The Grand Seer put the Crown on the King's head and uttered incomprehensible hymns to please the Scarlet Sea and the Mountain of Fire; he poured red water from a bowl over the sceptre and gave it into the hand of Ergonn. D'eimeonn passed him the king's cloak and Ergonn donned it.The cloak was depicting Karzond dynasty's royal emblem; it was made up of silk and bordered by precious stones. He was asked to cross the hundred steps to sit on the throne; as he started climbing up, the Grand Seer began explaining the inner meaning of the ritual.
"A king must have hundred virtues" He said, "Every step stands for one essential virtue."
Ergonn stepped onto the first step, the Grand Seer shouted, "The Step of Valour."
Then the King stepped onto the second staircase, and the Grand Seer declared that, he had crossed the Step of Martial Prowess. After crossing fifty steps, he started telling about the King's inner virtues like honesty, humility and the final step was for the ability of conquering the dark forces. This ordeal was very much crucial for a new king, because anytime his men could ask him to prove the quality. However, no one raised a single question regarding Ergonn's ninety nine qualities. He was also feeling strange and again thought that he had revealed the magical power of the sceptre, so, his men had no doubt on his calibre.
As Ergonn reached to the final step; Warlord Koim Garrotes raised a question, he said in a cold voice, "Pardon me, Your Divnity; but the King has not crossed the Terra Tenebris to prove his ability over the dark power." Ergonn stopped and turned back; the copper complexioned tall and muscular man with rectangular face; square jaw, hooked nose and small rounded eyes with black eyeballs was looking at him like a hawk staring at its prey. His black cloak depicting his house's emblem a red fire flame on a stack of woods.
Everyone looked at Warlord Garrotes; the Grand Seer replied calmly, "The time has not come yet; one month later, when the planetary conjunction will start, the Evil Moon will appear in the sky and the power of the Firephenys will rise again, the King will cross the Kingdom of Darkness to prove his competency. He will suppress the Dark Force forever and will be the King of Mars. The Planet will be ruled under one King."
The Grand Seer's reply was accepted by the others and Ergonn crossed the last step without any hurdle. He sat on the throne and was greeted by all. The ceremony was followed by the announcement of the royal betrothal; the Grand Seer declared proudly that Oeilna, the daughter of Warlord H'orden would be the next queen.
Oeilna was invited to live in the palace for a month along with her friends and relatives; but the wedding date would be decided after the Dark Conquest.
Ergonn looked at the sceptre in his hand; did it really possess the Power of Eternity? He never believed in all those stories; but now he realised that the myths also had some truth behind it. Suddenly he realised that his first day as the King of Terra Aquillaan had started.
"Grand Seer, High Seers and other Seers, with the blessing of the Scarlet Sea; I, King Ergonn, the son of late king Nachoa and a descendant of Karzond dynasty; wish to start my first day as the King of Terra Aquillaan." The King paused and looked across the throne room; there was a large gathering of warlords and oligarchs; who were waiting for his orders.
The Grand Seer raised the Rod of Justice; "Though you are the King now, but you have not crossed the Terra Tenebris yet."
"Then please tell me Your Divinity, how can I cross the Terra Tenebris and who will accompany me in the land of Eternal Darkness?" Ergonn asked politely.
"You have to choose your followers through three trials; the first one will be the Trial of Body; the second one will be the The Trial of Soul and the third one will be the Trial of Mind. Your followers have to pass all the three trials to prove their calibre and you can choose nine warriors or more from these trials. It is wise to keep more than nine followers; your father did not do it and he lost two in the mission. The vacant places were filled later by other warriors with inferior skills; but you should not make the mistake again. Choose your men carefully."
"Tomorrow I'll declare about these three trials. Now I like to adjourn the court and tomorrow morning we would meet again." Ergonn got up from the throne. As he stood up, others also followed him; he left the throne room with D'eimeonn and Arold on his sides.
While crossing the hanging balcony connecting the main palace and the Royal Court; Ergonn asked D'eimeonn and Arold to be prepared for all types of ordeals.
Ergonn entered the King's Apartment, the most comfortable portion of the Scarlet Palace, where he hardly had access in his childhood. However, he was a bit fond of mural paintings on the wall depicting the Ancient Colonizers landing on Mars; helping his ancient forefather King Igon to conquer the Terra Aquillaan peninsula from Old Martes people with the help of Eagle shaped Winged Chariot, which emitted fire from its tails; King Igon's retinue through the Terra Tenebris and fighting against gigantic chimeras and fire breathing serpent like lizards; some had wings too. All those mural paintings were painted on the ceiling. The Upper and the lower parts of the walls were separated by a thick white coloured panel engraved with floral designs. Lower part of the walls had deep blue colour which gradually merged with a blue stone floor of the chamber. It was peculiar to have a blue painting in the Scarlet Palace; but the King's Apartment always had a different colour than the rest of the building.
Four attendants came to help him; they took the royal cloak; his sword, sceptre and untied the shoe laces. Ergonn noticed that former thralls were still doing all those menial jobs; though they were now getting coins for their service. Today only he could promote them for other jobs, but the Grand Seer and his rituals always preventing him from ruling the kingdom as a true King. Initially, he thought that the Grand Seer was his well-wisher and an honest man, but now he was suspecting otherwise. He had not yet started his ruling properly; his only decree, liberalisation of thralls was also in question. The man did not like Zealeoness; but he also had no mood to support Ergonn; he liked to rule in his behalf. The Dark Conquest was one of the toughest ordeals every king had to face; but Ergonn's main problem was that he was not raised up as a royal heir; so, his father hardly shared any story of his conquest with him. Moreover, Zealeoness allowed him very little time to spend in the King's Apartment.
Ergonn changed into comfortable clothes of loose trouser and a long coat. He sat on a cushion next to a wooden table and another Old Martes servant served him some food and drinks. Suddenly, someone hugged him from behind; olive skin, smooth hands full of gold bangles and a large oval shaped ruby ring indicated that the person was no other than Oeilna Sargoshi; Warlord H'orden's daughter and niece to Zealeoness. Ergonn initially had a dilemma to accept the marriage proposal; but the Grand Seer advised him to accept; because he required H'orden at his side.
"What are you pondering, My King?" Oeilna said.
"Call me Ergonn"; he replied and asked Oeilna to sit with him. Oeilna obeyed him and sat on a throne like chair next to him; and smiled. Her almond shaped hooded eyes with grey eyeballs and thick eyelashes fixed on him with great admiration and her trimmed black curved eyebrows raised upwards with her smile. Ergonn was mesmerizingly looking at her long black wavy hairs; high cheek bones and olive skin complexion.
Since the announcement of her engagement she was trying to impress Ergonn with good clothing and ornaments. She had admitted that since her childhood, she dreamed to be a queen like her aunt; but her dream shattered when Synus married Deodara. Ergonn understood why the Grand Seer asked him to accept the proposal; he needed H'orden at his side and it would make Zealeoness alone.
"You are looking pretty in this pink gown;" He remarked and Oeilna looked pleased. She had tried her best to look good in expensive dresses and jewelleries; the city's famous seamstress had made dresses for her. However, her beauty was no match of Deodara; the red haired beauty of the Kingdom of Sevrot.
Oeilna poured wine in a gold chalice and said, "Your drink."
Ergonn took the chalice and tasted; "Red Wine from Sargoshi island!"
With a sweet smile Oeilna served meatballs and grilled fish; "Giant Squirrel's flesh." She declared. Giant Squirrels were a kind of rodent found in Sargoshi Island only; meat farmers often cultivated the animal for having an abundant supply of meat. In the city of Aquillon, giant squirrels were rare; here brown rabbits, red hens and red goat meats were mainly prepared in the King's kitchen. The palace's general cuisine only served the meat of red buffaloes and eggs of Red Hens, nothing else. Ergonn rarely got the opportunity to taste food from the King's kitchen.
"I have prepared it."
"You are my future queen; no need to cook by yourself, just order the Chief Cook."
"I enjoy cooking." Oeilna replied with a sweet smile.
"Really? I thought you enjoyed dressing and hair styling. Anyway, your hairstyle is amazing." Ergonn was not wrong; her unique hairstyle with multiple braids had changed her appearance, she was looking much like her aunt Zealeoness; Ergonn thought.
Oeilna went pink; "I'll reward my hairdresser."
"Oeilna; before our wedding, I have to prove my calibre as a true King; I have to cross the Terra Tenebris, the land of Eternal Darkness. So, you have to wait and if I die, your dream..." Oeilna put her hand on his mouth;
"Don't say." She whispered.
Ergonn looked at her emotionally and caught her right hand; he touched the ruby on her ring.
Oeilna looked confused and said, "My Father knows the tactic; two of his cousins accompanied your Father, my three brothers are aspiring to be your Eagle Guards."
"None of my father's old guards stayed here; Abjurenos and Belicoseon had left the kingdom with Deodara; Tarsan seconded Synus in the face to face combat and he too received fatal injury and died; another six resigned just after my victory. Though I have selected two of my personal guards yet; but after the trial I can have my nine Eagle Guards. Those three trials will be held on the Second, Third and Fourth weeks of the month. Tomorrow is the First day of the second week and I have to declare about the trial."
Oeilna became interested; "You know Ergonn, in my childhood, I was a bit boyish; I liked to participate in the men's game; I always played with my brothers and male cousins rather than playing with girls of my age. I know, Boys always nourish a dream of crossing the Terra Tenebris with Eagle King; but this occasion rarely comes. They told me that a hidden causeway appeared midst of the River Tophette on that day and the King's retinue have to cross the region and capture thralls from the South of the Fire Mountain; the King and his men have to return back within a specific time only; otherwise the causeway will disappear and the King cannot return back again."
"How long I'll get?"
"The Grand Seer will tell you."
Ergonn thought that he was hearing a fairy-tale from Rurzda; his nursemaid often told him stories like that but he never believed in them. He decided to ask Rurzda again about the Terra Tenebris and the land beyond that.
"Feeling exhausted?" Oeilna asked him. Ergonn nodded and he kissed on her cheek; "Sweet Night." Ergonn whispered in her ear and got up from the couch. He walked towards his bed-chamber and disappear
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