“May I join you, Lady Alexis?” Lord Daniel asks from behind.
I turn around and find his eyes quickly leaving my lower back. I pretend not to notice and give him a smile.
“I would be happy for the company, Lord Daniel.”
Daniel smiles and moves to stand next to me, his brown hair and beard shining with the firelight behind us beautifully. I hold my mug to him in cheers and watch as he brings up his own toddy, the two of us taking a drink in greeting.
“What did you make of the Prince and Princess tonight? You seemed to be holding your own at dinner with the two.”
I let my hand run through my hair in thought, brushing it forward and in front of my face before replying.
“I enjoyed them a lot. Or Princess Clair, that is. I think I should like to be friends with her.”
Lord Daniel smiles, “a good choice in friends if you had to choose. She and her husband are powerful allies to the Kingdom of Disce. We learn a lot from them.”
“Do you often travel to Pyre?”
“The Princes do more than I, but I’ve frequented this city a few times. It’s always good to see friendly lands that don’t distinguish between races.”
“They do a good job of that here,” I agree, thinking that if I had not seen the flames under their skin, I would have never been able to tell the difference between a magical Pyrenese and a human one.
Lord Daniel leans in so that our arms are nearly touching on the balcony. He dips his head, a smile gracing his lips.
“And did you enjoy Fumagalli?” he smiles, “the real Fumagalli?”
I look around us, spotting no one nearby as I lean in closer with my eyes alight, “more than you know, Lord Daniel. Thank you for allowing that.”
I smile in appreciation, not forgetting his vote of confidence two nights ago.
“It was my pleasure,” he brings his hand up to his beard, “and I meant what I said that I believe we’ll be able to learn more from you. The value of Fumagalli rests in its secrecy, but oftentimes letting outsiders in on that secret provides for new insight.”
“Anything I can do to help,” I smile, enjoying how easy it is to have a conversation with the Lord, “I did ask His Highness if I could spend a night there sometime. He offered on our trip back.”
“He told me,” he nods, “we have ample space to accommodate you, Lady Alexis.”
“I would be beyond grateful.”
Lord Daniel smiles as I continue, “and it was a pleasant surprise to hear of you governing there. How long have you been Lord?”
His light brown eyes twinkle back on mine, “about twenty years.”
Ancients, almost since the day I was born.
I stare at him in amazement, always in awe at the Discerni aging compared to humans. Lord Daniel only looks a year or two older than Keane, maybe thirty, but he’s been around for almost one-hundred and twenty years, if not more.
“Do you enjoy it?” I ask.
“I do,” he gives me a genuine smile, “Fumagalli is much calmer than the rest of the cities in the Court of Warriors. Better suited for me.”
I eye him in agreement. “Quieter, but just as strong.”
Daniel catches my gaze and looks back at me in thoughtful affection. His eyes dip to the ale in my hand with a small smile.
“Can I get you another drink?”
“Thank you, but no,” I hold the mug up and look at what remains, “I promised myself that this would be the last of the night. I need to be up early tomorrow morning.”
“Understandable,” he smiles, turning his back to the balcony as he looks at the fire and court.
