An Audience With The King

⭑ · · ᯓ 𐃈 ᯓ · · ⭑

Felix and Kite were led through a series of castle corridors on their way to the dressing rooms. For how luxurious Aberdeen’s streets seemed to Felix, the interior of the castle almost took it to wasteful lengths.

Polished to the point of reflection, the white marble flooring—like the walls and ceiling—was adorned with pristine blue and gold trim on every edge. Crystal chandeliers and paintings adorned each hall, leaving no room for the mundane.

“It was always grand… but not quite like this,” Felix whispered to Kite. “Dante’s always liked this sort of stuff.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” She muttered, taking it all in. Anything within arm’s reach could be worth a fortune, but Kite kept her hands at her sides.

A tall wooden door swung open as a butler ushered them into the dressing rooms. They, too, were needlessly large, but the two escaped prisoners could hardly find reason to complain that any room was too big after spending a year behind bars.

“You’re to take a bath before meeting with His Majesty. Ladies' facilities are to the left, and gentlemen’s to the right.” The knight captain with long golden hair said. Felix didn’t recognize him, so it was possible he was added in the years he’d forgotten. “The water is a little hot, but you’ll find there’s no finer place to relax in all the land.”

Felix couldn’t help but be overjoyed at the prospect of a bath after days on the road. He suppressed the urge to grin and nudge Kite with his elbow.

“Other outfits will be available if you’d prefer to wear them in His Majesty’s presence. In fact, I’d recommend—”

“—We’ll stick with our usual threads, but thanks,” Kite replied curtly. “Now, if it’s all the same to you, can we wash up?”

“…As you wish.” The knight captain hissed slightly at her frankness. He passed Felix an uneasy look, meanwhile, regaining his composure. “Please make yourselves feel welcome. One of my men will escort you to the throne room once you’re both ready.”

With that, the man left the room. Felix and Kite hadn’t been left completely alone, but only the maids and butlers hung around, should they need something at a moment’s notice.

Among them, not one was armed, and yet they hadn’t taken away Felix’s axe or any of their possessions. They didn’t even conduct a routine search of their bags. The whole deal seemed strange to Kite, and that wasn’t the only thing.

“Hey, buddy, have you noticed how everyone’s been acting since we got here?” Kite whispered.

“What do you mean?” Felix genuinely hadn’t suspected anything was amiss. “Who’s acting strange?”

“The knights outside, even that captain,” Kite began, rubbing her chin. “They were shitting bricks just looking at you. I could see it in their eyes.”

“In their eyes…?” Felix frowned. “I didn’t notice. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, almost certain,” Kite said. “They were acting just like the Warden did. Like you could fly off the handle at any second. Like they were standing in front of a caged beast. They’re clearly afraid of something…”

“Afraid…huh?” Felix repeated under his breath.

As much as he wanted to believe they were simply being courteous, Felix couldn’t dismiss Kite’s instincts outright. She read people and their behavior in ways that he never could. Though one might expect reverence—or a healthy wariness—of someone with the status of a savior, rather than fear.

“But if they’re afraid, then why didn’t they take this?” Felix rested the edge of his palm on the pommel of his axe, which he’d placed on the ground beside him.

Were they fearful of him…

“I don’t know…” Kite crossed her arms. “But one way or another, we’re going to find out just what they’re thinking before long. We should be ready.”

…or what the Hero, Felix Atlasse, was capable of?

. . .

That thought carried Felix into the bath. Though the hot water washed away the grime and soothed the aches accumulated over days on the road, it did little to ease the weight pressing on his mind.

He cupped his bound hands together, letting the water pool before splashing it on his face. Moisture dripped down strands of his dark blue hair as his nostrils filled with the sulphuric scent of magic crystals, blue and red, which rested at the corners of the bath. One to purify the water, and another to heat it.

He looked down at his broad chest. It was covered in scars, many of which had faded with time. In the darkness of his cell, he had little reason or opportunity to study his form overmuch. He could now understand why his body had changed. Alone there in the bath, he could finally admit it out loud.

“So, I was the Hero.” Felix found himself laughing. “How did that ever happen?”

There had surely been people more qualified to end the war—or so Felix believed. The ‘why’ was easy enough to guess. He wanted to be a knight, and Dynas had believed he was ready. Back then, Felix would have done anything to serve the kingdom… and the father who had taken him in.

“Huh.” He brightened with a realization. “Maybe that’s also how.”

To repay a debt, he got stronger. A lot stronger. But now that the debt was repaid, there was only the matter of what Felix wanted to do now that he’d lost access to that strength, and the duty that came with it. The serene look on his face was proof enough that he already knew that answer.

“That’s what I’ll tell him.”

9.2

As much as he wanted to pretend this was just another visit with family, the thumping of his heart fell into rhythm with their footsteps as they made their way to the throne room.

Even Kite, who carried herself with practiced nonchalance, wore a tense expression that reached her emerald green eyes. Her gaze eyed every curious butler, maid, and soldier with suspicion.

But Felix was grateful for her vigilance, because he couldn’t think of anything besides what he would say to his brother, Dante, when they entered.

Two imposing wooden doors creaked open to reveal a royal blue carpet that stretched endlessly. The room ahead was dark, the light crystals lining the walls casting only enough light to illuminate a small circle. They were stopped by their escort as he stepped off to the side.

A clap originated from deeper within the room, twice, and all the light crystals shone brilliantly with enough intensity to finally light the room. The throne room was magnificent, but Felix hardly saw any of it.

At the end of the ceremonial runner sat a man adorned with the finest coat of white furs and gold shavings. His wavy black hair and blue eyes and the mole on his cheek were as Felix remembered them, but he wore what was unquestionably the face of a man.

“Approach the throne!”

At a knight’s command, Felix and Kite walked in lockstep down the carpet that had been rolled out for their arrival. Felix’s eyes remained fixed on Dante’s, unwavering as he wore his most confident expression. Inside, his emotions were all over the place, but he could ill afford to let that show given the moment.

As they reached the foot of the dais, crossed spears briefly barred the final few steps. This was as close as anyone was allowed to stand before the Archmage King. Felix and Kite stopped their march in turn. Now less than a stone’s throw away, a staring match began between siblings.

“…”

“…”

Kite panned her gaze between the two of them, not quite sure what to make of the awkward energy taking place. She dared not break the silence, though, not this time.

“…”

It was Dante who spoke first, tilting his head slightly as he did.

“Felix.”

“Dante.”

“It’s been quite a long time, hasn’t it?” The King probed. “How long, would you say?”

“When last I saw you, you were just a boy, and now…”

“…”

He could take it no longer. Felix’s tense expression broke in an instant, paving the way for a wide smile.

“Look at how you’ve grown, brother!”

Before anyone could object, Dante had already crossed the distance between them. He was like a young lad, running into a bear hug with his older brother, and Felix was an emotional older sibling whose tears fell despite his best efforts to hold them in.

“I can scarce believe it, my brother, Felix, has returned to us!” Dante left the embrace smiling from ear to ear. He shook Felix’s shoulders with his heavily accessorized hands. “Have you any idea how long we’ve been waiting for this day, for this moment?!”

“To be honest with you, I don’t.” Felix smiled sheepishly. “But that’s part of why I’m here. I’d like to find out what I’ve missed, and perhaps… how I forgot.”

“Why, of course, of course! There will be time for that, I assure you.” Dante waved a finger like a conductor as he made his way back to his throne. “But first, I see you’ve brought company, dear brother. Am I to be left waiting for an introduction?”

“No, sorry, I’d be happy to introduce her to you.” Felix cleared his throat. “This is my friend and traveling companion, Kite. I wouldn’t have made it here without her.”

“Is that so?” The King sat down. “Miss, Kite, was it? How might a King offer you his thanks for escorting his only kin safely into our midst? A handsome reward, perhaps?”

Felix expected Kite to shoot him a look that screamed, “Is this guy serious?” Instead, she curtsied respectfully, lowering her head.

“No thanks are necessary, Your Majesty.” She said, “In fact, it was Felix who saved my life. Any debt he thinks he owes me has been paid off in full, and I would not ask a single thing else in return.”

Felix smiled in surprise, noting the slight warmth in her cheeks. So she is capable of putting on airs, he thought. Though he could tell the words themselves were genuine.

“You’ll forgive a brother for wishing to know the company his family keeps, but I am left with little doubt that you are a fine friend, Miss Kite.” Dante clapped silently. “Then again, I suppose any companion of our Hero’s would be of unyielding moral character, no?”

“Heh-heh, yeah…” The look finally came. Kite’s polite smile never faltered, but her eyes slid toward Felix with obvious trepidation.

Felix recognized that as his cue to cut in before she would be obligated to explain her definition of moral character, in explicit detail. But before he could speak, Dante suddenly exclaimed.

“Oh, no, no! This simply won’t do!” The King shouted. “Guards…”

Felix and Kite braced themselves for what he was about to say, surprised by the sudden outburst. Kite’s hand hovered above her satchel, and whatever might be contained within.

“…Come remove these restraints from Felix’s wrists!” He finished his thought, freezing his guests in place. “Did I not say that this man was to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect? Quickly now!”

A procession of guards emerged from out of nowhere, making a direct line to Felix’s side. One of them spoke a short incantation, and his anti-magic cuffs fell off, freeing his wrists from further discomfort. The guards disappeared as quickly as they had come, leaving Felix and Kite stunned.

“You were about to interject, were you not?” Dante smiled with his unusually white teeth. “Speak freely, Felix.”

“Uhh… Thank you.” Felix looked at his freed wrists, mulling over what to say next. “Brother… I came because I need your help.”

He got to the heart of the matter. Dante, meanwhile, didn’t react much at all.

“Oh?”

He only asked a simple question.

“With what?”