The small group approached the estate of the
de Vontafeis via a cypress-lined avenue. A while ago they had changed to walk so that Vasco and the mustached one could rush ahead to announce their visitors.
Fabio patted Gino's neck and inhaled the warm night air that smelled of hibiscus and jasmine. Since the Moon was bright in the sky, Fabio could see a stately building at the end of the avenue.
The old palazzo was a remnant of warlike
times when the Venetians had taken the land from the goblins in bloody battles. With his square layout, the high corner tower and the steeply sloping façade resembled a castle rather than those splendid mansions that the nobility preferred elsewhere.
The family seat of de Vontafeis was embedded in a hilly landscape that reached to the horizon. Despite the darkness, Fabio was sure that it would be gentle hillsides around acting as vineyards as they were typical of this area.
The avenue led straight to a place adjacent to a Stairways bounding to an open, six slender columns decorated the lobby.
At last there was a ray of light. Several servants came with torches down the stairs.
"As you can see, we're already expected," said Raimondo de Vontafei. He clucked his tongue and galloped ahead. Paladin Ludovico fell back to Fabio, who was still looking evilly at the knight.
"I do not like this Raimondo," his master growled. "One day he will reap what he sows, count on it. And maybe that happens even sooner than he thinks. Until then, you will not cause me any trouble, have you
understood me?"
Fabio looked at the Paladin in surprise and nodded. "I'm not going to disappoint you, sir. "
"Good, because you should never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty. The difference is only: The pig loves the dirt."
Fabio grinned. "I thought you were annoyed about me."
"Just about having to call your donkey for help to overwhelm three peasant nobodys In all these years you should actually learned more from me. After all you will soon be a paladin. "
In the meantime, they too had reached the outside staircase. Soon they were surrounded by torch-bearing lackeys, who were bowing in front of the guests. Ludovico had hardly left his sattle, as from the large double portal a man with a carefully trimmed whisket stormed. The laps of his long, beltless coat blew in the wind at the back and a dark velvet vest stretched tight over his stomach.
"Raimondo, what do I hear? Our paladins are already here?
What was this incident in the forest?"
Ludovico and Fabio bowed to the baron. Raimondo de Vontafei, giving his horse one of the torche-bearers gave a false smile.
"No cause for concern, uncle.
May I announce: His Highly born Vittore de Vontafei. And this is Signor Ludovico and his cheeky Page."
"His name is Fabio and he's my squire," the paladin remarked coolly.
"Do not blame him for his impetuosity please" The Baron said soothing.
"My nephew sometimes shoots over out over his head. But one thing is true: recently, there are indeed some disturbing things going on around here. "
Raimondo grimaced, but Baron de Vonterfei
ignored him. He puffed down the remaining steps.
"But now come in and strengthen yourself, Signore Ludovico. Welcome! Your squire can take care of your horse in the meantime. Subsequently we will also prepare a decent meal for him."
Fabio sighed inwardly, trying to ignore his growling stomach.
"Thank you, Your Highly Born." The Paladin handed Fabio the reins of his warhorse.
"But no inconveniences. We Knights are accustomed to relish with meager food.
"Then it will be even more enjoyable for me to carter for you. On the occasion, you can tell me about your observations in the forest. Should actually goblins show up it would indeed be disturbing"
As Vittore de Vontafei led them up the stairs to the paladin, another person stepped out of the portal. Long auburn hair fell on her narrow shoulders. Fabio involuntarily held his breath. The young woman seemed to have sprung from the painting of an old master, with so much grace the Stellars had blessed her. She had a slender face with high cheekbones and her eyes shone like amber in the torchlight. Her ankle-length silk dress was interspersed with silver threads. Slanted slits on the upper arms and the round necklines gave the view of a white, with pearl embroidered undergarment. Fabio has never seen such a thing wonderful. The young woman appeared to him like a fairy tale princess
"Father, do not you want to introduce me to our guests?"
"Celeste, what are you doing here? I thought you were long gone to bed. "
"Do you really think I could keep quiet?
when I hear people outside and saying the paladins have arrived?"
Ludovico bowed low to the baroness. Quickly Fabio followed his example, only that he barely
could turn his eyes from her.
"It will be an honor to me and my squire to guide you to your future teachers in Stella Tiberia as the old custom requires, "the paladin said after breathing a kiss on the hand of the noble lady. Gladly Fabio would in the place of Ludovicos now. Instead, he was still standing in there dirty and still in his wet clothes.
"Thank you, Senior." Celeste made a graceful curtsey and her gaze moved to Fabio. He felt his blood shot in the cheeks, which immediately annoyed him.
Celeste de Vontafei smiled coquettishly. Obviously, the young baroness knew about her effect on men.
"I'm looking forward to my new life in the Star Castle," she explained, turning back to Ludovico.
"I hope you give me one more day to prepare for the trip, because we expected you later."
"Such an enigmatic star mystic as you are is always allowed to rule me," Ludovico said charmingly.
"You flatter me."
"Well, you can say that, first of all go make your novitiate," grumbled her father.
"And you, Signor Ludovico, do not let everything she does through! And now come, we want to finally dine. "
The baron led Ludovico and his
Daughter in the entrance hall.
Raimondo de Vontafei gave Fabio a mocking smile.
"Pretty flower, right? This is the price of a true nobleman. One day I will pick this proud little plant and our families will
Tying them together more closely. "
With a self-satisfied grin, for that Fabio liked to give him a juicy slap in the face, he also went in.
Fabio looked around for the servant to whom Raimondo had handed over the horse. To his unfortune, he realized that it was Vasco. The bald man pursed his lips and fluted malicious "Come along"
While he has the torch over his head
Holding the horse behind him, he led Fabio around the palazzo to the rear of the property. Fabio followed him, donkey and warhorse in tow. Behind the stately construction was a garden that extended over three terraced levels in an artificial valley. From somewhere was a rippling sound but in the dark gravel paths, trees, fountains and statues could only be guessed. He now knew where the lovely scent of flowers came from. Vasco walked past a large aviary of sleeping larks and led Fabio down to the middle garden level. His goal was a timber construction on the edge of the area, near which it smelled like dung: the stables.
"Who's there?" Shouted an armed man with Halberd, who had sat on a small barrel in front of the entrance and was now startled by the hoofbeats, a lantern lit up and Fabio put a
hand over his blended eyes.
"It's me," Vasco growled.
"Oh." The stranger dipped the lantern, sat down, and gestured with the halberd in Fabio's direction.
"And who is this?
"A squire of the Order of the Dawn, the baron has guests, is because of his daughter."
"Aha. And I thought you were the replacement. Did you catch the dog killers from the village?
"Nope." Vasco pulled on the stable door, which creaked open.
"Is the burglar still in there?"
"Why do you think I'm sitting here? "Came back grudgingly.
"As if she could get away! She fell into the wolf trap, she would not get far, anyway ... "
"Anyway?"
"Well, anyway, she just sits there staring at you in a weird way, I tell you, it brings bad luck!"
Vasco shrugged, removing the lantern from his friend and gesturing to Fabio to follow him into the stable. His master's horse snorted. The stable was long, the ceiling was made of a series of supporting high wooden pillars. Dust tickled Fabio's nose. Long ladders lead up to the hayloft, on the left and right were the horse boxes. A good dozen horses were housed there, some of them shuffling their hooves. Fabio wondered why the animals were so restless despite the late hour. The warhorse of his master also made a stubborn snort, but it calmed down quickly when Fabio patted his neck.
'Strange.'
Vasco now attached the lantern to a hook,
lit another light with that flame and pointed to two blank suggestions.
"You can put your animals here. You can find blankets, harrows, brushes, and forage there. " He pointed to a door that seemed to lead to a chamber. Without further attention to Fabio, Vasco led Raimondo's horse to a box at the far end of the stable.
Fabio unsaddled his master's horse and freed Gino from weapons and luggage. All the pieces were still soaking wet, even his boots, which he was only too happy to get rid of. But he could not take care of such things until his master had released him for the day.
Fabio grunted and fed both animals and his thoughts involuntarily wandered back to the beautiful Celeste. But in his musings, there was a mumbling from further back in the stable. Did they not it say earlier that there was a prisoner here? Supposedly she was an unscrupulous burglar.
He listened intently. One of the voices undoubtedly belonged to Vasco and sounded annoyed.
"... I'm not responsible for that, so spare me
with your whining! "
"You give even your damn dogs more to eat!" a female voice cursed.
"They're worth more than you, Taubchen[*]! It's your own fault that you're stuck here now."
*it's very German to add 'chen' which is a way to let something sound more cute or to belittle someone/something. here: a belittling form for someone deaf
Fabio followed the voices to the back of the stable, which had been expanded space for carriages.
To his surprise, he spotted a cage cart there
with iron bars, as he once had at one
Gauklertruppe had seen. Most of the traveling people showed wild animals in such carriages.
But in this one sat woman.
She had shoulder-length blond mane whose matted strands of hair framed a dirty face. She wore a rough linen shirt, which is ripped deep in some places, she wore one
encrusted leather vest. And unlike the women, which Fabio knew she was outfitted with leather trousers and high lace-up boots.
As soon as Fabio had stepped into the light of Vasco's lantern, the prisoner made a growling sound. "Look, a squire of the Order of the Dawn."
Fabio paused in surprise at the unexpected address.
How did she know who he was? It is quite possible that the unknown is one of the mountain people who came from the Dolomite sky Massive. At least that was her throaty dialect pointed to.
"What's this?" Fabio asked.
"A bear prison," Vasco said dryly. "It's still from the old baron. He loved the bear hunt. In the past, beasts often strayed from the Dolomite Massif to our area. Today it serves us as a detention cell for rabbles like this one."
"Oh, really, sweety?" The blonde sparkled at Vasco dangerous. "Then I wonder what you're doing out there."
" Shut up! Just wait, you'll get what you deserve!"
The prisoner ran her tongue over her gaping lips. Struggling to drag her right leg behind her, she dragged herself into the corner of the cage closest to Fabio.
Involuntarily, he took a step back, for that she stank like a wet dog.
"Then tell me, little one, is it right for this dumbass to deny my ration of water? I'm hurt and I'm dying here. "
"Do not bother with her!" Vasco spat on the floor, "and in two days the Baron will judge her anyways."
Fabio looked at the unknown woman's right leg. The leggings were torn and the dark spots on the leather was clearly of clotted blood. No wonder, if the stranger really, as claimed fell in a wolf trap. But something about the way she moved, told him that she was not hurt as bad as she pretended.
"You are anything but dying," he said unflinching.
The prisoner looked at him lurking.
"But whatever you've done, we do not need to cut you off your water." Even as Fabio spoke those words, an inner voice advised him to be extremely careful. After all, he recognized a fighter nature when he had them in front of him.
"Damn, are you again getting involved in things that are none of your business?" Vasco snapped angrily.
"Does the baron know how you treat his prisoner?"
Vasco shot the squire a devastating look.
Without waiting for an answer, Fabio walked to barrel of rainwater, with a narrow clay pot standing next to it. He filled the pitcher and carefully approached the cage car.
"Step back!" He ordered the prisoner.
To his surprise, the stranger obeyed him. Carefully, he pushed the bowl through the bars. Immediately, the woman grabbed the vessel with both hands and emptied it in a single, greedy train.
"Do not think that I thank you now!" she growled.
"I do not care for that." Fabio gave the stranger one last look and followed Raimondo's servant, who left the stable angrily.
"This woman got caught in a wolf trap?" Fabio asked outside.
"Yes, damn it," his companion snapped, returning the lantern to his comrade. "She broke into the Palazzo two nights ago. She obviously wanted something from the Baron's art collection. But she was discovered,
stupid like she did it. We followed her into the woods. My master Raimondo then found her with a pierced leg in a wild trap. "
Fabio followed Vasco with the heavy luggage on his shoulders into the kitchen. A chubby cook just cut a long white bread, in one of the cauldrons and simmered a broth, in which meat chunks swam, and the whole room was filled with a strong spicy scent, which made Fabio's mouth watery.
Hunger and fatigue threatened to overwhelm him. With his companion he took a seat at a shaky kitchen table where the cook served them soup. When Fabio emptied the wooden bowl, he wiped it with a piece of bread, not wasting even the smallest drop of nutritious food. He just wanted to ask for a lookup when a tall housekeeper entered the kitchen.
"Ah, here you are! Your Lord wishes to see you. "
Sighing, Fabio rose from the table, while Vasco was grinning and bowed over a second helping. The lackey led Fabio to the entrance hall. Torches lit four slender columns pairs that make up an elegant construction
supporting smooth stone beams. Immediately below was one encircling frieze in which the zodiac signs of the night skies were depicted as symbolic figures. Immediately Fabio recognized the constellation of the centaur, who as was shown as a Hunter, was the sign of the eagle and that of the Dolphins. The walls were adorned with pillars, between
which were ancient armor equipped with swords, shields and halberds - as if they could come to life at any time. Apparently in the family history it has not always been peaceful.
Without paying attention to the ornaments in the hall, the servant passed a curved staircase leading up to to the upper floors of the Palazzo, and entered a double portal. Fabio's gaze remained attached to the wooden Stellar figure that graced the lower stair railing.
The celestial was represented in human form with outstretched wings that raised a star to heaven in humble pose.
The servant knocked on the door and led Fabio into a candlelit dining room with its high windows imposed with precious cloth. The openings were without doubt extended to let more sun in during daytime. Even a double
door out to the garden was on the opposite side. This room, too, had a high ceiling, and on the walls there stood numerous ledges which were rich ornamented. In the middle of the hall, at a long dining table, sat the baron, his daughter Celeste, his nephew Raimondo and Fabio's Sir Ludovico. Chicken drumsticks, cold roast slices, cheese, grapes and fragrant bread piled on precious silverware. A second servant was filling Raimondo's Crystal Cup with wine.
"Step closer, lad." The Knight laid a chicken leg aside and wiping his fingers and beard
a cloth off. "Did you get something to eat?"
"Yes Mr." Fabio indicated a bow and made an effort not to stare at Celeste. The Baroness gracefully twisted one of her strands of hair around her forefinger and saw him
curious. Her plate was untouched.
"Welcome, squire," said the Baron.
"There's someone here who wants to thank you."
Out of the shadow of a stone pillar stepped a small figure. The gnome had white thinning hair that framed his bald head. From the hair ring came large ears out, and on the long nose of the tiny one sat nickel goggles with half-round glasses in which the candlelight was reflected. Like all gnome artisans Fabio had seen so far, he was also dressed in his vest and leather belt with sawing and drilling tools. The gnome bowed to him, which caused Raimondo to make a sour face to.
Your name is Fabio, right? "The baron asked. "I thought I should definitely let you meet with Master Arcimboldo. He's been working here for a few days to repair the defective parts of the water games in our garden. Annoyingly, they have suddenly stopped working from one day to another. Good that we are not planning festivities!
But thank Heaven, Master Arcimboldo and his family were very close. You must know: no one can match it to the gnomes of manual skill. It was Arcimboldo's family, you bravely assisted a few hours ago. I am deeply grieved, that such an attack has happened at all, and sincerely hope that Raimondo keep his people in better check in the future."
Raimondo said nothing and emptied his glass in one go.
"Thanks," the gnome croaked, seemingly as well unpleasant as Fabio was, standing so suddenly in the focus of interest.
"My family and I are deeply grateful to you. These days it is very rare that someone is looking out for us. "
"Nothing to thank," Fabio replied, his cheeks flushing
"Would it not be better if we finally got to the goblin instead of wasting our time on trivial matters? "Raimondo threw his uncle
a reproachful look, which Fabio found unreasonable.
"The matter is not forgotten." Baron de Vontafei put a hand on Ludovico arm.
"Because my daughter Celeste needs a few days for the travel preparation
anyway, could you not stand by us?
"In what way, Baron?"
"I thought about maybe leading a troop
armed man into the woods tomorrow and looking for more Goblin tracks. These fiends have not been around here since my grandfather's time. And I would not know anyone who has so much experience in the
Fight Against these murderous creatures is like you."
"What's that supposed to mean, uncle?" Raimondo shouted.
"We do not need help in this matter. We'll be able to deal with this scum on our own. "
"It's enough, Raimondo!" The cutting tone in the Baron's voice did not tolerate any protest. His nephew gritted his teeth furiously, but he did not dare to revolt openly against de Vontafei. Fabio quickly lowered his eyes to hide his satisfaction. Still it was as if the Baroness had noticed his reaction.
"Giovanni!" The baron turned to his servant.
"Bring us the thing from the village please, and you, Celeste, go upstairs to your room, that's not for the fainthearted."
"What is that, father?" His daughter looked at him wronged. "Why are you sending me away while everyone else ..."
"I do not tolerate any argument!"
Celeste reluctantly rose from her seat and threw her chestnut hair in the neck and rushed past Fabio with her head raised, out of the hall. He looked after her for a moment and then exchanged a quick glance with his master. Ludovico frowned.
"It's the same everywhere," the Baron sighed, while the servant returned with a small chest.
"If they first fledge, they will eventually disobey."
He instructed to put the chest down on the table and lock the hall doors from the inside.
"You are making this very exciting, Baron," said Ludovico.
Even Master Arcimboldo, whose presence is seemed forgotten at the table, looked anxiously to the chest.
"Raimondo, open it. "
"Gladly, uncle." Raimondo leaned forward and opened the lock.
"The thing was attached to the roof of the village well. You could hardly miss it. "
He opened the chest lid and reached inside. A soft clinking could be heard, then he pulled out a filigree net made of bronze chain links that slant upwards merging into a metal ring.
All present lost their breath. Because embedded in the ring braid hung a human skull. The bone was painted pitch-black and the forehead graced a red sign that resembled a comet. Above the thornton, also in red, two stylized bat wings.
"An astronos skull!" Whispered Master Arcimboldo with trembling voice.
The Baron and the Knights of Order winced slightly by this name. Everyone was familiar with the lessons by the Star Mystic of the Apostate who had rebelled against the Celestial Laws at the beginning of the world. According to the legend Astronos had rallied a third of all Stellars and unleashed a war in the sky, its traces were found still today in Astaria. Only through the united power of
He was finally defeated and locked in the star dungeon by five other archaeologists Molunah, Merkuriel, Venudha, Marsakiel and Juprabim.
"You know this object?" Ludovico looked closely at the gnome.
"Yes, sir. I mean: no, only from stories."
Master Arcimboldo looked around nervously.
"What you're holding is the work of a Goblin Shaman. They have always served Astronos. "
"We know that," the Paladin replied coldly.
"But how do you know that?"
"You forget that my people have a long history, my lord." The gnome removed his glasses and nervously wiped them with a corner of his sleeve. "The goblins hunted us whenever and wherever they could find us. And they still do. "
"You claim!" Raimondo intervened, contemptuously examining the grisly object.
The baron, however, immediately waved the little man to approach the table.
"Please, Master Arcimboldo, speak freely and without concern. Tell us everything you know. Who knows in which great danger we are! "
"Such skulls once decorated the field standards of the Goblins, your highborn. They should be the opponents. Scare. The goblin army carried them with them until they were then forced back into the subterranean empires of the East. It means ... "The gnome paused as if afraid he had already betrayed too much.
"Please, keep talking!"
"It is said that in ancient times Astronos was able to get through these skulls to talk to his followers and express his will. «
"And how did that happen?" The baron jerked his hand in disbelief and open eyes.
"Dream faces. Embassies. The old legends are not quite correct, "Arcimboldo said hastily.
"But as I said, all that was a long time ago. These Astronos skulls should not really exist anymore."
"What's this thing going to do with us?" asked
the Baron. "We found it in a public place, visible from afar. That can only mean that it was left there on purpose."
"That's strange indeed" Master Arcimboldo muttered.
"Maybe it's a threat?" Fabio burst out, before realizing that nobody asked of his opinion.