I dislike you a little less."
Toren stared at her for a moment. A smile slowly spread across his face and, a moment later, Elaine felt his large muscular arms around her, in a powerful embrace that made her think of what it might feel like to be hugged by a bear. Toren let her go and laughed as he picked up his mug from the table and held it up to her.
"That is as close to a compliment as I have ever had from you, Elaine," he said. "I will gladly drink to that."
Elaine smiled and picked up her cup of wine, which was almost empty. She stood from her seat, held it up to the Aghlar king then finished the last mouthful.
"I will leave you to your feast," she told him as she put the cup down on the wood of the table. "I do not believe that Carlis has every tasted strong brew before, and we both know what can happen when people from Maramyr get into trouble with Aghlar spirits."
"A recipe for adventure, that," Toren said as Elaine gave him a polite nod and walked away. "Give my regards to Carlis."
Carlis stormed down the passage from the palace banquet hall, his cheeks red with anger and frustration. So flustered was he by the Aghlar king's lack of manners that he almost did not recognize Ehlena when she appeared in the long corridor before him. A living picture of serenity, the young girl appeared to be as calm as Carlis was upset, which flustered him even more. She stared at him with a look of bemusement then she smiled.
"Carlis," Ehlena said. "You seem upset."
"That man," Carlis began angrily then he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "King Toren has a particular sense of humor that I cannot abide. I can see why your aunt dreaded the idea of coming to Aghlar, and I do not know how she is able to tolerate the disrespectful way people carry on."
"Carlis, it is good to see you too."
He stared at her then realized that she had returned from whatever fool journey she had taken, with his ship no less.
"Ehlena, I am relieved to see you safe and sound. We are going to have a little talk about you taking my ship, but I cannot seem to think straight after drinking that damn Aghlar ale."
Ehlena saw her aunt walking down the hall toward them.
"Aunt Elaine," she said, smiling at her, though she did not return the greeting.
"Ehlena," she said. "You gave everyone quite a fright disappearing with the Al-Andor While I am pleased to see you are safe, there are some things we will most certainly discuss, young lady."
"Aunt Elaine, Carlis," Ehlena turned and gestured to the grey robed mage who had stood quietly off to her side, unnoticed. "This is Stavros, he is the former head of the Council of Mages."
Carlis looked at the bearded mage more closely through his increasingly blurring vision and his eyes widened in recognition.
"Stavros?"
"Carlis," the mage said with a slight smile. "The last time I saw you, you were a fresh faced young magistrate in King Gregor's court." Stavros turned to Elaine. "Lady Valamyr, we have never met, but I am honored to greet a member of the five royal lines of Maramyr. As ever, it is my pleasure to serve those loyal to the kingdom, especially in these difficult times."
"You are not one of those black robed priests then?" Carlis said, his expression skeptical and his voice beginning to slur.
"No," Stavros replied. "I serve the Lady, and the ideals of the Council of Mages."
"Stavros," Elaine said. "I have heard of you. It is said you disappeared after the death of King Gregor and Queen Aria." She had also heard rumors among the nobility that the mage was somehow involved in what happened, though she was beginning to question such stories as Cerric was their likely source.
"No doubt you have heard many things," Stavros said. "It no longer matters what has been said, only what must be done."
One of Carlis' legs gave way and he almost fell from his feet, but he caught himself and managed to get his balance again. He took in a deep breath then exhaled and the smell of Aghlar brew filled the
Toren stared at her for a moment. A smile slowly spread across his face and, a moment later, Elaine felt his large muscular arms around her, in a powerful embrace that made her think of what it might feel like to be hugged by a bear. Toren let her go and laughed as he picked up his mug from the table and held it up to her.
"That is as close to a compliment as I have ever had from you, Elaine," he said. "I will gladly drink to that."
Elaine smiled and picked up her cup of wine, which was almost empty. She stood from her seat, held it up to the Aghlar king then finished the last mouthful.
"I will leave you to your feast," she told him as she put the cup down on the wood of the table. "I do not believe that Carlis has every tasted strong brew before, and we both know what can happen when people from Maramyr get into trouble with Aghlar spirits."
"A recipe for adventure, that," Toren said as Elaine gave him a polite nod and walked away. "Give my regards to Carlis."
Carlis stormed down the passage from the palace banquet hall, his cheeks red with anger and frustration. So flustered was he by the Aghlar king's lack of manners that he almost did not recognize Ehlena when she appeared in the long corridor before him. A living picture of serenity, the young girl appeared to be as calm as Carlis was upset, which flustered him even more. She stared at him with a look of bemusement then she smiled.
"Carlis," Ehlena said. "You seem upset."
"That man," Carlis began angrily then he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "King Toren has a particular sense of humor that I cannot abide. I can see why your aunt dreaded the idea of coming to Aghlar, and I do not know how she is able to tolerate the disrespectful way people carry on."
"Carlis, it is good to see you too."
He stared at her then realized that she had returned from whatever fool journey she had taken, with his ship no less.
"Ehlena, I am relieved to see you safe and sound. We are going to have a little talk about you taking my ship, but I cannot seem to think straight after drinking that damn Aghlar ale."
Ehlena saw her aunt walking down the hall toward them.
"Aunt Elaine," she said, smiling at her, though she did not return the greeting.
"Ehlena," she said. "You gave everyone quite a fright disappearing with the Al-Andor While I am pleased to see you are safe, there are some things we will most certainly discuss, young lady."
"Aunt Elaine, Carlis," Ehlena turned and gestured to the grey robed mage who had stood quietly off to her side, unnoticed. "This is Stavros, he is the former head of the Council of Mages."
Carlis looked at the bearded mage more closely through his increasingly blurring vision and his eyes widened in recognition.
"Stavros?"
"Carlis," the mage said with a slight smile. "The last time I saw you, you were a fresh faced young magistrate in King Gregor's court." Stavros turned to Elaine. "Lady Valamyr, we have never met, but I am honored to greet a member of the five royal lines of Maramyr. As ever, it is my pleasure to serve those loyal to the kingdom, especially in these difficult times."
"You are not one of those black robed priests then?" Carlis said, his expression skeptical and his voice beginning to slur.
"No," Stavros replied. "I serve the Lady, and the ideals of the Council of Mages."
"Stavros," Elaine said. "I have heard of you. It is said you disappeared after the death of King Gregor and Queen Aria." She had also heard rumors among the nobility that the mage was somehow involved in what happened, though she was beginning to question such stories as Cerric was their likely source.
"No doubt you have heard many things," Stavros said. "It no longer matters what has been said, only what must be done."
One of Carlis' legs gave way and he almost fell from his feet, but he caught himself and managed to get his balance again. He took in a deep breath then exhaled and the smell of Aghlar brew filled the
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