were close.
“Hell,”
Tianoman breathed as he looked up at the huge Palace.
“Makes Valaris
seem like a backwater,” Teroux muttered.
Tristan spoke
to the guards. “Would you inform Peacekeeper Le Maximillian that
Tristan Skyler Valla and his two cousins request audience?”
The guards’
eyes widened and one stepped forward. “My lords, I shall lead you
within personally.” He bowed low.
“Thank you,”
Tristan murmured, and the three followed the man through the
gates.
The gravelled
path was wide enough for four carriages to ride abreast and long
enough to field an army. Of course, Xen had no carriages, those
requiring teams of horses; they had the horseless variety -
motorised transport, electrically driven. Xen also possessed no
standing army, but had a roster of call-ups in place to facilitate
basic training. In times of peace there was no army, but if war
came there was a large and trained population to call from.
Landscaped
perfection greeted them. A lake to the left hosted swans, geese and
ducks and a pavilion to the right frequently staged musical
concerts. All Xenians were welcome to those public events, but
securing a seat was hard work and hard competition.
The ornate
entrance to the Palace was open and guarded by four further guards.
They did not move as their colleague led the three guests
inside.
Inside, the
Palace reflected the outside. Everything was light and airy, the
huge spaces friendly and inviting. An intimate sitting area of pale
couches and leafy plants on the left perfectly balanced the huge
audience chamber to the right. The space was unlike others, in that
it was akin to a garden, with tall palms and islands of white
garden tables and chairs. A small potted plant flourished on each
table, and the whole faced a raised dais on which an informal set
of seats took position.
An audience
with the Peacekeeper of Xen was akin to attending a garden
party.
Tristan
smiled. “That’s nice.”
Tianoman and
Teroux could only nod.
“My lords, if
you would make yourselves comfortable,” and the guard gestured to
the more intimate area, “I shall inform the major-domo of your
arrival.”
“Thank you,”
Tristan said and preceded his cousins into the sitting area. He
crossed his legs, waiting with a serene expression. Tianoman and
Teroux sat opposite him.
They did not
wait long. The major-domo, an older man with a pleasant face, came
swiftly in. He bowed low. “My Lords Valla, Maximillian will see you
in his private study.”
He led them up
a curved flight of stairs and preceded them along a wide corridor.
There were paintings on the walls, beautiful landscapes.
“These are
marvellous,” Teroux said. “Do you know who did them?”
The major-domo
glanced over his shoulder. “They are Dalrish, done at one time or
another.”
“Talented
family,” Tianoman murmured.
“A few famous
writers, too, I have heard,” Tristan said.
The major-domo
halted at a set of doors about midway down the corridor. He rapped
once and then opened the doors to stand aside. “Please, my
Lords.”
They entered,
thanking him, and the doors were closed on them. Muffled footsteps
retreated down the corridor.
The first
feature of the chamber was the huge window opposite where a window
should not be, given they were in the heart of the building. It was
otherwise empty, other than the luxurious carpet underfoot.
Intrigued, all three moved to the window.
It looked over
a courtyard, an idyll of fountains, lawns, paths and bowers. Roses
were the main flowers and stately oaks the main feature. They were
one floor up and gazed upon created paradise.
“Awesome,”
Tianoman breathed.
A laugh
sounded behind them and a smiling man entering from the side.
Behind him was the study, a chamber filled with books, desk,
fireplace and armchairs.
“I admit to
gauging people by their reaction to the window and then the
courtyard below. You three passed muster immediately.” He laughed
again and bowed. “I am Le
“Hell,”
Tianoman breathed as he looked up at the huge Palace.
“Makes Valaris
seem like a backwater,” Teroux muttered.
Tristan spoke
to the guards. “Would you inform Peacekeeper Le Maximillian that
Tristan Skyler Valla and his two cousins request audience?”
The guards’
eyes widened and one stepped forward. “My lords, I shall lead you
within personally.” He bowed low.
“Thank you,”
Tristan murmured, and the three followed the man through the
gates.
The gravelled
path was wide enough for four carriages to ride abreast and long
enough to field an army. Of course, Xen had no carriages, those
requiring teams of horses; they had the horseless variety -
motorised transport, electrically driven. Xen also possessed no
standing army, but had a roster of call-ups in place to facilitate
basic training. In times of peace there was no army, but if war
came there was a large and trained population to call from.
Landscaped
perfection greeted them. A lake to the left hosted swans, geese and
ducks and a pavilion to the right frequently staged musical
concerts. All Xenians were welcome to those public events, but
securing a seat was hard work and hard competition.
The ornate
entrance to the Palace was open and guarded by four further guards.
They did not move as their colleague led the three guests
inside.
Inside, the
Palace reflected the outside. Everything was light and airy, the
huge spaces friendly and inviting. An intimate sitting area of pale
couches and leafy plants on the left perfectly balanced the huge
audience chamber to the right. The space was unlike others, in that
it was akin to a garden, with tall palms and islands of white
garden tables and chairs. A small potted plant flourished on each
table, and the whole faced a raised dais on which an informal set
of seats took position.
An audience
with the Peacekeeper of Xen was akin to attending a garden
party.
Tristan
smiled. “That’s nice.”
Tianoman and
Teroux could only nod.
“My lords, if
you would make yourselves comfortable,” and the guard gestured to
the more intimate area, “I shall inform the major-domo of your
arrival.”
“Thank you,”
Tristan said and preceded his cousins into the sitting area. He
crossed his legs, waiting with a serene expression. Tianoman and
Teroux sat opposite him.
They did not
wait long. The major-domo, an older man with a pleasant face, came
swiftly in. He bowed low. “My Lords Valla, Maximillian will see you
in his private study.”
He led them up
a curved flight of stairs and preceded them along a wide corridor.
There were paintings on the walls, beautiful landscapes.
“These are
marvellous,” Teroux said. “Do you know who did them?”
The major-domo
glanced over his shoulder. “They are Dalrish, done at one time or
another.”
“Talented
family,” Tianoman murmured.
“A few famous
writers, too, I have heard,” Tristan said.
The major-domo
halted at a set of doors about midway down the corridor. He rapped
once and then opened the doors to stand aside. “Please, my
Lords.”
They entered,
thanking him, and the doors were closed on them. Muffled footsteps
retreated down the corridor.
The first
feature of the chamber was the huge window opposite where a window
should not be, given they were in the heart of the building. It was
otherwise empty, other than the luxurious carpet underfoot.
Intrigued, all three moved to the window.
It looked over
a courtyard, an idyll of fountains, lawns, paths and bowers. Roses
were the main flowers and stately oaks the main feature. They were
one floor up and gazed upon created paradise.
“Awesome,”
Tianoman breathed.
A laugh
sounded behind them and a smiling man entering from the side.
Behind him was the study, a chamber filled with books, desk,
fireplace and armchairs.
“I admit to
gauging people by their reaction to the window and then the
courtyard below. You three passed muster immediately.” He laughed
again and bowed. “I am Le
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