I’m a little sweaty from the entertainment in the hold.”
-
“So this is the mysterious Daniel al’Degar,” Lady Rotiln said, holding out her hand to Daniel.
Daniel leaned forward and kissed her fingers lightly, much to Lady Rotiln’s amusement.
“And he is a gentleman as well as being so handsome. What have you done with the rude child?”
“She is attending to her friend, Nin, who is indisposed,” Jalia replied.
“No matter, we can have a much more adult conversation without her,” Lady Rotiln said cheerfully. “Halad in particular, seems to find her cheeky and will be happier without her presence.”
“As my lady indicates,” Halad said imperturbably.
The conversation meandered inconsequentially as they waited for the food to arrive. Lady Rotiln had watched Jalia’s rescue of Sila and Alin earlier in the day and was impressed, or so she said.
“A very daring rescue indeed,” she said putting the serviette to her lips and dabbing lightly. “Forgive me for ever doubting you, my dear. I think you have put that particular question beyond all doubt.”
“Why were you visiting Boathaven?” Daniel asked.
“I have relatives there. They were very boring indeed and I would not want to waste your time recounting any of the tedious time I spent in their company.”
“And you Halad, what brought you to Boathaven?” Jalia asked.
“I buy trinkets in the market. They tend to be of low value, but they can be enhanced by skilled work back in my shop,” Halad explained. “I travel this route once a year and search the markets of Bratin, Wegnar and Boathaven for jewellery that will tickle the fancy of my clientele in Slarn.”
“And very successful you are at it too,” Lady Rotiln said with a light laugh.
“Have you traveled together often?” Daniel enquired.
“Why, you do ask a lot of questions, young man. And yet it is you and your charming lady who are the talk of Jalon. Surely, you can regale us with the story of your time in Brinan? That would be so much more interesting, I am sure.”
“There’s nothing much to tell,” Jalia said quietly. “The Mine Owners Association annoyed the people of Brinan and they took their town back from their mercenaries.”
“But what became of the gold?” Halad asked leaning intently over the table.
Jalia shrugged, “They say it vanished from the vaults. As usual, I got the blame.”
“And the story of you confronting the Association’s guards at the gates of Brinan?” Lady Rotiln enquired of Daniel.
“Oh, that happened,” Daniel told her laughing. “I just happened to be in front and I shouted Boo! And they ran off like scared rabbits.”
“Well you really don’t make your adventures seem very heroic at all,” Lady Rotiln complained.
“At the time they were anything but,” Daniel agreed.
Later, as they walked back to their cabin, Jalia turned to Daniel.
“What do you think?”
“I think that they are up to something, though I have no idea what,” Daniel confessed, “Perhaps they are lovers and don’t want their families to know.”
“Somehow, I don’t see Lady Rotiln as the shy retiring type,” Jalia said as she opened the door to their cabin.
“Daniel you have to help Nin!” Hala screamed. She rushed to Daniel, put her arms around his waist, and snuggled up to him. “Nin is in such pain. I can’t stand it. You have to do your magic and fix him, Daniel. You have to.”
Daniel stood still, feeling completely helpless. He didn’t know how he saved Hala. The gift came and went as it wanted.
“It touched him when I put on the ointment and nothing happened,” he pointed out.
“For which we can be truly grateful,” Jalia said angrily. She pulled Hala away from Daniel and knelt down so they were at eye level.
“Nin is not going to die. He was punished for breaking the rules of his people and that was appropriate. This is his home and he has to live with these men. Do you understand, Hala.”
Hala
-
“So this is the mysterious Daniel al’Degar,” Lady Rotiln said, holding out her hand to Daniel.
Daniel leaned forward and kissed her fingers lightly, much to Lady Rotiln’s amusement.
“And he is a gentleman as well as being so handsome. What have you done with the rude child?”
“She is attending to her friend, Nin, who is indisposed,” Jalia replied.
“No matter, we can have a much more adult conversation without her,” Lady Rotiln said cheerfully. “Halad in particular, seems to find her cheeky and will be happier without her presence.”
“As my lady indicates,” Halad said imperturbably.
The conversation meandered inconsequentially as they waited for the food to arrive. Lady Rotiln had watched Jalia’s rescue of Sila and Alin earlier in the day and was impressed, or so she said.
“A very daring rescue indeed,” she said putting the serviette to her lips and dabbing lightly. “Forgive me for ever doubting you, my dear. I think you have put that particular question beyond all doubt.”
“Why were you visiting Boathaven?” Daniel asked.
“I have relatives there. They were very boring indeed and I would not want to waste your time recounting any of the tedious time I spent in their company.”
“And you Halad, what brought you to Boathaven?” Jalia asked.
“I buy trinkets in the market. They tend to be of low value, but they can be enhanced by skilled work back in my shop,” Halad explained. “I travel this route once a year and search the markets of Bratin, Wegnar and Boathaven for jewellery that will tickle the fancy of my clientele in Slarn.”
“And very successful you are at it too,” Lady Rotiln said with a light laugh.
“Have you traveled together often?” Daniel enquired.
“Why, you do ask a lot of questions, young man. And yet it is you and your charming lady who are the talk of Jalon. Surely, you can regale us with the story of your time in Brinan? That would be so much more interesting, I am sure.”
“There’s nothing much to tell,” Jalia said quietly. “The Mine Owners Association annoyed the people of Brinan and they took their town back from their mercenaries.”
“But what became of the gold?” Halad asked leaning intently over the table.
Jalia shrugged, “They say it vanished from the vaults. As usual, I got the blame.”
“And the story of you confronting the Association’s guards at the gates of Brinan?” Lady Rotiln enquired of Daniel.
“Oh, that happened,” Daniel told her laughing. “I just happened to be in front and I shouted Boo! And they ran off like scared rabbits.”
“Well you really don’t make your adventures seem very heroic at all,” Lady Rotiln complained.
“At the time they were anything but,” Daniel agreed.
Later, as they walked back to their cabin, Jalia turned to Daniel.
“What do you think?”
“I think that they are up to something, though I have no idea what,” Daniel confessed, “Perhaps they are lovers and don’t want their families to know.”
“Somehow, I don’t see Lady Rotiln as the shy retiring type,” Jalia said as she opened the door to their cabin.
“Daniel you have to help Nin!” Hala screamed. She rushed to Daniel, put her arms around his waist, and snuggled up to him. “Nin is in such pain. I can’t stand it. You have to do your magic and fix him, Daniel. You have to.”
Daniel stood still, feeling completely helpless. He didn’t know how he saved Hala. The gift came and went as it wanted.
“It touched him when I put on the ointment and nothing happened,” he pointed out.
“For which we can be truly grateful,” Jalia said angrily. She pulled Hala away from Daniel and knelt down so they were at eye level.
“Nin is not going to die. He was punished for breaking the rules of his people and that was appropriate. This is his home and he has to live with these men. Do you understand, Hala.”
Hala
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