Audience With The King
Morning came rather swiftly. As if their impending doom had made the sun rise earlier, and the dread creeping on him increased tenfold.
The guard walked before him, at an even pace, measured, and timed. The discipline required was astounding. Fourth caste, warriors, D'aendri. L'atil and T'ereni were nowhere to be seen. A precaution, in case they have grown fond of each other over the course of the days they spent with each other joined at the hip.
He halted his steps in front of Iris's chamber and the guard assigned to him turned to face the other guard. Iris was still getting ready. The wait was eating him alive and the fact that they were in enemy territory wasn't helping either. He'd been on the edge since he left Redkite. The click of the door opening dragged him back to the present as the door slowly opened and Iris appeared wearing one of the dresses customary to the woman born in the first caste, K'arali. A silken deep blue robe girdled with silver studded chain and a silver Cape hanging off her shoulders.
They both nodded in greeting, as the guards flanked them on either side. An unnecessary precaution, but he let out a shaky sigh when they reached the ladden double doors and the guard placed the lance in front of him.
A fifth caste boy nodded and disappeared through the ajar door, to inform that they had arrived. S'athi cast was mainly, a servants caste, caretakers, healers, educators, clerks, and merchants.
The boy returned, nodded, and pushed the door fully open while K'ahlon took a step forward and flanked the king. In a semi-circle, prostrated on the floor, on either side of the throne, the mistresses. Oros had no queen. Five rows, of five women on either side of the throne, ten from each caste. Each caste was under the care of a matron pertaining to that caste.
" Greetings your Highness," Iris began speaking as soon as the guards halted their steps. Evenly tempered, all things considered, deferent.
The King wickedly chuckled, and he felt the end of the lance hit him behind the knee. They both fell on one knee before the king. Not that he wanted to, but at this point he had no choice. The throne room was filled with K'arali adjourned most likely to hear the reason behind their visit.
" A northerner and an envoy walk into Caral," The King chuckled. His phlegmatic way of speaking was the most grating thing he'd ever heard in his life.
" State your business," Arvun went straight to the point, and Iris attempted to raise her head but it was pushed down by the guard with the lance. An expected gesture but not necessary.
" We have a proposition," Iris began, with a trembling voice. It wasn't fear. She was struggling to keep control of her temper.
" Your Highness sent a missive not long ago requesting aid,"
" An aid than I'm still waiting to receive," Arvun chuckled again," Little girl," He sighed, " I'm hoping that you have brought something to appease me. Otherwise, you'll be food for the kalkaran," A beast that roamed Oros, with jagged teeth and a mouth big enough to swallow one whole.
" I'm afraid, there isn't much to give, " Iris gritted her teeth, her hands fisted tight," Hessia is going through difficult times. We are rebuilding. There isn't much to take. We are here to ask for trade. An alliance," The King raised his hand, to stop her from speaking.
" You said it yourself, Hessia is on its knees, defenseless. Why would I ally with a kingdom that has nothing to offer, nor can defend itself? When I can just gather my army, march over and take it," He smirked as he leaned back in his chair. Conceited bastard.
He cleared his throat, " I was expecting the Mythrian Queen, not her lackey. And you northerner...What brings you to my court?" He didn't even bother to raise his head, he knew the guard would push him down.
" I'm merely her companion. I have emeritus status within the Hessian Court on behalf of Whitsun," The king hummed.
" I see, that an alliance has already been made with the North. You are not being truthful, little girl," Arvun crooned, mockingly.
" A bond has been made when the Queen has agreed to aid us in the attacks. Your Highness has successfully defended your lands. Thus proving that you did not require Hessia's aid," An attempt to caress Arvun's ego. Perhaps he would ease off a little bit.
" We are the greatest nation in the Seven Seas. Not much enters our lands and lives to tell the tale, " Arvun boasted, chuckling while the court did the same in tone with him. Bastard.
Iris didn't agree nor disagree with him, but her fisted hands trembled. Her expression was grave and ashen. He didn't know whether it was Arvun that irked her or the whispers that she could hear.
" Your Highness, if I may," She made one last attempt to raise her head and again it was pushed down by the guards. A fatal mistake on his part, as Iris grabbed his wrist and in the blink of an eye he was engulfed in green flame and mere moments later, a pile of dust on the ground. As the fire evaporated and returned to its wielder.
Arvun pushed himself off his throne as Iris stood up, and he followed. He'd wagered that he wasn't wrong and won. Although she just killed one of his subjects. Prepare to run Corvin. He told himself.
" I will have you executed. This is treason," Iris looked at the pile of ashes on the floor for a little while longer, while the King sputtered in disbelief.
Iris peeled her eyes off the pile of dust on the floor, and took a deep breath, to reign in her spirit, " We came here with peaceful intentions, " She calmly began, as she took a step forward towards the women prostrated on the floor and looked at their marked hands.
" And yet, you've decided to humiliate us from the moment you've laid eyes on us," Iris sighed, rubbing her thumb over the tip of her fingers," I could burn Caral to the ground, leave no trace of it. No trace that you ever existed. Should you choose to march onto Hessian soil, I will burn that too," She took a deep breath as green fire began pooling at her feet, and slowly separated into tendrils, snaking across the floor of the throne room, and climbing up the walls and onto the ceiling.
" What do you want?" Arvun barked, as he descended from his throne and stopped before Iris.
" We came here hoping we would be able to create harmonious future relationships," Iris sighed, " Now, I'm warning you. Touch Hessian soil, and no one of your kind will live to see the sunlight again," As she turned on her heels the flames slowly retreated to her. He didn't know whether to be terrified, proud or happy.
With one simple nod to Arvun, he followed in her footsteps, to the entrance of the throne room while the courtesans watched, terrified.
" That was," He didn't quite find his words," Quite a show," He quipped as they made their way out of the Palace.
Iris shrugged, " Can you burn the city to the ground?" He asked as they took the same path the stable boy took the night they arrived. Horses, they needed the horses.
" No, but he doesn't know, " She whispered, smirking. For someone who had had enough bloodshed, she seemed completely fine with taking a man's life. Just so, she could stand up and speak.
" You killed a man," He cleared his throat when she halted her steps and raised her eyes to look at him.
" He would've been the one to execute us at the end," She calmly replied reprising her steps, as the royal stables loomed before them.
" My sword," Corvin halted his steps placing his hand on his hip out of instinct.
" We don't have time," Iris whispered as she looked over her shoulder, at the approaching guards.