The Shadow of Eons

Chapter 21

"I only have this one day to present your at court," Preston was telling Jonas as the whole regiment rode down one of the main boulevards toward the palace. "Then I will be off again on my duties. Which, of course, take precedence to dilly-dallying the day away with managerial nonsense."

Preston, Jonas had learned, was taking his role as a soldier very seriously. Jonas had become somewhat of a confidant for the young man since he had bested those three soldiers in the amount of time it took a man to snap his fingers. Yes, Preston talked on and on, and almost all of it was about his limited experience on the battlefield and the things he had encountered during his travels on messengerial duty.

"I understand," Jonas responded, keeping his voice even and respectful, for he knew that even one slip of the tongue could mean the end to his hopes for the king and his wife. "You are a busy man, after all."

As they made their way through the wide, cobblestoned streets, numerous pedestrians thronged around the regiment, trying to get a good glimpse of this or that soldier. All of the soldiers now had their armor on, so as to impress the populace and uphold the popularity of the war effort, and a group of trumpeters on horseback had accompanied the soldiers from the gates of the city and were now blasting a parade march which made Jonas feel as if he was a proud soldier come home from a glorious victory. Men saluted and waved their caps as they passed, and mothers held their wide-eyed babies up for inspection by the passing troops. All the smells of the city were in the air, which made Jonas feel supremely glad he was back in the cradle of civilization: the mouth-watering smells of bread and cooked meat; The wafting scent of horse and other domesticated animals, and of dung sitting in the streets; the plainly ordinary stench of the unwashed man; and the rolling breeze which came in from the ocean, sending salt air and the smell of fish careening into Jonas's nostrils, refreshing his mind and spirit and reinforcing his conviction in what he had come to do.

Jonas was filled with anticipation at the prospect of finally meeting again the man who had single-handedly broken up his family. He didn't know how he would react to occasion: would he give a long speech about all the hardships he had suffered since having to flee for his life? Or would he simply get to it and kill the king, steal back his wife and quit the palace in a flash?

First you have to get into the palace, Jonas reminded himself, and clapped himself on the head with his fist for emphasis. Despite this being a quite unusual gesture for a woman to undertake, none of the passersby noticed it, as they were all cheering on the horsebacked soldiers riding in formation.

They arrived at the palace gates and dismounted, letting the king's grooms lead the horses away, following which they were inspected by a very officious-looking guard. "They aren't soldiers," he said, pointing at Jonas and his companions, his mustache twitching with unconcealed concern. "They can't come in."

"But sieur, I must take this one with me," Preston motioned to the man, indicating Jonas. "He—I mean she—is on a very important mission on behalf of the king, and must meet with him immediately."

"And you are?" questioned the official, raising his eyebrows.

"Preston, eldest son of the Earl of Danby," the young noble said impatiently.

"Ah, yes. Of course," the official said, squinting through his small, circular glasses at both of them. "Apologies, my lord—I failed to recognize you for some reason."

"Yes. Just be sure that it doesn't happen again," said Preston. "Come along, now, Jonas, we must be off."

Jonas looked back at his son, daughter and travelling companions. "Don't worry," Marta reassured him. "We'll be fine. Look for us at the Wheel Street Inn—we'll be there."