Chapter 2: Doors

Chapter 2: Doors

We arrived. I'm standing behind her playing nervously with my fingers in front of my chest. The massive white doors with gold patterns opens.

*clack 

It startles me a bit.

"Don't be nervous, hands at your sides"

As she looks behind her. with a really scary smile this time. How the hell do you expect me not to be nervous when you look like your gonna kill me

and eat my non existent children.

I Jump upright like a robot, she turns and starts walking. I'm a bit slow because I'm following with my whole body stiff, I'm following like a robot at attention.

She gets to her spot before the throne and takes a knee.

I snap out of my robot posture and quickly walk and take a knee behind her looking down.

I bring my hand to my chest making a fist and take a deep breath.

I notice the people on either side behind me. Deathly silent. Not even a murmur.

"YOUR MAGESTY KING RAYMOND OF THE SHADOWFALL KINGDOM ENTERS, PLEASE RISE" 

I look behind me and see the audience standing up. I motion to follow.

"Not you" 

She says in a low voice. I react and lower my head. I an hear the king walking then taking a seat on the throne.

"Shanon, Proceed"

"Yes, my great king" 

She stands up walks to the left then turns and gestures downward to me with her right hand.

"I wish to introduce my kings benefactor Sir Hero, If it may please the court my king, Sir Hero is unfamiliar with our customs and mannerisms, I beg your forgiveness for any misunderstanding this may cause"

"Granted"

She takes a deep bow then leaves to go stand in her place with the other 5 knights lined up on either side of me.

"Rise, Sir Hero and lift your head"

I stand up and look at the king. The king is dressed in a black big sleeved gown with golden patterns on it and a square crown. except for the crown his attire reminds me of ancient Chinese royalty wear. He even has the long grey hair, beard and long thin mustache to match.

The king is leaning on his right hand. He then lifts his left hand in front of him and lowers it. I hear something behind me. I look and see the audience of well dressed all wearing different colors taking a seat. I notice that some are wearing black masks and a few people dressed in white with clipboards in hand facing the audience while they stand there facing the wall.

I look back at the king, he is sitting upright now smiling at me.

"Sir Hero, you saved my life, please speak your name."

"Kaijuu Ryu"

"Sir Kaijuu, I will grant you rewards, anything you ask. So long as it is within my power to grant. 

However before you answer I wish to present you with the hand of any of my daughters, pick as many as you wish."

He then gestures to a man standing at the wall next holding a golden rope that's dangling from above. The man pulls it. It opens curtains to either side of the throne revealing a kind of stage display with these women who are dressed kind of erotically laying down. I quickly count. 

It's 5 on each side. They are incredibly beautiful. Some look a bit embarrassed, whilst some look comfortable. Those are looking at me with practiced enticing eyes.

"If none of these strike your fancy I also have riches as well as land, for without you I would not be here today..."

I look around each girl, some wave at me. I wave back. Some look down fidgeting red in the face.

"Now speak your desires." 

I snap out of my admiration state.

"Permission to speak freely your majesty"

"Granted"

I put my hand in front of my chest making a fist, I clench it and take a deep breath.

As I exhale I open my eyes. 

"I want those doors"

As I point to the doors of the throne room behind me. Everyone around me is dumbstruck.

"You want WHAAAAT" 

The king is comically white as a sheet confused beyond reason.

"The doors and the frame leading to the throne room"

I answer calmly.

"But but"

"Can you majesty not part with these doors?"

I put my hand on my chin looking down closing my eyes to think

"I can but It.." 

The king clears his trought. I hear murmurs behind me. I also hear some scribbling.

"Very well, I'll contact the contractor to have doors like those made."

"Your majesty, I wish for those doors specifically."

The king collects himself.

"Very well"

He gestures to one of the knights on my right to approach him.

"Please fetch me the head assistant" 

The knight bows before he goes off running past me.

"I beg you to wait for the assistant to return so we can establish a timeline for your request"

The king opens both arms gesturing to the girls behind him.

"Is there anything else, riches, land, at least one of my daughters."

"There is another door I want, but I humbally request to discuss it further in private."

His mouth is hanging open, as are all the knights to the left and right of me.

"Another door, seriously, Do none of these girls strike your fancy."

"They do your majesty, but judging on looks alone is unwise. So I'll have to respectfully decline at this stage." 

The king starts looking left and right in a panic. He then looks at me, then behind me. He then brings his hand to his mouth and clears his throat once more.

"I must insist, can you perhaps tell me of your preference, So I may see if one of them may interest you."

This guy reeeaaaly wants to pawn a bride off on me. I close my eyes once again to think. I doubt anyone like my type exists, Is it ok to just describe my desires and then reject them politely when they can't fulfill my request. Yeah! I think I'll do that then.

"Well.." 

Every one of the knights also the king pull back holding their hands in front of them as if they are bracing themselves for the shock of what I'm about to say.

I haven't said anything yet ya know.

"I want a intelligent girl that's not afraid to do hard work. She can also be my assistant, also she needs to be absolutely loyal. If your majesty cannot comply with the--"

"Roka." 

A single word escapes his lips. I look up.

"--loyaltyyy." 

I finish my sentence then go silent.

"Loyalty, what exactly do you mean by that. Please speak freely and please explain Sir Kaijuu"

I take a beat.

"You see your majesty, before I came to the Nightfall kingdom I was betrayed. Someone I thought I knew in the past leaked information about secret methods I use and it caused great deal of despair. 

I don't wish to go into detail about these events if I can help it, because I was deeply hurt. However If your majesty demands it, I'll provide more context in private."

"Betrayal... huh"

The king looks a bit sad. He sighs.

"If it's protection from betrayal you seek, we have a method to ensure it... 

As for your prefrence someone does come to mind... However..."

The king looks nervous.

"I'm not sure she's fit for marriage, I mean at her last..."

He sighs once again.

"These girls here are much better suited to marriage and also beautifull wouldn't you agree."

Ah! he said it himself. I look at the girls behind him they all start to look uncomfortable. Some are struggling to keep their sexy poses, others are looking a bit annoyed.

"Two things if I may your majesty, first is the one you speak of not beautifull? also if I may request that your daughters be excused since it's getting a bit distracting"

"Forgive me" 

The king gestures and the curtain drops. I can hear shuffling behind the curtain.

"My daugther Roka---"

Shanon steps forward loudly and stands right next to me then bows.

"I beg your forgiveness for my interruption your majesty, but princess Roka hasn---"

The king interrupts her by holding up his hand.

"To answer your question Sir Kaijuu, it's not that she isn't beautiful its just..."

He sighs again looking exacerbated. Just then the door behind me opens. I look back. I see a man in a white tuxedo.

"Head assistant"

"My king"

The man noiselessly walks past me and bows to the king before joining him to his right

"How soon can we renovate the throne room?"

"My king??"

"Actually.." 

The king holds his hand out blocking his mouth as the assistant bows down to listen. All I can hear is *gotcha gotcha gotcha.

"I see, 1 week should suffice my king"

The king then motions him to come closer again.

"Also..."

Again I can only make out *gotcha gotcha gotcha.

"Princess Roka... I see. As you wish my king."

The man takes a step back bows to the king, then leaves the same way he came in. The king rises, then I hear the crowd behind me rise as well.

"Sir Kaijuu, please accompany me so we may discuss the rest in private."

The king looks over me to the back.

"We shall reconvene in 1 week from today for the official reward ceremony."

The king turns gesturing me to come along, then he looks at the female knight. 

She bows. I follow along with her.