“Gold and jewels and silks, what boring gifts they bring,” Ambrosos sighed, glaring at the frightened servant who had all but dumped a chest full of sparkling things at his feet. And to be true, he did quite love anything glimmering and shiny. He decorated himself in enough gold to feed an army—his horns displaying thick bands and dangling chains and glittering trinkets made from the stuff. He had a thick gold set obsidian jewel hanging between his collarbones, his arms banded with thick golden cuffs and thin, delicate chains draped over his chest beneath his pelts. A fool might call him whoreish, but Ambrosos knew there was power in wealth, at least in the eyes of others. Still, when all he gained were merely shiny treasures, from men who would not blink an eye at the loss of riches, he quickly grew bored and annoyed.
He was about to tell the servant as such just to see him squirm, about to order him off to tell his masters how he was not pleased when a commotion just outside the hall began to draw attention. The guards at either side of him tensed up, but Ambrosos just relaxed into his pile of furs, unbothered by the excitement supposedly coming his way. Perhaps it’d at least be more interesting than the paltry gifts being offered to him.
And sure enough, it was. For a small troupe of men in silvered armor and heavy swords came traipsing into his hall, splitting the crowd that had gathered and bypassing the line of servants offering tribute.
“A tribute, for the Warlord of the South, from Queen Regent of Nothek,” the front guard introduced, tugging something by a chain from the back of their little group. “To celebrate his recent sacking of the Quarrys.”
He half expected another trove of treasures and bobbles, perhaps even some unique animal to add to his collection if the chain was anything to go by. But oh no. No, it was much more interesting than that, he decided as he watched it stumble forward with chained legs.
It was a woman. (edited)
thank you! ))