William
They continued in silence for a time, before William finally spoke to Cuthbert.
“What do you mean by Lord Bear?” William asked the young man.
Curtbert looked to William, and than Alyn, before finally looking to William again to speak. “Oh, I forgot, you are not from here,” he said, and looked down for a moment. “Only the clan head is known as Lord Stout here, as it is among all the clans. Your father was known as Lord Bear because that is your House name, but my Uncle is known as Lord Coldwater, but on his own estate they call him Lord Stout sometimes. Not often, but sometimes.”
Alyn cleared his throat, and the young man looked back down as they walked. The reached a long series of stairs, flanked by rows of statues but at the bottom the stairs split and wrapped around the statue of a man holding a shield under one hand resting on the ground, and his other holding his sword. The statue must have been more than fifty feet tall, and the stairs joins back together at the same height his his head. People leaned on the railing as they looked at it.
“How…” William started, and than felt his throat tighten. He shook it off, and continued. “How did you know my father was dead?”
Cuthbert let out a long sigh. “Your father execution was broadcast. We recieved a video feed of it just a few days ago. The whole world is in shock, only the Ancestors know how the rest of Furse Space is handling it, but we have been getting messengers almost daily for weeks know reporting the massacres on worlds across the Commonwealth.”
William looked at Cuthbert. “You mean Karthmere… It happened elsewhere?”
“Yes lord,” Cuthbert nodded. “Dozen of worlds at least. Whole Furse Populations have been wiped out across the Commonwealth. Some worlds have survived, and a few seem to have been lucky enough t escape the carnage… but lord Bear, please this is for Lord Stout to speak of, not me.”
William looked at the young man. He had a thousand questions, but he nodded, and set about climbing the stairs with Alyn, and Cuthbert.
The top of stairs came to to platue which the main stucture of Stout Rise stood on, and yet seemed to barely cover any of. It rose hundreds of feet in the air, and William was awed by the stone, and wood carvings that lined the massive tower. William had no idea how large the base was, it seemed to have several branching wings, but it must have been over two hundred meters above the ground, with steep roofs, and open balconies coming out here, and there. It was beautiful.
“Home,” Alyn said, and made his way towards the structure, and entered the building which was packed with people going about their daily life.
“Welcome,” A hologram said outside the main door. “It is good…”
“Later Duncan,” Alyn said, and moved past the hologram, and into the main lobby. William followed close by, afraid of getting lost.
“This way…” Cuthbert began but was silenced by Alyn.
“I fucking know where her office is, and she can wait,” Alyn said sharply, and continued forward.
In no time they were in a large hall which was clearing for meals. It lay mostly empty, but there were large tables spread out in rows on eitehr side of the large stone hearth which ran the length of it, and throughout that hearth William could see and smell the cooking of beasts as they roast, and the small meal stations, and yet further back he could see the kitchen.
Alyn continued to the back where the kitchen was, and the food stations which clearly held food for all to get up and grab, but now lay empty but for a small section with drinks, snacks, and a few hot items. Alyn reached out, and grabbed a bowl, and filled it with some sort of think soup. He took a deep sniff, and than handed it to William.
“What is it?” William asked as he took the bowl of the black soup, with chucks, and bits of only the ancestors knew what.
“Home Pottage,” Alyn Asnwered as he handed a second bowl to Cuthbert, and grabbed a third one for himself. “Every House, every clan, has their own special pottage, but Stout Rise, well Stout Rise has the best,” he said, and took a bit.
William took a bite of his own, and his eyes widened as he looked at Alyn. “It tastes like mom’s,” he said dumbfounded.
Alyn laughed. “She was a good cook,” he said, and WIlliam could hear, and feel the sadness in his voice.
They ate their bowl of pottage where they stood, and Alyn served them another when he were slapped upside the head by an old woman.
“Did no one teach you manners?” she asked angerily, but her eyes widened when Alyn turned.
“Of course they did, they just did no good,” he said with a grin, and embraced the older woman. “Besides, I was taught to pay my respects to the most important people first,” he said, and the woman slapped him again.
“William this is House Mother XXXXX, she is in charge of things around here. Might not get the glory, but you need something, and she makes it happen.”
“William?” she said, and put a hand on his cheek. “You look like him she said with a soft smile.
House Mother XXXXX looked back to Alyn. “Have you seen Lord Stout yet?”
“Next stop,” The Techno-Mage replied.
“Go, we can visit after. These are fast moving times,” House Mother XXXXX said,
Alyn nodded, and they set the bowls down. William followed Alyn as they entered a lift, and rode it to the top floor where he met the head of clan Stout, Lord Kathleen Stout, and as Alyn had prepared him, he asked for shelter, and was granted it by Lord Stout.
