Eternal Awakening

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

A Strange New World

The angry looking blonde woman—known as Coni—led Richard through a dizzying labyrinth of corridors, stairs, courtyards, and more stairs as he followed her from the depths. He really had thought that some cruel joke was being played on him when the Queen said he was in the dungeons, but everything he had seen now proved that she was telling the truth.

The lower levels where he had been kept were dark, musky, wet, cold, and windowless with nothing but cells lining the walls in every direction. After climbing close to half a dozen sets of stairs everything changed. The hard and rough stone that made up most every surface below had been replaced by shiny marble, granite, and other types of rock and stone he couldn't identify. Everything was white and gilded in either gold or silver and large portraits hung on the walls. Luxurious drapes hung over large windows and lit torches provided both heat and light. It was like stepping from the arctic and into the jungle.

Everything Richard was seeing looked like it had come right from the pages of a history book and he was mesmerized by it. The architecture, the amazing paintings and statues depicting regal looking men and women, the old suits of armor lining some of the walls, and even the crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling gave this place an ancient and almost magical feel to it.

Coni remained in front of him, never talking and never stopping as she led him through more halls than he could count. Outside he noticed the snow falling on one of the biggest lawns he had ever seen, but with all the stuff inside to look at he barely paid it any attention. He continued to follow his guide who moved with a purpose.

Richard had no idea how long they had been walking, or even how far they had come since leaving the dungeon, but after what felt like an eternity Coni finally slowed down and came to a stop. Looking towards her he found her long and slender fingers grab hold of a large door handle and push it open, stepping back for him to see.

"This will be your room," she growled as he looked around the massive doorway and into what could only be described as a house sized room with all the furnishings.

There was a large and soft looking four post bed against the very far wall near the closed window, a dining table large enough to seat eight people, a fireplace and couch, and a massive and long bookshelf against the left wall. The size of the room could easily accommodate three to four other people, but only the single bed was present and he was a little thankful for that. Right now he just wanted to be alone to gather his thoughts.

"Before I leave," Coni interrupted and Richard looked back at the intimidating lady who appeared to be in her early twenties, "this part of the palace is normally off limits to men, so if I hear of a rumor spreading that one stayed here I will know who started it! Is that understood?"

"Y... yes," he blanched and took three steps away from her, entering the room without even realizing it.

The blonde woman before him sneered evilly and then closed the door without another word, trapping Richard inside. A moment later he heard the sound of something clicking and he realized she had just locked him in from the outside, effectively preventing him from leaving on his own. Not that he really cared. This was a hundred times better than the horrible little cell they had him in earlier and he would gladly wait here until the Queen was ready to bargain for his release.

That reminded him, he needed to get the bracer off soon or else he really would have nothing to trade for his life. He had been so wrapped up in looking at all the interesting things that he had totally forgotten that his only hope hinged on him getting the damn thing off his wrist.