Chapter 16: The Throne Room

Chapter 16: The Throne Room

(Wednesday, June 3rd, 2011)

Fifty thrones sit against three of the four stone walls, each in varied colour and style. Among them stand a silver set, royal blue velvet padded throne for the the Lady Elshanor, on which she sits having followed the portals to this room. As soon as her rear hits the cushioned seat a man is thrown through the grand double doors and dragged down the long red carpet that leads to the head throne, where Elsha’s throne now, inexplicably, finds itself.

A voice booms, “This man has been found stealing water from the Fountain of Youth.”

Two buttons — one white, one red — now apparate onto the arms of Elsha’s throne and she looks into the eyes of the shamed man, his head coated in rotton fruit.

“Your verdict?”

Closing her eyes, Elshanor hits the red button and listens to his pleadings as a portal forms beneath the criminal’s feet into Pandemonium below.23

23

‘Pandæmonium’, a spelling later simplified in popular usage to Pandemonium, was coined by John Milton in Paradise Lost (1667) as the name for the capital city of Hell and residence of Lucifer himself. 37