* * *
The first steps along the main road, after the roundabout route, uncovered in the distance monumental towers of the city to which they were headed. Two Ahleas were now completely hidden under a fringe of thick cotton, faces covered with dark brown hoods. Their standard, black leather clothes they still wore underneath, as well as their weapons, which they did not want to separate from, thus ignoring all the priestess’ attempts to persuade them. They knew from experience that Waeryehenian soldiers were very hard to talk to about a thing once they would realize that they were facing Ahleas. They agreed only to lower their swords a little bit, not to have suspicious lumps on the backs, and to put the jackets inside the luggage which was pulled by one priestess on a small wagon. They walked last in the column of women pilgrims.
A glance at the metropolis awoke Ahlea’s nostalgic for their capital. Dlora was also re- reminded of the unfortunate days when she led her troops in an attack on the town, and soon later when she lead the first big retreat, also from that city. In that moment of coming back here, the memories were more vivid and more uncomfortable than ever. She noticed from a distance that the city fairly recovered from those days, and the walls around it had been rebuilt and now much higher. There was no doubt that the watch was well organized and armed.
Upon arriving in front of the main gate, they grew more fear of bigger searches. In case the war forced them to more caution, the guards could search the priestesses and find hidden weapons in disguised warrior girls.
“Girls, good day to you” one of the guards in front of a large gate addressed them cheerfully, before they even came close, “we always look forward to seeing you, but this time we were not notified to expect you.
“This is a special visit. There is no help from our regular pilgrimages and meetings with the authorities anyway. No one respects our calls for the establishment of peace. That's why we came to express a direct protest” old priestess replied in a very serious and stern voice.
“But it is against the rules! Without a special permit, no one is allowed to enter the city…”
“That's not true! We are responsible solely and directly to the king Yarael Twenty- Seventh. Who are you to stop us from meeting him? Only he can deny us meeting him!”
The soldier looked at them in confusion, not knowing how to respond to this. The woman's words had a certain logic, but he was also convinced that there is a counter argument which he could not remember so fast. His colleague decided to intervene.
“Let them in, you know that they are not dangerous. Let the court guard argue with them.”
Dlora and Tenen sent looked each other with satisfaction, hidden from others under the hoods. Group of women in religious clothes continued on, over a wide wooden bridge above a narrow canal in front of the city walls, and under raised large metal gate at the entrance to the city.
That was not the only encounter with the city army, guards were standing in many places in the city, but there was no further contact before the castle itself. If a random soldier even noted that for this part of the year it was not common to see pilgrims from other parts of the capital, he did not bother to check why the priestesses were here.
The capital of Waeryehen was truly a mirror of the kingdom with whom Ahleyn was at war for many years. Waeryehenians did they best and managed to erase most of the scars from the days when the city was under siege, and later occupied by Ahleynian army. Dlora remembered that many houses at that time suffered great damage from projectiles from Ahleynian catapults, and now they all looked perfect again. They were all really high and made of brightest stone.
Wide streets were full of people uninterested in women in white uniforms. Tenen remembered that citizens of Blyst, the capital of Ahleyn, looked also carefree like this, while the war was far enough, and the news from the battlefield was good enough for them to be thinking about other things. She was angry because the Waeryehenians seemed too tired of war to comment the situation on the field. She wanted to jump out of the group of monks and ask some passer-by what the news was. Did Erdut fall? If so, whether the siege of Ahleyn capital began or the Waeryehenian army had not arrived before it yet? Luckily there were too many patrols on the streets of Yaraelen, for them to dare to reveal themselves in any way.
Almost from the moment of entering the city, towers of the luxurious royal palace were visible. As closer they got to it, the palace became more apparent and revealed more of its charms, shining in full splendor at the moment when the priestess came before it. Ten tall towers, white walls decorated with ornaments, hundreds of windows... for a moment girls dared to ask if whether this palace was more beautiful than the one inside which the throne of their queen was.
In front of the palace there followed a new test. The local guards, members of the king's personal guard, acted much more serious. The tall, muscular men with stony faces, in a completely calm attitude, greeted the priestesses under the stairs made of white marble, which led to the entrance of the palace, one on each side of the base of the stairs.
“We insist on being personally received by our king - the leader priestess addressed them, knowing that the guards probably would not be the first to speak.”
“You were not announced. We can not let you in” the higher among them spoke out with a deep voice.”
“These are exceptional circumstances. It is imperative that we meet the king.”
“I have my orders, and I have to abide them.”
“Fool!” The old woman expressed nervousness again “So, you are willing to suffer the consequences if it turns out that the king was ready to receive us.”
“Of course. Until I get different orders, I have to follow the ones I have got” this human rock did not let himself to be confused. They seemed to have encountered an obstacle they could not overcome in any other way than by using force.
And then the woman put out a mysterious smile.
“Even if we force to try to go over you? You would make us have to overcome you?”
After those words, the guard just could not hide his smile, in spite of all his professionalism. The mere appearance of the fight scenes with tiny women had brightened his mostly boring everyday life. Dlora wondered and thought that the leader might have been signaling this way that it was time to take the action, to fight with men. However, she stayed still.
“Well, after that kind of force demonstration, I just might let you pass by” the soldier showed a dose of sarcasm which even he was not aware that he was capable of.
Priestess then slowly touched a tip of his nose with the tip of her finger, almost seductively, with an even bigger smile on her face.
“Oh, there are many things you have to learn about force, soldier.”
The guard showed another smile, and the very next moment rolled over his eyes and collapsed to the ground with its whole weight. Even distant bystanders felt earth trembling under their feet.
Another guard quickly pointed his spear to the priestesses. Two others ran there from the front door, equally ready to fight.
“So guys, would you also like to confront your strength with our powers? Or will you finally agree to find out if the king is willing to receive us.”
Weapons and bodies stood still for a moment. They were all upset, except the woman who performed the play and overcame a man almost twice larger than her, with just one touch, for the others in an incomprehensible way.
Finally, the closest guard gave a signal to his colleague by nodding his head, to run to the castle for a new command from the top.