Chapter 5: The request of royalty.
Update time：2010-10-29 19:40 Authors：Bryz
As the approached the gates of the castle, the eight knights which stood guard instantly surrounded the trio, tavern keeper and maid, clearly because the three had fit the description on the wanted notice, which had just been posted out a few hours earlier.
Before they could advance to apprehend the group, the prophet came out together with the ‘Lord Knight’ stationed at the castle, who immediately commanded the eight knights to stand down, announcing that the group be treated as dignitaries. Withdrawing with puzzled looks and confused expressions, the eight knights returned to their posts as the ‘Lord Knight’ and prophet ushered the group of five into the castle to seek an audience with the king. Walking through the spacious interior of the castle, the prophet discussed the matter at hand with Aeros as the tavern keeper listened attentively, ignoring the giggles of the young maid who was still behaving coquettishly around Titan while the ‘Lord Knight’ tried to initiate a conversation with Silfaerion, proving to be an otiose undertaking, as the sluggish seraphim seemed oblivious to the attempts. Drawing nearer to the throne room of the castle, the group was instructed by both the ‘Lord Knight’ and prophet on how to address the king using proper terms of respect and in which manner they should conduct themselves in the presence of royalty. After rehearsing the formality of kneeling and paying of respects, the group found that they had been led to the gemstone adorned door of the throne room, where two heavily armoured guards bearing the ‘Lord Knight’ status stood in attention on either side, accompanied by a messenger clothed in an ornate robe which represented his importance. Making known the identities of the guests to the messenger, who memorised their names in the order that they had lined up in to enter.
Catching the hand signal of the messenger, the two armoured guards threw open the jewelled doors, revealing the grand throne room which was exquisitely carpeted and displaying the gleam of the gems, which were encrusted into the pillars, that reflected the sunlight that shone through the panels of stained glass. Walking in step down the long aisle of exotic tapestry as the messenger loudly announced their titles followed by their names, under the shine of the rare stones, the group headed towards the royal head, who sat comfortably with perfect poise on his throne, located at the far end of the long hall atop the raised platform. The nervous young maid almost stumbled on the carpet, but Titan instinctively caught her in his arms, causing her to blush. Silfaerion looked at the design of the room, surveying it from left to right, capturing the intricate detail of the wondrously constructed structure, while the messenger slipped to the back and exited the throne room.
The group, now including the prophet and the other ‘Lord Knight’ kneeled as the arrived at the motif of the sun, the national symbol of Sol, just as they had practiced in advance. Requesting that they rise, the king inquired the prophet on the purpose of the private audience, proceeding to ask the ‘Lord Knight’ who the five were and to reveal the intentions that they harboured. Listening attentively to what his two subjects had to say about the trio and how the two commoners could prove their innocence with an alibi, the king then turned to Titan, asking if a fellow assassin of his independent guild had been contracted to take the lives of the guards at the north gate. Titan replied the king, saying that he had not heard of such a contract within his guild and that he reckoned that the murderer was a bloodthirsty demon that they were in pursuit of, much to the disbelief of the king, who laughed haughtily upon hearing that statement. At that moment, the prophet walked up to the king, bending over to whisper in his ear the true identities of the three and of how God had sent them to Earth with a purpose, causing the eyes of the king to widen in astonishment as he tried to comprehend what he was hearing. Regaining his regal composure, the monarch then announced to the ‘Lord Knight’ that the wanted notice be retracted as the trio were to be acquitted of all charges against them and that they should be treated with utmost regard instead.
Aeros told the king that the special treatment would not be necessary, stating that such formalities would make their presence known to their foes, who were still uninformed of their arrival and that their tactical advantage and task would be compromised should too much details be publicised. Nodding his crowned head, the monarch agreed to keep the matter silent but requested that the trio capture the fiend who had slain three of his knights the night before, a wish to which Silfaerion promised to fulfil. The king then turned to the tavern keeper and maid to praise them for their courage and honesty throughout the whole chain of events, to which both the tavern keeper and maid beamed with pride, feeling honoured to have received the remark as it was not an everyday affair for a commoner to be commended by royalty. Having nothing more to say to them, the king dismissed the group of seven that stood in front of him, before rising up from his throne to head back to his personal chamber, through a side door that stood at the right corner of the throne room.
As the group paced back the rather long carpet, of the rather large yet vacant throne room, to the door where the two armoured guards outside stood tall and alert. Aeros expressed that he was glad that most of the complication had been resolved, allowing Titan to interrupt saying that the real obstacle was yet to come, as the distant Silfaerion silently surveyed the comprehensive portraits depicted on the stained glass panels that lined up along the high walls of the room. The ‘Lord Knight’ opened the door for the rest of the group, letting everyone else head out first before he shut the door promptly behind him, glancing shortly at the guard on the left that had shot him an approving look for no apparent reason. The prophet and ‘Lord Knight’ then showed the others out the castle gates after they trod along the long passageway which they had passed before, walking out after bidding their each other farewell, as the eight knights standing by their posts overlooked the scene with an unprecedented quietness.
The tavern keeper brought the quartet, as Titan was now accompanied by the flirty maid that stuck to him like glue, to a famous eatery instead of returning directly to the tavern and treated them to a savoury lunch that consisted of smoked salmon, buttered corn, fragrant bread and tasty clam chowder. Licking his lips after eating his fill, Aeros thanked the tavern keeper, who turned around to tell him that it was nothing, as long as they had enjoyed the meal. The young brunette sat beside Titan, eating slowly to look prim and proper, as the handsome archangel tried to force-feed his stubborn elder brother a cob of corn, arguing that his obstinate older sibling should show gratefulness to the tavern keeper and maturity by eating the cob, regardless of his ardent distaste of the buttery yellow vegetable. Once everyone ate their fair share, the tavern keeper led the way back to the tavern, taking a shortcut through the back alleys of the city, so as to avoid the massive amount of human traffic of midday as they walked from the centre of town towards the intersection of the northern and eastern main streets, where the tavern was strategically located.
Upon reaching the tavern, the trio went back to their room on the second floor while the tavern keeper resumed charge from the elderly maid, after reprimanding the young petite maid for her shameless behaviour in front of royalty and their guests. Back in the comfort of their quarters, Titan and Aeros decided that they would split up when darkness fell, stationing themselves at key points around the city should the dangerous fiend make another appearance to slay the innocent. It was undisputed that Aeros would stand watch along with the guards at the gates of the castle, while Titan maintained constant visual surveillance over the eastern gate and Silfaerion to enforce security at the northern entrance, where the incident had occurred the night before. Adjourning their little impromptu planning session, the three felt it was best that they rested up to ensure proper execution of their scheme for the night ahead.
Sleep reigned as the trio fell asleep, lying peacefully on their individual beds, after Aeros drew the curtains to dim the room from the glare of the late afternoon sun.