crisp, clear day, Your Highness, and I understand you have marvelous hunting a short ride to the north of Suzail. Could we not discuss your crusade under less formal circumstances?”
Azoun paused, perhaps a little too long, and tried to think of a way to politely decline Lythrana’s request. He felt far too tired to ride and really didn’t care much for hunting. Lythrana had probably guessed that, Azoun decided. But as soon as he had realized that the envoy was expecting him to decline, he smiled as brightly as he could and said, “Of course. Vangerdahast,” Azoun added to his slightly shocked friend, “please have the groom prepare my horse and ask the royal huntsman to gather a suitable hunting party.”
To Lythrana, who was staring in undisguised surprise at him, the king said, “Hawk or hound, Lady Dargor?”
“Hound,” she replied, then motioned to her dress. “Perhaps I suggested this too hastily. I’m not quite attired”
The king smiled graciously. “That shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll find you something to wear.” That said, he sent the royal wizard away to prepare for a hunt.
“While we wait for Vangerdahast to get things ready,” the king commented smoothly after his friend had departed, “let us discuss the Tuigan threat to Zhentil Keep.”
Realizing that she was being overwhelmed by a far better politician than she, Lythrana Dargor smiled and let the king of Cormyr expound upon the menace of the horsewarriors. They had a leisurely stroll around the castle, Azoun alternately relating the history of each ancient family artifact they passed in their walk then describing the preparations for the crusade.
Within an hour, they moved the discussion outside, onto Suzail’s main road. As the royal procession moved through the city, Azoun realized that it was a very good thing for the citizens to see him alive and healthy after the assassination attempt. Crowds quickly gathered at the side of the Promenade, cheering the monarch as he made his way to the northern gates of the city.
As soon as the hunting party was clear of the tent city that clustered around Suzail’s walls, they let their horses speed over the open road. The chilly air whipped cloaks and made eyes water, but Azoun found it revived him. Though he didn’t enjoy hunting, he did love the feeling of freedom riding a powerful horse gave him. So, grimacing against the chill breeze, Azoun pulled his purple cloak tight over his fur-lined surcoat and let his horse race on.
Eventually, the party slowed down again. As they brought their horses to a canter, the master of the hounds gathered his barking charges closer to his lead. The busy, thriving farms that surrounded Suzail had given way to wilder country, and the king and his party found themselves surrounded by thicket-covered fields and sparse forest. Azoun trotted his horse to Lythrana’s side.
“Will this do?” he asked politely. “I suspect these fields and stands of trees might hide a suitable wild boar or two.”
Lythrana nodded. Her green eyes were red from the wind, but that didn’t dull their intensity. “This is as good as anywhere.”
Signaling to the master of the hunt, the king took a barbed spear from a young squire. He handed the weapon to Lythrana, then took another for himself. The king’s huntsmen hurried off into the woods with the hounds in search of game. Only when they’d flushed a large boar or stag from the trees would the hunt begin for the nobles. In the meantime, a handful of guards spread out around the tall grass in the clearing to protect the king.
While he waited, Azoun resumed the discussion of the crusade he’d begun earlier with Lythrana. As the king had expected, Lythrana knew a great deal about the Tuigan presence in Rashemen and Thesk. However, he was surprised to learn that the leaders of Zhentil Keep thought a peremptory strike against the barbarians a very wise ideaas long as it was accomplished by the other nations of
Azoun paused, perhaps a little too long, and tried to think of a way to politely decline Lythrana’s request. He felt far too tired to ride and really didn’t care much for hunting. Lythrana had probably guessed that, Azoun decided. But as soon as he had realized that the envoy was expecting him to decline, he smiled as brightly as he could and said, “Of course. Vangerdahast,” Azoun added to his slightly shocked friend, “please have the groom prepare my horse and ask the royal huntsman to gather a suitable hunting party.”
To Lythrana, who was staring in undisguised surprise at him, the king said, “Hawk or hound, Lady Dargor?”
“Hound,” she replied, then motioned to her dress. “Perhaps I suggested this too hastily. I’m not quite attired”
The king smiled graciously. “That shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll find you something to wear.” That said, he sent the royal wizard away to prepare for a hunt.
“While we wait for Vangerdahast to get things ready,” the king commented smoothly after his friend had departed, “let us discuss the Tuigan threat to Zhentil Keep.”
Realizing that she was being overwhelmed by a far better politician than she, Lythrana Dargor smiled and let the king of Cormyr expound upon the menace of the horsewarriors. They had a leisurely stroll around the castle, Azoun alternately relating the history of each ancient family artifact they passed in their walk then describing the preparations for the crusade.
Within an hour, they moved the discussion outside, onto Suzail’s main road. As the royal procession moved through the city, Azoun realized that it was a very good thing for the citizens to see him alive and healthy after the assassination attempt. Crowds quickly gathered at the side of the Promenade, cheering the monarch as he made his way to the northern gates of the city.
As soon as the hunting party was clear of the tent city that clustered around Suzail’s walls, they let their horses speed over the open road. The chilly air whipped cloaks and made eyes water, but Azoun found it revived him. Though he didn’t enjoy hunting, he did love the feeling of freedom riding a powerful horse gave him. So, grimacing against the chill breeze, Azoun pulled his purple cloak tight over his fur-lined surcoat and let his horse race on.
Eventually, the party slowed down again. As they brought their horses to a canter, the master of the hounds gathered his barking charges closer to his lead. The busy, thriving farms that surrounded Suzail had given way to wilder country, and the king and his party found themselves surrounded by thicket-covered fields and sparse forest. Azoun trotted his horse to Lythrana’s side.
“Will this do?” he asked politely. “I suspect these fields and stands of trees might hide a suitable wild boar or two.”
Lythrana nodded. Her green eyes were red from the wind, but that didn’t dull their intensity. “This is as good as anywhere.”
Signaling to the master of the hunt, the king took a barbed spear from a young squire. He handed the weapon to Lythrana, then took another for himself. The king’s huntsmen hurried off into the woods with the hounds in search of game. Only when they’d flushed a large boar or stag from the trees would the hunt begin for the nobles. In the meantime, a handful of guards spread out around the tall grass in the clearing to protect the king.
While he waited, Azoun resumed the discussion of the crusade he’d begun earlier with Lythrana. As the king had expected, Lythrana knew a great deal about the Tuigan presence in Rashemen and Thesk. However, he was surprised to learn that the leaders of Zhentil Keep thought a peremptory strike against the barbarians a very wise ideaas long as it was accomplished by the other nations of
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