In the vast archery field, a tall figure stood a few distances away from the entrance. It was Fenrir. There was a large table beside him and varieties of bows were laid on the table. There was also a big wooden basket placed on it with a heap of arrows in it.
Behind him, a troop of guards in armor stood at attention with their swords fixed in their sheaths behind their backs as they looked straight into the distance as though they could not see anything happening.
One of the guards pulled out an arrow from the basket and handed it over to Fenrir with a bow.
He collected it and saddled it in the bow, as he lifted the bow to an arm's length. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly as he looked at the target in the very far distance.
He blinked a few times as though he was unable to capture the right point to aim at. But after a moment, he pulled at the bow's string, firing the arrow.
It shot straight through the air and hit the middle of the wooden target in the distance.
Fenrir lowered his hands and looked at the target for a moment. He reached a hand out towards the guard again for another arrow.
The guard brought another and he saddled it in the bow's string once more. He lifted his arm to fire again and he was aiming when a voice suddenly came up behind him.
"Your Majesty." It was his grandmother's maidservant.
Fenrir released his finger from the string and the arrow shot, missing the target entirely. He lowered his arm and placed the bow on the table, obviously not interested any longer.
Usually, he hated being disturbed in his private space. But it was his grandmother's eunuch and he rarely came to his palace unless his grandmother needed his attention.
"What is it?" He asked, not looking at the man as he took a towel from a nearby guard, wiping off the invisible sweat on his face and hands.
Then, he walked up the steps of the archery field that led to his main courtyard with the eunuch and troop of guards behind him.
"Your Majesty, the Dowager seeks an audience with you, " The eunuch reported.
"Why does she want to see me?" His grandmother rarely asked to see him as she mostly stayed in her courtyard resting all day.
The eunuch was calm beside him unlike most eunuchs in the palace. One could easily tell that he was not a newbie., "My King, this servant does not know why the Dowager wants you in her courtyard."
Fenrir gave him a look.
The eunuch had been his grandmother's eunuch since she became queen. He was one of the elders Fenrir had known since young and by far, was one of the officials that lasted long with his grandmother.
He was her advisor and definitely knew a lot of things, including things Fenrir himself didn't know. Although he wouldn't tell as he was the Dowager's trusted servant.
Fenrir nodded as he reached the doors of his chambers. "I'll be there soon."
"Yes, My King." The eunuch bowed and turned around to leave.
"Your Majesty," the servants stationed at the doors of the king's chambers greeted with a deep bow the moment he entered.
***
About an hour later, Fenrir strode into his grandmother's courtyard which was on the west of the palace.
All the female maids had been stationed elsewhere when he got there. It was always that way whenever he visited her due to the nature of his illness.
The eunuch announced, "The King is here, Your Majesty."
Fenrir could not hear his grandmother's reply from where he stood but he knew she approved for him to enter as the eunuch said, " You can enter, My King."
Fenrir walked in, leaving his troop of guards stationed at the door.
"Grandmother," He greeted with a bow the moment he entered.
He was seated far from her as usual with his legs crossed but he could tell that she was seated on her bed, resting her arm in her cushion pillow, looking elegant and poise as usual.
He looked at her closely. His grandmother had aged quite a lot but if it wasn't for the greyish strands in her hair and the wrinkled face, one wouldn't know. She still had the vibrancy and activeness she had in her youth and even in her late years when she had brought him up.
"My King," She greeted back. "Thank you for coming to see me."
She had always accorded him the respect he deserved. And it was only with her he wasn't the King of the Azov kingdom but rather, the grandson who had lost his parents since young and was raised by her.
Fenrir laughed a little. "It has been a while, grandmother. You haven't aged at all."
The old woman seemed pleased by his words for she looked into the vanity across her, palming her face a little.
She shook her head and lamented bitterly. "But, I have lost the touch of those days."
Fenrir smiled. "So grandmother, you still worry about your looks?"
"Of course," she retorted. "Who wouldn't feel regretful after losing so much? What do you think your grandfather fell in love with?"
"Grandmother still looks as she was before." He pointed out, also feeling very relaxed as they chatted.
It had been a while since he last had a simple conversation with anyone.
She smiled elegantly when she heard his words but did not comment any further. Instead, she reached out to carry the small tea kettle on the table in front of her and poured some tea into a teacup.
Then, she took a sip of the tea before looking at him. "I called for you to discuss some matters."