Chapter 48: nuevas condiciones

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The loud knock to the intricately ornate door echoed through the tile-floored corridor of the palace. The palace was beautiful, so unlike anything I had ever seen before with its beautiful arches, the intricately painted tile and the combined mixture of wood, iron and terracotta. The palace was beautiful and I had to say that I was in awe of the structure surrounding me.

I had finally arrived in Cadiz, Spain, earlier that morning after a fairly uneventful voyage from England and had been escorted directly to the palacio del trono real.

"Entrad!" Called out the voice from inside. Rafael Rodriguez, aid to King Ferdinand stood beside me and pulled open the heavy door as he gestured for me to walk through. Rafael had collected me from the vessel and had brought me here in one of the palaces carriages, ready for my meeting with the king. He seemed nice enough and was very polite and well mannered, though his outward characteristics proved that he could be serious and stern, as if he had a military background.

I stepped through the doors into a wonderfully opulent room that seemed to go on forever. The ceiling was the highest I had ever seen, and white tile flooring seemed to stretch on forever. Then, I noticed a man sat in the centre of the room in a magnificent wooden throne; King Ferdinand.

He was entirely different to how I would have imagined, he looked young and... somewhat attractive.
He had long black hair, down to his shoulders and a white shirt that reminded me a little of Jack's. The top part of his chest was bared with the rest of his arms and upper body clothed by a long robe looking house coat with intricate patterns and colours.

"Your majesty, este es la señorita Swann," Rafael spoke clearly towards the king, "a guest of Lord Chamberlain."

King Ferdinand said nothing as he stood and stepped down from his throne, beginning to walk towards us. The black boots he wore clinked on the tile with each footstep, which only seemed to enhance the silence following Rafael's introduction.

"You come here as a guest of Lord Aloysius Chamberlain," the king said, approaching me slowly and walking around me in a slow circle. His accent was thick, but not as strong as Rafael's, as if he'd had a lot more practice speaking English.

"Yes your majesty," I said, pushing away the sense of intimidation I felt by his actions.

When he reappeared in front of me, he gave a little side smile which didn't reach his eyes.

"You have come to make a deal on behalf of the crown?" He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice, "or are you the bargaining chip? His hand began to reach for a lock of my hair, teasingly dragging his fingers closer to my head until I took a firm step back.

"I can assure you, that I am not," I bit back, trying to keep my anger down at his accusations. "Your majesty, I travelled here in search of answers as promised by lord chamberlain. I plan to sail to the fountain of youth to win back my ship-"
"The fountain of youth is a myth!" He suddenly added loudly with conviction in his tone but no anger in his voice.
"Your majesty," I added beginning to argue his point.
"My brother almost lost his life trying to find the fountain of youth, it is a myth, a fable and no man can find it!"
"Except one," a voice spoke out from the corner of the room. The king whipped his head around, stopping his little monologue as he looked at the new figure by the doorway with wide eyes. My eyes also followed the new figure, squinting as I attempted to make out the figure who stood by the darkened corner, around the side of two marble pillars.

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