Sly

Chapter Fifty One

The pomp and circumstance in the throne room was atrocious. I could hear it all the way in the sitting room where we were being fussed over by a short, sweaty man and one of the palace's senior dressing maids. Clothing with which to make Jexa, Dirk, and Bricker suitably presentable had been tailored, much to their discomfort. And I wasn't really one to talk, as I'd been put through that same process by the muses at Panther house on many occasions, disliking it just as much.

Coins from all over the Midlands had come in for a ceremony and banquet. I had to watch them arrive all week from my window, the extravagance they wore and ate and threw aside was astounding. My fingers itched to alleviate some of their extravagances and distribute it through Swamp, but I held back the impulse. Rourik promised me change, and his father agreed. I'd give them the opportunity to try before I let my fingers resume my old ways. Relieving the Swamp mongrels of their duties and replacing their posts with aid stations was a damn good start, I'll give them that. Anyone willing to sit and report the true state of things on their street was rewarded with a sack of grain and a box of household provisions. I'm sure whatever clerks were in charge of sorting out all the problems in Swamp were having a grand time with the paperwork.

"Starin' out that window awfully hard, Sly."

I turned to face Dirk, looking particularly uncomfortable as his fingers brushed over every bit of clothing he'd hidden knives under. Every knife I could see, anyway.

"There's a lot of people out there," I gave by way of answer.

"Don't pay them any mind. They'll sleep through the ceremony and then beg like dogs for affection at my father's elbow during the feast."

"Rorik!" I smiled and stood as the prince walked in, and he strode my way as we embraced in a warm hug. "I haven't seen you in days."

He pulled away to arm's length as he held my shoulders and stared into my eyes. "Do you have any idea how thorough my brothers were when questioning me? I had to explain months, years, of work under their noses."

"You had the captain with you," I mused.

Rorik scoffed. "A bunch of good that did. Arden, that prat, he added questions to the room."

I held my tongue, and less subtly my grin, as he shook his head and looked around the room. "Are you all ready? I'm here to fetch you for the ceremony."

Jexa and Bricker were already standing next to Dirk, the attendants in the room leaving now that their job to prepare us was finished. 

"Ready as we're going to be, highness," Jexa said, offering a bow he'd been forced to practice for the past week.

Rorik clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Very good then, let's get this over with."

Through the hall with a royal escort and to the throne room, our procession was quickly joined by palace children holding banners, and drummers announcing our arrival. The double doors were opened, and we were announced to a room absolutely filled with spectators craning their necks to see.

The trumpets played as we were told, and with that Prince Rorik moved to the front to stand beside his family, who were all standing in front of the thrones. The walk was slow and difficult in uncomfortable clothing. This entire precision was meant more for the court than for us four. None of us, not Jexa, not Bricker, certainly not Dirk, wanted this kind of attention, but that's what happens when you play a part in saving the royal family, I suppose.

It was halfway down the aisle that things began to turn for the better. A face in the crowd was fluttering her fan and smiling at me. Lady Selenie, the young noble I'd helped in the streets was beaming as I passed. I smiled in turn, and only a few steps down the way I noticed among the lowest classes that stood against the wall, Graham had come and was helping Marak to see over the crowd. The final surprise came even closer to the front as a head of orange hair could be seen over the front rows, sitting on a velvet stool and playing her harp. Orchid, for all her beautiful music, was crying. I wanted to laugh at the silly thing, but spotting Panther and the others in a row of seats nearby, I figured they would give her enough teasing for me later.