Chapter 390:Rest.
The enormous doors of the Dragonic Palace opened before them.
Atheline and Lilith followed the palace attendants through a wide corridor carved directly into the mountain. The interior was considerably warmer than the outside, and the walls were decorated with elaborate carvings of dragons, ancient battles, and figures that Atheline couldn’t immediately identify.
The deeper they went, the more apparent it became that the palace had not been built simply for appearance.
It was built to last.
Massive stone pillars supported the ceiling, each one engraved with draconic runes. Soft golden crystals illuminated the corridors, casting enough light for the enormous hallways without making them excessively bright.
Atheline glanced at Lilith.
"Impressive."
She nodded.
"Very, they really went all out."
Their escort eventually stopped before another set of enormous doors.
"The King and Queen are waiting inside."
The doors opened. Atheline and Lilith stepped through.
The throne room was vast. At the far end stood two enormous thrones elevated on a stone platform. The man seated on the right was unmistakably the Draconic King.
Draco von Silven.
He possessed long dark hair with several strands of silver running through it, golden eyes, and a pair of magnificent black horns that curved backward from his head. Unlike the dragons who had greeted them outside, his draconic features were considerably more pronounced. The pressure surrounding him was also impossible to ignore.
Beside him sat the Draconic Queen.
Eliana von Silven.
She possessed long pale-gold hair and brilliant emerald eyes. Her horns were lighter in color than Draco’s, and a slender golden tail rested behind her throne. Both rulers rose when the visitors approached.
"Queen Lilith."
"King Atheline."
Draco’s voice carried through the chamber.
"Welcome to Dragonic Island."
Lilith gave a formal bow.
"We thank Your Majesty for inviting us."
Atheline followed.
"We are honored by the invitation."
Draco smiled.
"The honor is ours. Relations between our kingdoms have remained peaceful for generations. It is only proper that we welcome you personally."
Eliana nodded.
"We hope your journey was comfortable."
"Aside from a small interruption," Atheline said.
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"An interruption?"
"A Kraken."
There was a brief silence, then Draco laughed.
"That sounds like an unpleasant welcome to our waters."
"It was." Atheline smiled. "But it wasn’t particularly difficult."
Lilith glanced at him. Je wasn’t exaggerating.
The Kraken had been a dangerous creature, but compared to what they had seen recently, it hadn’t been much of a challenge.
Draco seemed amused by the response.
"I heard there were disturbances in the Ferra Sea last night."
"That was probably us."
The Queen laughed softly.
"I see."
The formal greeting continued. Tere was no lengthy discussion, no mention of the corruption or serious political matters. This was simply the customary first meeting between visiting rulers and their hosts.
Lilith presented the gifts from the Dark Elven Kingdom.
The first was a carefully preserved collection of rare dark-elven crystals. The second was an ornate ceremonial weapon crafted by one of the kingdom’s finest artisans.
Draco accepted them graciously.
"These are beautiful."
Lilith nodded.
"We hope they will be worthy of the Draconic Kingdom."
"They are."
Eliana then presented their gifts in return. A collection of rare draconic materials; a small container of high-quality dragon herbs, and a beautifully crafted golden ornament bearing the symbol of the Draconic Kingdom.
Atheline examined it with interest.
"Thank you."
"It is merely a token of friendship," Eliana replied.
The exchange concluded the formal portion of the reception. Draco then gestured toward the attendants.
"You have traveled a considerable distance, rest. The main gathering will begin once all the invited representatives have arrived."
Lilith nodded.
"We appreciate your hospitality."
"You are also free to explore the island during your stay."
Atheline’s eyes immediately brightened.
"Really?"
Draco smiled.
"Of course, the Dragonic Island isn’t a prison."
Atheline laughed.
"Good to know."
Draco looked toward him.
"Naturally, there are areas you should avoid."
"I expected as much."
"Most dragons are territorial."
Lilith nodded.
"We were informed."
Draco gave a satisfied nod.
"Then I trust you will have no problems."
The attendants then approached.
"We will escort Your Majesties to your resting quarters."
Atheline and Lilith followed. They left the throne room and walked through another series of corridors.
Their assigned quarters were considerably larger than Atheline had expected.
There was a spacious sitting room, a bedroom, a private bathing area, and a balcony overlooking part of the mountainous landscape.
Atheline stepped onto the balcony. From there, he could see several distant mountains. Dragons occasionally flew between them. He remained there for several seconds, then something occurred to him.
"Lilith."
She looked toward him.
"I want to check something."
"What?"
"My family."
Lilith understood immediately. His family had probably traveled with the High King, and Atheline wasn’t certain whether they had already arrived or even come in the first place.
"The High Elves were here before us, then there’s a chance they’re already somewhere in the palace."
Lilith nodded.
"We can find out later."
Atheline looked toward the corridor.
"I’d rather know now."
Lilith smiled.
"You’ve just traveled across an entire sea,fought a Mystic Kraken, and you’re already thinking about running around the palace looking for your family."
Atheline smiled.
"Yes."
She shook her head.
"You’re impossible."
"I’ve been told."
Lilith walked toward the bedroom.
"Later."
Atheline looked at her.
"Later?"
"We’re exhausted."
Only then did he notice how heavy his body actually felt. Even their increased strength didn’t eliminate exhaustion entirely.
Atheline sighed.
"You’re right."
Lilith looked back at him.
"We sleep first and then we can find out whether your family is here."
Atheline nodded.
"Deal."
They entered the bedroom. Their little fox immediately climbed onto the bed and curled itself into a ball.
Atheline stared at it.
"Apparently she agrees with you."
Lilith smiled.
"Unlike you, she knows when to rest."
Atheline laughed quietly. They changed into more comfortable clothes and settled down.
Lilith rested beside him.
Within minutes, the exhaustion began catching up with them. The noise of the palace became distant as Atheline closed his eyes.