The Warrior-King Returns

[Rhindeer]

It was only when Akkiel addressed her that Lykoth became aware of the growing crowd. She had been too focused on studying the Adelan king to have noticed, sizing him up curiously. Not in a negative way, as one might do when judging an opponent in battle; now that the tension of actually meeting him had been broken, she was simply interested in learning more about him, maybe a bit anxious about that, even. After all, they were going to be working side by side from here on out.

But she hid any surprise she felt at the sight. With courtiers, guardsment, and servants filling the room, it was once again time to adopt all the proper formalities.

Stepping onto the dais, it was then that it occured to her that she has no idea what decree it was that Akkiel planned on making, and she was glad her back was turned to the crowd as her eyes widened an few increments. Luckily, it was only a second before it registered that he probably hadn't meant that literally. After all, he hadn't told her of this decree yet, and for some reason she couldn't see him whispering to her to fill her in, not with so many people here. No, she just needed to be beside him as queen, united. She knew that much...though she was still not as adapted to this lifestyle and role as she felt she should be. There were a lot of formalities to remember, things to do, things not to do, and...she really hoped she wasn't making a fool of herself.

Standing beside him upon the dais and facing the crowd, back straight and head up, Lykoth had no qualms about trusting Akkiel to making this decree. He had been ruling as king to this kingdom far longer than she had even known of its existence. He knew what he was doing. It wasn't hard to trust him to this.

And she couldn't help but feel relief that this decree would be made by someone more experienced than she. She'd never done it before...and now was the perfect time to learn.

[Tally]

Lykoth ascends the dais, and Akkiel gives her a reassuring smile. She has so far subverted his every assumption about her, and it's got him a bit off balance. When the great wall of Adela castle had risen up before him in the gray gloom of dawn, he had felt as though he were riding into battle. He had prepared himself for a fight, assumed that Lykoth would be combatative and difficult, but so far she seems to be precisely the opposite. She seems to be. Maybe she just doesn't want to go for his throat in public. That is one talent he never mastered—the ability to be one person before the court and another in private.

Almost, he steps down to retrieve the flag himself, before he remembers that he is the king. Kings have things brought to them. With a little bit of a smirk, he snaps his fingers, points to the flag he left wrapped up and folded into a triangle just to the side of the dias, and holds out his hand. A page darts forward, pulls the wrapping from the flag, and hands it off to Akkiel with a bow. Oh yes. He could definitely get used to this.

Every face in the hall is turned up to look at him, expectant, waiting, and his heart leaps into his throat for a moment before he recalls all the times in his youth that he stood before the enemy on the battlefield, legions of thousands all glaring daggers at him, every one of them wanting to be the one to kill him. Show no fear before your enemies. That is another principle of war. So he draws his shoulders back and speaks with the same ease he would before a group of friends.

Standing next to Lykoth, Akkiel offers her one corner of the flag and takes the other corner himself, still holding the flag folded in his other hand until he is ready to reveal it. "As I was returning to Adela, I looked out over the castle and the village and I saw that Adela lacked something vital to its spirit. That thing is a sigil...a banner that all of Adela's citizens—from it's sovereigns to its common folk—can unite beneath. And so I have chosen a banner for us, something that defines who we are and shows anyone who looks upon it what we stand for. Adela is founded on principles of strength and defense. We are noble, we are powerful, and we are dangerous when roused to anger. We are dragons."

He backs away from Lykoth, letting the red fabric of the flag ripple downward and reveal the shining black of the dragon rampant. Glittering cloth-of-gold highlights the rampant figure and shimmers with every movement of the flag, and applause and praise rises up from the gathered crowd. The Adelan people have not lost the spirit that makes them who they are, and the rearing dragon resonates with that spirit.

"Red, gold, and black will be our colors," Akkiel says as soon as the noise quiets to a murmur. "Red for our power and strength. Gold for our nobility and our dignity. And finally, black for the fierceness of our righteous anger. Let the dragon fly above Adela!" Another outburst of applause, and Akkiel grins at Lykoth as he collects the flag up and leans toward her to say, "A promising reaction, wouldn't you say?"

[Rhindeer]

It was an effort not to applaud alongside the rest of the crowd, to look just as surprised and delighted as they were. No...she had to look like she knew what the heck she was doing and that meant she had to look like she had known about Akkiel's decree in advance. But she couldn't help the small smile of wonder and appreciation that curved her lips as she helped hold out the flag, as she listened to Akkiel speak. The flag was beautiful...she didn't know much about this country yet, but she did know it was a sigil that anyone could appreciate, that anyone could be proud of. It was what this country needed...and even she could feel pride over this, and she wasn't even a native!

Not that it mattered. It was her country now, too, and it wasn't altogether difficult to feel that connection, either, even if her own country and culture was vastly different. People were people, no matter where you went. Cultural nuances aside, it was really the same wherever you went, right?

And Akkiel...he was a true leader. She'd only known him for all of five minutes, but it was really obvious, the way he stood and spoke, the way the crowd reacted to him, the way they respected and seemed to adore him. And the change she saw come over him was amazing, the way he went from a baby dragon's perchâ€"which was ironic, given that the symbol Akkiel would choose would be a dragonâ€"to a dignified king, all in the span of seconds. It was almost jarring to think he was the same person, and for a brief moment, she had a sudden fear that maybe, just maybe, he was one of those people that wore different masks in different social situations. Nobles were notorious for that, notorious for being fiercely competitive and even jealous of others of their rank, and she still didn't know him. She didn't know him at all.

But then common sense told her that he was probably doing the same thing that she was now. Putting on a public face. So, she wore masks, too...

But only in the public. There were some people that <I>never took off their masks, never. Those were the people she always worried about, because you could never be too sure about them.

At least, she was worried until the speech ended to a final round of applause and he grinned her way, once again boyish and casual, and blessedly true to her first impression.

Whew. So far so good. Bah, she was probably just thinking too much right now. Probably still had "new person" jitters, and rightly so, considering who he was.

"Very," she agreed with a small smile his way, releasing her corner of the flag carefully as he collected it. "They really do love you, and the flag is beautiful," she told him. "Even a petty thief could feel proud beneath it."

[ooooh, wow...sucky post, gomen nasai! *bowbow*]

[Anonymous]

Worry was written across Sharlees face and she raised a hand to her lips and looked at Denkou for a moment. Tarlaka? Ill? Now? Sharlee pressed a hand to her forehead and looked at the ground. Wonderful timing Sharlee. Right when Tarlaka is ill and you have to tell her something really important. Lifting a finger to scratch at Doeshes chin, he chirped happily and watched the red-head with interesting, probably plotting a way to get more of that pretty red hair and somehow make nest of it. Sharlee looked to the announcement and felt very, very out of place here. She was not an Adelan citizen, she was sister to one, yes, but that was about it. Turning her blue eyes to Denkou, she put her tongue between her teeth and looked at the ground for a moment. �Well, if you see her, could you tell her someone came by to talk to her? I’m her younger sister, but don’t tell her that, she doesn’t really like me all that much.� Sharlee continued to chew on her lips and then took a slight gasp when Doeshe flew off of her shoulder, taking that as a queue (sp?) to leave she did so with a quick bow in the general direction of the nobles and a nod of her head towards Denkou.

Doeshe was flying around the high roof of the room; he would make it pretty, and flashy if his mistress and himself were to leave so suddenly. Casting a beady black eye on the railing in front of the red-head and that beautiful flag he decided to perch there for a moment, make a pretty noise, then fly off towards mistress, So that’s what he did. In a sparkly movement he was on the railing, threw his head back and made a high-pitched grown/gurgle with a little puff of smoke. As if disgusted with his own inability to make fire and a roar he opted for chewing on the corner that look pretty or was just nearest, taking a quick nip at the Kings fingers, though not hard enough to draw blood, before taking flight again.  

In a few quick little wing flaps he was beside Sharlee again, who was on her horse and had an arm out for him to perch on. Quickly shimmying up her arm he sat on her shoulder, backwards; to watch the beloved red-hair he might not see for a long time.  Sharlee looked over and rolled her eyes, Doeshe was odd sometimes, but having a red-hair fetish was new for the little thing. Giving a shake of her head she nudged her horse and they began their way to the village.