The coach slowed. A moment later the door opened.
"Countess," someone unfamiliar said.
Feeling hot and cold at once, I slid from my pillow seat to the floor of the carriage and pushed my left leg carefully out, followed by my right. Then, sitting in the doorway, I looked up at two enormous soldiers, who reached down and took hold of my arms, one each. Positioned between them in a tight grip, I could make a pretense of walking.
They fell in the midst of two rows of guards, all of whom seemed to have been selected for their height and breadth. I thought, and forced my chin up proudly.
, I told myself firmly. Whatever happened, whatever I said, might very well get carried back to Branaric. I owed it to the people at home not to rug-crawl to this villain.
So I exhorted myself as we progressed up a broad, sweeping marble stair. Two magnificent doors were flung open by flunkies in livery more fabulous than anything anyone in Tlanth--of high degree or low--had ever worn in my lifetime, and , the rhythmic thud of boot heels impacted the marble floor of a great hall. High carved beams supported a distant ceiling. Windows filled with colored glass were set just under the roof, and beneath them hung flags--some new, some ancient. Under the flags, scattered along the perimeter of the marble floor, stood an uncountable number of people bedecked in silks and jewels. They stared at me in silence. At some unseen signal the long line of guards around me stopped and their spears thudded to the floor with a noise that sounded like doom.
"Countess," someone unfamiliar said.
Feeling hot and cold at once, I slid from my pillow seat to the floor of the carriage and pushed my left leg carefully out, followed by my right. Then, sitting in the doorway, I looked up at two enormous soldiers, who reached down and took hold of my arms, one each. Positioned between them in a tight grip, I could make a pretense of walking.
They fell in the midst of two rows of guards, all of whom seemed to have been selected for their height and breadth. I thought, and forced my chin up proudly.
, I told myself firmly. Whatever happened, whatever I said, might very well get carried back to Branaric. I owed it to the people at home not to rug-crawl to this villain.
So I exhorted myself as we progressed up a broad, sweeping marble stair. Two magnificent doors were flung open by flunkies in livery more fabulous than anything anyone in Tlanth--of high degree or low--had ever worn in my lifetime, and , the rhythmic thud of boot heels impacted the marble floor of a great hall. High carved beams supported a distant ceiling. Windows filled with colored glass were set just under the roof, and beneath them hung flags--some new, some ancient. Under the flags, scattered along the perimeter of the marble floor, stood an uncountable number of people bedecked in silks and jewels. They stared at me in silence. At some unseen signal the long line of guards around me stopped and their spears thudded to the floor with a noise that sounded like doom.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Crown Duel ]
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