Entrance Into The Palace

"Where did you say you lived again?" the old man asked Beowulf as he was surprised that he didn't know the news that almost all the people knew. The princess was the focus of the attack and it's nothing new that bad news spreads like wildfire in a dry land.

Beowulf was taken aback a little by the question that the man had suddenly asked. And he knew that he must have looked clueless to the old man that was why he was asked that question.

"I know how to help the princess, "Beowulf quickly said hoping that the princess actually needed help. But that was not what he wanted to do as his mind was fixed on finding that girl that he had perceived the previous night. She was definitely in that place and Beowulf wished he had seen her face at least --that way he would have been able to ask questions by describing her.

"Oh!" the man exclaimed. "Then let me take you to the palace then, but what would you do about your clothes?" the old man said as he stared at Beowulf from his head to his toes -- at his bare chest and tattered black shorts.

However, that was not Beowulf's problem. He was glad that he had come up with something to escape what the man had asked him. He didn't know anywhere in that kingdom to have answered the man that he lived in. What went through his mind was how he was going to leave the man and focus on what had brought him here.

"I'd get some clothes and meet with the princess, sir...That's if the guards would allow me" Beowulf said. "Thank you for your help." He started to back up from the man. This was not why he was here. He didn't want to go to the palace now and miss out on finding the human girl that he was looking for.

"Why wouldn't they?" The man answered with a quizzical look on his face.

At least, he had seen what his brothers had come to do in the human territory. Beowulf wondered if his mother knew about this also but he seriously doubted that. He couldn't envision Luana being a part of what had happened at all. They had a plan and Beowulf could not even begin to imagine what it was. But he knew that it was no good and Saku was up to something with regard to the humans.

Before the man could say anything else, Beowulf had moved and went another way -- his mind told him to go south of where the man's farm was. After some walking, Beowulf found a line of clothes that he quickly pulled a pair of pants and a red shirt. He put them on and noticed that some people were carrying baskets of fruits and farm produce toward the palace. The palace was not even that far from where Beowulf was now as he could see more of the building from where he was standing.

He followed the people after he had mysteriously taken a bunch of grapes from a basket that someone had kept near a tree -- probably to get more things to add to the basket. But, Beowulf decided to help the person carry what was already kept in the fruit basket that was 'abandoned'.

After he fell in line with the obviously loyal subjects going to greet the princess, Beowulf noticed that they were being asked some things at the palace's main gate before anyone would walk in. His mind started to race as he rolled his shoulder to even pout the pressure that was gathering there.

"You do not have to be wary of seeing the princess..." a lady said from behind Beowulf.

He turned around to the person that had just spoken to him. "Good morning..." Beowulf greeted. "It is not easy to see the princess, you know," he said hoping he had not messed up with what he had just said. What if it was easy to see the princess? What if he had just said something wrong?

"Oh! you do not have to tell me...everyone knows how the princess is but she is still the sole heir to the throne and would be our queen one day," the girl said in a gist manner.

The line moved and Beowulf had to walk forward a little. "I am sure she would be a good queen."

The girl cocked her head to one side with a little shrug. "We're close...we'll soon be next," she muttered. Leaning forward as if wanting to whisper into Beowulf's ear, she said, "you can allow me to do the talking so that you could go in... I can tell that this is your first time trying to see the princess."

"Absolutely," Beowulf almost exclaimed. It was as if he had just met a miracle. He was surprised but glad at the same time. "I have not summoned the courage to do that since... but this time, after the attack last night, I couldn't just sit back."

The girl couldn't reply to what Beowulf had said as they had reached the gate and the guards that were searching the things that the people were bringing into the palace. Beowulf could see that it was not usually like this but because of what had happened last night, they had to be on the watch.

There were just two people left before Beowulf when he noticed that there was something that was being placed on the people's bodies after their fruit baskets have been checked. His mind became suddenly unsettled.

Beowulf left the position he was in and stepped behind the friendly girl that had been chatting with him.

"What are they doing?"

"Oh, that?" the girl asked lackadaisically. "Do not worry about it," she said. "It is just silver."

"Silver?" Beowulf asked as his mouth went dry instantly. That wasn't good news for him in the slightest way.