I watched as the commotion outside my throne room grew. I didn’t even bother hiding my distaste. The construction was bad enough, and now this?
“Oh, whatever is happening out there?” I asked the room.
“Visitors, my liege,” a guard piped up from the door. “They are unexpected, but they met with your predecessor in the past.”
“Hmph. What do they want?” I grumbled.
“An audience, my liege,” the guard said. The door shuddered, but did not budge.
I rolled my eyes again, but I had an image to maintain. “Oh, fine, let them in.”
The guard nodded and pushed the door outwards into the hall. “His Majesty will see you now,” he announced.
I shifted myself up into a sitting position on the dais, which was quite tricky given how small it is. Why that old bag of bones King had wanted such a tiny throne, I have no idea. The visitors all but tumbled in, clattering about in their armor and weaponry. I frowned. Why had the old King let them come into his presence bearing arms? That would have to change. I spoke up. “Visitors to my home, I ask that in the future, you do not come before me bearing blades,” I said straightaway.
Their leader stared in shock. Silence fell over the room. I raised a scaled brow. “Er, you did hear me, did you not, travelers?”
“You… what?” another spoke up. “You’re… where’s the king?”
“I stand before you, petty travelers!” I said sternly. Who were these people. “Name yourselves!”
They milled about for a moment before mumbling names. “I, uh… we were told there had been a change of leadership lately,” the leader finally said. “It, uh… seems accurate. I think.”
“I should certainly think for the better,” I sniffed, rolling the four-gallon golden cup of wine in my hand a bit. Well, for the tasteful, at least.