Chapter 222: Chapter 207 – A Friendly Warning

"The Bone Lord is probably the one individual in the world with connections in every country out there. Any mage of Death affinity would sell everything they own to learn from him, and more than a few actually did do just that.

 

These students of his would then return to their own countries, and more often than not had students of their own, which would later also have their own families and students.

 

In such a way, over time, an organic web of connections was cast all over the world, with the immortal Bone Lord at its center. We've long since learned to be glad that he never used that web for anything sinister in all his existence so far." - Maelwys Edalaine, High Pristess of the Temple of Vitalis in Günthra, Jötunberg, circa 472 FP.

When Aideen reached the Grand Citadel of Knallgant, a city built on, in, and under a mountain, she couldn't help but stare in awe for a while. She was not the only one to do that though, as many others who saw the city for the first time reacted the same way.

 

The line at the gates of the city was long, though the wagons and the individuals were made to take separate queues, but they were processed quite rapidly by those on duty. Their efficiency and professionalism honestly impressed Aideen quite a bit.

 

Dwarves in fine chainmail with weapons hanging from their belt quickly processed the line of visitors. Most were allowed in after a check of identity. A few were rejected, and mostly left quietly. Those that tried to make a fuss were removed swiftly from the premises as if it was the most normal thing.

 

When it was her turn to present her identification - Aideen had perfectly legal ones from Ptolodecca which she offered, since she was not hiding her identity by then - the dwarf who was on duty checked them with a raised eyebrow, probably unfamiliar with the foreign identification.

 

"Um, ma'am, would you mind waiting for a while? I'm afraid I will need to have someone else check this for me," said the dwarf - identifiable as a female from her voice - with some confusion, to which Aideen nodded her acceptance.

 

She was directed to a bench to the side of the line, under a roof built to shade them from the heat of the sun, where a few other foreigners also waited. The dwarf herself went past the gates with her identification after she asked a fellow dwarf to look after the line on her behalf.

 

It took a while before the dwarf returned to fetch her, roughly a quarter of an hour or so, during which time a couple other dwarves had come and fetched some of the others seated on the bench.

 

The female dwarf apologized and asked Aideen if she would not mind coming inside to answer a few questions. Apparently even the dwarf's superior was not well versed with visitors from the far end of the other continent either, and they had passed the ball even further up the command chain.

 

Aideen had not minded, though she found it a bit curious. She followed behind the female dwarf who brought her to a large building built to the side of the gate, and then to a comfortably furnished meeting room, with snacks and tea prepared on the table already before the dwarf excused herself and bid her to wait for a moment.

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Not ten minutes later - during which time Aideen sampled some of the snacks and tea and found them to be surprisingly high quality for something served in a guardhouse, the female dwarf returned, with another dwarf dressed in simple, but fine robes, then excused herself once more as she left the other dwarf with Aideen.

 

Curious, Aideen took a good look at the new dwarf, as she noticed the dwarf observing her in turn. The newcomer had very dark skin, nearly the shade of ebony, yet their hair and beard were a light shade of straw blonde. Those distinct features, the tasteful golden rings they used to fashion their beard, and the fine silk of their clothing were all clues to a high social status.

 

Though the hair color itself was a dead giveaway. Very dark skin with straw-blonde hair was a characteristic of Knallzog's royal family line, and tended to show only in very closely related direct descendants of the main line. Since the dwarf before her was in their middle ages though, Aideen thought maybe they were of the previous generation. The current dwarven king was still in his second century as far as she knew.

 

"So, whom do I have honor of addressing?" asked Aideen as she slowly placed down her cup of tea on the desk. She never took her eyes off the dwarf, who eyed her with plenty of visible morbid curiosity. "Wouldn't want to commit lèse-majesté by accident."

 

"Oh, I like you already," said the dwarf with an amused chuckle. Her voice was throaty and gravelly, more like a slightly higher pitched man's voice, which was the norm amongst female dwarves. Their males had even lower, rumbling voices. "But to answer your question, you are now in the presence of Eugenia Rowenschild Stahlfaust the IIIrd, Markgraf von Ostmauer, sister to the late King Goddard the IInd, may Pesca bless his old, cranky soul, and Aunt to the incumbent King, His Royal Highness Oliver the Ist."

 

"But you can call me Ginnie," added the dwarf with a wide smile, partially covered by her thick, impeccably cared for beard and mustache. "Pray tell, how fares Master these days? I hope he still enjoys life as it is?"

 

"Master?" Aideen asked with some confusion in turn, until the dwarf brought out a sheet of paper with a very familiar seal still on it. The Bone Lord's personal seal. "Huh. Now that's something new. Didn't expect grandpa to have princesses from other continents as his students as well."

 

"Oh, my dear, you wouldn't have guessed even half of it," replied Ginnie with a throaty laugh. "When I was his disciple there were another two princes from Clangeddin also studying under him, though they'd be long dead by now, I guess. I was curious what you'd be like for the Master to refer to you as his dear granddaughter, but the reports I got already answered part of that."

 

"That's quick," admitted Aideen as she raised her eyebrow. "I've only started being active recently."

 

"My dear nephew would have fed his spymaster to a horde of snails if he couldn't even keep us up to date with things happening in our very own land," replied the dwarf with another bark of laughter. "That said… you are aware that you're painting a large target on your back right now, don't you?"

 

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