Well, here's where things get interesting. As always, read, and please review! Reviews make me a happy author!
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Disclaimer: I own James and my own creative works and nothing else.
The pair found themselves in a grand throne room, taking their time to admire the architecture yet again. Such beauty… Both were jerked from their thoughts by a sharp nudge to their sides, courtesy of the good doctor.
"You stand before the Queen! Show some respect!" He whispered harshly, pushing them forward lightly. James growled quietly as he walked up to the throne. There sat the Queen, a women standing at her side, as well as a heavily armored knight. A quick glance around noted several guards in the room. Taking a few steps until he, Meru, and the doctor stood where they were supposed to, Meru and the doctor kneeled down in typical fashion.
"Your Majesty, I present to you James Warren Post the Third, the patient who claims to be from another world. You wished to verify-" the doctor began, this time cutting himself off. He glanced to the side, nearly panicking.
James wasn't kneeling. Instead he had his arms crossed with a rather dull expression on his face. This was not unnoticed by any in the room; even Meru was taken a little off-guard by this. The silence carried for a few moments before the knight next to the Queen broke it.
"Have you no respect?! You stand before Her Royal Highness Queen Theresa! Where do you-!?" He began, stopping as a hand was raised by the Queen herself. Instead she stood from her throne, glancing down at the strange teen.
"You there, Lord Post, do you not kneel before your own King or Queen?" She asked calmly. Clearly, she was more interested in being diplomatic than demanding. James could appreciate that.
"Lord Post?" He began, questioning her choice of words, before shaking his head. "No, in my land, we have no Kings or Queens, nor do we have Princes or Emperors. In my land, men and women kneel before no one save God." He said, actually feeling rather proud of himself. That felt rather epic. He just hoped he wasn't going to get his head chopped off for it. That would not be so epic.
Instead the Queen was taken by surprise, sitting back down on her throne. She remained quiet for a moment, before asking another question.
"Are you not a prince? Your name holds regality." She said, tilting her head in curiosity. James found this rather encouraging. She hadn't ordered him stabbed yet.
"No, I am just a citizen. My name holds no bearing, save the pride of my father." He said calmly unfolding his arms and placing his hands behind his back.
"I see… Very well then. Please rise." She said, sending that last bit at the kneeling pair. They both rose, Meru looking wide-eyed and the doctor adjusting the pair of glasses on his face with shaking hands.
"Y-yes, well, Your Majesty, as I was saying… He claims to be from another world, and this girl claims he appeared out of thing air before being besieged by bandits." He said quickly nodding as he did. James himself was taken a bit off-guard. She hadn't even gotten mad or even offended. Perhaps he had underestimated the quality of this Queen.
"Is this true, Sir Post?" She asked, looking to James. He gave a nod to her, cracking a small smile.
"Just James is fine. And yes, the doctor showed me a map of your world and none of the geography matches. Unless that blow to the head has changed my view and memories of the world so drastically that I have imagined an entire planet and life time, I have indeed come from a different world than your own." He said, crossing his arms again. Those words made him feel sick to his stomach, only reminding him of his situation. He did his best to remain the figure of confidence, but the dark thought that he was so far away from home just crept crawling back into his mind. It was childish but… Boy did he really want his mother.
"I see… In a world like ours, I find reason to believe you could be telling the truth, though I am also led to believe that you have no concrete proof. You could very well be lying." She said. Her tone was not rude or cruel, but instead logical, for what she said indeed made sense.
"Yes, you're right. I have no proof, and I could very well be lying. I honestly have nothing to give you in evidence beyond my own word and solid belief. I'm sorry, but I really have nothing to prove my words." He said, raising his shoulders in helplessness. What he said was true, he couldn't prove it. He could very well be wrong, perhaps he was from this world and had imagined it all. He doubted that, and as he said, faithfully believed that he was.
"You may have nothing to prove it, but I do." The Queen said, only succeeding in confusing the three who stood before her. Not explaining herself, she instead turned to the guard next to her.
"Fetch Sister Wink." She said. The man in the plate armor merely bowed, before hurrying away, and out the room. James turned to watch him go, turning to Meru afterwards. He gave her a confused look, to which she could only respond with an equally confused shrug. Several minutes crept by of silence while they waited for this "Sister Wink" to arrive. Finally, footsteps marked their arrival, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
James turned to look at the newcomer, or rather, newcomers. The woman who arrived was assisted by another, holding her arm and guiding her into the throne room. The two stepped up, bowing before the Queen. James had only a moment to mildly muse that they did not kneel either.
"Your Majesty, you called for me?" The woman who James assumed was this Sister Wink asked, seemingly staring into space rather than looking at the Queen.
"Yes. No doubt you've already heard the boy's story, but he has no proof of his claims nor do any of the others. Can you tell if this boy is lying?" She asked, her face stone, a frown evident on her face. Sister Wink merely nodded to the Queen.
"I can certainly try." She said, before turning to look at the group. He noticed that her eyes were closed.
"Which among you claim to be from another world?" She asked.
"That would be me." James spoke up quickly, curious as to what she was doing. Her behavior just seemed… odd. The other woman, the one who guided her, took hold of her arm, once again bringing her to stand in front of James. It was at this time that James realized it: She was blind. That was why she did not use her eyes.
"Let me see your hand." She asked gently, holding out her own. James complied silently, placing his hand on her palm. She closed her other hand on top of his own, frowning a bit. James felt like a small chill spread over his body when she did, disturbing his somewhat. Her face was serene, almost curious in expression.
"My… Your soul is scarred, showing of many wounds, perhaps of the past. You hold a layer of sadness and bitterness, yet…" She began, her words captivating James, as well as deeply confusing and disturbing him. What the hell was she doing?
"You hold a core of honor, one of law and goodness. A noble soul, one who does not encroach upon others or conceal falsehood lightly. One of justice." She said, releasing his hand, which James tugged away quickly. What the hell?
"Sister Wink can see the souls of others. Tell me Sister, does he lie?" Queen Theresa asked, looking down upon them. Sister Wink shook her head.
"I sense no lies in his word, unless he can conceal the imperfections of his own soul, which from what I can tell, he cannot, then there are no lies in his words. He has a good soul, Mother." She said. Oh, daughter and mother. That's why she didn't bow. That thought quickly jerked back, annoying himself that was the first observation that leaped to mind instead of the soul-searching woman. But honestly, he was on an entirely different world, nothing could surprise him at this point.
"I see…" The Queen said, before looking up and smiling, for the first time since he'd arrived James noted.
"It is good to have one such as you in my halls, James." She said, making James himself smile. James turned to Meru, who had placed a hand on her heart, seemingly in relief.
"So… I take it you believe me?" He asked, a relieved and exhausting smile spreading over his face. The adrenaline that'd been flowing was starting to fade, his head injury throbbing to remind him.
"Your soul coneals no falsehood. You are welcome in my country. Now, if you please, the three of you go rest in the dining hall. I must think on this." She said, her words cold but her smile still present.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The doctor said quickly, before turning and ushering the pair of teens out. What a killjoy. The three hurried out of the room, James turning to smile at Meru, who had a baffled expression on her face. When he inclined his head curiously, she made an exasperated sigh.
"Of all the people I could find on the side of the road, I really didn't think it'd be someone who comes from another world, refuses to kneel before royalty, has, evidently, a soul of a good and honorable person, yet still looks like someone grabbed their arms and legs and stretch them out to a stick. I seriously am questioning my luck." She said, scratching the back of her head.
"I'd say your luck is quite grand!" He said, smiling at her. "At least it's interesting, eh?"