Invading Will Chapter 4 Part 1
#11 of Invading Will
Invading Will
Chapter 4
Part 1
By: D. C. Henry ("Ahndeleck")
Raogothcar felt he had only just started to doze when a knocking sound like a huge woodpecker brought him awake. He rolled up out of the mass of pillows he had curled up in and raised his head to look at the door. Nothing appeared to be different, and no large birds seemed to have made their way into his room. Then a mixture of new smells found him. Many he recognized, meat both cooked and uncooked, various herbs, and he thought he could smell something his father told him was "wine".
After a few moments he heard the knocking again and tilted his head slightly and said slowly, "Hello? What's that noise?"
A woman dressed in a plain brown dress peeked her head in. She stared down at him lying in the mass of pillows with only his head sticking out. Then after a pause to take in the scene she remembered why she was there. "The banquet'll be starting soon. Um, and his majesty the prince would like you to meet him up here shortly."
"Oh, thank you. I suppose I should wake up then." Raogothcar slowly rose as pillows about him rolled away and fell from him. The woman made a sort of curtsey from behind the door, and then shut is as she left.
Raogothcar stood up in the midst of his pillow nest and stretched out one wing as far as it would go, and then stretched the other. After a quick stretch of his back legs, pointing them as far back as possible, he walked over to the fountain and had a drink. He scowled as he sat back and wiped his mouth with a paw. The taste of dirt, and stale water stuck in his mouth. He couldn't guess why his hosts would leave dirty water to drink in a guest's den. Then with a short shrug of his wings he slowly walked to the door and opened it.
He stepped outside and closed the door with his wing once he was sure his tail was out of the way. As he looked up from the door and down the hall, he noticed that Prince Alan was walking towards him followed by a noble and some drably dressed servants. Alan was wearing enough brightly colored clothes that Raogothcar almost had to squint from the assault of color against his eyes. At the Princes side was a sword decorated with gold, the sculpted hand guard looked like a pair of wings making the sword look much like the symbol of Freeraven. On his wavy brown hair laid a small golden crown displaying to all his rank of prince-hood.
Alan raised his arms in the air in a gesture of welcome, "The man of the hour! Are you ready to meet the nation of Freeraven? Guest have been arriving for nearly two hours now, and many of them are in the great hall now."
Raogothcar blinked at him and fidgeted with his wings, "Are there a lot of them there? I think I can hear them." He turned his head to look behind the prince where a soft rumble of a crowd rose from the stairs leading down to the hall. Raogothcar hadn't noticed the noise in his room before.
"There are hundreds actually, but don't worry. You're a guest of honor tonight Raogothcar." The prince stopped just before the dragon, then in a private conspiratorial whisper he continued, "Don't worry about them all. You just let my father and I handle everything. You can eat and have a good time. Even meet some of the people if you wish. I am sure there's plenty of you to go around."
After a moment's thought, Raogothcar turned his head to look back at the prince. A frown of thought crossed his face as the spines on the back of his neck fell flat against him. "Do I have to speak to them all? Will I have to make some speech?" He tiled his head imploringly, "I don't think that I'd do a very good job. It sounds like there are a whole lot of them down there."
"Only if the feeling strikes you. Now come, I believe it's about time we get ready. I hear father coming. Let's meet him at the stairs." Alan turned from Raogothcar and started for the stairway.
Without any idea what he was supposed to do, Raogothcar followed the prince and the others. He hoped that someone would explain to him what was going on, and what he could expect from the feast. All he knew about feasts were from the stories his father had told him and what little he had read in books or seen in paintings and drawings. They always seemed too busy to him, and the idea of lots of loud rowdy humans seemed scary.
As they rounded the corner that lead to the stairway, Raogothcar could see that the king was waiting for them at the landing down the hall. He too was dressed very brightly, and wore a similar crown, though smaller than the prince's. Raogothcar wondered why that would be, but decided it might be rude to ask. With the king Raogothcar recognized Deanna and Glen, and was happy for more familiar faces.
The prince walked to beside the king, "Father, we're ready if you are. To the festivities?
"Yes, I think so. Oh," The king waved to an open space beside Deanna, "Raogothcar, walk beside Deanna as we go in. Deanna tell him what happens next."
As Raogothcar started, the rest of the group began a slow walk down the stairs. Raogothcar managed to work himself in the strange procession without letting his tail slap the others behind him. He would have to be careful how he walked around tonight, especially with as many as he'd been told would be there. He dreaded the idea of knocking someone over.
"Dragon," Deanna said as they walked, "Be sure to stay with the group as we go into the hall. Then there will be a platform at the end of the room, that's where we'll be going. We've set a place for you at the head table. You'll be at the end of the table with me, so just follow me when we get to the table, and you'll be fine."
"Oh, alright. Thank you. What happens then, after we get to the table?"
"They talk." She said nodding towards the prince and the king.
"Then what happens?"
"We eat."
"And then what happens?" Raogothcar felt worried as they got closer. The anxiety was nearly too much, and he wanted to go back to his room and hide. The sounds were getting louder as they went lower.
"Find out."
Raogothcar looked anxiously at Deanna, then looked around him at the other people following them. None of them seemed worried about where they were going. He wished he could feel as calm as they looked. He wanted to know more about what would happen too, but Deanna wasn't going to tell him anymore. After several more steps, the sounds of footsteps drained away by the sounds of impatient people, the procession arrived at the large open doors of the hall.
Raogothcar looked out to the dining hall he had seen earlier completely filled with a crowd of brightly dressed people. Raogothcar gaped at the figures as the men and women stood up in near unison at the sight of the king. The tables were laid at an angles so they all drew near a table set higher on a platform, this higher table and the platform itself were dressed in a deep royal blue. Upon the table were several open spots and one wide place near one end without a chair. The king and the royal mage both started slowly toward the table at the head of the hall. Soon after the prince stepped out followed by Deanna after the king and Glen. Raogothcar tilted his head down at the four of them walking away from him.
The room had grown silent with their entrance. As the king passed each person in the table gave a bow or curtsey and remained in that position. Although as Raogothcar passed many heads looked back up to watch him pass. Raogothcar felt small shivers run up and down his spine, and felt the spines on his back rise up. He felt very self conscious and hoped he was doing the right things. He didn't want anyone embarrassed because of him, and he definitely didn't want to embarrass himself.
The small group made it to the table without much time, and the King Roland and Glen separated as the king went to the right and climbed the stairs and Glen to the left. Deanna and Prince Roland followed the same. Raogothcar stood at the front of the table and looked to either side apprehensively.
Deanna had already stopped before her chair on the far left of the table next to the large open space. She looked at the dragon and whispered, "Stand here next to me dragon. This is your spot."
Raogothcar whispered back, "Oh!" and hung his head in embarrassment.
He carefully climbed the stairs on the platform and then went to stand next to Deanna. For a moment he looked out at the large mass of brightly colored people all bowed in recognition to their king. Row after row, all showing respect, Raogothcar couldn't imagine what King Roland felt. He felt small in front of so many people.