Chapter 257: Ghan Returns
The morning sun had barely crested the horizon when the watchman’s voice echoed from the castle gate.
Two knights actually, who watched the castle gate in the night as formal protection. The knights in the barracks rotated to do so, taking shifts throughout the night to ensure that no one approached the castle unseen.
It was a simple system, but it worked. Darion had made sure that the castle was never left unguarded, even when everyone else was asleep.
Darion was in the great hall, a half-eaten piece of bread in his hand, when the guard burst through the door.
"M’lord! The mason is here. With his crew. And wagons. Lots of wagons."
Darion set down the bread and stood. He hadn’t expected Ghan to return so soon.
The mason had said within the week, but this was barely two days later. Either he had been eager to start, or he had already had everything prepared and was waiting for the opportunity.
Darion walked to the castle entrance, his steps quick, his heart beating a little faster. He had been waiting for this moment, imagining what it would look like when the renovations finally began. And now it was here.
He stepped outside and stopped.
The courtyard was filling with people and wagons.
Ghan’s crew was larger than he had expected, eleven men, each one moving like they knew what they were doing pretty well.
They were dressed in sturdy work clothes, their faces weathered by years of outdoor labor. Some carried tools over their shoulders, others led horses that pulled heavily laden wagons.
Ghan himself was at the front, his confident stride unmistakable. He was dressed in practical clothes, his sleeves rolled up, his hands calloused. He spotted Darion and broke into a smile.
"Baron Darion!" he called out. "I told you I’d be back soon."
Darion walked forward, extending his hand. "You said within the week. This is faster than I expected."
Ghan clasped his hand firmly. "I had already gathered most of my materials before I met with you. I was waiting for the right job. When Garren showed me your castle, I knew it was the one."
Darion looked past Ghan at the wagons.
They were loaded with timber, stone, and bundles of tools. The horses were sturdy, well-fed animals, their coats glossy from good care. The crew moved with purpose, their steps confident, their eyes scanning the castle with professional interest.
"Eleven men," Ghan said, following Darion’s gaze. "Plus myself. That’s twelve in total. I could have brought more, but this is enough to get started. We’ll bring in extra hands as needed."
Darion nodded. Twelve men. It seemed like a good number, enough to make significant progress, but not so many that they would get in each other’s way.
He had been worried about overcrowding, about the chaos of too many people in too small a space. But Ghan had clearly thought this through.
"Show me the castle," Ghan said. "I want to see it again, properly. The first time I was here, I was mostly focused on the structural assessment. Now I want to see the details."
Darion nodded and led him inside.
---
The castle was quiet, its halls empty, its rooms waiting. Garren was not around, he had gone with some senior knights and Seren to get food for the castle.
Food supplies were running low, and they had gone to a nearby settlement to restock. It was a routine task, but it meant that Darion was alone to handle the mason’s arrival.
Darion walked Ghan through the main areas, showing him the great hall, the kitchens, the corridors, the upper floors.
Ghan moved slowly, his eyes scanning every surface, his fingers running along walls and beams. He made notes in a small book, his hand moving quickly, his observations concise.
"The great hall is in decent condition," he said. "The ceiling needs work, but the walls are solid. The kitchen is functional, but it could use updating. The upper floors are where the real problems are."
Darion nodded. He knew the castle’s flaws intimately: the leaking roofs, the cracked walls, the uneven floors.
He had lived with them for months, had grown used to the drafty corridors and the damp corners.
But seeing Ghan examine them with professional eyes made him realize just how much work was needed. It made him feel embarrassed in a way.
What if he was showing another person that wasn’t Ghan? What if it was a visiting noble, or an ally, or someone whose opinion mattered? The castle would have been a source of shame, a symbol of neglect and decline.
But Ghan was professional, and he didn’t seem to judge. He just saw the work that needed to be done.
As they walked, Darion noticed the crew setting up camp near the castle. They had chosen a patch of open ground, close enough to the castle to be convenient but far enough to avoid disrupting daily life.
Tents were being erected, their canvas walls pale against the grey stone of the castle. Tools were being laid out, their handles worn smooth from years of use.
A temporary workspace was being established, complete with benches and a small forge for sharpening tools.
Darion watched them work, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety.
This was the biggest renovation project Percvale had seen in decades. The previous Barons had let the castle decay, had done nothing to maintain it, had allowed it to fall into disrepair. Now it was being rebuilt, restored, and brought back to life.
Ghan noticed his expression. "It’s a big job," he said. "But we’ll get it done. I’ve done bigger."
Darion nodded. "I trust you."
He trusted him all right, at least he hadn’t run away.
When they had paid half, Ghan had actually come back with tons of materials worth starting the work. That meant something.
It meant he was serious. It meant he was committed. Darion had been worried, and had wondered if Ghan would take the coins and disappear. But he hadn’t. He had shown up, with his crew, his materials, his tools. He was ready to work.
Ghan smiled. "Good. Now let me get my men settled, and we’ll start soon."
Darion looked at the crew, at the wagons, at the tools and materials. It was happening. The renovation was finally happening.