Chapter Four:
The Alunze Crown
Alunze Castle was built on completely flat land, as all land of that area pretty much was, and the castle loomed over the surrounding grounds and town. Obviously this would leave it open to attack, but that had not been a danger in this part of Estpolis for hundreds of years. Its age was obviously less than that. The castle was built much more for appearances. This could be seen in everything from the pristine gray marble-like stone to the rich tapestries and banners waving in the wind. Windows outlined in rich, dark reds and royal blues were embedded throughout the castle adding to the castle's costly show.
They had spent much of the next two days of travel talking about Ilberet, the Ilbaetz, the Keeper, and all that was said. This was easy to do as the scenery never really changed and they had grown tired of looking at the rolling plains with brown-tinged grass. Only now did Maxim realize how brilliantly green the Forest had been. And every sense strained at the memory of the bed of spruce leaves.
And then, on the seventh day since they left Elcid, the view of Alunze Castle came into view. It started as a speck in the midday's sun, but quickly grew into quite the spectacle. They were about to re-enter human society. And they did so with a tinge of disappointment.
The first structure they reached in the town, though, was one of the local inns. They reserved three rooms (to help house Tia's family that should be arriving the next day) for a haggled down, yet still expensive price and a spot in the stables for their horses.
The innkeeper had spoken much of tradition and history with them, but Alunze was much less a real part of what he spoke and more akin to a historian of it. It tried to relive (and benefit from) that which it never experienced.
They locked their equipment in their rooms,
stabled the horse, and then decided to take a look
at the King's Castle.
It then took a quarter of an hour to reach the castle gates. To get there they had to walk through the middle of the town, passing different buildings usually housing shops, but now emptied. Almost every storeowner had moved his or her business to within the castle walls to be closer to the crowds and the money flowing freely.
Personal appearances, especially of homes, seemed to be just as important to the townspeople as it did to the king. They may not have had the extravagance the king had access to, but their desires matched perfectly. At another house (made of a lighter wood than the other houses surrounding it) they saw an elderly couple sitting and talking in the sunshine. Most of the town had been deserted, though. Hundreds upon hundreds of people were milling about just without and within the castle walls instead.
The final obstacle before the castle came in the form of an elaborate white stone bridge that shone as newly polished marble does. The worn path that extended from the bridge was lined with even more elaborate white lamp stands. They also passed castle guards dressed in white embroidered red jackets with pressed, white pants. They obviously knew something about protection, but it was little compared to many who claimed themselves to be knights. These were definitely meant more for show than defense.
As they reached the castle gate entrance Maxim and Tia saw exactly how big it was, towering above them and stretching out away from them. The marble stone was grayish-white and looked to be freshly polished as well. Maxim was fascinated by the architecture and beauty the people of Alunze had created. The greater part of his heart still lay with the creation of the world outside of man-made walls, however. All Tia could say was, "Look how big it is."
Upon entering through the gate a festive world opened unto them. Vendors of all kinds were selling trinkets and foods of all variations. They passed jewelry said to be from the furthest reaches of the world. Kids at their parent's heels requested every kind of toy Maxim had ever seen, and many he had not.
The smells of all sorts of roasted meats and the sights of various sweets, like candied apples, caught their attentions. There was fruit as well, but these, too, were overly sweetened. Maxim and Tia were eager to indulge in the castle's treats. And they did so, snacking throughout their viewing of the pride of Alunze.
Costumed performers also littered the open courtyards, entertaining the crowds with everything from magic to laughter to drama. The castle, in fact, had been like this for the last two weeks (and many weeks before that were spent in preparation), all in anticipation of the crowning of the prince and the visitors it would bring. When the king put on a show, he tried to make sure the townsfolk and visitors were going to be talking about it (and him) until next year's extravaganza.
After glimpsing at much the open castle air had to offer, Maxim and Tia decided to look through the castle interior. The opening reception hall was immense, larger than any house Maxim had ever visited or seen. Silver and crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. Ancient looking, yet pristine suits of armor lined the curved walls. Grey marble staircases streaked with red carpets wound their way up to hidden layers of the castle. And hallways ruled by vast paintings of scenery, people (many of the King himself), and events shot off in opposite directions leading to even more hallways and stunningly decorated rooms.
Before they could go anywhere, though, they heard the blaring of horns. Trumpets blared on the right side of the hall. Quickly, banner men and trumpet blowers and criers filled the right wing of the room. "Prepare for His Majesty the King," one crier called out, followed by another round of trumpet blowing. Maxim thought this, like everything else in the kingdom, was quite overdone, but everybody else did prepare themselves for King Kesef's arrival.
Soon the King, his closest advisors and his personal guard made their way into the room. Smiles, but no words came from the faces of the crown's cabinet. No expression came from the royal guard. This lasted until the procession reached the right staircase.
At this point the King spoke some inaudible words to one of his advisors and then straightened up again. His outfit was elaborate, with a robe of rich, dark red and jewels sparkling in everything he wore. Maxim was actually surprised to see no crown upon his head.
Turning to the gathering crowd, and those straining to hear from just outside the doors, the king said, "Greetings, townspeople and visitors. I trust that you have enjoyed your time here?" The crowd responded in loud cheers.
"Very well! I look forward to your attendance at the crowning ceremony as well," the king continued. More cheers and shouts followed this as well.
At this time another guard approached the king's entourage, spoke to one who looked like the Commander, who then quietly whispered to the king.
The king whispered something to an advisor on his left, and then the group was ready to ascend the stairs. The king waived, told the crowd to enjoy and then the trumpets blared once more and the royal convoy filed out of sight.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement at the sight of the king, as was Tia. She leaned over to Maxim and whispered, "The king seems pleasant enough." Maxim was less pleased and more cynical, however, turning to Tia and responding, "He sure does put on a good show."
As the crowd dissipated, Maxim and Tia picked up where they left off starting to tour the immense stone structure.
Whole wings housed certain eras of history, making no distinction between what some would designate myths and actual history. Of course, myth is often more real than people make out, and history is often less real.
Whole rooms were dedicated to specific people and places of history and lore. They contained replicated suits of armor and weapons, as well as paintings and writings (of some they claimed to have the originals). Many rooms contained richly ornamented manuscripts full of color.
As Maxim took in the various stories and depictions before him he felt a great peace about him. He wondered what his own journey might turn out to be. Would it be as fantastical as that which was immortalized in song and brush stroke before him? Valor and courage welled within him as he thought upon the adventures of the past. At this moment he felt he could do anything that life would require of him. And here he thought of the wonderfulness of his encounter with the Ilbaetz and their confidence of this journey he was on. These thoughts were finally broken by Tia's impatience to move on.
They wound their way through shining hallways, ornate rooms, and up and down staircases. Eventually they neared the royal throne room. There was much more security in this part of the castle and many more people. For it was this room that housed the crown that was to be placed upon the head of the prince and the king had set up a display so that everyone could see it's extravagance. You could only enter the room in twos or threes with the guide, however. Ten guards were present within the throne room at all times.
The line was relatively smaller at this time of the day, so Maxim and Tia did not have to wait too long. Once it was their turn they stepped inside the heavy, wooden doors. They opened into the most elaborate room of the whole castle. The most prized paintings, lamp stands from across the world, and the most expensive, hand-embroidered carpets adorned the room. Two silvery-white thrones sat at the far end on a platform raised upon four steps. The cushioning was a deep crimson, with light red jewels garnishing the silver trim. Guards were everywhere, making sure no one would try to steal the crown. And if someone got past them there was only one way to exit, where further guards awaited.
In between the two elaborate thrones stood a pedestal, with a glass case that housed the prince's coronet. The crown, itself, was made of alumina, a strong metal, and one of the more rare metals in the world today. It was of like color to silver, but shimmered reds, oranges, and greens depending on the source and intensity of the light upon it, especially outside. It would be bright and multi-colored in the day (and under indoor lighting, although to a lesser sharpness), but would form dark shades once night was upon the land.
The guide led the couple towards the pedestal and began speaking. "Our knights (perhaps an unworthy title for these men who were really no more than guards) guard the crown with their lives whilst it is on display. Nothing will get past them. No truer knights will you find in all of Estpolis." This of course, was another exaggeration for show, but Maxim just let the man speak. He did want to tell the gentleman the correct name for this planet, but held his tongue there as well, for he would have probably said more than just that.
The guide continued spouting off all sorts of frivolous, flashy information, but neither Maxim nor Tia paid much attention to him. Nor did he pay much attention to them, more concerned with his exaggerated claims than those he spoke (on an endless basis) to. Maxim and Tia focused instead on the guards, the decorations, and the crown once they reached as near the pedestal as they were allowed.
Its beauty was substantial, especially to Tia, but something seemed to be missing to Maxim. He did not gawk over the crown like the rest of the people in Alunze were doing. He didn't buy into all of this show and he was getting tired of it.
Soon their turn had come to an end and they were led back out of the throne room. The pair decided they had seen all of the castle they wanted to for the day, desiring just to head back to their rooms for the remainder of the night. Maxim did look forward to being able to spend more time within the libraries of the castle exhibits in the days to come, however.
It did not quite happen as they wanted it to, though. As they strode down one of the hallways, a couple of men came running from around a corner, and down a flight of steps. They stopped short of barreling into Maxim and Tia, but did knock into them. The two gentlemen hurriedly asked for pardons and then continued down the corridor from whence Maxim and Tia had just come.
Immediately Maxim felt the desire to follow these men to see what they were up to. At the same time he felt an urge to leave it all alone. Well, his curiosity got the better of him and Tia, despite her brief contestations, followed after.
Maxim was quite skilled, as you know, in the art of tracking, although he was never called upon to track humans. He helped keep Tia quietly following as well. And despite her original dissent to pursuing them, she was really beginning to enjoy this sort of sneak-around game.
They followed the men through a roped off room, which lead to another, and this one into another. Then they quietly raced down several flights of stairs.
It was a little bit harder to follow the two men beneath the Alunze castle, with its more serpentine halls and pathways. At one point they almost stumbled upon the criminals who had stopped in one of the hallways, but swiftly regained their concealment. The men had stopped to see if anyone was in the vicinity, but (luckily) did not see our friends.
The taller man took something out of his coat pocket wrapped in black cloth, and sat it before them on a high pedestal. Maxim could not hear what it was that they were saying, but he briefly saw what they uncovered, before they sheltered it again.
As the men wondered and whispered over their catch, Maxim appeared lost in thought. Tia asked him what he was thinking, almost too loudly. "They have stolen the royal crown, Tia," Maxim whispered in response. Then the men began to move again, yet Maxim did not.
"Why aren't we following them, Max?" Tia whispered her confusion.
"This whole kingdom is a show all about money, Tia, is it really worth helping them regain their centerpiece?"
"What does that have to do with anything? These men stole, and are you going to let them get away with it when we could do something about it? That's not right, Maxim."
"They're just getting what they deserve, Tia. Perhaps they will put less emphasis on their show and start to really care about people." Maxim started to leave in the opposite direction.
"Oh, you mean like you are caring for them and the wrong done to them, Max? The men are leaving now, we must follow them...or at least I am."
Maxim turned to her, trying to avert his gaze from her eyes, but couldn't and then a quick smile broke on his face. "I hate it when you're right, Tia. Let's go."
As they resumed the chase, Maxim wondered to himself how these criminals had got their hands on the royal diadem. It seemed to reinforce his scrutiny of the castle guards at least. Perhaps you are wondering the same. These thoughts soon made way for confusion on which way the criminals went, though. They reached an area of the basement floor that broke into five different paths, all looking similar and undisturbed.
They were at an impasse on which way to go and were just about to guess, when they heard a weak boom come from the furthest tunnel to the right. They rushed towards the direction of the blast, eventually stumbling upon a few guards that lay on the ground. The two men they were chasing were nowhere in sight.
Maxim ran over to the closest guard, shaking him and asking if he was all right. The man slowly came to his senses babbling, "Two...two men suddenly...th...the bomb..."
Impatiently Tia interrupted with, "That sound we heard a little while ago was a bomb they threw at you?"
Propping himself against the wall and Maxim's arm until he was standing, the guard answered, "No...no. All I remember is that the bomb exploded before it reached us."
The soldier then led Maxim and Tia to walk over to the other felled guards to check on them. He continued, "It shattered everywhere and fragments must have hit me. The others were closer to the explosion. I must have passed out. I'm not sure where the people went, except for in that direction," he said pointing to what was now his right. "I'm in no condition to follow them and these men need help as well. I will stay here, sound the distress signal, and wait for others to come. Please find these men, and help us to regain the crown."
"Of course," Maxim responded, leading Tia down the signified hallway. At least one soldier seemed to earn his position. After some backtrackings and dead ends they stumbled upon a door with a sign on it that read, "Underground Waterway Ahead. Unauthorized Trespassing is Forbidden." The chain locks had been cut and pried open, so Maxim and Tia decided to enter.
They quickly heard voices talking and Tia was the first to see the faces. The two men spotted them just as Maxim yelled out, 'don't move." Almost as quickly Maxim was jumping down into a trench with the thieves. Tia followed shortly thereafter.
"I, Berty, world renowned thief, applaud your efforts in following us this far. But you shouldn't have jumped down there, you see!" he called out with a laugh. With that he pulled a switch that caused a wall of steel- strength material, yet see-thru in appearance, to rise between them cutting the trench into two tunnels.
With another laugh Berty continued, 'surprised, are we? You weren't expectin' such terrible tricks underground, were you?"
"What do you mean, thief?" Tia yelled as Maxim looked for a way to reach the thieves.
"Are you ready to swim? The wily water's on its merry way." He turned to the other man (on a slightly raised platform) and said, "All right, Bart, do it now."
The other man, now unveiled as Bart, replied, "Right-o, boss." With that he pulled down another switch. As soon as this was done a mighty, thunderous roar began to build and draw near. Then a rush of water, foaming amongst itself as if in civil war, came pouring through the tunnel. Unfortunately for Bart and Berty, it came down the other side of the tunnel than what they wanted it to—their own. They were rapidly swept away out of sight without an audible sound from either one of them reaching Maxim's ears.
Maxim and Tia were astonished into immobility when the water first started rushing into the room. They were astonished into speechlessness when it swept down the two crooks" side of the tunnel.
It took a few minutes for the water to stop flowing and a little longer for the water level to lower completely. Tia was the first to see a glittering object caught on an outcropping in the furrow. "Look Maxim, the crown!" she exclaimed.
"Well, what do you know? They must have dropped the crown when their "wily" water washed them away. And the crown must have caught on that ledge." Maxim responded, partly happy (but well entertained) with the outcome of the situation.
"I guess luck was on our side today, Maxim."
"I'd prefer to be in situations where we didn't need it," he chuckled back to Tia. This preference was truly stronger than Maxim accepted, though.
Maxim found the switch to lower the tunnel divide and the two retrieved the crown from its perch.
"I wonder what happened to those two men?" Tia inquired.
"I have no idea how far the water carries things away or where to. Wherever they are, I'm sure they're not happy."
Finally, some reinforcements from the royal guard came through the door to the underground waterway Maxim and Tia were in. Tia recounted the story to the soldiers and presented them with the crown. The soldiers then lead them back upstairs to return the crown to and meet the king for their service to the kingdom.
They had to wait for a little while, however, while the king had his experts check the crown to make sure it was real, and unspoiled. They could not leave, however, because the king wanted to guard against this incident getting out into the public and starting rumors. In the meantime, Tia struck up a conversation with one of the friendlier guards that had been in the throne room during the day.
From one of the newer guards Maxim and Tia learned how the thieves had stolen the crown in the first place. After slight hesitation to speak about it the man finally gave in to their questions (largely due to Tia's appealing looks).
The two men wearing formal military dress claimed that their country, Bound Kingdom, had learned that the crown was an imitation. Although the Commander of the Royal Army voiced his disbelief of the claim, the king allowed the second, shorter man to inspect the crown.
The two thieves had mistakenly thought that they would be allowed to investigate the crown outside of the room, but King Kesef would not allow it.
The thieves froze and then produced a bomb, throwing it towards the guards surrounding the king, which scattered them. But it didn't go off, which created a laugh from Tia. Everyone was shocked, even the crooks.
But the two "World-Renowned Thiefs," which they liked to refer to themselves as, grabbed the crown and took for the door. As the soldiers followed the bomb finally went off...with little damage except throwing the guards off balance. This did give the thieves enough time to escape.
The King did not wish that this story would get out, so he ordered his soldiers to follow the robbers inconspicuously when in public site. Of course, this gave the burglars ample time to gain the separation they desired.
Tia was saved from further conversation she didn't really want when another guard told them the king requested their presence.
After the rich introductions, Maxim and Tia were brought before the king seated upon his silver and crimson throne.
In his most dignified voice the king spoke, "You are the ones who helped to retrieve our crown, did you not? Maxim and Tia?" Maxim thought it was much more than just help, but he held his tongue, and answered yes.
"On behalf of the kingdom I thank you both for your bravery and strength. I would also like to reward you with anything at my disposal. What would you ask of me?"
"We would ask nothing of your highness, King," Maxim responded and he meant just that even if it was not solely from the highest motives. It was more of Maxim wanting to make a statement (to no one in physicality) more than it had to do with selfless honor.
"What? You want nothing?" the king said, obviously taken aback by this unusual selflessness (at least unusual for Alunze). He was not at a lost on what to do, however. "I admire your generosity. I shall reward you with 300 gold pieces as a token of our appreciation for this great service you have done for the kingdom. Thank you once again.
"Due to your bravery the Ceremony for my son will go on as planned. You shall be given a seat of honor at the festivities. Its splendor will be unmatched and you and your family will have front row seats."
"Your kindness is too great, King," Maxim responded, even though he housed much doubt about the king and his motivations of life. He was somewhat shocked at how much the King parted with for them, however. He had never seen so much money at one time. It was keeping in line with the King's inclination to overdo everything, but Maxim figured the King would be stingy in matters such as these.
With that, their meeting with King Kesef was over and they were ushered outside of the throne room. They were given royal guest quarters (and reimbursed for their previous purchase of rooms at the inn). Their family would also be able to partake in the royal guest rooms once they arrived the next day.
They also were invited to dinner that night, although the King was unable to make it. Maxim and Tia did not mind this, however, and luckily not many of the nobility were there either. The meal was sumptuous and very filling, which gave Alunze a slightly better impression in Maxim's mind.
-----------------------------
Over the next couple of days, Maxim and Tia split their time with her family, their friends, and the festivities. Plenty of food was eaten and plenty of feet made sore. The Crowning Ceremony of Prince Kese came, with an immense amount of pomp and circumstance, of which Maxim and Tia were honored for their deeds, although it was downplayed somewhat and the Kingdom and its soldiers were put in a much better light than reality had them on that day. This did not shock either Maxim or Tia.
Amongst the festival Tia came into contact and quick friendship with a girl from the city of Tanbel (which is also under the authority of the King of Alunze) by the name of Hilda. It came to happen that she invited Tia and Maxim to visit her in Tanbel (she ran an inn with her brother there). So, with a growing weariness of the kingdom of Alunze (including the countless people who thanked them for their help in restoring the crown to the King's possession) and nothing better planned, Maxim decided that that would be the best course of action to take.
Good-byes were said to Tia's family and their few friends, while the reasons were mostly (if not fully) disclosed. Some wondered at their strange plans and some did not fully understand what Maxim and Tia were pursuing. But farewells were nonetheless given.
It was quickly decided that they would leave early the next morning after an early breakfast. And so they did.
The Alunze Crown
Alunze Castle was built on completely flat land, as all land of that area pretty much was, and the castle loomed over the surrounding grounds and town. Obviously this would leave it open to attack, but that had not been a danger in this part of Estpolis for hundreds of years. Its age was obviously less than that. The castle was built much more for appearances. This could be seen in everything from the pristine gray marble-like stone to the rich tapestries and banners waving in the wind. Windows outlined in rich, dark reds and royal blues were embedded throughout the castle adding to the castle's costly show.
They had spent much of the next two days of travel talking about Ilberet, the Ilbaetz, the Keeper, and all that was said. This was easy to do as the scenery never really changed and they had grown tired of looking at the rolling plains with brown-tinged grass. Only now did Maxim realize how brilliantly green the Forest had been. And every sense strained at the memory of the bed of spruce leaves.
And then, on the seventh day since they left Elcid, the view of Alunze Castle came into view. It started as a speck in the midday's sun, but quickly grew into quite the spectacle. They were about to re-enter human society. And they did so with a tinge of disappointment.
The first structure they reached in the town, though, was one of the local inns. They reserved three rooms (to help house Tia's family that should be arriving the next day) for a haggled down, yet still expensive price and a spot in the stables for their horses.
The innkeeper had spoken much of tradition and history with them, but Alunze was much less a real part of what he spoke and more akin to a historian of it. It tried to relive (and benefit from) that which it never experienced.
They locked their equipment in their rooms,
stabled the horse, and then decided to take a look
at the King's Castle.
It then took a quarter of an hour to reach the castle gates. To get there they had to walk through the middle of the town, passing different buildings usually housing shops, but now emptied. Almost every storeowner had moved his or her business to within the castle walls to be closer to the crowds and the money flowing freely.
Personal appearances, especially of homes, seemed to be just as important to the townspeople as it did to the king. They may not have had the extravagance the king had access to, but their desires matched perfectly. At another house (made of a lighter wood than the other houses surrounding it) they saw an elderly couple sitting and talking in the sunshine. Most of the town had been deserted, though. Hundreds upon hundreds of people were milling about just without and within the castle walls instead.
The final obstacle before the castle came in the form of an elaborate white stone bridge that shone as newly polished marble does. The worn path that extended from the bridge was lined with even more elaborate white lamp stands. They also passed castle guards dressed in white embroidered red jackets with pressed, white pants. They obviously knew something about protection, but it was little compared to many who claimed themselves to be knights. These were definitely meant more for show than defense.
As they reached the castle gate entrance Maxim and Tia saw exactly how big it was, towering above them and stretching out away from them. The marble stone was grayish-white and looked to be freshly polished as well. Maxim was fascinated by the architecture and beauty the people of Alunze had created. The greater part of his heart still lay with the creation of the world outside of man-made walls, however. All Tia could say was, "Look how big it is."
Upon entering through the gate a festive world opened unto them. Vendors of all kinds were selling trinkets and foods of all variations. They passed jewelry said to be from the furthest reaches of the world. Kids at their parent's heels requested every kind of toy Maxim had ever seen, and many he had not.
The smells of all sorts of roasted meats and the sights of various sweets, like candied apples, caught their attentions. There was fruit as well, but these, too, were overly sweetened. Maxim and Tia were eager to indulge in the castle's treats. And they did so, snacking throughout their viewing of the pride of Alunze.
Costumed performers also littered the open courtyards, entertaining the crowds with everything from magic to laughter to drama. The castle, in fact, had been like this for the last two weeks (and many weeks before that were spent in preparation), all in anticipation of the crowning of the prince and the visitors it would bring. When the king put on a show, he tried to make sure the townsfolk and visitors were going to be talking about it (and him) until next year's extravaganza.
After glimpsing at much the open castle air had to offer, Maxim and Tia decided to look through the castle interior. The opening reception hall was immense, larger than any house Maxim had ever visited or seen. Silver and crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. Ancient looking, yet pristine suits of armor lined the curved walls. Grey marble staircases streaked with red carpets wound their way up to hidden layers of the castle. And hallways ruled by vast paintings of scenery, people (many of the King himself), and events shot off in opposite directions leading to even more hallways and stunningly decorated rooms.
Before they could go anywhere, though, they heard the blaring of horns. Trumpets blared on the right side of the hall. Quickly, banner men and trumpet blowers and criers filled the right wing of the room. "Prepare for His Majesty the King," one crier called out, followed by another round of trumpet blowing. Maxim thought this, like everything else in the kingdom, was quite overdone, but everybody else did prepare themselves for King Kesef's arrival.
Soon the King, his closest advisors and his personal guard made their way into the room. Smiles, but no words came from the faces of the crown's cabinet. No expression came from the royal guard. This lasted until the procession reached the right staircase.
At this point the King spoke some inaudible words to one of his advisors and then straightened up again. His outfit was elaborate, with a robe of rich, dark red and jewels sparkling in everything he wore. Maxim was actually surprised to see no crown upon his head.
Turning to the gathering crowd, and those straining to hear from just outside the doors, the king said, "Greetings, townspeople and visitors. I trust that you have enjoyed your time here?" The crowd responded in loud cheers.
"Very well! I look forward to your attendance at the crowning ceremony as well," the king continued. More cheers and shouts followed this as well.
At this time another guard approached the king's entourage, spoke to one who looked like the Commander, who then quietly whispered to the king.
The king whispered something to an advisor on his left, and then the group was ready to ascend the stairs. The king waived, told the crowd to enjoy and then the trumpets blared once more and the royal convoy filed out of sight.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement at the sight of the king, as was Tia. She leaned over to Maxim and whispered, "The king seems pleasant enough." Maxim was less pleased and more cynical, however, turning to Tia and responding, "He sure does put on a good show."
As the crowd dissipated, Maxim and Tia picked up where they left off starting to tour the immense stone structure.
Whole wings housed certain eras of history, making no distinction between what some would designate myths and actual history. Of course, myth is often more real than people make out, and history is often less real.
Whole rooms were dedicated to specific people and places of history and lore. They contained replicated suits of armor and weapons, as well as paintings and writings (of some they claimed to have the originals). Many rooms contained richly ornamented manuscripts full of color.
As Maxim took in the various stories and depictions before him he felt a great peace about him. He wondered what his own journey might turn out to be. Would it be as fantastical as that which was immortalized in song and brush stroke before him? Valor and courage welled within him as he thought upon the adventures of the past. At this moment he felt he could do anything that life would require of him. And here he thought of the wonderfulness of his encounter with the Ilbaetz and their confidence of this journey he was on. These thoughts were finally broken by Tia's impatience to move on.
They wound their way through shining hallways, ornate rooms, and up and down staircases. Eventually they neared the royal throne room. There was much more security in this part of the castle and many more people. For it was this room that housed the crown that was to be placed upon the head of the prince and the king had set up a display so that everyone could see it's extravagance. You could only enter the room in twos or threes with the guide, however. Ten guards were present within the throne room at all times.
The line was relatively smaller at this time of the day, so Maxim and Tia did not have to wait too long. Once it was their turn they stepped inside the heavy, wooden doors. They opened into the most elaborate room of the whole castle. The most prized paintings, lamp stands from across the world, and the most expensive, hand-embroidered carpets adorned the room. Two silvery-white thrones sat at the far end on a platform raised upon four steps. The cushioning was a deep crimson, with light red jewels garnishing the silver trim. Guards were everywhere, making sure no one would try to steal the crown. And if someone got past them there was only one way to exit, where further guards awaited.
In between the two elaborate thrones stood a pedestal, with a glass case that housed the prince's coronet. The crown, itself, was made of alumina, a strong metal, and one of the more rare metals in the world today. It was of like color to silver, but shimmered reds, oranges, and greens depending on the source and intensity of the light upon it, especially outside. It would be bright and multi-colored in the day (and under indoor lighting, although to a lesser sharpness), but would form dark shades once night was upon the land.
The guide led the couple towards the pedestal and began speaking. "Our knights (perhaps an unworthy title for these men who were really no more than guards) guard the crown with their lives whilst it is on display. Nothing will get past them. No truer knights will you find in all of Estpolis." This of course, was another exaggeration for show, but Maxim just let the man speak. He did want to tell the gentleman the correct name for this planet, but held his tongue there as well, for he would have probably said more than just that.
The guide continued spouting off all sorts of frivolous, flashy information, but neither Maxim nor Tia paid much attention to him. Nor did he pay much attention to them, more concerned with his exaggerated claims than those he spoke (on an endless basis) to. Maxim and Tia focused instead on the guards, the decorations, and the crown once they reached as near the pedestal as they were allowed.
Its beauty was substantial, especially to Tia, but something seemed to be missing to Maxim. He did not gawk over the crown like the rest of the people in Alunze were doing. He didn't buy into all of this show and he was getting tired of it.
Soon their turn had come to an end and they were led back out of the throne room. The pair decided they had seen all of the castle they wanted to for the day, desiring just to head back to their rooms for the remainder of the night. Maxim did look forward to being able to spend more time within the libraries of the castle exhibits in the days to come, however.
It did not quite happen as they wanted it to, though. As they strode down one of the hallways, a couple of men came running from around a corner, and down a flight of steps. They stopped short of barreling into Maxim and Tia, but did knock into them. The two gentlemen hurriedly asked for pardons and then continued down the corridor from whence Maxim and Tia had just come.
Immediately Maxim felt the desire to follow these men to see what they were up to. At the same time he felt an urge to leave it all alone. Well, his curiosity got the better of him and Tia, despite her brief contestations, followed after.
Maxim was quite skilled, as you know, in the art of tracking, although he was never called upon to track humans. He helped keep Tia quietly following as well. And despite her original dissent to pursuing them, she was really beginning to enjoy this sort of sneak-around game.
They followed the men through a roped off room, which lead to another, and this one into another. Then they quietly raced down several flights of stairs.
It was a little bit harder to follow the two men beneath the Alunze castle, with its more serpentine halls and pathways. At one point they almost stumbled upon the criminals who had stopped in one of the hallways, but swiftly regained their concealment. The men had stopped to see if anyone was in the vicinity, but (luckily) did not see our friends.
The taller man took something out of his coat pocket wrapped in black cloth, and sat it before them on a high pedestal. Maxim could not hear what it was that they were saying, but he briefly saw what they uncovered, before they sheltered it again.
As the men wondered and whispered over their catch, Maxim appeared lost in thought. Tia asked him what he was thinking, almost too loudly. "They have stolen the royal crown, Tia," Maxim whispered in response. Then the men began to move again, yet Maxim did not.
"Why aren't we following them, Max?" Tia whispered her confusion.
"This whole kingdom is a show all about money, Tia, is it really worth helping them regain their centerpiece?"
"What does that have to do with anything? These men stole, and are you going to let them get away with it when we could do something about it? That's not right, Maxim."
"They're just getting what they deserve, Tia. Perhaps they will put less emphasis on their show and start to really care about people." Maxim started to leave in the opposite direction.
"Oh, you mean like you are caring for them and the wrong done to them, Max? The men are leaving now, we must follow them...or at least I am."
Maxim turned to her, trying to avert his gaze from her eyes, but couldn't and then a quick smile broke on his face. "I hate it when you're right, Tia. Let's go."
As they resumed the chase, Maxim wondered to himself how these criminals had got their hands on the royal diadem. It seemed to reinforce his scrutiny of the castle guards at least. Perhaps you are wondering the same. These thoughts soon made way for confusion on which way the criminals went, though. They reached an area of the basement floor that broke into five different paths, all looking similar and undisturbed.
They were at an impasse on which way to go and were just about to guess, when they heard a weak boom come from the furthest tunnel to the right. They rushed towards the direction of the blast, eventually stumbling upon a few guards that lay on the ground. The two men they were chasing were nowhere in sight.
Maxim ran over to the closest guard, shaking him and asking if he was all right. The man slowly came to his senses babbling, "Two...two men suddenly...th...the bomb..."
Impatiently Tia interrupted with, "That sound we heard a little while ago was a bomb they threw at you?"
Propping himself against the wall and Maxim's arm until he was standing, the guard answered, "No...no. All I remember is that the bomb exploded before it reached us."
The soldier then led Maxim and Tia to walk over to the other felled guards to check on them. He continued, "It shattered everywhere and fragments must have hit me. The others were closer to the explosion. I must have passed out. I'm not sure where the people went, except for in that direction," he said pointing to what was now his right. "I'm in no condition to follow them and these men need help as well. I will stay here, sound the distress signal, and wait for others to come. Please find these men, and help us to regain the crown."
"Of course," Maxim responded, leading Tia down the signified hallway. At least one soldier seemed to earn his position. After some backtrackings and dead ends they stumbled upon a door with a sign on it that read, "Underground Waterway Ahead. Unauthorized Trespassing is Forbidden." The chain locks had been cut and pried open, so Maxim and Tia decided to enter.
They quickly heard voices talking and Tia was the first to see the faces. The two men spotted them just as Maxim yelled out, 'don't move." Almost as quickly Maxim was jumping down into a trench with the thieves. Tia followed shortly thereafter.
"I, Berty, world renowned thief, applaud your efforts in following us this far. But you shouldn't have jumped down there, you see!" he called out with a laugh. With that he pulled a switch that caused a wall of steel- strength material, yet see-thru in appearance, to rise between them cutting the trench into two tunnels.
With another laugh Berty continued, 'surprised, are we? You weren't expectin' such terrible tricks underground, were you?"
"What do you mean, thief?" Tia yelled as Maxim looked for a way to reach the thieves.
"Are you ready to swim? The wily water's on its merry way." He turned to the other man (on a slightly raised platform) and said, "All right, Bart, do it now."
The other man, now unveiled as Bart, replied, "Right-o, boss." With that he pulled down another switch. As soon as this was done a mighty, thunderous roar began to build and draw near. Then a rush of water, foaming amongst itself as if in civil war, came pouring through the tunnel. Unfortunately for Bart and Berty, it came down the other side of the tunnel than what they wanted it to—their own. They were rapidly swept away out of sight without an audible sound from either one of them reaching Maxim's ears.
Maxim and Tia were astonished into immobility when the water first started rushing into the room. They were astonished into speechlessness when it swept down the two crooks" side of the tunnel.
It took a few minutes for the water to stop flowing and a little longer for the water level to lower completely. Tia was the first to see a glittering object caught on an outcropping in the furrow. "Look Maxim, the crown!" she exclaimed.
"Well, what do you know? They must have dropped the crown when their "wily" water washed them away. And the crown must have caught on that ledge." Maxim responded, partly happy (but well entertained) with the outcome of the situation.
"I guess luck was on our side today, Maxim."
"I'd prefer to be in situations where we didn't need it," he chuckled back to Tia. This preference was truly stronger than Maxim accepted, though.
Maxim found the switch to lower the tunnel divide and the two retrieved the crown from its perch.
"I wonder what happened to those two men?" Tia inquired.
"I have no idea how far the water carries things away or where to. Wherever they are, I'm sure they're not happy."
Finally, some reinforcements from the royal guard came through the door to the underground waterway Maxim and Tia were in. Tia recounted the story to the soldiers and presented them with the crown. The soldiers then lead them back upstairs to return the crown to and meet the king for their service to the kingdom.
They had to wait for a little while, however, while the king had his experts check the crown to make sure it was real, and unspoiled. They could not leave, however, because the king wanted to guard against this incident getting out into the public and starting rumors. In the meantime, Tia struck up a conversation with one of the friendlier guards that had been in the throne room during the day.
From one of the newer guards Maxim and Tia learned how the thieves had stolen the crown in the first place. After slight hesitation to speak about it the man finally gave in to their questions (largely due to Tia's appealing looks).
The two men wearing formal military dress claimed that their country, Bound Kingdom, had learned that the crown was an imitation. Although the Commander of the Royal Army voiced his disbelief of the claim, the king allowed the second, shorter man to inspect the crown.
The two thieves had mistakenly thought that they would be allowed to investigate the crown outside of the room, but King Kesef would not allow it.
The thieves froze and then produced a bomb, throwing it towards the guards surrounding the king, which scattered them. But it didn't go off, which created a laugh from Tia. Everyone was shocked, even the crooks.
But the two "World-Renowned Thiefs," which they liked to refer to themselves as, grabbed the crown and took for the door. As the soldiers followed the bomb finally went off...with little damage except throwing the guards off balance. This did give the thieves enough time to escape.
The King did not wish that this story would get out, so he ordered his soldiers to follow the robbers inconspicuously when in public site. Of course, this gave the burglars ample time to gain the separation they desired.
Tia was saved from further conversation she didn't really want when another guard told them the king requested their presence.
After the rich introductions, Maxim and Tia were brought before the king seated upon his silver and crimson throne.
In his most dignified voice the king spoke, "You are the ones who helped to retrieve our crown, did you not? Maxim and Tia?" Maxim thought it was much more than just help, but he held his tongue, and answered yes.
"On behalf of the kingdom I thank you both for your bravery and strength. I would also like to reward you with anything at my disposal. What would you ask of me?"
"We would ask nothing of your highness, King," Maxim responded and he meant just that even if it was not solely from the highest motives. It was more of Maxim wanting to make a statement (to no one in physicality) more than it had to do with selfless honor.
"What? You want nothing?" the king said, obviously taken aback by this unusual selflessness (at least unusual for Alunze). He was not at a lost on what to do, however. "I admire your generosity. I shall reward you with 300 gold pieces as a token of our appreciation for this great service you have done for the kingdom. Thank you once again.
"Due to your bravery the Ceremony for my son will go on as planned. You shall be given a seat of honor at the festivities. Its splendor will be unmatched and you and your family will have front row seats."
"Your kindness is too great, King," Maxim responded, even though he housed much doubt about the king and his motivations of life. He was somewhat shocked at how much the King parted with for them, however. He had never seen so much money at one time. It was keeping in line with the King's inclination to overdo everything, but Maxim figured the King would be stingy in matters such as these.
With that, their meeting with King Kesef was over and they were ushered outside of the throne room. They were given royal guest quarters (and reimbursed for their previous purchase of rooms at the inn). Their family would also be able to partake in the royal guest rooms once they arrived the next day.
They also were invited to dinner that night, although the King was unable to make it. Maxim and Tia did not mind this, however, and luckily not many of the nobility were there either. The meal was sumptuous and very filling, which gave Alunze a slightly better impression in Maxim's mind.
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Over the next couple of days, Maxim and Tia split their time with her family, their friends, and the festivities. Plenty of food was eaten and plenty of feet made sore. The Crowning Ceremony of Prince Kese came, with an immense amount of pomp and circumstance, of which Maxim and Tia were honored for their deeds, although it was downplayed somewhat and the Kingdom and its soldiers were put in a much better light than reality had them on that day. This did not shock either Maxim or Tia.
Amongst the festival Tia came into contact and quick friendship with a girl from the city of Tanbel (which is also under the authority of the King of Alunze) by the name of Hilda. It came to happen that she invited Tia and Maxim to visit her in Tanbel (she ran an inn with her brother there). So, with a growing weariness of the kingdom of Alunze (including the countless people who thanked them for their help in restoring the crown to the King's possession) and nothing better planned, Maxim decided that that would be the best course of action to take.
Good-byes were said to Tia's family and their few friends, while the reasons were mostly (if not fully) disclosed. Some wondered at their strange plans and some did not fully understand what Maxim and Tia were pursuing. But farewells were nonetheless given.
It was quickly decided that they would leave early the next morning after an early breakfast. And so they did.