The War (All Chapters + Synopsis)

Chapter 7.2 - Lues

Brein Tyrnon's throne room is larger than even the Peasant's Throne Room back home. A long purple carpet with bronze borders and the emblem of Mawrhydi stretches across the floor, leading to the dais. Lords and ladies of the Mawrhydian court line the path here as well. The mull about, chatting with one another, eating and sipping delicate looking foods and sparkling wines, staring as Amalia and I enter.

"To Ei Gras, Brein Tyrnon Frenhinol of Mawrhydi, third of that name, I present his royal majesty, Lues Conclamata, the first of that name, King of Feralis, Ruler of Fire and Ash, Duke of Moor, and Supreme Commander of the Feralin Royal Military," a distai announces.

One foot in front of the other I walk the length of the carpet and come to stand before the leader of Mawrhydi. A boy about my sister's age is sitting on a small throne to the left of the brein. He has alarmingly red hair and purple eyes that look like amethysts, the brein shares these unique characteristics, both have the darker skin common to this continent.

He's only appears to be a few years older than my mother was when she was assassinated. I mentally scold myself for thinking such a rude thing. I nod my head to the brein in acknowledgement of his title, and luckily Amalia knows to bow low to this majestic and incredibly powerful man.

He waves for her to rise and I spy a large ring wrought of bronze with a dark purple stone set into it. Another ring, a smaller one made of gold with a small ruby inlaid on it sits beside the larger one.

"Welcome your majesty to my home, I'd like to introduce my nephew, Twysog Rhyfelwr Frenhinol," the brein says in a warm voice, waving his hand towards the boy besides him. I'm surprised by the title he gives the boy. Twysog is the Mawrhydian word for prince, yet he's the only one here, so who is the brein's heir?

"May I ask Eich Gras, where is the Eling?" I inquire.

"I'm afraid my daughter, Ilena, has business to attend to elsewhere," The brein responds. "I must apologize for the extra security at the gates, we feared that we would receive an influx of pretenders trying to seek positions higher than their station. Now I must ask, why is it you've come to my kingdom, your majesty?"

"I've come Eich Gras, to ask for asylum until I can return safely to my kingdom. I also ask you to reconsider sending aid to Feralis. Our kingdoms are allies as you know, I do hope you will accept my plea," I answer his question, choosing not to point out that his kingdom hasn't ever helped Feralis before.

"I accept your plea for asylum, and have had rooms prepared for you and your companion in advanced. As for your request of aid, I must think on it," the brein answers me with the response I was expecting and I nod my head in thanks.

A distai comes and leads us into the halls outside of the throne room. We walk a little ways to what I assume is the royal wing of the palace. Lovely gardens are in every square and courtyard. Most of the windows are stained glass and those that aren't give way to lovely views of the city, mountain, and of the sprawling landscapes that touch the horizon. Chandeliers hang from the sloped walls of the pyramid. The distai shows us to two sets of chambers on opposite sides of a long and wide hall covered in paintings.

The paintings seem to be of Mawrhydian royal family members, as I recognize the current brein in one. The distai bows and leaves the way we came. I enter my rooms. The first room is a sort of sitting room, with plush couches and a thick warm carpet.

The second room is a bedchamber with a circular fire pit set in the center of the room, and a king sized four poster bed set before a large stain-glass window. A glass door opens onto a balcony covered in flowers of all sorts. Steps lead down to a small courtyard built on the side of the pyramid.