Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 19: Chapter

Maxi searched the steward’s face for signs of scorn at her stuttering. But Rodrigo betrayed no such emotion as he set the silver cutlery and cup on the table. Relieved, she began to eat the food that the attendant served her. She had fallen asleep without dinner the previous night, and eating little more than coarse bread during the journey had made her ravenous.

She started with a spoonful of rich soup before proceeding to the soft, freshly baked bread, spreading it generously with butter and jam. Though she usually ate like a bird, the sight of such mouthwatering fare after days without a proper meal had given her a voracious appetite. She finished the thick soup and a slice of meat pie with relish before cleansing her palate with sweet apple cider. Even if she had not been so hungry, the food would have tasted exceptional.

“Would you care for some more, my lady?”

“I-I’ve had plenty, th-thank you.”

She dabbed her mouth with a napkin and rose from her seat. After exiting the dining hall, Rodrigo guided her through the castle while recounting Anatol’s history.

“Calypse Castle was built 150 years ago by Sir Anatol, a Roemian knight. After the empire fell, monster attacks became more frequent in this area, and the Seven Kingdoms gradually lost control of this region. Forty years ago, the region was incorporated into Wedon because of its location. In those early days, this area was barely populated. It was a wild land where monsters roamed free.”

Rodrigo continued as he led her through the hall. “But ten years ago, Sir Riftan Calypse, aged eighteen at the time and newly knighted, became the new lord of Anatol. He ordered a thorough renovation of the castle, and the walls were raised again. The population has tripled thanks to Lord Calypse fortifying the castle against monster attacks.”

The steward’s voice was full of awe and respect. The previous day’s scolding in front of the servants had not diminished his loyalty.

“That being said, the focus was on utility more than on architectural beauty,” Rodrigo added almost apologetically. “The castle is quite stark in appearance.”

Maxi smiled awkwardly. Her mission was now clear.

“H-How many rooms a-are there in t-total?”

“More than one hundred rooms in the main keep alone. The tower and annex hold some forty chambers. When you count the guard barracks and knights’ quarters, there are 250 rooms.”

His answer dismayed her. How could she possibly redecorate so many rooms?

But Rodrigo was not finished.

“Five drawing rooms, two banquet halls, and refreshment rooms on each floor... but none have seen use in decades,” he lamented. “The knights do not favor tea. I must confess, it has been too long since I last brewed a nice pot of tea.”

She pictured Riftan holding a dainty teacup. The image was dreadfully unflattering. Seeing Maxi chuckle to herself, Rodrigo gave a discreet cough.

“Do you enjoy drinking tea, my lady?”

“I... I do.”

“Then I’ll have the page prepare refreshments. Nothing but the finest tea leaves for you, my lady.”

“Th-Thank you.”

A soft smile spread across the old man’s wrinkled face, and Maxi felt her anxiety dissipate. The steward seemed to be a gentle soul.

“Shall we move on to the next room?”

Rodrigo continued his explanation as he trudged up the stairs. “You must already be aware, my lady, but the dining hall is on the first floor next to the grand hall, and your ladyship’s bedchamber is on the third floor. Lord Calypse’s study is located at the northern end of the same floor. The second floor holds the banquet hall and guest quarters, and the library can be found on the fourth floor.”

“Th-There’s a l-library?”

“Yes. The lord owns a collection of some 8,000 books, though most are from the days of the Roemian Empire. Would you like to see the library?”

She hesitated for a moment. Books were costly; Riftan might not welcome her rummaging through them. Maxi shook her head.

“N-Next time, p-perhaps...”

“Of course. Then let us proceed to the drawing room and banquet hall.”

She nodded. Drawing rooms and banquet halls served the vital function of receiving guests, and it seemed prudent to survey the rooms before planning their decoration. She followed Rodrigo into the banquet hall.

The room was completely bare, not a single chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling. Maxi gaped at the dreary spectacle. A chill rose from the stone floor, and a draft swept in through the cracks in the windows.

“We’ve never held a banquet here, you see...” Rodrigo trailed off in embarrassment.

“Y-You must have had g-guests visit...”

“The only guests who visit the lord are knights who do not care for balls or banquets. Lord Calypse opens the wine casks for such guests from time to time, but he has never hosted a formal dinner with other lords. The reconstruction of the castle and walls required so much gold that none could be spared for the entertainment of guests.”

Rodrigo sighed. “After years of disuse, his lordship seems to have forgotten about the very existence of these halls.”

Maxi resisted clutching her hair in exasperation. Riftan may have managed to avoid hosting banquets thus far, but he was now a man of influence, lauded as the strongest knight in the continent. Sooner or later, guests would flock to the castle. She could not leave the castle in its present state.

“P-Please ask the merchants to c-come as soon as p-possible.” 𝐟𝓇ℯ𝒆we𝒃𝘯𝒐νe𝑙.co𝚖

Rodrigo nodded eagerly, then led her to the drawing room and guest quarters. The drawing room was no better, but the guest quarters at least housed some basic furniture. There were sturdy beds and clean sheets in each room, and elegant shelves occupied the spaces by the windows. Maxi ran her eyes over the rooms before following Rodrigo to the servants’ quarters on the first floor.

“The men live in the annex, and the maidservants sleep on the first floor of the keep so they can answer summons at all times. You need only ring the bell in your room to call for them, even in the small hours of the night.”

According to Rodrigo, a total of eighty-seven servants worked in the castle, a number that seemed far from sufficient for maintaining a castle so large. Perhaps, however, there had been no need for more hands with the master of the castle absent for so long. After introducing Maxi to the maidservants, Rodrigo led her to the spacious kitchen, the last stop of their tour. There, she felt a warmth that she had not felt in other rooms.

She examined the enormous flame-spitting oven and the fireplaces that lined the wall. A bathtub-sized pot sat simmering on red-hot coal. In an open oven beneath the air vent, a deer was roasting on a spit.

Servants busied themselves kneading dough, peeling potatoes, carving smoked meat onto plates, and washing a veritable mountain of dishes and bowls at the sink. Gesturing at the hustle and bustle, Rodrigo began to explain.

“The kitchen is the busiest place in the castle. The servants can barely rest as they must cook for the knights and soldiers every day. We’re short on labor, so every servant in the castle is deployed to prepare lunch and dinner.”

“So th-that’s why th-there were n-no servants in th-the other rooms...”

Maxi silently resolved to ask Riftan to hire more servants.

“Shall we head to the annex, my lady?”

Under the sun, the gardens looked even more barren. The place was thick with weeds, and the leafless tree next to the pavilion may as well have been cut down.

Maxi frowned. The great hall was the pride of every lord. The gardens leading to the entrance of the main keep were always designed to impress guests, for they were the first thing that visitors would see. For this reason, her father ensured that the gates of Croyso Castle were decorated with many-hued flowers and well-groomed trees all throughout the year.

The gardens don’t need to be extravagant, but I must improve the place so that no one can ridicule it.

She rubbed her temples, confounded by where she should begin with the renovations.

“I-Is there no g-gardener?”

“The servants usually take turns cleaning the gardens...” answered Rodrigo, wiping the sweat beading on his forehead. “That is to say, we don’t have any gardeners.”

The servants could not be blamed. It was the responsibility of the lord and lady to keep the castle presentable. When Riftan had departed for the long campaign, the task should have fallen to her. In that moment, she finally understood her husband’s earlier rebuke.

“I’d l-like to see the a-annex now.”

...

“Certainly, my lady. This way.”

She followed Rodrigo through the gardens and along a narrow dirt path. A few ancient-looking oak trees cast delicate shadows on the path.

“In the past, the annex was the residence of Lord Anatol’s kin, but it has since been renovated for use as lodging for the squires.”

“Are th-there many s-squires here?”

“Around thirty, I would say. After Lord Calypse took on the mantle of commander of the Remdragon Knights, many lords sent their sons here. After a period of apprenticeship, they will be knighted and formally join the order.”

Rodrigo came to a halt. Maxi followed suit and stopped in her tracks. In a wide clearing at the end of the path, a group of youths who looked no older than fifteen stood in rows, wielding wooden swords.

“Ah, it’s their training hour. Shall I announce your presence, my lady?”

“N-No... I d-don’t wish to d-disturb them. We c-can see the annex l-later...”

Maxi waved her hands in agitation, then froze. Before the youths stood Riftan, tall and commanding.

“It seems that his lordship is overseeing their training,” the steward said, his voice suddenly nervous at the sight of Riftan’s imposing figure standing in the shadow of a tree.

“I think it’s best if we return, my lady. The lord doesn’t approve of anyone intruding on training sessions.”

...

“L-Let us g-go back, then.”

At Rodrigo’s suggestion, she turned around. She was about to take a step when someone grabbed her wrist.