sure that didn't happen. Because she knew some of the people in his family, no doubt. That made them friends, in his mind. Someone that you did whatever you could for, no matter what it cost you.
"Thanks for the offer. It's most kind, but I'll be fine. I can just shake Tiera down for one later tonight. I'm supposed to have a meeting with her. The thing in Tellerand, well, we weren't allowed, by their religious rules, to make food for ourselves. It has something to do with showing how humble we all were being, begging them to take the blessings of their own god. So we, there were hundreds of us by the end, we didn't get to eat all that much most of the time. I'll be fine here, and in Harmony." She looked at him, as he relaxed, understanding the state she was in it seemed, now that it had been explained. "Now, what can I do for you?"
It was just then that Ursula came in, pushing a silver cart with tea and muffins on it.
"What can you do for me? Well, a hug would be a good start."
Sara jumped up and did just that. They were friends after all. Close enough that they'd shared a bed on more than a few occasions. Not lovers though. The Countess had been recovering from being poisoned back then, and having just lost her parents, and the baby she'd been carrying.
The woman was a bit taller now, by an inch or two, and had filled out some. Mainly through the chest, which Sara knew, because her face landed there when she was embraced back. Laughing she turned her head to the side, so that she could breathe.
"How are you doing, Countess Thorgood?"
There was a pause, then a kiss was delivered to Sara's left cheek, which took some bending over on the other woman's part. The lace from the blonde lady's red dress rasped a little against the satin that Sara was wearing as she pulled back. Hands moving to upper arms, as if fearing she'd get away.
"I'm fine enough. The County is good, compared to most others. We haven't been hit with a major storm yet. We may not be, if word out of Austra can be trusted. King Richard has us working on the relief efforts from there for that reason. I have a meeting with him later to go over what's needed. Have you come to take Todd off to visit his family?"
That would be the favor he wanted? It made sense, if Gerent wasn't around to do it.
"That can be arranged. I'm headed that way later tonight, in fact. It seems that my younger brother has gotten himself in trouble again. Something about him trying to get out of a marriage he set up? With a woman from Afrak. That, or he did something worse, and I need to be on hand to execute him. The information is a bit thin so far. I'm worried, of course." She didn't sound it.
That was down to her being too tired, really. She just couldn't care.
Todd stood and bowed to her though.
"That's a kind invitation, Ambassador Debri. I'd love to go with you, if that isn't a hardship? I don't have pressing business there or anything."
"It's not a problem really. I'm going anyway and can leave from here as easily as anywhere else. More so really. Call it eleven tonight? I have that meeting with Squire Gemma at eight."
That could mean anything, from her wanting to pass secret messages to the girl, or enlist her as a spy, to just trying to get her into bed. On the first meeting it would probably just be talk about who they knew in common. Showing that they had a good reason to be friends. That, and drinking some hopefully decent ale. She hadn't realized how much she missed the stuff. It nearly called to her now. Alluring, the phantom scent of it coming to her. Slightly sour, but full and rich.
Not that she could afford to get drunk. That was a shame. It was nice to really let go, on occasion. That wasn't a thing that a spy did in public though. Not a good one, which she really was. Most of the time.
She stayed with Todd and Ursula until nearly six-thirty, since they wanted to be polite to her for some strange, totally non-political, reason. Sara grinned at them both a few
"Thanks for the offer. It's most kind, but I'll be fine. I can just shake Tiera down for one later tonight. I'm supposed to have a meeting with her. The thing in Tellerand, well, we weren't allowed, by their religious rules, to make food for ourselves. It has something to do with showing how humble we all were being, begging them to take the blessings of their own god. So we, there were hundreds of us by the end, we didn't get to eat all that much most of the time. I'll be fine here, and in Harmony." She looked at him, as he relaxed, understanding the state she was in it seemed, now that it had been explained. "Now, what can I do for you?"
It was just then that Ursula came in, pushing a silver cart with tea and muffins on it.
"What can you do for me? Well, a hug would be a good start."
Sara jumped up and did just that. They were friends after all. Close enough that they'd shared a bed on more than a few occasions. Not lovers though. The Countess had been recovering from being poisoned back then, and having just lost her parents, and the baby she'd been carrying.
The woman was a bit taller now, by an inch or two, and had filled out some. Mainly through the chest, which Sara knew, because her face landed there when she was embraced back. Laughing she turned her head to the side, so that she could breathe.
"How are you doing, Countess Thorgood?"
There was a pause, then a kiss was delivered to Sara's left cheek, which took some bending over on the other woman's part. The lace from the blonde lady's red dress rasped a little against the satin that Sara was wearing as she pulled back. Hands moving to upper arms, as if fearing she'd get away.
"I'm fine enough. The County is good, compared to most others. We haven't been hit with a major storm yet. We may not be, if word out of Austra can be trusted. King Richard has us working on the relief efforts from there for that reason. I have a meeting with him later to go over what's needed. Have you come to take Todd off to visit his family?"
That would be the favor he wanted? It made sense, if Gerent wasn't around to do it.
"That can be arranged. I'm headed that way later tonight, in fact. It seems that my younger brother has gotten himself in trouble again. Something about him trying to get out of a marriage he set up? With a woman from Afrak. That, or he did something worse, and I need to be on hand to execute him. The information is a bit thin so far. I'm worried, of course." She didn't sound it.
That was down to her being too tired, really. She just couldn't care.
Todd stood and bowed to her though.
"That's a kind invitation, Ambassador Debri. I'd love to go with you, if that isn't a hardship? I don't have pressing business there or anything."
"It's not a problem really. I'm going anyway and can leave from here as easily as anywhere else. More so really. Call it eleven tonight? I have that meeting with Squire Gemma at eight."
That could mean anything, from her wanting to pass secret messages to the girl, or enlist her as a spy, to just trying to get her into bed. On the first meeting it would probably just be talk about who they knew in common. Showing that they had a good reason to be friends. That, and drinking some hopefully decent ale. She hadn't realized how much she missed the stuff. It nearly called to her now. Alluring, the phantom scent of it coming to her. Slightly sour, but full and rich.
Not that she could afford to get drunk. That was a shame. It was nice to really let go, on occasion. That wasn't a thing that a spy did in public though. Not a good one, which she really was. Most of the time.
She stayed with Todd and Ursula until nearly six-thirty, since they wanted to be polite to her for some strange, totally non-political, reason. Sara grinned at them both a few
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