Blade of Erogrund

Chapter 20- The Banquet

By that the next afternoon the city was in a peculiar state of frenzy. Or, rather, the morning was. A scourge of women cleaned their dresses and prepared food while men polished armor or refitted tunics. The merchant district quite literally swarmed with anxious bakers, chiefs, squires, pages, and servants amid the intoxicating scents of freshly baked bread, sizzling red meat over fires, and buttery greens cooking in large vats. The women's quarters bustled faster than running water as ladies dashing hither and fro to finish their last chores before the night of celebration. Nearly as busy, the men's sleeping rooms were a less animated version.

However, as time drew the morning to a close, Godric found himself virtually deserted in the streets as he made his way to Ennor's banquet party's chambers. A young male tenant escorted him noiselessly through the eerie streets and up several flights of stairs. Not since the night of the Dragon's attack on Iris Ithil had Godric seen the city as quiet as it was. It struck him as especially startling compared to the desperate seething mass of people that had been out that morning.

"Awfully quiet," he murmured over the echoes of their footsteps.

"Everyone is preparing for tonight," the tenant answered solemnly.

"Will you?"

The man shrugged. "Perhaps. My wife appreciates the pomp of celebration far more than I, but I will nonetheless try and indulge her this afternoon."

"That's considerate of you."

A little smile broke the tenant's solemn countenance. "Life is a dark place. When you find a ray of sunshine as beautiful as mine you will make many sacrifices for her."

"What a kind sentiment," Godric commented.

His companion grinned widely. "If you met her you would not be so surprised. Speaking of sentiment, my curiosity overcomes my manners. How, if I may, did you come to receive the honorable sentiment of being invited to the King's banquet party?"

"I'm not sure. Well, it's a long story, really."

"Hm, I should very much like to here it sometime. Until then, here you are." The man stood beside a dark wooden door that once upon a time must have had some carving on it but now just glistened at being worn smooth. "Until tonight," the man said, bowing. Godric returned the gesture and pulled the portal open, stepping inside. 

A wide, deep hall awaited him. It had huge ceilings vaulted with seamless rivers of stone that flowed from column to column. Each ash grey stone column stood tall in two rows, one row offset to either side of the room to form a long corridor to the back of the hall. Huge silver chandeliers were suspended from the tall ceilings, bathing the room in white light. The walls were polished smoother than the rough rock of the city, creating an overall regal feeling.

The people within only furthered this impression. Thirty or forty men and women stood under the care of numerous tenants all dressed in the finest robes Godric had ever laid eyes on. Glistening plates of armor, sparkling gemstone earrings, and shining rings of silver and gold met his glance. Flowing gowns in every shade of ivory, grey, green, and blue hugged the gorgeous frames of countless ladies that stood accentuated in elegant jewelry. Even the men, from which Godric had not yet seen any semblance of civility, stood tall in fine tunics beneath sophisticated sets of armor that proudly magnified their broad shoulders and muscular frames. All the lords were either clean shaven or had beards trimmed until almost threateningly regal in appearance. Their right eyes and cheekbones were, in a stroke of surprise, hidden beneath imposing steel half-masks that put the final stroke on their resplendent presences.

Cautiously stepping into the colossal hall, he was almost immediately met by Thain. The dwarf looked little different from the night before but wore a forest green tunic pinned with a golden hammer and anvil broach.