Yirresh and Ashiru lead us down another set of steps and further east inside the palace. We went through several halls until we reached a gate that connected the hall we were in to another set of steps.
“Why are we traveling so much just to get to a room”, I said looking at Yirresh. “If this is a palace, shouldn’t there be more rooms available that are closer?” Yirresh stopped and gave me a long look.
“You should be grateful for even being spared by his majesty! There is a reason why you are placed further away from the main hall and further east. Prince Lanak made a special request that you are as far from the west wing as possible.”
At that Ashiru pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the gate before us. We went down a few steps and into a much smaller hall than the others were. Finally, we stopped at a door at the end of this hall.
Yirresh opened the door and pushed me in. Ashiru took hold of Mau.
“This one is to stay in another place,” Ashiru said firmly.
Yirresh came inside the room and closed the door as Ashiru walked away with Mau.
The room was quite big and very dark. It had a chiseled king sized bed in the center of the room and also had dressers and mirror surrounding it. There were no windows but the walls were painted and the carpet was sewn with the same dragon sign I had seen before.
“Now look here child”, Yirresh said as she walked further in the room, “His majesty, Prince Lanak also made the request that when you arrived here, we were to address you as a My Lady. But seeing what you are, you don’t seem worthy enough for us to lower ourselves before you. I do not know how you bewitched Prince Lanak, but I’ll try my best to obey his orders.”
“Bewitched? That’s an impossible assumption. I don’t even know Prince Lanak or why he is holding me captive. Nevertheless I did not bewitch or captivate him on purpose. You have to believe me!”
“Even if what you say is true, Prince Lanak has a greater destiny in store for you. It was fate that brought you to him.”
“Destiny? I know not of destiny, Yirresh. I only know that I’m not supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to be in this world!”
“As it may be, Prince Lanak intends to have you well taken care of. He has asked that any request you have be fulfilled and any luxury we have be offered to you. But, even though
the Prince shelters you, this does not mean King Azeroth won’t sense you in the palace.”
“Azeroth? Who is Azeroth?”
“If anything prevents you from being able to walk the halls as we came, there is a short cut from this room to the main hall and several palace gates”, Yirresh said, pointing to the floor. “Only four people know of this route, and Prince Lanak wanted me to tell you of it. Not even Azeroth knows. There are underground tunnels that are spread through out the palace. Underneath this carpet is a tunnel that leads to the north gate, past the main hall. Follow it only when in danger.”
“Thank you for informing me, but you still have not said who Azeroth is.”
“Azeroth is the father of Lanak and is the king of Athosia and Yirsen. He is a great conqueror but a tyrannical and oppressive king. He wishes to conquer all of the northern countries and start a new empire. If any one shows even the slightness hint of opposition, they, and their entire family, would be destroyed. King Azeroth is feared mostly among his own people and no one dares oppose him.”
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