The Northern Gate: Two Worlds

III. - The Duke Part 2

"Where am I?" she asked herself, staring around identical walls and hallways. So much for photographic memory. The blaring of the signal horns had ended, and Amy was relieved her ears could finally rest from the persistent wailing. She had just passed by the stairs from her chambers and was surprised that the guards did some kind of salute with their swords as she did. They were completely motionless when she came down in the first place, so seeing them move weirded her out. She just shrugged at its bizarreness and proceeded to pass through the infirmary and down another long flight of stairs.

She was now in another hallway, similar to the one she had just gone through, but she could not find the stairs. There were multiple doors along the glowing walls, and the hall stretched like an endless road.

"Mathilde? Ser Gideon?" she finally shouted in desperation. She didn't want to, but she had no choice. A Duchess lost in her own castle. "I should have let Gideon wait for me," she sighed. "Mathilde! Ser Gideon!" she called out again.

"Your Grace."

"Aaaaaahhh!" Amy shrieked. She turned around to see someone behind her. "Oh, it's you. Gretta, you scared me."

"Forgive me, Your Grace," answered the pale maiden. "Do you want me to accompany you down the Castle's court? Lady Mathilde has told me to fetch you."

"Oh, thank heavens. Yes, of course, Gretta, please," she said in a stream of words.

"Follow me, Your Grace," she smiled and curtsied.

"Alright," Amy replied as she followed Gretta down the hall. It was a long stretch of identical walls, doors, and windows. When they got to the staircases at the far end of the hallway, Amy was already chasing her breath. Gretta didn't speak much, and Amy wished she was walking with Ser Gideon or Mathilde. The young court servant kept walking, just turning to see if Amy was still following her. "Are we there yet?"

"Just ten more stairs, Your Grace," Gretta answered dutifully.

"Ten more stairs?" Amy sounded incredulous. Her feet were already blistering from the Duchess's tight boots. All the Duchess's clothes fit her perfectly, except the shoes that were a tiny bit too small for her.

"Yes, Your Grace. It's alright. These endless halls would not bother you anymore, for you are not going to stay here for long," Gretta said without looking back at her.

At that, Amy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Gretta?" Her heart was still racing from nervous anticipation of the arrival of his husband and the long walk. Gretta's seemingly odd statement did not help. "What do you mean I would not stay here for long?"

"I'm sorry, Your Grace. I didn't mean to offend you." Gretta turned to face her. She offered a shy smile. She kept on walking. "I mean, with the situation at Luxdale Castle and the Crown Princess going rogue, it is highly likely that Duke Henri shall be named Heir to the Throne. That's why His Grace was summoned to the Great Hall. You'll be moving to Castle Luxdale in no time."

Amy tried to speak, but no words came.

"Forgive me, Your Grace. I talk too much. It hardly even concerns me."

Their trip continued in silence. They passed stairs after stairs after stairs that Amy had already lost count of. She was drowning in thoughts: his husband, whom she'll meet for the first time, was now home, the news of a rogue princess, the moving to another Castle, her husband being the heir…

"We're here, Your Grace," announced Gretta, breaking her out of her trance. She looked ahead, and before her was a huge hall, almost like a church. The ceiling was so high that it seemed to reach the castle's roof. Huge beams and pillars supported the domed ceiling. The walls were the same enchanted stones, except that they were embedded with gold sculptures of what looked like winged beasts, stars, and a repeating motif of lions. On the floor stood rows upon rows of tables filled with plates of food, fruit baskets, and bottles of what seemed to Amy was wine. Courtiers were milling around carrying trays, chairs, and table covers. Armored guards stood like gargoyles on every corner of the hall.

From a distance, Amy thought she saw Ser Gideon, but she frowned when he turned around and saw that he was just another guard. She looked further and saw Mathilde beside the huge double doors in front of the hall, jer Knight beside her.

Ser Gideon stepped forward. "Court of the Castle Gustav!" he shouted to the crowd. "Welcome the return of the Duke, His Grace, Henri Gustav!"

As if on cue, the wide double doors opened. Amy squinted as a cold draft greeted her face. She turned to look beside her, but Gretta was already gone, probably attending to the kitchen. She looked back at the opened doors, heart drumming, and saw a man wearing obsidian armor on the back of a black steed.

A dark night, riding a dark horse…

Her husband. Duke Henri of Gustav Castle.