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Chapter 7 - The Feast

After reading out the imperial proclamation Claude Talun give a short speech welcoming Darian and his sister to Celeste and extolling the virtues of the island and its people. Then everyone sat down and the feast began, it consisted of eight different courses starting with a thick meat and vegetable soup and ending with a selection of cheeses. In between the courses the guest were entertained by musicians, minstrel or jesters.

There were also plenty of liquid libations to try your hand at from the local beer to wine exported from the mainland and the local speciality Calvenec a liquor distilled from the quasiapple. Darian wasn't a fan of the music provided but everyone else seemed entertained by it. He tried his best not to drink as much as he had the night before but only succeeded to a certain extent.

Darian's favourite course was the spit-roasted Briet which was a large flightless bird that tasted somewhat like Turley only not so dry. He wasn't however to fond of the stuffed Jepus that reminded him slightly of a pet rabbit he once had and the stuffing was not to his liking.

During the feast he mainly talked with the two individuals he was seated next to, on his right was the Count and on his left was the count's nephew and current heir, Turstin Talun. On the way back from the privy between the fifth and sixth courses he also had a short conversation with the Counts Bailiff Sir Nigel Mednil.

When the feast was over the count invited Darian to meet privately with him and he graciously agreed to do so. The private meeting took place in a small office located on the same floor as the castles solar, the private living quarters of the Count and his family.

"I will get straight to the point Darian, your father was to be entrusted with some private correspondence between the Emperor and myself. I am unsure if he made you aware of this fact or not, if so did you bring it with you to the audience."

"He did my lord count and I have it on my person, I will just require a moment to produce it but before I do so there is the question of the secret code word I need to hear from you before doing so if you please."

"Ah what was it again, yes ah, Rectum."

"Rather crude if I do say so but correct."

Darian rolled up the left leg of his trousers and produced a sealed envelop from inside a pocket sewed into his linen braies and handed it to the count.

"I am not aware of its contents nor do I particularly wish to know unless you deem it necessary."

"No, I don't, not at the moment anyway, now before you go a word of advise if you don't mind. Beware the Baron of Morheks your neighbour to the east he isn't a bad sort really but listens to the counsel of his uncle a little more than he should and he is trouble."

"Thanks for your advise Count, I will take my leave until the next time,"

After collecting his sister, who had stayed behind in the great hall and spent her time talking to the various other guests at the feast, they left for their inn. Once they exited the castle they were approached by a servant wearing the badge of the most powerful merchant house on the island who presented them with an invitation. When they arrived at the inn three other servants from lesser merchant houses also presented them with invitations.

Darian went to his room in the inn before he opened these invitations whilst sitting at a writing desk. They were all for meetings with the heads of the respective houses or in one case the senior member of the house currently in town. As he was planning to head to the Barony in the morning and they were all for different times during the next afternoon he was uncertain as to how to proceed.

On the one hand, what kind of difference could a day make once he arrived at the Barony on the other he had already paid out some money for the journey to begin tomorrow and would thus have to pay some more for the delay. In the end, it was the fact that he was curious to know what they wanted to talk to him about that clinched it.

After telling his secretary the change in plans Darian took a look around some of the seedier parts of the city before retiring for the night.