355 Meeting Queen Rosalind (1/2)
The clothing that Zero stole from the abandoned villages became useful when Zero had to fashion some female clothes for his meeting with Queen Rosalind. Although the fabric wasn't of great quality, Zero had plenty of fabric to work with. The stitching techniques he learnt from Mitchnew came in handy and Zero made a new dress that didn't look like a healer's dress just for an audience with Queen Rosalind. Truen couldn't accompany him so Zero made sure to keep his worried friend informed about how the meeting went through live feedback using the party call.
Queen Rosalind wasn't anything like Zero had expected her to be. Not all ladies were feminine and Queen Rosalind was one of those minorities. Zero liked her the moment he saw her. The queen was like Zenobia, a warrior through and through. However, unlike the chieftess, queen Rosalind was a swordswoman instead of an archer.
The giantess was intimidating with her sharp stare and pierced bottom lip. Zero noted how Rosalind resembled Freya a little with her green eyes and red hair that was messily braided. The queen wore fur and leather armour instead of fine silk gowns and carried a two-handed sword at her hip. Instead of a gold crown, queen Rosalind wore a steel crown instead. Zero thought that it was rather strange that royalty wore steel crowns instead of gold crowns. Gold represented wealth after all and to replace that symbol with steel, Zero couldn't understand the reason behind it. He was very curious but held his tongue in front of the queen.
The queen was fifteen meters tall and Zero was tiny in her presence. Bowing only made him appear smaller and his voice was terribly quiet in such a big room that Zero had to shout to be heard. Fortunately, nobody treated that as a sign of disrespect. If anything, Zero's desperation only elicited laughs and kind smiles hidden behind masks from the throne room.
Joseph took pity on the healer and decided to help Zero out by conveying his words to the queen and her ministers.
”This is Zero, a travelling healer with her brother. Zero has a gift and she claims to be able to listen to the voices of wandering gods. The lass claims to be able to cure the plague,” Joseph summarised.
At that, Queen Rosalind became serious. The relaxed laughter from before was nowhere to be heard and she eyed the tiny healer who wore a cloak over her light blue healer robes.
”I cannot see you from where I am,” Queen Rosalind spoke and looked at Joseph. ”Why don't you bring her closer? Is she afraid of standing on the palms of giants?”
Joseph shook her head. ”She has stood on my shoulders before when I gave her a house tour. She brought my daughter home and even took care of her for a while. We went out inspecting coma patients and mushrooms together a few days ago. She is well accustomed to the way of life in Magnus Hilda now.”
Zero tried to remember all the manners that Freya taught him about when dealing with royalty. He humbled himself and bowed before smiling politely as he introduced his name. Queen Rosalind nodded.
”Many renowned doctors have tried and failed before. What makes you so confident that you can cure this plague that has been going on for almost five years now? Also, how do I know if the voices of gods that you hear are real?”
As expected of a wise queen, Rosalind didn't give her trust easily. Yet, she didn't turn away what most people would have labelled as a religious hoax. She was impartial in judgement and patient as Zero told his story.
”Queen Rosalind, the voice of the goddess I hear coming from this land tells me that she can cure the people but her power is limited. In order to prove that I am not lying, I can perform a ritual to offer my prayers to this wandering goddess. However, there will be a few things I would like to request as part of the offering to this goddess. Would your majesty be willing to assist me in procuring these items?”
Queen Rosalind's expression gave nothing away but she replied Zero calmly like she would with everything else. ”Magnus Hilda isn't a particularly wealthy country. Ever since the plague, our economy has started to weaken considerably. I'm afraid we cannot offer your goddess anything expensive or imported because traders stopped visiting the country. However, if the things your goddess desires are within acceptable reasons that the people of Magnus Hilda can afford, I will do my best to obtain them for you.”
Zero smiled and thanked the queen with another bow. ”Your majesty, my goddess is not a greedy or whimsical god. She is benevolent and genuinely cares about her people. Unfortunately, disaster had befallen the Heavens many years back and my goddess still hasn't recovered from the disaster. She is very weak at the moment and is lucky to have survived the disaster when all her brethren have perished. To help my goddess produce the cure and increase her power of blessing to this falling land, she desires food of the best quality to nourish her vessel.”
Queen Rosalind was surprised when all Zero requested for the offering was food. Normally, offerings demanded from the United nation of the Uncanny would consist of live sacrifices, gold, ancient artefacts or even dead bodies. Perhaps the offerings for magicians and gods differed. No, it couldn't be. The missionaries also usually requested money as payment for their services. Some even went as far as to call them offerings to their faith. Could Zero truly hear the voice of wandering gods?.
”I understand. If it is food, the royal palace can prepare even a banquet for your goddess. Is there anything in particular that your goddess demands?”
Zero thought about it for a bit and pretended to communicate with the wandering goddess in the presence of everyone. The room was silent even when Zero dragged the act on for three minutes. When he finally opened his eyes, he smiled and pretended to be slightly tired from the communication.
”The goddess said that other than alcohol, she would accept all kinds of food. The goddess has also made a request for her shrine to be built in her name if she can cure the plague. Magnus Hilda will only worship her name after this and she will appear to all when she has recovered her divine powers to bless this land once more. For now, the goddess has a task for everyone. She says that the cause of the plague is from those mushrooms invading the land. This is a sign that Goddess Hyndla's powers have weakened and her blessing over the land is fading. I tried to ask for a reason why the blessing would weaken but the goddess would say no more. Instead, with the remaining time of our communication, she taught me how to draw a talisman that can be used to eradicate the mushrooms.”