Chapter 7

As they enter the city of Anvil, capital of the kingdom of Montgomery and home of Princess Elizabeth, the guards and many of the people recognize Roy and bow, and do other honoring actions.

Avril turns to Roy and says, "It appears, sir knight, that your reputation precedes you here as well. This is a most beautiful and grand city, and I truly wish to meet your Princess, but I feel time pushing down on me and it makes it hard to breathe."

"Fear not, Avril, we still have two months before The Event, and we will bring about The Gift."

Avril takes a deep breath and nods her head in acknowledgment and whispers, "Yes, sir knight, but actually it is a little less than two months now."

"As far as why people know me and honor me in this city, Princess, is because this is my kingdom, my home, and I have served her well. I have taken lives in defense of her beauty, and that cannot help but change a person, but however my chosen life and duty changes me, or if I die in the field of battle alone and cold, I will venture to the Next Realm warm and loved by the honor and respect my kin show me now and at my Death Ceremony.

"There is much in this world that is worth fighting for. I just wish all the peoples would come to understand it is not supposed to be tribe against tribe, nation against nation, it is supposed to be like type people united in The Way to eliminate the Sad Way from our sight, heart and mind.

"There will always be those criminals who want what they want when they want it, but once the world is united in the understanding of The Way, those who would take others' stuff and hurt innocent people will have to do it from the shadows, for what is light without darkness."

As they are riding along, Avril is getting lost in the tone and cadence of Roy's voice as he tells his story. Listening to him has become better than any meditation, and for some unknown reason he calms and reassures her. Once again Avril finds herself reminding herself that she is betrothed to a great king, and has been since they were both little children.

Avril is so lost in her thoughts that she barely even notices when they pass through a secondary wall that is the boundary of Princess Elizabeth's castle, which is incorporated into the city of Anvil.

Not surprising to either Roy or Avril, there is a welcoming committee awaiting them at the bottom of the steps. However, the surprise comes for Avril, in that the Princess herself is there. She is a very pretty and fine woman herself. She has blonde hair, green eyes, and although she stands at five-foot-six marks tall, she is barely a hundred and ten stonelings in weight. She is in her thirties and she is regal, elegant and girlishly pretty. Roy is truly honored to have such a special person be his Princess.

As they ride up to the steps, two servants take the reins of their horses so they may dismount in safety. Roy dismounts first and goes over and assists Avril. It is not that such a strong woman with endless ability needs help, it is just the knightly thing to do. As a Princess she gladly and elegantly accepts his help, but as a woman she probably would have stuck her tongue out at him and dismounted from the other side.

Anyway, Avril accepts Roy's offered arm and they walk up to the pretty princess in her royal blue gown with golden stitching and silver patterns of glory throughout.

Before they reach the welcoming committee, Avril whispers to Roy, "I love her dress, and she is very darling."

"Aye, Princess Avril, that is one of the reasons I thought it necessary for you two to meet." Avril is curious about that comment and wants to ask more, but they have reached Princess Elizabeth of Montgomery.

Princess Elizabeth first bows to Roy and says, "Milord." and then she turns to Princess Avril and smiles.

Roy does the honors, "Princess Elizabeth of Montgomery, this is Princess Avril of Azure."

"Hello, sister." and then Elizabeth comes forward and gives Avril a sincere hug and a double cheek kiss.

Elizabeth meant sister as in royalty and a woman of Perennial, but they could also be real sisters, for they both are pretty and petite, with the most glorious milky white skin.

It is true Avril is a brunette with blue eyes and Elizabeth is a blonde with green eyes, but their sharp facial features and their similar wolf features, though Avril's is slightly more pronounced, makes them both glorious creatures to behold.

"It appears, Princess Elizabeth, you are having a party, so we will not interrupt you for long. I just thought it necessary for two true sweethearts to meet each other, and we will also need fresh horses and supplies."

"Of course, milord, but you must stay for the party."

Forgetting all about propriety, Avril turns to Roy and asks, "Why is a Princess calling you Milord?"

"Princess Elizabeth is a very honorable woman, and she is just honoring all the sacrifices I have made for our great kingdom." Princess Elizabeth looks at Roy a little silly.

Roy turns away a little, acting like he is stretching, but he makes eye contact with Princess Elizabeth and smiles. Princess Elizabeth's reaction is tempered, and then after a moment of hesitation she turns back to Princess Avril.

"Please, Princess, you must stay for the party. With everything that is going on I thought about canceling it, but it has been planned for a year, and I figured we could all use a moment of respite from the thoughts that are surely clouding many of our minds as the trepidation and concerns grow."

Everybody is looking at Princess Avril, but she is looking at Roy with squinted eyes. "Princess Avril, we have the time to spend one evening here, and then we can leave in the morning refreshed and reminded of what we are fighting to save."

"Not fair." Roy smiles purposely. Then Avril turns to Elizabeth and says, "I would be honored, sister."

"Wonderful!" Elizabeth takes Avril by the arm and starts leading her up the stairs as she is saying, "I have many pretty dresses for you to choose from, and I have a grand tailor, so he can shorten it if need be."

"Actually, Princess Elizabeth."

"Please just call me Elizabeth."

"Okay, Elizabeth, call me Avril."

"Wonderful."

"Anyway, Elizabeth, I actually have a gown in my packs there."

Roy overhears and turns to the nearest servant and snaps his fingers and tells him, "You there, boy, grab these bags and follow the Princesses."

"At once, great sire." the servant snaps to attention so hard he almost hurts himself.

The action and the words spoken by the servant do not escape Avril's notice, and she looks over her shoulder at Roy with once again squinted eyes.

Roy smiles and motions with both his hands for her to keep going, and then says, "I will catch up with you after you have cleaned and changed, Princess Avril."

Avril is about to say more, but the smile on Princess Elizabeth's face and glimmer in her amazing green eyes sets Princess Avril at ease, and they disappear into the castle. Roy smiles again as he turns around to get his meager stuff of a knight from his horse.

As Princess Elizabeth and Princess Avril are walking along, Avril turns to Elizabeth and asks, "Is the King about?"

Elizabeth looks at her with well-practiced style and demeanor and says, "I'm sorry, Avril, but he is out in the field in pursuit of the Scepter of Power." Even though it is not said out loud, Princess Elizabeth knows why Avril wants to see him. Upon the completion of her destiny they are to be wed.

After Roy refreshes himself in his very own room, he puts on a splendid royal suit of armor. It is not the heavy combat armor for the field; it is small patches of shinning armor on his shins, thighs and forearms for royal occasions. The armor highlights Roy's dark blue tunic and pants, but Roy is no fool, he knows to wear comfortable shoes to these occasions.

Roy has found his way to the Great Hall and he can hear the celebration long before he sees it. He walks through the great doors, and a trumpeter is about the blow his horn and a courtier is about to announce his arrival, but Roy grabs his arm and says, "Do not announce me." The courtier looks a little confused, but he is not about to go against the command of the greatest knight in the kingdom of Montgomery.

As Roy is standing there atop the steps that lead down into the ballroom, he takes a deep breath, he has never cared for big parties, he hears a gentle clearing of the throat from behind him. He turns around and his breath gets caught in his throat and his eyes go big when he sees Princess Avril dressed for the occasion.

She is wearing a deep red spaghetti strap long silk dress that is as form fitting as any he has ever seen. She has on medium height heeled shoes that glitter silver and ruby.

Roy whistles before saying, "Princess, you look amazing. Uh, both of you look amazing."

"Thank you, sir knight."

Elizabeth again takes Avril's arm and starts leading her down the steps and towards the party. When they are halfway down the trumpeter blasts his horn and the courtier announces, "Princess Elizabeth of Montgomery and Princess Avril of Azure and..." Roy turns and glares at the courtier. The courtier continues, " ... have arrived."

They are greeted by a great horde of people as they flock to the beautiful rulers. After about ten minute of it Roy can see that Avril is looking around for him, and when they make eye contact he sees her pleading for him to come to her rescue.