My Father woke me up earlier than usual to get ready. Being late when your job shadowing is a bad idea. My second brother was also getting up since he also worked at the keep. My eldest brother had left yesterday to travel to God knows were to give his sermon. So we left early. This is the first time entering the keep so I looked around closely. The inner gate of the city had a moat and bridge inside with a large defensive structure in the middle. We walked over the bridge and into the inner keep. The place was huge! I wouldn't want to get lost. I wonder what A duke or king sized castle would be... As we walked along we turned many times, so much to the point that I was completely lost. We eventually arrived at a large door. My father opened it. When we went inside there was a chair behind a desk facing the window. You could tell the chair was occupied because their was a hand on a arm of the chair.

“Hello Sir”(Father)

“Hello”(Count)

The count then proceeds to get out of his chair. When he sees me his eyes simply focus on me. From his eyes I can tell he thinks I am just as insignificant as any other servant in the castle. I don't fidget or look nervous at all I gave him the same look he gives me. He eventually looks at my eyes. His left eyebrow goes up slightly.

“You aren't nervous?”

“Why would I be its like your going to cut my head off.”

my answer must have surprised him because his facial expression changes it quickly returns to his original one though.

“Would you like to play a game?”

“Sure”

He tells my dad to bring him something. My dad leaves for a short period and then returns. On the desk he lays what appears to be a chess set board and all. The board is a nine squares by nine squares board. He explains how each piece moves. The front row is the infantry. They can only move forward you can only capture an enemy infantry if you have 2 to there one in the three blocks in front of it. (forward, forward right and forward left) On the outside row or flanks are the knights they can only move forward, sideways, and backwards. Next are the archers. They can destroy pieces three in front of them in exchange for movement. They can only move one in each direction. Next are the healers they can also only move one in each direction but any piece beside them cannot be destroyed. Beside them are the Prince and King. They can move just like a queen in regular chess. Finally in the middle is the castle. It cannot move at all and if taken you lose the game. When I played I noticed something odd. My brain was able to think at a breakneck pace. Able to predict moves that he would or could do. I think my intelligence may have had a play in this. The first game I lost by a small margin. The count having enjoyed the first game played me again. This time I won by a small margin. We played a third time and it was a landslide victory for me. The count chatted with my father the whole time about different things. Eventually my father mentioned a rumour about a young boy who had been doing average healing work in the lower districts for no cost. The counts only comment was

“Tell me again when the kid is 15 so I can hire him as a court healer.”

The rest of the conversations were about financial stuff. From what I heard, the count and the city had had a slow increase of income over the last 5 years. Most likely due to the formation of a new village a couple of hours away. I think the count was quiet surprised when I willingly beat him more than he beat me. For the most part that would be an insult because I am just a commoner. I replied with an excuse of he was to busy talking to my father. The count then had lunch and continued on to a different wing of the keep.

We eventually arrived at a larger then average door. We went inside. In the room were two young women. The first was a human girl with thick long black hair. The second one was an elf that looked like Lola. They were both drinking tea. Wait a minute it WAS Lola. Before I could say anything. The count spoke first.

“This is my daughter Gisa and the Daughter of Mr. Norman”

“Hello ladies I am but a simple commoner named Gilbert Rommel”

“Hello Gilbert my name is Gisa”

“Really Gilbert?” (Lola)

The count seemed surprised with my answer my father however was not.

“Well since two of you already know each other have a fun time.” (Count)

My father and the count then left.

“May I join you lovely girls for a cup of tea?”

“Sure!” (Gisa)

She then poured me a cup of tea. I drank some. It tasted like peach, honestly it was pretty good. The next several minutes were quite. To me it didn't feel uncomfortable. I just sipped away at the tea. The first to speak was Lola.

“So Gilbert I heard from my brother that your not aloud to come into our house.”

“Yup because I'm a commoner.”

“I would have told my father off. But I have been here the last couple of days.”

“Did your dad have a bad sale or something”

“Probably the prices of food keep fluctuating so he can't get stable prices”

“Sounds horrible annoying. Hey Gisa, do you know anything about the churches around here?”

“The Church of Gelders has a tight grip on everything in the kingdom of Gatoma (where we are) the kingdom Herona to the south worships a different church called Ratona Heresy is common in the much larger kingdom of Herona”

“...”

“...”

“Are you a textbook?” (Gilbert)

“Whats a tect book?”

“Never-mind. Do you go to church?”

“Don't you know that your only aloud to go to Church when you turn 15?”

“I did not thank you for informing me. Anyways Lola how is your brother doing he must be bored”

“I think he is more exhausted then bored my father hired a swordsman trainer for Ivo so that he will never get robed by some petty thief. It seems the Instructor has battle experience because he as had a few rounds with the three house guards. He won every time.”

Just at the end of the conversation my dad walked in.

“Gilbert the countess needs to prepare for important company you need to follow me”

We then swiftly left the room and we eventually arrived at the exit of the keep. My father turned around while saying.

“Sorry about sending you home early the count has important company coming”

“That's okay father we can do this again another time.”

I then walked to the outside wall of the keep the guards let me out and I was on my way.