Day 6: The Lord's Hall

Day 6: The Lord’s Hall

Aye, the Baron’s hall, some call it the feast hall, but around here we call it the Furnace. You’ll know why soon enough. It sits high in the great tower, windows like arrow slits staring down over all of Frankenberg. From there, the Baron sees everything, and likes to remind us of it.

Used to be a fine place, years back. Hogs roasting on the spits, music from the lute, laughter thick as the smoke. But once the old lord died and this one took his seat, the smell changed. He kept the fires, aye, but not for meat. Now the pits burn for those who’ve tried his patience one too many times. Says it warms his bones to hear a man scream truth.

They say the stones still sweat there at night, as if the heat never left. Me, I don’t go near it. Some fires never go out, no matter how long the hall stands cold.