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Although I couldn’t recall ever being in the banquet hall, it was not hard to find. A raucous chorus of chatter and musical fanfare echoed through the palace, loudening as I approached its source. After a brief stop in my room to grab my sword, I found Reginald amidst a group of attendants, pacing back and forth in front of two large doors that separated the rest of the castle from the carousing chaos behind them.
“Finally!” he shouted in exasperation. “His Majesty told you to take your time, but he didn’t mean it! Now, where’s His Holiness?”
“He is occupied by his continual spiritual obligations to humanity,” I advised with intentional vagueness, secretly pleased with my phrasing. “He expresses his regret for his inability to attend and humbly requests a light assortment of foods for him and his...” I paused, frowning. “Companion.”
Reginald knitted his eyebrows as his eyes shot back and forth nervously before sending off two attendants. “Well then… I guess I shall announce you by yourself then…”
I started toward the doors. “You don’t have to go through all that trouble—”
“I insist! It would be unseemly for you to enter alone, Captain, in such a lamentable state!”
Lamentable? No, I’m supposed to be stunning. Stunning!
I stopped, my hand just about to touch the door. “As you wish.”
“We shall proceed together. I will halt midway, and there you shall remain until I conclude my address. Then, make your way to your designated seat on the King's right.” He paused then, a flicker of concern crossing his features. “He won’t be able to stand to greet you. Be sure to bow to him nonetheless.”
“Understood,” I said with a nod.
At Reginald’s signal, two other attendants swung the double doors open, a mighty creak filling the air and silencing the guests as he strode forward. The grand banquet hall stretched out before us, its long, polished wooden tables arranged in a capital U-shaped formation. At the pinnacle, positioned precisely in the center of the short end of the U, King Saulus sat in his wheeled chair, his eyes lighting up with recognition. Prince Mito held court to his left, attended by his fellow actors and their director. Two seats remained empty on His Majesty’s right, but beyond them, Aleph, Tetora, and Vernie sat poised, their expressions unwavering. The other intersecting tables on either side teemed with nobles, their heads sharply pivoted towards us as Reginald and I advanced.
“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests and honored nobility,” Reginald announced in a voice twice as loud as I was expecting. “I am pleased to present to you a figure of great renown, a paragon of virtue and courage, and a herald of hope. Announcing Raelynn Lightbringer, Knight Captain of the Holy Order of Gold, Chosen One of the Goddess, 7th Appointed Hero of Legend, and the Rightful Owner of the Faith and Will of Euphridia.”
I stood as tall as I could, striding toward the seat to King Saulus’s right. The muscles in my extremities started to ache as I stiffly passed by the one table of nobles. Their eyes practically bore holes into me as their heads swiveled in unison to track my progress. In the corners of the banquet hall sat the court musicians, their instruments lowered as they, too, followed my every move.
Someone should tell them it’s not polite to stare.
“Your Majesty,” I said with a deep bow. “I am honored by the generous hospitality you have extended to us, hosting this magnificent feast.”
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It was a little early to mention the spread itself, for the food had not yet been brought out, but anyone with even the slightest sense of smell could tell that very soon, the hall would be filled with freshly baked loaves of bread and delicately seasoned roasts. I was sure there would be other side dishes and soups, but those were just distractions from the main event.
The king chuckled. “Magnificent feast, you say? Why, this is merely a modest gathering of a few neighbors,” he grinned, gesturing to the hall. “Before we commence the first course, mayhap you wish to address those gathered?”
Right. Just say a few practiced words, and then it's chow time. But why had Vernie said I wouldn’t get a chance to eat?
The nauseating reality hit me as I looked over the crowd.
Public speaking.
Sure, you can rehearse a speech a thousand times in your mind until you bore yourself to tears over the topic. At least when you’ve improvising on stage, there’s some space between you and your audience. But in the banquet hall, their features were too evident, their whispers too loud, the stakes too real.
And suddenly, you forget what you were going to say.
“As I stand before you today,” Vernie hissed from two seats over.
Oh right!
“Esteemed nobles and honored guests,” I addressed them, trying not to rush my words. “I stand before you today, humbled by your warm welcome.”
It was an assumed welcome since none had yet been allowed to talk to me.
After a brief pause, I continued. “Tonight, I wish to not linger on triumphs of the past, for there are challenges ahead that demand our united resolve. As I journey towards the Holy City of Chairo, I am reminded that evil still lurks in the shadows, a force so insidious that it turns brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor. It is a faceless evil, not bound to any form or spirit. It is many things, including anger, jealousy, hate, and fear. It is a force unseen that knows no bounds, spreading its influence across all of our communities great and small.”
A few agreeable murmurs wafted through the air. I was playing it safe tonight.
“Yet, in the face of such undiscernible darkness, we must stand united. We must not succumb to fear or despair but instead find strength in shared values and common civilization. I ask that each one of you here in celebration, share in tonight’s feast, embrace your neighbor, and spread the word tomorrow that the light has returned to pierce the darkness.”
My intentionally vague speech, which promised nothing in particular from me, was received with lukewarm applause. Etiquette dictated it to continue for at least a few seconds, signaling the attendants to enter from the back doors and serve the first course of bread and soups.
One attendee, however, continued to clap slowly and irregularly. Count Mathis, appearing quite drunk, stood up from his chair and wandered into the middle of the room, every clap of his hand sounding louder and louder as he stole the gaze of all present.
“Words!” he declared, pushing his blonde hair out of his eyes. “Today, dear neighbors, we have heard so many, many words! But words can only hold so much value before they become bloated and completely meaningless. Let’s thank His Holiness and the Captain for teaching us this lesson!”
I should have realized he was looking for trouble…
“Count Matthis,” I addressed him, hoping he wasn’t so far gone with drink that he couldn’t be reasoned with. “Perhaps you would like to find your seat since dinner is about to begin.”
He scoffed loudly. “I was already sitting in it for much too long while I waited for you, Captain. But I wonder… where is your handler? He usually keeps you on a much shorter leash!” He put his hand thoughtfully to his chin. “Did something… happen to him?”
Several of us inhaled sharply. Aleph and Tetora stood up, yet Vernie dove to the floor, crawling behind me to get a better angle on him. King Saulus and Prince Mito, their faces mirroring each other’s anger, covertly signaled the nearby guards. However, Count Mathis, unconcerned by their approach, began to laugh hysterically.
“Your audience craves action, Chosen One! Platitudes alone will not sway them to your side! And let's be honest, a lavish feast devoid of entertainment is just too mundane for celebrating your return.” He clapped his hands again, causing the two guards approaching him to stop and stand at attention. In perfect synchronization, they drew their swords and turned to face each other with blank expressions as dark strands of animus floated ominously above them.
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