The Games for Nihon (BOOK THREE)

Chapter 6 - The Castle on the Lake

The sky was making a show of being dramatic. Red and black clouds looked as if they were charged full with electricity, but the air was too mild and quiet and lovely for a storm to break loose. The towers of the castle were reaching into the sky as if trying to become one with it, or at least rival it in majesty.

"Who are they trying to impress," Orì muttered, clearly impressed.

It was the largest castle even she had ever beheld, and it didn't come close to anything Sofia and Ami had thought possible. How many people must be living there? It could easily hold a small town, and wouldn't even be crowded. The structure stretched out so wide and high that they suspected much more to be concealed behind it. A buzz of life emerged from it like from a peaceful beehive.

Yet, all around the castle was water. It lay in the middle of a vast lake whose color, though clear, spoke of depths too dangerous to explore. And there was nothing to connect the castle to the land around the shore, no bridges, no ships, no passage.

Rostopan-Ur had slowed down. He turned around, his face showing relish at their amazement.

"Now, we wait," he said.

"Wait for what?" Orì asked.

"We wait," he repeated and turned his back to them again.

Sofia put a hand on Orì's shoulder.

"Just leave him be," she whispered.

Orì scoffed.

"Of course. He's not worth it."

Sofia and Ami shared a look. During the whole ride, Orì had been consumed by anger at Rostopan-Ur's treatment of them. It didn't exactly make her easier to handle. Orì wasn't one to let go of a grudge, Sofia suspected.

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait for long. A woman with a shorn head and a pointed, beak-like nose approached them so quietly that they jumped. Only Rostopan-Ur didn't, as he had been expecting her.

She stood silently in front of him, waiting for him to address her first. If she was confused by the Bayla, she didn't let on. The Bayla growled softly but audibly.

Orì petted him.

"It's alright," she said in a loud voice, not meant for the Bayla but for Rostopan-Ur and the woman. "I know you could easily rip them apart, but they are our new friends."

Rostopan-Ur ignored her. Sofia couldn't blame him.

Finally, he acknowledged the woman.

"Tarapi-Van," he said in a respectful tone of voice.

The lines on her cheeks flared up at the mention of her name. There were eight lines on one of them and nine on the other. That meant her dynasty went back seventeen generations, one less than Rostopan-Ur.

"Rostopan-Ur," she replied, her voice reflecting infinitesimal more deference than his had, which Sofia suspected was by design.

"I see that your mission was successful," she continued, looking at them for the first time, and with the same disdain that Rostopan-Ur had shown them. "If unusual. Still, Queen Adehe will certainly be pleased."

"She certainly will be," Rostopan-Ur replied.

Tarapi-Van nodded.

"If you will follow me."

This was meant for all of them, but there wasn't a question or an explanation involved. Without further ado, she started off in the direction of the lake, on foot. Rostopan-Ur rode behind her, apparently not seeing anything unusual with this.