Still the 7th of February, that evening
Oh, Book, I forgot to tell you about something before…
You see, Torech Besruth – The Lair, of course – has a number of secrets that Naneth commands, and one of them is the Sanctum. That’s her secret room at the top of the tallest spire of the manor. You can only get to it through a door that she enchanted, it’s made to look like the library shelves. But when you speak the right words, the door opens, and you can climb the tower to the Sanctum.
Now a month or two ago, I was reading something in the Gallery; and Naneth didn’t see me as she walked into the antechamber. And I heard her quite clearly speak the passwords, and the door opened then closed behind her. Well, I repeated the words over and over until I memorized them, and I waited.
A few days later, Naneth was visiting Duillond, so there was my chance. When I was sure she was gone, I snuck back into the chamber, faced the wall and said, “Doors of the Blood-queen, open at my word.”
...and nothing happened.
I tried several times, Book, and I couldn’t do it. But then, I realized it wasn’t what you say, it’s how you say it! The voice Naneth spoke the command in was angry – you had to be angry to open the door! So I tried once more, and I nearly shouted the words:
“Fennas Seregrían! Edro na beth nin!!”
And wouldn’t you know it, the door slid open, and there was the staircase! And even though I was a little nervous – no, a lot nervous – I climbed the stairs and entered the Sanctum, alone!
But it was the strangest thing, Book. The Sanctum isn’t scary at all. It’s a library, kind of dimly lit but with a huge study desk that has the light of many candles, giving it a warm glow to read by. The room takes up the whole space of the tower, bookshelves lining every wall except two: one is right behind the desk with a white chair. On the wall behind the desk is a window with red glass; during daylight, it makes the whole room look like it’s painted in blood.
The other space is off to the side, where there’s a painting with candles in front of it. The painting is of cliffs by the seashore, with storm clouds over it. The flickering candles make it look like the water is moving, if you look at it just the right way.
And just next to the study desk is a cradle, actually a display rack; and there are two things there. A sword of Elvish make is sheathed and sitting in a cradle. And above it in its own cradle is Naneth’s staff! It’s just like I’ve seen and heard tell: the long shaft of holly and oak, and the head of the staff made of ithildin. Funny how something so pretty can be so lethal…
The study desk was littered with books and scrolls and loose notes. There doesn’t seem to be any sorting or organized pattern to her research at all! I picked up a few pages and snuck a look at an open book. Some of these are letters to other people; one to the Dwarves of Thorin’s Gate, I saw one she got from Mistress Parfiolossë, who is the Archivist at Duillond. But I saw an unopened scroll and I recognized the name on it. It was from an Elf named Cormanor, from Rivendell – and I opened it carefully and read that he told Naneth how he liked meeting me there!!
Cormanor wrote Naneth telling about how I snuck into Rivendell! Seven Stars, she can’t know!
I panicked and holding the letter, I ran down the stairs to the open bookcase door – and purely by accident, my hand touched the wall near the doorframe, and it tripped the closing. I saw the door began to close on me, and I squeezed through the gap just as the bookcase slammed shut.
I did it, Book – I know how to enter the Sanctum, I know how to open and close the doors, and I dodged an arrow about Naneth knowing I left on my own adventure! Pure chance, I hope…
