The hall of old stories, chapter 14

Before the birds had a chance to sing for the rising flames, a celebration horn ran down the ears of the lords in the city of the high Bornes, Torden who was a sleep in the room that was his for the time woke up to the sounds, it wasn’t an annoying sound, but a beautiful one, no drums, no loud music, just a calming horn whispering the night has ended, and the month of celebration has begin
From underneath him down in the streets he heard some knights talking,
“I can’t believe it’s the king is now 50 years old” said the first
“Don’t forget that the kingdom is 300 years old, this is the 6th king for the kingdom of Kazar” said the second one
“Who knows, they might be a 7th king in not too long of a time” said the first
“Shh, do you want to be executed!” said the second Knight
“I’m not saying any lies, anyway I heard that the King of the Varish can’t attend this time” said the first Knight
“Yes, I heard about that too, I heard that he said he was ill, although he sent a trusted person in his steed” said the second knight
“You mean the one who manages the public opinion in his country? What is it called again” said the first one
“The master reader” said the second one
“Oh yes, the master reader, I think his role is to read to the public about the outside world, meaning us by it of course, I still don’t understand what does that mean either” said the first Knight
“He is basically the one who controls what the commoners know, either lies or truths, to control their opinions” said a knight who had a fancier armour then they have with a little circle with a crown and a sword of both gold and silver on it strapped to his chest plate
“We greet the Knights of the king order” said both the knights showing that he is far above what they are
“At ease” said the fancy knight
“So, what do you mean by that exactly ser” said the first Knight
“So basically, their kingdom’s people aren’t allowed to our grounds, so they don’t know what happens around these parts, or across the red sea, the king made someone who is educated to read to them the news about what happens beyond the great market of high halls” said the fancy knight
“Couldn’t the kingdom control their opinion making them fight wars they don’t understand that way?” said one the second knight
“That is the point, their whole kingdom is built on lies and deceiving plots, anyway I was on a patrol checking the grounds, be ready for that rat of the king of the Varish Is about to enter our grounds, if he hasn’t already” said the fancy knight leaving the 2 knights and going his way
Torden went back inside, cleaning his hair and washing his face, dressing up and putting expensive perfumes on, for this day is very important
“This day is the kingdom’s birth day, and the king’s too, I shall walk in dignity to not put the family’s name in a mud hole” he said to himself looking in the mirror
As he walked down the street, he saw nobles from across the Kazar Kingdom’s part of the continent walking on the streets, shopping or looking at the market’s goods, the market was full of expensive stuff from all across the lands, there were not any lords though, for the king only allowed two families to have the lord tittle under his throne
He saw expensive carriages walking by as he walked towards the castle, on the streets a man with a bigger horn was on top of a horse calling for everyone to enter the castle
“The king is about to say his words, enter the hall of the old stories” he said as everybody stopped what they were doing and slowly walked towards the great castle in the middle
The castle was huge and fearsome, its windows covered in glass, its colours are in a faint shade of red and blue, representing the sea the first king crossed turning its colour to blood, on the top of it a kraken head, its tentacles reaching the roots of the castle
As Torden walked up the stairs he reached the doors to see his family awaiting him
“You are late” said his brother Fraymon
“We need to enter together, its going to be crowded inside so stay close to set at the same table” said their mother to them fixing the clothes of her son Torden
“Where is father?” asked Torden
“He already entered and sent a messenger telling us to go to the closest table to the king, that’s what the stuff prepared for us he said” replied Fraymon to his brother
As they went inside the castle crossing the big Ornate door, with shark heads and all kind of fish on it, made of gold and silver, showing the sea riches the kingdom has, on the sides of the doors the tentacles of the kraken reached the ground and priced it to what lays beyond it from mysteries
They entered the great hall, on its roof carved the story of how they left evil in the dead lands, and took their people to the main lands, how they were met with fire by the Vikings, and how they sent them away to the other side of the greens
The hall was crowded, but from a far They were able to see Lord Kailer, their father, as they walked people greeted them, one after another until they reached the stairs, only they and the highest ranks were allowed to climb those 5 steps, they saw a couple of tables there, and the throne at the end towering over them all, On their table they saw their grandmother, setting in the same table as their father
“Oh, how are you doing my sweet babies” the grandmother said as she hugged both sons of the Waster family one after another, the lady of the waster wanted to bow down to avoid the hug because of the crowd that was staring at them but the grandmother hugged her anyways saying
“Oh, don’t you mind their eyes, staring is all someone who despise you can do,” said the grandmother
The doors stopped getting guests as all the nobles and highborn entered leaving the streets full of guards and Knights alone, just before the doors would close, from them appeared the great reader of the Varish kingdom with 2 high knights on his side, one with a spear that had an axe on it top, and another with 2 swords, he had bland hair and blue eyes, no scars on his face, tight dark coloured cloths that will make him the centre of attention in a colourful room
The room went silent, only glares were going in his direction, looks of hatred and malice filled the air that was once full of perfume, but the reader did not care, he walked across the room and towards the stairs not minding anyone, no one offered him a hand shake, and the same comes from his direction
When he reached those 5 steps, one of the knights guarding them moved his great axe in a way that was cutting his walking path, on of the reader’s guards wanted to step forward and fight him, but the reader stopped him, saying “ acting like you don’t know me I see, Just so you know, a fight with the king’s messenger is a declaration of war against the king, your kingdom might be able to handle it, but will you?”
The rude knight looked around the room, seeing the looks are towards him and not the reader the thought went inside him that he will be the loosing side so he quickly removed his weapon out the way
“Good boy!” said the reader walking up the stairs, from far he saw the grandmother of house Waster, he lifted his hands in the air and said “Great lady of house Waster! Long time since I last saw you!”
She too stood up from hair chair with a smile on her face saying “Oh little boy Brone, nothing has changed in you from last time” as he kissed her hand in a show of respect between the two of them
“Same would e said about you my lady” said the reader Brone as she laughed about it
Although there were some whispers around the room, the glares did no fade away from Brone
“Oh, don’t mind those little chicks” said Rose Great lady of the Waster family
“My lady I don’t care what people think of me, in the end I’m here to give my greetings to the king of these parts of the lands and go back,” said Brone as the king entered the room from a door beside the throne, on his sides were his highest-ranking knights , on his right was his heir the young prince with a cheerful look on his face, and behind him were both of his daughters
He went to the front as the room went silent ready for him to say his words
“My people, it has been so long since I last saw this amount of people in my halls, I thank you to have come all this way to celebrate my 50th birthday, more then 300 years before, my ancestors split the sea painting it red, rescuing both themselves and your ancestors from what evil lays beyond, although some unfortunate ones stayed there, they sadly are mostly infected and we cant get them here for it will be too risky, but!, for my 50th birthday I have arranged with the most trusted people to send great knights rescuing what ever goodness still trapped in their” said the king as the crowd broke in clapping to his words
“What a hero” said in a sarcastic tone Rose to Brone both of them standing up as he told her “Shh”
“All my plans for the future of mankind will be revealed in time, I leave the rest to my son, my heir, and my pride, Rafam” said the king as his oldest son stepped forwards to take the word
“I am very honoured to have this word with you, although I cant say anything my father, the king, haven’t said already, your hard work have already been acknowledge by the kings and I have no say except to agree with it, I welcome both great families that are assisting the king in keeping peace in these lands, I thank Lord Kailer, Lord of the waster family most of you know him by, and the Lord of Hallow stones, Lord Varyon” said Rafam as he pointed at both lord while holding a cup of juice in his hand “ and now, let the festival begin” he said as the music continued and the crowd went into clapping, dancing or eating around the place