“We’ve a great breakfast prepared in our dining hall,” Rhaif told them after a few minutes. “Please if you’ll join us. I’m sure you’re tired after your long journey.”
One of the gruff men Aydra had heard bellow a loud laugh earlier pushed past Rhaif up the stairs. “Which way?” he asked.
Aydra bit her lips together, denying the laughter that threatened to emit from her.
“You’ll excuse Dag,” came the voice of the High Elder behind her at the bottom of the steps. “He’s new to the Elder guard. Never been one to turn down food.”
Aydra turned full towards the man as he stepped up to her, and she took in his figure deliberately. The sides of his head were shaved, leaving only his straight darkened mahogany hair in the middle to be braided down the middle of his head. He was only a couple of inches taller than her with strong shoulders that struggled against the black v-neck tunic he wore.
“I make no judgements,” she assured him. “At least his appetite is healthy.”
The handsome Elder chuckled, one stray short hair falling out of the braid and over his eye. “That it is.” He took her hand then and kissed the top of it. “Hagen Vairgrey, High Elder of the Blackhands, at your service.”
Aydra eyed the Blackhand’s light brown eyes as his long red beard brushed her hand. “I’ll have none of that, Elder. The days you are here are not about services. They are about celebrating the Echelon coming together for the first time in this Age. Repairing relationships we’ve long squandered.”
His full lips twisted into a smirk, thick brows raising on his forehead. “Tell me, Sun Queen, how is it we will be celebrating such a relationship?” he asked in a gruff voice.
She felt her lips press together at the sultry gaze he stared at her with. “Dancing,” she replied simply. “I’ve been told your brethren are quite fond of it.”
The Blackhand flashed her a wide grin. “You should visit Dahrkenhill for such a celebration,” he mused, holding out an arm for her to take. “Dancing. Ale. Herb. None of these fancy dresses and uptight decorations. Simply a gathering of our family. Celebrating life, love, and freedom as we should.”
Aydra tucked her arm into his. “Sounds like my kind of party.”
The noise of Lex clearing her throat behind her diverted Aydra’s attention from the Blackhand on her arm. Aydra did a double-take at her friend, who nodded silently towards the corner. Aydra excused herself from Hagen and darted to the corner with her Second.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Aydra asked in a hushed voice.
Lex’s gaze darted around the thinning throng of foreigners near them and then back to Aydra. “The Chronicles arelies.”
Aydra frowned. “Excuse me?”
“The Chronicles failed to mention that I would be questioning my entire sexual history upon meeting these Blackhand men.”
Aydra clapped her hand over her mouth at an instant, unable to hold back the laughter emitting from her throat. “Hilexi Ashbourne!”
“And you… will you be having a guest join you and the Venari tonight? Because he is—”
“No, no,” Aydra interrupted. “I need you to handle that for me and give me details.”
Lex straightened up and ran her hand through her short blonde hair, her eyes darting back to Hagen standing waiting on them. Aydra grabbed Lex’s arm as Hagen turned and smiled at them.
“Details,” Aydra said in an exaggerated tone. “Details, Lex. I need them.”
“Perhaps we should all have a go together.”
Aydra’s brows raised at the thought. “That’s… that’s certainly not a bad idea.”
Lex grinned at her and straightened her shirt. “Escort him to breakfast. Let’s see how he and your Venari get on before we suggest such a thing,” she said with a wink.
Aydra joined Hagen back a few moments later. They were the last ones to leave the comfort of the outdoor theater. She allowed him to escort her all the way to the dining hall, telling her about the celebrations they so had in his town the entire way. And when they finally entered the dining hall, she was immediately met with the loud laughter of the one she’d left in her own bed that morning.
It was a look of joy on Draven’s face that she’d never seen within these kingdom walls, a freedom of his core that reminded her of the poor relationship her own people shared with the rest of the beings of Haerland. She envied the camaraderie these races seemed to share despite the distances between them.
Her chest swelled when Draven did a double-take in her direction, and this tongue darted out over his lips as his eyes danced between she and Hagen on her arm.
“Who let this guy in your walls?” Hagen said loudly as they approached. “It was my impression the Promised and Venari didn’t exactly get along.”
Draven turned towards Hagen, chin rising as he set his cup down. “Funny. I was under the impression trash was immediately dumped from their window to the Edge.”
