[color=fff200]"Your Excellency."[/color] A fully armored Samael was not only bowing, but kneeling, face on the ground, before the person in robe before him. He was not in the palace however and he did not bow before the queen. No master of the temporal was worthy of such a deep bow. He was kneeling in front of Pontiff Fleminus, general administrator of the church working right under the High Priest. Smiling, the old man with a small mustache and beard gave a quick hand gesture toward Samael, blessing even further a man blessed by god already. [color=ed1c24]"Rise, my child. What troubles your mind?" [/color]

	The pontiff could guess, Samael wasn't familiar with the politics of the city and yesterday he made a scene when he almost picked a fight with Kamahl Forest Walker. The paladin rose and removed his helmet, indeed showing a deeply concerned face. [color=fff200]"Your Excellency, if I may be blunt..."[/color] The older man smirked and nodded his head. [color=fff200]"The Queen... she is consorting with foul heathen witches! And pagan warlocks! Her education rather than in the ward of our church was made in the rancid dungeons of the wizards of the west!"[/color] And there was the matter. The council that had chosen Samael had been aware of this fact. Some doubted that Samael would be able to handle this whole thing and would get himself killed or thrown out the castle. Fleminus however had seen the man talk. He was a zealot of course, but he was more convincing than people gave him credit for.

	[color=fff200]"I do not doubt of the High Priest of course! She has been chosen by Naram-Sadai and his will shall be done, the path the righteous must walk is rarely the easiest one but... I am at a lost your Excellency."[/color] Samael raised his eyes toward the ceiling and closed them, taking a deep breath. The Pontiff raised an eyebrow but finally took this as his cue to talk. [color=ed1c24]"It was the choice of her father Samael. What has been done cannot be undone. But, like all person of intelligence, the reason she ignores the faith is because she hasn't really stopped to ponder on it. You must open her mind Samael, be the spiritual guide she needs."[/color] Samael slowly opened his eyes and remained immobile for a moment, thinking and embracing the words of the Pontiff. There was a feeling, a hand on his shoulder (not that the Pontiff could see anyone in the room) and Samael smiled gently. Yes, the queen was more than he, above most mortals even so it was not his place to force things, he should be the voice that will make her see reason.

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	Still, it was not easy. Samael saw them for what they were, the bestial Kamahl was a savage wolf disguised as a dog and if it was the character the guards and believers looked with the most open suspicion, it was not the person who Samael's eyes fixated when entering the room, for Kamahl didn't know better, maybe he could even be domesticated and converted to the true faith. Valericka Luxta. The others saw her as the charming ambassador, radiating by her intelligence in the arcane and other fields. But he saw her horns and her tail, she couldn't hide them from him. A snarky comment here, a parole of doubt there. To captivate the young mind of the Queen, she was the wolf in sheep's clothing.

	Beside Samael, a nervous boy wearing a much simpler chain mail and tunic cleared his throat. it was his Squire, Nathaniel, who was hardly used to this situation either. [color=bc8dbf]"P-presenting His Beatitude, Paladin Samael of the order of the Holy sword!"[/color] His voice went up and down, he was sweating more than he did when facing a horde of heretic. When people looked at him with raised eyebrow, he swallowed loudly and was about to excuse himself to the Paladin for his poor performance. Samael however had removed a helmet and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder, smiling to the 16 year old squire to reassure him he did alright before handing him an overdecorated Great Helm and turning to walk to the Queen, patiently waiting his turn to place a knee on the ground before the Queen.

	[color=fff200]"Your Grace. I hope the vigil I held with my Sword Companions to pray for your restful sleep was at least somewhat successful? In any case, I thank you and Naram-Sadai from the bottom of my heart that you would allow me to help you carry your burdens. I shall be at your disposal for all matters."[/color] Saying this, Samael awaited to be acknowledged before raising and going to the chair with the sigil of the church on it, sitting as his squire waited standing behind him if he had any need.

	At the moment however, Samael didn't have his mind on court intrigue, it was a feast and not only that, but the patron saint of today was Saint Adalbert the Charitable and so he was eager to see what kind of Graces the Queen would say, though he was almost wishing he'd allow him the honor as he had practiced a speech in the morning just in case and reflected a lot on the deeds of this saint. Being from a religious order however, it didn't cross his mind that Saint Adalbert was... well, obscure to the non initiated.