He nodded and said; “Thank you ma'am.”
She nodded and he went on his way to Hannon's father, who was watching the dancers intently with a barely clothed pretty slave girl on his knee.
Thorel walked with him, and Hannon spoke; “Father, this is the man I told you about in my letter, Thorel Tangarth.”
“Mr. Tangarth. Forgive me for not rising, but I'd hate to dislodge this pretty woman from her seat,” he said with a laugh and squeezed her thigh. She squeaked and looked put out.
“It is no issue, Milord. Greetings,” he bowed properly and wondered what had Hannon said about him to his father?
“I would like to thank you, young man. My son did tell me about how some Dothranans had been… unpleasant to him, shall we say. He credits you fully with putting a stop to it,” he looked Thorel directly in the eye. He had a jovial smile on his face, but the man's eyes were completely serious.
“Thank you, Milord. But I only did it because it was right. The instructor was behaving badly without cause. Hannon had done nothing to insult him,” Thorel's eyes nearly crossed trying to word his feelings within propriety.
He nodded. “That makes it even better, young man. No thought of reward, or favor. I can respect that, which is why I have chosen to give you a small token of my esteem,” he said. He put a hand into a pocket of his jacket and produced an exquisite pearl necklace.
“For you, young man. Perhaps you have a Lady in your life that is worthy of it?” He said handing him the necklace with a knowing smile.
Thorel didn't know for sure how much this necklace was worth, but he knew it was a lot of money. He remembered Laren many times telling Korin how much she would like one, and Korin laughingly saying: “Maybe if I become a Lord, dear.”
“Milord, I thank you profusely for such a valuable gift,” he couldn't refuse it without insult. But he didn't feel that he was worthy of it either. All he had done was make a questionable decision in the heat of the moment. It had nearly cost a man his life. He still needed to apologize to Mr. Errol for that.
“Don't mention it, young man. They don't call me the Lord of Pearls for nothing you know,” he said with a smile that went away instantly seeing someone behind him.
Lord Guithenus picked the small girl up off of his knee, stood up and set her down easily. “Milord Kendal, greetings,” he bowed properly to the tall man at Thorel's shoulder.
Thorel turned quickly and stepped back: he saw a tall, clean shaved gentleman who looked to be a few years Korin's senior. He wore a smart tan silk suit and held a Wizard's staff. He had intense, intelligent eyes and had a dozen spirits joined by thin chains to him. What struck Thorel most though was the fact that this was the first person he had ever encountered that was taller than he was. He wasn't as broad of shoulder, but he was no small man.
“Milord,” Thorel snapped into an instant bow.
“Lord Guithenus,” he said curtly.
“Father, this is Thorel, the friend I told you about,” Thorel heard a familiar voice say before he had straightened up. When he did straighten himself, he saw Martin was standing beside Lord Kendal.
Thorel blinked, and tried to process this. “Martin, this is your father?” He asked in shock.
“Yes he is,” Martin said, looking surprised. “You didn't know?”
“No, you never told me,” Thorel said.
“I thought everyone knew,” Martin said, looking embarrassed.
The Crown Lord regarded Thorel for only a moment. “Young men, enjoy your conversation elsewhere. I have matters to discuss with Lord Guithenus,” Crown Lord Kendal told them coldly.
“Yes Milord,” Thorel said and bowed. Hannon followed suit.
“Of course father,” Martin said.
When they were a little ways away, Thorel said; “That's why you know all the things I don't in etiquette!” He would have to, being the son of a Crown Lord. That made good sense to Thorel.
Hannon grabbed three glasses of Dothranan wine off of a tray being taken somewhere by a servant. He handed them each one. “Hi, I'm Hannon Guithenus,” he said, taking Martin's hand.
“I'm Martin Kendal,” He said with a smile and took a drink.
“And I'm Thorel Tangarth, in case either of you have forgotten,” he said with a grin.
Until now, he'd felt completely out of his element. He loved Ari, but she really did seem to take this environment for granted in a way Thorel couldn't. It was nice to have a couple of men his own age to enjoy the company of.
They each laughed. “Let's go watch the dancers!” Hannon said with lust in his eyes.
Martin smiled wanly and said, “I have nothing more engaging to suggest.”
Thorel nodded his agreement and thought: I wish I could have brought you here with me Nigel.
They found a small table off to the side that could seat the three of them and had a decent view.
They enjoyed the dancers' performance for a time and engaged in idle small talk.
Thorel hadn't realized until Martin told him just now that he was only sixteen years old. He would have guessed he was older, he was big for his age, and taller than Ari without her boots. But having met his father now did explain how tall he could become.
It was an equal surprise to learn that Hannon was his senior by two years. He wouldn't have guessed that. But his weight did seem to create a false 'baby-face' on the man.
They chatted and began a second glass of wine while Hannon made many lewd comments about the female dancers. He was really going to have to introduce him to Nigel, those two would get along well he thought. Martin never replied to those comments, he seemed to ignore them, and would engage Thorel about class related things. He did lighten up a bit by the second glass though.
Martin suddenly shot out of his chair with a perfect bow though to someone behind Thorel. “Milady,” he said respectfully.
How come the Nobles all keep sneaking up behind me? He wondered irritably as he got out of his chair to bow.
He was faced a beautiful woman wearing a clingy low cut blue gown made of thin silk. She was only a touch taller than Nigel, but her presence was not diminished by her stature. Her ample cleavage showed quite distractingly. Her dress hugged her hips in a fashion far more erotic than the movements of the dancers. She had long black hair that curled springily hanging to the bottom of her shapely hips. She bore a Wizards staff in one hand and wore enchanted rings on every finger, as well as several enchanted bracelets, and necklaces. She had an enchanted silver circlet which could only be seen on her forehead because her hair covered the rest. She had pretty green eyes and wore light makeup. The woman had more than two dozen spirits attached to her by threads.
Thorel had no idea who she was, but he was bowing right now. The woman had a presence that could only be contested by Ari's, and she would have difficulty beating this one. Thorel could tell she was older than he was, but he could not begin to gauge her age. It certainly did nothing to detract from her beauty.
“Milady,” he said, his breath taken by this woman.
“Milady,” Hannon said as well.
“Are you men enjoying the party?” She took a drink of her wine, looking at each of them in turn. Her eyes lingered on him though. He felt like running away, to keep his thoughts faithful to Ari. This woman wasn't beautiful the way she was, but she quickened his pulse in the way Ari did when they kissed, and she wasn't even touching him.
“Yes Milady,” they said in unison.
“Good,” she smiled prettily. “Young man, fetch a bottle of wine and bring it to me. I will be near the weapons racks,” she said to Thorel.
Slightly confused, he said; “Yes Milady,” And went in immediate search of a bottle of wine. He didn't wish to linger, in case she was one of the more capricious nobles Miss Mazuna had warned him about.
As he went along speaking to different servants, he realized her guards had been bearing the Sigil of House Vallad. By the spirits, she's High Lady Vallad, the woman that threatened Ari. He realized.
His thoughts hardened, and he felt like a complete fool for being taken by the bitch's beauty.
By the time he found his bottle of wine, his perception of the entire room and party had changed. I'm in a pit of vipers, and I don't have a torch to keep them away from me. He realized.
I am going to run this errand for her, and go find Ari. Her, Siri, Hannon, and Martin were the only people in the room he could trust at all, and Ari was the only one powerful enough to really protect him. She would have to be his torch.
He had a bottle of wine in one hand, and his glass in the other. He found the weapons racks and saw the High Lady sitting in a comfortable chair near them. He wondered why there would be two weapons racks sitting here during a party like this, but he intended to get this bottle delivered and excuse himself quickly.
He bowed properly and presented the bottle to her. “Milady,” he said, keeping his face set in stone. The exposed cleavage did nothing to distract him now, knowing who this was.
“Thank you, Thorel. That is the proper way to say your name, I hope?” She took the bottle, and with one of her talismans tested it with the venom seeker.
“It is Milady,” he replied, wondering how she knew his name with some alarm.
“Good,” she smiled. “Find a chair, and help me with this, I don't enjoy drinking alone.”
“Yes Milady,” he said, and went to find an empty chair fuming internally. What does she want with me? He wondered.
He returned and set his chair down as far away as could be called proper to sit with someone. He seated himself stiffly, trying to keep his anger at what she had said to Ari off of his face.
“Come forward. You can hardly expect me to get up to pour for you,” she said looking at him helplessly.
“Yes Milady,” he said, pulling his chair forward stiffly.
She filled her own glass and reached out for his. He handed it to her reluctantly. She returned it filled with a smile.
“You look uncomfortable. Is something the matter?” She asked before taking a drink, looking at him questioningly.
“Do you want an honest answer, Milady?” He asked seriously.
“I do. Dishonesty is much more common. Honesty would be a nice change,” she said with a laugh.
I'll bet it would be a change for someone like you. He thought, but said; “Milady, I know what you said to my Mistress. I am not comfortable sharing time with you because of it.”
“Really? And what might that be?” She said, setting her glass down and looking at him attentively.
Thorel knew he had made a critical error going this far, but there was no turning back now. “I may not recall it exactly, Milady. But what I recall is, My husband would do well to find a reason to kill you.”
“Well, really. That's nothing to be upset about. It's not as if I threatened her,” she said picking her glass up and taking a drink.
“Respectfully Milady, it sounded like it to me,” he said taking a drink of his wine, watching her eyes intently.
Lucia Vallad cast a Magik Thorel had never seen before. She drew the energy from her staff though, and not a spirit. It seemed to surround them for a moment, then dissipate. But odd sparkles of energy hung in the surrounding air. He had never seen anything like that. The sparkling sheet enclosed only the two of them though; their guards were excluded.
“You misunderstand, Thorel. But you are common so it is to be expected. I have the utmost respect for your Mistress. So much, that I think if my husband wishes to keep his position secure, he should eliminate her before she eliminates him,” she said looking at him like she had just quoted the price of wine.
Thorel's mind tried to absorb this. This woman just coldly said she knew Ari was a threat to her husband, and that one of them was going to die. She didn't seem to have any feelings about it either way, except as a recommendation for her husband. To him, that idea was a complete break from rational thought.
“What about Quarrel? Isn't he also a threat to you and your husband, Milady?” He asked, feeling extremely concerned about her attention on Ari.
“Not really. Especially after what your Mistress did to him. Him surrendering to an eighteen-year-old woman? His alliances will fail completely soon if they haven't already. And he is much more preoccupied with revenge on her than actually advancing.”
“Really though, I'm more interested in you than I am in politics,” she said with a smile. “Has she been treating you well? I've heard you're enjoying a great deal of time together,” she sipped her wine, watching him intently.
Thorel already knew he was in over his head, but that was just illustrated with finality. He'd thought Ari was being overcautious about his protection, but he was starting to think he wasn't protected enough.
“Ari, help me, please. I'm trapped by High Lady Vallad, and I can't get away from her!” He thought to her.
“She's been tutoring me, Milady. She treats me quite well,” he said, taking a drink of his wine to quench his suddenly dry mouth.
She looked amused. “Impressive. Not even a month in the tower, and you can execute a mind touch. Nicely done I might say. Better than many I've seen with a year in the Tower.”
“Where are you?” Came Ari's alarmed query.
“Thank you, Milady. My Mistress is an excellent tutor,” he said, hoping Ari would get here soon.
“I'm by the weapons racks,” he replied.
“We should go and enjoy ourselves before dinner. I promise we can be back in time to eat. Your lover will never even know we've left, unless you tell her,” she said with a smile, her eyes resting on his manhood.
“But you're married, Milady,” he said, stunned at her blatancy.
“Don't let it bother you. I won't be inviting him,” she said with a laugh.
Thorel just finished his glass, glad that help was on the way. He was shocked that she would make such a proposition to him and amazed that she knew about him and Ari.
“I'm guessing you've called for your Mistress. Will she be joining us?” She asked with a smirk.
“I don't think so, Milady, but you could ask her,” he said, completely floored by this woman's behavior.
“Well then, I think I will find some other way to entertain myself. Enjoy the party, Mr. Tangarth,” she refilled her glass and walked away with a sensuous roll of her hips. The shimmer in the air disappeared, and her guards followed.
Thorel refilled his glass and drained it all at once.
* * *
Ari seated herself for dinner, after instructing Thorel how to pull her chair out properly for her by mind touch. She sat with Siri on one side of her, and Thorel on the other at the High Lord's table. The band had changed, to give their members a rest, and a lone bard was playing softer, dinner appropriate music on the piano. The only other parties that shared this table were the Crown Nobility, the Crown General, and Great Lord Quarrel. The minor Nobles and their parties were seated at the other two tables.
She was disturbed by what Thorel had learned from his conversation with the High Lady. She certainly had spies in the manor. It was no surprise really, but it was likely she shared very little of what she actually knew. The fact that she had the audacity to proposition Thorel had been minor in comparison. Of course, she worded it in an appropriately ambiguous way, to easily deflect an accusation of infidelity. At least Thorel hadn't been interested in her, as he had the whore. That went a long way towards making her feel less threatened by that. The fact that she had known they were lovers and made the attempt anyway was a direct insult to her though.
It was interesting that the guards had heard nothing after she had used the odd Magik Thorel described. That was a technique that would be extremely useful if she could figure out how it could be done.
Dealing with that old slut was low on her priority list though. He hadn't been kissing and fondling the woman, or saying sweet words meant only for her. Thorel had been astonished when she'd told him that Lucia Vallad was, in fact, thirty-eight years of age. “Yes Thorel, she is old
enough to have birthed you,” she'd told him. She could deal with her poaching attempt later, assuming things went well tonight.
Tonight going the way she had planned was definitely in question now. She had hoped to be able to announce her betrothal to Thorel. But Siri's shadow had not yet arrived with Quedesham's reply. It was the twenty-first hour now.
High Lord Vallad sat at the head of the table, with Lucia to his right. Erlac Vallad was an attractive, fit man in his late twenties. He was fair-haired, although more of a sandy blonde when compared to her golden blonde color. He wore a white suit, embroidered with a thread of gold in vine patterns throughout. His long sleeves were open; they touched the floor even when he stood with his arms outstretched.
He stood as tall as Ari without her boots, which was one reason she had insisted this dress be long enough to hide them. She enjoyed looking down on people when she spoke to them. The High Lord did not have the sight, but he did seem to be intelligent and cunning in his own right, no doubt due in part to the teachings of his parents and his wife.
Ari saw a steward of House Vallad go to the High Lord and whisper in his ear. Erlac Vallad spoke: “Miss Fenel, it seems there is a messenger waiting for you outside. He will not give his message to any other.”
Ari's heart leapt hearing this. Siri said, “Thank you, Milord. May I be excused so I may see to this matter?”
“You may, Miss Fenel. I hope all is well,” he said with a nod.
“As do I, Milord, thank you,” Siri stood gracefully and saw herself to the lift.
They continued eating, and Ari kept an eye on Thorel. She had been coaching him through it, letting him know which utensils to use. There had been no time to teach him with their academic work... and extra-curricular activities.
When they finished, they stood drinking glasses of wine. Her wine, of course, she noted with satisfaction. It was an old vintage too, over a century she saw. Thorel was on her arm, the way Lucia Vallad was on her husband’s. It was only appropriate, as she did outrank Thorel.
Spirit of Magik (The Dothranan Chronicles Book 1) Page 40
