The Throne Room

Darren was guided by the guard through the numerous hallways of the palace. Some wide enough to allow a carriage pass through them. Others, so narrow that only one iron could pass at a time. Darren however, noticed a pattern in the seemingly random and labyrinthine hallways of the royal palace.

The palace itself was constructed by an old king, centuries before the arrival of the Dragonslayer. Build and design with the intention of remain intact with the pass of time. The maze like structure with many narrow hallways where an addition, send to build by the Dragonslayer himself, whit the intention of turning the royal palace of pompous decadence, into an impermeable fortress.

Any attempt of invasion would have to get lost into this maze while being constantly under attack. A they get so far of course. The capital of Yorn was a fortress on itself after all.

After a few minutes they arrived at a pair of doors so disproportionately big it would take a dozen of very fit irons to even attempt to open them.

Darren thought of it as appropriate, it would only make sense to have the throne room be the most fortified and defended one of the whole palace. Any invaders would spent several hours trying to break through this doors. That would give the monarch plenty of time to escape if the necessity required.

Few where the kings that wouldn't sell their own blood just to save their own lives after all. Lucrecia however, was described in a different light.

She was, after all, a revolutionary leader who assembled an army by her own. Darren tried to imagine how the siege to palace most have been. Being in the place gave him a different perspective; History books described it as a victory of justice, bring by the tactics and courage of the queen and her men.

But, seeing the palace structure, Darren couldn't help but think about the losses. The capital's defenses where impenetrable, the only way to enter and face the dragonslayer in time was by forging a path of blood.

He couldn't imagine how she most have felt, seeing her army fell before her eyes just so the rest could walk in through their corpses. All with no guarantee of making it out alive. He was afraid of even imagine how such experience could change a person.

As he think about all of that, the doors began to open slowly.

At the other side of those doors, Lucrecia watched how more of a dozen of her guards pulled from the steel handles of the doors that opened slowly. The doors seemed to scream for the colossal weight in movement, as her guards growled and grunt for the effort.

"Remind me why I haven't sent someone to destroy that thing already" Lucrecia said to the man standing besides her. She was wearing a long dress of white and silver tones, with a crown of gold with a single diamond in the center.

"His majesty Swveider wanted to keep it. If i recall correctly, he said something about the "Dramatic effect" Said the man at her side. His name was Carter Han the counselor of the crown, an argon elemental. As most people of gaseous elements, this was a thin man white translucent hair. His skin was dark with numerous holes spread towards his body that he hided under a long tunic, leaving only the ones in his hands visible.

"Send a messenger to Swveider, tell him he is an idiot" Lucrecia sentenced massaging her temples.

In the mean time, Darren let himself be guided by Phyron, observing in amazement the sheer magnitude of the throne room.

A long red carpet guided the way in a straight line from the door to the throne itself. The ceiling was supported by enormous pillars of white stone in which bases stand magnificent statues of women with white hoods holding swords in formation. The Silver bodyguards of the old King who order the construction of this palace, forever guarding this room. The room was illuminated by golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, with numerous jewels and diamonds that shined by the sunlight entering from the picture windows above the throne, portraying colored images of the old kings standing proudly in the shadows of powerful dragons.

The guard walked in a straight line above the red carpet with Darren at his side. Once they where at five meters from the stairs ascending to the throne, the guard knelt bringing a fist to his chest, which resonated with a sonorous clank in the surface of his armor.

Darren decided to mimic his movements and avoid problems.

"Your majesty, I have brought Darren Lockwood"

"I notice Phyron. You can go now, take the iron guard with you and close the doors"

"But, your majesty we can't..."

The queen looked at Phyron with a stare that make it clear that the mere thought of questioning her orders was an insult.

"... I understand your majesty, we will be outside" Phyron then stands up and make his leave, signaling with a hand gesture to the rest of the iron guard to follow him.

"You too Carter, I want to speak with him in private"

"As you wish, your majesty" The man then makes his leave, as Darren watch him from the corner of his eye. Carter however didn't return the stare.

Once everyone was outside, the iron guard began to close the doors, pulling from a set of ropes in the other side. In the uncomfortable silence that followed, Darren finally realized how exasperatingly slow those doors actually where. Once they finally get closed, the queen spoke.

"Now Darren, i would like to ask you some questions"

-For the love of Draco, don't stutter, no matter what, do not stutter-

"Y-y-y-y-y-ye-yes Y-y-y-y-yo-your M-m-m-m-ma-majesty"

-¡¡GOD DAMMIT!!-

Darren was sweating more than what he had sweat in his whole life. His hands where shaking and he was struggling to breathe. He felt oppressed and terrified having the queen so close with no one around. It was difficult for him to forget the image of a woman in armor holding a bloody sword, screaming to her men to crush the doors with the hate and death burning behind her eyes as dragon's breath.

The Queen however just laugh. A laugh soft, warm and gentle.