Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Throne room (I)

"He has entered," Goldmi reported.

She was watching the situation through the eyes of her feline sister. She alternated with one sister or another when they called her, and now there was more movement inside the palace.

"I hope everything goes well," Ted desired. His hand was held tightly by Mideltya.

"Those outside are moving," Elendnas warned.

His wife changed the Visual Link to that of the goshawk, to see it more clearly. The members of the command arranged around the large stained-glass window of the throne room were placing various objects on it.

It was supposed to be protected by a powerful shield, but they were there, which meant they had somehow overcome it. It wasn't unreasonable to suspect that someone with access to control of said mana shield was with them.

"Sister, warn them that they're going to enter through the windows at any moment," she asked the feline.

The lynx disguised as a panther lightly grabbed Merlin's leg with her tail. He nodded imperceptibly, while signaling to Gjaki's Bat. A moment later, another Bat warned the rebels who were waiting in the kitchen, where Lidia had just entered.

After a prior warning from Ted, the rebels were guarding the large stained-glass window. Near it, there were no nobles close to royalty. It was evident that they had been warned.

The nobles allied to Eldi Hnefa had also been discreetly warned. Some had walked away. Others had stayed close, although to the side. That way, perhaps they would have a chance to intervene.

As for the neutral nobles, they had also been drifting away. Those were talking to other nobles, so they had ended up keeping their distance from the glass window.

Perhaps, it was suspicious, but the hall was spacious. Besides, it wasn't the only place that was somewhat empty. Of course, those who knew it looked at the other side suspiciously.

There was tension and silence. All conversations had stopped as soon as Eldi Hnefa had entered the room.

He advanced apparently defenseless, without carrying any weapon. Nonetheless, he could take them out at any time from his inventory. Furthermore, Bat's Hearing was activated, and he carried various blessings and protections.

His eyes swept around the room, while making an effort not to stop at those who he knew were his allies. He didn't want to expose them ahead of time.

All the nobles bowed their heads slightly, although not all of them equally. Those who hated him for challenging their legitimacy, who feared him for having the right to make claims against them, did it only slightly. Other bows were much deeper, even with adoration in their eyes. Between those extremes, a wide range of bows could be observed. After all, there was no established protocol for the return of a legend from many decades ago.

What they did agree on was recognizing him. He was wearing the same suit as in the portraits, when he had first arrived.

In fact, Eldi didn't remember what the armor looked like, and what colors it had back then. His children could help him by describing what they had seen in the portraits, although not all of them were exactly the same. Some painters had taken artistic license, and not all had access to the original paintings.

Unexpectedly, Diknsa had found the solution. Among the videos and screenshots stored in the mansion's previously hidden video room, there was one of Eldi shortly after that unique mission. Luckily, the cataloging of the material had been really effective. At least, Gjaki's adoptive mother was able to find almost anything with ease.

Regarding the servants, practically all of them knelt, most of them in admiration. They didn't have the apprehension of some nobles, didn't have to make calculations, didn't have broken promises. For them, Eldi Hnefa was a living legend.

He stopped, and his eyes stared at the empty throne. All eyes were on him, so without realizing it, those eyes also glanced at the throne.

For almost a minute, there was dead silence. Nobody moved. They barely dared to breathe. They looked at each other, at Eldi or at the throne. Many seemed nervous. Some were even wiping sweat with their expensive gold-embroidered handkerchiefs.

"Pooooooooo!" the sound of bugles was then heard.

Side doors opened, and two luxuriously dressed servants entered. Each stood to one side.

""Her majesty the queen!"" they announced at the same time.

Escorted by her personal guard and three of her four children, the queen of Engenak entered the throne room. Although her curiosity was gnawing at her, she didn't look towards where she knew Eldi Hnefa was, but rather her gaze was fixed in front of her.

Everyone knelt, with few exceptions. Directly opposing the crown wasn't something even her enemies dared to do.

Gjaki and Merlin were evidently not going to kneel before a queen who at most equaled them in rank.

Asmodeus didn't care. However, since his companions didn't do it, he didn't do it either.

Golgo also followed the example of the other visitors. He would have knelt if there was no choice, no matter how much it displeased him. No doubt, the visitor was grateful he didn't have to.

Evidently, Eldi didn't either. He was going there to ask for explanations- Therefore, kneeling would have simply been absurd and counterproductive.

Perhaps, those who felt the most uncomfortable were his escort. On the one hand, they had to kneel before the queen. On the other hand, as Eldi Hnefa's escort, it could seem like an affront to him. So, they were in a somewhat compromised situation.

However, it was a perfectly foreseeable dilemma, so they had already discussed it beforehand. Despite fear of reprisals, they remained standing behind whom they had been escorting to the palace.

Everyone watched the queen's brief journey, how she sat on the throne, and how she raised her head to stare arrogantly at the newcomer. Such was the silence, that footsteps could be heard clearly, and even the sound of many breathing. In fact, even the pomposity of the heirs went practically unnoticed, in the face of an event that didn't have the triviality of most receptions.

In those moments, practically everyone present had something at stake, something to win, something to lose. Some, a lot, or even everything.