Sweet Waters Throne

98 Chapter 9Lord Balrus was inside his chambers with a new paramour of his own, a dashing knight who he locked eyes with outside the gardens a week ago. The knight was twenty-six years of age while Lord Balrus was sixty and two. Thirty-seven years his senior, Aurora thought Lord Balrus should be ashamed for such acts. She even claimed “You are being a whore to him and he’s taking advantage of you”

“Taking advantage? Your Grace I’m the master of spies, I have rodents whispering in my ears even when I go to sleep. I know him well enough and he’s been queer ever since he can remember”

Aurora still refused to accept it “I want you to be happy. Can’t you find someone old enough whom you can spend the rest of your life with?”

“That may work for you, and for other abled men of the kingdom but it doesn’t apply to me. I’m an eunuch, Your Grace... perhaps if you would give me one dragon, then I may be able to fly” At the end Lord Balrus made a joke. “Five eggs, is it?”

Aurora nodded and she found a sit in the garden, Lord Balrus followed and sat close to her. The servants quickly brought in hot tea, pastries, lemon cakes and varieties of pies. “All perfectly safe in Aurora’s Hill, I asked the servants to replace the woods whenever the fire dies. The long centuries have turned them to stones, my grandmother advises that we warm them out everyday”

“How long till they hatch?”

“As soon as I give birth, all of them will hatch at once”

Lord Balrus’s eyes widened with amazement “All of them?” he asked. However, that wasn’t the only thing which shocked Lord Balrus. The arrival of Princess Aeryn and her husband Lord Petrus Octavianus and the Lady of Storm Town, Allysa Octavianus and her four daughters shocked him even more.

The palace gates were opened and a royal wheelhouse belonging to the princess walked inside. Two other carriages followed behind with knights escorting them, some carried Maldonian sigil and the rest the sigil of House Octavianus.

.....

Lord Balrus leaned on Aurora “Tell me it isn’t who I think it is”

“I’m afraid it’s her. She wrote us a week ago wanting audience with the king, but Artemis thinks it’s her husband’s family who requested it. We must go and welcome the princess...” Lord Balrus followed behind but he didn’t seem so amused by the sudden entrance of the princess.

From inside the palace came Lord Angun, the new Hand of the King who wore the golden brooch on his silk black robe so proud. Finally, after a long time of waiting for the post which he desperately wanted, he couldn’t be more proud.

Alongside the Hand, Master of coin Lord Akirbus followed and then joined by Master of Spies, Lord Balrus. It was Aurora who took precedence and stood a step in front of the Lords, as Queen she was out to be the first one. They all stood waiting for the royal wheelhouse to come to halt so they welcome the Princess.

The royal announcer introduced the Princess loudly “Princess of Blackmount, and apparent heir to Sweet Waters throne. Accompanied by her Lord husband, Lord Petrus Octavianus of Storm Town” and with that Princess Aeryn walked outside the royal wheelhouse with her husband. Although it hadn’t been long ever since she left the capital, Aeryn felt like the whole place was strange to her.

Lady Allysa Octavianus followed with her four daughters all dressed in the finest silk dresses courtesy of Princess Aeryn and the gifts she took with her to Storm Town. If it weren’t for Aeryn, the Octavianuses wouldn’t be wearing such fine fabrics after all their town is but poor of treasures and rich in mud and storm.

The first person Aeryn saw when she walked out of the royal wheelhouse was Aurora, even though she would have preferred to see her brother waiting for her but even she knew better of the conflicts she had with Artemis over the years. Also Artemis not liking Lord Petrus proved to be the obstacle, Aeryn recalled vividly what happened in Horris when they met at their uncle’s funeral.

Aeryn walked slowly towards Aurora, then after a moment of silence, she curtsied before her – let’s just say Lord Balrus’s reaction to that curtsy proved to everyone how quickly tables can turn.

“Your Grace” said Aeryn.

“Princess, welcome back home”

“Thank you” Then Aeryn gave a way for Lord Petrus to give his greetings to the Queen. “The first time we met was in Horriss, during late Deagol’s announcement. Too bad he died a few weeks later, poor boy” Petrus recalled the moment he met Aurora.

Aurora blushed “I’m flattered you remember our first meeting my lord”

“Of course I do, Your Grace”

Suddenly Lady Allysa intervened, she was so desperate for attention and to be recognized. She curtsied before Aurora and rose up “Lady of Storm Town, I presume?” asked Aurora while raising her hand to Lady Allysa.

Per customs and traditions, Lady Allysa kissed Aurora’s hand and then took a step back. “Former Lady of Storm Town Your Grace, our princess is the Lady of Storm Town now” she said fondly and seemed so nervous around the royalty.

Maggie, Daella, Ursula and Tayla all curtsied at the same time “Your Grace” they said and Aurora smiled at them. They were such beautiful ladies all of standards and well raised to appear royalty even though they weren’t much of high born. Lord Balrus later on told his friends “They were Highborn want to be, while they knew they were worth nothing”

“His Grace, the King is waiting for you all. Please do come inside the palace” Aurora held Aeryn’s hand and even though there was bad blood between these two, it was Aurora who was making so much effort to mend all that especially since they were family now. They walked hand in hand together while Lord Petrus and his family followed at the back

“How’s the child?” asked Aurora. “Do you have morning sickness and get lazy all the time”

“I do, and my feet hurts”

“Wait until you reach your forth moon like me, it’s like a whole war going on inside”

Aeryn chuckled softly “Another Battle of Stonedance” and this made Aurora laugh. The way they were so close, hand in hand walking towards the throne room. Even the servants, scullions, washerwomen and squires were all shocked. Some argued maybe both of them being pregnant is what bound them together.

Lady Allysa was taken by the famous Blackmount capital when she passed through the good folks in her carriage. But nothing prepared her for the palace, with almost two hundred chambers and quarters and kitchens and huge halls, this was a dream come true for her.

So it turns out the King had gone hunting with his kingsguard, Aurora wasn’t aware of that and she was rather pissed off. However, she made sure to secure the chambers for the guests and the princess so they may rest after a long journey. “I need my old chamber” Aeryn insisted.

“No one has stayed in your chamber ever since you left, your brother always knew you’d come back. Sometimes he sneaks in there just to feel your presence. He does love you Aeryn, I hope you see that”

Even though not easily convinced, Aeryn agreed with Aurora on her claims that Artemis loved her, but she would rather have seen him when she arrived. Each of the daughters of Lady Allysa were confined to their own chambers with three servants, they were having the royal treatment they have been dying to have. With the palace lack of guests, most of the chambers were empty and this proved an advantage to the Octavianuses.

Lady Allysa herself was provided with five servants. She instructed them to bath her, dress her, bring her the meals and some to massage her feet while she claimed to be so tired. It was as if she was now the Queen of Maldonia. All these treatments she was getting, she sure didn’t want to go without telling a friend hence she requested for an ink and quill, then she wrote of the magnificent palace of Blackmount and the servants.

Daella spent most of her time roaming around the corridors listening to gossips and whispers, she met with Lord Balrus inside the kitchen where he was having a conversation with Mrs Gibbilis. Caught off-guard, she didn’t know what to say.

Mrs. Gibbilis was alarmed “Are you the new scullion?” she asked.

Lord Balrus intervened “A scullion?” he said with a laugh. “The silk alone should tell you of her position Mrs. Gibblis, she is one of the sisters from Storm Town. What is your name child?”

“I... My name is Daella Octavianus” A very nervous Daella replied whilst all she wanted was to run away.

“Did you need something Daela? I thought the servants have brought food to all of you, haven’t they?” continued Lord Balrus but now his eyes were fixed at the girl, and right there he knew she was a rodent, climbing the walls while listening to rumors.