“You know why…”
Alanna’s cool grey eyes dart to me and Cal, then land back on her sister, “they need to see.Ineed to see.”
Marybeth stalks over to her sister with concern etched across her entire face. “You werethere, Alanna. Longer than me and I still remember! What more could you wish to see?”
“Many years have passed, Mary,” Alanna nods solemnly, “I’ll take a confirmation of those memories. These two will take an introduction.”
Marybeth turns to both Cal and I in small anger, her eyes darting over our Knowledge green and gold attire.
“We were unaware, Lady,” Cal replies softly, his brown eyes holding Marybeth’s in genuine apology, “weareunaware.”
Her features soften with a sigh at Cal’s words, nodding in understanding.
“This is the sole reason why Gaumond and the Court of Warriors exists. If your travel to Woodlands Court will open more eyes to the truththen I surely will not fight against it. I only worry for my sister’s well-being.”
Alanna rolls her eyes as Cal gives Marybeth a solemn nod, “she rides with me and a company of Warrior and Knowledge men, Lady. We will not let anything happen…” he turns my way, “to either of them.”
“Notwithstanding the fact that I can defend myself,” Alanna shakes her head at Cal. I smirk at the fiery blonde Discerni. She can certainly defend herself properly.
Marybeth turns to her sister with questioning eyes, her voice soft, “will you visit the grave for me? Visit Jo-”
Alanna shakes her head sharply, her quick demeanor cutting her sister off. Marybeth frowns as Alanna picks up all four drinks and walks towards the table that Cal and I stand in front of, ignoring whatever Marybeth’s small request was meant to be.
“Plus,” Alanna sets the drinks down and speaks to us all, changing the conversation, “I wish to spend some time in the Palisades. My travel into Bardot before grabbing these two only allowed for a two-night’s stay in the castle,” she looks at Cal and I with feigned sadness in her eyes, “verydisappointing.”
My friend and I look at eachother with grins before he replies, “we shall entertain you in the Palisades, Alanna. You will not be disappointed.”
“Agreed,” I smile.
While the pubs aren’t as open and friendly as Gaumond and don’t have the same interaction between humans and Discerni as they do here, she’ll still have a good time.
“So you visit me here in long goodbye then, sister?” Marybeth takes a seat at the table. Cal and I reach for the ales as the sisters grab their toddies, the three of us taking a seat as well.
“Yes,” Alanna replies, eyes moving to Cal with a grin, “and to request some smoke for the road.”
Marybeth laughs and holds out her drink, “but of course.”
We salute and relax in our chairs, enjoying an early morning drink before setting off. Marybeth immediately inquires about their father in Fumagalli, to which Cal and I gently ignore with a friendly banter of our own.
“My eyes have to be deceiving me,” Marybeth turns my way, “but is that a hawk under your hair, Alexis?”
The dim lighting of the tavern allows Stormfall to hide under my hair easily, his black feathers looking like shadows against my skin. I bring my finger up to his chest and stroke it softly, watching as Marybeth gasps at his opening yellow eyes.
“This is Stormfall,” I smile at her as Storm grips my collarbone, his beak opening wide in a yawn. Alanna sinks farther into her seat as her sister leans forward with a wide smile plastered across her face in greeting.
“Hello, little one.”
“Not so little from the first time we met him,” Alanna grumbles.
Isn’t that the truth.
In another fortnight I suspect that Storm will no longer be able to hide under my hair, that he’ll have to take up residence at the edge of my shoulder. That is, until I decide what to do about his Ancient. Keane implored of me to wait Hirovale out, but I still have deeply reserved feelings about him.
“He sleeps in the morning,” I offer Marybeth in apology. Storm curls back up under my ear and closes his eyes again.
“Another first from Knowledge,” she laughs, eyes sparkling at Cal and I, “shall we cheers in your fashion?”
Alanna’s sister stands up quickly, walking behind her pub counter to pour four more glasses of toddy. Cal and I look at eachother with a grin as Alanna rolls her eyes again and reaches down to her riding pants under the table. I laugh when Marybeth brings the four glasses to our table and drops them down with a little gusto.
