"So, any news?"
A high-pitched voice asked, wavering as it betrayed the anxiety of its owner.
The body of said owner was something closer to what one would see in a sci-fi movie than in any fantasy novel.
The form was vaguely humanoid but very fluid, as if made out of mercury. The 'skin' was covered in golden patterns reminiscent of circuit boards, but in a level of complexity and detail that no human mind could design.
A second being answered, with a voice that was just a little bit less high-pitched than the one of the first being.
"The first part of the experiment has been a success. But the subjects are behaving very erratically. I'll be compiling my findings into a memo and sending them later."
The second 'person' shook their 'head' and reached to a machine that was over a balcony-like structure. The machine promptly produced a cup and filled it with a golden liquid, which the 'person' promptly retrieved and took to an opening on their 'face.'
"Good job, Taal'ith. But don't get too lost just watching them. The deadline is approaching."
The pitch of the first person became even higher, but the other just shrugged in a uncannily human-like gesture.
"I know Salya'kor. I know…"
:::
While that conversation took hold, Aelindra had just finished an audience with the representative of a province governor.
She was sitting on her throne, resting an elbow on the throne's arm, lost in thought, when an officer entered the room.
Aelindra knew her. She was one of the people responsible for analyzing and prioritizing the audience applications and scheduling appointments. The fact that she was here meant that something important came up.
"Your Majesty. A woman asked for an audience with you. She didn't state her name or motives. Instead, she just brought this ring and told me to show it to you."
"Huh? Let me see."
She had trained the clerks personally to make sure they would be able to handle most possible situations. And this kind of situation was obviously included, though it had never actually happened in the last five hundred years.
She had silent hopes for the return of the members of the Dead Nerds Society, the guild of which her mother was part. Or any other players.
The main reason for her to have the audience application in the first place was to create an easy access channel for that opportunity. And one of the foreseen possible scenarios was a person giving an item instead of a name and a reason.
She didn't understand players very well, but she could imagine that an important returning player wouldn't want to cause a commotion everywhere they went. The world had changed a lot since back then, after all.
That's why she understood immediately what it meant to have that ring handed like that, so she took it with trembling hands and activated Appraisal.
[Ring of Death-Life Celebration (diamond):
This ring celebrates the erasing of the borders between life and death, creating random visages of ghosts in a 30 meters radius when activated.
Reward from achieving the first place in the Halloween event from patch 4.5]
"Huh?"
Aelindra's voice left just a very weak squeak when she read the description of the ring. She knew that ring very well. And she knew who the only person that could have that ring would be.
"Your Majesty?"
"Eh… Elowen, what is the appearance of the person who brought this ring?"
"Well, she's a dark elf woman with silver hair, though some locks are purple, and she has lavender eyes. She is very beautiful and graceful but wears simple commoner clothes."
"I see. Please, bring her in and postpone all my meetings that were scheduled for this afternoon. Only interrupt me if it's something very urgent or something related to the players. I'll be in the dining room."
Hearing that, another office stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, one of the appointments for this afternoon is with a family from the Frost Edge that doesn't have many possessions, nor the means to extend their stay in the capital."
Aelindra looks at him and thinks for a second before giving an answer.
"Arrange for them to stay for the night in the Friendly Fiend inn and schedule them for the first hour of tomorrow. There's no need to move the other meetings, I'll just get up earlier."
The officer nodded and left, and then Aelindra noticed that Elowen had also already left. Flustered, she hurried to the dining room.
:::
Cecilia was killing time looking at the items on the desk and checking their rarities and trying to guess their effects when the civil officer that had assisted her returned with the reply to her request.
"The queen will receive you right now. Please, come with me."
She didn't bring the ring back with her, but Cecilia wasn't worried. She knew it would be with Aelindra. So she followed her without hesitating.
She had visited the Keep several times before, and she still remembered the internal layout of the building. It hadn't changed much, because the people of today wouldn't be able to dismantle the hard walls Martin had built without damaging the whole structure.
They walked some corridors and went up several stairs until arriving at the middle of a tower on the northern side of the castle. It was a room that occupied the whole floor, with big windows and balconies in all directions.
At the center of the room was a big round table, and, sitting at the other side from her, a stunningly beautiful dark elf woman stood up from her seat.
She was tall and slim, but elegant. Her eyes were pink. Her silver hair reflected a light pink hue under certain angles, and her movements were precise and calculated.
"M-mother…"
"Hi, Aelindra. I'm back. Sorry for keeping you waiting."
"MOTHEEEEEER!!!"
In an instant, Aelindra ran to Cecilia, hugging her tightly, as if afraid that the other would disappear at any instant.
Cecilia smiled awkwardly and returned the hug, petting her daughter's head. They stayed like that for an uncomfortably long amount of time, as Aelindra cried and sobbed in a show very unfitting for a queen.
Yet, the maids and servants in the room made no movement to reproach her, nor had they scornful remarks. Instead, they were just smiling, seeing that their master had finally found what she had always longed for.