"We made it.."
Elizabeth stretched as they made it to the gate, then checked her watch.
"... And with four hours to spare as well.
"Good..."
Keenio nodded and turned to the princess.
"... Now.. To get you to father, girl."
"Yes sir..."
She bowed in respect to Keenio, and the three of them made their way to the great palace, the Perch, as it was called for all the Xentidos return there.
The three of them entered the throne room were their king sat, awaiting them.
"Father.."
Keenio, the princess, and Elizabeth bowed in respect.
"we have returned and we bring a traveler at here request..."
"Child, you need not bow before me." the king smiled.
He scratched his long silver beard, and the three of them stood before him.
"Who my dear may you be?" Addressing the princess.
"My lord, I am princess of Athens" she stated.
"I come seeking to establish trade with your fabled city..."
The princess humbly fell to her knees.
"... We Athenians seek to establish a partnership with your people..."
"Athans is it..."
Stilphius stood from his throne and walked to get a closer glimps of the woman.
"...and what do you have to offer to us?..."
"...We offer fine thread, poetry, and art, my lord..."
Stilphius snorted in amusement, "What good are those to my people...? We have no need for poetry, threads, or art..."
"Then what my lord do you need...?"
"Nothing... Nothing you habe to offer..."
He looked into her violet eyes, they may have hypnotized Keenio, but they held no sway over the good king.
"...besides why would I King of Xenthos trade with a woman who does not introduce herself formally..."
"Forgive me your grace"
she bowed once more.
"I am Princess Veronica Dawnstar, second daughter of king Minos Dawnstar and her lady Margret Dawnstar..."
Keenio felt a bolt strike his heart. A sharp pain. It was her, the one he was searching for in his dreams.
"I see..." Stilphius added.
"..I know the Dawnstar family quite well..."
He turned to Keenio, who was white as a ghost, then glanced back at her. Both of them recalled their first meeting all those years ago, as well as the nightmares that haunted Keenio's nights.
"...Tell you what, lady Veronica, Keenio will show you to our guest quarters, it is getting late, and I dare not send a princess back to her kingdom this late at night, Vampires, ghouls, and other monsters lurk in the great jingle, and all come out at night..."
"So I have experienced..."
She nodded with complete obedience.
"You are too kind my lord..."
"Elizabeth, Keenio" Stilphius addressed.
The two of them stepped forward.
"Before you both leave and show the princess to her room, you must show me the pelt of the beasts you killed in the forest, and the ore.."
YOU ARE READING
The Red Moon Chronicles Book 1: The Crown Of Xenthos
FantasyA tale of magic and war. A prince and the heir to the world's most famous order of assassins the Xentidos, and his friends face challenge after challenge. Join Keenio and his companions as he faces a bracket of monsters, pirates, demons, and more, i...
