Scribblings

Four riders approached the southern gate of Asery.  The gate guards took one look at the first of the four riders and immediately sank to one knee as she passed.   As the last rider passed unchallenged into Asery, the guards started whispering about the other people who were accompanying the Lady Oracle.

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A stableboy appeared as the riders approached the stables.  Upon seeing the Lady Oracle accompanied by three other riders, he ran across the yard and pulled on a rope several times before returning and holding the reins of the Lady Oracle’s horse.  Three more stablehands appeared to assist the other riders in dismounting.  As the riders walked into the Citadel of Kunir, the stablehands started whispering amongst themselves.

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Palenon dressed in the plain robes that were hanging in the wardrobe.  He had no clothes of his own aside from the riding clothes he had received in Biqam and those were filthy.  When he had looked in the wardrobe that first night in the Citadel, he had found a half dozen plain robes hanging there.  After bathing that night, he had slept in one of the robes and had a long, dreamless rest.

Leaving his room, he had wandered the Citadel aimlessly, trying to learn his way around the massive fortress.  It had taken several candle-marks but he had found the library, the eating hall, and the main chapel.  While the library was rather useless to him, since he couldn’t read, it was a place of peace and quiet.  On the other hand, the eating hall was rather important, especially in the mind of an alley-rat and former prisoner.  The main chapel was also very quiet most of the time, but it was also awe-inspiring.  Massive stained glass windows let in the light of from the rising sun, bathing the chapel in brilliant color.

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