V

The room, though luxurious, was incredibly boring. They were not allowed to leave—had a guard waiting on them at the door for anything they needed. The king had not received them on account of being occupied with other matters, but had assured Yoreno and the group that he would receive them on the morrow. It was the morrow, and now evening was approaching.

Outside, the skies were grey and a light rain fell constantly. It was a relief to the thunderous storm of flashing lightning the night before. Mai sat at the table in the main drawing room eating a local dish of roast meat with potatoes, carrots and onions, all cooked together in a thick broth. The flavor of the meat smelled wonderful, but Yoreno wasn’t hungry.

Sorika sat on the bed, sharpening her blades while Dantera paced back and forth, her hands on her hips. Yoreno sat in a chair in the corner of the room, wondering why the king was taking so long?

“Perhaps he is dealing with the Nai Sha’el,” Dantera suggested. “Sir Wynet said that they were a problem in these parts—and no wonder. This kingdom is tiny.”

Yoreno nodded as he got up from the chair and went to the windows. He undid the latch and opened it.

“What are you doing?” Sorika asked. “It’s cold out.”

Yoreno said nothing, only leaned forward and glanced out across the countryside, then to the ledge. Had he decided to get up on there, he could go left or right, but not knowing where those paths would take him, it would have to be a last result. He closed the window and turned around. When he realized Dantera was watching him with a curios expression on her face, and yet a knowing look at the same time, he said, “We may have to take our spiders out.”

She nodded solemnly.

Once, Dantera had crossed the ledges at Aevalin castle to put a jar of spiders in her cousin’s bed. A horrible little prank—but she had been young. It was something she and Yoreno had laughed over while waiting for dark before ambushing an enemy camp on the Isle of Morr during his trials of knighthood.

Sorika glanced between them, but she said nothing. She would find out soon enough by maintaining her vigilance.

“Give it time,” Dantera said.

“Me?” he asked. “You’re the one who can’t stop pacing.”

Mai looked up from her dinner. “It’s not as good when you eat alone.”

“Don’t eat too much,” Dantera told her over her shoulder. “I suspect the king will be inviting us to a private dinner later.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because, it is what I would do.”

“Hmm,” Mai said thoughtfully and spiked another potato with her fork.

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Night had come and they were still waiting in the room. With imported rugs, silk curtains and a hearth larger than Yoreno was tall, Farelli castle was luxurious, though still not as sumptuous as Aevalin castle.

But in its own way, it had a special charm that was all its own. In a way, it was a monument to this kingdom, a piece of it, the way a painting belonged to whatever scenery the artist had chosen to recreate.

Yoreno sat, watching the flames crackle in the fire and enjoyed the warm that spread over him. Dantera sat on the sofa opposite him, a glass of wine in her hand, though she had only taken two fingers worth.

“I want to be alert when the king summons us,” she had said. With spring upon them, the days were getting longer, but since the season was still early, the nights still came quickly. “If he doesn’t summon us tonight,” Dantera finally said, “yhen”—she nodded—“then we get out of here.”

Mai moved her hands as she manipulated some artful magic in her palms that illuminated her face in hues of blue and purple while Sorika lay on her hip across the sofa facing the fire. “Do you want me to do some scouting tonight?” the rogue asked.

“Wait,” Yoreno said. “There’s something about the knights here that have me on edge. Somehow they caught you easily when we first met Sir Wynet.”

Sorika nodded silently.

“We should be careful.”

“If we aren’t summoned tonight, then you can scout,” Yoreno said. “But wait until early morning.”

“All right.”

“We may need to find some weapons,” Yoreno added thoughtfully as he twirled the fire poker in his hand. The handle was gilded in gold, the rest of the poker was silver and artfully crafted with an intricate design that resembled long rose spines intertwined together.

A knock came at the door.

Yoreno jerked his head past Sorika who sat up. He stalked to the door, still holding the poker in his hand. He answered it, revealing a man in a high-quality trousers and a tailed jacket.

“Hans?” he asked.

“Yes,” the man said as he nodded. His face was long and his nose spindly. “The king has requested your presence in one hour. You will accompany him in his private dining quarters. Is this acceptable?”

Yoreno nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Very well, my lord. Then I will return to accompany you at that time.” He bowed and stepped away.

Yoreno closed the door and Dantera smiled. “I told you.”

“You have a knack for these things.”

“A ‘knack’?” she asked dubiously. “I am… I was Lady Dantera Brennovo—knight of Aevalin and leader of the Roaming Lions. Half of Aevalin had been in my good graces. I think ‘knack’ hardly describes it.”

Yoreno chuckled. “You are correct.”

“But what do we wear?” Mai asked. “All we have are our travelling clothes.”

“That will be fine,” Dantera said. “Especially for you, Mai. A mage’s robes are of high quality and present a fine enough image.”

“But what of us?” Sorika asked.

Dantera raised an eyebrow. “You have had your clothes cleaned, have you not?”

“Yes.”

“Your armor polished?”

Sorika nodded. “Mm.”

“Then good. There is nothing indecent about being in a king’s presence in your adventuring clothes, especially since we are all of a military nature. I sense the king here is quite the soldier in fact.”

“How do you figure that?” Yoreno asked.

“Well I doubt he is busy attending feasts, and that’s why he had us locked in here for a day and a half!”

Yoreno shrugged.

“Now let us prepare. Put your armor on.”

“All right,” Mai said. “What armor I do wear.” The only armor the mage wore consisted of shin guards that reached up past her knees. They consisted of thick, high-quality hardened leather. They were painted white with black runes. As a mage, it was dangerous for her to carry anything metallic.

As a conductor, if she found herself battling enemies that used lightning spells, she would end up a sorry mage indeed. That was something Yoreno had learned while becoming a knight and adventurer.

It was important to have understanding of the other classes, including your own, both to aid and assist your party members, but also in gaining an advantage over your enemy.

He went to his room where his armor had sat on the floor. He picked it up and put it on the bed. Perhaps he would only wear the breast plate. Being at a king’s table in full armor didn’t sound very comfortable.