A morning of words.

I had spent an easy night in the gardens and now stood before the doors, once they had been great trees; now they were great doors, grand in life and grand in death. I reach down and open the door by turning the doorknob and walk into the main foyer again. I notice no doors open or fires burning this time, strange for the time of day.

"Hello?" I tentatively call.

I was meditating when I felt the doors open up in the Darkness and a voice calling. Who could that be at this hour?

Snapping out of my thoughts, I melted in the Shadows and transported myself to the main hall in mere seconds. I appeared away from the voice's sight and walked to him.

"Oui? What is it, young traveler?"

"Are you Sorin?" I ask him, looking around at where he could have come from.

"The girl last night told me to return today, that you would be here. I've been searching you see. I feel strange. My hair and skin prickles all the time, I feel like the mother wolf when she sense another predator, near but not insight." I say hoping my explanation is making some sense.

"I've been traveling for weeks, and now i come to this door step, I know not why or how, but i feel it's where i'm supposed to be." I say shaking my head and leaning against one of the pillars to my right.

I bowed before him and said:

"Yes, I am Sorin Markov, owner of Castel* Markov."

Getting back up, I continued:

"May I ask for more details, please? And, if I am not being impolite, what bring such a nervous feeling to you?"

*Castel is an Old French word for Castle, but I use it as a pun porte-manteau for Castle and Hotel*

"I really cannot explain it. I was brought up in the woods, the forests and the wilds. I've become more in-tune with nature then most humans will ever dream to be, though I'm no vaium." I say, chuckling a bit then growing silent.

"I believe that great events are about to unfold. I have a place in them, if albeit a small one. I know something is going on here. This place is old, it's secrets kept safe." I say, pulling out know stops.

I nodded.

"Indeed, there is a lot of history within these walls. This Castle is almost as old as I am. So, if I followed correctly what you have said so far, you are here because a girl told you to come and because you feel like your destiny will be revealed within these walls?"

Les Humains...

I stood there and kept an eye on him. His talk about this Castle's secrets made me suspicious, though I would never be showing anything of it.

I could tell he was loosing his patience, so i switched tactics.

"Who was that girl earlier and what was that thing she wore over her face?" I ask him, curious as to the nature and meaning of such an adornment.

I raised an eyebrow.

"I think you said she had told you to come here? If so is the case, then you should have the answer yourself, non?"

Something felt off, what was his true intentions? Was he here as a client or was he here to cause troubles?

"I uhm...." I just stand there confused, wondering if It was all just a joke.

"Maybe I should just go?" I say, turning towards the door to leave.

"It is called a mask, or a Kakusu. A Veil to show peaceful intent."

Smiling under my mask, I bowed to Sorin - then the Human.

"I am no one to fear. Nor is he, Sorin."

I bowed before her.

"Mademoiselle. I hope you had a good night."


Turning back to the Human, I said:

"I am sorry, Monsieur. I tend to be a little... suspicious towards those who come early in the morning like you do."

"Rise with the sun, lest he be angry and you perish from the way." I quoted an old saying my father had told me.

"It was a teaching my father taught me, those that sleep late often find themselves in trouble especially in the wilds." I said, looking between the both of them.

"I have so many questions: what is really going on, what do the two of you do here, why was I drawn here, and most importantly" I turn to her, "What is your name?" I ask, the picture of pure curiosity on my face.

"I am Dare Raenin Styll. Sicarian."

I bowed lowly to him, smiling underneath my mask.

"You were drawn by Fate, that which entwines everything together. You will have no fear here."

"The only thing i fear is spending a night here. I wish only for open stars and the feel of the breeze." I say smiling. In truth i felt a strange comfort here, as if I need fear nothing at all.

"So I assume my coming here has purpose?" I ask, looking between the to for the answer to the pressing question.

"I must say, I am curious too about this purpose. I have lived far too long to ignore fate, but even then it seems untranslatable to me. Maybe you could enlighten us on that, Mademoiselle? What has Fate with the three of us now?"

I was becoming curious. I knew nothing happens for nothing, but still... What could bring three individuals as different as us to meet in one place?

I look to her now, still wearing the mask. Why the mask, to hide something or maybe to remain anonymous? I saw no reason to hide ones face, but far be it from me to question the ways of others. I still found it hilarious that they did their business inside on a toilet, such a weird idea.

"I'd also like to know." I say to here, waiting on an answer.

"Well... First, let us see if you are truly to be here. Sorin, will you please help me untie my mask while I remove my gloves?"

Smiling under my mask, I was going to challenge whether or not this human truly belonged here, and if Fate had truly entwined us together.

Ah... May Destiny guide us, and Fate entwine us- Forever different, Always in unison.

I nodded and got behind her to untie her mask, careful to make it fall only on her signal, when the rest of her wrappings would fall off.

I watch now, waiting for the final reveal.

"You know you don't have take it off if you don't want to." I say out of the blue, wondering if i made her uncomfortable pestering her to remove the mask.

"It's fine. Just be prepared to ah... I'm not sure. Just be ready."

Nodding toward Sorin, I yanked my wrappings off quickly.

I took off her mask and took a step back. Were she to shine brightly, I could turn blind for a moment.

I waited a little before returning to where I was first standing, nodding at her sight and waiting for the Human's reaction.

"Well I assumed she had a face." I say looking over her features. "Though I guess I'm mistaken a bit." I say with a smile.

"It still does not answer the question why hide your true self behind a mask." I mean this openly as if were not strange to be see through.

"Because most people would see me as a threat, and attempt to take my life."

Nodding toward Sorin, I smiled.

"However, there are a few, including the man I love, that accept me as I am. It would seem that you are one of these men."

I nodded.

"In this Castel, people are accepted as they are. There is no discrimination nor racism. All are equal here."

"Well i think this place may actually grow on me, but i haven't noticed that many people come and go from here." I say looking around the mostly empty foyer.

"Surely you must have many guests and such staying here?" I say, still a bit lost in all of this but trying to make polite conversation.