VERSAILLES // Ranboo X Reader

3

You stood from your bow, and stepped back, taking the time now to actually look around the throne room. 

It's lavish design had not escaped you, even in your hurried entrance. The room was draped with cyan and blue - the colors of the royal crest. The windows stretched from floor to ceiling, showing the dying sun painting the sky outside with purple hues. The court was gathered around the edges of the room, all the seats turned to face the dais on which three thrones sat. Only the center was occupied by the King - the seat to his right had used to belong to his first born, and the seat to the left his second. The second born was honeymooning in the Nether with one Lord Technoblade, the first born had not been heard from since he disappeared to the mountains to visit the monks.

Everyone knew that story well enough.

King Etienne clasped his hands together in his lap as he began to speak. "I'm sure you're curious of the reason I've called you here." He said. He spoke slowly, but his voice carried a weight to it built up from years of ruling no doubt. "The Ender Dragon egg has been stolen from the royal treasury."

A gasp worked it's way around the room, and the court broke out into titters. Etienne silenced them with a wave of his hand though - he was not done speaking. 

"Five nights ago, my most trusted advisors - Deirdre and Tarquin," The King waved a hand behind him, and two Endermen stepped out from the shadows - a matching set of twins. The only way you knew you weren't looking at clones was the purple scar that ran across one of their stomachs. "Found the egg gone and a dazed thief left behind. We've tried interrogation, but he maintains that he doesn't remember anything of the robbery."

You furrowed your brow - the royal treasury was said to be one of the most secure places in the world, manned by guards at all times. How on earth had thieves gotten in, gotten the egg and gotten out? And why had they taken just the egg - you were sure there would be enough jewels in the royal treasury for anyone to live rich if they managed to steal them, so why go after an artifact you wouldn't be able to sell?

Etienne sighed, running a hand down his face. "I need not explain the catastrophe that would take place if that egg were to make it's way back to the end - another Dragon would upset the natural order of things, and I am by no means the strapping young man I was when I killed the first one." 

So it wasn't about money - it was about power. No wonder the king had called for a task force on such short notice. It was probably why he hadn't written about it in the letter either - if word got out that there was an Ender egg missing, it would cause a panic amongst the people of the Overworld and the End. There hadn't been a dragon since Etienne was a boy - over 50 years of peace, only for it all to be endangered again now. 

The King scanned his eyes over the gathered people. "I have called you here to task you with finding the egg and returning it to the royal treasury." He paused. "Brigand of Stormheld!"

A man stepped forward - Brigand. Brigand was easily the biggest man in the room - he towered over the court members both in size and stature. His sheer size combined with the gray quality to his skin made it immediately clear that he wasn't human - the axe clipped to his belt only solidified it. It wasn't common for a Vindicator to be in a human court, but here he was, and called by the king himself. 

"Do you accept the task?"

"Yes, your Majesty." Brigand bowed respectfully, his voice deep and strong. 

The King nodded before calling the next name. "Arlow of Audunbast!"

Arlow stepped forward a knowing grin on their face. Where Brigand was tall and broad, Arlow was the opposite. They were average height, but lithe like a cat and lean like one too. Their skin was sunkissed to a golden brown - a testament to the mesa they hailed from - with freckles scattered here and there. Their hair was dark and fell in waves to their jaw, and their eyes were a bright amber. They were easily the best looking person in the room - they had that sort of mischievous magnetic energy that was undeniably attractive.

"Do you accept the task?"

"Of course." Arlow nodded respectfully towards the king, that grin never leaving their face. 

You looked back and forth between them - these were the people you would be adventuring with. Brigand - tall and sturdy like a dark oak, and by the look of it, able to break a log in half with his bare hands - and Arlow - quick like a fox with the smile of one too. 

"Y/N of Templeswift!"

You stepped forward, looking the king in the eye as he called your name. 

"Do you accept the task?"

It wasn't even a choice really - it was a honor to get called upon at all, and this task would make you a legend amongst men. "Yes, your Highness." You said, stooping into a bow before the king. 

When you righted yourself, the king was nodding sagely, his eyes flicking between the three of you. "I'm sure you're all tired from your journeys." He said. "Rooms have been made up for you- we will settle the matter of supplies for the adventure tomorrow. And you'll want to meet our thief, of course." With a clap of his hand, servants stepped forward, elbows outstretched to escort you to your rooms. 

You took the servants elbow and left the throne room, catching one last glance of the king and his bookend twins as you did.