They came out of the light in rows.
That was the first thing Almond noticed. Every other kingdom had come through the Door in a crowd, stumbling and holding on to each other. These people walked out four across, in step, as if someone at the back was still calling the march.
They wore white and gold. Most of the gold was cloth now, because their armor had not come through the Door with them. But they still walked like soldiers.
Corvin stood at the foot of the Door with his arms crossed.
"Mind the step," he called. "Wipe your feet. Nobody's going to wait for you to stop staring."
The rows kept coming. Almond tried to count them and gave up after a few hundred. Behind him, Ainen was already on his feet, looking at the pot.
"How many do you think?" Ainen asked.
"Too many for that pot," said Clovelle.
"Then I'll need another pot."
