SCOLN

"Wake up please." Soren heard a very faint male voice speak but he was rather too comfortable.

Soren tightened his grasp around his pillow and then noticed that his fingers had failed to dig in on something hard.

"Wake up Soren." The voice demanded once again and Soren gave in at last and opened his eyes to reveal a fixed pair of scarlet eyes looking at him.

"Oh." Soren simply said, that was the nearest that he had been to Conelm perhaps all his life he could remember.

"Wake up Soren." Conelm spoke this time and that was when Soren noticed that he had laid his head on Conelm's chest.

Soren immediately withdrew and knocked the back of his head on the carriage wall.

"Ouch." Soren gave a mild cry.

"I am so sorry to frighten you Soren," Conelm said as he held Soren's left arm and caressed it carefully, We are here." Conelm added as he continued the caressing exercise.

Soren felt so intimidated and gave in into a light blush as this gave his body a particular degree of comfort.

"Where are we?" Conelm asked as he had forgotten the purpose of the journey that they had been making for the past forty eight hours nearly.

"We are here, in the Capital of Aristograd." Conelm camly replied.

'Oh.' Soren simply said as he looked out of the carriage window only to see the streets filed with very many people many of whom looked to live a confortable and merry life.

Aristograd was so lively with the masses and it was a short while later when the carriage and the rest of the royal convoy made it's way onto the grand bridge that was made of steel and some gold.

There was a sound of trumpets and gongs that resounded in the city as the carriage continued to pass through the masses and the streets.

People and children alike applauded the imperial convoy as flowers were thrown ahead of the road and onto the golden carriage.

"Are the Scolns this hospitable?" Soren asked as he looked at Conelm whose gaze seemed frozen and focused on him.

"I know I am that charming." Soren said to himself mentally as the prince opened his mouth for what Soren guessed was a reply to his own question.

"It is part of tradition, welcoming the Castorian to the palace." Conelm replied as he scratched the back of his head getting a little bit shy at that moment.

"Who is the Castorian?" Soren asked.

"Well, a Castorian in the language of the Scolns is the future Consort of the King or Crown Prince." Conelm replied

"Oh, all this is simply for me?" Soren was questioning the wonderful reception as the carriage suddenly came to a halt.

"We are here." Conelm said.

Soren shifted his gaze through the window and the carriage began to slowly move through a beautifully decorated arch.

The moment they passed the Arch, they continued into a candlelit tunnel to an open gree courtyard that was surrounded by the expanse of what Soren certainly knew was the Royal Residence.

"This is Silver Sottinbrow, the Imperial state palace of Scoln." Soren said with a smile gracing his face.

"How did you know that?" Conelm asked amazed by Soren's wisdom on this, it was very rare to find a foreigner who was well aquainted with Scoln places and names and he spoke the name rightly without a single stutter.

"Astrolgos denues selegranisas brewn kolen tagridan forbestianza." Soren spoke and Conelm was so moved.

Soren had looked cute while speaking everything he had said that they had barely noticed the carriage had come to a halt the second time.

"You studied Scoln and read about most of its important places." Conelm said.

"Yes," Soren proudly replied as he smiled at the Prince when the door of the carriage was opened.

"So I guess this is mainly it." Conelm said.

"What is the matter now?" Soren asked.

"Once we part from this carriage, I will no longer have the exposure of seeing you except when the public gatherings may call for it legally until we get married." Conelm replied.

"Fine." Soren replied his heart feeling a little bit heavy and his atmosphere turned sad in an imstant.

"But do not worry, it will only be a couple of months." Conelm said as he stepped out of the carriage door that had been opened.

Soren simply followed behind as he had to breath the air outside once again only to be met by the stairs of many people.

Soren could clearly see that all the people who stood in front of him were too nobly dressed to be servants, at least that he knew.

Amongst them was an old man in robes who wore a chain that bore the six lotus emblem of their faith.

Soren did not cease to move and he followed the Imperial Royal family inside the grand building that had beautifully decorated hallways.

Gerald followed behind him as the guards and servants who had lined the big hallway began to move along with the important people.

There was a musical procession led by the old man in the Robes that Soren knew had to be the High Priest or Bishop this side that travelled to as far as the throneroom.

To Soren's surprise, people had gathered here and were all nobly dressed, they were all men and not a single woman stood and appeared to be in their category or order.

"Who are these?" Soren asked in a soft whisper as he leaned over towards Conelm.

"Lords and Barons, officials of court." Conelm replied.

"I am guessing that they are here to see me." Soren said keeping the conversation within only Conelm's reach.

"Primarily yes, the arrival of the arrival of the Castorian involves the presentation of the future Queen of the Monarchy to the High Lords and Nobles.

It is after there visit that you can later be presented to the rest of the Court in Scoln on a set date as well as the people." Conelm said as the Procession came to a halt.

All eyes in the room had instantly shifted to Soren who immediately became the centre of what would have been unending attention.

The King and the Queen made it to their thrones and sat down as Soren and Conelm made it to the right and sat on a pair of Silver thrones.

"Your Royal Majesty." The Scoln Lords and Officials said in unison as they bowed down.

The King raised his right hand to symbolize his acceptance of their Salutation.

King Valga stood up and everyone looked at him.

"We had traversed afar in the South West to Endra as we all know, we marched into the Stately abode and were hosted with great hoapitality.

At the expense of the Northern Endran lands and that we may maintain freedom and peace between our two great nations, we sat to a negotiation

I am pleased to announce that with heaven's blessing, we rode back victorious with the Castorian of My dear son Prince Conelm.

The fairest in the land and your future Queen, Prince Soren Lexandrin, the Prince Royal of Endra." The King said.

Soren rose up accompanied with Conelm and he curtsied as his fellow future partner bowed his head.

It was so surprising that Soren was that radiant and at once, it was shortly after he had won the hearts of the High Lords and officials.

"He is lean but he sure is marvellous to look at." One of the lords in the congregation whispered to another.

"Viva, Viva, Greta Alexander, Viva,Viva Castorian Sorenna." The Lords hailed the two.

For what would appear to be the first time in weeks, Soren smiled out of pleasure and self will at a very large group of important people.

*********************

"This is very marvellous." Soren said as he looked at his own private suite for the mean time.

"Well, it is my pleasure your highness." A scoln servant replied as Gerald and Soren walked into the big room that was even bigger than his former bedroom.

"How may I call you?" Soren turned around and asked the charming young man.

"Call me Helren, I was assigned to be your personal Governor and Tutor of the Scoln traditions.

I shall supervise your movements, meals, security and clothes to make sure that you live very comfortably." The young man replied.

"And when is my routine starting?" Soren asked.

"Now Your Majesty though we shall commence with your General study tomorrow.

Being brought up in the Endran royal family we shall not tamper with your faith as we all share the same state belief and religion.

I shall make sure I can cooperate with your personal valet to ensure that you are present and presentable once called upon Your Highness." Helren replied.

"Thank you Helren." Soren replied.

"I will take your live your highness." Helren said as he withdrew from the suite and departed.

"I hope everything is fine your highness." Gerald said as Soren sighed.

"I have to accept this new lifestyle, a lot of new things lie ahead of me from now on this life.

I must stay strong for the sake of my family and my very own." Soren said as he moved towards his dressing table and sat down to look in the mirror.

"I sure do hope your highness, what more shall we do?" Gerald asked.

"We might be foreign but perhaps the gods have redeemed this path for me, whatever the consequences will be, I shall stand firm and I will be good." Soren said.

He stared incapable of seeing the old fearful self he used to be but rather a new and rejuvinated reflection looked back at him.