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“You can leave if you want, but I can't,” you tell Elle, shaking your head, “There's something strange going on here, and I won't leave until I find out exactly what. Besides, this seems like exactly the kind of trouble that King Albrecht would want us to get into.”
“Explain your reasoning, please,” Elle asks, giving you a pained look, “Please.”
“Something strange going on with one of the noble families,” you remark, giving her a teasing grin, “How much do you want to wager that we'll find some Tomoe involvement lying at the bottom of all this?”
“Please no,” she pleads, finally relenting with a sigh. Looking from the portrait of Guilder Martense back to Jan, a smile creeps back onto her face. “I know why you won't leave,” she whispers, leaning a little closer, “And it's nothing to do with what King Albrecht may or may not want.”
“Oh, you know better than I do, do you?” you ask in mock surprise, “Did the Emanations come down and whisper it in your ear?”
“They didn't need to. You're not as difficult to read as you'd like to think,” Elle teases, “You don't want to leave your friend here all alone, do you?”
“First of all, he's more of a professional associate...” you begin, but Elle isn't listening – she's too busy laughing softly to herself.
-
You hear Munroe before you see him, the shuffling sound of his footsteps seeming to echo through the whole manor. The flickering light of his candle comes next, and then the man himself finally emerges into view. “I have informed Master Martense of your visit,” he croaks, “He wished for me to convey his appreciation, and his regrets that he cannot yet greet you himself.”
“Oh,” Jan says softly, his face falling, “Is there anyone else? I mean, ah, is there nobody else who can represent the family?”
“They are also engaged in study with my master.”
“Right, I see,” Ariel remarks, shooting you a cynical smirk, “They're all studying Solitude together. I understand.”
Munroe's watery blue eyes turn to Ariel, fixing on her for a long moment, but he says nothing. Ariel holds firm, only allowing herself to shudder once the servant's eyes have moved away. “I have requested rooms to be prepared for you all,” the servant continues, “Follow me, please. I am sure that you will find them suitable.”
-
“Suitable” might be stretching things a little, but there's a bed and a roof over your head – that fulfils the bare minimum for it to be considered a bedroom. As you're setting down your luggage, you notice the snowflakes whirling outside the window. It looks like the leaden clouds you saw gathering earlier have finally shed their load. At least it makes a nice change from rain.
Leaving the bedrooms behind, you follow Munroe out as he gives you a vague and meandering tour of the manor. At least, you think it's a tour. At some points, it feels more like you're stalking the servant as he creeps through the halls.
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