SECRET OF THE AMULET

CHAPTER 21

Bulky braziers surrounding each of the twelve alabaster columns lightened up the whole throne chamber and enveloped it in a dark orange brilliance. The stained glass windows in the tiered ceiling dance in the fluctuating light as monuments stare down onto the mosaic floor of the opulent hall.

Blue carpeting stretches down from the throne and is divided to wrap the entire hall while pennant banners with intricate embellishments dangle from the walls. Between each flag, they’ve all been illuminated and, in turn, inspired the creative portrayals of other royal family members.

Massive washed glass windows were veiled by draperies in colour blue as the banners. The drapes have been decorated with golden linings and gold leaves. A spectacular throne of carved rock stood in front of a big window projecting light onto the throne and was adjoined by five enormous but considerably less elaborate chairs for those closest to the King.

The throne was adorned with gilded markings, and a jade star was fastened on each of the back legs. The thin pillows were a dark blue, and they too have been embellished with ornamented corners. Those waiting to view their royal highness may do so on the multitude of expensive but rather plain teak seats, all of which were facing the throne in a broad V-shape. Those of higher status might instead take seats on the golden balconies facing the benches below.

When Bridgette glanced to her right side, she stared at the image of the kingdom’s coat of arms and smiled as she recalled a good memory involving the image. A harp on each side of a giant shield with an asymmetrical podium-like top and asymmetrical droplet-shaped bottom supported the shield. All of this was supported by a monolith. Then, a magnificent crown, or coronet, lies above the shield; it was a crown of crosses, and two rows of valuable diamonds adorned the shield’s outer corners and edges.

 In this example, the crown was topped by a hounskull helm, which was supported by an elaborate carriage crest. The coronet and crest were decoratively connected by a roll of cloth, known as a torse, which bore the primary colours of the shield and was used to bind them together. Lastly, a large curtain, or mantling, was linked to the helmet and was designed in floral designs and coloured in the same primary colours as the rest.

The shield itself was made up of three colours painted in a straight cross pattern on the surface. The emblem, or charge, comprised two suns and one square, and the motto, which was displayed on a beautiful ribbon that was half wrapped around the supporters, reads: “Without God, we are nothing.”

She smirked at the motto that was written because it was far from the truth. The royal family were a bunch of hypocrites, and she couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to live in prosperity while inflicting pain and suffering to the people.

“You must be Princess Bridgette!”

As soon as she heard someone speaking behind her, Bridgette turned around and raised an eyebrow upon seeing his fiancée up close. From her Uncle Thomas, she learned that the woman was Lucienne Montgomery, and she was in line to the throne before her reinstatement. “And you must be Princess Lucienne,” she said.

Lucienne snorted at the way the newcomer addressed her. “You just arrived, and yet you’re acting so high and mighty,” she stated, her observation.

“Why do you think so? I didn’t do anything,” Bridgette replied, and then she narrowed her eyes at the dress that Lucienne wore on their first meeting. It was beyond extravagant! “Are you going to attend a ball at this hour?”

“You must be shocked at how we dress here. You can’t even distinguish an ordinary dress from a ball gown,” Lucienne said while shaking her head.

An ordinary dress? Bridgette narrowed her eyes towards Lucienne’s regal gown draped from top to bottom and had a halter neckline, displaying the tiny garment worn underneath it beautifully. A small ribbon worn high around her waist broke up the continuous flow of the garment over her stomach, which was covered by a delicate, loosely knotted fabric of her dress.

Bridgette’s eyes moved high and low while she noted how the dress opened up a little below the ribbon, revealing the clothing underneath it on the other side. The front of the top dress fell over the ground to cover her feet.

“Aren’t you being disrespectful to me right now? I am the future Queen of this country, so you should know your place,” she reminded Lucienne Montgomery to be careful around her, and the woman gasped in surprise. She suspected that her half-sister was raised to be a spoiled one, and she must have assumed that she would always come second to her with her arrival in the palace.

“Says who? I guess you are misinformed, my dear sister. I may be younger than you, but you are a traitor’s daughter. Your status as a princess might be restored, but that’s all, and nothing more,” Lucienne took the chance to educate the newcomer.

“You are lying,” Bridgette said.

“No. If there’s someone who lied to you, it’s the King!”