King Ergonn, was sitting on the legendary Eagle Throne, which was made up of solid gold and precious colourful jewels. The backrest of the throne resembled a Giant Eagle, looking down and stretching its two wings on both sides forming upward bending tips. The Eagle also had two big polygonal rubies in the place of its eyes. The pedestal of the throne was built in dark red stone collected from the Fire Mountain.
'The Eagle was considered as the most auspicious bird by the Ancient Colonisers and their descendants'; Ergonn's nursemaid once told him that the winged chariots of Ancient Colonisers had symbols of eagles. Those great men rescued the planet's civilisation from the fury of the Fire Mountain and taught them the arts of living; the present civilisation was the blessing of those great people. She had also told him that Ancient Colonizers settled down in the Red Planet and named it Mars; 'gradually they became one of us, our forefathers'. The country's very name Terra-Aquillaan came from the Eagle Symbol on their winged chariots.
Since his childhood, Ergonn liked the songs of swords and spears, not the letters on parchments. Thus, old books and documents hardly fascinated him. However, he liked the stories and folklores told by his nursemaid Rurzda in his early childhood. At that time only, he also realised that no one had any expectation from him; his younger brother Synus was destined to be a great king in the future, but not Ergonn; because he had Dark Blood; the blood of an alien woman, an Earthian invader, so, he was a half-alien or halflen prince.
However, his father had never treated him differently from Synus, but Queen Zealeoness detested him as halflen boy and palace attendants also followed her example. Ergonn had no memory of his Earthian mother who once came to the palace as a spy of the alien invaders and wanted to kill his father, but she seduced the young king Nachoa who was already married to Zealeoness. Though, she became his second queen, but her real identity was revealed much later by Zealeoness. She was dead for a long time and infant Ergonn had no memory of his mother, not even knew her proper name; people in the palace called her Night Queen or Dark Lady; his father said, her name was Vega, but the nursemaid said another name.
With a stolid face, Ergonn touched his golden circlet crown, which had small red stones all around it and a small curvature of an Eagle with wings in the middle of the circlet. The Crown was an integral part of the Imperial regalia of Terra-Aquillaan just like the White Sceptre or the Sceptre of Eternity, which was made up of Argyros metal (a white coloured heavy metal); it looked like a one-foot long rod with a hexagon at its lower end and a triangle at its upper end. No one knew the significance of the hexagon and triangle on the sceptre; it was a gift of the Ancient colonisers to the first Eagle King; just like the Crown and the Throne. It was said that Argyros metal was sacred and unknown to Mars; it came from a pure land of Earth and now it was rare in the Earth itself. The colour white was rarely found on this Red Planet, so, both Old and Neo Martes people considered everything white as heavenly or sacred. They also believed that the Sceptre had supernatural power and that would be revealed only in the hand of a worthy king. Seers had already composed many prophecies regarding that legendary future king 'the King of Mars' with supernatural power and the ability to conquer the entire planet, but Ergonn was not interested in myth, he believed in present only.
Presently, Ergonn was alone with his victory; Warlords and Oligarchs of Terra-Aquillaan had already deserted him and called him usurper king. Though he was habituated to detest and resentful look of his Father's men, but now they hated him more. No one, not even Ergonn thought that he would be able to defeat Synus in a single combat when Synus vowed that if he lost his life in the combat, his half-brother would be the rightful ruler of Terra-Aquillaan and all of his orders would be Decrees.
The noise of footsteps distracted Ergonn; he looked across the empty throne room. Someone was coming. There was no heraldic announcement of the guest. Ergonn tried to assume who the person might be. He initially thought about Dowager Queen Zealeoness, she might be coming to the throne room to mock Ergonn as halflen or Dark blood evil king and to give more curses. He prepared himself psychologically to face her as he was facing her fury and disdain since the childhood, but he did not move from his throne.
The unexpected guest was no other than his nursemaid Rurzda. She slowly crossed the arched shaped entranceway of the throne room and stepped onto the heavily embroidered red carpet on the floor; Ergonn smiled faintly at her and the Old Martes woman nodded at him with a motherly smile.
"Come Rurzda, nice to see a friendly face among the foes. How is D'eimeonn, my milk brother and your only son?" The King asked politely.
Rurzda stood before the raised platform on which the legendary throne was placed. There were a hundred steps from the ground to the topmost portion of the dais. A king had to climb up the hundred steps to reach to the throne; all these steps symbolised hundred essential virtues of a good King and the Grand Seer elaborately explained all those virtues during the coronation of a new king.
Rurzda had typical features of Old Martes people, a head bigger than the body and without ears and hairs, she was not taller than five feet; two black patches without eyeballs were in the place of eyes; but Rurzda had a pale white complexion not red complexion like plebeian Old Martes people. She belonged to Phobes clan in which most of the pure inhabitants had a pale white complexion. It was said that Phobes people were the original inhabitants of the land situated in the south of Fire Mountain. Every new king of Terra Aquillaan had to cross Terra Tenebris to go the southern part of the planet and from there they had to bring thralls or something exotic as a symbol of their conquest. The thralls collected from the south were treated as rare ones and assigned less complicated tasks.
Just like any other palace thrall Rurzda wore a red stained robe depicting an emblem of twisted shackle stitched by the golden thread on her swollen right breast. The twisted shackle was the emblem of slavery, which thralls were carrying since time immemorial.
"Very soon you'll leave this twisted shackle emblem forever, Rurzda," The King said, "My first decree will liberate all of you from lifelong servitude."
"I never thought a son of Karzond Dynasty would raise sword for my cause and endanger his own life. My Great King..."
"Ergonn, call me Ergonn; don't address me as a King; you've the right to call me Ergonn, Rurzda. Now tell me how is D'eimeonn?"
Rurzda replied, "Very soon he'll come into your service, but my son, now you have to meet the Grand Seer, he seeks the audience in this throne room along with some powerful Warlords, Oligarchs and some other seers. Meet them."
"They have come here to curse me."
"I'm no one to comment, but now you are the King."
"Bring them, Rurzda." He asked and tried to compose himself.
As Rurzda left the throne room, Ergonn looked across the empty hall, his father, King Nachoa once sat on the very same throne, where he was sitting now, but the only difference was that it was not his birth right but achieved through a bloody combat. However, he did not get much time to think of his victory and saw a tall old man with a waist length straight silvery hair and chest length beards, dressed in a long white robe of coarse fabric crossed the arch-shaped entranceway with a flip-flop sound, coming from his wooden slippers. The Grand Seer's wooden sandals always fascinated Ergonn; the wooden slippers used by the Seers were usually looked like curved toes and those slippers had wooden soles with a post and a knob.
The Grand Seer was the most respected man of the Kingdom; he could see future and controlled evil power. People said that he had celebrated more than a hundred name days, but he still had a strong body with slender structure and he always walked straight without sticks. However, his right hand was now carrying a white rod just like the sceptre of his ancestor, but the only difference was that the rod had a white skull on its capital and a round ball at its lower end. It was called the Rod of Justice; he was the only man in the Kingdom who could revoke a death sentence awarded by the King. He also acted as the King's chief advisor and sometime conciliator during wars.
Ergonn stood up and bowed to the most powerful man in his realm. The Grand Seer raised his right hand and blessed the King.
"Welcome Your Divinity, Grand Seer, the owner of divine sight and power of eternity; I am extremely sorry that no heraldic announcement declared your arrival and I could not welcome you formally," Ergonn said in a dignified voice, he tried to imitate his late father.
The Grand Seer again raised his hand, his wrinkle lines under the eye moved upward, but his lips were not seen due to beards and moustaches; he smiled, "Your Omnipotent, King Ergonn, I am here to discuss with you some matters of importance."
"Yes, please, take your seat," Ergonn replied and tries to keep his voice calm.
The throne room had four galleries on raised platforms; the closest gallery on the right side had three seats, one for the Grand Seer, two for the High Seers, who usually accompanied the Grand Seer in the Royal Court. The left side of the gallery had seats for the Deputy King or Crown Prince, and Supreme Commander of the King's Army. In his father's lifetime, Synus alone enjoyed the power of the all three posts. The third gallery was reserved for the Queen, Princess and their ladies in waiting. The last one was for diplomats and other guests of importance.
Grand Seer occupied his seat and asked Rurzda to announce that the First Session of King's Court was about to start within an hour. Rurzda bowed to the Grand Seer and Ergonn; she waddled towards the entranceway with her small legs.
Ergonn was waiting for the Grand Seer to say something, but the old man remained calm and silent, his dark brown eyes remained focused on the mural paintings on the walls of the throne room, its arcades, naves and pillars, not to the King. He heard the noise of drum beating; it meant his messengers were conveying his message to his men. Ergonn knew, very soon Warlords from various provinces, Oligarchs of powerful merchant houses, ministers and officers of various departments would gather in the throne room. Apart from the regular attendees, the city was already full of delegates and envoys from various kingdoms, who arrived here to celebrate Synus's coronation; but a hapless incident had changed everything.
One by one, his men entered the throne room and bowed thrice to the Grand Seer and the King before taking their seats. Ergonn looked at the Queen's gallery, it was empty; Dowager Queen Zealeoness was not present there. The Grand Seer too noticed it and he asked Warlord H'orden Sargoshi to send a female messenger to the widow of King Nachoa. Warlord H'orden was Queen Zealeoness's first cousin and the connection had brought him the powerful office of the Chief Warlord in the royal court.
H'orden did not look pleased to hear the command; his big rounded black eyes depicted fury. He was looking like a furious giant with seven feet tall, muscular body with a bald head and clean shaven rounded face. However, H'orden had no courage to disobey the Grand Seer; he raised his club-like hand towards his men and asked one of his household guards to carry the message through a female guard.
Though Dowager Queen Zealeoness had no respect for Ergonn, but she too could not avoid the Grand seer's summon; she came to the throne room with her two-ladies-in waiting. She was looking sombre in a pale grey coloured half sleeved long gown, which had heavy embroidery with gold wires on its bodice and fine laces at the lower end of the dress. Her oval shaped face with fine wrinkles and trimmed eyebrows were depicting a solemn look. Her long black hairs were arranged in a single braid and that simple hairstyle had imparted a grievous look at her face. She tried to ignore Ergonn's presence and looked at the Grand Seer only; she bowed to the old man but not to Ergonn. She slowly walked towards the Queen's Gallery along with her ladies.
King Ergonn raised his right hand and asked to commence the court. The Grand Seer said, "Today I have summoned the Court for discussing some important matters."
Everyone raised their eyes to the Grand Seer and tried to hear him attentively. The Grand Seer cleared his throat and said, "We all are familiar with what happened after King Nachoa's death. Still for formality, I have to tell. On the occasion of late Crown Prince Synus's coronation, the Prince had decided to send a hundred thralls to the Fire Mountain to please the Lord of Darkness, but our present King Ergonn had challenged the royal decree only because of a thrall named D'eimeonn who claims to be his milk brother. Challenging a royal decree means challenging the king and his authority. Prince Synus had no other way but to take the challenge seriously and he asked his half-brother to test the 'Divine Intention' in a single face to face combat and vowed that if the Prince won, his half-brother had to die and if his half-brother won, he would be the lawful king of the land. He swore it in the name of the Scarlet Sea and the Fire Mountain, I am a witness of his last vow and my companions, the two High Seers were also present there. Prince Ergonn has won the combat and now he is the rightful King of Terra Aquillaan. Is there anyone present in the court who can challenge his claim?"
Everyone remained silent, but Dowager Queen Zealeoness stood up, "I want to challenge. I believe he has applied evil power to win and he is still misleading us."
"Well, as a woman you're not in a position to challenge the King's authority," Grand Seer dismissed Zealeoness's words. "Another?"
"Yes, I am;" Warlord H'orden stood up; his grey cloak revealed the white albatross emblem partially. Both Zealeoness and H'orden were still wearing greys, meant, they were mourning for Synus.
"General H'orden, What is the ground of your objection?" Grand seer asked.
"Late Prince Synus was declared as the Heir apparent by his father and he was supposed to be the next King; when he is not alive, why not his son gets the opportunity to be the next King?"
"Because he had chosen the winner of the combat as the next King; it is not a matter of easy inheritance. If anyone challenges King Ergonn's claim, he will show disrespect to our late Prince's memory as well as the country's age-old tradition"
Warlord H'orden lifted his objection and bowed to the Grand Seer; "I have nothing else to say, Your Divinity." Other warlords and Oligarchs remained silent.
"Well, silence is the symbol of support to the new king. Therefore, now King Ergonn, you will have to think about the Coronation ceremony and the day after tomorrow is the most auspicious for this purpose. I will place your ancestral circlet crown ceremonially on your head after the sunrise. So, you are not supposed to wear it in the meantime. Only after your coronation you can pass legitimate decrees."
Zealeoness got up from her seat, "Forgive me, Your Divinity, I can no longer listen how to celebrate a half-alien King's coronation in my son's place."
King's insult was the insult to the Kingdom, all warlords unsheathed their swords from their scabbard and soldiers also got ready to arrest Zealeoness, but Ergonn raised his right hand to stop them, "She is the King's stepmother, so, she should not be treated as others. Your Eminence, you are free to leave the court."
Zealeoness looked at Ergonn in fury, "Very soon my grandson will claim his birthright with the help of his mother's house. In the meantime, enjoy your kingship."
"Your Eminence, no one, not even a Dowager Queen can give the threat of foreign invasion in the royal court, it is an offence, a high treason." The Grand Seer roared.
"You are backing a half-alien man as the King of Terra Aquillaan; he took his arms against his half-brother only because of a thrall. Shame! I know you do not like Synus's marriage with Deodara; but..."
"Woman, Queen you may be, but no one is supposed to challenge the Grand Seer in public. I always remained impartial." Grand Seer roared again, "Imprison her, I order."
Ergonn had no other way but to intervene, "Please Your Divinity, She is the Dowager Queen, please do not put her in the dungeon like other prisoners."
"I have no relation with you Halflen; I am no Dowager Queen here; just the widow of the late king and bereaved mother of the former Crown Prince, naught else. I accept your prison term, Your Divinity; arrest me."
Two women guards in grey silk cloak with black and white albatross emblem came towards Zealeoness; they were the guards of her cousin H'orden, but Ergonn again intervened, "No, only my guard can arrest her." He asked his women guards to put Zealeoness in Captive Tower where important political prisoners were kept. H'orden looked at Ergonn in disbelief.
"Please carry on." Ergonn said to the Grand Seer.
"The last but most important thing is choosing Queen for our new King." The Grand Seer declared, "So I am inviting all Warlords and Oligarchs present here to produce the brief description of their virgin daughters or sisters."
The Entire hall remained silent and finally, Kaylan Eyeball got up and said, "I have three daughters, eldest one is sixteen and youngest one is thirteen; the King can choose any of them or all three of them." Eyeball was not a Warlord but a rich merchant and one of the reputed Oligarch of Terra Aquillaan. Ergonn looked at the fifty years old, potbellied, brown haired man carefully; he had no House Emblem to put on his cloak, so, he had put various jewels on his doublet and belts. His other jewel-embedded attires were depicting his immense wealth. If Ergonn married one of his daughters, he would not face the shortage of coins and gold. However, Ergonn knew that he required a strong ally to keep his foes away from him.
"His Divinity Grand Seer will decide the future Queen." Ergonn knew the Grand Seer was a bit power hungry and he hated Zealeoness because she insisted her son to marry outside Terra Aquillaan without his advice. King Nachoa too saw political gain in that matrimonial alliance and ignored the Grand Seer.
"Next..." The Grand Seer asked Warlords and Oligarchs.
"I am General Harold Suas Montem, Warlord from eastern mountains; I have a sister of seventeen years, virgin and beautiful. I can offer my manpower in King's service." Harold was a big man of eight feet tall, dark brown complexion, wavy black long hairs tied in a ponytail at the back of his head, he had no beard or moustaches, but his black eyes under thick eyebrows and broad forehead was depicting his physical strength; his pillar-like hands were enough to kill at least ten soldiers. His thick dark lips and cold voice were enough to threaten enemies. Suas Montem was a mountain clan, they had a specific dressing habit; men generally wore fur cloaks, full sleeve shirts, tight trousers and knee covered boots; they did not use swords as a weapon or symbol of family status; they carry clubs or mace, a blunt weapon used in face to face combat. Ergonn thought he would be a good match in the battlefield against General H'orden.
The King nodded and asked others to give opportunity. Warlords and Oligarchs alike started describing their virgin daughters, sisters, nieces and even young aunts. Finally, the Grand Seer declared that on the day of Coronation, final choice would be declared and the chosen family would be honoured by giving a prestigious position to its Chief in the court and the fortunate girl would be invited to the palace before the wedding.
Ergonn was feeling like that he was in a dream; he never thought that one day he would sit on his ancestor's throne and Warlords would offer the hands of their daughters in marriage to him. However, Ergonn noticed that D'eimeonn had entered the throne room and he was standing among the thralls.
"Your Divinity," the King said, "I have no Eagle Guard; all of them have left the kingdom with my nephew and his mother. I cannot recruit new Eagle Guards before the Conquest. If you allow me, I can recruit some men as my closest companions or temporary guards."
"Yes, you can King Ergonn." The Grand Seer said.
"D'eimeonn, my milk brother will be my First Guard and he will continue the office as long as the final selection of Eagle Guards will not be done." Ergonn looked at the faces of his men, being the King's First Guard was one of the most honourable posts aspired by all competent young men in this realm. Warlords also dream to put their younger sons in the king's service. Thus, many of them showed detest and fury on their faces, but could not say anything, when they saw that Grand Seer stood up and asked two High Seers to perform the initiation.
D'eimeonn looked confused; though his dark black eyes did not show any expression, but sweating over his face was indicating his nervousness. He came forward and started climbing the steps of the throne dais slowly. As he came close to the throne, he knelt down. The Grand Seer uttered some undecipherable hymns in Ancient Colonizer's language, which very few knew today on Mars. Ergonn put his sceptre on his small rounded shoulders and found a wound on his right shoulder. It was a mark of lashes, D'eimeonn received at the hands of Synus's men.
Ergonn softly touched his wounded shoulder and wondered why he did not apply any healing potion or gel on it, not even covered it with a bandage. His ratty red robe was stained with black blood.
As Ergonn touched his sceptre on D'eimeonn's wounded shoulder, a bluish-white aura appeared from the tip of the sceptre and his wound disappeared instantly. Both D'eimeonn and Ergonn looked surprised and suddenly Ergonn realised that others were also looking startlingly at him. His sceptre's triangular head was glittering brightly.
"Sceptre of Eternity!" The Grand Seer cried in joy, "It is in the right hand, our great King has unfolded its mystery. Hail King Ergonn, the King of Mars!"
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