From Liverpool To Athena

chapter 27

Oh... Fuck me. I'm currently stuck in the middle long queue of carriages that stretch the length of the palace gardens. Barnaby's posture is so uptight and straight but his leg is shaking like a shitting dog.

"Barnaby you shaking the carriage," I told him, he was dressed up in his normal finery. Not a speck out of place, his round face looks shiny too.

"Sorry sir," Barnaby said, he clutched his legs in the hopes of stopping them but all it did was dampen the shaking.

"Excited are you?" I asked while fidgeting with my cuff. I have another blue shot on, this one is a dark blue, I still have a stupid tail on the back of it, but my shit matched the suit this time, that I liked.

"I am sir"

"That's good" I decided not to ask why. Or if he has been to any before, I already know the answer and don't need to pressure him for more. If he wanted to tell me, he would have.

After 20 minutes of waiting, we finally got to the front of the palace. A palace servant opened my carriage door and I stepped out, a slight breeze brushed my face and the smell of a flowering perfume lingered in the wait from the carriage before us. Barnaby and I walked up the steps to the door.

"PRESENTING" boomed a loud voice from the front door. "Sir Ronald heart of Tsmoore" I stepped through the door and caught several sets of eyes letting their gaze fall on me for a moment before quickly snapping it away. I caught a glimpse of the booming voice, and to my surprise, it was a very short man. He must be no taller than 4 feet. I'm jealous of his foot loot grey beard though that looks amazing.

"Shall we mingle sir?" Barnaby asked as we walked into the palace. I have been here before but it looks drastically different. The first time I was here I met Theodore and Charlotte in this room, I could have seen everything from every angle. The pillars looked plentiful and large but now. It is not hard to make my way though, there aren't as many people as I thought there would be. But how does a room seem so different? In the corner under the stairs next to the back room where I meet the king and that door is open to. Stood at a band playing smooth music, nothing I recognize obviously. Violins, piano, harps stuff like that. Standing on the plinth stopped around the room where muscular men and women paint golden. The pillars had golden leaves wrapped around them and trays of food and drinks being handed out.

"No point mingling they won't want to speak to me," I told Barnaby honestly.

"That can't be true sir" he replied in earnest. I stepped closer to a group I hadn't seen before and said.

"Hello," They looked at me then turned their backs.

"How dare they!?" Barnaby said through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry about it" I tapped him on the shoulder and picked up two drinks from a passing tray. "Here"

"Sir, I am your attendant I shouldn't be drinking"

"It's an order Barns" he looked at me shocked and then puzzled as to what to do. "I want you to have fun too"

"Only one for me then sir" he smiled and then had a sip, he couldn't hold back a grin crawling along his face for a moment before his eyes turned venomous and his lips curled in rage. "I don't know who they think they are, they are only knights too". Suddenly I heard the announcer boom his voice again announcing someone, I faded out before he could finish.

"How do you know them?" I asked, Barnaby and I found a space between two groups not too close to each other.

"I memorized all the nobles when I worked for the palace I know everyone here, they don't know me"

"They don't know you yet" I corrected him, "give it time, I'm sure you will get a chance to speak to some guests"

"I know who I don't want to speak to" his eyes turned blank and focused. on the group that turned their back on me. Heard the voice boom again announcing someone, don't know who though, I stopped listening.

"I should stay here and not speak to anyone I don't want you to dislike everyone here"

"They all wouldn't! would they?"

"I'm normally alone at these things, no one bothers with me, well Charlotte and Edmund do" It is weird calling my brother Edmund, but Barnaby doesn't know the truth, he might not even believe it.

"AH YES..." Barnaby said louder. "I SHALL FIND OUT WHEN YOUR CLOSE FRIENDS LORD EDMUND IRONCLAW AND HER MAJESTY PRINCESS CHARLOTTE WILL BE HERE AFTER THEY ALWAYS FREQUENT OUR HOME, IM SURE THEY WILL BE EAGER TO SEE YOU"  Barnaby looked pleased with himself, before setting his drink on an empty tray passing by, he puffed his chest out and made, his way through the crowd.

"Hello," I turned around to see where that greeting came from. A pointy-faced man and an equally pointed woman where stood with pointed noses, I bet they poked each other in the eye if they kissed. His face was thin and beady eyes. Her eyes were large but that was the make-up that helped make them look that way. Her face was pale compared to her neck and arms, blonde hair to her shoulder, I think she matched her dress with her hair colour and no way she matched the dress, hair with her man's shirt, a black suit and yellowish shirt.

"Hello," I said back to them.

"I see your attendant as went to look for the whereabouts of Princess Charlotte, you are close with her?"

"Yes, we have recently become good friends"

"How is that?" The pointy-faced man is giving me the creeps, with each word I give him, he looks at his wife, with a "really look".

I told him about the quest and everything the king said during his meeting.

"And after that, you have become friends with the princess, you and adventure?"

"Oh I can guarantee, he is telling the truth," Barnaby said with a commanding tone. He rounded in the three of us. "Princess Charlotte has visited Sir Heart's home on many occasions and I have had the great honour to serve her when she has"

"I don't believe you," the pointy-faced guy said and his wife chuckled. She sounds like a cold nobhead.

"I don't care," I said honestly, "I don't care what you think"

Point face, eyes narrowed on me. "Do you know how am I?" He leaned in closer to me.

"Do I look like I give a fuck?" I leant in closer.

Pointfaced leaned back and growled at me. "You should watch how you speak to me, bad things happen to those who don't, lessons are always learnt". Nothing I mean nothing in my life will ever be better timed in my life than seeing the golden Maine of a friend behind these two bellends.

"Hey Ronnie," Charlotte said joyfully, from them.

"Charlotte, hello"

"I'm glad you came" She bounced past the pointy face family, and kissed me on both cheeks, I felt my face flare up with heat.

"Well, you invited Barnaby here and said I have to come" Charlotte laughed and then grabbed Barnaby's hand.

"Thank you for making him attend this party"

"It's my pleasure" Barnaby's face is red, like traffic lights! People stopped. They must be waiting for him to turn green so they can go.

"Hello, your majesty," the pointy-faced man said.

"No," she said, she waved her hand at him, not even looking at him, "Come, Ronnie, I have some people I'd like to introduce you to".