As I stared at the back of my eyelids I could feel my head bounce with every bump of the carriage until eventually one large enough to slam me against the wood apparead. I snapped my eyes open, rubbing the forming knot as I leaned forward.
Beside me was Louse. He was dressed in his standard servant-like attire, as was Aela who sat across from me completely slumped against the wall asleep. I say servant-like attire but I guess it's more like a fancier version of what a royal attendant would wear in old England, which I guess knowing what I do now it seems fitting.
After everything that's occurred I feel it's important to make sure I get a bearing on the type of place I'm in. With all the talk of nobles and such I expect there will be a lot of backstabbing and forming of parties to be pitted against one another, something that already seems to be true. On top of that status, power, and connections seem to be everything here. I can't help but feel pessimistic when I start to think about it. I mean I don't know how to talk to people. I've had two lives and grew up isolated in both so my only saving grace might be power. Though I am well aware that far from applies to me as I am now, just being in the presence of that woman made it clear.
As the stress of my thoughts began to weigh on me my leg grew restless and began to bounce shakily as I stared off into space. Though it seemingly went unnoticed only to me as my mother spoke softly from beside Aela "Do not worry Elwen, we should be arriving within the hour"
I only smiled back in response to what she said. I didn't want to be rude but that's exactly why I'm stressed. Shortly ago from the gap in the carriages curtains I could see a change from trees to open landscape and sky.
I continued to drift around in my mind between my jumbled thoughts and my status/skills. As I navigated through the different purple windows of white text I felt the once continuous jostling vanish into a smooth glide. The text in front of me vanished and my stomach dropped as the inevitable finally arrived.
From the outside of the carriage I heard a series of systematic thuds against the wood.
With that Louse swiftly delivered a soft hit with the tip of his foot to Aela's shin causing her to shoot awake as he began to speak "Please ready yourselves, we will arrive at the common district within five minutes. From there we will make our way to the inner wall guard checkpoint and then proceed up to the Noble realm."
My chest tightened as I listened to his words while staring at the floor beneath me. A sheath entered my view as I looked up to see my mother handing me my dagger, the one she had gifted to me those years before. I received it and her words "Have faith".
I nodded and Louse nudged me as I turned to face him. He was holding a set of gear but it was different than my usual. After assisting me in putting it on, I began to look over myself. This one had many more plates not to mention they were made of silver and adorned in various patterns that had been indented into the metal. There were also less visible leather straps ; instead of laying out plainly they were made in such a way that they could be hidden underneath everything else. It was definitely more of a full chest piece and arm covering than the nimble gear I was used to. As I continued my assessment something caught my eye ; a small opalescent gem protruding from the side of the chest plate. As I touched it I felt I realized it was loose and pulled to reveal a wand that had been seamlessly hidden in the plating. With the gem as its base the wand was made of three pieces of wood that had been twisted around one another with golden wire until coming to a single gold tipped end. It was light, thin and long but comfortable and balanced to hold.
"I made it for you from the same Ashen tree we got those silver petals so long ago, the gem will boost the power of elemental magic. The capitol holds many powerful people, especially mages. The act of creating an obsidian wand may draw their unwanted eyes and the discovery of you having a calamity item cannot be risked. From now on you are to use only that wand understood?"
I nodded "Understood". During our conversation I had begun to hear the various commotions of people in the distance but now it was full fledged. We had reached the common district and after a few minutes the carriage came to a stop.
Louse spoke up "Excuse me a moment while I arrange our passage" and began to make his way out of the carriage door but froze partway through when my mother proclaimed "We shall all join you"
"Yes my lady" he responded, moving fully out of the carriage ; the rest of us followed. Once I did and was able to adjust my eyes to the light, despite the large billowing clouds above, I was presented with a truly breathtaking sight. A large road full of other carriages, wagons and people waiting to move beyond the towering stone wall and further in the city. As well as them was a sea of buildings that stretched beyond my vision, seemingly infinite. We were on the side of the road pulled out of the way with various guards around us. They were elves dressed in basic light armor. Most had swords hilted on their side, I presumed the ones that didn't were mages. After me, my mother emerged. When she did, several of the older guards froze and a few others murmured to themselves but they all began to slowly take a couple of steps back.
While watching I began to hear heavy footsteps and the sound of shifting metal moving towards us. I swallowed my spit and turned to see a familiar sight standing behind us. It was the Valkyrie and in her hand were reins attached to a pegasus just like the one from when she arrived a couple weeks ago. While I was busy staring my mother brushed past me and approached
"The preparations are as you requested."
My mother stood firm "Good, have you brought what I asked?"
With visible hesitance despite her hidden face the Valkyrie reached into a satchel on the pegasus pulling out something wrapped in a sheet and began to unfold it. When she did it revealed nothing more than a circle made from a branch. My mother retrieved and stared at it before redirecting her attention "The other"
The Valkyrie lifted her hand in gesture to a guard that quickly disappeared from sight before returning with a large white horse clad in ornamental armor. He hurriedly approached and handed me the reins before scurrying away.
"Mount your horse Elwen. Be tall and be proud. This moment will be key in either our success, or our downfall."
With shaky hands I followed her instruction struggling slightly to navigate my way through the decorative gear and onto the saddle. My mother did the same and we ended up side by side, though her mount towered both me and mine. With a long inhale she raised the wooden circle to her head, placing it gently. After a moment the wood began to move like a snake and splinter apart until eventually a bright light encased it and then vanished revealing an elegant crown of gold and silver. It was a thin band with several thorn-like protrusions all around the top. Following this a rain of light particles fell over her body causing the royal dress she was in to gain an almost metallic like appearance.
I simply watched in dumbfounded silence. It seemed like that was becoming more and more common lately.
The Valkyrie reappeared on horseback and arranged herself in front of us creating an arrow-like formation. At this point a mountain of eyes had piled upon us. The once bustling and roaring crowds of people, carriages and creatures had all begun to stop and murmur as they looked on and pointed in our direction.
"Let us begin" the Valkyrie spoke in a serious tone. With a click the pegasus she rode began making its way to the wall, we followed closely behind. I gripped my reins so hard my hands began to lose feeling. My mouth had turned into a desert and my mind was racing. We soon made it to the at least hundred foot stone wall where a guard station was built ; opening a large passageway between the outposts that were built on either side. At each one stood a soldier in armor similar to the Valkyrie in front of me, the difference was the simplicity of theirs in comparison.
People had now gathered en masse near the road and practically piled up watching in murmurs and hushed tones. As we neared the opening I could see at least a hundred soldiers in armor lined along both sides of the road across the wall. Their armor was gleaming gold and silver with long matching thorn-like spikes spread across its entirety. Their faces were hidden behind their helms and their hands rested firmly in the base of their sheathed swords.
We reached the opening and the two, I'm assuming Valkyries, joined walking on the sides of me and my mom. When we passed through the same sight of gathered people could be found tucked behind the soldiers. The horses came to an abrupt stop after we passed, placing us center in the road feet before the first pair of soldiers.
From behind her helm the Valkyrie spoke in a loud booming voice that echoed through the now hushed surroundings
"MAKE WAY FOR THE QUEEN"
On queue with the Valkyrie the soldiers in unison drew their swords making the sounds of a metallic snake before raising them to the sky and above the road
"LONG LIVE THE QUEEN"
With that the held breaths of the surrounding people exploded into enthusiastic cheers and a repetitive chant.
"LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!"