The girl then abruptly turned and went back down the stairs. The Archangel went to the room furthest away from the stairs, for it appeared to be a bit smaller than the other, and opened the door.
There was a bed on the wall across from the door, smaller than that in the Elven inn. There were two windows next to the bed, a small nightstand on either side of the mattress, and a portrait hanging above the headboard. The right wall had a bookshelf, the left wall was bare save but one painting and a wooden chair, and the wall adjacent to the door was empty.
Remliel set her satchel down on the chair and laid on the bed. She did not rest for long, because there was a quick, quiet knock on the door. “It's me, Kaif, the servant who showed you to your room,” a voice said. “May I enter?”
“Yes, come in.”
The girl scurried into the room with a handful of silver and light blue cloth. “These are to be made into a dress for you. If you are to dine with the King and his court, you must be dressed appropriately. Traveling clothes will not do.”
The servant girl, Kaif, moved Remliel's satchel to the bed and had her stand on the chair. She then pulled had the Archangel strip, and she took her measurements. “These will be done in a few hours,” the girl said as Remliel got re-dressed. She then left as soon as she'd come.
Remliel sat on the bed once again, making sure to keep the satchel at her feet. She summoned her wings, which she decided she'd try to do as often as possible, and massaged them, since they were sore from being hidden. She wished she could have a bath like she'd had at the inn, but she decided it was not her place to ask. The cultures of Men and Elves were very different, as were their languages, kingdoms, policies, and much more about them. The only similarity was their enormous armies.
When she was finished tending to her wings, she looked out the window and saw that it was nearly dusk. A knock on the door. She quickly hid her golden wings and beckoned for the stranger to enter. Kaif came in with a dress made of the same fabric she'd brought in earlier that day. The dress was truly beautiful, with a light blue bodice, silver lace, and silver high heels to go with it. Kaif helped Remliel enter the dress, and showed her down the stairs toward the throne room.
Remliel entered the same hall she'd come into earlier, but from behind the throne. The banquet tables from the makeshift hallways were pushed both lit up with candles, the torches on the walls were lit, and there was a grand feast awaiting the dinner guests. The King sat at the table to the right of the throne, with all the seats save one filled with the men of his court. The seat at the foot of the table was reserved for the Archangel. The table on the left side of the throne was filled with men in silver armor, their shields leaned up against the wall behind them and their swords visibly sheathed at their sides.
“Come, Remliel, and join us!” the King exclaimed, noticing her arrival into the hall. She walked down to the table and sat, immediately having her plate filled by servants. “I hope you are not intimidated; usually women do not dine with us. The other banquet table used to be saved for the Queen and her court, but alas, she is no longer with us.”
“I'm so sorry to hear that, Your Majesty,” Remliel answered, unsure of what to say. “I am not at all intimidated; I only hope your men are not frightened by me."
The King and the court looked around at each other and laughed, easing the Archangel's nerves. They all ate for a while, laughing and talking with one another and drinking their ale, while Remliel joined in the feast and had a few glasses of wine. At the end of the meal, the King turned his attention to the foot of the table.
“Remliel,” he said, “you say you've come with news about Tetrasiel, your brother?”
“Yes, I have seen him stirring in the mountains. The Dragons have awoken from their slumber and are beginning to prey on the Dwarves that live in the mountains. They're making their way to the Central Woods, where the Nymphs dwell. I am gathering allies to confront Tetrasiel and end the suffering of the creatures of Akkolon.”
“Gathering allies? Who have you already spoken to?"
One of the King's men spoke up. “It's probably one of the Elven Realms… look at her clothes and her cloak. It's obviously Elven.”
“I stayed in the Southern Realm for two days,” Remliel replied. “That's where I got my clothes and provisions. I spent the night traveling here. I have the Elves on my side… I'm here to speak to you now.”
The King stroked his beard in thought. The members of the court began to speak amongst themselves, voices raising about distrust of the Archangel. “Men,” Remliel thought. “So quick to greed and selfishness, but so hesitant to trust others. It will be their downfall.”
The King finally spoke up. “Silence, men,” he said, effectively quieting his court. “Remliel, I have decided to trust you. However, I will not provide armies or provisions until you absolutely need them. I can't afford to let my men leave, especially when there is no present danger. I will give you one thing before you leave: this."
The King handed over a small, golden trumpet. “Blow this three times,” he said, “and the armies of Iqocan will come within three days.”
The meal was thus ended, and the court departed from the table. Remliel followed, going back behind the throne and up the stairs. She collapsed onto her bed and promptly fell asleep, her body tired from her night's journey and the hearty meal she'd eaten. She closed her eyes, and almost immediately, she was awakened by a knock on the door.
She rose from her bed, her dress wrapped unflatteringly around her body, and opened the door. “I hope you had a good rest,” the servant girl Kaif said, scurrying into the room. “You slept soundly all night.”
“It's morning?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Kaif began to make the bed, and Remliel looked out the window to see a beautiful blue sky. The servant then got the Archangel's attention, and asked her if she'd like a bath. Remliel nodded. Kaif left the room and returned with a large metal tub. Three other servant girls followed with buckets of steaming hot water, which they then dumped into the tub. Remliel stripped and entered the bath.
She summoned her wings, and the girls took a few steps back. They began whispering to each other as the Archangel massaged the muscles and plucked out dead feathers. “I shouldn't have slept with them hidden,” she mumbled to herself, watching the bathwater slowly turn brown. Golden feathers floated on the surface of the water, and the Archangel finally began to wash her body. When she finished, she got out of the bath, and put on her traveling clothes she'd gotten from the Elves.
She walked down the stairs, satchel around her shoulder and trumpet tied to her belt, and she emerged behind the throne, where the King was sitting. “Thank you for hosting me,” she said, bowing respectfully. “Your dinner feast was delightful.”
“I'm glad you enjoyed it,” he answered, leaning forward a little bit to simulate a bow. “There is a steed waiting for you outside; one of our best. I hope she aides you in your travels.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the Archangel responded. She quickly exited the palace and saw the white horse outside of the palace doors. The drawbridge was down, and she could see the townspeople shopping in the marketplace. She quickly hid her wings, unaware that they were still visible, and mounted the steed.
A stable boy, who was holding the reins of the horse, looked up at the Archangel in awe. “H-her name is Cade,” he stammered. After a slight pause, he commented, “Your wings were beautiful… why do you hide them?"
“I don't want to frighten people.”
“I can understand that… but they were beautiful.”
The Archangel rode off without answering; she felt as though there was nothing that she could say, for the boy knew and felt all he needed to know and feel.
She