Lost Souls: New World

POV David

April 28th 913 (2016)

"Those are the heroes?" The damn whispers followed us everywhere as we followed the royal guards through the grand halls of the palace.

Statues and busts lined most of the halls with murals and tapestries to break up the plain walls. Large pillars ran the length of the hall, supporting the large arched ceiling. Nobles clustered around columns and small tables, talking in hushed whispers as we passed.

Rebecca and I exchanged looks. We'd argued for hours but decided to respect Monrovian custom, to as much as we'd bear…

Rebecca wore a scarlet red gown that flowed like a river. She'd done her hair into a single braid that almost made it to the small of her back, and we'd bought some make up for her to pretty up with. She walked directly behind the guards leading us to the Queen. Smith and I walked a few steps behind our sister but wore the garb of adventures, that being our cobbled together half-plate that we'd polished last night. We had our blades secured in their scabbards with rope and carried our helmets under our right arms.

Smith gave me a confident look and adjusted his scabbard as we stopped before a pair of ornate doors. One of the guards spoke with the crier at the entrance and we were gestured to proceed in.

The crier stepped into the room and loudly announced as we entered."Rebecca Ane Fulton, daughter of Margaret Fulton. Followed by her elder brothers David and Smith."

A half dozen pompous looking women wearing either dresses or armor stood on either side of a long corridor, which at the end was a raised Dias that a trio of thrones were placed. Atop the grand and central throne was a woman in her mid-forties, a scar on her left cheek and a crown of golden silver upon her head.

A less decorated throne was situated to the left of the center, embossed with silver; the figure that sat upon it would not have surprised me less if I'd been told. Veria Alision Yuri Vandamme… her face had a hint of surprise about it as she leaned towards the Queen and whispered a quiet remark.

The chair opposite Veria was a plain chair, traditionally where the king would sit in Monrovian court. It's as if someone flipped which station held the higher honor, the Queen instead of the king. The priestess instead of the priest… so in the unlikely event we would be ennobled instead of merely given noble treatment was… astronomically low.

We stopped a respectful distance from the throne, smith and I dropped to a knee and brown our heads while Rebecca curtsied. I tried to ignore the grinding of teeth from Smith as the Queen spoke.

"Witness the new heroine of our people, by the power invested in me Alison Louise Vandame,with the Goddess as my witness, I hereby elevate you, Rebecca Ane Fulton, daughter of Margret Fulton to the rank of Countess and grant you the fief of Centuria as your own. Furthermore I shall restore the vassals of Centuria to you." She intoned while smiling kindly upon us.

"I accept your generosity gladly, your majesty." Rebecca replied with a tone I knew to contain fake sincerity. We stood and backed away from the Queen, mingling with the crowd as servants began setting the hall for a celebration.

I watched as several nobles began approaching Rebecca as a quartet started playing some music. The first to approach was a woman that looked to be in her sixties, she wore this garishly colored dress that made my eyes bleed.

She curtsied before Rebecca. "Countess Fulton, I am Vera Urnor, Baroness of Lobau. I will be in your care from now on."

"Ah, thank you. I'll remember that." Rebecca replied, turning to speak with another lady that approached that wasn't so disgustingly dressed. The look of anger that flashed across her face as she spun around gave me pause. She was going to become a problem wasn't she?

"Congratulations Countess Fulton, and these are your brothers? Quite the pair they are… oh where are my manners. I am Viscountess Jackowitz, but feel free to call me Rena." She took Rebecca's hand and spoke a few quiet words with her. They both looked at us then Rebecca nodded.

She walked over to Smith and I, a different feeling about her, like she was a shark sizing up its prey. "Could we speak privately, the three of us?"

My brother exchanged looks with each other but followed the Viscountess to a secluded alcove near the edge of the hall. Rena turned and gave us disproving looks. "I shall make this curt, for I do not doubt your intellect. Your stunt has earned your sister made your sister look weak, she will garner many enemies from this."

"We will protect her." Smith growled.

"You cannot, not here. Unless that Earless failed to teach you a damn thing you should know of some of our laws by now. It would be best if you leave the court for Centuria and await your sister there." She hissed in reply.

"Thank you for your assistance, but why would a viscountess provide us with such consul?" I asked calmly, flashing a smile.

"Does it matter, I fail to believe you've gained sufficient understanding of politics. Your presence would only hinder your sister, that is all you need to know." The viscountess replied.

"That may be, but people are the same everywhere…" I replied as I cast a glance around the room. There were many people speaking with Rebecca, clamoring to gain her attention. But most were in their own little groups, organized by either the color of some part of their outfit, a small red rose. A yellow griffin. Others I could tell by the style of their dress, soldiers and nobles of a more militant faction.

"You're a member of their faction no? I garner you're people are not supporters of the status gou and you wish to use my sister to upset it?" I gestured at the daisy yellow lace and trim of her dress.

The Viscountess's face betrayed no emotion but the shift in her stance to more fully face me told me what I needed to know. "Mayhap you may not prove a hindrance to your sister, to so quickly catch on to the subtle dynamics…"

"I suppose we could be convinced, though we're dreadfully unwilling to part with our sister without some means of instant communication with her." I replied while watching Rebecca speak and laugh with those around her. I could see that determined strength in her eyes. She'd set her mind to something, and she'd stop at nothing to see it happen. Though I believed safe was a relative term for this world. I would believe her safer here than most other places.

"Should something to that effect be arranged, would you and your brother depart the court?" The viscountess asked while turning to watch my sister as well.

"We would not be so remiss to part with her should something to that effect be possible." I replied. I was surprised they had something even like a phone, but if that was so i'd upheld the bargain.

Smith and I retired from the hall. A servant showed us to a small room. The balcony had a stunning view of the distant sea, the bay of Rilna far to the east. Smith glared at the royal capital below.

"This city will likely burn if we pursue our path." Smith remarked quietly.

"Most of this Queendom will burn." I replied to my brother. Though the city had some beautiful architecture, most were slums. These people were abused and downtrodden. If the capital was like this, I could only wonder about the rest of the world.

Smith turned to me. "I know that David, but do you have the strength for it?"

Smith's voice felt colder than an arctic winter and stronger than steel. I shivered involuntarily but continued looking at Simfurdur's slums. The hundreds, thousands of people living below. A soft knock at the door caught my attention but Smith was already heading over there. Rebecca entered after my brother opened the door.

"I hate this place already." She grumbled as she stood next to me. She handed me a polished rock with an odd symbol etched into it.

"This stone thing might let us communicate while apart, though i'm not sure how far away it works…" she said while holding up a matching stone.

"Do you still wish to follow what we discussed last night?" I asked, thumbing the stone into my pocket. She nodded without hesitation.

I shared a look with my brother, then glanced at the late afternoon sun. "If we leave now we'll be out of the city before nightfall."

"Take the Royal road till Maiville, then take the Verdant road south, Lodi is the capital of Centuria. Take this writ, show it to the royal steward. If you ride like the wind you may make it there within two fortnights." Rebecca said as we grabbed our packs, slinging them over our backs and tightening them down. I took the writ and tucked it into Smith's pack.

We said our goodbyes after a brief hug, then left.