one ∆ on my own

                                    

                                          
One after another, the knights marched through the halls of the castle. They were fast approaching His Majesty's supposed secret place of meeting -- the throne room.
Sir Harry had grown quite concerned after hearing that they would be meeting later that day to discuss more serious matters -- mainly those concerning the recent rumors that had been spreading from town to town like uncontrollable wildfires.
He himself had shrugged off any mention of magic. However, after hearing the opinions of the king, he had begun to believe that he possibly should have been a little more open-minded about the subject to begin with.
As he followed the others through the large, intricate wooden doors, Sir Harry couldn't help but admire the remarkable design of the room. Windows lined the western facing wall, allowing the afternoon sunlight to spill in. Two golden, fur lined thrones were placed two steps up, against this wall; one for the king, the other for the queen. Adjacent were seven similar seats; these for the princes and princess, but presumably were not used much, as Sir Harry had heard from Prince Ronald that only ever once in his life had he attended a ceremony in the grand space. A bright crimson rug covered much of the stone floor beneath them.
King Arthur sat upon his throne. A crown of gold with rubies scattered throughout was placed atop his bright ginger hair. Once the sound of doors closing could be heard, he stood.
"Today's meeting is of the upmost importance, so I'd like you all to listen carefully, even if what's being said does not seem to concern you," the king began, as he stepped closer to the lineup. "I'm sure you all have heard of this so called magic, correct?"
When no one replied, Sir Harry took it upon himself to say something. Before speaking, he removed his helmet, and held it at his side. "Yes, Your Majesty. I believe we all have."
A small smile played at the corners of the king's lips. "Good. I'll get straight to the point, then... You, Sir Harry, are to travel to the Malfoy Kingdom. King Lucius believes you are arriving to discuss matters of a peace treaty. However, your main goal is to get as close to Prince Draco as possible, and find out as much as you can about this magic."
"Your Majesty, might I ask why it is the prince, rather than the king, who I must become acquainted with?"
"Being of the same age, you two are more likely to find some common ground." There was silence for a moment. "This also means that even if Sir Cedric were in good health, I would still be sending you."
Inside, Sir Harry felt a glimmer of hope. Each time there had been a quest as great as this, always, always, Sir Cedric been chosen. That's just how it had always been. However, because of Sir Cedric's injury, Sir Harry had begun to assume he'd be the chosen one this time. That dragon might've been a curse for others, but to him, it was beginning to seem like a blessing in disguise -- even if that was a horrendous thing to admit.
"Must Sir Harry travel alone?" asked a sweet voice.
"Yes, Lady Luna. Sending multiple knights might be seen as a declaration of war, and that's definitely not something we need right now," the king stated. "Especially if these rumors of magic are true."
"The Forbidden Forest..." mumbled Sir Harry.
"...It will be the greatest enemy you face during your journey," the king finished.
Nervousness shot through the young knight's veins. "When will I leave?"
"First thing in the morning," the king answered. "This is to ensure that you are to make it through the forest before sundown." The king let a smile slip to his lips. "I believe that's all. Everyone else, keep up the good work."