Part 2
Laum
Ferrum Kingdom
It was mid-afternoon, the perfect time for siesta.
The rhythmic sound of the hooves and the trilling of the carriage's wheels reminded of the Mother's lullaby. The golden ray of the afternoon sun was in good harmony with the continuous and boring sound of the hooves, all together created somnolent scenery. Being swayed by the dullness of the lazy afternoon, I did not notice that the Royal Carriage was currently tracking a road in the middle of a wide wheat field. Hearing the gentle rustling of the golden wheat as the cold breeze brushed, I blamed not the person in front of me to drool in her sleep.
'Yah… She is still alluring even her eyeglasses are crook sideways and she is drooling.'
Looking outside the window, I barely pictured some small houses at the wheat field's end, near the mountain's foot. They were made from white stone, which was marble, and red bricks, which was dried mud blocks. After a while, the scenery drastically changed as more small houses approached near the side of the road and hiding the wheat field behind them. Also, the jumping and the bumping of the carriage were lessening as the road improved and widened. The road was getting smoother and smoother as we go along this endless road.
We must be near the Capital.
Slowly, the carriage speed decreased and houses covered both sides of the road. I heard some voices in the front. As I peeped, poking out my head out of the carriage's window, I saw a wooden bridge leading to large iron gates.
The gates were open but the carriage could not proceed as many other carriages and carts lined up in the front of us. The guards were inspecting every cart and carriage entering the royal capital.
'Hmmm, another cart full of sacks of wheat lined up in the back'
Placing myself comfortable inside the carriage again, I noticed Johan had successfully come back to life. She wiped face without any hint of embarrassment or maybe her mind was still to recover from her deep slumber. However, she instantly became attentive when a series of heavy knock called our attention. It was from a guard.
"Oh, that was faster as I thought" As she said that, she gawkily searched something inside her blazers. "Th-there it is"
'Her clumsiness is… hehe'
Showing an insignia through the glass window, the guard let the carriage proceed after he nodded to the lonesome coachman. With a sudden but gentle whip, the carriage advanced again inside the gate, passing over the wooden bridge.
"So, here we are, the Capital of the Ferrum Kingdom, Reo"
Inside, white-walled houses greeted my eyes. Several wooden vehicles ran through the road of the capital. Naturally, people were everywhere. The same casual hectic scene I had seen in these towns.
The woman in front of me seemed to notice my side seeing and decided to begin introducing the capital to me. She talked about this and that. I nodded and then asked questions.
"Do you see that?" She pointed a mountain towering behind the ranges of houses. "It's Reo, and the capital is named after the mountain. The primary source of income of this city is iron, which comes from that mountain."
The Capital of Ferrum Kingdom is named Reo too.
As she had mentioned, many wagons and carts carrying iron ore and delivering them to the nearby smithy. Many shops along the side of the road were selling weapon and tools made from iron. However, that were not the only ones, different stores were also present in the city. It's a Royal capital after all; different shops had their stand on the corners of each street.
"The capital, together with the mountain, is high-walled and is surrounded by the river Miral, which gives additional protection to the city. You would not believe me if I were to tell you that this river was named after the first king who split the river into two, making the mountain isolated by the divided river."
Hearing her say that, I repulsively looked at Johan.
"Wow, some guy was that."
She must mean that the river served as a ditch surrounding the capital and the Mt. Reo. Along with the divided river serving as a ditch, a high wall connecting every round tower protected the insides, circling the Capital and the Mt. Reo. The Royal Capital of this Kingdom is a big Castle town. I mean, very big for even the mountain is included inside the Castle town.
"The splitting of the river is commemorated every year. As you can see the decorations are already hanging, the celebration will be held next week. But I'll tell you in advance, you will not be participating, no?"
"Eh? Why?"
"Just because."
"Eh? You actually hate me, don't you?"
"No. It's for your safety."
"Okay… if you say so… I d-don't like festivals anyway…"
She smirked at me. "Is that so?"
The crowds were busy and lively. The face of every city folks was wearing a smile. The city folk's spirit was high as the celebration was approaching near. Colorful Bannerettes hanged across the streets.
'Preparing for a fest or a celebration can be lively, huh. Jeez, I am so jealous.'
Back into my village, we also have festivals, which could be bloody sometimes. Literally bloody. That's why our festivals are not always as lively as this one.
We continued traveling the main road of the capital, which is heading to the Royal Palace. At first, I thought we were going straight in the palace but soon, the carriage turned away from the palace direction and my expectations to step inside a grandiose palace was mashed entirely. Instead, we headed behind the Palace, where a private estate is located and we passed through the greens and woods again.
'Hahai…woods again…'
After almost a fourth of an hour treading the woods, Johan glanced at me and fixed her eyeglasses, checking my vital sign for I became quiet. I was greatly disappointed at the fact our destination was not the grandiose palace I saw.
"We're here"
A flash of light. The greens and woods finally freed us and a white mansion appeared in front of the carriage. In front of the white-walled mansion, a thing called 'fountain' was spitting and spurting out clear water in its peak or mouth or peak, I don't know. I just wondered how did they build that, by magic? However, it was not the time pondering about such a trivial thing. More importantly, I should be worrying about how the pixie's doing in my bag. Maybe she's dead, but I really hope not.
The hooves of the horse stopped when the coachman pulled the reins. In front of the entranceway of the big white mansion, a man in a black-and-white suit was standing. He opened the carriage's door, and bowed elegantly to ...me?
'Hey, hey... No need to do that.'
I flailed my hands out of the embarrassment. The fact that I am just a lowly Moro not deserving to be politely bowed with, he must be messing with me. Finally, my repulsive voice came out but the man had already raised his head. Still, I let out a complain.
"D-don't do that again, kindly please."
"Apparently, the guy's playing humble, no?" Johan seconded and gave the butler a greeting nod.
"I understand" Despite his young and slightly brown face, the butler has long ash gray hair, which was in a ponytail. "So, how's the trip?"
He asked Johan as she came out of the carriage, which I saw as not so gentlemen-like. I mean, Instead of asking Johan first, why not offer assisting hands to the beautiful woman as she went out of the carriage?
"So-so, exhausting somehow" She answered, eyes glaring on the butler. See? She's upset. I hesitantly followed her steps out from the carriage.
Nonetheless, the gray-haired butler turned his back, hopelessly uncaring to the worlds, and clambered up the steps towards the entranced way.
"Mr. Tillano, my lead" He looked back sensing that I was not walking behind him. Johan, on the other hand, gave a permitting nod at me.
Ah, a nod could mean anything.
At the entranceway's last step, large white pillars lined-up. Hidden behind them is a large brown double door with designs of simple squares. We had entered through it.
Inside the mansion, we strode the labyrinth-like hallways decorated with velvet-colored tapestries. The pictures of some great men and women guided our way through the mansion's complex. Fashioned ceilings with beautiful lights hanged illuminated the inside.
This mansion had several hallways that made me conclude that I'd rather be running in the forest than walking in this puzzling labyrinth.
That's how big the mansion is, at least in my small mind's point of view.
'Man, we've been trekking the hallways for almost eternity now but we're not still there.'
I complained inside. But nevermind that, really, is the pixie's okay?
Again we strode through the complex yet decorated walls. I had conversed a little with the monotonous-speaking butler.
At least I got his name, Gil, also an assistant of His Highness that had already served His highness from a few years ago until now. That was the only thing I got from him. What an introvert. Well, there's always a reminder of our elders: Don't talk to strangers. Maybe he's doing that. But -
Finally, we reached our stop, another large double door in our front. Gil looked back at me. He was unexpressive but I had seen the seriousness on his golden eyes.
"Just be prepared"
He spoke suddenly in monotone. He was opening slowly the doors with his two hands covered with white gloves. I remembered Johan had said exactly the same words to me. Why is that?
As the doors opened, he looked at me and nodded. I nodded him back and entered the Hall.
****
Laum
Underground Throne Room
With ceiling so high, murky shadows covered the roof of the hall as open windows in the stonewalls were the only source of illuminations. Sturdy-looking big stone pillars lined at the edges of the hall supporting the broad hall's ceiling. In the middle of the hall, a red carpet designed with yellow flames placed from the entrance of the hall where I stood towards the other end, where there was a stone throne. The hall's floor was made from a block of stones that was polished until it shines. All of that made the hall cooler than it looks.
Leaving Gil behind my back, I walked toward the stone throne where a man, His Highness probably, was sitting comfortably with chin on his hand and was crossing his legs. His angry red hair was kept by his tiny but elegant crown, which had a ruby in the center, and reminded me of blood and rust.
Every step that I took produced a sound echoing inside the silent hall. Gil was following me two-step behind.
Ah, above His Highness's head, I saw, even in this dim-lighted hall, a shield with heraldry, the same design as the insignia that Johan had. An upside-down double-edged sword with blades coated with red blood or flame. I was not sure, maybe it has to do something with His Highness. Of course, it does. It's the official symbol of the Ferrum Kingdom.
I examined His Highness diligently.
Based on his not-so handsomely looks, (a man does not recognize another man's handsomeness, at least that's my best friend said. That's why…I mean…) His Highness is still on his early forties.
On His Highness's right, a young woman, who is about the same age as me, stood firmly with her long orange hair extending to her well-shaped buttocks and was braided. She was darting at me with such unkind and cold eyes, despite the fact that her orange ruby eyes resembled that of burning molten iron. She was wearing a white pretty dress with orange lining in its hems. Her well-proportionate face resembled His Highness's, hard proof that she is his daughter. Her slim yet gorgeous body matches her beautiful face and perfect size breast, fitting for her youth, contributed to her divine image, including not her cold stare though. It felt like she was seeing a pest on her front.
Never mind the young lady. Another seductive woman stood on the left side of His Highness's stone throne. She was
– Oh my, Mama Mia! –
She's Johan, or maybe not. Nevertheless, her face was the same with Johan, with her eyeglasses and her mystic brown eyes also resembled hers. No doubt, it's Johan, but wearing only a black seductive bra and a brown mini skirt made from fur. Her high heels sandals had also contributed to her alluring beauty, which paired to the color of her mystic brown lens.
'Eh? Is she trying to choke herself with a piece of clothing?'
Thus, later, I discovered the thing on her neck was called a choker
I fixed my eyes on Johan, scanning her. My mind solely departed its body but was brought back when Johan fixed her eyeglasses, smirking as if she saw through my soul. Confirmed, it was Johan. The Johan I know.
Gaining my focus again at the person sitting comfortably on the throne ahead of me, I continued to walk straight towards His Highness, who was also examining me as well, piercing his gaze right through me, as if an arrow aiming its target. The way he slowly and calmly stood up on his stone throne as I approached was simply intimidating. He was still fixing his heavy gaze on me, which left me to falter and to become speechless. It was once a while since I felt scared and afraid. No wonder the pixie sitting in my shoulder started kicking her alarms. She was invisible at the moment.
'Oh, you're alive. Good news!'
No, it was not! The person in front of me was surely bad news. His hot-red presence told my instinct and my guts that he was going to rip me alive.
I lowered my eyes, as I could not make eye contact with His Highness's flaming red eyes. Every cell of my body was screaming to be extra cautious together with the alarm of the pixie, which intensified more, kicking my shoulder harder, and pinching my ear.
Stop that, don't pull my earrings!
I was unconsciously trembling before him. Yeah, I knew I was afraid but I did not cower enough to let him see the weak side of me and mastered myself somehow to compose myself before him. I was also encouraged as the gray-haired butler called upon me.
"Kneel down and introduce yourself," He said with a mechanical tone, instructing.
However, the pixie pulled so hard my earrings that almost split my ear into two, and I was distracted, losing his instructing words.
The splitting of my ear would be gross, at the same time painful. Because of that, I responded to Gil's call with reconfirming face because I did not quite hear what he said.
How could they not notice my right ear was stretched, especially the butler behind me, as the pixie pulled so hard my earring? It had to do something with the pixie, I guess. I did not know; I did not ask afterward. Furthermore, I did not have the time to.
"Wh-what?"
"Just do it already" His mechanical voice somehow raised, with a hint of demanding tone.
"O-okay"
I took a deep breath and started to do his demand even though I knew nothing that to do. Well, self-introductory.
Just before I completed kneeling – BOOM!
A loud sound came from a hard impact echoed inside the spacious yet dim-lighted hall. It was as if the mansion was under attack by some magical beasts and bombarded everything they saw first.
But it was not that.
Dust hazed and floated in the place where I was seconds ago. A young man was sent flying back from the double doors, which was far away from the stone throne.
Dust covered me as I landed near the double doors, at the entrance of this large hall. Slowly standing up as my mind was yet to grip the situation. I looked at the person who had kicked me with such unrivaled power.