The doors were gradually shut behind them, muffling the partying sounds of moans and orgy noises. The woman who had introduced herself as Lynorr, Queen of Rocheveron stood before them, giving her best “stay calm and everything will be alright” kind of smile. And although they could guess that she was in her middle age, she was still much too young to be married to that… man. The drunk and orgy party excited the king of Rocheveron. Of all the welcomes Ryder had had to face and deal with, this was the most unexpected, and to think that this was the kingdom disturbing his border at Eldham.

He had gone to meet with the King Duras Krinn of Rocheveron, accompanied only by the queen not too long ago while Dimian stayed with Iris, Xanth, and Lyra behind the door and away from the banquet hall. He was more than displeased and he did not try at all to hide it when the drunk king had tried to make him drink the wine from his goblet in his merry, Ryder had pushed aside the cup in anger and disgust, causing the people around that had seen what he had done to gasp, but the king just laughed out and requested for another cup to be brought.

The fact that the king had been so shameless as to be seated totally and completely naked on the throne of Rocheveron made him want to dethrone the clown immediately. He looked at the queen who had an uncomfortably calm appearance and that same calm smile that was beginning to irritate Ryder and he frowned at her, partly wondering what she must have seen in him that would have made her agree to marry… he looked back at the man they called king… this.

“He will welcome me when he is in his right senses.” He told the queen and turned away from the man who was still calling him out rather loudly to come “join in the fun and merriment”.

“Your people have been taken to the rooms prepared for them in the castle.” The queen told him after they had stepped out of the hall. He nodded in response and she smiled and continued. “And your soldiers will be well taken care of.”

“I should thank you for your hospitality and for having us as such short notice, queen of Rocheveron.” He said just for the sake of sounding polite, but he still could not hide the irritation in his voice.

“Please,” She chuckled. “Call me Lynorr, My Lord. Queen of Rocheveron makes me sound older than I am.”

“Well, are you not?”

She was leading him through the verandas alongside the side of the castle, the sun was still low in the sky as it was just morning and it shone heavily on this side so Ryder knew that they were on the east side of the castle.

Lynorr chuckled at his words but still maintained her queenly composure. “I am only forty-nine years old, My Lord. That is hardly old.”

Well yes, that was hardly old, in fact, that was very young and considered to still be the age of a child but only if you were an Axeris or Khione or any of the other non-humans that lived for a very long time. Lynorr of Rocheveron was not, she and the rest of her subjects were humans and forty-nine was middle-aged.

“Hardly old but married to an unfit and much older person who claims the throne of Rocheveron.”

“My husband can be very…” She paused a bit, searching for the right words to use. “Carefree and wild when he feels the need to be merry.”

He glanced over his shoulder at her and scoffed. “Carefree and wild should not be made to lead a kingdom, and to think that it was such a man who had dared to cause me trouble at Eldham.”

Her shoes clicked on the stone tiles as she walked a bit faster to keep up with Ryder’s pace, he walked like he knew exactly where he was going, but then it was a rather long and straight veranda so… “The king had not orchestrated the attack and disturbance that had happened at the Eldham border.” She defended and that caused Ryder to slow down and turn to look at her.

“Oh?”

She smiled and looked away from him, her hands placed above the other in front of her. “Commander Dimian means well for Rocheveron and he wants to expand the territory for the glory of it.”

“Well then, he should have gone expanding elsewhere as I do not take it lightly when someone tries to acquire what is already mine.” He said and turned away to continue walking. “Now Rocheveron would have to bear the loss of its soldiers at the border.”

“It is a bit difficult ruling the kingdom as it is without a… capable man for a king as you have seen and mentioned.” She said and Ryder smirked, glad that she at least admitted it. “But Dimian makes my work a bit easier for me as Queen, stepping in where the king cannot.”

“Even in your chambers and bed space?” Ryder casually threw the words at her over his shoulder without stopping, but when he heard her footsteps slow down, he knew that he was not wrong. He turned to her, she blushed in embarrassment and would not meet his gaze. “I have no intention of judging you and neither do I have the intention of sabotage, you do what you do because it pleases you, whatever you or the king or your commander does is none of my concern. But when it concerns me is when it affects what is mine, I will not stand for that.”

Lynorr bowed slightly to him and spoke. “I should thank you for your understanding Lord Ryder of Astaroth, and I once again apologize for the commander’s mistakes.”

He hummed and nodded. “We would only stay a day and then be on our way, we have no intention of intruding into anything.”

“To be visited by the Lord of Astaroth is no intrusion, and we would welcome you for as long as you want to stay.”

“We won’t stay longer than a day.” He paused and thought of the drunk king, knowing that he would have to still meet with him but only when he was sober enough, he added. “Or two.”

Lynorr smiled at him and stretched her hand out towards a door leading back into the castle. “Please My Lord, this way.”

He turned away from her without a smile and walked for the door, when he pushed it open, he was first greeted by a splendid tune that fluttered into his ears and then it stopped abruptly, followed by gasps of surprise.

“Girls,” The queen called cheerfully, sounding a bit different from her composed self earlier on, walking into the room from behind Ryder. “Come welcome our most esteemed guest.”

Ryder’s eyebrow came up in question and he glanced briefly at Lynorr then moved his eyes at the girls that approached him. They walked forward like they were unsure of what they were supposed to do and they looked at him shyly and none of them met his piercing and intimidating gaze.

“My Lord, these are my daughters, Rei, Yelina, and Resha Krinn,” The girls bowed to him slightly in respect, lightly holding up their gowns as they bent. Ryder hummed.

“Girls, this is Lord Ryder of Astaroth.” He watched their bewildered faces and smirked then the girl who seemed older than the rest looked up and met his gaze but she quickly lowered her eyes. “He will be here for only a day, or two so be on your best behavior and treat him with respect.”

“Yes, Mother.” The princesses chorused in unionism.

The queen smiled at Ryder as she urged him to step into the room, telling her girls to go back and continue playing the music they had been playing before they had walked in. If she could get the Lord of Astaroth to take a fancy in any one of her daughters then it would be a good thing, she would be connected through marriage to the most powerful kingdom among the seven kingdoms, and even if he did not look in their direction or catch a fancy for any one of them, then the other man would.

He had been called Xanth, and he spoke freely with the Lord of Astaroth, indicating that his position was just as important as would benefit her if any of her daughters could get his own attention. Her power and influence over Rocheveron would be greater and then she could get rid of the old man she had gotten married to for the power, status, and title as Queen of Rocheveron attached to the union, and then she could be with Dimian freely without him having to sneak into her bed only so often.

She smiled like she was enjoying the melodious tunes her daughters played, swaying her body from side to side. Ryder of Astaroth coming into Rocheveron unannounced was no intrusion at all.