The Royal Guards, clad in uniforms, stood in front of the steps leading to the upper seats of the southern spectator stands, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding din.
In this era of transition between the old and the new, the Royal Guards' equipment was also quite interesting. They naturally had firearms, but in addition, each was dressed in thick armor, carrying a spear, and had a sharp longsword hanging at their waist.
Shard had heard that sometimes agents from MI6 needed to temporarily act as Royal Guards, and he hoped he would never encounter such an assignment, as the gear looked unbearably heavy.
Shard, accompanied by his cat, approached, and after the loyal guards inquired about his identity and origins, one of them went up and stopped three rows of seats away from the noble ladies to inform a Maid of the visitor's identity.
