Chapter 10: 08 – [Royalties]

I was once again on my way to my throne room, equipped in my ceremonial armor but without my weapons. I felt it would lead to the wrong impression if I carried a weapon into an audience with another King. I had been informed about a week ago of the Human Kings arrival by a party they sent in advance, again accompanied by the human sage from last time, who showed up at our gate and informed us that the King was camped at the base of the mountain and was seeking an audience with me before he entered our domain. Rather polite for a King to send advanced notice, even if he had already come most of the way here before doing so.

It took the King and his party roughly 3 days to climb the mountain, they had actually arrived around noon yesterday but had decided to make camp outside to prepare for today's meetings. Apparently the King was able to come to visit us this quickly since the sage had used an Ether summon in the shape of a bird to send word before he even finished his investigations. To top that all off he had been ordered to standby in a local town to await the King and guide him to us since he knew the way and had already met with me once, so he could approach to announce the King without us responding defensively.

I arrived at the audience chamber, which was even better than the last occasion we used it given the amount of time I had open to work on carvings and decorations since that day. I could hear a lite discussion being had on the other side of the doors. Since I decided beforehand that this would not be an extremely formal affair, they were most likely discussing the plans going forward and getting on the same page. We would simply be seated in rather simple yet impressive chairs, having been covered in red-dyed bug-bear leather and gold stitching, to hold a frank and honest conversation regarding how we might hope to interact and benefit together.

I took a deep breath and nodded to the dwarven door attendants, who pushed the doors open so I could enter. The room had gone silent when the sound of the stone doors rumbling open started, so I entered a quiet room under the eyes of everyone and approached the seat that had been reserved for me. Between us sat a gold leaf engraved marble table that was covered in stacks of paper the humans had prepared for this discussion while on their way here.

"Greetings, I am King Anwirn Gemmolder Brimstone, the Lord of this mountain and the dwarven people who call it home."

I said after I met the gaze of the only other crowned individual in the room. He looked somewhat relaxed for someone in new territory, he didn't come across as someone who would be particularly strict or uptight given his current smile making the laughs lines around his eyes and mouth very easy to spot. He appeared to be in his late thirties and had a well-built body compared to the stocky appearances of the ministers standing around him. He wouldn't compare to a bodybuilder from my previous world, but would most likely not look out of a place on an Olympic swimming team. He was sporting short and well-kempt blonde hair with a moderate goatee and mustache combination with dark blue eyes.

"Well met, King Brimstone. I am King Reynard Traisan, Lord of the Traisan Kingdom and the humans who would call you neighbor."

The man leaned back and broke our staring contest to take in my full outfit and crown.

"I must say, the descriptions Aelfraed provided regarding your attire and audience chamber were lacking a bit of depth now that I see them for myself. Your crown alone would be enough to fund all of the policies within my country for five solid years if sold, though I doubt any single country let alone individual would have the money available for such a purchase. I assume the equipment you bare on your person was made of the same materials that you provided as my gifts?"

"Indeed they are King Traisan, forged by these very hands in the heart of our mountain, the caldera of the volcano."

Reynard's eyes widened slightly at these words as he turned to one of his men who was standing further back than the rest. The man had a much better build than any of the rest and when combined with the scars and callouses visible on his hands I could tell he was a craftsman of some skill. He was least slightly better than a normal dwarf who had just earned their smith job and had not yet handled a magma forge, at least that is what my Smith's Instinct told me. And given the way the craftsman has been eyeing me the whole time, he probably has a good way to gauge skill at a glance as well.

"Reinhart, when you examined the metal I was gifted with, you told me that no forge could reach the temperature required to smith them. Would that hold true if a volcano was the heat source?"

The smith shrugged his shoulders.

"I could not guess my lord, the heat and gases inside a volcano are known to be very deadly, I could not even guess on how I might use molten rock to heat a forge or refinery without melting the equipment along with the material. I have to wonder if it is even possible."

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Oh, he is looking rather pointedly at me with that last line.

"Oh, trying to goad me with that statement are you? Only the tried and true of this mountain may operate a magma forge, even very few amongst the dwarves are able, you think a human smith could succeed where a dwarf smith could not? I can tell you are skilled however, that is where it ends. Skill at the forge will not keep you alive in an environment that your kind is not suited for."

The smith was staring daggers at me as I turned to face his King once again.

"Reinhart, calm yourself. I can tell he meant no offense with his words."

The King turned back towards me as well.

"Your people must do very well with the heat I take it?"

"I would not mind showing you and your kin the skill of a magma smith. And while our mages can keep the heat from harming you, they are not capable of preventing the gases from doing so."

At this Aelfraed stepped forward and bowed to both of us.

"Please allow me that duty, I would very much like to see what an evolved Elemental can do with my own eyes."

"Aelfraed, I will warn you not to offend or harass King Brimstone with the questions you will ask. But as I am also curious I will allow you to assist and witness this event, Reinhart you shall follow as well. And finally, I must not forget you Stenhem. I am sure you will have multiple questions regarding trade depending on the outcome, you may come as well. The rest shall wait here for our return."

I stood and signaled to a nearby dwarf.

"Inform the smiths that they should gather in the caldera, I shall be showing our guests what we dwarves do best!"

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