Enchantyon: Welcome Home
Chapter Three: Welcome Home

Lalauri Imafenduwell

The Old Aureate Wing

Imafenduwell Hall

The grandeur of the architecture in the city-state never ceased to amaze Lalauri. As always, it struck her upon her arrival. The buildings were a fusion of intricate designs, with towering spires and rounded domes. Ornate details abounded wherever she looked, from the towering columns and cornices to the intricate stone masonry and even the wrought-iron railings.

Even as she carried Keridwen through the streets of Aureate towards the Hall, she couldn’t fully ignore the stunning artistry and creativity that surrounded her. The buildings were like works of art, each one showcasing a unique style and flair. The streets were a symphony of sounds, with machinery whirring, metal clanging, and voices shouting as artisans and inventors worked to innovate. And she remembered that at night, those same streets were lit with ornate iron street lanterns that bathed it all in a warm glow.

“Miss Lalauri?”

The whole thing was a melding of styles and eras that were clear in the architecture—a flagrant opulence and glamour in the city-state’s brasspunk style. There were hints of the past, with curlicues, filigrees, and gargoyles adorning every surface, but also elements of something more modern; sleek lines and shimmering glass, sharp lines and gleaming brass. Every building seemed to tell a story; from the city’s own towering, infamous Dwarven Clock Tower with its intricate gears and cogs, to the ornate theatre halls, restaurants, and workshops, all with their own marquees of sparkling glass and polished brass.

“Um, ahem! Excuse me? Ma’am? Beg your pardon?”

The ornamentation of the city-state was seamlessly integrated with the swirling and defined geometrical designs found in these sections. Ugh! Lalauri could never help but feel a sense of wonder and admiration for whatever forces had built this place—those who had taken different styles and fused them together into something truly unique! And everywhere she looked, there was evidence of innovation and ingenuity. Even Imafenduwell Hall had its own unique addition to this style, with its brasshulks—massive automaton machines built with gleaming, ornate brass plates and glowing power components—that patrolled over the halls. Lalauri always felt inspired and awed after leaving the city, as if its energy had seeped into her soul.

“Miss Lalauri!” shouted a voice from below her somewhere. “Your tea is ready!”

The physical presence of Imafenduwell Hall in real-space was anchored to a region of the city known as “Old Aureate”, with one of its wings. The city’s oldest quarter itself is a sight to behold, with its architecture featuring domes and arches that reach for the heavens, intricate patterns, polished marble, and delicate mosaics that dance across the facades, all of which create an impression of divine artistry. Sunlight passed through beautiful stained-glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic hues onto the cobblestone streets. One can almost feel the pulse of ancient wisdom and modern ingenuity coalescing. Steam whispered through hidden vents, adding a touch of mystique to the air. The city’s rich tapestry of cultures was clear in the mingling scents of burning coal and exotic spices that filled the air and—

From somewhere behind her, a loud horn erupted with a thunderous sound. Lalauri screamed, whipped around, and found that a small, blue, four-armed creature had been trying repeatedly to pass her a pipping hot teacup.

"What?" Lalauri exclaimed as he pulled her head out of the clouds and back to Enchantyon unceremoniously. “Oh! Yes, of course! Thank you, Cecil!” Lalauri took the teacup from the nulliwump and drank deeply from the bumbleberry tea within it. After having a long, satisfying sip of the tea, Lalauri sighed. “Wonderful. Now then, where did Keridwen get to? Ah, there you are, Little One.”

The little girl in question was busy examining every inch of Cecil—one of the nulliwumps employed in Lalauri’s service at the Hall. Nulliwumps were a four-armed people covered in coloured fur and were typically around three-feet-tall. They also had bear-like faces and two cat or dog-like ears on the tops of their head. Cecil Bramblefur—one of the more wizened of the Nulliwumps at the Hall—was a light blue nulliwump with brass glasses and a tiny suit. Alongside him in the foyer were the rest of his family; his wife, Isolde Bramblefur, one of their daughters, Elara Hoppenmieser, her husband, Eldon Hoppenmieser. Standing next to Elara and Eldon was their son, Thumper, who was bouncing up and down with excitement.

“They’re all adorable!” Keridwen shrieked, being sure to give poor Cecil a giant hug and burying her face into his fluffy fur on the side of his head.

“Oh! Well—why thank you, young Miss.” Said Cecil with a warm smile as he hugged her back.

“Now Keri, Cecil’s family here is going to give you a tour of the Hall. Be sure to stay close to them. Do you understand? Do not wander off on your own. Understand?”

Keridwen’s nod signalled the start of the little girl’s journey, and Lalauri waved as the nulliwumps led her down the maze-like corridors, her laughter fading into the distance. They would show the little girl how the manor was massively bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. They would explain to her how the different wings of the Hall mysteriously and seamlessly connected across to other parts of Tesardess, thanks to some of the most sophisticated of ancient Dwarven technology. Keridwen would see the gardens, the ballroom, her own spacious bedroom, and every fantastical location in-between.

“I understand we’ll be needing a new front gate, Miss Lalauri?” came Cecil’s voice, once again disconnecting her from her thoughts. “I also take it that Councillor Gausswinder was finally able to, err…finally get a chance to speak with you about her inquiry.”

“Yes. She did.” Lalauri walked out of the foyer and down the hallways. “I gathered by your letters there have been multiple attempts on her part to achieve that while I was away? Any serious damage that I should know of?”

“No, nothing serious, Ma’am. Several times, some of her peacemaker stooges tried to actually sneak into the Hall, but they were quickly dispelled with the countermeasures we have in place.”

“Good.” Said Lalauri, finishing her tea as she sat at the small table in one of the Hall’s smaller and cozier kitchens. Dressed in uniforms of blue, white, and polished brass, the peacemakers mentioned here were none other than the official law enforcement arm of the government. “We will have to do something about those two, though—Gausswinder and Grimshaw. How did they even find the Hall’s location through the cloaking measures?”

“I’m afraid I’m still not sure of that, Miss.” Said Cecil, sitting at the table across from her, placing all four of his hands onto his lap.

“Well, we might actually have some additional help with the security around here.”

“You’re hiring guards, then?”

“Not exactly. You see, in addition to the young ward I collected towards the end of my campaign alongside the Church, she also came with…guards dogs.”

“Guard dogs?”

“Celestial guard dogs, actually.”

“Celestial—?!” Cecil, his eyes wide, jumped up, standing his chair. “Miss, are you saying there are ghosts inhabiting the Hall now?!” The poor old nulliwump had a terrible fear of anything resembling a ghost.

“Cecil, relax! Calm down! There’s nothing to worry about. They’re here to protect Keridwen, so they won’t hurt you. Razzalar? Razzalar? Could you and the other Hounds show yourselves for a moment and introduce yourselves to Cecil, please?”

When no response came, Cecil suggested, “…Perhaps they got left behind when Miss Keridwen whisked you away from Schneebrücke…?”

Lalauri’s eyebrows furrowed as she thought about that for a moment. “No…no I think they’re probably just floating around wherever Keridwen is now. They really are here for her more than anyone else, after all.”

“Um…uh, I…uh, is that…is that a safe idea? To let ghosts just casually roam through our home? What if they turn out to be poltergeists?!”

“Not poltergeists, Cecil. The Hounds of Twilight are celestials.”

After spending some time calming Cecil down, Lalauri could finally leave him to carry on with his duties, free from distraction. That would not have ended well for him.

When the matter was eventually settled, Lalauri went to check where Keridwen and the other nulliwumps were with their tour. She found them outside in one of the Hall’s courtyards. Concealed from view, Lalauri saw the little human and Thumper frolicking in the company of dozens of friendly butterflies during the waning hours of that sunny afternoon. Lalauri guessed they had been diving into dirty bushes to find the butterflies, judging by the amount of dirt and brambles on them, but they didn’t seem to care. She tried not to worry too much about this, though. Thumper’s parents would ensure that the two got cleaned up enough to enter the Hall again when they finished playing.

Somehow, Lalauri just knew that the girl would love it here, and she was very much ready to get settled back into her routine of things at Imafenduwell Hall; sleeping in and waking up well into the morning—maybe get out of bed around 10 AM at the earliest and then starting the morning off by having her favourite breakfast: Bumbleberry tea and blueberry pancakes. She would also read her copy of The Scriptures while she ate her breakfast. She would then spend most of her day working on her miniatures, depicting war and battle scenes from history, some of which she had experienced. Then, after that, she would read and tidy up the more neglected areas of the Hall. Or perhaps even just revisiting these parts of the Hall to see what she can find that she had forgotten. Finally, she would end the day by reading the Scriptures again before bed.

Lalauri wasn’t naïve, though. She was certain that having a child around would change things somewhat. However, with help from the nulliwumps, it would be manageable. She savoured the taste of her favourite tea from her treasured teacup, feeling a sense of peace after months of worrying about the little girl.

And it was truly good to see such a bright smile on Keridwen’s face, too. It was the first time she had ever seen Keridwen this happy since she came under her care. Lalauri left the courtyard and made her way inside the Hall, her heart lifted by the sound of Keridwen’s infectious laughter following her down the corridor.

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