"Well, I could take you back to see the earl and let him know what you have seen. But it will take a lot of convincing for Eivor to put his trust in you," Osbert said.
"This will not be any different. I've encountered many earls and village leaders who would likely tell me the same things," Delphine said.
"That may be true, but he'll only allow you to speak when you're spoken to. And you must approach him when he calls for you," he said.
"All due respect, I've always obeyed every earl I came across. I've never disappointed them with my presence."
"Even so, that remains to be seen. Let us go and meet him before they ban anyone from entering the palace."
Once again, Osbert led Delphine and Simon to the earl's palace while being watched by everyone around him. Some of the people who stared at those three were mostly people who were walking outside and had their first experience with looking at the Ebony Knight. Like all of the other people, Delphine was seen as someone who walks in the shadows and confronts the night creatures. Delphine and Simon walked with Osbert and noticed that nothing has changed around the city, not even the views of the citizens and their thoughts about her. Delphine had her reasons for being here, but she did not want to tell anyone about what she is about to do.
She figured that the people of Bebbanburg would go ahead and spread conspiracies and allegations against her. Osbert led them to the entrance doors of the palace and opened the two doors himself as the other guards look at the two demon hunters. They were both completely different from the standards of a demon hunter, and they did not decide to go and bother them. Then, Osbert walks before Eivor and Katherine as they sat down and made sure Delphine and Simon were behind him. Eivor saw the Ebony Knight from a long distance and knew that something was different about her.
"Ah, Osbert. You've brought back our newest comers," Eivor said.
"If it's by your will, your majesty, I will do what is necessary for the common good," Osbert said.
"Oh, I don't suppose you'll do that. They have come back from a long, perilous journey and deserve a proper welcome."
"Oh. Well, would you like to have a word with them? I'll go back to my duties if I must."
"That would be best. Katherine, leave us as well. I want to speak only to the Ebony Knight and see if I can trust her."
And so, Osbert, Katherine, and all of the other knights left the throne room and left Eivor alone with Delphine and Simon. The earl waited patiently for all of them to leave him; they did not know if Delphine will do something that will be considered treason against the earl. Even if Katherine wanted to stay by her husband's side and wonder what would likely happen to him, she still obeyed his words and went to her bedroom. Eivor looked at Delphine and Simon and noticed a whole bunch of differences from the last time he spoke with them. Even with this, he still had his trust in the two demon hunters and wanted to become friends with them.
"How can I help you, your majesty?" Delphine asked. Eivor lifts his hand and wants her to come closer to him and tell her lots of things she will have to understand.
She then walked over to the earl and stood before him as he was sitting down, and she waited for him to make a statement as Simon watched from behind.
Then, Eivor answered and said to her, "Every time there's a new person who comes to this city, they often have stories to tell. I can tell just by looking at you and your friend that you're both full of mysteries and adventures. Adventures that are worthy enough to be told in short stories and poems. There will come a day when you experience something or someone standing before you and cursing you with their sorcery. There is also a day when you will have to tell me every detail about what you discover in the highways and mountains. Even I was an adventurer once until I had to make the ultimate decision in taking over for my father as the ruler of Bebbanburg."
"I understand. I've explored many things people consider to be stuff that would be impossible to examine," Delphine said.
"I can tell. But now, all I ask from you is the truth. What have you discovered in that mountain? But don't think me ungrateful. It's just a request from me to you," he said. Then, Delphine closes her eyes for a few seconds to see if she can remember everything that happened in that mountain.
Everything happened within a blink of an eye, and it was happening all too fast, but she had to think of something to say to Eivor.
Then, Delphine answered and said to him, "Don't think I'm mad, but I've seen a dragon in that place. An elder dragon that is guarded by a guardian. This person is a cursed being who lived for hundreds of years during the reign of dragons and titans. She has enough power to summon an army from the gates of hell itself and dominate them to fight in her name. This elder dragon released his fire and brought all of it to my sword and gave me his magic to conjure up. It will only lighten up if a leader of the demons contacts it."
"Show me your sword," Eivor said.
"You may not like what you're about to see," she said.
"I must know. Pull out your sword and show it to me."
Then, Delphine slowly pulled out her greatsword and did so without looking at the earl, and she looks upon it for a short while. Not being able to look at a leader of the people was genuinely shocking enough to be considered heresy, but refusing to do as the nordic earl requests could likely lead to a death sentence. Then, she allows Eivor to have a look at it; he looked at all of the features that would likely outmatch the other swords in the world. But as he tried to take the sword by the handle, his arms could not fathom to how heavy it is to his strength. Delphine stands back as the earl attempts to hold onto her sword and wield it as Simon continued to stare on.
Suddenly, the sword was too strong to hold that the tip of the blade smashes onto the ground, and the floor begins cracking. Then, he tries desperately to pull the sword back up but could not find himself succeeding in that regard. Delphine walks over to the earl and takes the greatsword from him, and she helps him back to his throne. Then, Eivor watches as she held onto the sword-like leather and did not believe his eyes that a person such as her could wield a mighty weapon. He could feel his veins pumping, and his blood pressure rising from how much weight the sword felt in his hand.
"What kind of sword... is that?" Eivor asked.
Then, Delphine answered and replied, "This is the Crissaegrim. A weapon forged to only one person who is worthy enough to be its protector. This sword was forged with the fragments of the sword that was used upon the Demon Wolf. This woman who is cursed with the blood of the wolf forged it in the castle all of those years ago. The first time she and her father faced each other in combat. She entrusted it only to me, and because of the power inside of me, I am the one who should wield this sword instead of anyone else."
"This... power. This... curse. Who are you? What are you?" He asked.
"You know who I am. But, there's so much about me that I will not have you know. There's too much about my life, and I'm disturbed to share it with you."
Delphine made sure that Simon was kept away from her secrets as much as possible, but she had to share only half of what she has done in life. If he can fathom half of everything that Delphine said to him, there is an even higher chance that Eivor will tell all of his servants and wife about all that she told him.
"You can tell me, Ebony Knight. I promise you that I will not tell anyone. Let's keep this conversation our little secret," Eivor said. Before any of them could say anything else, a Viking warrior came through the door and was in great panic.
"Your majesty. It's an emergency!" The warrior said.
"I thought I told all of my subjects that I was not to be bothered. Go on, tell me what's wrong," Eivor said.