Prince of Shadows
By princemajora
Chapter 4
Proper Dinner Conversation.
The dining hall was without a doubt the most exquisite hall in the entire Kakariko castle. In the middle of the hall, immediately taking you attention is the long dining table. Made of the best wood by the best makers the Shiekah can produce. The large double doors at the entrance are much the same. Beautiful tapestries cascade down the walls, showing momentous occasions in Sheikah history, as well as depictions of the creation of the world, and the goddesses. The cutlery was of fine china, silver, and some gold. The chairs surrounding the table were of the same make as the table, with tall backs and plush royal purple cushions on the seat and inside the back, making them extremely comfortable. At the head of the table stood two chairs, just as grand as one another for the king and queen. Along the center of the table, candles were placed and lit to give the room a warm glow. Every little detail was taken care of. To the left of the table ad a few feet back was a small door, almost invisible among the stone, that lead to the kitchen, were the staff would come forth with the courses of the meal. This is were all the guests to the castle are served there meals. So it must be the best available to promote good relations. Happy and impressed guests, means happy and impressive meetings.
Emerging from the staff door two of the maids enter, and immediately start tidying and setting places for the coming meal. They were running late, and had to be quick, for the sun was almost completely set. As the two young women, no older than eighteen, did just one more task in there everyday routine, they gossiped about the latest happenings.
"Hey Sarah did you hear? His majesty kept Renee in their room all day! Wouldn't let her out! I pity the guard he posted, she would have murdered him!" One said in a hushed voice while laying some cutlery.
"Never mind that Lita!" the other said. "What about the emergency court meeting? And those two Hylian messengers? I saw them with my own eyes! There is something big going on! Do you know what I heard?"
Lita leaned forward with curious eyes, so many rumors were flying about, some were so outrageous that they were easy to disbelieve, like the one that one of the Hylian's was the real father of Renee's baby. But some others were not so clear.
The other girl placed the last of her cutlery and leaned forward also, seriousness flowing from her. "I heard, when I was cleaning the offices upstairs, from some of the members of court, that war is brecciaing out with the Gerudo!"
The other girl dropped her cleaning cloth in shock! War?! It could not be true! Her fiancé was a Swordsman! If they went to war, he would be called to fight! She prayed it was not true.
From the far edge of the hall, the large doors creaked open slightly and Lance and Roy slipped inside the hall. Both dressed in their fine white and red formal uniforms, complete with comfortable white tunics, red capes with sturdy leather boots and belts. These uniforms were only worn for royal dinners such as this one, or the dinners at the Hyrule court. Roy was fiddling with the fastening on his cape, the young rd head was very nervous; he had never been to a royal dinner before, what if he used the wrong fork? Or did some other etiquette no-no? He would be glad when it was all over. Lance on the other hand had been to many dinners at the Hylian castle, and was exited to see if anything was different here in the realm of the Shiekah. They may have been a very warm and kind people, but not much was know about them as a people, and their customs. They looked around, and seeing s nobody was there yet, stood awkwardly at the door. Seeing the two chatting maids. Lance called out to them.
"Excuse me? We seem to be a tad early, should we come back in twenty minuets ago? Or is it fine for us to stay here?" This was annoying as well as embarrassing. They were both quite hungry, and were eager for dinner to begin.
The two maids jumped at the voice, they were so absorbed in their conversation that they had not heard the great doors open. They turned sharply to see two handsome Hylian men. Dressed in there fine clothes. They were about fifteen minuets too early for the evening meal. Which started at once the sun set.
"I'm very sorry gentlemen. You are about a quarter of an hour too early. If you wish you may find your places and have a seat, or come back in a little while." said the older of the two. And then having finished their work in the dining hall, bowed to the two men, and, rather embarrassed at being caught slaking off on the job, hurried through the kitchen door to prepare for their next job.
Roy and Lance watched as the two women quickly exited the room, then at each other. "Well...I don't know about you Roy, but I am not trudging all the way back up those stairs in these clothes, just to come back down again!" Lance said with a huff and walked down the right side of the table, looking for their places. "Check that side would you boy?" Roy bristled at being called boy, he was not a child! He was a grown man, yet Lance still insisted on calling him "Boy" a lot, and it really got on his nerves! Letting it go for now, Roy ambled down the left side of the table, looking for there names on the placeholders which were above each plate. After a few names he found their names about halfway up the table. "Here they are Lance, listen to this, they have us as "Roy of the Hylian" and "Lance of the Hylian" makes us sound important doesn't it?" He said with a small laugh.
Lance sighed "That would be right, now I have to walk around this entire bloody table!" He said with a huff. He walked around and sat in the chair in front of his name. To the left of Roy, who had already sat him self down.
"Wow!" Roy exclaimed, settling himself down even more in the plush chair. "Royalty sure know how to dine!" he exclaimed. He was amazed at the quality of the things around him! If the Hylian Castle was anything like this he would be surprised! Everything was so lavish! If just the cutlery and seats here this amazing, he could not imagine how good the food must be!
Lance laughed inside at his young partners excitement, how all his nerves had vanished. He remembered his first dinner at the Hyrule castle. How exited he was, and what a fool he made of himself. "Remember Roy, try to act as if you have done this many time before, you don't want to be seen as a fool, and embarrass the Hylian court."
Roy instantly straightened up and tried to act as proper as he possibly could, if he did something wrong he would get in a whole cart full of trouble! He began to sweat slightly as the doors opened and some of the members of the Shiekah court entered, a pair of women and a man. They were chatting quietly with worried expressions one their faces; they took their seats near the head of the table, just like they did most other nights. But tonight an air of tension was apparent throughout the castle.
Bit by bit, as the sun vanished behind the horizon to the west. All the members of the court were assembled at the table, with the exemption of the royal couple themselves, the head adviser and her young daughter, Cora. Who held two seats on the left of the queen, at the front of the table? Just as the last of the sunlight disappears and the night begins, the latter of the bunch came into the room, Vesan dressed in a lovely green silk dress that swept the floor around her feet. Her young daughter of five wearing an adorable matching dress (minus the plunging neck line). Her mother helped Cora into her chair and then seated herself.
Then, as if on cue, a guard at the door said so all the in the room could hear over their own nervous chattering. "Presenting, King Nesar and Queen Renee of the Sheikah". Just at the end of this introduction, the double doors opened wide and the royal couple steeped through the door.
"I really wish you guys would not do that, I know its proper procedure and such, but they all know who we are!" said Nesar with a smirk to the guard who announced their entrance. They walked arm in arm, rather slowly thanks to the baby in Renee's belly, to the head of the table, and sat themselves down, and the dinner commenced. The servants burst forth from the kitchen door, carrying the entree for the beginning of the meal, vegetable soup with buttered rolls, the soup having juicy bite sized pieces of different fresh vegetables from the castle gardens, and the bead and butter baked and made in the castle kitchen. As soon as it was put in front of him, Roy waned to devour this morsel before him. It smelt so very good! He was stopped short as he went to pick up his spoon. "Lance!" He hissed at the man beside him "Which bloody spoon do I use there are three for Nayru's sake!"
Lance sighed and whispered to his clueless ward "Start on the outside and work your way in during the course of the meal." then went back to eating his own soup. It was a very nice soup, a bit hot, but nice.
As the meal progressed, all the occupants of the room slowly forgot their troubles of the day, for now anyway. And the only hiccup for the evening so far was at the first course, a small plate of oysters for everyone. It ended with one very messy five year old, and an even messier Hylian messenger boy. Lance's eye began to twitch and he almost took the damn oyster off Roy and opened it for him, when he opened himself...all over his tunic, luckily not many people noticed
After the first course, and the main course had been served which was a succulent roast cucco with spicy seasoning and vegetables. The queen leaned over to Vesan to speak to her. Which was not easy considering she was almost putting her belly in her dinner. She had held it in for a while, but she had to say something. She interrupted the argument between Vesan and Cora, about reasons to eat your vegetables.
"Vesan, have you seen the state of that poor Hylian boy? He is so nervous he is spilling everything, and is asking his partner for help at every turn. This must be his first royal dinner. Poor thing." Renee knew how the poor boy felt, they had all had a few hiccups at there first dinner like this, Renee was not born royalty, she had had to be taught proper etiquette back in her early twenty's, It's not easy to learn. "Oh! And did Nesar tell you? We've chosen a name now!"
Vesan was distracted, she vaguely looked for the man Renne refereed too, but her vision from the night previous had been playing just behind her eyes all day, whenever she looked at somebody she knew, there fate in her vision came to the surface instantly. But the last comment seeped through instantly. "A name? What have you decided Renee?" she asked curiously what would be the name of the future prince or princess?
Renee smiled, seeing that that had caught her friend's attention "Well, Shara Mika if it's a girl, or, Majora Derra for a boy." Renee was so pleased to finally have both a girl and boy name ready, she was only 3 weeks away from the birth, so they had cut it real close.
Vesan chewed her food thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing and continuing. "Mika and Derra? A bit on the common side as far as middle names go aren't they Renee?" The middle names of Shiekah were names in the old tongue, and were meant for good luck during the child's life. Mika meant sun and Derra meant moon, and were quite popular middle names. "Aren't you going to come up with something more original?"
"No, we thought we would stay simple and easy." replied Renee, leaning back into her seat fully. "And anyway it's hard to think of good original names! I mean you struggled with Cora's name didn't you?"
Vesan looked down at her daughter, her middle name was Frasen, which meant "Light" Vesan had chosen that name because she was just that, the light of her life. Cora's father had died of illness shortly after she was born. She could not of survived if she had not had Cora. "Yes it was hard, but it was worth it." Vesan shook her head slightly, once again being assaulted by the horror of her vision.
The last lingering remains of the main course were taken away, and dessert was then served. Cora squealed in delight, as Roy almost did, when a huge bowel of ice cream was placed in front of the diners. At least four different flavors mingled together to create an almost euphoric taste, and on top of that was piled ludicrous amounts of hot fudge sauce. If this did not cheer these people up, nothing will, only one old sour puss refused to enjoy the sweet heaven in front of him.
"Your majesty, is it not about time we discussed the maters at hand, there is no more time to waste with meaningless activities!" Munara called out loud enough to interrupt all the peoples eating pleasure. Which most people were very annoyed by. Nesar especially. "We are all sitting here like nothing is wrong, but I know better!" He raised himself from his chair, knocking a spoon to the ground. "How long are you fools going to pretend nothing is wrong!!"
Renee raised an eyebrow to this outburst. Her curiosity about the commotion earlier today was raised once more. What was it all about? What were the two Hylian's doing here? What was their message? She placed a hand on her belly, her child going into another bout of kicking, she mildly wondered weather she/he was curious also, or if it was just upset why she had stopped eating the marvelous dessert in front of them.
A weary sigh escaped Nesar's lips, and he slowly placed his spoon back down next to his bowl. And turned to give Munara a withering look. "You may do so Munara, but I do not find dinner a meaningless activity, especially dessert! And I also do not appreciate being called a fool at my own dinner table! Either you sit and eat your meal, and wait for the set meeting time, or leave others to there meal, I am seriously beginning to think that it may be time for you to retire, for it seems lately you are more interested in insulting and causing arguments with people than doing your job! Now, if you please, I would like to finish my meal."
The room went silent, all except one oblivious five-year-old girl, and these adult matters meant nothing to her. The tension in the air was almost thick enough to see with there own eyes! A person able to feel emotions would of gone mad in a room like this! Everybody somberly went back to there meal, all except Munara, who decided to leave the room, his ice-cream long melted, he stormed out of the room, again muttering about useless youngsters. Eyes darted around the table, the same thought running through all there minds, and a very frustrated pregnant woman sat at the head of the table.
Renee leaned over and pulled her husband close to her by the neck of his clothes. The sudden movement, making him choke on his food for a moment. "Nesar, I love you, and you know that, and I know you are only keeping things from me to keep me calm for the babies sake, but I cannot take this anemone, I have a right to know, as the queen of the Sheikah, so I will be coming to the meeting after dinner, If it is enough to cause all this tension, I will not be kept in the dark from it, so you can either tell me know, or, I can find out from the staff."
Nesar took a deep breath and looked in dismay at his long melted dessert, it could not be saved, so he placed his spoon back down onto the table and took his wife's hands into his own, and specks to her in a quiet, sincere voice. "Renee, you are right, you deserve to know, but not here, when we go back up to the room, we shall discuss it then." He looked pleadingly at his wife, hoping that was enough to appease her.
Queen Renee smiled back at her husband, and smiled. Nesar was so considerate and caring, it what made him such an amazing husband, and king. "Of course dear, that is fine, now, lets finish our meal." Renne once more tucked into what was left of her dessert. Nesar looked in despair at his, maybe he should call for a glass, and he could drink it? He opted instead to look out at his court, plus to Hylian messengers, plus one five year old goddaughter. Down near the end of the table sat the bold new Rep of the people. He was eating all he could of the meal before him, because it was definitely a new experience to him still, he had only been chosen for the position a few weeks ago. Nesar noted that he must remember to have a chat with him. He liked to know all about all who worked for him, from the members of his court, to the youngest of the guards.
Later on, the dinner had ended, and everybody had returned to their respective rooms, the king and queen included, and in the quiet warm glow of their room, Nesar explained everything to his beloved wife. The messengers, the Gerudo threat, and the coming meeting, and also bout Vesan's vision. All she could do was stare at Nesar in pale-faced shock. War? It just could not be! Renee would make her opinion quite clear at this meeting, she agreed with Vesan war would be bad news for everybody. She rose of the bed with a stumble and a small sway, she felt physically ill! "I'm going to freshen up, and go see Vesan before the meeting, tell her she does not have to attend, I think that will be best, do you agree Nesar?" Not waiting for an answer, she stumbled towards the bath chambers, a far away look in her eyes and a trembling in her lip.
Nesar watched her exit with a worried frown, Renee was taking it harder than he expected, He just prayed that she would be ok." He also stood up and stood in front of the mirror on the far wall, tidying himself up a bit, then, a voice broke his train of thought.
"Nesar!!" Renne called urgently from the bath chambers. A slight tremor in her voice.
"What is it Renee? Have you fallen again?" Nesar headed for the bathroom, Renee had been falling over without a way to get up lately, her large belly putting her small frame of balance.
"No! It's not that, please hurry, and raises the alarm to Vesan and the midwives, I have just begun to give birth to our child." Renee said as calmly as she could, but inside she was terrified, all this fluid had just let loose while she was applying her make-up in a daze.
Nesar went a very odd color indeed, and he insatiately ran out to the hallway screaming to all that could hear, "It is time! The birth has begun!"
A/N: FINALLY!! I meant this to happen in the second chapter, but things went a different way, I'm writing this well past midnight, which is why the end might be a bit rushed and crappy. And so I could post it today, to appease the people threatening me with bodily harm if I do not (she knows who she is coughRavencough) Again, thanks to all the usual people, and since nobody new has reviewed, so, no thanks to them .
Tune in next time for the next installment titled: "A Prince is born"