Chapter 50: Branch 11: Lions Keep

*clipclop* *clak* *clipclop* *clak*

Four mounted knights and a carriage climb their way through one gate, two gates, three gates- How fucking big is this place?

The moment Red said 'daddy is here' and I realized my pants were still on? I called out my shadows.

All of them.

Eighty plus are now prowling thru this fortress. Ready to pounce the moment anyone makes a move on us. I don't care who her father is. I'm her daddy now and I will protect what's mine. I could have stopped it sooner. Should have. Didn't notice how vulnerable she was.

The fucker better be on his best behavior or I will cut his heart out with a spoon. Surprisingly good flick.

Both of them are nervous now so I pull them close. Soothing words and gentle kisses to drive away their fears. Its after lunch so the falling sun is providing lots of places for my shadows to hide in. And I see what they see? Wow, this place.

There are two walls protecting 'Lions Keep.' Both of stone. The lower outer wall's top is only a few feet above the ground inside, but unevenly ten to twenty feet above the rocky slope outside.

The higher inner wall's top being, I'd guess, twenty plus feet above the ground on the inside and thirty plus feet above the ground on the outside. With forty plus foot towers spaced evenly along it. Each tower in the higher wall has a catapult or ballista on top of it.

Both walls dead end dozens of feet above the floor of the crevice that splits the eastern and western sides of the ridge.

The other side only has the lower outer wall protecting multiple stone buildings. Lots of regular size windows. Looks very, Oxfordy? Hogwartsy? Yalesy? A long walking, not wide enough for carriages, stone bridge connects the western and eastern outer walls. With small gatehouses on both ends.

How to describe the castle's gatehouses? Let's see. Each gatehouse has two gates. Looking from above. There are two U, not circle or square, shaped towers flanking the front gate and stretching back to a rear gate. So even if you break through the front gate? You've got a murder alley to deal with and another gate to break thru.

The first gatehouse connects to the lower wall and is 'on' the switchback road. The second gatehouse is in the lower wall and 'ends' the road. Since that reaches the flattened top of the ridge. The third gatehouse connects to the higher wall and splits the outer, uh, courtyard? The fourth gatehouse is in the higher wall.

The outer courtyard has what looks like a barracks, stables, and even an, inn?

The first and second gatehouses are on the north side of the castle. The third is on the east side. And the fourth is on the south side. You have to go up a ramp and cross a drawbridge to get through the second and fourth gates. So, yeah, its a long roundabout trip to get inside the higher wall.

Across the castle, hanging from battlements and flagpoles, walls and gates, are black and green banners and flags showing the symbol of House Lianlaf, the Black Hart. Some have other animals or objects stitched on them instead. Maybe subordinate houses? Retainers?

Here and there you see white and red banners or flags of House Gilend, but the black and green clearly dominates.

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The inner courtyard is bigger than the outer courtyard and has even more buildings. Another barracks. Another stables. Another, inn? Maybe, apartments? Smithy. Are those grain bins? Oh, the castle has its own baths? Nice.

Is that a race track? Or is that a jousting place? Both? Its got its own stands so its probably a sports thing. All of them surrounding the castle's heart.

The keep.

The Lions Keep's keep? Is huge. Nine towers support the squarish stone hold. Smaller blocks stick out on the west and east sides with two towers, each on an outer corner. Both look sixty feet tall. The larger center block stretches ninety feet up and is cornered by four towers of its own. On the north side of the center block is the ninth tower. A giant, dwarfing the others. It looks a hundred and fifty feet tall and that's not counting its peaked roof.

The most eye catching part though? On the west side of the center block, and reaching up out of the west block, is a smaller block adding another thirty feet to its ninety. And on the west side of it? A huge thirty foot tall, ten feet wide, window. Not crystallized, defusing the light, or colored, making art. Just big, clear, sheets of glass.

My god, how much that must have cost. But think of the sunset views. Would make all those godawful stairs worth it.

As if that's not enough? On the east is the west window's twin. Which not only gives great sunrise views, but also shows a roof top garden. Yep, ninety feet above the inner courtyard. Hundreds of feet above Pearlden. Is a garden. There is even a tree in it.

What a fantasy castle.

The keep has just two entrances. Each at the ends of the smaller eastern and western blocks. Both requiring you to climb a ramp of stairs and cross a drawbridge to enter. The west entrance is much fancier than the east. And on the stairs leading up to the grand western double door's drawbridge? Two dozen people are waiting. Which is nice, because I don't see anyone else. Outside.

Every gate is open. But every door and window is closed. Inside those doors and windows? Are hundreds. Knights, soldiers, servants, slaves. Some eating. Some sleeping. But most? Waiting.

The conversations heard all revolve around how unusual the order to stay inside is. About who the passengers of the passing carriage might be. Most assume its royalty, of this or that country.

Secret treaty negotiations? High level defection? Selling stolen treasures?

Why, many wonder, did they have to decorate too show off the castle but hide themselves? Its suspicious they say. God damn right its suspicious!

My shadows find no ambush. No trap ready to spring. But that doesn't mean there isn't one. As I will them too. They keep their distance from people as much as possible. Especially those with strong auras. I don't want to cause a panic from undead being discovered inside the castle's defenses.

And among those two dozen waiting? There are eight with strong auras. Two with very strong auras.

If it comes to a fight? Will have to take them down first.

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