Chương 56: The People Of Widow's Wall

"You… found someone?"

"Yes."

"A veil… swallowed an entire town?" Enel lowered the cup in his hand, and Lamb completely pushed her plate away.

"Where is he?" Enel asked. Tommen looked around, leaning closer to the table and lowering his voice.

"I had my little doves send a message to him a month ago. He should be here in a few days."

"... Why are you whispering?" Tiny looked around the table.

"Why is he whispering?" Tommen then leaned even closer… to Tiny.

"Because the Crown has eyes and ears everywhere, little dove," he whispered slowly in his ear.

"What the—?!" Tiny backed away, as if trying to slap Tommen's sultry voice away from him.

"Do not call me little dove!" Tommen chuckled, stepping away from the table before curtsying.

"But you are very suited to be a little dove," he said.

"Pretty lord. Ladies. I shall enjoy the party before leaving." The other nobles that had been watching him all gasped quietly when he gracefully lowered himself, the women covering their faces with fans as they whispered to each other. Tommen winked at them, then flicked his long pale scarf and turned—no. Spun away before dancing to the tune of the musicians. Lamb stared at him go, then slowly turned to Enel.

"What in the gods was even that?" she muttered.

"Do you think… he can be trusted?"

"Yes."

"No," Guinevere quickly said after Enel.

"Marshal Tommen is highly duplicitous, manipulative, and known for using anything to get what he wants. He used to be an assassin."

"... And we are trusting that sort of man, why?" Lamb raised an eyebrow at Enel.

"And an assassin? Has he killed children before?" Enel's eyes instantly changed at that question, and he quickly glanced back at Tommen. But it also quickly turned back to normal at Guinevere's next words.

"As far as I am aware of, no." Guinevere shook her head.

"The guild of assassins has a code."

"Wait…" Tiny narrowed his eyes.

"There is a guild of assassins?"

"Why are you so surprised about that?" Lamb scoffed as she started eating again.

"You told me there was a Thieves' guild back on Riverrun."

"Riverdown. And that is completely different! It…" And while Lamb and Tiny became lost in their own world, Guinevere noticed Enel looking at the door leading to the front yard.

"Is something the matter, betrothed?" Guinevere tilted her head.

"There… is. W—" Enel did not finish his words and stood up. He left the table, making his way to the doors leading to the front yard.

"Excuse me." Several people immediately stepped aside as Enel passed by them. All of them watched his every movement, and although he was used to being stared at, it still felt… odd when coming from strangers. Enel tried not to think about it as he crossed the hall and moved toward the side of the hall, where two soldiers quickly straightened when he approached.

"M'lord."

"Open the door, please." The soldiers looked at each other. Enel paused.

"Is there something wrong?"

"N-no, M'lord," the other quickly said.

"It is only… there are many commonfolk outside."

"Commonfolk?"

"Yes, M'lord. Villagers, workers. Some pilgrims, too. They wanted to see the ceremony."

"Why would you not let…" Enel looked back at the banquet hall.

"Oh." The hall was filled with nobles, and those who were close and heard him looked incredibly horrified at the thought of Enel opening the doors. He only glanced at them, however, before looking back at the doors.

"Please open them."

"Uh… Of course, M'lord." The soldiers hesitated for only a breath more before pulling the doors open. And instantly, the noise outside mixed in with the celebration in the hall. There were dozens upon dozens of people gathered in the courtyard and beyond it, and all of them raised their faces when the doors opened. Faces… he actually recognized.

He looked back at them for a moment, then finally turned to the reason why he went outside in the first place—near the side of the steps, one of the guards pushing an old hooded man back with the shaft of his spear.

"I said you can't enter, old man," the guard whispered harshly.

"This is the young lord's ceremony. Move away."

"Stop," Enel said. He walked down the steps and placed a hand lightly on the guard's shoulder. He meant only to make him aware, but the man went stiff beneath his hand. He was… afraid. Enel immediately removed his hand.

"I apologize," he said.

"M-M'lord, I—""What is happening?" The guard swallowed.

"This old man wanted to enter, M'lord. He said he was invited, but… look at him." Enel looked. The old man's cloak was worn thin at the edges, and mud clung to the bottom of it. His hood hid most of his face, but what little Enel could see was gaunt and tired. His hands were thin, too thin, with veins pressing against the skin. Enel turned back toward the guard.

"I am looking. What is wrong with him?"

"I—That…" The guard had no answer. Behind Enel, the nobles inside the hall had started murmuring. Some had stood from their seats. Others looked toward the open doors with discomfort on their faces. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Enel heard them too, and his fingers began to curl. But before his hands could actually turn into fists, they relaxed. He closed his eyes for a moment, then sighed.

"Bring tables outside," he said. The guard blinked.

"M'lord?"

"Tables. Chairs as well. And food." Enel looked toward the nearest servants.

"Please bring some of the food outside." One of the servants glanced back into the hall, then at Enel, and smiled.

"Of course, M'lord." The servant lowered his head at once and walked away. Enel turned toward the people gathered in the courtyard and started making his way to them.

"Forgive me. The hall is too small, and I did not know many of you were outside. We will bring food and tables—""Ah! The young baron finally escaped!"

"Lord Enel!" The people started cheering and screaming as Enel approached them. Most of them clapped and whistled, and a few even started crying. He looked back at the soldiers by the doors.

"Keep them open."

"M'lord?"

"The doors," Enel said.

"Please, keep them open."

"Yes, M'lord." Enel stepped fully into the yard. One of the servants, the valet who was taking care of his appearance and clothes, approached.

"M'lord, where are you going?" Enel looked at him, confused.

"To celebrate with my people." The noise grew louder after that. The people rushed toward him, and before Enel could properly prepare himself, arms wrapped around him from every direction. Children climbed onto him, and someone started pulling on his hair. A man slapped his back, saying how he was a man now and must experience… women.

"What are you telling the lord?!"

"M'lord! I brought some chickens! I did not have time to cook them, so I will just give them to you!"

"Careful with the clothes!" the valet cried as he saw mud being smeared across Enel's coat. Small hands also pulled at his sleeves, and the valet almost fainted upon hearing a small tear whisper in his ear. And as if that was not enough, another child started climbing on Enel's back, stepping onto his shoulder and leaving mud and… other brown things on Enel's clothes. And then, Gregor appeared with several other men, all of them grinning.

"Up!" Gregor shouted.

"Wait, what are you—" They lifted Enel before he could finish his words and threw him into the air. The crowd cheered even louder as Enel rose above them all. His golden hair loosened from its tie as he looked down at the faces beneath him. And in that moment, he saw the repaired walls, the houses, the nobles watching from inside, and the people of Widow's Wall reaching for him with dirty hands and smiles on their faces.

"Ha… Hahahaha!" Then he fell back into their arms, laughing harder than he had in days. They threw him again, and this time, he flew up even higher. He looked down again and saw Lamb had joined them.

"Lamb!" Enel called from the air.

"Look at—" But before Lamb could even point and laugh at him, Gregor and the others threw her in the air, too.

"Gah!" Guinevere had also stepped out to follow them, and the cheers softened almost instantly when the people noticed her approach. One by one, they lowered their heads. A few mothers quickly pulled their children back and pressed their heads down. And when Guinevere saw that, she stopped at the top of the steps. Her face did not change, but her fingers lightly touched the side of her dress. Both Enel and Lamb landed on the mud, and they looked at Guinevere.

Lamb was about to approach her, but then a little girl broke away from her mother.

"Ah! It is her! The weird kind lady!"

"Anya!" The mother tried to catch her, but the little girl slipped past the people and reached Guinevere before anyone could stop her.

"It is you!" The little girl stopped in front of Guinevere and pointed at her face.

"Yes?" Guinevere blinked as she looked down. The little girl then held out a small flower.

"This is for you!" the girl said. Guinevere looked at the flower, then slowly accepted it.

"Thank you." The girl smiled, and that was all it took… for the other children to also rush at Guinevere. And soon, the adults joined in, too.

"Give a chair to the lord's bride! Quick!"

"Lady Guinevere, you are so beautiful!"

"M'lady. Please, take care of our young lord!"

"The young lord can be quite a handful, but he is the best man you could find in the three duchies." Guinevere looked at the flower in her hand as people started approaching her from all sides. One of the children grabbed her hand and dragged her fully into the yard. Soon, the tables were set, and the food was brought out. The people all cheered, devouring the food in front of them. The next few minutes were chaos, and Guinevere could not quite comprehend what was happening around her. But…

it was not so bad, she thought. Duke Gawen came out laughing, while Robert and Mira followed with warm smiles on their faces. The other nobles eventually came outside as well. Most did so reluctantly, while some seemed genuinely amused with what was happening. And as all the tables were set up and Enel and the others were now eating with the rest of Widow's Wall… Lamb saw Tiny crawling toward them. Lamb narrowed her eyes.

"What… are you doing?"

"Busy."

"Running from people who wanted their coins back?"

"Managing investments with Ulric," Tiny said.

"Invest… what? Stop making up words."

"It is when coin leaves your hand and returns as more coins later." Lamb stared at him.

"Like magic?" Tiny nodded.

"... Something like that." Enel laughed at the two of them, but Lamb seemed genuinely confused. And once again, the four sat around a table. All of them were dirty now, and there was still someone pulling on Enel's hair from behind him… but he looked happier than he had inside the hall. Even Guinevere looked more comfortable now, her eyes no longer trailing everywhere and just looking at the children. And then the old hooded man from earlier approached.

Lamb's hand quickly shot toward the knife on her waist, but Enel stopped her.

"You know him?" Lamb narrowed her eyes at the old man.

"No." Enel stood at once, then offered his seat to the old man.

"Have you eaten, good sir?" The old man paused for a moment, his breath quivering under his robe.

"I did not come for food, my lord."

"It is fine, please. Eat. There is plenty." The old man stared at him for a moment, then quickly sat down. A bowl and a plate of meat were quickly placed in front of him by one of the servants, and the old man did not waste time devouring the food. Enel got another chair and sat closer to Guinevere.

"I am Enel of House Blackwood, sir." Enel bowed his head, offering him more food.

"I do not seem to recognize you. Are you one of the refugees from the south?"

"N-no, M'lord…" The old man lowered his hood, and his skin almost looked like it stuck to his bones from how thin he was.

"I… came here because you wished to see me."

"To… see you?" Enel blinked, then looked at the others, who only shrugged and shook their heads in response.

"I do not recall—are you the one that Marshal Tommen spoke of?"

"Y-yes. Tommen. Yes." The old man nodded several times.

"Oh. He said you would arrive in a few days' time. We should set you up a room and—""It is fine, M'lord. It is fine." The old man lowered his bowl.

"We can talk here. I… do not wish to waste more of your time."

"Are… you sure?" Enel lowered his voice.

"Tommen said you know about the Veil?"

"Yes."

"Then… please. Tell us what you know." The old man looked at the bowl before him.

"My… home was destroyed by it." The table went quiet after that. Tiny leaned forward slightly. Guinevere reached for her book, opening it on her lap. Lamb continued eating, but slower now.

"What is your name, good sir?"

"... Bernard, M'lord," the old man's voice trembled.

"My… town was called Oak Coast. It was not large, but it was everything. But everything changed when the Veil came."

"Came?" Tiny swallowed.

"The Veil moves?"

"I… do not know." Bernard shook his head.

"But we saw it coming toward us." Enel leaned forward.

"What happened to your people?" Bernard's hand tightened around the bowl.

"I do not know."

"You do not know?"

"They… were all there when I left," Bernard closed his eyes and whispered.

"Ten years ago. I left to find someone who could help. A lord, a priest, scholars. Anyone. I thought I would return within a season… I have not set foot on Oak Coast again." Tiny frowned.

"Why… did they not just leave with you?" Lamb looked at him, and so did Enel. Tiny looked between them, confused.

"What?" Then he looked around him, at the people of Widow's Wall who fought for their home even at the threat of death.

"Oh." Guinevere's pen continued moving despite the heaviness in the air.

"You have traveled for ten years. What did you find?" Bernard took another breath.

"Stories. Lies… men who said they would help me, only to take my coin."

"I am sorry that happened to you." Enel sighed.

"It was my fault to believe in the help of strangers, M'lord. I… have met all sorts of people. Even people who worshipped the Veil."

"Worshipped it?" Lamb's face twisted.

"Why?" Bernard glanced at her, then shook his head.

"But… I have also met an order."

"An order?"

"The Veilguards," Bernard said, and the others quickly turned to Guinevere. Guinevere stared back at them, then shook her head.

"I do not know that name," she responded before writing it down.

"Veilguards…. Huh." Lamb leaned back slightly.

"That sounds really cool. They protect people from the Veil?"

"Hm." Bernard nodded.

"They told me they would go to Oak Coast when I sought their help. That was three years ago."

"... And you still have not gone home?" Tiny's eyes narrowed.

"I am afraid of what I will find." The table went quiet again after that, but Enel looked at Bernard, then stood.

"We leave on the morrow," Enel said.

"At first light."

"M-m'lord?" Lamb's face brightened immediately.

"Finally." Guinevere looked up from her book.

"You wish to leave immediately?"

"Yes." Enel nodded.

"I made an oath to free Blakwud and the Dark Forest from the Veil. This is the first path we have found." Tiny looked at the food still on his plate.

"At first light?"

"At first light." Tiny sighed and started eating faster. Enel turned back to Bernard.

"Where is your town?"

"Veyrmark Duchy, M'lord," Bernard answered.

"On… on the northeast coast." Lamb slowly lowered her cup.

"I do not know my geography that much… but isn't that on the other side of the realm?"