Master sweeps through the door with such speed that for a moment I find myself alone with the woman at the desk. Her eyes wander to me for a moment and rake my form with distaste. I quickly follow master into the next room. My senses are instantly barraged with color and light. Both sides of the walkway are lined with podiums covered in the colors and uniforms of each of the ten high houses of the Empire. Their emblems emblazoned on every piece of clothing and weapon. Garish hues of lime green, orange, and violet assault my eyes as we make our way down the narrow path. Master stands proudly among the styles of years past.

" Do you know what these represent?" He asks and turns to look at me. I let my eyes slide over each exhibit until I find what I am looking for. "These are the house colors and symbols of the ten great houses. In the time of Emperor Filius ten great people stepped up to assist him in his dream of uniting the world. They stood by him through every win and every loss until eventually his dream was realized. Their descendants are now the most powerful families in the world." I walked over to a stand covered in green and blue costumery with a willow tree carved into shields and the hilts of swords. "These are the colors of your family, the Connelys."

He smiles and nods his head. "Yes completely right!" He also approaches his families finery and stares at it with a shine in his sea green eyes. "Were you taught this by your governess or did you learn it from being in my home?" I glanced across the hall to the pink and purple sunrise colors of the Montet family in thought. "A little of both. All slaves are given the education of family status as childeren, but I also have learned very much being in your... care." I say smoothly. He gestures toward the other end of the room and we continue on to the next area. This is a great hall with soaring ceilings and contraptions hung from the rafters seeming to fly strait at you. Rows upon rows of glass cases line the room, and the path lazily flows by each one. Everything is laid out seemingly according to when in history it was from. Some of the great monster skeletons greet us at the entrance to the room. I gaze at them in wonder, and this seems to catch master's attention. "Do you know what these are?" He asks quietly. I look to him and down to the floor before shaking my head. "I assume they are from pre-history, something that slaves have no need to be taught." He makes a slight hmmm sound and clasps his hands behind his back. "These were what are called dinosaurs. They were great lizards that wandered this world long before man. Some ate foliage, but many hunted and fed upon others. Such fascinating creatures, it is a shame that your people are never told about them." He continues past the great skeletons and I shuffle after him, looking up at them as we pass. Many of the first glass cases hold artifacts found in caves that show how early people used to live and survive a harsh world. Then the next few cases showed wooden and stone tablets with ancient carvings depicting the first written words of man. Maps littered many surfaces showing how some areas started to grow crops and domesticate animals. So much information lay within one spot that told of thousands of years of progress. I want to read everything and scour each map, but master slowly passed everything with barely a glance. One exhibit catches my attention. The colors of the empire are gracefully draped over an immaculate case containing a painting of the coronation of the first Emperor. Relics and finery line the shelves and floor of the case. As we continue by we pass ancient fashions and weapons before coming to a case that held a face that I never wished to see again. The face of Emperor Filius. The man who conquered the world, and seemingly started my vicious cycle of life. An imitation of his travel gear was hung beside his portrait, and other personal effects were set in random spots of the case. My eyes wandered to the case just next to the Emperor's and I froze in place. The most horrible light-colored eyes glared at me from the case in the middle of a group of ten portraits. Each one with a symbol painted onto the right breast of each person. My eyes skim a handsom young man with a willow tree on his chest before they lock back on the eyes of one man. My breath seems to catch in my throat. In the back of my mind I here a low scoff. " Look here Oram..." I can almost see his face contort into a sneer within the painting. "...a little worm come to the surface..." 

"Meredith?"

I am jolted back into the present and I look up to see master looking at me expectantly. "Forgive me for my mindlessness." I keep my head down and fold my hands in front of me. "Oh you are quite alright. I was just asking what your thoughts were about these portraits."