"Hmmm!" The King emitted an inquisitive hum, drawing his attention away from his wife and acknowledging her with a nod. Seemingly synchronized by an unspoken signal, the Queen turned her gaze to me and posed her question, her intent clear as she asked, "And the woman you're carrying—did you arrive here together, or did you meet her here?" Her focused gaze locked onto mine, awaiting my response.
While her question struck me as somewhat strange, I found it oddly understandable given the context and understood the underlying curiosity she was expressing.
"Yes," I affirmed with a nod, "She came here with me as well. But, she's not in the best condition, as you can see," I added with a tinge of concern in my voice.
My journey through the mountain had extended for several hours, blurring the sense of time and making it feel like days had passed. The surging Vylkr energy within me had been intensifying, further amplifying my discomfort.
Honestly, I couldn't quite fathom how I managed to maintain this façade of calmness while conversing with them. However, to sustain the charade, I quickly continued, "In the name of Naka, I would deeply appreciate it if you could do anything to help her recover."
My words were a sincere plea, driven by the hope that they possessed the means to heal Saria. I couldn't be certain, but considering how Anara had mended my injuries with her abilities and the ancestral pool, I hoped they held a way to heal Saria... or at least, I hoped that they would try.
I observed how their eyes widened briefly before returning to normal. The Queen examined me, her gaze sharp as if searching for any hint of deception in my appearance or words.
Fortunately, it seemed that her scrutiny found no lie. She turned her attention to the King, exchanging a silent communication before they both nodded in agreement.
"I will leave this matter to you then," the King stated. "I have some pressing matters to attend to and need to arrange the next meeting, as well as come up with a way to prevent the other clans from acting recklessly. News like this spreads quickly, especially with the involvement of that young girl," he added, prompting a wry smile from the Queen.
The King's gaze shifted to me, "I shall take my leave then," he expressed, his eyes lingering on both Saria and me once more before he began to stride away, making his way towards the exit. "Clap!! Clap!!" A sequence of rhythmic claps echoed through the hall, and in response, the massive doors swung open, flanked by two rows of guards stationed on either side.
As the King exited, the doors remained ajar, and from one of the guard rows, a contingent approached us, forming a defensive circle around me.
"Follow me," the Queen instructed, her gaze directed at me as she took the lead. "I will guide you to a place where she can rest, and where we can have a more peaceful conversation."
A sigh escaped me internally as I could now loosen my facade a little, with the King gone and the Queen in front of me. Though it was worth holding myself back from being distracted by her incredibly large titties which I hadn't noticed before because she was sitting far away, now that she was walking in front of me, her shapely watermelon-like ass caught my attention, causing my attention and my penis to stand.
My thoughts also wandered to her fleshy thighs, and how her gown and robe revealed her red panties due to how the hems in the front were sewn.
Damn it! I held myself back from entertaining imaginary thoughts, understanding that I still didn't know what their culture was like, even though it appeared that they also served Naka as their god.
Honestly, I couldn't help but start to doubt if Naka was a genuine god or a man-made god similar to White Flame.
Many things could have transpired during that time, including the invasion. From what I had seen, it seemed like White Flame was recounting events based on his own experiences. As such, I kept my hopes up to learn more about the past and how everything had changed and evolved into its current state.
Breaking free from my thoughts, my attention shifted to the formation of guards flanking the path, five on each side, with an additional pair at the front, standing as guardians for the queen. Strangely, something I hadn't fully registered earlier became apparent now – there appeared to be more women among the guards than men.
I had glimpsed the same trend as I entered the kingdom, though I hadn't bothered to count, focusing on potential threats rather than the gender composition of a possible enemy. At that point, these differences seemed rather insignificant to me.
Regardless, as I observed them now, I realized that three out of every five guards were women, while the remaining two were men – alternating from right to left, with an exception behind me where four stood – and my brows knitted in confusion.
Despite this, I didn't neglect to survey my surroundings and take in the details of the path we were traversing. This vigilance was crucial, just as it was to remain prepared for any potential attacks that might suddenly appear.
After a long stroll of around twenty minutes, indicating just how large the castle was, the Queen's voice suddenly sounded in my ears, "We have arrived," she announced, coming to a halt before a door adorned with a splendid array of gems and crystals.
I watched attentively as the two guards by her side gently pushed the door open, revealing a room that I could just about discern from my current vantage point.
Realizing that I wasn't being thrown into a grim prison cell or a dark dungeon, I immediately felt the tension on my shoulders releasing as I sighed in relief.
"Call me Madam Seraphina, Mrs Marisela, and Valeria," the Queen's unexpected words reached my ears as she conversed with the two guards.
She quickly added, "And don't forget to summon Thoren as well; we need every skilled healer presently within the castle."
