Ruby Red Crown

2

We're escorted down through a long hall. At the end there is an elevator. A servant presses the button for the 14th floor and up we go.

"The Silvrian palace is strange." Leon leans over and whispers.

"Agreed." It really is. It's like they took one of the skyscraper from before WW3 and tried turning it into a castle. Unlike the archaic technology we have at home, theirs is fully modern. Or whatever was modern before WW3.

Another added bonus of the war. Everything was destroyed, or radioactive. So people took to rebuilding what we had. Any technological advances were halted. Phones and such are just now started to resurface.

Tacky elevator music starts playing. Of course there's elevator music.

"Didn't realize the Silvrians were those people." Leon whispers again. We bust out laughing. The servant girl shushes us several times to no prevail.

The elevator doors open after the fifth shush. Right into the throne room. That shuts us up pretty quick.

Fortunately, the emperor isn't present. Unfortunately, that doesn't apply to normal guests. Which makes us look like idiots to the rest of the emperor's court.

"Why'd we stop." Leon asks the servant girl. She doesn't respond.

Just then a black haired stranger steps in. Confusion clouds his blue eyes when he says, "Your new."

"Nooo." I can't help to say sarcastically. "Not like we just arrived."

"Oh."

We ride like in silence the rest of the way up. Not like it took that long.

Once we hit the 14th floor, the girl leads us out and down a long hallway. Much like an hotel. Halfway through she directs us into rooms 8 and 9, directly across from each other.

Inside, it was a palace in itself. Four-posted bed, stain glass windows, separate bathroom, you name it. This practically had everything compared to our guest rooms. Mother preferred practicality over luxury.

I look over at the clock to see reads 9:45pm. Were we really on the plane that long? We left at one, and being an hour behind.....I guess so.

I turn away from the clock and set my suitcase on the bed. Carrying throughout the palace wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's surprisingly efficient layout.

I go through the motions of getting ready bed. It's finally hit me that I'll have to talk to our rival emperor. About the future of my people at that. If I fail here, who knows what'll between our kingdoms. Such a big task I've been faced with.

With my thoughts racing around, I've come to a final decision:

I am so not ready for tomorrow.

    --------------------------------------------------------

    Sunlight streaming through the windows wakes me the next morning. That and the incessant knocking on my door.

    I roll out of bed, feet shuffling across the floor on my way to get the door. I swing it open with a tad too much force.

    "Leave me alone!" I tell Leon before slamming the door shut. He begins knocking again.

    "What do you want!" I say, swing open the door again.

    "The emperor has requested your presence at 12:30 pm. Sharp."

    "What time is it now?"

    "12:19. You better hurry." At that I start racing around. He couldn't have told me sooner?

    Seven minutes later, I'm racing after Leon towards the elevator. Luckily, the button for the throne room is already labeled. The doors slide open giving us a full view of the room. And seated right in the middle, was the emperor himself.

    Official trumpeters sound, as if we were in the Middle Ages. A voice rings out of the speakers.

    "Please bow before His Majesty, Emperor Jevus of the Silvrian Empire."