“Permission denied.” I turned back to my washbasin. The third bell for prayer rang out. “Did you follow me in here to spin fanciful tales about kissing friends on the mouth, or did you have a more pointed reason for watching me scrub my arse crack?”
“Men. I do not know how you elves have propagated so well given every male elf I have met is as thick-skulled as a dragon but far dumber. And they went extinct!”
“Actually, there are rumors of a snowy dragon frozen into the top peaks of the Witherhorns that—”
“Argh! That is not the point!”
I glanced over to see her zip out the open window in a snit, a cloud of plum glitter riding the soft breeze in her wake. Truly, I had no clue as to what she was riled about, and I had no time to dwell on how to calm the quick-tempered pixie. Kissing Beiro. How foolish. We had done that once, a few years ago, after a few glasses of icy cold wine. I’d felt nothing of a sensual nature for my friend. Nor he for me. He’d told me such the next morning when we’d sobered up and discussed it over the morning meal. Beiro was a fine man, but not my type. He was slim, angular, and shy. When I lay with men, I preferred them to be of a similar size to me, strong and muscular, with a cockiness thatspoke of self-esteem. The women I slept with could be petite and delicate. Surely Tezen was just painting fantasies in her head. Mayhap the nanny needed to start reading military tomes.
The fourth bell rang out. I tossed the cloth into the bowl and raced to get dressed for the day. It would be a long one—and busy—as would they all be with the impending visitors from the Black Sand Isles arriving soon. Perhaps a fast prayer to Ihdos this morn would grant us a quick day spent doling out justice. Knowing our king as I did, that was unlikely though. He would hear each petition, call for witnesses, and prevaricate over sentences. A kindhearted man, our king, and very just, but slow to mete out punishment. Still, a whispered plea to our god couldn’t go astray.
The main bailey was alive as I jogged from the barracks chapel.
Oxen carts filled with vegetables, ducks, and geese being herded by young girls and boys with sticks, a foursome of human bards speaking with the castle steward—their brightly colored garb giving them away as minstrels. Perhaps they’d perform for the king in the near future. Our monarch was open and welcoming to humans despite the rancor many elves held for them. The steady influx of humans into Celear was another hot point of contention among the elves of Melowynn. Many felt our lands should be inhabited only by elves. The king and queen, who were in a wedded union with a human woman, felt quite differently. I personally had no qualms with humans or any other races that wished to live among us. Life was to be lived and enjoyed, not spent mired in hatred for those who may have round ears, green skin, or speak a different dialect. I spied Beiro with two other explorers by the castle forge. Pens with fat hogsand sheep added to the cacophony. I tucked my helm under my arm further.
“Beiro!” I shouted over the pounding of hot metal being made into swords, shields, and other weaponry by Kinney Ironhelm, an older dwarf who had been the head armorer here at Avolire for well over seventy years. The smell of hot metal, animal dung, and wood fires being lit to tend to the daily washings of the castle filled my nose. The redheaded archer turned at my call, his bright green eyes flaring as he spied me wiggling around a group of washerwomen with baskets of dirty clothes. One gave me a wink, which I returned. The old woman laughed loudly, her bare gums pink as her cheeks. “I feared I might miss you. Prayers went on far longer than usual. The exalted cloisterer’s apprentice felt this morn was a good one to remind the guards of the forty supplications to Ihdos. Most of us fell asleep at twelve.”
Beiro smiled at me as I neared, his slim, freckled face breaking into a soft smile. “I’m glad I spent my morn with the followers of Danubia. Our prayers are much less boring.”
I clapped a hand to his shoulder, nodding at the two young elves journeying out with my friend. They lowered their heads respectfully and returned to packing their horses for the trip.
“Given they take place outdoors when the weather permits, that alone would make them more enjoyable. Are you not taking Kenton with you?” I looked around the bailey for the wood elf that now ran a temple to the woodland goddess Danubia here in Celear. “Or is he still curled up abed with his husband?”
“No, he has been asked to remain here so that the Sandrayan delegate can spend time with him. The king wishes to show that Celear and all of Melowynn are accepting of all faiths.”
“Ah, well, that is a wise decision.” I smiled down at the ginger elf with the graceful ears. “Did you enjoy the ale last night? I lost track of you during the night.”
The fast smile faded from his face. “I, uhm…left the pub early. I had much to pack for the trip, and you were occupied with that man.”
I hugged him to my side. “I’m sorry for being so rude.” Beiro was easily hurt at times. “The stablehand was eager to spend some time with me, so we left the alehouse to spend a few hours in the rooms above the city stables.” I gave my friend a wink.
“Oh yes, well, that is nice.” He broke free of my arm. The sparkle in his green eyes diminished now. “I hope you had fun.”
“I did, but I should not have let my prick lead me from you. I apologize. When you return, we’ll go out for a night of gambling. No men or women to lead us astray. Just you and me and Rolim.”
“Oh, Rolim. Yes, Rolim will be a nice addition.” He turned his head to gaze at his gray gelding, Hasulett, waiting patiently for him as were his companions. “I need to go. The ride will take most of the day. I hope the gala for the Sandrayans is successful.”
Why he had taken this task knowing it would have him far from the capital when he so loved to observe the pomp and circumstance was befuddling. My friend was a quiet man with deep thoughts that he tended to keep to himself. Mayhap growing up among bandits as he did had made him leery of speaking out or sharing information with others. Ihdos knows that the roaming bands of cutthroats would slit their mother’s necks for a few copper coins or an ill-spoken word. A child would learn quickly to be silent and stick to the shadow, which was exactly how our head explorer was.
“I’m sure it will be. There has been enough gold spent on it that the envoy and his staff should be suitably impressed. Ride with speed, my friend. Send us a raven when you reach your destination.” I gave his shoulder a squeeze and stepped back to allow him to mount up.
“We shall be in touch.” He gave me a long look that I assumed was longing to stay and see the grand events to come. “May Danubia smile on you.”
I bobbed my head at his kind words. I did not pray to the goddess of the wood elves, but I did believe in many of her tenets. The fundamental principles of respecting the lands and the beasts and birds that dwell on it, and keeping the waters that nourished us clean, were noble and sensible beliefs.
I lifted my hand in a wave as he turned his horse away. He did not look back. Off he rode through the masses until he disappeared through the main gate. I glanced upward and was pleased to note the required number of guards stationed above the gates as well as on the ground, checking all who wished to enter the castle grounds. Peering down or at me, they all stood a bit straighter.
Seeing all was as it should be, I made my way inside the castle to begin my day at the king’s side. Perhaps Widow Poppy would be willing to sneak me a warm tart if I stopped by the kitchen on my way to the royal family’s dining chamber. I’d not had time to eat given prayers had been so long. Either I would come away with a fruit treat or a welt on the back of my hand from her wooden spoon. Being a man who lived for adventure, I decided to chance it and see how I fared. Nothing ventured was nothing gained, as the old card players liked to say.
“AND THEN WE MUST ADDRESSthe upcoming port renovation proposal for the Knight’s Way quay. As his Majesty knows, due to the burden of upkeep of various shipping lanes through the Galesdi Gulf that we’ve had open claim to in previous reigns, we are now forced to begin negotiations anew with the Sandrayan heads of state and sea in order to facilitate the queen’s dreams of a joint port of call for both the Melowynn navy and the Sandrayan fleet.”
Standing behind King Aelir during this tedious meeting of the treasurers for the vills of Melowynn, I could hear the snore of Grand Advisor Umeris floating softly to the domed ceiling of the king’s lower meeting chamber. A particularly robust snort brought the current speaker—the overseer of the vills that the Mossbells’ relatives now oversaw—up short. The thin elf clad in the blue of the Mossbell clan stared at me as if I could do something. Granted, I was the captain of the king’s guard but shaking the grandsire of the king awake was not my jurisdiction. Standing comfortably with my hand resting on the hilt of my sword, I noted that Aelir reached over to jostle his ancient grandfather. Umeris sniffled, coughed out an expletive, and then drifted back to sleep. I lowered my head to avoid letting those gathered here see me smiling.
Many questioned me how I could stand being privy to so many boring meetings. I would shrug and say it was my duty,which it was as the king was to be guarded all the time save for his trips to the garderobe or his bedchambers at night, but there were numerous moments of humor in these stuffy gatherings. Umeris has been providing most of those over the past several months. It was bittersweet as the old elf was failing rapidly but still held onto his dagger-sharp tongue. Aelir was known to mention, out of hearing range of his grandfather’s pointed ears, that Umeris enjoyed being crass and being able to blame it on his advanced age and infirmities.
“Apologies for my grandfather. The tonics he takes for his worsening podagra leave him quite slumberous. Someone summon Jaska to escort my grandfather to his rooms,” Aelir said. I moved to do as bid even if my name had not been used. Stepping away from the high-backed trio of chairs at the large oval table, I made my way to the closed double doors of light buffed wood, opened one a crack, and met the curious gaze of one of the two royal guards stationed outside the meeting chamber.
“Please find Jaska in the gardens and inform him that he is required in the king’s lower chamber to attend to Grand Advisor Umeris. He will need the wheeled chair,” I told my man, who nodded once then set off, white and blue armor of the royal guard clattering as he made his way down the airy corridor. With so many dignitaries in attendance, we were required to be in full plate. It was hot, heavy, and generally uncomfortable, but it was the standard put into place many eons ago. The king would probably make a ruling about it, but he had more important things on his platter to deal with, such as this meeting of clearly unhappy elites two days before the Sandrayan envoy was to arrive at our gates.
