Total Word Count: 20024
He stood at the base of grand stone steps. They led up to a set of heavy wooden doors attached to a building made of giant stone blocks. Ornate and decorative carvings gave wonder and life to the area. Towers stood tall in the sky keeping watch over the land. Flags waved in the gentle breeze.
"While we call this place Castle Arbus now, that is not its original name," the guide said. "Arbus is the name of the last royal family to rule over these lands. This castle was originally known as the Rounding Stones. Monarchy in this region ended one hundred years ago, but the Arbus family is still around. They have graciously opened the doors to their old home to allow everyone to partake in the history. Now, let's get started up these steps!"
Karda led people through a luxurious castle, at least for the old days. There were signs that the place had been restored. The floors were new wood instead of the original cold stone. Some of the bricks in the wall had to be replaced while one spot was just left open because of historical value.
"Sir," Karda said. "This way, please. Stay with the group."
"Hmm?" a young man said. He was a thin and short velen. His frame made the fins pop out even more. "Oh, I was just looking at these portraits of the kings and queens that ruled over these lands."
"Of course. We will get to see them, but that is a later part of the tour."
"Can't we just skip to this part? I am interested in one particular king."
Karda frowned while beckoning the young man over. "Sir, we have to follow the tour. I know the portrait hallway is very popular, believe me, but we will get to see it later. You don't want to miss all of the other things we have to show. There is a lot of history among the castle, more than just the people that ruled it."
The young man sighed. "Yes, of course. Lead on." He waved the tour guide along. He was only half listening to what was being said. There was something about drafts in the sun room. A tapestry gift from a foreign king. A dog door in the kitchen that was pretty big since the dogs were huge. A conspicuous empty spot on the mantle once held a treasure belonging to a rival king, but that was returned fifty years ago. It was going to be an entirely different tour and a different castle for the people that wanted to see that artifact.
None of it were things he cared about. He also already knew most of the history of Castle Arbus and the old kingdom of Arbus. The man nodded along with what the tour guide was saying. The history matched up to what he already studied. He spent most of the time looking around, getting a better sense of the castle.
What the man really wanted to know about was one particular king, and he felt it would be best to get the information on location. Finally, they were at the portrait hall where all of the old rulers were on display. The janitor that was cleaning the frames stepped aside for the guide to properly show things off. Karda took his time going through all of the kings and queens starting from the earliest one, but the young man jumped ahead.
"Can you tell me about this king, Nikto Arbus III?" he asked. The portrait was of a regal laicar man. He wore a fancy coat with large shoulders. A soft smile was set into his rectangular face. Short brown hair swooped across his head, ending in a charming curl.
The tour guide sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sure. Why not jump ahead for a bit. Though I don't know why you're focused on Nikto III. His rule was largely unremarkable. It was stable and peaceful."
"I'm interested in what happened before he became king, when he was still Prince Nikto." The young man's eyes grew sharp, and his fins flared open. He leaned in with a confident smirk. "What do you think about the tales that this isn't really Prince Nikto? That the real prince died and was secretly replaced so as to not change the order of power within the kingdom?"
Karda waved his hand. "I've heard of those stories, but I think they're just conjecture."
"I don't. Surely you've seen some records that there was a man back then that looked exactly like Prince Nikto. His name was Llan something-or-other."
"I've heard of something like that, but that hardly proves anything."
"Not by itself," the young velen said. "However, there seems to be a concerted effort to erase that man from any historical mentions. I have seen two different versions of census records, one that had him and a later edition that removed him entirely. It wasn't just that, there were other documents that have parts missing entirely that would have mentioned him."
Karda shook his head. "That's nonsense. Why would any documents repeatedly mention a random villager? I've heard all of the theories, but this Llan person just wasn't important enough."
"Not by himself, no, but when you look like the prince, I think people will talk about it. Not only that, I think the switch took place when Prince Nikto became king. There was an uncharacteristic time right after he took the throne where he became reclusive. It wasn't long, but it was noticeable based on his previous behavior."
"He became the king because his father died. I think that's a fine excuse to want to be alone for a bit. Listen, sir, you're holding up the tour."
The other members of the tour didn't seem to mind. They keenly looked on at the conversation, feeling like they were gleaming into something the official story didn't want to be let out.
The young man held out his hand. "My name is Maclos, and I'm a student of history. I've been writing my paper on the Arbus family, and especially on Prince Nikto Arbus III. From all I've researched, I think there is something to the theory that he had secretly been replaced. Are there any official archives here that I can take a look at or something?"
"No," Karda said. "Even if there was, this tour guide is not the place to ask. If you want to speak to the people running the castle, make an appointment." The guide's tone had grown snippy. He looked back at the group. "Come on, now. We do have a schedule to keep. There will be more time for questions and answers later." He glared at the young man. "From others."
The tour moved on going through the different nobles and Arbus family members. Maclos stayed behind, though, staring at the portrait of King Nikto III. He had his arms folded with a frown. While it was true that the idea King Nikto III was really someone else was just a theory, it wasn't as crazy as it seemed. If Maclos could find some sort of proof, one way or another, he could finish his research paper on the subject and present his findings to the education board.
"Hey," a rough voice said.
Maclos looked around. The janitor was looking at him. He was a gruff laicar man that looked older than his body suggested. While he was strong and moved full of vigor, his skin was cracked and wrinkled. A rough white beard covered the lower half of his face. A pair of weary eyes peered out. The nametag on his uniform read, "Daveon."
"Oh, yeah, I know. I'm going back to the group," Maclos said.
"Not that. If you don't want to listen to the tour, I'm not going to make you. Vis knows I've heard it enough times by now." He let out a laugh. A large hand patted Maclos on the back. It was enough to send the scrawny velen into a tumble. "Sorry about that. I heard you wanted to know more about King Nikto III. I've got some story for you if that's the case."
The annoyance in Maclos's face turned to curiosity. "You do?"
"Yeah. Come talk to me after work. I get off at seven, so meet me by the front door if you want to hear something about it." The janitor laughed and nudged Maclos back towards the tour group.
Maclos's interest was piqued. He wanted to know more right then and there, but the janitor had already gone off. The young researcher shook his head and returned to the tour group. Even after everything was, he remained around Castle Arbus. There was a gift shop with replica designs of popular castle paintings, commemorative coasters and more. None of it interested him. It was just tacky things for tourists.
Finally, it was seven in the evening. The sun had set over the castle, but modern lights kept the area bright. The front doors were closed and locked. The staff was cleaning up for the day and preparing for the next. The janitor came walking out of the front, having changed out of his uniform to something more casual and comforting. Rolled up sleeves showed off toned arms.
"Oh, you're here." The janitor waved.
"Yeah," Maclos said. There were hints of annoyance in his voice, and his hands were on his hips. "I hope you have something good to tell me."
"Don't worry. But come. You don't want to talk out here, do you?"
"Where are we going?"
"To the fanciest restaurant around that doesn't need a reservation." The janitor let out a rumbling laugh. "And you're paying, history guy."
"What?" Maclos said. "Why?"
"You don't think you're going to get my story for free, do you?"
The janitor was already walking away. His huge feet thumped on the ground. Maclos ran to catch up to the man's long strides. "Hey, how do I know what you're saying is worth it?"
"You want to know if King Nikto III is really King Nikto III, don't you? I have that answer," the janitor stated. "If you don't want to know, then you don't have to come. I'll just go eat at my usual food cart."
Maclos clenched his teeth and checked his wallet. Being a student of history, he wasn't exactly well off. There was enough money for a meal. Maybe. "No more than one drink," he said.
"Fine."
Castle Arbus was a popular tourist destination, so there were a lot of restaurants around. They were all flashy and bright, but the janitor didn't go to any of them. He chose a small, out of the way place hidden within the local neighborhood. Lively conversation came from the front door. Light slid between the gaps of the shutters. The inside was comfortable with solid, wooden furnishings.
"A table for two," the janitor said to the host.
Once they were seated, the janitor took no time before going through the menu. The waiter hadn't even left before he put in a request for an appetizer first. Maclos was sitting there with his arms folded and teeth grinding.
"Alright, alright, before you start ordering everything, why don't we begin? Nikto III, was he the prince or the pauper?"
The Prince or the Pauper
Prologue
"Welcome, everyone, to Castle Arbus. How is everyone doing today? I hope you are all ready for a day of learning and fun!" A velen dressed in a sharp uniform stood in front of a group of people. He was holding up a flag with a letter on it as an easy visible signal. "My name is Karda, and I'll be your tour guide."He stood at the base of grand stone steps. They led up to a set of heavy wooden doors attached to a building made of giant stone blocks. Ornate and decorative carvings gave wonder and life to the area. Towers stood tall in the sky keeping watch over the land. Flags waved in the gentle breeze.
"While we call this place Castle Arbus now, that is not its original name," the guide said. "Arbus is the name of the last royal family to rule over these lands. This castle was originally known as the Rounding Stones. Monarchy in this region ended one hundred years ago, but the Arbus family is still around. They have graciously opened the doors to their old home to allow everyone to partake in the history. Now, let's get started up these steps!"
Karda led people through a luxurious castle, at least for the old days. There were signs that the place had been restored. The floors were new wood instead of the original cold stone. Some of the bricks in the wall had to be replaced while one spot was just left open because of historical value.
"Sir," Karda said. "This way, please. Stay with the group."
"Hmm?" a young man said. He was a thin and short velen. His frame made the fins pop out even more. "Oh, I was just looking at these portraits of the kings and queens that ruled over these lands."
"Of course. We will get to see them, but that is a later part of the tour."
"Can't we just skip to this part? I am interested in one particular king."
Karda frowned while beckoning the young man over. "Sir, we have to follow the tour. I know the portrait hallway is very popular, believe me, but we will get to see it later. You don't want to miss all of the other things we have to show. There is a lot of history among the castle, more than just the people that ruled it."
The young man sighed. "Yes, of course. Lead on." He waved the tour guide along. He was only half listening to what was being said. There was something about drafts in the sun room. A tapestry gift from a foreign king. A dog door in the kitchen that was pretty big since the dogs were huge. A conspicuous empty spot on the mantle once held a treasure belonging to a rival king, but that was returned fifty years ago. It was going to be an entirely different tour and a different castle for the people that wanted to see that artifact.
None of it were things he cared about. He also already knew most of the history of Castle Arbus and the old kingdom of Arbus. The man nodded along with what the tour guide was saying. The history matched up to what he already studied. He spent most of the time looking around, getting a better sense of the castle.
What the man really wanted to know about was one particular king, and he felt it would be best to get the information on location. Finally, they were at the portrait hall where all of the old rulers were on display. The janitor that was cleaning the frames stepped aside for the guide to properly show things off. Karda took his time going through all of the kings and queens starting from the earliest one, but the young man jumped ahead.
"Can you tell me about this king, Nikto Arbus III?" he asked. The portrait was of a regal laicar man. He wore a fancy coat with large shoulders. A soft smile was set into his rectangular face. Short brown hair swooped across his head, ending in a charming curl.
The tour guide sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sure. Why not jump ahead for a bit. Though I don't know why you're focused on Nikto III. His rule was largely unremarkable. It was stable and peaceful."
"I'm interested in what happened before he became king, when he was still Prince Nikto." The young man's eyes grew sharp, and his fins flared open. He leaned in with a confident smirk. "What do you think about the tales that this isn't really Prince Nikto? That the real prince died and was secretly replaced so as to not change the order of power within the kingdom?"
Karda waved his hand. "I've heard of those stories, but I think they're just conjecture."
"I don't. Surely you've seen some records that there was a man back then that looked exactly like Prince Nikto. His name was Llan something-or-other."
"I've heard of something like that, but that hardly proves anything."
"Not by itself," the young velen said. "However, there seems to be a concerted effort to erase that man from any historical mentions. I have seen two different versions of census records, one that had him and a later edition that removed him entirely. It wasn't just that, there were other documents that have parts missing entirely that would have mentioned him."
Karda shook his head. "That's nonsense. Why would any documents repeatedly mention a random villager? I've heard all of the theories, but this Llan person just wasn't important enough."
"Not by himself, no, but when you look like the prince, I think people will talk about it. Not only that, I think the switch took place when Prince Nikto became king. There was an uncharacteristic time right after he took the throne where he became reclusive. It wasn't long, but it was noticeable based on his previous behavior."
"He became the king because his father died. I think that's a fine excuse to want to be alone for a bit. Listen, sir, you're holding up the tour."
The other members of the tour didn't seem to mind. They keenly looked on at the conversation, feeling like they were gleaming into something the official story didn't want to be let out.
The young man held out his hand. "My name is Maclos, and I'm a student of history. I've been writing my paper on the Arbus family, and especially on Prince Nikto Arbus III. From all I've researched, I think there is something to the theory that he had secretly been replaced. Are there any official archives here that I can take a look at or something?"
"No," Karda said. "Even if there was, this tour guide is not the place to ask. If you want to speak to the people running the castle, make an appointment." The guide's tone had grown snippy. He looked back at the group. "Come on, now. We do have a schedule to keep. There will be more time for questions and answers later." He glared at the young man. "From others."
The tour moved on going through the different nobles and Arbus family members. Maclos stayed behind, though, staring at the portrait of King Nikto III. He had his arms folded with a frown. While it was true that the idea King Nikto III was really someone else was just a theory, it wasn't as crazy as it seemed. If Maclos could find some sort of proof, one way or another, he could finish his research paper on the subject and present his findings to the education board.
"Hey," a rough voice said.
Maclos looked around. The janitor was looking at him. He was a gruff laicar man that looked older than his body suggested. While he was strong and moved full of vigor, his skin was cracked and wrinkled. A rough white beard covered the lower half of his face. A pair of weary eyes peered out. The nametag on his uniform read, "Daveon."
"Oh, yeah, I know. I'm going back to the group," Maclos said.
"Not that. If you don't want to listen to the tour, I'm not going to make you. Vis knows I've heard it enough times by now." He let out a laugh. A large hand patted Maclos on the back. It was enough to send the scrawny velen into a tumble. "Sorry about that. I heard you wanted to know more about King Nikto III. I've got some story for you if that's the case."
The annoyance in Maclos's face turned to curiosity. "You do?"
"Yeah. Come talk to me after work. I get off at seven, so meet me by the front door if you want to hear something about it." The janitor laughed and nudged Maclos back towards the tour group.
Maclos's interest was piqued. He wanted to know more right then and there, but the janitor had already gone off. The young researcher shook his head and returned to the tour group. Even after everything was, he remained around Castle Arbus. There was a gift shop with replica designs of popular castle paintings, commemorative coasters and more. None of it interested him. It was just tacky things for tourists.
Finally, it was seven in the evening. The sun had set over the castle, but modern lights kept the area bright. The front doors were closed and locked. The staff was cleaning up for the day and preparing for the next. The janitor came walking out of the front, having changed out of his uniform to something more casual and comforting. Rolled up sleeves showed off toned arms.
"Oh, you're here." The janitor waved.
"Yeah," Maclos said. There were hints of annoyance in his voice, and his hands were on his hips. "I hope you have something good to tell me."
"Don't worry. But come. You don't want to talk out here, do you?"
"Where are we going?"
"To the fanciest restaurant around that doesn't need a reservation." The janitor let out a rumbling laugh. "And you're paying, history guy."
"What?" Maclos said. "Why?"
"You don't think you're going to get my story for free, do you?"
The janitor was already walking away. His huge feet thumped on the ground. Maclos ran to catch up to the man's long strides. "Hey, how do I know what you're saying is worth it?"
"You want to know if King Nikto III is really King Nikto III, don't you? I have that answer," the janitor stated. "If you don't want to know, then you don't have to come. I'll just go eat at my usual food cart."
Maclos clenched his teeth and checked his wallet. Being a student of history, he wasn't exactly well off. There was enough money for a meal. Maybe. "No more than one drink," he said.
"Fine."
Castle Arbus was a popular tourist destination, so there were a lot of restaurants around. They were all flashy and bright, but the janitor didn't go to any of them. He chose a small, out of the way place hidden within the local neighborhood. Lively conversation came from the front door. Light slid between the gaps of the shutters. The inside was comfortable with solid, wooden furnishings.
"A table for two," the janitor said to the host.
Once they were seated, the janitor took no time before going through the menu. The waiter hadn't even left before he put in a request for an appetizer first. Maclos was sitting there with his arms folded and teeth grinding.
"Alright, alright, before you start ordering everything, why don't we begin? Nikto III, was he the prince or the pauper?"