Kapitel 377: Death by Protocol
With Devrim and Gandr released back into Valiant (after a heartfelt goodbye between the Emperor, Empress, and Prince), the rest of the group ambled through a few of the Storehouse's chambers to the elves' exit.
"You mean we are below the Mystic Spires right now?" The Doctor tried to wrap his head around the idea.
"Yes." Hanna waved her hand dismissively. She was already not fond of the doctor these days, and his repetitive questions only made her ire worse.
"The Mystic Spires."
"Yes."
"Of the Fates," he persisted.
"Yes."
"But we cannot go up there because we do not have the correct chain to exit..."
"That's the general idea." Hanna puffed her cheeks, trying to keep her patience.
"So we are going to the..." the Doctor was cut off as they turned down the dark corridor. Both the blue and purple lights from the sconces made their homes on the chains from which they came. While the gold chain went dark, the copper chain shone brighter as Brinn led the way.
Seizing the moment, Hanna pulled away from the enthusiastic physician. "Excuse me." She dropped back into conversation with Zan, and the two began a hushed discussion. The sudden absence of her iridescent skin plunged Alvar and Ithel, who had taken over carrying Nanny, into darkness.
"A little help here! It is difficult to see." Prince Alvar steadied the back of the cot after his sandal nearly tripped him.
"Don't be such a baby! There is no need to be afraid of the dark. Boogymen aren't real." Brinn teased from the front of the line.
Alvar groaned from somewhere behind her in the dark tunnel. It seemed he had stubbed his toe.
"Perhaps you should help him. I don't want him to drop Nanny." Aurora said gently. Nurlan nodded as he pushed the rolling chair.
Brinn grinned. "No need. We are here!" With the turning of a door handle, the end of the passage was flooded with light. After the darkness, it was blinding.
The princess guided each of the people through the door, shutting it behind Zan and Hanna. From some hidden place, two servants came and took over Nanny's cot from the elven prince and king before anyone else could see that they were being used as beasts of burden.
"We will see you again soon," Ithel bowed his head.
"We were never here," Alvar winked, quickly bending at his waist and kissing Brinn's hand goodbye. With that, the he-elves walked gracefully down the hall and out of sight.
"I will show you to your rooms so you can change before the official presentation in the throne room," the princess said as she wrinkled her nose.
"What's wrong?" Aurora furrowed her brow. She knew the ways and protocols of the elves, but it seemed like there was something more to her words.
"You... have a unique odor..." The princess, for once, was trying to be delicate.
"Eel!" Hanna chirped as the revelation hit her. "You reek of eel. How did that happen?" she asked the Guardian as she leaned on his arm.
Zan stiffened. "I don't want to talk about it," he muttered.
"Come on then," Brinn urged them. "Our beloved Queen Mother is impatient to greet you, but..."
"Protocol...we know," the rest, except Colvyr, said in unison.
Feeling left out of the chorus, Colvyr simply echoed, "Know!"
After dropping off the rest off the guests, Brinn wheeled Colvyr and Aurora into their shared accommodations. Next to the large, luxurious feather-soft bed, a crib of equal elegance was waiting for the young prince's slumber. The outside of the smaller bed was inlaid with tiny golden crowns and symbols in the ancient tongue.
Following Aurora's eyes, Brinn nodded. "It is the royal elven crib. The words are blessings of protection."
"Won't you be needing that crib some time soon?" Aurora teased as she let the little boy climb down from her chair.
"Hardly!" Brinn unconsciously shivered. "Don't get me wrong; I love love love children and do hope to have them someday, but...how can I put this? Not everyone is as willing to adopt and raise their own siblings as you, dear Empress. Some of us want to fully grow up before we take that plunge."
Aurora gave a soft sigh and hung her head. "If you wait until you are mature enough, it will never happen. I suppose I will have to rely on the Maker as well as Alvar's cunning if I ever hope to be an elven Auntie."
Brinn grunted, but a small smile touched her face. "I was going to say how much I missed you, but I think I'll keep that to myself now."
"I missed you too, very much. Everyone else except Devrim is too afraid to offend me to banter openly," the Empress admitted.
A dangerous glint appeared in the elf's eyes. "Oh, you want banter? I've been storing it up; don't you worry. I just hope you know what you unleashed." Her face softened as she caught the little prince up in her arms and tickled his chin. "But before that, I will help this little angel get cleaned up and changed. We will be back in a moment."
Several servants, some of which had carried in the royals bags and others which had been waiting inside the chamber, followed Brinn to help her with her self-appointed job. Others approached the Empress and presented her with a blue gown that perfectly matched Aurora's eyes. It seemed like swirling mist was woven into the fabric, ever changing as the eye traveled along it.
"A gift, Your Majesty," one of the servants informed her, "from the Queen."
'Calla has certainly improved in her taste.' Aurora thought with a grin. It was nothing like the putrid color that the beautiful elf had forced on her before. "It is stunning. I will make sure to tell Her Majesty thank you."
There was a gentle knock at the door. A tall elf with beautiful violet eyes entered the room and curtsied. "You look younger and more vibrant every time I see you, Lady Bukuri. I trust your time back home with your family has been good for you."
Bukuri nodded, her gaze becoming far off for a moment. "It has been the best time in my life. I have so many things I need to reclaim with all the time that was lost. But I feel like I am making progress." When her eyes returned to the Empress, they were filled with hope.
"I am sorry Gandr had to leave on my account," Aurora began, but the statuesque elf held up her hands.
"Do not be. You helped us both so much. And now, allow me to help you. The doctor requested that I check on your wounds. I am now one of the healers at the palace. Well, I am still training, but I thought a friendly face might be helpful. May I assist you?"
Aurora nodded. After helping the Empress onto the bed, the servants backed away to give the healer space and privacy. "The doctor sent his bandages, but they are a bit...soggy. I will be using less objectionable ones."
With tender touches, Bukuri tended to the woman's wounds. She had almost finished with the last one, Aurora's cheek, when Brinn returned with a clean and cared for Colvyr.
"Oh!" the redhead exclaimed as she got a glimpse of the wound before it could be covered. "I've never seen anything like that!"
Aurora cut her eyes toward her friend. "Yes, yes, that seems to be the general consensus." She waved her good arm dismissively.
"You look like a monster!" Brinn gasped.
Aurora picked up a pillow off the bed and threw it at the elf. "Don't say that in front of my son. He will copy you!"
"Mon-star!" Colvyr parroted.
"See!" The Empress's nostrils flared.
"Better he copies my words than your habit of tossing any upholstery that is not tied down!" Brinn countered as she stuck out her tongue. The baby copied this action too, which earned him an affectionate hug from the one holding him.
Bukuri hid her smile. She liked to see the ladies be themselves. It reminded her very much of her younger days. She gracefully stood from her seat on the bed and offered her arms out to the young prince. He nearly leapt into the lady's arms. "If it pleases Your Majesty, I will take the prince while you finish getting ready. There is a whole room of toys down the hall just for him."
The Empress allowed the child to leave with the delicate elf. Without being asked, Brinn joined the servants in helping the Empress get dressed. "We will get you a proper bath and tend to everything once protocol has been fulfilled."
"Protocol," Aurora nearly spat. "I had hoped it would be better under King Ithel."
Brinn shrugged. "It is much better, but as long as my parents remain alive, it will be the staple of elven existence."
"I wonder, has anyone ever died due to this protocol not being followed to the letter?" Aurora gasped as Brinn pulled the stays of the woman's dress too tight. The elf tied it off, giving the Empress an unnaturally small waist.
The elf's mouth turned up into a lopsided smile. "No one has died...yet. I do not advise us to try to be the first, Your Majesty." She winked. "You are all set. Let's go."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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Rangliste 
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Stein