Silence in Sagas

7

The carriage had slowed down as Willa had finally arrived at the destination.
The Castle loomed over her, and she plastered herself to the window. For a few moments, she allowed herself to push what would happen next into the back of her mind, and just admire the sight.

It was known that Castle Centis was the largest building in the whole world. Willa was used to feeling short, but this castle didn't make her feel simply short; it made her feel tiny.

Though thinking about it, Castle Centis could probably make a burly giant feel small.

All Willa could see out the window was a wall. Plain, white stone that stretched towards today's cloudy sky—nearly piercing them. The castle's top windows' views had to be of clouds high up in the sky.
Large windows, framed by red edges lined the huge wall, as far as Willa could see.

A jerking motion made Willa stumble away from her awkward position by the window. She regained her footing, sighed and took a last look.
The carriage must have turned around a corner. Willa wasn't one to mope, but she was impressed.
Towers and more towers, buildings and more walls and more towers and windows and red edges and roofs, with bridges connecting them, some of them so high up in the air that looking up at them made Willa think about the way one could fall down from them.

A fanfare made Willa leap back in her seat. It was time, and she thought to herself that now was the time to discard Willa.

Her name was Oliwa now. It couldn't be too hard to fill the role of her friend, right?

She shook away all thoughts of unfairness—feelings of regret. Everything that could disturb the mindset she needed.
What she absolutely couldn't do now was get caught.

What are you doing? was a thought that came through then.
And it was a valid question.
She had to go through the Tournament—and she didn't know what to expect—and then she'd spend the rest of her life in servitude to the crown—to repay the wealth she supposedly had lived in.
This did bother her quite a lot, but...
The fanfare sounded in the distance again.
There was no way out of it. Regardless of what would happen next, the first step would be to act her part and see what would happen. She'd check out the Tournament and go from there.

The only thing she really had to do at an instance, was making sure not to get caught, and therefore, Willa tossed herself into the back of her mind (and reluctantly put away the swearwords as well), and exteriorly became someone else entirely.

The fanfare sounded another time, and this time Willa heard announcing words along with it. "We welcome Queenling Jia of realm Sowiv."

There was slight, polite applaud. Willa's carriage shifted. Cobblestones.
She rolled her eyes. One would think castles like this would at least have the audacity to think of a better surface for all the carriage wheels that were certain to pull up here.

The fanfare sounded again.
Willa looked out the window and glimpsed a crowd of people.
"We welcome Queenling Oliwa of realm Notteny."

There was another round of polite applause. Upon further studying, Willa noted the discouraged, fake smiles on all their faces.

There was a creak. Willa watched as the carriage door swung open, and she felt the Queenling she'd prepared in her mind begin to slip out of her mind's grasp.
She grabbed it before it could, though.

Willa was the 'Queenling Oliwa of Notteny' now. She'd better act like it.

She got up and tried to keep a somewhat regal gait as she rose and stepped out of the carriage.

An 'escorter' (she guessed) stood to greet her.
Willa smoothed down her curls and reached for the his outstretched arm. It was steady and firm. Willa glanced at him. He was in his thirties—perhaps a few years older. Clean shaven, and with a stiff countenance. Willa wondered who he was beneath the demeanour, and what life he must have to spend it standing expressionless in a castle.

Crowds of buzzing people stood behind decorated barriers on each side of the path up to the building that seemed to rise up above them all. They sent glances at Willa as she stepped out of the carriage, trying to look somewhat put together.

Imagine if she'd fall now. That'd be a lot of fun.

Willa kept her gaze fixed straight in front of her, pinning it on the back of the girl in front of her. A Queenling... and even though her name had been said less than a minute ago, Willa couldn't remember it, nor which realm she was from.

Low mumbling, shocked and judgemental--like this was the end of the world--erupted from the crowd. "What is she wearing...?" "Unbelievable... Does this girl have any sense of respect for herself?" "What is with her?" "Daddy, lift me up, I can't see!"

Somewhere from the corner of her eye, a kid was lifted on his father's shoulders. Willa felt the crowd's eyes upon her and the firm texture of leather and fur against her skin. She'd made this jacket a few years ago. Made of deer-skin and embedded with the fur of a hare, it was her favourite, but it was a bit irrelevant to the setting. 

Willa remained calm, even though the continuous glances provoked her so much that she wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. The castle doors lay ahead of her, and the sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels sounded from behind her. Soon after, the speaker announced, "We welcome Queenling Arellia of Avakanfas."

In front of her was the entrance to the castle. Stairs, pillars, people in uniforms... all in the traditional white, red and black colours that were the Kingdom's. The other Queenling and her escort walked up the stairs. She had on a silk dress, yellow and elegant, but Willa was thinking more of the act of climbing up stairs with a dress like that. The Queenling did it with grace, though, and when Willa herself reached the stairs, she took the steps with confidence.

It didn't really feel like an achievement, because she wasn't wearing one of those cool, yet so impractical dresses. They did look awesome, though... and as Willa tried to distract herself from gaping at the structures--the windows, the colours, the size of what lay in front of her, she hoped in secret that she'd get to try one of those dresses on. As much as being thrown into this Tournament, just like that, sucked... Willa sure as hell wasn't going to let opportunities to have a little fun slip away from her.