Chapter Text
It's freezing out tonight. Typically, your feathers do the job in winter, but for some reason the wind is just cutting deeper tonight. Not to mention, you've heard of plenty of people taking the path around the castle and never coming back. It's probably just nerves, but you swear you can feel eyes staring out of the woods and behind the snow.
How do you even get here? The very first time you get to take the wagon and make a delivery yourself, and you're probably gonna get eaten by wolves, or freeze to death! Or you could freeze to death and then be eaten by wolves, really the possibilities are endless, aside from you surviving!
You're already shivering, and you can't see 10 feet infront of you, and.. and… is that a person? You see the outline of a almost person lit by a lantern running toward you. A goat boy drudges through the snow until he reaches you. “Sir! Sir! I'm a servant of the castle on that hill!” He points toward the imposing castle silhouette that's still visible through the blizzard. “My master told me to come down and ask you to come in! They saw your lantern from their window and ran to fetch me. It's far too cold for you to be out here! May I come up, so I can drive your carriage to the castle?”
This goat man is wrapped in several heavy fur layers, but even still, he doesn't react to the weather at all. “Sir! May I come up?” Berdly snaps out of his concentration, his feathers would puff if they weren't getting close to frozen. “Yes! Certainly, please come up.” He pulls him up. He pulls off one of his layers and wraps it around Berdly, brushing some snow off and taking the reins away from him. Maybe he's lucky his feathers can't give anything away right now. “What’s your name, man?” Berdly pulls his new cost tighter around. “Me? My name is Ralsei. I'm the head servant at the castle.”
“Aren't you a little young to be a head servant? We look the same age and I'm not even a lead archivist!”
“Oh! Well uh,I-i'm simply a quick riser! The master of our castle just recognized my talents. We're almost there now!”
You look up at the monolith of stone in front of you. I mean, you've seen big buildings before. You've been to a handful of towns, seen a couple halls. Maybe even a fort. But they were nothing. The structure seems to expand endlessly into the thick grey of the sky, it's only your fault your mortal mind can't see any further. It's awe inspiring. The thought briefly occurs to you that it would be totally impossible to see a small lantern, under the trees, in the middle of a blizzard, from any of these windows. Oh well, it's too late now.
“You can go inside, Master Ber-” Ralsei catches himself. “I'll go park your horses!”
Does he know your name? When did you tell him your name? You didn't. You can swear you never did that.
It's whatever. It's all unimportant. The wind is starting to cut through even the coat he gave you. You rush inside.
Wow. Dear angel. This must be the most beautiful room you've seen in your life. The room, illuminated by several fires, is composed entirely of beautiful wood and stone. It's really a hall fit for an army. There's no way one family could ever use this room, let alone this entire structure.
In a state of slight awe, you walk further and further in, admiring the cutlery, of all things. So many different types of one thing. What would these possibly be used for?
“Enjoying the dining hall?”
“Ack!” you spin around 270 degrees falling down. “Who- Who are you? Please don't frighten me like that!”
You look up and feel an ethereal presence. Someone clad in a billowing shirt and black trousers reaches their hand to you. They couldn't possibly be more pale.
“I'm so sorry!” They look like, well, they look like a dream. Like a combination of every statue you've ever seen. “My servant told me he just stabled your horses, and I knew I should come greet my guest!”
You take their hand. It's chilling, you don't really care. “U-uh yes, of course!”
“You must be freezing, your feathers and clothes are practically frozen. I've cleared a room for you, on the 2nd floor. There's a myriad of options for you, and you can dry off a little.”
“You're far too kind. Thank you for taking me in like this, Is there a count I should thank as well?” It's hard to look at them too long. It's almost like the sun.
“I am the count of this castle, sir. My parents were royalty, and I take care of this castle in their honor.”
“O-oh. Well thank you. I probably would've frozen.”
“I'm surprised you made it out here!” They take your hand to examine, and for the first time in a while you start to feel very warm. “As far as I can tell you aren't frost bitten. Count yourself lucky.”
“I-i-i..” They look up, unassumingly. Are they messing with you? “Well, I count myself lucky you found me when you did!”
“As do I.” Smiling at you. Their teeth are perfect, they almost look filed. “Me and my servant are readying for dinner. Come join us once you settle yourself. I'd love to have you.”
“Certainly! I'll just uh- be going then!” You stumble over your talons on the way to the stairs. Your heart is still racing as you make your way to your room. That must've been the most beautiful, or handsome, or elegant person you've ever seen in your life. You feel entranced.
Still, there is a gnawing little voice in your head. They're a count, and they can't be a year older than you. And their servant is the same. Not to mention, he's the only servant you've seen! This castle is beautiful and massive and obviously well kept, but you haven't seen anyone else besides them.
Still, what are your options here? Just hope the snow clears and leave in the morning. Then again, why be so scared? Are you seriously going to run away from them because your scared of.. what? Ghosts? Ghouls? A well kept house? Maybe steel yourself a little.
You gawk at your room. It makes your entire house look like a hovel. Even the wardrobe, who needs this many clothes? You give yourself a quick preening and try to pick out an outfit. What even are dinner clothes in a place like this? You throw on something you think of as fancy and make your way downstairs.