Aetherean In Blood and Nature

Chapter Seven: Victory in Vain

Third Person Point of View

As the king passed the huge doors of the court chambers, a guard reported to him immediately about what was going on in the halls.

The Deep Royal and the King's Imperial form a colossal bridge they call the 'Royal Passage' spanning a distance, to form a path hundreds of miles long as it leads to the huge threshold at the rear end of both the two (King's Imperial and Deep Royal) soaring grandeurs of the Aethereal palace.

"Your grace, I have news regarding the princess." A royal guard quickly made his way to his highness, detailing the princess' recently unveiled errands. It appeared that Valrhog's efforts to conceal the princess' strong-willed nature had been thwarted by Baeron's support of her.

The king made his way to the Royal Passage, ordering his men to begin their journey across. With four horses harnessed to the carriage, it moved fast enough, aiming to reach the far end before the moon disappeared behind the clouds. As the horses galloped at such a pace, the king still standing in the doors of his court summoned Bravewing, renowned as the largest of its kind today. Mounting the majestic creature, he soared into the moonlit vault, a sky not too high above him, emptied and awaits the dawning of the sun.

As the gigantic beast unfurled its wings, casting a shadow over the horses below, even the tower of new Vermothia seemed small in comparison, Bravewing and he's royal master reached first the other entrance of the Palace in no time, while the horses weren't even still half on their way to the Deep Royal.

AFTER LANDING IN THE VERDANT EXPANSE THE PALACE GROUNDS, the king walking with hastiness, strives to maintain his composure as seen in his demeanor. He headed to the grand staircase making his way to the corridors that lead to the Grand Hall of the Palace where the massive number of people are gathered. In the exterior of the Hall, a vast upper courtyard separated from the Grand Halls, that is used only by the royals for landing their beasts where the seventh is approaching fast and ready to steal everyone's attention to prove that she is worthy of her name.

Vheneess and Catchfire traversed to the vault, they passed over every lofty peak of spires that grace the Aethereal skies. Catchfire finally passed over the verdant expanse of the palace grounds where Bravewing, his father's beast, is located. While her father drew nearer to the massive doors, separating the vast upper courtyard from the halls, and just as the palace guards were about to unlatch them, the seventh had just landed on the isle.

The guests within the halls saw the happenings. They halted their mirthful festivities and hurried to the closest huge windows, eager to catch a glimpse of the seventh largest beast in Aetherea and its newly rider. Catchfire let out a unique roar that made the visitors and the local Aethereans skip a beat for they do not know how to respond as the king is just standing still and remained quiet, awaiting for the princess to dismount. Silent strokes time, while it passes each second, the king takes a few steps forward.

Before long, Vhenees descended and finally made her way to the isle, mirroring her father's actions, standing still and watching his father's silent stare.

The king walked again, moving a little closer to the princess, while she takes her sigh. Unsure of the king's response.

The king melted upon his only beloved daughter's gaze and finally hugged her, causing a rapturous clapping and resounding acclaim from the audience, heard from above and beneath, for the princess finally becoming a Royal Sky Rider.

"Lords and ladies of Aetherea, witness the Princess Vheneess as she graces us with her first flight alongside the seventh!" proclaimed the herald, his voice resonating through the hall like a melody of reverence and wonder.