1 PROLOGUE (1/2)
”ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESENCE OF PRODEA OF THE HOUSE OF LIMOR, GRAND PRINCESS AND CHIEF MAGISTRATE OF NAGOZUL. ONE OF THE ISLANDS OF THE HOLY LANDS…”
A great silence engulfed the room of what seems to be a meeting chamber inside an old medieval Palace. There are nine men occupying a round table all wearing extravagantly embroidered outfits befitting royalty. Sparks of candles can be heard flickering inside as the men stood up to witness the fabled princess of the most mythical islands of the one true God, creator of the world.
”You'll be surprised, my lord.” whispered a handsome middle-aged man beside the Emperor. ”You've never seen anything like this. What she would like to offer would make our empire richer than ever before.”
He has a clean-cut beard standing at his position in the round table with a wide smile of excitement. He usually sits at the eastern side with the Emperor but today they made precautions to sit at the northern part close to the wall that is behind them, directly in front of the door, gaining vantage point to everything and everyone. They have a secret back door at one of the wall's panels behind them should anything awry happens, but the handsome middle-aged man is proudly confident that they would not require such provisions in meeting with an unknown foreign delegate. Someone, as loyal as he is, would not endorse someone to the Emperor if he's not certain that that person would not pose any risk.
The huge metal doors in front of them gradually opened as the princess walked slowly inside the chamber together with her two beautiful handmaids at her sides looking like floating angels with their white silk gowns. Tailing behind them is a tall muscular man dragging a metal chest on a trolley. This fear-provoking titan looks like a man who sprung out of a flawlessly made sculpture that it rendered some of the younger men in the table to gulp in anxiety thinking feverishly on how to defeat such a perfect human specimen if such a need arises.
The radiant princess wears a red lengthy silk gown covering all her body that made her looked like a goddess. Light emanates from her forehead which seems to be originating from the three gemstones placed as if embedded on her skin. It is curious to note that there are obscure tattoo markings on her forehead around the embedded gems. She had a long brunette hair that stretches to her hips at the back and her heavenly face glows without compare.
The men at the round table were stunned with awe as they gaze to Prodea's magnificence. She walked straight behind the chair that awaits her which is directly in front from the Emperor's spot and bowed gracefully. The muscular man pulled the chair away as she entered in her place in the round table, still standing, looking at all of those men mesmerized at the sight of her with their mouths still half-opened in anticipation. She nodded just slightly giving the cue for all of them to find their seats and then she started.
”Blessed day to you all nobles before me, I am Prodea of the House of Limor, Grand Princess of Nagozul.” Her soft but firm voice echoed in the room as the men slightly bowed their heads to recognize her presence. ”I come before this council of your great and benevolent eastern empire of Leonus, and to you Emperor Balthazar Ferryl Lionmaster, to bear a treaty that would benefit your empire's expanding culture and beauty. I am proposing to give you rights to have twenty chests of the Gems of Bathala that are found only in the Holy Lands.”
As she was exclaiming, the big muscular man mustered his strength and lifted the impossibly big and obviously heavy metal chest and put it on top of the table beside her. The thud vibrated a faint creak making the table three to five degrees askew sloping to their spot, giving the impression that it might have been weighing at least a thousand pounds, but the muscular guard looked as though he didn't even break a sweat.
The handmaids touched the side of the chest that has some weird markings with some form of magic. The nobles that are near to the chest stood up in fear as they saw small sparks of fire shoot out of their fingers and into the metal chest creating an encompassing light to envelop it as if being swallowed by a fizzing wisp. The men in the round table were puzzled and wary in their seats as the handmaids closed their eyes and muttered a weird language. The chest sprung open and the nobles stood up slowly almost synchronized being amazed at the five sparkling fist-sized gems properly organized inside. What's curious is that they all glow brightly as if they have captured the tongues of candles inside of them. They saw Red Rubies, Green Emeralds, Blue Sapphires, Yellow Topazes and White Diamonds that radiates light upwards and all around as if magically bringing forth rainbows to spring out. Their eyes sparkled with joy and their emotions of fear immediately dissipated, replacing it with astonishment and excitement.
”In exchange for this grand gesture we would like to have designs and knowledge in your metallurgical, mechanical and alchemical technologies…” As she enumerated her demands, the council who are in deep shock fell into a great gasp leading them to discuss the matter to one another in disagreement. ”…Bear in mind,” she added, ”that these gems hold power within if used properly. It's very rare and can only be found in the Holy Lands. This is your one and only opportunity to acquire them.”
The discussions among the said council grew louder and louder. ”This is preposterous!” said an old fat noble banging the table with his hand. The muscular titan noticed this immediately and snapped his attention at the angered noble which led him to tone down his violent reaction to her statements. He cleared his throat as if smiling and then continued with an amicable pitch. ”We can't share our profound technologies to you, my lady. This is our only line of defense against those barbaric Gnarshu. And even if we can, we simply won't!”
”Yes… correct my old friend Duke Gollwun. But with that, we can have new ways on developing our strong army and defenses,” stated calmly by an old noble on the other side of the table. ”With those gems, if given to our scholars, we can turn the tides of war and even save thousands of lives.”
”Yes, Yes! Old Duke Rumilo is right!” exclaimed hurriedly by the handsome middle-aged noble that sits beside the Emperor. ”If we don't take this now, she will take this offer to the Gnarshu and who knows what will…”
”That's enough Duke Tabarius!” the Emperor interrupted. ”Grand Princess Prodea, we will convene on this matter for now. I know that your offer is extremely generous. No disrespect intended, but this sensitive matter cannot be decided hastily. Surely, the safety and wellbeing of our empire comes first and the whole council has gathered here to prioritize in discussing the said matter.
”Why won't you relax as our guests here for the time being? I'm sure you're all weary from your travels. We have prepared the best chambers for you and your servants and I really do hope that it satisfies to your liking,” he stood smiling and leveled his hand to point the direction to the door that the guards currently opened for them. ”We promise that we will have the decision by tomorrow. For now, we have to discuss this matter thoroughly and with the utmost scrutiny.”
She looked at her handmaids and her bodyguard with a calm smile signaling them to prepare to move. ”I must admit that this is a very hard decision for you and your people. Rest assured that even if you won't accept our treaty, I would leave this chest for you as a sign of goodwill, good day gentlemen,” she bowed to curtsy and then gracefully strode to the door and left together with her servants.
The Palace guards escorted them into their chamber at the top of one of the towers in the west wing of the Palace.
”Here you are your highness…” said the heavily armored Palace guard who's been showing them the way, ”If you need anything at all, your highness, just give us a holler.” The other guards, who are carrying spears with a triangular flag on the end that carried their empire's gryphon insignia, opened the large thick metal braced door. Then, they took a deep bow and stood away to the sides courteously giving way to the royal party.
A large inviting gold-colored room awaited them. At the immediate vicinity you can see a fully furnished receiving area with elegant gold-plated metal braced table that is full of different kinds of fruits in all shapes and sizes that is indigenous to the area. Truly a first-class suite fit for royalty, but it didn't impress them at all. Truly the rumors about the riches of the Holy Lands pale in comparison to their lands, the guards thought as they stepped back into the hall.
Prodea's bodyguard inspected a door inside the room that appears to be the bedroom. He gives a signal after a minute or two of examination and bowed to her insinuating that the area is secure. She entered the room together with her two handmaids.
”Relay to your master that I am pleased with my accommodations,” she said rather indifferent after looking around for a while inside and then, after all is well, she looked at her bodyguard automatically giving him instructions to close the door. The Palace guards that stood at the other side bowed again saying their goodbyes as the terrifying muscle of the royal party closed the doors to a shut.
They settled into the receiving area as Prodea sat near the fireplace. She took a serious gaze at the window directly opposite of the door as if solving a great riddle. The sun is nearly setting then as skies of orange light engulfed the whole room.
”uhm… your highness Prodea?” a handmaiden interrupted, quietly moving closer to her spot, anxious as if someone might hear. ”Might I impose a question?”
Prodea sighed as if irritated but nodded to entertain.
”I do not wish to insult,” the handmaiden continued, ”but we're technologically superior to them. Their primitive privies are an example of that. All of the things here are unsanitary and…”
”You bore me,” stopped Prodea, ”get to your point.”
”What I meant was… do you think this will work? It's ridiculous for them not to accept. I mean we went away there without an answer on their part? Do you think your plan failed?”
”Fool!” she shouted as she snapped out of her concentration. ”Do not question my intellect Daomagar! If you were not my sister-in-law, I would've smitten you to ashes already!” she then stood up and walked near the window. ”OF COURSE, IT WORKED! Just wait 'till tomorrow. Those greedy pigs already signed the treaty when we first walked in that room. Understand this Zeba, my plan is already in motion.” she then smiled and continued on to solve a mystery beyond the majestic amber-dipped skies of dusk.
-------ooO0Ooo-------
At the throne room, after minutes of disagreement at each other's opinion the discussion continued.
”This is impossible!” exclaimed the noble in the table. ”Your Highness, although these gems are marvelous and magical, containing it and knowing its uses would take us years to accomplish and another decade to perfect it. What if it is a plot served to us by the Gnarshu?”
”Your highness I assure you, I personally know her. She really came from the Holy Lands,” Duke Tabarius rebutted. ”Do you all know, by any chance, the myth of Agua Vida and the River of Life?”