Chapter 2: Doors
While I'm standing behind her, I nervously play with my fingers in front of my chest. The massive white doors with gold patterns clacks open.
It startles me a bit.
"Don't be nervous, hands at your sides"
She says as she looks behind her, with a really scary smile this time as if forcing my compliance.
How the hell do you expect me not to be nervous, when you look like your gonna kill me, and eat my non existent children, lady.
I Jump, my body tenses as I jerk upright like a robot, she faces ahead and starts walking. I'm a bit slow because I'm following with my whole body stiff, I'm following like a robot at attention.
She gets to her spot before the throne and takes a knee.
I snap out of my robot posture and quickly walk and take a knee behind her looking down.
I bring my hand to my chest making a fist as I take a deep breath.
I notice the people on either side behind me. Deathly silent. Not even a murmur.
"YOUR MAGESTY, KING RAYMOND OF THE SHADOWFALL KINGDOM ENTERS, PLEASE RISE"
I look behind me and see the audience standing up. I motion to follow.
"Not you"
She commands in a low voice. I react and lower my head. I hear the king walking, then taking a seat on the throne.
"Shannon, Proceed"
"Yes, my great king"
She stands up walks to the left then turns and gestures downward toward me with her right hand.
"I wish to introduce my kings benefactor. Sir Hero. Your majesty, If it may please the court, Sir Hero is unfamiliar with our customs and mannerisms, I beg of you to forgive ⁰him for any misunderstanding this may cause"
I glance at her, her head is bowed as she speaks.
"Granted"
She releases her bow, standing upright before leaving to go stand in her place with the other 5 knights.
There are knights lined up on either side of me. 6 on each side.
"Rise, Sir Hero and lift your head"
I stand up and look at the king. The king is dressed in a black big sleeved gown with golden patterns on it and a square crown. except for the crown his attire reminds me of ancient Chinese royalty wear. He even has the long grey hair, beard and long thin mustache to match. It's like those old martial arts masters.
The king is leaning on his right hand. He then lifts his left hand in front of him and lowers it. I hear something behind me. I quickly look back and see the audience of well dressed people all taking a seat. They are all wearing different colored clothing. I notice that some are wearing black masks over their faces. There's also and a few people dressed in white using clipboards to monitor the colorful crowd. These people have their backs to the wall at the sides facing the crowd.
I look back at the king, he is now sitting upright smiling at me.
"Sir Hero, you saved my life, please speak your name."
"Kaijuu Ryu"
"Sir Kaijuu, I can grant you rewards, anything you desire as long as it is within my power to grant."
He pauses thoughtfully as he raises his hand pointing toward the sky, gesturing for me to stay silent as he finishes speaking.
"However before you answer I want to present you with the hand of any of my daughters, pick as many as you wish."
He then gestures to a man standing at the wall to my left. The man is standing next to a golden rope that's dangling from above. The firmly grasps it using both hands and pulls it, releasin weights on either side of the curtain.
As the weights slide toward the ground the curtains on either side of the throne smoothly slide open revealing a kind of stage display with these women who are dressed kind of erotically laying down. I quickly count as my eyes dart back and forth over the grand display.
It's 5 on each side. These women are incredibly beautiful. Some look a bit embarrassed, whilst some look comfortable. The more experienced ones are looking at me with enticing eyes.
"In addition to this, I also have riches as well as land, for without you I would not be here today..."
I start looking at each girl letting my eyes linger on each girl, some wave at me. I wave back. Some look down fidgeting red in the face. One of them a woman with pure white hair shoulder length winks at me.
"Now speak your desires."
I snap out of my admiration state.
I collect myself as I fix my gaze on the king once again.
"Permission to speak freely your majesty"
"Granted"
I put my hand in front of my chest making a fist, I clench it and take a deep breath.
As I exhale I open my eyes.
"I want those doors."
As I point to the doors of the throne room behind me. Everyone around me is dumbstruck.
"You want WHAAAAT?!"
The king comically goes white as a sheet confused beyond reason.
"The doors and the frame leading to the throne room"
I answer calmly.
"But but"
"Can you majesty not part with these doors?"
I put my hand on my chin looking down closing my eyes to think
"I can, but It.."
The king clears his throat. I hear murmurs behind me. I also hear some scribbling on the clipboards. Soon after the crowd goes silent again.
"Very well, I'll contact the contractor to have doors like those made."
"Your majesty."
I interrupt him. He goes silent. I feel Shannon glaring daggers at me. But I continue
"I wish for those doors specifically."
The king listens intently whilst collecting himself.
"Very well"
After a beat.
He gestures to one of the knights on my right to approach him.
The knight walks over and takes a knee.
"Fetch me the head assistant"
"As you command, my king"
The knight raises then bows before he goes off running past me.
The king continues.
"Sir Kaijuu I humbly request that you to wait for the assistant to return so we can establish a timeline for your wish"
The king opens both arms lifting them toward the sky gesturing to the girls behind him on the elevated stage.
"Will there be anything else? riches, land, at least one of my daughters?"
I take a beat and close my eyes freeing myself of the optical distraction as I begin to speak.
"There is another door I want, but I humblyrequest to discuss it further in private."
When I open my eyes again I see his mouth hanging open along with all of the knights to the left and right of me.
"Another door, seriously? Do none of these girls strike your fancy?"
"They do your majesty, however"
I raise my finger before I continue
"judging on looks alone is unwise. So I'll have to respectfully decline at this stage."
The king starts looking left and right in a panic. He then looks right at me, then behind me. He then brings his hand to his mouth and clears his throat again.
"Sir Hero, I am afraid I must insist, would you perhaps do me the courtesy of revealing your preference. It is so that I may see if one of them may interest you."
This guy reeeaaaly wants to pawn a bride off on me. I close my eyes once again to think. I doubt anyone like my type exists, Is it ok to just describe my desires and then reject them politely when they can't fulfill my request.
...
Yeah!
I think I'll do that.
"Well.."
Every single one of the knights including the king pull their upper bodies back holding their hands in front of them as if they are bracing themselves for the shock of what I'm about to say.
I haven't said anything yet ya know.
"I want a intelligent girl that's not afraid to do hard work. She can also be my assistant, also she needs to be absolutely loyal. If your majesty cannot comply with the--"
"Roka."
A single word escapes his lips. I look up.
"--loyaltyyy."
I finish my sentence then go silent as I try processing his interruption.
I look at the king, gears turning in my head. The king has his eyes closed as he continues.
"Loyalty, what exactly do you mean by that."
He opens his eyes piercing my soul as he continues with a serious tone.
"Please speak freely as you explain Sir Kaijuu"
I take a beat collecting my thoughts.
Should I tell him here or in private?
I don't want to reveal too much here.
I bolster my resolve and begin to talk.
"You see your majesty, before I came to the Shadowfall kingdom I was betrayed. Someone I thought I knew in the past betrayed me and leaked information about secret methods I use. and it caused me a great deal of despair.
I don't wish to go into detail about these events if I can help it, because I was deeply hurt. However If your majesty demands it, I'll provide more context in private."
"Betrayal... huh"
The king looks a bit sad as he sighs.
"If it's protection from betrayal you seek, we have a method to ensure it...
As for your prefrence someone does come to mind... However..."
The king looks nervous.
"I'm not sure she's fit for marriage, I mean at her last..."
He sighs once more.
The king tries once more taking a deep breath before he speaks.
"These girls here are much better suited to marriage and also beautifull wouldn't you agree."
Ah! he said it himself. I focus on the girls behind him, I notice that they all start looking a bit uncomfortable. Some are struggling to keep their sexy poses, others are looking a bit annoyed.
I quickly look at the king again.
"Two things if I may your majesty, first is the one you speak of not beautifull? also if I may request that your daughters be excused since it's getting a bit... distracting"
The king glances behind him noticing the mood of the living display.
He closes his eyes.
"Forgive me"
The king gestures and the curtain drops.
I can hear the impatient shuffling behind the curtain.
"My daughter Roka---"
Shannon steps forward loudly and stands right next to me then bows.
"I beg your forgiveness for my interruption your majesty, but princess Roka hasn---"
The king interrupts her by holding up his hand.
"To answer your question Sir Kaijuu, it's not that she isn't beautiful its just..."
He sighs again looking exacerbated. Just then the door behind me opens. I look back. I see a man in a white tuxedo.
"Head assistant Loyd"
"My king"
The man noiselessly walks past me and bows to the king before joining him to his right
"How soon can we renovate the throne room?"
"My king??"
"Actually.."
The king holds his hand out blocking his mouth as the assistant bows down to listen. All I can hear is
*gotcha gotcha gotcha.
"I see, 1 week should suffice my king"
The king then motions him to come closer again.q
"Also..."
Again I can only make out
*gotcha gotcha gotcha.
"Princess Roka... I see. As you wish my king."
The man takes a step back bows to the king, then leaves the same way he came in. The king rises, then I hear the crowd behind me rise as well.
"Sir Kaijuu, please accompany me so we may discuss the rest in private."
The king looks over my head to the back of the room.
"We shall reconvene in 1 week from today for the official reward ceremony."
The king turns gesturing for me to come along, he then looks at Shannon.
She bows and starts following the king. I join her following along.