Roof-haunting martins warm their eggs:
In these, in those the life is stay'd.
The mantles from the golden pegs
Droop sleepily: no sound is made,
Not even of a gnat that sings.
More like a picture seemeth all
Than those old portraits of old kings,
That watch the sleepers from the wall

                                                                               - The Daydream

                                    Alfred Lord Tennyson 

****

On the roof , lay the martin's nest. The bird was perched on the rim of it's nest, with its wings spread , as if it were caught mid- flight.

A carpet of dirt welcomed them in. The air glinted with dust, which shone like left over stars against the dark backdrop of the castle. Smoke hung in the air, from the embers of yesteryear. Tapestries of cob web decorated the walls, on which were hung portraits of proud looking, bearded men with crowns on their heads and skies in their eyes. Their pride had outlasted them and now they were shrouded in gloom. The marble of the fireplace was smeared with soot.

" This place is based on the poem." Hazel said.

" Or rather , the poem is based on the place." Cindy suggested.

" We need to go to the banquet room ."

" Let's go then !"  Amber said excitedly, marching ahead.

Ced gazed at her disapprovingly.  "I don't think she is right in the head, you know." he said, as he followed after Hazel.

The entrance to the banquet saw life at a pause. The butler sat outside the door, while a couple stood at a small distance. Hand in hand, the lovers stood; the man leaning to kiss the woman and a blush, as fresh as red roses, glowed on her face.

"Here sits the Butler with a flask
Between his knees, half-drain'd; and there
The wrinkled steward at his task,
The maid-of-honour blooming fair:
The page has caught her hand in his:
Her lips are sever'd as to speak:
His own are pouted to a kiss:
The blush is fix'd upon her cheek ." Ced whispered.

"How do you remember all the lines?" Hazel asked.

"I memorised most of them." Ced grinned sheepishly.

"He had nothing better to do, obviously." Amber remarked. Ced glared at her.

Cindy pushed the rusted handles of the huge doors.

Pot bellied men stuck their fat bottoms to chairs, sleeping with their mouths open. The air smelled horrid.

" I want to vomit." Amber said.

Ced moved away from her. 

"It won't make you more disgusting than you already are, don't you worry."  Amber said.

Hazel walked up to the foul smelling , fungi infested men with boiled egg heads.

"Each baron at the banquet sleeps
Grave faces gather'd in a ring." Hazel said.

There was a sudden noise of furniture moving against the floor. Hazel almost jumped.

At the door, greeting them with ghoulish smiles, stood the steward and the maid , hand in hand. They had had a makeover. Their skin was grey and rotting, their dresses in rags and hair in a disheveled state. Their eye sockets were a hollow, black chasm.

Hazel was pretty sure it was the 'Beware I am a brain eating zombie' look that they were sporting.

" Looks like they're going to a couple fancy dress." Amber suggested nervously.
And that was when the butler came.

"Aren't we supposed to run already ?" Hazel asked nervously.

" Too late." Cindy replied, nearly as pale as the zombies.

The barons slowly got up from their seats, staring at the intruders with their empty eyes. But none of them moved an inch. They were waiting for someone.

The sudden wind from nowhere made the king's wild locks fly in the air. His great throne rattled vigorously; it was like a demon of earth was being awakened. The grip around the hilt of the royal sword slowly came to life.

The king opened his eyes, just as Hazel said,

" He must have been a jovial king."

Hazel looked to her side. Cindy took aim with  bow in hand. Ced looked ready to push his sword into anyone who approached him, and Amber was armed with...a candlestick.

The maid came running towards Hazel with a butcher's knife. Hazel moved away, but not quick enough to miss the hit. A deep cut formed across her arm.

The maid sneered angrily at her, trying to strike again. Before she could , Hazel jabbed the spear into her lower abdomen. The ghoul wailed in pain but recovered from it, instantly. She charged with greater vigor and speed at Hazel.
Knowing nothing better to do, Hazel put a leg forward to trip her.

She fell on the ground with a thump. Hazel seized the opportunity and pushed the spear through her heart. She ran before the maid was awake again.

She saw the baron come running at Cindy, who landed a kick straight on his soft belly. He coughed , spewing black everywhere.

Cindy twisted his arm. Snap !  The hand came off, as if it were made of rubber. Another baron charged at her. She locked his arm between hers, to break it off.

She ran ahead to break more limbs. Cindy was about to overtake her third opponent, when the butler appeared behind her. An axe in his hand, he inched closer to her.The weapon left his hand and hovered in the air. Confused, he tried to grasp it with his hands. Hazel redirected the axe at him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Amber, as she pushed open a door and rushed through it as a group of zombies followed after her.

Hazel ran after her to help, but soon discovered that she did not need any.

Amber fought like crazy. Hazel realised that they stood in the armory and what was left of the weapons , was encased in glass. Before Hazel could help, Amber tore a bit of the lower half of her dress , bandaging her hand with it.
She pushed her hand right through the glass, breaking it open.

The enemies were approaching. With each step backwards, Amber took a new weapon off the shelf, seemingly aiming them at nothing. But it did her work just right . The ghouls fell down one by one.

She had never seen anyone fight the way Amber did.

A ghoul cornered Amber. She had no more weapons to use. A punch on the nose did just the job. The creature's head was separated from his neck and went catapulting to the other end of the room.

****

The swords clashed, as the swordsmen gazed at each other, both of them calculating the other's move.

The king jabbed his sword to the right of Ced ; he dodged it immediately.

The king's fencing technique was old, like the king himself.

The king tried to attack his knee. Ced blocked it with his sword cautiously.

The two fencers circled around each other.

Fencing was nothing but playing with the opponent's mind. Skill, alertness and a pinch of deception.

He moved his blade towards the king's lower half. Sensing his move, the king followed, preparing his counterattack.

And just as the opponent had been tricked , Ced stopped himself midway, suddenly attacking  his exposed neck , slashing a cut through it.

The crown fell off , just as the king descended to embrace the earth.

****

"The king has been defeated! This battle is over." Ced shouted.

" They don't care about the rules, Ced . As for you defeating their king , they don't seem to be very happy about it ." Cindy said.

" Run !" cried Amber.

They bolted towards the staircase, as fast as their legs could carry them. The steps served as an advantage, as the handicapped undead had a hard time climbing up.

As they reached the top of the tower, the creatures filled the stairway.

" Through this door !" Cindy said.

" I'll slow them down. You get in." , Hazel shouted back, "Don't protest, just GO !"

The carpet shifted beneath their feet , moving backwards as the ghouls struggled forward. The huge chandelier shook violently, loosening and finally falling in the way.

Hazel slipped into another danger that awaited her.

*********

NOW THERE ARE ZOMBIES TOO ??!!

Haha . Surprise !

P.S. - This entire chapter is like a different interpretation of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem , 'The Daydream' .