Chapter 527: Family is Complicated
…A century before the Schism…
The halls of the Viridian Keep stood tall, the limestone pillars reached two dozen meters high. Cold light filtered from the high glass-stained windows depicting heroic acts of Paragons of old. The Keep had been built not only as the greatest stronghold of the knight’s order but as a symbol of their power.
Every knight who walked down the grey halls would feel like a child in the halls of giants. Each of them would look up at the Paragons of past ages and dream of one day earning the right to stand among their legends.
Melantha had forgotten how many times she had passed by these halls and dreamt the same dream. And yet now, as she walked past, she couldn’t help but feel as if the walls of the Keep no longer felt grand nor daunting. They felt— small.
She reached the end of the hall and took a brief moment to gaze at the giant marble statues in front of her; saints standing proud in all their glory. Sighing to herself, she took a sharp turn down another hall, without bothering to offer a small prayer to the saints as was customary.
Her secretary stood pacing anxiously around outside her office quarters, an empty sheath in his hands. Melantha raised her eyebrow. “What are you doing in front of my door?”
“My Lady, you’re back!”
“Yes, the council’s meeting finished early. Now, what are you doing?”
“Oh. Uh, you have a visitor.”