Under the Oak Tree



Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Maxi was spellbound. Beyond the wide-open plains lay a sizeable village enclosed by gray stone walls.

“That is my land, Anatol,” said Riftan, pointing at the village. “Our people are mostly mercenaries or miners. There are serfs, too, but the land is ill-suited for cultivation, so our peasants mostly raise sheep, chickens, or goats.”

As she listened, Maxi surveyed the land that was to become her home. Pastures sprawled before a towering gate, and overlooking the village was a precipitous mountain. On the mountainside, an enormous, golem-shaped fortress leaned forward. A faint shiver ran up her spine as she beheld the proud structure. Calypse Castle, solitary and intimidating in its immensity, reminded her of Riftan.

“It may not seem luxurious on the outside, but the castle is quite nice on the inside. And compared to most castles, it’s of a decent size.”

Riftan sounded nervous as he watched Maxi’s gaze fixed on the castle. She turned to him incredulously. The stone fortress covered half the mountain. Was this what he considered “a decent size”?

Perhaps Riftan was comparing his castle to the Croyso castle, which was twice as large and built in the spectacular architectural style of the fallen Roemian Empire.

Riftan added uneasily, “We can renovate the interior if it isn’t to your liking. I can order furnishings to make the castle as splendid as your father’s, though it won’t be easy to change the exterior. The castle may look dreary on the outside, but it can’t be helped, damn it! There are a lot of monsters in these parts, so…”

“A-Are there many m-monsters?” Maxi asked in alarm.

Riftan groaned. “Nothing for you to worry about! You see how tall those walls are? That was the first thing I built when I was granted this land. Years of construction went into those walls to protect the village. No monster can step foot in there!”

“I’m n-not w-worried…” Maxi answered, sensing his agitation. She was not trying to placate him, for the walls did look sturdy and safe.

“Enough talk, Commander! We’re famished!”

At the knight’s urging, Riftan pulled on his reins, and the warhorse galloped down the hill. Maxi squinted as the wind buffeted her face. Her hood came off, and her hair unfurled from its bun and lashed about in the wind. Soon they reached the gates.

“The Remdragon Knights have returned! Open the gates!” the knights bellowed.

Seeing the crest on the knights’ armor and robes, the guards opened the gates without a word. Inside, a crowd had gathered to welcome the great lord who had defeated the evil dragon. When they saw Riftan, they cheered in unison:

Rosem Wigrew d’Calypse! The incarnation of Wigrew!

Frightened by the booming shouts, Maxi burrowed her face against Riftan. The incarnation of Wigrew, the legendary hero – it was the greatest honor that a knight could hope for. Peasants who had abandoned their work to rush over raised their pickaxes like flags and joined the chorus. Women dressed in their best clothes waved colorful handkerchiefs above their heads. Miners stood on their cart waving their hands, builders cheered from the roofs, and children with soot-covered faces smiled brightly to reveal the white of their teeth.

Maxi had never seen such a sight. A staggering number of people were chanting Riftan’s name in concert as if someone were conducting them.

Here was a world utterly unlike her father’s lavish but frigid castle, where the servants’ heads had been perpetually bowed in fear. Warm vitality filled the air, and the people’s faces lit up with joy and pride.

“Commander! The people have arranged a welcome feast for us. They’ve been preparing since they received news of the victory!” announced a knight from Riftan’s retinue.

Riftan waved his hand dismissively.

“I must return to the castle without delay. Enjoy yourselves.”

With that, he spurred his horse forward. The horse reared, then galloped along the flagstone-paved road at full speed. The people thronging the sides of the road rained flowers on their hero. Maxi watched the flying petals with eyes quivering with emotion. They were not cheering for her, yet her heart was racing. Riftan, on the other hand, continued to ride with an impassive face.

He gets so emotional sometimes…

But at other times, Riftan wore an expression so cold that he could have been mistaken for a granite statue. The man baffled her.

Maxi turned her attention back to her surroundings. Anatol was so large and full of such vigor that no one would think of it as a backwoods village.

The wide roads and village square were densely lined with shops, inns, and cottages that were built three to four stories tall. The knights made a beeline for the taverns by the brook flowing through the village. Ornately dressed prostitutes leaned out of the windows to blow them kisses, some even pulling their bodices down to reveal their bare bosoms. Maxi gaped at the scandalous scene.

“Let us hurry,” whispered Riftan as more people flocked to the road.

Maxi nodded, and the horse galloped across the square. Past the brook was a long ride up a gentle slope thick with trees. At last, a moat and stone walls the color of light ash appeared.

Having received news of their lord’s arrival, the guards quickly lowered the drawbridge. Maxi’s eyes went round. Up close, the castle was even more magnificent. They crossed the bridge and passed through the gates to see an expansive courtyard, training grounds, and a building that looked to be a guardhouse. The place resembled a fortress more than a castle.

After passing the guards, they entered the castle’s inner gate.

“We’re here,” said Riftan.

They climbed a steep ramp and found themselves just outside the main keep. Maxi took in the structures one by one: bleak gardens, colossal stone buildings, and an imposing tower. In front of the steps leading to the main keep, some four-dozen servants were standing in an orderly manner with their heads bowed.

“Welcome back, my lord. We are happy to see your safe return.”

“Yes, yes,” Riftan answered absentmindedly before hopping off the horse and helping Maxi to the ground. He handed the reins to the stocky old man standing at the fore.

“Make sure Talon gets his rest. It was a long ride.”

“As you command, my lord. And the knights…?”

“There’s a celebration in the village. They’ll likely be staying in the taverns or inns. If any of those fools happen to return without drowning in wine, let them have clean rooms.”

“We prepared the training grounds and living quarters as soon as we heard news of your return. But if I may ask, my lord, the lady here is…?”

Feeling the old man’s gaze shift toward her, Maxi involuntarily tensed her shoulders. She heard Riftan’s matter-of-fact voice from above her head.

“My wife. I went to fetch her as soon as I returned to the kingdom.”

“Welcome, my lady. My name is Qenal Osban, and I am the stablemaster of Calypse Castle. I tend to the lord’s horses.”

“N-nice to m-meet you. I’m Maximilian… C-Calypse,” mumbled Maxi.

She avoided the servants’ gaze. Before she had a chance to examine the effect of her presence on them, Riftan took her hand and led her up the stairs. Seen up close, the castle looked even bleaker. In most castles, the steps leading up to the great hall were brilliantly decorated. Here, there was only a neglected pavilion and a lone tree without a single leaf growing on it. It seemed that no one had attempted to landscape the courtyard.

The castle’s interior was no better, and Maxi shivered as she followed Riftan into the dimly lit hall. The air inside was just as chilly as it was outside. The floor was made of clay tiles, not marble, illuminated only by the faint light of an old chandelier hanging precariously from the ceiling. The main stairway connecting the entrance to the banquet hall was uncarpeted.

Riftan strode to the center of the room to survey the hall before turning around in fury.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asked.

The servants who had accompanied him inside paled, but Riftan did not relent.

“Did I not order the castle to be refurbished before my return?”

“We did as you commanded, my lord,” an old servant answered. “A new carpet for the drawing room, new furniture, oil for the lamps, and the large quantity of expensive candles you requested-”

“That’s not what I asked for! I wanted you to make the castle look as spectacular as possible!”

Riftan’s voice grew louder. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“I sent you more than enough gold!”

“Did you mean for the entire sum to be used for refurbishments, my lord?” the old man asked, unable to mask his distress. “W-We are not accustomed to spending such large amounts of gold without knowing your express wishes…”

“I said I was leaving everything to the steward’s discretion! Look at this mess! How could you let this happen?!” snapped Riftan, his eyes roving over the dark, ghastly interior of the castle.

The servants exchanged looks, their faces white with fear. Not even the most smooth-tongued sycophant could call the Calypse castle well kept. The staircase was missing balusters here and there. In place of glass, the windows were covered by a foggy film that had faded yellow with time. And not a single curtain had been hung to protect the room from the chill. It almost felt warmer outdoors.

“Times were good without your lord here, were they? You’ve grown lax!”

“W-We did our best to redecorate the castle as you commanded. We even replaced the beds and the old furniture so you could rest comfortably as soon as you returned…”

“How dare you make excuses-”

“R-Riftan! I-I w-want to r-rest now…”

Maxi tugged at Riftan’s sleeve, unable to bear the stormy mood. He flinched and gazed down at her, then lifted her into his arms. Maxi flailed her legs in surprise.