Lost & Found

18: Themiskyra

Xenik was awoken at midday, by the knocking at his door. Oskar had come to say his goodbyes, eager to return home to his wife. Before he left he handed Xenik a handwritten card, translating the words for him. It was a personal invitation from the Queen herself and she expected him to join her at the castle that night for supper. A carriage had been arranged and the innkeeper would come to fetch him when it arrived that evening.

                Xenik wasn't sure he was up for a royal audience, but Queen trumps Prince, especially when you're in their kingdom. It made him grateful for the clothing that had been laid out for him, nothing he had brought with him was appropriate for the occasion. But it did make him wonder, who had ordered the clothes, because they fit him perfectly.

                He cursed himself for not realizing that fact before Oskar had left, though in a city this big most people should speak the common tongue. He'd have to remember to ask the innkeeper before he left. For now, he pushed the thought from his mind. He should be focusing on how best to not offend a Queen who had no formal letter sent before his arrival to her kingdom.

                He had not expected the royal carriage to pick him up, but then again, no one dared stop him as they traveled to the castle. The main castle steward greeted him as the carriage pulled up to the grand entrance, leading him inside where a valet took his cloak. A scribe arrived shortly after his arrival to collect the scroll and set to seeing to the list of payments due on the back. He was then brought into a small banquet hall.

                A dark haired beauty, with golden eyes and tanned skin sat at one end of the table. "Queen Penthesilia, may I present your guest High Prince Xenik Nevsky of Novgorod," the steward's voice echoed off the walls.

                "Queen Penthesilia, I am humbled by your invitation," Xenik bowed low before moving further into the room.

                "That's more than enough formalities, unless you would prefer to observe all those dreary and obnoxiously time consuming protocols," she arched an eyebrow as she eyed him, a coy smile playing on her lips.

                "I am at your majesty's command," he stood up, his own playful smile on his lips. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company highness?"

                "Seriously, just sit, and call me Silla, Xenik, may I call you Xenik?" she didn't wait for him to sit before taking up her wine goblet and taking a long drink.

                "You may call me whatever you like, Silla," he gave her his most charming smile and took a seat in the chair that the butler pulled out for him, next to the queen. "You still haven't told me why you beckoned me here."

                She studied him more thoroughly, "I was curious to see the man that survived alone in the Cithaeron Wilds for more than a day. There are creatures in those woods that can rip a man to shreds in minutes, creatures even my most hardened warriors fear facing. Not only did you survive, but you came by a royal seal granting you passage through my kingdom and back to your own." She watched him for any reaction.

                "I owe my survival to Her Ladyship, though I know not where she came from or where she has gone," he tried not to sound annoyed about that last fact, "I owe her my life."

                "Her ladyship?" she snorted as if there was a joke he was not aware of.

                "It's the only way I know to refer to her, that or Mae, though I suspect that it is not her real name," he frowned.

                She smiled, "How intriguing, I wish my daughter had been able to join us, she loves a good mystery and it would've been a opportunity for her to practice your native language. But I fear her studies have taken her out of the capital." She sat back watching him as servants brought in food, filling their plates and goblets.

                When the room had cleared she continued, "To carry a seal of the royal guard, she must be of high rank. Perhaps I could have this lady found so you could thank her, can you describe her for me?"

                "Honestly, you might think me mad if I told you," he chuckled, but she leaned in clearly interested in hearing more. Taking a long pull of his wine he prepared to be called a madman. "If others hadn't seen her, I'd of sworn she was a ghost or creature from legend. She was beautiful and terrifying at the same time. She had hair so red; you'd think her head was aflame. Her green eyes glowed like a cats, and she moved as if the rules of the world didn't apply to her."

                The queen laughed, "You do indeed sound as if you're mad. Are you describing a woman or a creature?"

                He sat back and shrugged, "I don't know that I can answer that question. Sometimes it seemed that she was very much a woman, but more often than not she defied the laws of reality."

                She looked him over with an air of concern, "Would you like me to call for the royal physician? We should not let you gallivant out to sea if you are unwell."

                "I'm quite well," he grinned, "I warned you that it would sound crazy."

                She continued to question him about his journey through the wilds, delighting in each detail he relinquished. He left out the day they spent rained-in in the cave, more for his own sanity than any sense of decorum. By the end of the night the topic had changed to the upcoming Quinquennial celebration and how his kingdom was hosting the event on its 200th year. Her own kingdom never hosted the event, being too far removed and difficult to travel too for some kingdoms. It was the same reason that they rarely attended as well.

                Onceshe was fully amused, she excused herself to retire and let him return to theinn. Two days later, he was boarding a ship to sail across the sea on his wayhome.