A few hours pass. Azril notices the Riders have begun to congregate near the center of Paladeen. The prince will be arriving soon.
He drifts by the group, though not wanting to get too distracted in case of missing Maicyn.
Drawing closer, Azril sees Maicyn standing with Dernis, Kira, and their parents in front of the tower. All seem to be dressed in their finest clothing. Olifin, Kaigan, and Aretgarlja crouch behind them, posturing proudly. The other Riders flank the Jiwovzes and their companions, leaving the other inhabitants of Paladeen to line up along the path. Eldren and Zariana do not appear to be present.
It looks something like this, where the X's represent regular people, the R's are other Riders, the J's are the Jiwovzes (not shown individually, just the positioning), and the D's are the three dragons, with the tower behind them:
He drifts by the group, though not wanting to get too distracted in case of missing Maicyn.
Drawing closer, Azril sees Maicyn standing with Dernis, Kira, and their parents in front of the tower. All seem to be dressed in their finest clothing. Olifin, Kaigan, and Aretgarlja crouch behind them, posturing proudly. The other Riders flank the Jiwovzes and their companions, leaving the other inhabitants of Paladeen to line up along the path. Eldren and Zariana do not appear to be present.
It looks something like this, where the X's represent regular people, the R's are other Riders, the J's are the Jiwovzes (not shown individually, just the positioning), and the D's are the three dragons, with the tower behind them:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXRR JD JD JD XXXXXXXXXXXXXRR
Interested by the new activity, Azril steals into the group of Riders in search of someone who can tell him what is going on and what he ought to do.
Drawing closer, Azril sees Maicyn standing with Dernis, Kira, and their parents in front of the tower. All seem to be dressed in their finest clothing. Olifin, Kaigan, and Aretgarlja crouch behind them, posturing proudly. The other Riders flank the Jiwovzes and their companions, leaving the other inhabitants of Paladeen to line up along the path. Eldren and Zariana do not appear to be present.
It looks something like this, where the X's represent regular people, the R's are other Riders, the J's are the Jiwovzes (not shown individually, just the positioning), and the D's are the three dragons, with the tower behind them:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXRR JD JD JD XXXXXXXXXXXXXRR
Interested by the new activity, Azril steals into the group of Riders in search of someone who can tell him what is going on and what he ought to do.
He finds Obsȃr in the crowd with his apprentices "Prince Oruss 'as almost reached the compound. We're waiting to watch his arrival. You should stand next to the other Riders."
Interested by the new activity, Azril steals into the group of Riders in search of someone who can tell him what is going on and what he ought to do.
He finds Obsȃr in the crowd with his apprentices "Prince Oruss 'as almost reached the compound. We're waiting to watch his arrival. You should stand next to the other Riders."
He finds Obsȃr in the crowd with his apprentices "Prince Oruss 'as almost reached the compound. We're waiting to watch his arrival. You should stand next to the other Riders."
"Right." Hastily he joins his group.
Together, they all stand and wait. There is some light conversation, but for the most part people are trying to wait respectfully. The better part of an hour passes, and then Azril can see the column approaching in the distance. Zariana and Eldren are at the lead, wearing much finer clothing than Azril has ever seen them in before. They are followed by rows of marching soldiers, some wearing dark armor with dark green surcoats that show the image of a bronze dragon. The others are in lighter, more ornate armor. Azril realizes they must be elves. And at the very back is a young man a few years older than Dernis, dark-haired, wearing red -- Prince Oruss. He is flanked by two more soldiers of the dragon knights, a an older woman, unsmiling, and a friendly-looking younger man.
Together, they all stand and wait. There is some light conversation, but for the most part people are trying to wait respectfully. The better part of an hour passes, and then Azril can see the column approaching in the distance. Zariana and Eldren are at the lead, wearing much finer clothing than Azril has ever seen them in before. They are followed by rows of marching soldiers, some wearing dark armor with dark green surcoats that show the image of a bronze dragon. The others are in lighter, more ornate armor. Azril realizes they must be elves. And at the very back is a young man a few years older than Dernis, dark-haired, wearing red -- Prince Oruss. He is flanked by two more soldiers of the dragon knights, a an older woman, unsmiling, and a friendly-looking younger man.
"Whoa..." New to the formalities of royalty, he mutters, "Who are all these people?"
Together, they all stand and wait. There is some light conversation, but for the most part people are trying to wait respectfully. The better part of an hour passes, and then Azril can see the column approaching in the distance. Zariana and Eldren are at the lead, wearing much finer clothing than Azril has ever seen them in before. They are followed by rows of marching soldiers, some wearing dark armor with dark green surcoats that show the image of a bronze dragon. The others are in lighter, more ornate armor. Azril realizes they must be elves. And at the very back is a young man a few years older than Dernis, dark-haired, wearing red -- Prince Oruss. He is flanked by two more soldiers of the dragon knights, a an older woman, unsmiling, and a friendly-looking younger man.
"Whoa..." New to the formalities of royalty, he mutters, "Who are all these people?"
"Prince Oruss, his guards, and the escort from the elves," replies someone standing next to him.
As they watch, the procession continues forward. When Zariana and Eldren reach the Jiwovzes, they stop and step aside. The rest of the guards follow suit, leaving a space for the prince to proceed. He continues forward, stopping when he faces Hithrol. The Jiwovzes bow, and the rest of the crowd follows suit. "Welcome, Prince Oruss, to Paladeen."
"Whoa..." New to the formalities of royalty, he mutters, "Who are all these people?"
"Prince Oruss, his guards, and the escort from the elves," replies someone standing next to him.
As they watch, the procession continues forward. When Zariana and Eldren reach the Jiwovzes, they stop and step aside. The rest of the guards follow suit, leaving a space for the prince to proceed. He continues forward, stopping when he faces Hithrol. The Jiwovzes bow, and the rest of the crowd follows suit. "Welcome, Prince Oruss, to Paladeen."
"Prince Oruss, his guards, and the escort from the elves," replies someone standing next to him.
As they watch, the procession continues forward. When Zariana and Eldren reach the Jiwovzes, they stop and step aside. The rest of the guards follow suit, leaving a space for the prince to proceed. He continues forward, stopping when he faces Hithrol. The Jiwovzes bow, and the rest of the crowd follows suit. "Welcome, Prince Oruss, to Paladeen."
Azril sees everyone bowing and bows with them.
When he finishes bowing, Hithrol introduces Prince Oruss to his family. He then leads the prince into the tower, followed by Tya, Dernis, the man and woman who were flanking the prince during the procession, and one of the elven soldiers. Slowly, the crowd begins to dissipate.
