Chapter 162: What a Shame

Ned left the room, dark boots set beside the door. Black with a perfect cut to show the curves of the sole, and holes were done at the ball of the foot—for air to breathe perhaps. He tucked the boots in, did a quick move of his hands, and tightened the laces. Boots tightened the gripped of his foot.

The passage was broad. Lamp, fueled with oil, are affixed to the wall to Ned's right or left. Carvings below the lamp looked like a master artisan has made the art.

Everything was wooden, but not an ordinary wood. From the look of it, stripes of brown and black turned the walls into abstract art. Ned turned to his right, he was welcomed by stairs—that led him to different hallways, and room. He moved forward and reached for it. The stairs lead to another floor atop, and below. Ned chose to go down. Boots squeaking against the sleeking floor. Still, the corridor of the wall was made of wood.

There, entering the second floor, Ned met the first person who wasn't a servant or part of the House. By the looks of him, he was a hunter. A wooden necklace circled his neck. He walked, leaving a room with voices ringing inside, and was surprised to see Ned along the hallway. Yet, the hunter with curly hair and a thin blade hung his waist continued to move forward. The man passed by Ned, snorting along the way.

The manor was imposing. With different hallways, and rooms Ned could enter. He tried to judge by walking, he couldn't finish checking all the rooms in an hour. Now, he needed to find where Twali was. Ned walked a straight path, to his left were rooms—each with resounding voices inside. Now that Ned walked the manor, he felt he was walking in a circle.

Ned reached an alcove. Entering inside he saw that it was made to look like a balcony, wooden railings divided the alcove and space outside. He was on the second floor, Ned reached for the railings, and leaned forward. There, he saw at the bottom hunter's walking back and forth inside the manor. In the middle was a fountain, with plants sprouting the edges of the fountain made of tiny rocks. The water of the fountain exited a vase held by a lady in a robe.

Ned turned his head, looking for Twali or Sasani to pass by. The manor was made a circle, with a huge hollow inside to let the warmth of the sun enter the manor. Sudden Plate was built with mostly stones, but Ned could almost gawk that House Tarragon brought their design of mostly wood from Bogaressi City to the Sudden Plate.

At the side, with benches along a wooden pillar, he saw Twali speaking along with his long hands gesturing the two hunters he was talking to. And as if Twali was expecting Ned to peek at the balcony, he looked upward. Seeing Ned and nodded.

Ned nodded and left the alcove to go to the stairs. At the bottom of the manor, Ned was met by a crowd. Hunters, and companions alike. They saw Ned with indifference, especially the hunters. Most of them wore wooden necklaces, some wore bronze, and Ned couldn't see the ones wearing silver. They passed by Ned going outside the maker, some sat with their party in a place that looked like a mini tavern. House Tarragon made sure to take good care of their hunters. Ned knew they were from House Tarragon because of the emblem stitched at the side of their right shoulder. The emblem was a broken crown with pieces scattered, that looked like floating. Besides the broken crown were armaments: a saber to the left, and a bow the right. All, but Ned, wore the emblem.

Young hunters murmured as Ned walked passed by them. It seemed that they knew something Ned wasn't aware of. Well, I'm going to find it out soon. Ned thought. Walking a group of hunters toward Twali.

One of them brushed Ned's elbow.

"Kid," he said, the voice was tiny like his figure, almost skinny. "Grazing someone without apologizing?"

Is he serious now? Ned thought. He spun around to meet the hunter's eye. Twali was far across the manor, and it seemed that he didn't notice Ned going toward him. Ned sighed, I don't have time for this. "I... " Ned said, pressing his voice to sound apologetic. "I am sorry—" did he just called me kid? Ned thought along the way his words. He looked twice or thrice older than me.

He didn't finish, he bowed and spun around to leave the curly-haired hunter. He wore a vest with leather straps that held the rest of his clothing. Ribs under skin emerged from his side, he looked like he didn't eat for a week. Do hunters this poor? Ned thought. He was skinny, yes. But with proper nutrition, he looked more pretty than Ned. Well, got to leave pretty boy. Ned thought, smiling and leaving the hunter.

A grip to his shoulder made Ned twitched a bit. Some of his muscles were aching, and shoulders were one of them. "Let go," Ned said over his right shoulder.

"Or what?" Pretty boy said, breath stunk across Ned's face.

The crowd went quiet. They knew what it meant. Money. They stopped to whatever they were doing and turned their heads toward Ned. One of them, a bald one, tanned skin and thick eyebrows, started to murmur to the person to his side. And pulled a coin of silvers to his pouch and handed it to the man in front of him. Ned couldn't hear what they were talking but it seemed that pretty boy and him were the center of attraction.

"Or... Nothing. Mr. Hunter," Ned said, trying to hide his irritation.

[Ned.]

ICE prompted.

[I don't like these people.]

His display was then forced to turn on and turn red.

"No," Ned said, should have been a thought. He sighed and looked up to the pretty boy.

"What no?" Pretty boy said. "I haven't even started yet."

The rest of the crowd circled them. The manor with its massive space looked and felt like a tiny town. People walking here and there, food stalls smoked. And hunters circled Ned and pretty boy.

"Tell you what," he added. "You see this?"—pointing with his eyes toward his elbow—"it looked like you were hiding a knife, it made a small cut into my sleeves."

Ned frowned and looked to sweep for Twali. So this is how you build your people? Sven? Twali? What a shame.