Ostus felt better having his weapons back, though seeing Kiara's blatant anger concerned him. He wondered about the intensity of it, but said nothing as he fell in step beside her, tense and ready to draw a weapon at a second's notice. He wished he could comfort her somehow, only imagining what kind of anger and fear she must be experiencing to meet the man that would soon be her father-in-law, a person who had commanded the actions that had killed so many of her people.

It was tempting to kill King Sidia -- he was only two strides ahead, his back turned. It would be too easy. Killing the king would end the war.

However, Ostus wasn't so foolish. Killing the king would simply worsen the war and put Kiara in a far more dangerous situation that she was already in. Still, he wished there was some way he could at least soothe her anger without risk of getting killed.

The throne room was massive, with high, vaulted ceilings and stone pillars. In some ways, it reminded Ostus more of a cathedral than anything else, though the walls were decorated with the Berinike crest and various weapons. "A few trees in here and you'll feel right at home," he joked in a soft voice to Kiara. 

Despite the immense space, the room surprisingly felt cozy, almost homely. Perhaps it was the natural lighting combined with the many sconces, or perhaps it was the fact that no one seemed concerned about the king's safety with these two new visitors. This frustrated Ostus. Was he so insignificant that no one should feel concern in his presence? In Astora, he was a hero. Here, he wasn't even acknowledged.

Waiting at the back of the throne room was the queen of Berinike -- Ostus believed her name was Alexis. She remained seated on a chair beside the king's throne, a vision of cold beauty. Her skin was a flawless toffee color, long black hair, smooth as silk, pinned back from her narrow face and spilling gracefully over her shoulders. Chocolate-brown eyes regarded Kiara coldly, no welcoming smile on her full lips. Age lines lingered around the corners of her eyes and mouth, but did not seem to lessen her beauty. Like her husband, she wore no crown. Her dress was a rich maroon color, delicately embroidered and snugly fit over a startlingly-slender frame. Earrings dangled from her ears, several necklaces hung from her neck, and many bracelets decorated her wrists. The woman seemed to like her jewelry.

"Finally, Princess Kiara graces us with her presence," Queen Alexis remarked coldly.

Hugo sighed wearily. "Don't start, my love," he murmured, attempting to be quiet about it, as he settled on his throne beside her. "Remember who she will become."

"I know full well who she will become," Alexis snapped none too quietly, her jaw tightening with anger. She shifted her glare back to the princess and moved forward.

Ostus blinked. She had moved, but did not rise to standing. That's when he noticed the large wheels on either side of her chair. The queen... she was crippled! Was this a natural occurrence or did something happen to her? Ostus knew very little about the queen except that she never participated in battle.

"You look a fright," the queen said haughtily to Kiara, "though I suppose it's typical Astorian custom to love nature so much as to appear to be living in the dirt. Come closer so I can take a good look at you, and explain your tardiness. We had begun to think your family had betrayed us on the deal."