Chapter 12: Blossoming Love (Part 1)

"Tell me, O' wise men of the world, what does it feel like to fall in love? Do one feels hapless in the vortex of emotions? Or do one craves for the forbidden fruits of lusts and desire? Or perhaps instead will one finds hidden strength and power to dedicate one's life to? Should I go on or should I run away?Tell me, O' wise men of the world, for I am in love and I fear of the unknown that lies ahead."

- Epic poem of the Songstress of Halycian, verse 12.

“Claude, we have arrived. Prepare yourself!”

Captain Rizzou reminded me once we reached a guarded door. The guards, upon recognizing Captain Rizzou, gave their salutes and beckoned us to enter.

“Ser Rizzou and the young guest. Please wait a moment. I’ll inform the Council of your arrival.”

Captain Rizzou nodded.

Both he and I were waiting in a guest room after we entered the door. While I was pondering about what’s going to happen to me, Captain Rizzou seemed very relaxed and calm. Seeing that I was a little anxious and nervous about the whole thing, he reassured me that everything would be fine.

“But Claude, please do remember of our manners while in the audience. We might not know who will be there. So, it’s better to be prudence.”

“Alright. I’ll give my best!”I tried to calm myself down before one of the guards came back and told us the news.

“Captain Rizzou, Ser. You may now enter the audience hall. And you too, young man.”

As we thanked the guards, we took our proceeding to the next door. A massive and thick door that bore another crest in the middle of it. As Captain Rizzou pushed the door open, I looked at him and swallow my saliva. Well, this was it then.

“About time, Rizzou!”

A voice came and greeted us as we entered through the door.

“Ser Godfrey! I apologise for the delay.”

“It matters not. Our guest just arrived not a moment too soon before you arrived.”

Inside the audience hall, I could see about a dozen of people. Perhaps a little more. First, there was this Ser Godfrey whom the Captain seemed to be so courteous to, and another bunch of old men with various attires that suits more of a nobility and royalty rather than one who had seen battles. Ser Godfrey, for all his assuming and regal-like posture, wore a normal black robe; a normal attire compared to those old men further up ahead.

“Captain Rizzou, if you don’t mind, who are these guys anyway?”

I whispered to the Captain. However, despite my attempt to whisper, Ser Godfrey caught what I was saying.

“Rizzou? You haven’t told that young man who we are and what’s he is here for?”

Captain Rizzou kept quiet and shook his head.

“Hahaha. No wonder that young man looks so anxious and out of place. You should tell him sooner Rizzou.”

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Siegmund Godfrey. I’m one of the old folks in here.”

“I’m… I’m Claude Leonheart, Ser. It’s a pleasure meeting you!”I stood up at attention and formally greeted him.

“The pleasure is mine, son.” He just smiled at me and then turned his gaze towards the others.

“And the rest of the folks around here are some dimwits and wannabes that ass-lick their ways into the Council. They are no knights but they acted like one.”

Ser Godfrey suddenly fired an unforgiving salvo towards to other old men in the audience hall. His voice was loud enough that it even created an echo throughout the whole hall.

Because of that, I became very uncomfortable. Even the Captain, who was at my side, looked a little nervous now. Ser Godfrey words took all the attention towards him, and unfortunately us too.

“Siegmund! How dare you!!”

One of the old men shouted back at him.

“Hah, old fools. You think that all of you can come here, in my audience hall, in my Strategic Headquarter pretending to be some hot shots and knights of renown fame? Bah!!”

I can see that all the old men in the audience hall glared at Ser Godfrey.

“And, what was the purpose of all of you here anyway? Within these are the sacred places of those who have seen battles on a real battlefield, and it’s not for pompous looking politicians who ran after asses of the nobles in hoping there might be a shit to lick or two or asses to clean and wipe!!”

Ser Godfrey continued his tirade of unforgiving remarks.

“This young man here has more recognition and purpose of being here compared to most of you ass-lickers! So, he has all the right to be here, more so than all of you are combined!”

Whoah!! Such intensity in Ser Godfrey’s words. Captain Rizzou face was as pale as a ghost. Now, all the old men who glared at Ser Godfrey turned their attention to me.

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“Peasants!”

“Commoners!”

“Lowlifes!”

I could hear their murmur of contempt towards me. Now, I’m not standing here and going to get insulted by some unknown old men who past their sell-by date. My mother has never born me into this world to get insulted by some unknown strangers who wear pompous clothes. I owe them nothing…

I tried to say something to retort, but Captain Rizzou hold me back.

“No, Claude. Hold your tongue for a while.”

Captain Rizzou shook his head, trying to emphasize his words.

“This is a power play. We are nothing but ants to these people. So, please, bear with it for a little longer.” the Captain pleaded with me. His face was still as pale as early on. Sensing that he might be right, I backed down.

“Please gentleman. And you too Ser Godfrey, please. Let us be calm and perhaps start our meeting. We do remember our reasons to be here today, am I right?”

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice from in front of the audience hall.

“Princess Sierra! “

I blurted out my surprise to finally notice her presence in the audience hall.

“What are you doing here?!”

She was sitting on top a throne presiding all of us in the hall.

“Peasants! Hold your tongue! Do you know who you are addressing too??!! A commoner like you should learn your place first before addressing any one of us!!”

One of the old men reprimanded me for my sudden interaction.

“Ceh…”

I snorted at the old man. He was a funny looking man wearing and an oversized hat with pompous clothes that make him more of an eyesore.

“Lord Chancellor, please. Forgive him. He was summoned here without his knowledge.“ Sierra tried to talk the old man down.

“And one more thing. Is this the Elsigardian way of welcoming someone who is my saviour? Less we forget, that this young man saved my life. I owe him my life. And Elsigardia too owes him. So, shall we not forgive him his indiscretions and backgrounds whatever or wherever it might be?”

I can hear the one called Lord Chancellor clicked his tongue. He glared at me and I glared back at him.

If it’s anywhere else, I would whack some common senses into him. Maybe he didn’t have common senses at all since common senses belong to commoners like me. People like him must have royal senses, with those pompous clothing that made them look vain and intolerable.

“Your Highness. A commoner must know his place. Even the His Majesty the King would not tolerate such indiscretions and insults from a commoner like him.”

Another old man trying to interject his thoughts into what was going on.

“Mr Minister. Dare I ask you a question? Are you not a commoner once too?”

Ser Godfrey tried to diffuse the situations that somehow he started.

“Again, as the young princess said, we should hold her saviour in higher regards than what you and others had shown him. Even before he comes in, I could hear the murmur of insults and contempt from most if not all of you. And I wished to ask, why? What has this young man has done to irk you all so?”

“Siegmund! How dare you!”

“Oh, I indeed do dare you, Lord Chancellor. You are also just another commoner who became His Majesty, the King’s advisor. Nothing more and nothing less. Your bloodline does not change just because you ascended the political ranking. Am I right?”

“Other than the princess and myself, who else can claim that they are true-blooded noble. Remember gentlemen, I am a Godfrey!!”

“Unless you want to forget that at your own peril, I suggest you lay down your tongue and thoughts towards this young man and let the princess have her due. He was summoned here personally by the princess, not you poser and ass-lickers!”

I gave a smirk that was obvious enough until Captain Rizzou had to nudge me from the side.

“Claude. Remember please what we had said earlier?”

I nodded. Because of that, I too stand down. I’m not going to embarrassed the Captain, this old man Ser Godfrey and Princess Sierra.

“Your Highness, please find at your mercy to forgive my indiscretions. I humbly and sincerely apologise for my earlier misbehaviours. “

I knelt in front of the Princess.

“Please arise, Ser Claude. You are our guest of honour today and it is true that I summoned you here at haste without disregard of your time.”

I looked at her and saw her smiling gently at me.

“Though you are yet to be knighted, I will not hold myself from calling you a Ser. Would that be alright with you, Ser Claude?”

I nodded.

“And Ser Godfrey, would that be alright with you too?”

“Young princess, you do not need my permission. But yes, you may.” Ser Godfrey smiled at her.

I really do wonder who was this old man anyway. He seemed to be in control of everything, even the princess and everyone around here. Even Captain Rizzou who was normally calm and composed seemed to lose himself around him. Wondered what magic he used. And why called him Ser Godfrey instead of Ser Siegmund? There’s a lot of things I did not understand.

“I’m thankful, Ser Godfrey. And the rest of you, Lord Chancellors and the Ministers, as you might hear already, that this young man is an Elites who I have personally recommended. And before anyone of you can say anything else, my Father, the King has agreed to my request. Though he is not here with us, I take that my words alone would be enough.”

“As your command, Your Highness!”

Lord Chancellor bowed down his head. So did the host of other old men too.

There seemed to be a few factions here. Ser Godfrey’s, the Lord Chancellors and his old men cohorts, and the Princess and me. Plus the Captain too.

Suddenly, my eyes took notice of a figure that stood beside Sierra as she was seated on a throne. Tall and handsome with red fiery hair and clear green eyes, his silhouette seemed very familiar. I can’t remember where I had seen him though. Ah, never mind, he is of no importance anyway.

“Ser Claude. The reason why you were summoned here was so I could personally and officially thank you for saving my life back then. Though the reception of your deed could be much better, I am happy that you have taken your time to heed my request and join the Elites.”

“And the other reason was to officially announce that His Majesty the King, my Father has agreed upon my request to confer Ser Claude with King’s Medal of the Gallant Heart on the day of the Parade of Champions.”

The room fell silent. However, Ser Godfrey’s clapped broke the silence soon after. His and Captain Rizzou was the only one that clapped for me. The rest shifted themselves uneasily as they glared at the three of us.

“I trust that my Father, His Majesty the King, wishes and of mine too would not be met any objections whatsoever at all?”

No one spoke.

“And I would take that silence as a yes?”

Again, no one spoke.

“If that was the decision, the Ser Claude, I welcomed you to Elsivier and the Royal Elites Knight!”

“I humbly accept your request, Your Highness. It is my pleasure to serve the Elites, Your Highness and whole of Elsigardia.”

“Very well said, Ser Claude. I trust that our hospitality had served you well until today.”

I nodded and bowed my head.

“And in regards to the Parade of Champions, I trust all the preparations are well, Captain Rizzou?”It’s Captain Rizzou’s turn as Sierra asked of him.

“Yes, Your Highness. All preparations are going well. We will be on schedule and the Royal Stage in front of the Royal Palace courtyard soon to be completed, latest by tomorrow evening!”

“Excellent news, Captain Rizzou. I trust in your leadership and your skill.”

“The honour is mine, Your Highness.”Captain Rizzou bowed his head.

”Good to have you around Captain Rizzou. Now, Ser Claude, will you please follow Ser Rizzou and resume your duty? I trust that I have taken more time that I would like from both of you.”

Captain Rizzou nudged me and whispered,

“Claude, that’s our cue to get our way out of here. Come on, let’s go.”

Both the Captain and I bowed to the Princess and said our thanks to Ser Godfrey. We were ushered out by the guards earlier and now making our way to the courtyard where we first met Ser Godfrey. We did not talk until we reached the Goddess Statue.