In the noble echelon, away from the river and the boys,a luncheon was underway, with the host being none other than the too gracious Lord Julius Eegle, from the house of crimson eagle,for his closest friends, or say a secret inner circle. The wheel of their motives was beginning to move forward, towards the pinnacle of the greatest power that reigned supreme in the kingdom. Here,on the heavenly paradise, they were to lay down the groundwork for a future in a graspable time.
But in the unreachable sky, the sun stood mightly and hazily,perching itself on a lazy cloud. Below it, like ants, were nobles of distinguishable classes ,from reputable houses, riding towards the majestic castle. In horse drawn carriages, they were ushered in by noble guards who manned the main gate to the castle ,armed with swords,lances and shiny shields.
At the castle entrance, the lord of the castle together with his wife stood wearing infectious smiles while waiting for their esteemed guests to arrive, to greet and welcome them into their humble home.Dressed in refined and exquisite clothes that Aldiaria silver coin could buy, lord Julius Eegle wore expensive shoes made from the very best shoemaker there was, while his wife, Lady Madelyn, adorning glittering jeweleries from her neck down to her wrists.
The luncheon wasn't a mere usual high noon meal,her husband's most trusted friends were making their presence and future standing known. First to arrive was lord Glanius Kroew accompanied by his wife, lady Myra kroew. Both were dressed to impress. And they didn't fall short either, mesmerizing their host's speechless. "Welcome, lord Glanius Kroew and lady Myra kroew," lord Julius Eegle greeted, bowing. Lady Myra kroew curtised, giving a warm smile. The lady of the castle curtised also,returning too a warm felt grin.
"Thank you for the invitation, lord Julius Eegle and lady Madelyn," answered lord Glanius Kroew. Lady Myra kroew excused herself, as she conversed with the lady of the castle, away from their husbands.
"It's always good to have friends over, in these special occasions," replied lord Julius Eegle.
" How is the young Master fairing? asked Lord Glanius Kroew. He was inquiring of lord Julius Eegle son,a young noble.
"Oh,Adyen Eegle is fairing well. Thank you for your concern," replied Lord Julius Eegle.
" Nothing to be thanked for, after all he is a captain in the royal army. We,as nobles,are grateful for his dedication,"muttered Lord Glanius Kroew." Is he still in the kingdom of Icia."
"Apparently,he still stationed there. He sent a message through a pigeon after the battle againist the enemy was declared victorious,"lord Julius Eegle remarked,"he's doing fine, only the coldness of that place seems to be the only issue of concern.Nevertheless I couldn't be happier to hear my son doing so well."
" That's a relief. I'm happy to hear of these. Son's are the pride of father's after all!"said Lord Glanius Kroew.
" Truthfully said,lord Glanius Kroew. Speaking of son's,what of yours, Lord Glanius Kroew?"inquired Lord Julius Eegle.
" My son is fairing good as well. Only problem for him, according to his letter,is the hellish sun in that good for nothing kingdom,all in all I couldn't be more proud either as a father."
" They are our pride and joy. Their success is as good as our own,"stressed Lord Julius Eegle. And they continued to talk to each other, catching up on the recent tidings,of the return of the witches and fall of kingdom of lcia. No Sooner, many more were flocking in,as the host, Lord Julius Eegle poured out an array of gratitude for accepting his invitation.
"I shall walk myself in, if you don't mind, lord Julius Eegle. It's seems you have your hands full, as i see," said lord Glanius Kroew.
"Apologies, but that seems reasonable enough. Once again, welcome to my humble home," uttered lord Julius Eegle. Both of them walked themselves inside where a buffet of dishes and wines awaited them. An orchestra of musician sat afar, with their harps, drums and flutes. A ballard was in the making.
On the ceiling, loosely hanged lanterns glowed brightening the banquet hall,and on its walls were the noble house banners that roared mightly with only a touch of wind. Now the ballchamber was bloated with nobles, with black stewards and stewardesses pouring their Master's guests with the exquisite wine there's, while sitting their asses on elegant chairs,curved from the finest trees in the kingdom and beyond.
The black stewards were slaves, from a far land,who at the present time, were under the iron grip of their rulers: the kingdom of Aldia. On their necks, iron chains adorned them like jeweleries. Most of them had shaven heads, with little of a hair on it.Here, they were no better than the pigs. All eyes despised their demonic like skin while sneering and taunting their baldness. They'll lived in a hell far worse than the actual one. After having served the nobles, together with the musican they were escorted out from the ballchamber until their services were deemed necessary. Only the nobles remained.
Lord Julius Eegle, having ushered his guests to his impromptu luncheon, was at least proud of the lords that had heeded to his call. But only one, the final piece of the puzzle that had him dejected, was lord Vlanius Wolff. He had yet to show up. The king's closest uncle. Still he was hopeful that he would come around at the last minute.
Elegantly,he walked in, heading towards the ballchamber, locked arms with his wife, lady Madelyn Eegle,to break the ice that was making the chamber a chatterbox.
"My lady," he called. She looked at him with her azure eyes, smiling with her reddish lips,"it has finally arrived, the moment we've been waiting for. You now what to do?"
"I do, my lord. Leave them to me," replied lady Madelyn. In they went, to where destiny awaited for them to weave their own futures.
As they entered, a rapturous applause greeted them,with his esteemed guests on their feet. Smiling, they headed for the high podium in the ballchamber, waving their hands, acceptingly. Lady Madelyn Eegle clung closer to her husband, with lustful men's eyes meeting hers. Many of them were nobles with strong voices in the kingdom, she wouldn't have minded laying with everyone of them for her husband's sake. As soon as the applauses died out, lord Julius Eegle took to the podium. "First and foremost, I want to highly appreciate each and everyone of you for gracing us with your presence," he said, "that I am beyond words by the honour you have bestowed the name of this house. It might have come as a surprise for most of you, gracious nobles, to call you at the last minute but pleadingly bear with me, for as the mantles of power that is shrouded by the mightiest, we have an obligation to ensure ours doesn't die out."
He paused for a while, in a bid to catch his breath and to water his drying gob. The entire ballchamber was too quiet than a crypt. Only swirling of their wine cups and clattering of the silverware could be heard. Every word of his was being soaked in like a parched sheep's wool, to the very last drop.
" I have called you, my lord's and ladies, for one sole reason. Of the cloud of uncertainty that is crawling throughout our paradise. Recently, the kingdom was attacked by those demons, those filthy demons!"he stressed. In unison, they groaned.
" The witches, after many centuries have made their grand return, to torment and devour us, can we stand up to this?! "lord Julius Eegle asked, vigorously. His voice was energetic, rising the hate out of the nobles.
" No-no! "they'll roared, unisonly. In bangs, they stomped their cups against the table. The chamber was heating up. And their blood was boiling.
" We must protect ourselves when the time comes. The king, our supposed king, is timid and oblivious of the threat that those witches poses, "he said." For all we know, they could strike us nobles the next time they attack. Where shall we hid? Or who shall protect us when the need arise?" One could have thought no soul lived here, now that no cracking or clattering could be heard. It was silent. Dead silent. Lord Julius Eegle stared down on his guests, who were glued to him. His tongue was spitting fire, they knew not he had in him a way of capturing their attention. Lady Madelyn Eegle too was speechless. Her husband of many years was like a totally new person to her. She never knew he had an eloquent gift like such. Heartedly, she was proud. No one could have spoken of their worries like him as of that moment. Their fears, now had accumulated for the past few days, that the skies they had casually gazed upon were now as dangerously as the
hell they often looked down upon. No children of theirs could play outside the castles,without a guard keeping a watchful eye on them. Now they were the ones enclosed inside their castle walls.
"What do you propose, lord Julius Eegle?" asked a lord.
" We need to take the throne by any means necessary! "he said. They all feared that his intentions were something in that line. In groups, they murmured of the absurdity of his intentions while some couldn't help but agreed with him.
" That's absurd! "said another lord." Do you intend to take down the king? It's like digging our own graves! " Nodding in agreeance ,some saw his plan as suicidal. "How does he see such a plan working out in the long run?"they asked amongst themselves. The hurdles were many, severe and the failure of such a depose could lead to trading of their heads along with their families. The wine now tasted bitter, and the food unsavoury
"How can we stand by while he does nothing! They broke the truce that was brokered with sweat and blood. Can we put up with such under dealings? Everything has repercussions, that for certain, but we can't just sit by waiting for the king's protection of our lives!"lord Julius Eegle retorted. "I agree with you, lord Julius Eegle!" barked another lord. The pinnacle of power was the subject of discussion. He gluttonously wanted it for himself. But he knew without them he was like a sword without a scabbard. Like a sword without a hilt.
"My lord's! Please, hear me. We can't depend on the crown for safety when that time comes. We need one of our own seated on the throne to guarantee it!" he implored." Only then can we roam our paradise without a shred of fear."
" Lord Julius Eegle! "another called out," What of the king's sword? What if they get wind of our motives?"
"They are a pricking thorn, that's for sure. But i entirely trust each one of you not to share any word of these! Or does anyone here fish out coin from the pocket of that jester of a king?" He asked. Of course no one would have dared come forward and admit his or her guilt. Who would? Unless they valued less of their lives.
"Absolutely not!" they'll roared unisonly.
"I invited each one of you for the trust you have shown since we were but little boys. My faith in you is unflinched,to trusting that everything will be kept in secrecy, "he said, trustingly. All that said, something was a miss. The one to wear the crown had not been brought up to their ears, not even with a slip of the tongue. Now they were lost to whom such benevolence of power could be bestowed upon.
" Pardon me for asking, lord Julius Eegle,but whom do you propose we should rally behind to wear the crown,once the king is toppled out of his thrown?"asked lord Glanius Kroew. They now signed, relieved the question of concern had been raised for them. All eyes were hooked on lord Julius Eegle , for his reply, to whom he had in mind.
"Your concern is without due. I've strongly thought of the same raised up question and after having deeply thought it hard and through, i could only come up with only one person to mind, "he answered.
" And who might that be?! "asked Lady Beatrice Pealok. She was the heiress of her late Lord father's name and house. The house of azure peacock. Her stature in the noble echelon was highly revered, and feared. They owned a handful of mines in many parts of the kingdom and outside of it.
" I was thinking of a person like me! "he replied. Now they were astounded by the turn of events. Him! Of all nobles, his name didn't carry any weight behind it to get the nobles acknowledgement to fully back him in his quest.
"Stop fooling around, lord Julius Eegle!" implored lord Andrewth Foxx,of the house of red fox." Be open with us, whom do you have in mind?" Lord Julius Eegle glared at him venomously. They think am jestering about? He questioned them deep in thoughts. The name of his house was seen as a playful second fiddle in their eyes. A fledgling of a noble house.
"I'm not fooling around, lord Andrewth Foxx. aren't i worthy of sitting on the throne?" he asked." Am i not enough for you to trust in me as I have placed my trust in all of you?"
" Apologies lord Julius Eegle if I may have offended you, it was solely not my intention. But what i am pressing on is what each and everyone here is thinking of, "lord Andrewth Foxx replied." It's just that a
jest can be taken up on some of the occasions as the truth. Clearing the air of the confusion in the chamber is all but we ask of,lord Julius Eegle. "
" My lord's! I've been honest and sincere before you all. As a fellow lord, I seek not the crown for my greedy reasons but to save us from the peril that lurks in the shadows.Our soldiers are spread thin across the other three kingdoms, leaving our kingdom open to attack from a previously docile enemy. We are faced with an uncertain future mired with gloom and doom, "he imploded, pausing and reading their faces."Only a noble can save a fellow noble, my gracious lord's! " Hard to say it but Lord Julius Eegle had them by their necks. His wife , seated, was all but smiling. She knew he had hammered the final nail right into their unbreakable doubts about him. Any objections of him taking the crown would have been futile.
"Pleadingly, I ask you to cast away your doubts. I truly see myself abled of clearing the thorns on our paths, "he insisted. They whispered amongst themselves, faintly, of their standing,with the king in question was joyfully having his noon meal with his dearest, princess Annia. On his lap, she was cheerfully playing with his kempt beard. As of his son, drenched in sweat, he was panting with his tongue loosely out . Even though they were pessimistic of such delusional plans, fear of turning it down was a disaster in the waiting,and making.
He sat down, to let his buckling legs take a rest from the strenuous standing. Lady Madelyn, seated beside him, held his left hand and passionately kissed it. Now their decade dream was just seconds away to coming in fruition. The nobles held the final seal,to commencing the turning of the wheel of destiny.
"Do you suppose they will put their entire weight behind you?" Lady Madelyn Eegle asked.
"I can't tell. We have to wait and see," he replied. His heart throbbed faster and his sweat dripped like a waterfall. Nervously,he gripped his wife's hand tightly,almost squeezing her to squeal. She had been by his side since their acquaintance back in their childhood days. Her husband's dreams were as good like her owns. Through thick and thin,she had swore to be with him in every step he took. He glanced at her, grinning enviously of the woman he had swooped up for himself. She, also, was proud of him.
Now the murmurs had died down, with lord Glanius Kroew rising up to deliver the verdict on behalf of the nobles.
"Lord Julius Eegle and lady Madelyn,we thank you for graciously welcoming us into your castle.As nobles of this kingdom, we are pleased with you for taking to heart of the perils that are before us. We,as the nobles, after serious deliberation,have come to unanimous agreement that we shall fully take up your offer and make you our next king in a foreseeable future." On declaring their support for lord Julius ascension to the coveted thrown, each on of them was on their feet, grinning from ear to ear,as a torrent of applauses rained down to the brim.Those sweet words were like music to his ears. He stood up, gasping to catch his breath, alongside his supportive wife, as he gestured his thanks by bowing before them.
"I gladly thank each one of you for putting your faith in me. The day this plan come into fruition,we shall all reminiscent of this fated day together," he said." Take up your cups and toast to a brighter future ahead of us!" The band of musician had made their way back, together with the slave stewards. After filling up their silver wine cups, they all rose up to their feet, raising them for a toast
" May our endevours be prosperous in the face of despair and tribulation!"he said." Cheers everyone!"
" Cheers to you as well!"they'll replied. Now the band of musicans begun to play their instruments,with the singer a young beautiful lady singing a ballard from days of their forefathers. Her smooth and captivating voice was like an angels,singing to demons dressed in skins of men. Having taken their toast,they resumed their meals, hungrily gorging down the food before them. Game meat was the main dish, with a full roasted pigs on each table, with an apple in each of their gobs. .
In the course of their feasting,lord Julius Eegle went around the brimmed banqueting hall thanking everyone for putting their faith in him. As well as his better half,now that's small group of noble women had encircled the table, gossiping of issues that were better off murmured than talked aloud. It was lively, suddenly a hooded silhouette stood by the ballchamber entrance. Upon letting his presence get noticed,left without a word ,some of the nobles grew restless in fear that the king's men had infiltrated and heard all that had been talked about.
Lord Julius Eegle, calmly walked out of the hall with his apologies floating in the noisy hall. The mysterious man now stood at a dark corridor, still with his hood hiding most of his face. His footsteps were heavy but somehow relaxed. The hooded figure was someone he knew.
"What brings you here?" he asked." How many times have i stressingly warned you never show your face unannounced, especially when i'm hosting nobles ?" Slowly he brought his hood down,with his face now clear to make out.He bowed before him,then lifted his head up. It was the vice- captain of squad two,Brayyan the bastard.
"Your grace," Brayyan replied." Apologies, lord Julius Eegle. The tidings that I bring before you couldn't wait for the night to set in. It's of great concern to let it lie under the sheets..."
" Out with it,"he interrupted."what is it that couldn't wait for you to almost risk your ruse?"
" Your grace,"Brayyan muttered, glancing around the dark corridor," the king,he wishes to..."
And before he could divulge any further,a silver platter fell from one of the stewards hands, causing an irritating noise. The banqueting hall was marred in uproar, with the culprit,a young black man. Even after mercifully pleading for forgiveness, remorseful of his transgression,their ears were rather not hearing any of it, with two armed noble guards hastily whiskering out of the banqueting hall to a hell of a cell. There he waited for his execution,for committing a griveous crime. His black compatriots faces were gloomy with sadness and hate...
The banquet hall was once again enjoying a moment of semblance and normalcy after the black steward had derailed their enjoyment of the savory foods on their plates. His sight and continuous existence would have been in bad taste for the host. They'll welcomed his arrest and death as they gluttonously gorged their mouths in an etiquette manner undeserving of their statures and status.
Lord Julius Eegle on hearing what Brayyan had brought to his ears, the grave tidings important for him to risk his life on,now had him shivering in his shoes and gnashing his teeth;something serious had him rustled.
They stood at a dark corridor,as the clattering of forks and plates filled the chamber masking lord Julius Eegle greatest fears. He was refusing to accept what he had just heard, from his own mouse's mouth. In a heap,he fell clumsily on his buttocks.
Outside,it was almost twilight as birds of prey flew about before darkness shrouded the skies, for their last meals of the day. As the mighty sun quietly bade the kingdom and it's people it's goodbye's for the day,so was the capital beginning to quiet down after a beehive of activities since the crack of dawn to dusk, but unfortunately not for the likes of monsterous beasts and witches. For their time to reign disarray upon the people was finally in their grasp. To take and steal the lives as they wished.