Chapter 37: A Meeting With The Queen Regent
As the unicorn-drawn carriage made its way through the city, Maravont went over their customs with Sam and the girls.
"When you meet Queen Regent Valanta, you will address her as Your Majesty, and then Ma’am thereafter," he explained. "Do not speak until she prompts you. Do not look her directly in the eyes. Do not step on the dais. Do not touch her."
"Got it," Sam replied with a nod.
"Do you have a title for me to use in your introduction?" Maravont asked. "And what about your lady friends?"
"I am Captain Sam Draconis, and you can introduce my girls as my companions," he replied.
Maravont nodded. "Very well."
They rode into the courtyard of the Royal Palace, which was made of dark stone and black slate tiles on the roof. Several cryomancers were standing on the ground and using hand motions to clear freshly-fallen snow from the balconies and roof.
Sam and the girls exited the carriage, and Ser Maravont led them up the front steps, through a tall set of oak double doors, and into a spacious atrium with murals painted on the walls and the domed ceiling above. Past that was a long hall and then the throne room, which had two plush thrones side-by-side on a raised platform. One was larger with a red cushion, and the other was smaller with a blue cushion.
Sitting on the smaller throne was a drow woman with light purple skin, bright violet eyes, and snow white hair pulled into a braided bun. She was wearing a fancy cobalt blue dress with silver trim, and a plethora of silver and sapphire jewelry on her fingers, wrists, neck, ears, and the silver tiara on her forehead.
"Your Majesty, may I present Captain Sam Draconis and his companions," Maravont said with a bow.
Sam did not bow, and immediately made eye contact with the Queen as he stepped onto the dais and pulled her hand into his, giving it a little peck. "I am honored to stand before such a specimen of unfathomable beauty..." he said with a little bow.
She grinned and blushed, seemingly amused by that.
Maravont looked mortified. "What did I tell you!" he hissed at Sam angrily.
"It’s quite alright, Vontie," she said as she waved away his worries. She then looked back at Sam with a flirty grin. "I give a certain amount of leniency to one as handsome as he."
Maravont blushed at her using his nickname. "Ma’am, please, nicknames are not appropriate for the royal court..."
Sam stepped closer to the Queen and smirked. "You like teasing him, don’t you?"
Valanta giggled and nodded. "That I do."
"Ma’am, please..." Maravont nearly whimpered.
"Vontie, please show the Captain’s companions to the lounge, and see to it that they are granted every courtesy," Valanta said as she stood to her feet. "I would have a word alone with the Captain."
"Are you sure that’s wise, Ma’am?" Maravont asked nervously. She just eyed him, and he quickly nodded. "Y-yes, of course! Ladies, please follow me."
"Will you be okay?" Calista asked.
Sam nodded. "It’s okay. I’ll join you after I speak with the Queen."
Once Maravont and the girls left the throne room, Valanta motioned for Sam to follow her into a connecting meeting room, which was much smaller. It had a dark oak rectangular table with six chairs on each long side and one chair on each short side.
Valanta sat in a chair at the end and then motioned for Sam to sit in the one closest to her.
"So, what did you want to see me about?" he asked as he took his seat.
"Captain, I require your aid," she confessed.
"Just Sam is fine," he insisted. "What kind of aid?"
"Okay, Sam...," he said with a nod. "I understand you are bound for Nexus City?"
Sam nodded and smirked. "I suppose your scouts in the town overheard that tidbit?"
"Yes. My son - Brion - is in Nexus City right now, and I have reason to believe he is in danger," she began explaining. "I am the Queen Regent only until Brion’s coronation. His father was King Theodore, but he passed away a few years back. Brion turned eighteen last month, and is now meant to take the throne."
"So why is he in Nexus City?" Sam asked.
"His uncle Sylar - Theodore’s younger brother - took him on a holiday," she revealed. "He said it was to give Brion a chance to live life as a free man for a few days before assuming his royal duties, but..."
"But you fear that Sylar will harm Brion to steal the throne for himself," Sam finished her sentence. She had a look of despair on her face as she nodded. "What leads you to believe this?"
"I saw it in a dream," she explained. "Sylar was sitting on the throne with Brion’s severed head on his lap, looking at me with a sinister grin... Obviously, anyone I told that to would call me crazy... I begged my son not to go, saying I had a ’feeling’ it would be unsafe. Of course, he disregarded my worries and went anyway..."
"Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream?" Sam asked.
"Absolutely," she said with conviction in her voice. "My son is in danger, and I’d have you make a move against Sylar before he can make a move against Brion."
"So an assassination, then..." Sam said with a long sigh.
~~~
~~~
~~~
I want to take the last few words of this Chapter to thank everyone who has interacted with my story so far.
A gargantuan thanks to Gauge_5950 and Matthew_Heckman for the Golden Tickets! And of course my other current top fans (at the time of writing this) _Jopi_ and Daniel_Karschner!
A colossal thanks to Spooky12, LunerArch, Adebayo_Omolola, and FreshJuice for the Power Stones!
And of course, a super huge thanks to everyone who unlocked Chapters and commented! I would also name my Priv subs, but it doesn’t actually tell me who those are LOL.
I hope you all are enjoying my story, and there is much more to come! The events from Nexus City are going to lead into an epic story arc that will show off a lot of action - and powerful enemies for Sam and the girls to fight! This upcoming arc draws some inspiration from the Alabasta Saga in One Piece and the Namek Saga in Dragon Ball Z! Stay tuned for some awesome fight scenes!
Thank you again! XD