22 Chapter 9: Partings and Meister 1 (2/2)
The room stretches in an elongated hallway like chamber that had glossy black mirrored floors. Supporting columns stood side by side with open balconies that went on from end to end while statues stood in between the columns below it.
On the far end of the room, several golden light beams emerges from the floor towards the seven-storied tall ceilings that curved in arches. While two giant stone statues of knights stood looming in entrance of a rotunda like space at the farthest end of the room where a throne can be seen on top of two steps elevated flooring.
All windows were tall and arching parallel types, where thick draping curtains covers them almost entirely. Only lights coming from the windows of the second and third floor balconies drew brightness. There weren't any chandeliers nor rugs at all. No plants or any ornaments to suffice a child's easy eyes.
It definitely fit as a throne room for a High King of Seven Kingdoms.
But three words comes to mind despite all the austere grandeur...
—it looks stiff, cold and gloomy.
I walked forward and towards the throne where my uncle sat while a small council sat at a court in a corner nearby the rotunda,
Soon, as I stood before him, uncle regarded me kindly. ”Aerrandria, and to what do I owe this pleasure?” He stood up and walks up to me. The small council went silent and bowed their heads when I glanced at them.
”My apology for the interruption, your Majesty,” I uttered as I curtsied before him.
”Not at all. I'm far more delighted to see you here! Come, walk with me.”
Lady Mirel bowed her entire torso down as the King walked pass her. Uncle took my hand and we began to walk off.
I looked up at him as he smiled at me when our eyes met. ”Your Majesty...” I spoke,
”Uncle is better” he corrected.
”Umm, uncle— I was just wondering if you know the Sage's whereabouts. I had tried asking around but no one can tell me where he is.”
”Well, Aerrandria...” he replied, looking ahead. ”No one really knows where the Sage goes.He travels whenever wherever he wants. And returns at his own volition.”
”You don't know where he is?”
He nods, ”Despite being King, he never informs me about his destinations and clandestinity's. He's a free soul that come and goes.”
”But will he ever return soon?”
”There is no certainty but perhaps next year. I will inform you right away if ever he returns, alright?”
I sighed in dismay. ”I just assumed that since the Sage is old, he will be locked inside a library or something.”
Uncle laughs heartily. ”Well yes! The Sage is older than my grandfather. In fact, my twin sister— your mother and I used to listen to his stories of adventure back when I was about your age. But you might be surprise how he looks like.”
”What does he look like?”
”He maintains an image of a young boy and sometimes acts like one. When I was a young boy, I used to despise him in fact! Well, not despise, I suppose— just a dislike.”
”Why?” I gazed at uncle as we went on walking very slowly just around the chamber.
”A childish reason. Estheria spends more time with him than with me.” He replied, laughing mildly as his eyes stared blankly at midair, as if in deep reverie. ”But I eventually forgot about it when she got engaged to your father. That was the time I was also crowned as the scion to the throne.”
Estheria is my mother's entire name which I rarely hear. While Papa prefers calling her Esther or plainly 'Mama', like how Aeron and I call her.
I found my lips curving in a smile as I study uncle. He reminds me of Aeron. The attachment he has with his twin sister is similar to how Aeron treats me before.
Aeron is changing now though, and I'm glad about it. He can now turn away from me without pouting and sulking, as if always hoping I'm around. He can now initiate conversations especially with other children and can go about without having the need to drag me with him or shadow me to wherever I go.
But I wonder what kind of childhood did uncle and my mom had?
For me, Grantzæl is a big gloomy city just full of splendors and glory but no colors... not even warmth.
—not a place where walls can share stories of laughters from yesteryears.
I'm just assuming it is one of the reasons why they decided to have us live in separate land away from the throne.
”Aerrandria, I heard you met another pure blood aside from the Nilfeim boy named Stray.” Uncle uttered as he turns his head to look at me.
Surprised from the sudden digression, I just nodded.
He's talking about Nora.
”I'm assuming you plan to return her family crest to her parents, correct?”
”Yes uncle, but I want to personally han—!”
Uncle pats my head in a smile, ”I know” he cuts me off even before I could finish. ”However you're only ten years old and to travel at that age is...”
”But uncle—!”
He got to his one knee and places both his hands on my shoulders, ”I had tried looking for her parents because I want to help you but... it seems like they migrated to somewhere else. But I still sent some of my best trackers to locate them.”
I stared directly at uncle's blue crystalline eyes, similar to mine and saw sincerity in them. ”I already figured you're a very special child from how you talk and how your reasoning goes. I also heard what you did for the young Lord at the Eastern nation, Osteell. All the State Lords favors your betrothal very well because of it!”
I crunch my brows unknowingly, trying to discern what uncle is getting at.
”At such a young age you are achieving great things, surpassing the mind from an ordinary child of the same age. So... I decided, I will be allowing you to travel but!” He pokes my nose lightly when he saw me beam at him in delight at his words, ”Promise me to wait for another two years before traveling out on your own adventures! Your parents had been worried sick from these ordeals.”
He stood back up and added, ”I will provide you with what you might need for your travels as long as you comply to my terms.”
I nodded vigorously but immediately retreated a grimace realizing two years time is too long. It feels wrong to hold on to Nora's brooches for such a long time.
”If I do find her parents, I'll make sure to inform them about your plan to travel so that they can wait for your arrival. Any other stories to tell will be yours to share once you meet them. I'll only spare enough information needed for them to know what to expect.
Would that be enough?” He asks as I slowly nodded.
”Promise?” I asked back.
He nods and offers a pinky at me, ”I promise”
I took it and smiled at him.
”My sister's children are like my own. You and your twin brother Aeron are my precious family. Your safety and happiness matters to me. So rest assure I will do my best to keep my word.” He says pushing a hand on his chest to express his sincerity, as he knelt down before me while he wraps his pinky finger with mine in a pinky swear. He smiles warmly at me and felt how his gaze was the same... Like how a father looks at their new born child.
I took a deep breath and watch him stand back up as he took my hand and guided me back towards the throne area where Lady Mirel stood waiting beside the small council.
”Come visit me again whenever you like.”
”Thank you for everything, uncle!”
He nods in a smile, ”The pleasure is all mine.”
And went to sit back down to his throne, watching me under his calm and steady gaze as his council began to talk to him regarding political matters.
I curtsied one more time before gesturing at Lady Mirel as we walked away and finally left the audience chamber.
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The moment the door closes behind me, I tried to replay inside my head everything my uncle just said. It felt like he somehow manipulated his way to turn me down as nicely as he could. But I never felt malice in it. Although it did somehow bothered me that amidst being very well informed, he fails to say anything regarding the Sage's whereabouts.
I curled my fingers in a countdown
—plan to talk with the Sage: FAILED.
Although uncle successfully made me indirectly agree to not look for the sage and blindly wait for an empty promise that I will be informed if ever the Sage do return.
—planning to travel for Nora's brooches: also FAILED.
Plus, he cleverly made me promise to never travel within two years time.
Honestly, what good did my visit with uncle bring me?
I'm starting to believe he knew what I was going to ask for even before I opened my mouth.
Surprisingly, what a cunning King.