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sealieThey found Mr. Coates taking a break. He sat in an office chair next to a small computer in a narrow room off the main entrance. The sight of an old man in an old castle sipping tea and surfing Ebay made Jim smile.
Manda’s grandfather gave them permission with a dismissive wave and Jim let Blair take the lead… until Blair turned toward down the circular staircase the orbs had gone down.
“Chief.” Jim pointed up a spiral staircase. “Up first, then the catacombs.”
“What? Nuh uh,” Blair flicked his gaze down the staircase longingly. “I want to check out those artifacts.”
“They’ll still be waiting. It’s probably been more than a thousand years since anyone’s even cared about them, another hour won’t matter.” Jim slipped by the smaller man and started climbing.
“God, you’re such a jerk sometimes.”
“I heard that.”
“Well, du-ah, man.”
The next level up held a regal center room with a vaulted ceiling that rose three stories high. Uneven hand cut stones fit snugly together and Jim couldn’t help but let his gaze roam over the muted pattern of colors in the weathered old rock walls. He could almost picture colorful banners hanging from the narrow balcony windows set high near the ceiling. Those windows probably held the King’s archers, armed and ready with crossbow should the king’s life become threatened unexpectedly.
Jim wandered into the middle of the now bare room and turned slowly, taking in the rich past, wanting to soak it into his skin. He closed his eyes and listened to the echoes bounce off the stones, echoes of Blair’s glee as he explored an off shoot of the room through an arched doorway.
“Hey, Jim! Come look.”
Jim ducked his head, was everyone a munchkin back in the tenth century? Blair was leaning into a thick window casement, peering out a slim window.
“It’s the king’s chambers. Can you believe how small it is?”
“Easier to heat.” Jim noted the massive fireplace, the small bed off at one end. The floor would have been lined with thick rugs of animal pelts, soft and warm. Tapestries would have covered the stone walls, rich in color and probably telling a tale of bravery or beauty. He followed a narrow corridor that turned and ended with a bench and an all too familiar open seat.
Blair crowded his shoulder. “The royal loo.”
Jim looked down the opening. No pipes, just a pit to the floors below. “I think the dungeon is down there.”
“Puts a whole knew spin on the term ‘taking crap from above’,” Blair spoofed.
“Can it, Junior.”
Blair followed him back to the main chamber, snickering. “Don’t dump on me, man.”
Jim grinned. “I’m not *wasting* my humor on this.” He started up the spiral staircase to the next level.
Blair followed, pondering, then his face glowing as he topped the pun-fest. “ I’m dung with this conversation.”
Jim stopped and turned, looking down with arched eyebrows. “That doesn’t count. You changed the word.”
Blair made a fist and lightly slugged his shoulder. “Not everything has rules, Jim. Just have some fun.” He grinned as he raced up, passing Jim on the inside.
They explored the balcony corridors, looking down at different angles at the main hall. Finding the access to the roof, they endured the drizzle and looked out over the city skyline. Jim tried to compare them with the view of Cascade from the loft, but failed. Going back inside the found the ‘well room’ and peered down into the brackish water. The sign said the well was nearly a hundred feet deep.
Finally Jim let Blair lead them down to the lower parts of the Keep. The chapel was housed to one side, shared by the room the king’s garrison lived. They wandered down a corridor, through another low doorway and a narrow spiral staircase leading to a subterranean level. The air grew cold and smelled of earth, mildew and decay. A single wire, incased in a heavy insulated cable powered a line of low watt bulbs which cast a yellow light. The prickly feeling returned, like invisible fingers stroking Jim’s bare arms and neck.
On cue, the orb appeared.
“What’s wrong?” Blair asked in a hush when Jim grabbed his arm and stopped him. They were only a few steps away from the end of the stairs, the stone floor landing visible.
Jim didn’t answer. The light orb was only a few feet from Blair, yet the younger man acted like it wasn’t there.
“Jim?” Blair glanced around them, looking right at and passing over their visitor. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Jim answered after a second or two. “Just be careful, the steps are slippery.”
Manda’s grandfather gave them permission with a dismissive wave and Jim let Blair take the lead… until Blair turned toward down the circular staircase the orbs had gone down.
“Chief.” Jim pointed up a spiral staircase. “Up first, then the catacombs.”
“What? Nuh uh,” Blair flicked his gaze down the staircase longingly. “I want to check out those artifacts.”
“They’ll still be waiting. It’s probably been more than a thousand years since anyone’s even cared about them, another hour won’t matter.” Jim slipped by the smaller man and started climbing.
“God, you’re such a jerk sometimes.”
“I heard that.”
“Well, du-ah, man.”
The next level up held a regal center room with a vaulted ceiling that rose three stories high. Uneven hand cut stones fit snugly together and Jim couldn’t help but let his gaze roam over the muted pattern of colors in the weathered old rock walls. He could almost picture colorful banners hanging from the narrow balcony windows set high near the ceiling. Those windows probably held the King’s archers, armed and ready with crossbow should the king’s life become threatened unexpectedly.
Jim wandered into the middle of the now bare room and turned slowly, taking in the rich past, wanting to soak it into his skin. He closed his eyes and listened to the echoes bounce off the stones, echoes of Blair’s glee as he explored an off shoot of the room through an arched doorway.
“Hey, Jim! Come look.”
Jim ducked his head, was everyone a munchkin back in the tenth century? Blair was leaning into a thick window casement, peering out a slim window.
“It’s the king’s chambers. Can you believe how small it is?”
“Easier to heat.” Jim noted the massive fireplace, the small bed off at one end. The floor would have been lined with thick rugs of animal pelts, soft and warm. Tapestries would have covered the stone walls, rich in color and probably telling a tale of bravery or beauty. He followed a narrow corridor that turned and ended with a bench and an all too familiar open seat.
Blair crowded his shoulder. “The royal loo.”
Jim looked down the opening. No pipes, just a pit to the floors below. “I think the dungeon is down there.”
“Puts a whole knew spin on the term ‘taking crap from above’,” Blair spoofed.
“Can it, Junior.”
Blair followed him back to the main chamber, snickering. “Don’t dump on me, man.”
Jim grinned. “I’m not *wasting* my humor on this.” He started up the spiral staircase to the next level.
Blair followed, pondering, then his face glowing as he topped the pun-fest. “ I’m dung with this conversation.”
Jim stopped and turned, looking down with arched eyebrows. “That doesn’t count. You changed the word.”
Blair made a fist and lightly slugged his shoulder. “Not everything has rules, Jim. Just have some fun.” He grinned as he raced up, passing Jim on the inside.
They explored the balcony corridors, looking down at different angles at the main hall. Finding the access to the roof, they endured the drizzle and looked out over the city skyline. Jim tried to compare them with the view of Cascade from the loft, but failed. Going back inside the found the ‘well room’ and peered down into the brackish water. The sign said the well was nearly a hundred feet deep.
Finally Jim let Blair lead them down to the lower parts of the Keep. The chapel was housed to one side, shared by the room the king’s garrison lived. They wandered down a corridor, through another low doorway and a narrow spiral staircase leading to a subterranean level. The air grew cold and smelled of earth, mildew and decay. A single wire, incased in a heavy insulated cable powered a line of low watt bulbs which cast a yellow light. The prickly feeling returned, like invisible fingers stroking Jim’s bare arms and neck.
On cue, the orb appeared.
“What’s wrong?” Blair asked in a hush when Jim grabbed his arm and stopped him. They were only a few steps away from the end of the stairs, the stone floor landing visible.
Jim didn’t answer. The light orb was only a few feet from Blair, yet the younger man acted like it wasn’t there.
“Jim?” Blair glanced around them, looking right at and passing over their visitor. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Jim answered after a second or two. “Just be careful, the steps are slippery.”
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-19 04:03 am (UTC)