king to exude such mysteriousness. The black mask and light-blue crystal eyes met her with intimidation. She would almost think of him to be a thug of sorts if it was not for the marvelous royal blue robes he wore.

She was extremely impressed with the garments of the king. They were of ancient make, woven beautifully using the thinnest threads that man could produce. She also knew the durability of the fabric he adorned, knowing that it could last hundreds of years and still look new. It was a fabric reserved for only the richest and most powerful individuals.

“Y-your highness…” Marge could barely make out.

“I’m King Sullivan Marin of Nocturne. I hope my letter pleased you.” His voice sounded artificial, but demanded respect humbly, somehow.

Marin extended his hand, and they both shook.

“Oh! You’re quite the elemental,” Marin stated, reading the exact angle, grip, and firmness of the handshake.

Marge had frozen in partial terror and shock from it. Her heart rate climbed as she tried her best to compose herself.

Marin was strong. Incredibly strong. He was indeed the most powerful elemental she ever met. Marge had shaken the hands of many elementals, some masters of the craft, but none had the readings of Marin’s grip. It was terrifying.

Marge was in a daze as she started leaning backwards. Loid reached across and grabbed her shoulders, preventing her fall.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Marin belted out. “My apologies. I should probably dial that back. I just haven’t shaken the hand of anyone who could read those in many years,” the King explained.

She recollected herself, and Loid removed his hands when it was clear that she would not stumble over anymore.

“You,” she finally breathed. “Where? How?”

“I studied at Arkana for a while. With a grip like yours, I assume the same for you.”

“I- oh, this is so embarrassing. No, Fairgoth had a…” She shook her head, completely flustered and caught off guard meeting such a powerful elemental.

“I… I’m a hedge elemental, I’m afraid!” She looked disgusted to utter those words. Her whole face was red, she placed her hand over her forehead.

“Oh, there’s nothing wrong that. The most powerful elementals were always hedges, right?”

Marin looked over to Loid for support on the statement, but he was utterly confused over the series of events that just unfolded.

“King Marin! I’m sorry,” she fanned herself as she spoke. “I just would’ve never expected you to be such a… such a prominent force.”

“I’m afraid I must say the same. Nowhere in your history did it mention you had studied an element,” Marin explained.

“Well, when you’re a hedge, it’s not proper to include that officially,” she admitted. “And I don’t want to be defined as an elemental, but rather as my passion, a librarian.”

“That won’t be a problem here, we are in dire need of a bookkeeper,” Marin stated. “May I show you around?”

“Absolutely,” she responded, trying her best to put everything that had just happened behind her.

Marin began a castle tour for Marge. Loid walked behind them. As they traveled, they had to dodge the occasional worker moving items around.

“As you can see, we are in the middle of restoration,” Marin mentioned as they looked into a room and saw two workers setting glass into a window that was previously shattered. “You’ll have to excuse the busy state we are temporarily in.”

“Are you the one behind all this?” Marge asked.

“Yes. When I discovered that I was an heir of Nocturne, I immediately returned and began work on restoring the castle. I made a large amount of gold before hand, and have been personally funding the projects going on here.”

“It’s nice to see this place back on the map,” Marge said back. “It had laid dormant for quite a while. And to see a proper heir to the throne, that’s shocking. I was under the impression that the first king had no children.”

Marin silently agreed. “Let me show you around,” he added, changing the subject.

They walked down a new hallway.

“Are you the butler?” She asked Loid.

That gave Loid a laugh, but he tried to contain it as much as he could.

“Oh, I’m sorry! This is Loid, my friend. He is second in command. Loid is a veteran of Neo and fought in the Harmon Wars,” Marin explained.

“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” They shook hands, and Marge felt relief sensing that Loid was at a much more manageable level of elemental strength.

If he had also had a high reading, she would’ve grown suspicious that more than a kingdom was being established here.

She was taken to all the major areas of the castle. Marge was able to see the kitchens, dining room, theater, common rooms, and hallways of endless bedrooms. Marin had saved the library for last.

The long list of features that Nocturne Castle contained was all very impressive to Marge, but not as much as Marin himself. During the entire tour, she couldn’t get her mind off him.

The totally concealing clothing, the absurd elemental strength, the black mask. It was all very mysterious, and quite nontraditional for a king.

“Well, what do you think so far?” Marin finally asked her after viewing many features.

“Its all coming together nicely. What a wonderful castle, and in such good condition for being abandoned all this time,” she responded.

They talked for a moment more as they watched workers unpack boxes and sort items.

“The library is down this way,” Marin finally said. “I’ve been saving this area last for you.”

After a bit more walking, they reached the grand library. It was the second largest room besides the theater.

“And you use this huge room just for the library?” She asked.

“I love books. When I des- err, well, when I got here, this was originally used as a ballroom... I think. But I’ve turned it into the library section of the castle.”

Loid raised an eyebrow. That statement seemed a little off. Marin was hoping his slight slip-up would go unnoticed.

It apparently went, as Marge stepped into the massive open room, admiring the fresh bookshelves that had been brought in. Solid wood, still shiny from a fresh coat of protection applied to them. Workers moved around them as they wheeled in boxes of books.

“Your letter didn’t lie, it is obvious you care much about a library,” she stated as she reviewed the size of the room. She then looked to the workers removing books from the packaged containers.

“I’m interested to see what kind of books you’ve ordered.” She added.

“Just a slew of what was available. I contacted several bookstores and ordered what they recommended,” Marin explained.

As he did so, Marge approached a container and sampled a few of the pieces. She noticed he had recklessly ordered much of the inventory. Her vast knowledge on books allowed her to identify much of what she fished through, and it was not too impressive.

“You’re going to need someone to organize this,” she said as she dropped a book back into its box. “And someone who knows a little more about what a decent library should have.”

“Do you have any thoughts on what I’ve ordered so far?” Marin asked.

Marge’s lips pursed. She really liked the King and didn’t want to step on him too much.

“I would’ve requested some more… sophisticated authors on some of these topics.” She finally worded.

Marin nodded, then looked to Loid. “I’m afraid I’ll need a proper librarian before I order any more.”

“Maybe,” Loid responded. “But I see a proper librarian in front of us.”

It was a quick reminder from Loid to Marge about why she was here in the first place. Her eyes trailed as it was apparent to them that she was in thoughts about signing on to the Nocturne Kingdom.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?” Marin asked before the silence reached a long point.

“Oh, I don’t want to impose,” she quickly said back.

“I insist. If you are considering the job, I’d love for you to get an idea of what you can expect here.”

It did not take much more to get Marge to agree. She might’ve showed more interest in the King and the castle than she wanted to let on. She was quite impressed with the operation they had running here, and despite choosing to retire from this line of work, it all had her considering a different option.

They talked more about the plans of the kingdom in the future, and as Marin continued to explain what his goals were, her admiration of the King continued to increase. This was not a standard political king with selfish desires, but a hands on one who only sought to solidify his kingdom and support his subordinates.

It was polar opposite from the kingdoms she worked in before. After some time passed, they checked into the dining room. Maids were already setting up the long tables in preparation for a meal. From the kitchen that was just down the hall, pots and pans could be heard clanging, mixed with orders being yelled.

Marge tried working out how such an abandoned castle could become so lively in a matter of a few weeks. She thought about the economics of it all, but wisely came to the conclusion that Marin had indeed accrued a large amount of gold.

She knew not how much he had, but it was currently draining, and the kingdom would have to be profitable soon to stop the depletion of funds. Based on what Marin was planning, however, that would get solved in a short amount of time.

More members of the kingdom started to file in as supper time was in mere minutes. Marin sat at the far end of the largest table. To his right was Loid, and he had Marge sit to his left. Helva and Harrel followed after.

The dining room was ablaze with conversation, with all three long tables nearly full.

“Is this your whole kingdom?” Marge asked.

“More or less. Everyone here is invited to eat everyday. Meals are provided free of charge for working in the castle,” Marin explained.

“Once you experience how delicious the food is, you might not want to go back!” Loid joked.

Finally, a long caravan of maids and chefs carrying large platters of food filed out of the hallway. Marge watched as they brought out roasted beasts, steamed vegetables, soft freshly cooked bread, and a slew of sides.

They certainly have a workforce in the kitchen, Marge noted as all the food was placed in front of them.

Marin stood up and tapped an eating utensil against his glass. It got everyone to quiet immediately. Once everyone was looking at King Marin in the center, he began a speech.

“It’s nice to see everyone at dinner again. This is a great time for all of us to come together and share in the festivities. Before we start, I want to thank all of you for working so hard to make this castle a Kingdom once again. You all took a chance on this new lifestyle, and I hope it has met your expectations.

Restoration of the castle is almost complete, finally, and soon everyone will resume a normal schedule. The plans going forward will be to make Nocturne self-sufficient. We have some new occupations we want filled to make the kingdom profitable again in the coming weeks. If you are interested please talk to Loid, Helva, or Harrell.

Lastly, I just want to mention that if you have friends or distant relatives that are interested in joining the kingdom, please do not hesitate to inform me. I am always looking for capable citizens willing to aid in our growth. That is all. Now, let’s enjoy the food. Everyone, dig in.”

At that, Marin sat down and the nearly one hundred people began filling their plates from the platters of food in front of them. Loid, Helva, and Harrel started filling their plates, but Marge looked in astonishment as Marin made no attempt to produce a plateful as they did.

“King Marin, aren’t you going to eat?” Marge asked. Loid looked up as he realized this had not been talked about yet.

“Ah, I should tell you. This mask I’m wearing, it is to hide my face, and unfortunately, I can not eat without removing it. Therefore, I enjoy sitting with everyone and eating later. It has to be that way, I’m afraid.”

Marge had several questions to follow up with, but knew it would not be the right time and place to do so. She did not even know if it would be her place to ask. Instead, she had to try to put her bewilderment aside.

“Please, load up a plate, Marge. I’d be besides myself if you didn’t try our food cooked by Loid’s marvelous wife, Sherry,” he added.

She finally gave in and used some serving spoons to give herself some oven-roasted honey ham, a pile of salt and pepper mashed potatoes, and vegetables cooked with paprika, rosemary, and garlic.

Her mouth watered as she looked at some of the best food she had seen in a while. She began eating, and the savory flavors of the food nearly overwhelmed her.

“Marin, I have to ask,” Loid started. “How were you able to decipher that Ms. Halkress here was an elemental from a handshake?”

“That is a honed skill. You see, when harnessing the elements, you… shape your hands in certain ways. You understand that, right?”

“Of course, it becomes second nature with enough training,” Loid agreed with a mouthful of food.

“Right, right. Well, that subtle shape you make with your hands translates to everything you hold, even absent-mindedly. That includes something as simple as a handshake. And with enough practice, you can read that.”

“That’s incredible!” Loid exclaimed. He look to Marge, who nodded her head in agreement. “So were you able to read me?” He added.

“Yes. And you’re not too bad,” Marin responded. “Well trained. Something I’d expect from a captain.”

He turned to Marge. “And Marge had quite the reading. I didn’t expect it.”

Marge looked flustered as she swallowed her food. “Oh please. Compared to you, I’m a simple novice. My, my. I even wonder if you somehow have learned to fake that grip. It’s almost unbelievable someone can be that strong.”

Marin chuckled. “I’ve always had a natural talent for the elements, I suppose. Sometimes I forget my own strength. I haven’t had to use it for many years. I fear some practice might be necessary.”

“By the way, Marge,” Loid asked. “What element have you pursued?”

“Fairgoth had a court elemental who studied water. When I was very young, I learned from him,” she responded.

“One of the most beautiful elements,” Marin pointed out. “I’ve always liked that one.”

It seemed off to Marge that everyone around Marin ate while he just patiently sat there having conversations. She wondered what kind of face could be hidden under the mask that required it. The mysteriousness of the king intrigued Marge greatly. She wanted to learn more, including the source of his vast elemental power, and that would come only from joining the kingdom.

She had made her mind up. She was joining. She ate in silence as she listened to Marin discuss a new topic with Helva who was just an arm’s reach away. Marge previously was not too fond of Helva, but hearing Marin discuss high-end topics with Helva showed her that she had obviously earned an important role in the kingdom.

Once everyone ate their fill of food, citizens started excusing themselves from the table. Eventually, the maids started to gather dishes and leftover food from the table. Once Marin stood up, everyone at his end of the table did as well.

“Well Marge, what did you think?” Marin asked.

“It was incredible food, King Marin. You spared no expense in sourcing the best produce,” Marge responded as she dabbed her face with a napkin one last time.

“Thank you. If you ever see Sherry, she would be the one responsible for the cooking. Be sure to thank her. That is, if you decide to stick around.”

“Speaking of that, I’ve made my mind up,” she said with a grin.

Marin stood there in silence, no one able to read his concerned face behind the mask.

“I think I will sign on to your kingdom here,” she admitted.

“Oh what a relief! I am quite satisfied to hear that! I feared that I would have to plan to recruit someone else. That is good news. You were my first pick, you know. The things you’ve done… It would be an honor to have you as our librarian.”

“The honor is mine, my King. I hope to learn much about you and this kingdom,” she stated.

“We will discuss further details including your compensation later. I am positive that will not be a point of contention. For now, talk with Loid and he will assist you in getting situated here.”

Loid appeared by her side at mention of his name.

“I must go eat now,” Sullivan lied. “I bid you farewell and a good night. And thank you again for lending us your talents.” With that, Marin took off down a hallway towards the kitchen. He left Loid and Marge alone.

“I feel the same as the King does, Ms. Halkress. It is nice to have you on board. I’ve been instructed to provide you with one of the finer living quarters in the castle. It is conveniently located right beside the library,” Loid explained.

“Excellent,” she responded. Loid escorted Marge away.

In the kitchen, Marin checked up on the staff who were now doing dishes and putting away the leftover food.

As soon as he made an entrance, a chef belted out “Hail, the King enters the kitchen!”

The entire staff stopped what they were doing and looked to him.

He waved his hand in a downward motion. “As you all were. You’re doing an excellent job.” He stated. They went back to their busy work.

He walked up to Sherry. She assisted in packaging the leftover food before it was moved to the cold room. She looked happy to see him. Marin checked in with her to make sure all was going well. She happily reported that everything she needed was provided.

Sherry explained how the kitchen staff worked hard and followed her instructions. She even pointed out that she learned some new skills from some of the hired chefs. She was grateful that the food that was brought in was of the highest quality, and that made it much easier to cook and prepare. She showed some concern about the cost of the best food, but Marin waved his hand in front of her, assuring her that he had plenty of funds.

The King hovered around the staff for a while, watching them work in the kitchen. He gave his approval and left.

Marin wandered the halls of the castle for a while, waving at and shaking hands of his citizens. When he was alone, he held his own two hands behind his back as he traveled the red carpet floors. He eventually meandered his way back to his own quarters. He stared at the carved cherry wood door for a few seconds before making an entrance.

Marin sat in his rolling chair behind his desk, leaning back in front of one of the two windows on the back wall. Looking outside, he noted the glow of the snow as the sun began to set. He watched as some carts hauled their last load of the day to the castle on brand new paved roads. He had not set foot outside in some days now. That was bound to change soon.