It was hardly the first time that the Knight-Captain of the City Guard had paid a visit to the Duke's Keep, but even so, as he approached it this time he found himself feeling rather different about this visit in particular. Even as the men at the front gate ushered him by and he made his way past the barbican into the keep's central courtyard, the Northerner had to rather purposefully alter his course from the main keep off toward the small tower tucked away in the corner and he felt a chill run up his spine as he did so.<br/><br/>He'd never before been called before the Arch-Mage, but Quillion had requested this meeting and he'd been left with little option but to answer. Part of him knew that it was almost certainly related to some matter of court or some task that the Arch-Mage had for the Guard, but even so, Doryn couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was stepping into a situation out of his depth. It was part of the reason he'd made sure to bring Fredriech with him to the meeting, even though he knew that the hulking armored form of his most intimidating companion was unlikely to be particularly intimidating to the magus. In fact, he rather imagined the Fredriech wouldn't even be allowed into the meeting proper...<br/><br/>...but, even so, Doryn felt safer having him along.<br/><br/>There was no one to meet them at the door when they finally arrived at the base of the Tower, though he very much doubted that the Magus didn't know that he was on his way. It was a lack that saw Sir Aelland on-center for a few minutes before he finally decided to knock on the door... at which point, almost immediately, it was answered by a scarred man whose lips turned upward just a tick when he saw the way that Doryn started before gesturing for them to come with. Taking a deep breath, Doryn proceeded after, letting Fredriech take up the rear and closing the door behind them.<br/><br/>"Do you know what this is about?" Doryn asked, somewhat impatiently.<br/><br/>The fellow, whose name Sir Aelland didn't know, simply shook his head,-- gestured at his throat, shaking his head sadly,- in a manner that Doryn quickly took to mean 'I cannot speak.'<br/><br/>"...Oh.." Doryn said, clearly put quite a bit out of sorts.<em>Did the Arch-Mage take this man's speech?!</em>"Let us continue on then. The sooner this is done..."<br/><br/>They continued up several flights of stairs until, finally, they reached a sitting room of some sort which is when their guide made it quite clear that Fredriech wasn't to go any further... and that Doryn was to proceed up the final flight of stairs by himself.. the speechless fellow looking rather amused at how unnerved the Northern seemed to be by all of this. Of course he was unnerved! There was nothing about this that wasn't frightening and in truth Doryn would very much rather be.. anywhere else than right here at this moment. He sighed, softly,--<br/><br/>"--alright, Fredriech, make yourself comfortable. I'm not sure how long I'll be."<br/><br/>The tall armored man simply nodded, moving to take up a place in a corner of the room, the same location that Doryn would undoutedly see him in when he made his way back down. If he made his way back down from the Arch-Mages' quarters whole and sound of mind, at least, a fact that Doryn didn't see as in any way assured. The mute simply smiled softly, gesturing for Doryn to go, and finally the Northerner just gave him a glare and made his way up the stairs.<br/><br/>This last staircase was relatively small compared to the ones before, merely circling around what must have been the very top of the tower before opening up in Arch-Mage Quillion's personal quarters.<br/><br/>"I am here, as summoned," Doryn said, his voice quieter than it might normally be, glancing around to take in his new environs before he finally spotted the Arch-Mage himself. He looked... rather more distinguished a gentleman than the Knight-Captain would have guessed. Indeed, if Doryn didn't know better, he'd swear this was someone's kindly old grandfather.. or the firm patriarch of a prominent family, perhaps.. rather than a master of forbidden arcane secrets. "..a pleasure to meet you, Arch-Mage..."