Chapter 260: Unexpected Discoveries
The work on the castle walls had been progressing steadily for days.
The crew had moved from the roofs to the upper floors, their focus now on the structural integrity of the walls.
Cracks were being filled, weakened sections were being reinforced, and the old stone was being cleaned and restored. It was slow, meticulous work, but it was essential. A castle was only as strong as its walls.
Darion was in the great hall, reviewing a list of supplies with Garren, when one of the workers approached. He was a young man, his face flushed with excitement, his hands still covered in dust.
"M’lord," he said, his voice eager. "We found something. In the... wall. You need to see it."
Darion looked up, his curiosity piqued. "What is it?"
What could this possibly be that a worker would have to run and tell him? These people had been working for days without any complaints or discoveries... until now.
The work had been routine, predictable, the kind of steady progress that didn’t generate surprises. But this was different. Something had been found, and the worker’s excitement was contagious.
The worker shook his head. "I’m not sure. It looks like a door, but it’s been sealed shut for a long time. We uncovered it while we were reinforcing the wall."
Darion set down the list and stood. Garren followed, his expression curious. They walked through the corridors, their steps quick, their minds turning over the possibilities. A hidden door in the eastern wall. What could it mean?
What could it possibly mean? A secret passage? A hidden room? Something left behind by a previous Baron?
The possibilities were endless.
They arrived at the site, where a small crowd of workers had gathered, including Ghan.
They parted as Darion approached, revealing a section of wall that had been partially uncovered. The stones were different here, older, darker, their surfaces worn smooth by time.
In the center of the wall was a faint outline, a rectangle that seemed out of place among the rough stones. It was a door.
Darion stepped closer, his fingers tracing the outline. The stones were solid, firmly in place, but there was a gap between them, a crack that hinted at something behind. He pressed against the wall, feeling for any give. There was none. The door was sealed tight.
"How did you find this?" he asked.
The worker gestured to the wall. "We were reinforcing the section, removing the loose stones to replace them. When we took out one of the stones, we saw there was a space behind it. We kept digging, and we found this."
Darion nodded, his mind racing. A hidden door in the eastern wall. It could be a storage room, a secret passage, or something else entirely. He had to know what was behind it.
"Open it," he said.
The workers set to work, their tools chipping away at the mortar that held the stones in place. It was slow, careful work, the kind that required patience and precision. But eventually, the stones began to shift.
They loosened, one by one, until the outline of the door became clear.
Darion stepped forward and pushed. The door swung open with a groan, revealing a dark space beyond.
He peered inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. It was a room: small, dusty, and filled with shadows.
He could see the shapes of old furniture, the outlines of boxes and crates. The air was still, heavy with the scent of age and decay.
He stepped inside, his boots echoing on the stone floor. Garren followed, his hand resting on his sword.
The room was larger than it had first appeared, its walls lined with shelves and cabinets. Dust covered everything, thick and grey, the accumulation of decades.
In the center of the room was a table, its surface covered in objects : old books, rolled papers, and a few pieces of jewelry.
Darion walked to the table, his eyes scanning the items. There were swords too, two of them, their blades gleaming in the dim light.
They were old, but they were in remarkable condition, their edges still sharp, their hilts intricately carved. He picked one up, testing its weight. It was balanced, well-made, the kind of sword that would not break easily.
He called Garren over. "Look at this."
Garren approached, his eyes widening as he saw the swords. He took one, turning it over in his hands. "These are fine blades. I’ve never seen anything like them in Percvale."
Darion nodded. "They must have belonged to someone important. Someone who wanted to keep them hidden."
He looked around the room, taking in the details. There were boxes of old coins, their surfaces tarnished with age. There were rolls of parchment, their seals still intact. And there was a book, bound in leather, its pages yellowed with time. He picked it up, feeling its weight, its history.
"This is a journal," he said. "Or a letter. Something that was important enough to be hidden."
Garren nodded. "We should take it. Read it when we have time."
Darion tucked the book into his coat. "I will."
He looked at the rest of the room, his mind already turning over the possibilities. A hidden room in the eastern wall, filled with old weapons and documents.
It was a glimpse into Percvale’s past, a reminder that the barony had once been more than just a dying territory. It had history, secrets, and stories waiting to be uncovered.
He turned to Ghan, who had entered the room behind him. "Leave this room as it is. I want it to remain hidden. It could be useful."
Ghan nodded. "I’ll make sure the workers keep it secret."
Darion smiled. This was more than just a discovery. It was a connection to the past, a piece of Percvale’s history that had been waiting to be found.
He would read the journal later, when he had time to sit and absorb its contents. For now, he would let the mystery linger.