Chapter 15

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They had crossed the Common, and were at the foot of wide stairs leading to the main doors of the castle. The General and the Hepsguard, including those at the rear, dismounted, then tied their drays to low poles that floated unsupported on one side of the steps. The Custodian was with them, arms still folded defensively. He did not like where the situation was headed, now that the girl could speak so well.

A sizable Hepsguard contingent, maybe twenty or more, all dressed head-to-toe in silver armor, came out of the large doors at the top of the stairs, forming ranks to either side. As they parted, a man came out, wearing quite ordinary clothing of brown slacks and a wide-necked shirt that was laced up the front. The expression on his youthful face was one of worry and concern. At his presence, the General and the Hepsguard kneeled, and so did the Custodian and Dresden. Sonic remained upright, and she nabbed Rusty as he began to kneel too.

"Not now, stay upright," she whispered to him. They would observe the customs when the time came, but she first needed to see who this person was. Was this the Lord Faramay, Dresden's father? Or was this a ranking underling, sent to make an assessment? And would he demand their acquiescence – to kneel like the others – or would he accept their behavior as a matter of culture?

"No need, no need, friends," the man said to those kneeling as he came down the stairs. Sonic breathed a small sigh of relief, thinking: We're good.

Everyone who was kneeling got to their feet. The man looked at Dresden first. "Son, I am pleased to see you."

"Father," Dresden said.

"General, Custodian," the man continued. He looked at Sonic and Rusty, and smiled. "And you are the outsiders, I see."

"Yes, we are, Lord Faramay," Sonic said. She didn't need to read anyone's mind to figure out who this man was.

"You speak our tongue well," he said, and looked at the silent Rusty. "And your friend here?"

"He does not know your language, Lord Faramay," Sonic replied. "I am teaching him, but we have not been here long."

"Well, then, welcome, welcome," he said, glancing between Sonic, Rusty, and Dresden. "Please, won't you come in? Rarely do we have guests of a caliber as yours, young lady. And I may call you...?"

"My name is Ari, Lord Faramay," Sonic said, once again using the short form of her full name. "Please call me Sonic."

"Sonic it is," Lord Faramay said, smiling broadly. It was a genuine smile, and for that, Sonic was glad. Then the Lord gestured for them to follow him up the stairs to the castle entrance. Sonic obliged, careful to keep one hand on Rusty. Dresden, Mohon, the Custodian, and the General follow behind, while their escort remained below.

"I hear you are a mage," Lord Faramay continued.

Sonic shook her head. "I am a soldier," she said. "A guard, if you like."

"A soldier?" the Lord asked. Surprisingly, he did not proceed with the obvious next question: and for whose army do you 'soldier'?

"More like a guard, I should say," Sonic said. "And my thanks for your hospitality. I was given to believe our welcome would be strained."

The group arrived at the castle entranceway landing, standing at the massive doorway that led in. Sonic paused to take in the spectacle. The entrance hall beyond was huge, cavernous. Beams of diffuse light radiated from orbs set in its high, cathedral-like ceiling, illuminating a wide thoroughfare in front of them, along with rows upon rows of polished-stone banquet tables on either side, all of which were neatly skirted by ornate wooden benches. There was another massive double-arched doorway at the end of the thoroughfare, and as they were ushered in, Sonic's keen senses were alerted to the fact that the entire place was empty. Completely empty.

She was immediately on guard. Ambush methods, she knew, were universal – attackers remain hidden, one point of entry. Close trap. Kill. She started to plan: first, put Rusty behind her, then use the Lord as a human shield to force anyone threatening them to give her and Rusty a clear path out. Managing both Rusty and the Lord Faramay together would be tricky, but she would manage. She usually did.

But no ambush took place as they entered. Instead, Lord Faramay turned to her. "If you were made to feel unwelcome, I apologize," he said. "There are many things at stake here in the Hepstraad, Sonic. You and your companion have arrived at troubled times." He motioned to one of the benches. "Please, you can let your friend rest here, and we can talk? In the chamber ahead, if it suits? My Council awaits."

As he said this, the large door at the opposite end of the hallway swung open dramatically. Sonic could see people beyond this doorway, maybe fifteen or twenty standing in the middle and peering curiously at them. They were not soldiers. Instead, they appeared to be statesmen and stateswomen. The men were dressed similar to Lord Faramay, with long trousers and billowing, light-colored shirts, while the women wore formal, puffy dresses that would not have been out of place in Victorian England.

Sonic smiled wryly. The setup, or test, was obvious. She had just been assessed by the Lord, and had passed. And by opening the doorway ahead, thus introducing the parliamentarians of this land within, he'd signaled the 'all clear'.

She nodded. "Very well, Lord," she said, emphasizing the honorific. Your turn to mean no harm. "But my outsider friend will come with me. He is not sure of anything right now." And that is an understatement.

"I see," Lord Faramay said. He continued to walk while Sonic and the group followed. "He is not well? Has something affected him?"

"This place is overwhelming, my Lord," Sonic replied. "I will heal him in due course." Now that they were inside, she marveled at the interior. What captivated her the most were the patterns on the tables: kaleidoscopic designs that swirled and coalesced in intricate and beautiful mosaics.

"We have healers, too," Lord Faramay said, and looked at the Custodian following behind them. "The Custodian Aris here is our most capable. He can examine the boy, if you will?"

Sonic shook her head. "The boy will be fine, there is no need of the Custodian's assistance," she said, thinking: And no way in heck am I letting that butt-head get near Rusty either, but of course did not say. Besides, she hadn't learned the Hep word for 'butt-head' yet, which was surprising. Cuss words were usually the first and easiest to learn, any child knew that. "I am happy to meet the Council, Lord Faramay," she continued. "And I will introduce Rooster here, too."

"Rooster? This is his name?"

Darn it. Sonic tried again. "My apologies, Lord Faramay. Pronouncing his name in the language of the Hep is somewh – "

She stopped. Did she feel what she thought she just felt?

" – somewhat difficult to pronounce," she finished. She looked at the others. Had none of them noticed?

Brrrrmmmm... There! Beneath her feet, a deep vibration, maybe the foreshock of an earthquake. But no-one else had reacted.

"Rooster it is," Lord Faramay said. "And we are all interested to hear your story, Sonic. I, for one, am glad to meet one such as you." As he said this, he glanced expectantly over at his son, Dresden.

Sonic raised one eyebrow, but she wasn't too worried. Assumptions that were... romantic in nature tended to resolve themselves, once they found out what type of 'soldier' she was. That vibration she had felt, though, that was of real concern. And as she thought this, she felt it once more. Like the bass from an overly powerful sub-woofer.

"You feel that?" Rusty asked, surprising the heck out of her.

She looked at him. "Yep. Nobody else seemed to, though," she replied, thinking: maybe only us Earthlings are getting it?

They were about halfway down the hall when a commotion erupted from behind them at the castle entrance. Several Hepsguard were running up to the group, who, as one, turned to see what the fuss was all about.

"My Lord," the guard in the lead called out, "the Queen is coming! She approaches along the Lineward road!"

Lord Faramay and the General exchanged glances. He touched Sonic's arm. "You will have to excuse us," he said, then he waved to the group of statespeople at the doorway, motioning them to come over, which they obliged.

"What's going on?" Rusty asked.

"Not sure, but I think Dresden's mom just came back into town," Sonic answered. "Apparently she's some kinda warrior-queen, but I don't think that's the whole story."

"Dresden, Aris, stay with the outsiders," Lord Faramay said. The group approaching them – the 'Hepstraad Council' – arrived, babbling nervously, and began to congregate around the Lord. "Rylenia was not due back so soon," the Lord continued. "Something is wrong."

"I will stay with Sonic, father," Dresden said. "The Custodian and Mohon may go with you, if they like. Mohon will want to see her again."

Mohon woofed in agreement. "Queen," he said, and his tail wagged. Sonic noted this, hoping it meant the Queen was going to be okay. She would be right, but only in the longer term.

"Yes, that would be better," Lord Faramay said, and turned to Sonic and Rusty. "Please, be seated here. We shall not be long, and you are safe within these walls."

"Very well, Lord," Sonic said, thinking: Why'd he need to mention us being 'safe' in here? She continued: "And you may leave a guard, if it pleases you." No point in being coy.

"No need, young Sonic," Lord Faramay said. "My son trusts you, and thus, so do I."

But Sonic caught the thought that flashed across his mind: And there are plenty of guards within the chambers of this castle, watching you as we speak. She didn't mind, though. If anything, it confirmed her thoughts about the potential ambush earlier, had she failed the 'test'. Still, she couldn't see the 'guards' the Lord had thought of, and wondered if there were secret rooms from which they were being observed. She scanned the room –

– and was immediately distracted by the deep vibration once more thrumming below her. Still, no one else (apart from Rusty) seemed to have appeared to notice. Sonic made eye contact with the boy

"Holy hector," he said. "It's like the clubs downtown on a Friday night!"

Sonic's gaze turned sharp. "And how would you know?"

Rusty blushed to his blonde roots.

"Thought so," Sonic continued. "Fake ID, right? Too young to be hitting the nightlife, amigo."

"It was just once," Rusty said. "Totally sucked, too."

The group of adults – Lord Faramay, the Hepstraad Council, the Custodian, and the General – were quickly walking to the castle entrance (with Mohon by their side) and talking animatedly to each other, leaving Dresden, Rusty and Sonic to themselves.

"So... how do you know about my fake ID?" Rusty asked.

Sonic sighed loudly. "I can," she said slowly, putting in extra effort to show disdain, "read your mind, Rusty. Comprendes, amigo? And really, puh-lease." She motioned him over to one of the long benches that skirted the swirling marble tables. "Take a seat. Or, as your fellow countrymen might say, 'pull up a pew, mate'."

Rusty looked sideways at her. "They do?"

"Just sit down already, idiota."

"I think I might, yeah," Rusty said, grinning. He went to the bench and sat down. "Feeling a bit better now, too. Kill for a drink, though."

Sonic turned to Dresden: "Do you have anything to drink here, Dresden?"

The look of horror on Dresden's face was almost comical. "By the Highest, where are our manners!" he exclaimed. He walked over to the table that Rusty was sitting beside, put one hand palm-down on its surface, and said: "Provide."

Cups, plates laden with breads and what appeared to be cheeses and meats, rose from the swirling patterns in a sparkling mist, along with whole fowl and sliced cuts, large glass jugs filled with a clear, red-tinted liquid. The cups – more like crystal goblets, really, they were decorated with ornate golden curlicues – were already filled. The mist dissipated, leaving a veritable feast ready before them. Rusty was agape at the spectacle.

"McDonalds could use a table like this," Sonic said, smiling. "Go ahead, Rooster. Should be safe to eat and drink. I hope."

Rusty turned to her. "Did you just call me 'rooster'?"

"Sure did," she replied. "I can't get your name right in these guys's language, might as well flub it across the board."

"Okay, but 'rooster'? As in, a male chicken?"

"Yep," Sonic said. She was totally unapologetic. "And judging by what's on those plates in the middle there, they do have chickens here. How 'bout that?"

Rusty looked at the food on the table. "Magic chicken," he said. Sonic burst out laughing.

"I really would like to know what you find so funny," Dresden said. He did not like being kept out of a joke.

Sonic put one hand on his shoulder, and now it was Dresden's turn to blush. "Dresden, we don't have your 'magic' where we come from," she said, doing her best to recover, "but we do have chicken!" She went back into gales of laughter. There were tears rolling down her face.

Rusty, having no idea what she just said to the boy called Tropritesdit, couldn't help but laugh along with her. He didn't think his joke was that funny, but, considering how cute Sonic looked when she laughed, he wasn't about to spoil her fun.

BRRRMMMmmmm... One of the goblets on the table tipped over, spilling its contents onto the floor. Sonic stopped laughing immediately. She looked at Dresden, who, in turn, was looking at the overturned cup, puzzled.

"How did that happen?" he asked.

"Dresden, did you not feel that?"

"Feel what?"

Sonic turned to Rusty. "Tell me you felt that."

Rusty nodded vigorously. "Like a semi just rolled past this place. What was it?"

"Probably not a semi. We might wanna head outside before long."

Suddenly Mohon appeared at the entranceway, barking rapidly and spinning around and around in agitation. Interspersed between his barks were words: "Dresden! Come!"

"Oh, that's not good," Sonic said. Then to Dresden: "We should go outside?"

But Dresden didn't move. "My father asked that we stay here."

There was a shadow at the doorway, behind Mohon. The katarn settled down at once, then sat. The light streaming from outside was too bright to make out who stood behind the creature, but the voice that spoke was clearly feminine, and soothingly calm.

"Hello, my katarn friend," the woman said, and she knelt down to scratch Mohon behind the ears.

Dresden's face was ash-grey. "It's my mother," he said, and straightened up. 

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