The Count of Castle Rock

Chapter XIV- Castle of Black Feathers

The Talberts ascend the slope of Castle Rock in a new coach sent for them by Count Methuen himself. Father rides alongside the driver to leave space for the girls and their escorts. The Count is throwing a large gala to celebrate the recent accolades of one of his vassals, Sir Wellignton of Blades, as well as the opening of his financially backed fireworks crafter. Behind their coach is a wagon full of novelty explosives, Father and Jesse spent hours customizing. The Talberts were invited to enjoy the celebration and provide a demonstration at sunset.

Leesa, Maribelle, and Jessica sit on one side of the carriage. Dressed in matching brown dresses, the three manage to lend their own styles to their look. Jesse wears her hair in a puffy red afro, a crimson halo complimented by the red lining of her leather corset. Green ribbons adorn Maribelle's red curls and gloves of brown velvet ride up to her elbows. Leesa's bantu knots sit atop her head like a crown. She didn't bother to have her dress worked by Nola Brown to bring in the waist and accentuate her figure like her sisters did. Despite Mary's rude comments, Leesa likes the way her black riding boots manage to add a few inches to her height and look good while doing it.

Feeling cute and comfortable, she barely thinks about the knife hidden in her right boot or the way she left things with Hans. She'd wanted to invite him to Castle Black Roost, but Father had already arranged for their escorts. She looks across the coach at the three young men. The Cabrera brothers are tall with blue eyes and short cut blonde hair. They are handsome, but otherwise nondescript. They are the same age as the girls and known around Solomon as boring dullards. Beside them is Thaddeus Hunt. Leesa doesn't know much about him except his father owns the largest general goods store in all of The Badlands. Though he's overweight, his clothes fit him well. Whenever Mary mentions his weight he smiles and politely changes the subject.

He isn't Hans, who she would have loved to share this experience with, but Leesa likes him. At least he didn't try to strike up meaningless conversation like the Cabrera's.

Leesa watches from the coach window as the black stone walls of Castle Black Roost come into view. The kingdom flag and the flag of Nevergreen wave in the afternoon breeze. The sharp angles of the black castle make her pulse quicken. Stone birds of varying sizes peer down from the parapets like strange gargoyles, giving the impression of watchful sentries spying on the approach to the stronghold. Windows of dark tinted glass reflect the sunlight in hypnotic patterns, dazzling and disconcerting.

"They say the castle was built by the second Count of Castle Rock, but Lord Methuen had the birds put in," Thaddeus says as he leans out to get a better view. He and the Cabrera brothers ward themselves. "They say some of the birds are alive."

Looking up at the approaching structure and its watchers, Leesa believes him.

Before she realizes it, the coach passes under a dark and gloomy arch, filling the coach with thick shadow. An unfamiliar voice whispers in her ear and something brushes her back. The tendril-like shadows around the boys writhe and reach out. Leesa opens her mouth to warn them even as sunlight pierces the dark. They exit the dark tunnel and enter a massive courtyard. The haunted looks on everyone's face tells Leesa she isn't the only one who saw something.

"Welcome to Castle Black Roost," Thaddeus says under his breath, sending a chill down her spine

Leesa checks the back of the coach seat, sure it couldn't have all been her imagination.

The coach joins a procession of similar vehicles as they slowly crawl towards the jet black castle proper.

"This is exciting," Mary says, jotting down something in her diary.

"Depends on what you call exciting," Jesse mumbles. She snaps her fingers loudly, startling the Cabrera brothers who can't seem to stop staring at her cleavage.