Initium novum [Completed - being edited/rewritten]

Chapter 46

Everyone was quiet, no-one even dared to move. The first who entered was Captain Pavlos, behind him four soldiers of the Praetorian Guard and then behind them Imperator and Imperatrix.

He, the Imperator, was much younger that I ever thought he would be, his dark brown hair were as long that they covered his ears and fringe covered his forehead and his eyes which were as yellow as gold were racing around the palour. He wore a flock coat made of leather on which he had sign of an eagle. The flock coat cover his legs almost fully but I noticed that he had black trousers made of a very fine cotton. He had heavy boots which made a loud noise every time he made a move.  From what I could say, we must have been at most thirty years old, he was much younger than I imagined.

His wife, the Imperatrix, was young as well. From her facial expression I could tell that she was very nervous about seeing so much people on around her. Her blue eyes were moving from place to place, looking at everyone. Her short blonde wavy hair were shinning as the sun shine fell on them. She, in difference to her husband wore, only a long light dress made of white fabric, the dress was so long that its part lied on the floor.

Everyone was silent, the only sounds made was the one of hand moving into the air made by everyone in the palour in order the greet the Imperial couple. As everyone's right hand was in the air, I was a slight smile on Imperator's face.  He, together with his wife and the escort raised right hand and said "Ave Victoria (Hail Victory)".  Finishing the sentence, he moved his hand back to the side and after him everyone else did. He again looked around the room, took a breath and stepped in front of his guards and Captain Pavlos.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming here today, it is always great to see the familiar faces on this day. I know I say this to you every year but I will say it again; Even though outside in our territories there is a war raging, today we have no reason to worry, today is the time of celebration, feast and happiness, so enjoy yourself and worry about anything." He said and after his speech there was a big applause.

It was only at that time that the Senators were already there, they must have come when I was on the balcony with Valeria. The male Senators were almost all bold, I wondered why that was. They were standing closest to the Imperator, and were watching his every move.

Imperator came to the middle palour and looked right at me. With a move of hand he gave me a signal to come to him. I walked slowly, with Valeria next to me. I was as if unable to breath when I stood right in front of him.

He and Imperatrix looked at me and Valeria, they were as if measuring us. "Ave Imperator," that was all I was able to say at that moment.

"Ave Perignirus," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Behind us I heard people whispering the word 'Wanderer'. "I have heard you have something important to show me, is it truth?"

"Yes your Imperial highness." I said.

"Good, we shall discuss that matter after we eat then," he said. "Now allow me to introduce you to the rest of my family." Eight people came to us and each of them bowed to me saying Ave Perignirus.

First to come was a couple who had a heavily looking coats with huge grey furs attached to the back of it. Both the man and woman had blonde hair and blue eyes. Man's hair were short, with shaved on both sides, his beard was long and made into a braid. The woman's hair were long and braided, the braids were made so they were connected as one on the woman's back it was the same style as which I had when Adrius used to do the braids for me. They were from Unora, I could tell.

The man, looking at me, said, "I am Ivar Ekholm. It is a great honour to meet you, Wanderer." Then he grabbed hand of the woman. "This is my wife Yri. She is a Seer, she told me that today I would meet someone special but I certainly did not expect to meet a Wanderer, who is also a Välsignade."