sir," the servant muttered. "It will take me only a moment to inform Her Highness that you are here." He literally ran from the room, his footsteps echoing along after him.
Rahaxeris stood perfectly still while he waited. The security ogres positioned around the room all seemed to hold their breath and stiffen a little more in their stances. Rahaxeris ignored them completely. He couldn’t be bothered to attempt to put others at ease.
He eyed the grandeur of the room’s architecture thoughtfully. In the very recent past, he’d had a mind to tear every stone of the palace apart once the new world order had settled firmly into place. Now that his plans were altered, he consoled himself with the thought his daughter would walk these halls as its mistress.
Running footfalls came sounding back through the hall. Thirty feet from the door, the young man slowed to a walk and emerged into the entry hall with the determined look of false composure. "The Queen will see you now, sir. Please follow me."
When Rahaxeris entered the throne room, an audible gasp communally escaped every handmaiden and servant. Queen Christiana's rigid posture betrayed her obvious effort to appear unshaken, and to her credit almost pulled it off. She sat in Zeren’s throne, so overdressed she resembled a little girl in a costume.
"So, why does the Rune-dy send a priest for an audience with the queen?"
Rahaxeris might have smiled if it weren’t for the fact that he never did unless he wanted to terrify someone. "My Queen, the Rune-dy has not sent me. I am the Rune-dy . I am Rahaxeris."
A louder gasp than before erupted around the room, and the servants closest to the doors exited without permission. The others backed away and huddled in groups against the walls. Christiana glanced at them, a furious expression on her little face.
Rahaxeris held up a hand, and everyone stopped breathing, literally. "What I have come to say to Her Majesty is best said in private. Perhaps you should send your guards and servants away. That one there," he pointed at a shaking handmaiden, "is having heart palpitations and on the verge of passing out."
Christiana raised an eyebrow. "How do you know she is having palpitations?"
"I can hear it. Now dismiss them so I can speak."
Christiana obeyed, obviously annoyed at having no other choice. When the Ogres made to leave, she stopped them. "Stay right outside the doors."
Once the room was empty and the echo of the closing doors had died, Rahaxeris regarded her silently for a moment. Again to her credit, she didn’t fidget, but all the blood had drained from her face and her muscles began to slacken as his red eyes held her in a tight grip.
"I have come to speak to you of the future and to make a secret alliance."
He felt her heart pick up a little speed, and she clenched her fists. "Go on."
"Zeren is weak. You, my lady, are anything but. Regia is hanging in the balance. Our world needs a strong leader. The right leader. The Rune-dy is willing to support your claim to Zeren’s throne and power."
"I agree." She all but squealed in delight. "Are you going to kill Zeren?"
"In good time, My Queen. First we must seal our contract."
She stood, her skirts spreading out around her. "Fine. What are the terms?"
"The Rune-dy will support your rule throughout Regia and set the punishment for traitors. You shall not interfere in any of our secret rituals or lay down laws preventing our experiments. A couple of priests will take up residence in the Onyx Castle as your personal advisors."
Christiana’s eyes widened and her breath caught audibly. Pleasure glinted in her eyes. He knew she would like the idea of the Rune-dy in the castle.
"Zeren shall fall in battle, allowing the public to easily embrace you in their time of confusion and sorrow."
"Yes, yes that is best," she
Rahaxeris stood perfectly still while he waited. The security ogres positioned around the room all seemed to hold their breath and stiffen a little more in their stances. Rahaxeris ignored them completely. He couldn’t be bothered to attempt to put others at ease.
He eyed the grandeur of the room’s architecture thoughtfully. In the very recent past, he’d had a mind to tear every stone of the palace apart once the new world order had settled firmly into place. Now that his plans were altered, he consoled himself with the thought his daughter would walk these halls as its mistress.
Running footfalls came sounding back through the hall. Thirty feet from the door, the young man slowed to a walk and emerged into the entry hall with the determined look of false composure. "The Queen will see you now, sir. Please follow me."
When Rahaxeris entered the throne room, an audible gasp communally escaped every handmaiden and servant. Queen Christiana's rigid posture betrayed her obvious effort to appear unshaken, and to her credit almost pulled it off. She sat in Zeren’s throne, so overdressed she resembled a little girl in a costume.
"So, why does the Rune-dy send a priest for an audience with the queen?"
Rahaxeris might have smiled if it weren’t for the fact that he never did unless he wanted to terrify someone. "My Queen, the Rune-dy has not sent me. I am the Rune-dy . I am Rahaxeris."
A louder gasp than before erupted around the room, and the servants closest to the doors exited without permission. The others backed away and huddled in groups against the walls. Christiana glanced at them, a furious expression on her little face.
Rahaxeris held up a hand, and everyone stopped breathing, literally. "What I have come to say to Her Majesty is best said in private. Perhaps you should send your guards and servants away. That one there," he pointed at a shaking handmaiden, "is having heart palpitations and on the verge of passing out."
Christiana raised an eyebrow. "How do you know she is having palpitations?"
"I can hear it. Now dismiss them so I can speak."
Christiana obeyed, obviously annoyed at having no other choice. When the Ogres made to leave, she stopped them. "Stay right outside the doors."
Once the room was empty and the echo of the closing doors had died, Rahaxeris regarded her silently for a moment. Again to her credit, she didn’t fidget, but all the blood had drained from her face and her muscles began to slacken as his red eyes held her in a tight grip.
"I have come to speak to you of the future and to make a secret alliance."
He felt her heart pick up a little speed, and she clenched her fists. "Go on."
"Zeren is weak. You, my lady, are anything but. Regia is hanging in the balance. Our world needs a strong leader. The right leader. The Rune-dy is willing to support your claim to Zeren’s throne and power."
"I agree." She all but squealed in delight. "Are you going to kill Zeren?"
"In good time, My Queen. First we must seal our contract."
She stood, her skirts spreading out around her. "Fine. What are the terms?"
"The Rune-dy will support your rule throughout Regia and set the punishment for traitors. You shall not interfere in any of our secret rituals or lay down laws preventing our experiments. A couple of priests will take up residence in the Onyx Castle as your personal advisors."
Christiana’s eyes widened and her breath caught audibly. Pleasure glinted in her eyes. He knew she would like the idea of the Rune-dy in the castle.
"Zeren shall fall in battle, allowing the public to easily embrace you in their time of confusion and sorrow."
"Yes, yes that is best," she
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