The Water Howlers - Book II ✔

Chapter 23 - Ki

Ki was dosing off on her bed, more than grateful for a soft mattress after so many days having to make do with a hard cot on the ship, when a series of rapping on their door jolted her awake.

"Who?" She groaned, yawning loudly. Emmie was already fast asleep. That girl could lay down anywhere and be asleep within minutes. Something Ki deeply envied.

"Miss Arynn and miss Eskhana. If you will get dressed in proper attire and assemble outside, please."

Ki picked up her pillow and threw it on Emmie who stirred.

"Wake up you."

Emmie voiced a complaint and shoved the pillow away from her face. "But I'm so comfortable. I don't want to leave this bed."

They dressed in silence. Ki put on a fresh pair of sturdy dark brown tights, a grey tunic with red trimming and over that she put on her Howler robe. Emmie dressed herself in something similar and after tying her hair back with a string Ki opened the door to the hallway. Thatch and Ori were already there, waiting for them. There were two other people present – a man who appeared to be a guard and one who looked boring enough to be an advisor.

"Now that we are all present, if you would be so kind as to follow me to greet the royal family in person." His common tongue had a thick accent, but Ki understood him just fine. They followed him back the way they had come, but instead of going back into the throne room they turned left down another corridor and through a thick wooden door, guarded by two men with spears resting at their sides. They also bore swords and the royal crest on the chest of their uniforms; it was the head of a black cat with razor sharp teeth showing and the edges of the crest were green and gold lines entwined with each other.

One of the guards exchanged silent words with their escort before he pushed the door open, revealing a brightly lit square room. Windows adorned every marbled wall, but these were placed higher up and longer rather than higher. Great way to make sure whatever happens in here goes unseen from the outside, Ki noted to herself.

Oil paintings hung along the side of the wall to their left, some portraying a single man or woman, but two paintings were family portraits. Ki dared not step aside to look at them further and made a mental note to herself to try and look at them later.

In front of their group stood the Eslean royal family in their entirety. Twelve in total, all regal looking, though the smallest of the children, a boy looking no older than three struggled against the firm grasp of his mother.

King Edmond and his wife stepped forward, both smiling politely as Ki and the others bowed respectfully at them.

"Greetings again my Aethorin friends. I hope you have found our home comfortable and to your liking?"

When no one immediately answered, Ori cleared his throat. "We have, Your Majesty. Your welcome has been most gracious."

The king smiled widely and looked more than pleased.

"Allow me to properly introduce you to my family." With one hand entwined with his wife's, he turned slightly left, reaching out with his other hand towards his oldest son. "You have been acquainted with my oldest, Crown Prince Edmond Belisar II and his wife, Princess Mara." The crown prince and his wife smiled and nodded to them.

"Hello again," said the Crown Prince.

The king reached back and rustled the light brown hair on top of a young boy's head. "This fine young man is their eldest, Prince Edmond the third and this is his younger brother, Prince Jasson." He smiled fondly to one of the smallest children who had trouble staying still. It was clear to everyone that he did not enjoy being in a uniform and having to stay put for too long. His brown hair was neatly combed, but his constant fidgeting against his mother's dress and started to mess with the back of his hair.