I was about to go over and ask if he needed any help but remembered that if brownies were disturbed whilst doing a particular job, they would become livid and either eave, make you finish the work, or eat you alive. So instead I kept course to the main entrance of the city, the gates being guarded by the biggest set of monsters I had ever seen. I guessed they were Cyclopes due to the single eye. We continued toward them and as we were only a few feet from them, one of them stepped asides and opened one side of the gates while the other did the same at virtually the same moment.
We continued walking through until we came to what I thought was the town square as there were many shops and people walking around. Because we had been quiet for so long I decided to start a conversation.
“So what’s your name young man? I don’t recall you ever telling me.”
“My name is William your majesty,” he said.
“You don’t have to call me that, my name is Cello. And please, you don’t have to be so tense, relax, no harm will come to you so long as you are in my care,” and this was a promise I was willing to keep no matter what.
“Thank you, Cello,” he said it so confidently I just had to smile. Luckily this made him smile with me, filling me with joy.
As we passed through the square everyone around us either went silent or bowed before me. “Please,” I said, “You don’t have to bow to me, just go about your business and pretend I’m not here.” I could tell this was a lot easier said than done as everyone kept staring at me until we had completely made it through the square.
“Where to now, directly to the palace or are we taking another detour?” I asked curious to see the layout of the kingdom.
“Directly to the palace, we need to get you fed and clothed better. And find sleeping quarters for William. Besides, it’s almost nightfall anyway,” said Jacque, and we starting down another winding path that was so narrow we had to walk single file the whole way. It wasn’t until we had reached our destination that the pathway opened up to a more comfortable width.
Before us stood the most extravagant castle I had ever seen. Even European castles made centuries ago would crumble in envy to be this gorgeous. It was hundreds of feet tall and made entirely of sapphires and other such precious gems. It sparkled in the low light of the setting sun, and the arrangement of the gems made it look like a crystal flame. The windows, barely visible next to the castle walls, were made of plain glass and were very tall as well.
If the inside of the castle was as impressive as the outside, my jaw would probably fall off with all the gawking I was doing. So, we continued on to the main gate. This one, instead of being guarded by huge Cyclopes, was being kept barred by simple but extremely muscular elven knights. They did not move as we stopped before them.
“Halt, no one is to see the king at this moment in time. We apologize but you must come back at a later date,” one of them told us.
“Not even his daughter?” I asked, completely surprised by this new obstacle.
“I beg pardon?” the same elf asked.
“Me, I’m his daughter Twyla Spectoral. I’ve come on request so that I may attend my own coming of age ceremony. Am I allowed passage or will you turn away your own princess?” This was the most business-like I had ever been. And it paid off as the knights gave me looks of alarm and panic. They rushed to open the gates and stepped to allow us enough room to pass through.
We continued through a massive crystal archway to a pair of massive black marble doors. This time, though no one was guarding it, Dylan and Jacque took a side each and pulled them to the side for me and William. I thanked them and quickly walked through.
Chapter 3: Perfecting the Seduction Technique
Start from the beginning
