entered through. “They will take you to your rooms. Once you’ve refreshed, join me in the hall. We’ll have a feast ready for you. The days have grown dark, and it’d be good to celebrate your arrival.”
With a deep bow, he left them. The Eschaton followed the servants to their rooms. Somehow, a large tub of steaming hot water was already waiting in each. The servants handed them several towels and soaps. Harruq accepted them with a perplexed look on his face.
“We walk in, barely even introduce ourselves, and we get food, bath, and wine?” he asked. “Is this how nobility live?”
“Oftentimes, yes,” Aurelia said, untying the laces of her dress. “I went with my parents a few times to speak with the King of Mordeina. Until the ill times, our treatment was always exquisite.”
“Huh,” Harruq said, watching Aurelia undress.
“No funny ideas,” she said as she slipped naked into the water.
“Who, me?”
The water was nearly scalding, but Harruq forced himself in. Once he lay back, the water nearly up to his neck, he sighed and closed his eyes.
“Not bad,” he said.
Aurelia splashed him in the face.
Ten minutes later, the servants returned while they were toweling off.
“Pardon the interruption,” said a chubby woman carrying a stack of clothes. “My Lord says with how long you’ve been traveling you might not have proper court clothes.”
Harruq grumbled as he sat on the bed, only a towel hiding his nakedness.
“I have to dress like a pansy noble?” he asked.
“Yes,” Aurelia said, taking an offered outfit.
“I guessed on the sizes,” the servant lady said. She looked to Harruq and frowned. “Though you’re a tad taller and a bit rounder in the arms than I thought.”
The other two servants accompanying her also held clothes in their arms. The chubby one searched through a pile, found something more akin to Harruq’s size, and laid it out on the bed. She then grabbed the remaining towels before all three hurried off, shutting the door behind them.
“Get dressed,” Aurelia said. “We’ve taken long enough. If we tarry, Lord Sully might take it as an insult.”
“Will he take it as an insult if I wear my old clothes and armor?” Harruq asked, holding up a finely woven shirt of white and blue.
“Of course,” Aurelia said. “You would attend a conference of peace dressed in the garb of war?”
Harruq rolled his eyes.
“Can’t we just go find some orcs and beat them senseless instead?” he asked.
Aurelia let her towel drop and held the dress to her chest. She leaned over and kissed him on the nose, then started sliding the soft purple fabric over her head. Harruq sighed but ceased his complaining. Aurelia’s dress was tight around the waist, but she adjusted it as best she could. The shoulders were frilled in a style she didn’t recognize, the bottom stitched to always appear wavy and in motion. It hugged her body tight, and Harruq shook his head at the sight of her.
“You were meant for this stuff, not I,” he said.
“You look dashing,” she said, kissing his cheek. “Let’s go see if Haern is ready.”
They’d brought Haern a similar outfit as Harruq, dark britches with long-sleeved shirts of white and blue. Haern, however, seemed far more comfortable in it. He’d combed his blond hair back and shaved his face. Harruq wondered if one of the servants had trusted him with a razor, or if he’d managed to smuggle in a dagger despite the guard’s request. Haern wore his gray cloak still, and he let it swoop about him as he bowed.
“Aren’t we the dashing three?” Haern asked, wearing a wry smile.
“Let’s not drag this out too long,” Aurelia said. “Enjoy your food, but make sure we discuss other matters as well. I don’t know how Lord Sully will react or what he knows. He’ll keep his information close to his chest, so watch your words.”
“Yes, milady,” Haern said, winking.
She snapped her fingers at him, the tips sparking with
With a deep bow, he left them. The Eschaton followed the servants to their rooms. Somehow, a large tub of steaming hot water was already waiting in each. The servants handed them several towels and soaps. Harruq accepted them with a perplexed look on his face.
“We walk in, barely even introduce ourselves, and we get food, bath, and wine?” he asked. “Is this how nobility live?”
“Oftentimes, yes,” Aurelia said, untying the laces of her dress. “I went with my parents a few times to speak with the King of Mordeina. Until the ill times, our treatment was always exquisite.”
“Huh,” Harruq said, watching Aurelia undress.
“No funny ideas,” she said as she slipped naked into the water.
“Who, me?”
The water was nearly scalding, but Harruq forced himself in. Once he lay back, the water nearly up to his neck, he sighed and closed his eyes.
“Not bad,” he said.
Aurelia splashed him in the face.
Ten minutes later, the servants returned while they were toweling off.
“Pardon the interruption,” said a chubby woman carrying a stack of clothes. “My Lord says with how long you’ve been traveling you might not have proper court clothes.”
Harruq grumbled as he sat on the bed, only a towel hiding his nakedness.
“I have to dress like a pansy noble?” he asked.
“Yes,” Aurelia said, taking an offered outfit.
“I guessed on the sizes,” the servant lady said. She looked to Harruq and frowned. “Though you’re a tad taller and a bit rounder in the arms than I thought.”
The other two servants accompanying her also held clothes in their arms. The chubby one searched through a pile, found something more akin to Harruq’s size, and laid it out on the bed. She then grabbed the remaining towels before all three hurried off, shutting the door behind them.
“Get dressed,” Aurelia said. “We’ve taken long enough. If we tarry, Lord Sully might take it as an insult.”
“Will he take it as an insult if I wear my old clothes and armor?” Harruq asked, holding up a finely woven shirt of white and blue.
“Of course,” Aurelia said. “You would attend a conference of peace dressed in the garb of war?”
Harruq rolled his eyes.
“Can’t we just go find some orcs and beat them senseless instead?” he asked.
Aurelia let her towel drop and held the dress to her chest. She leaned over and kissed him on the nose, then started sliding the soft purple fabric over her head. Harruq sighed but ceased his complaining. Aurelia’s dress was tight around the waist, but she adjusted it as best she could. The shoulders were frilled in a style she didn’t recognize, the bottom stitched to always appear wavy and in motion. It hugged her body tight, and Harruq shook his head at the sight of her.
“You were meant for this stuff, not I,” he said.
“You look dashing,” she said, kissing his cheek. “Let’s go see if Haern is ready.”
They’d brought Haern a similar outfit as Harruq, dark britches with long-sleeved shirts of white and blue. Haern, however, seemed far more comfortable in it. He’d combed his blond hair back and shaved his face. Harruq wondered if one of the servants had trusted him with a razor, or if he’d managed to smuggle in a dagger despite the guard’s request. Haern wore his gray cloak still, and he let it swoop about him as he bowed.
“Aren’t we the dashing three?” Haern asked, wearing a wry smile.
“Let’s not drag this out too long,” Aurelia said. “Enjoy your food, but make sure we discuss other matters as well. I don’t know how Lord Sully will react or what he knows. He’ll keep his information close to his chest, so watch your words.”
“Yes, milady,” Haern said, winking.
She snapped her fingers at him, the tips sparking with
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