“Oh, lovely. Just what I needed to hear,” Tadrick replied, gulping loudly.
“She doesn’t seem mean, though. Weird, but not mean,” Korima said, continuing toward the door and giving Ruethwyn a gentle shove. “Come on, let’s get inside where it’ll hopefully be warm.”
“I hope so. I’d like to not need your scarf,” Sella said, shivering slightly despite the enchanted garment.
“Alright,” Ruethwyn conceded, and she followed the others at a more sedate pace, conscious of how Essryl’s cool violet gaze was following her.
Chapter 40
The interior of the guest house was quite nice, Ruethwyn found, and the temperature was warm enough that the others quickly shed their additional layers of clothing as they went to find rooms. She was darkly amused that all of them had checked which of the two side buildings Essryl was staying in, then had chosen the other one. Not that Ruethwyn could blame them since she’d followed suit.
Bathing was a little more difficult since she had to fill the tub in her room with buckets of warm water herself. Ruethwyn had quickly given up and used her magic to transfer the hot water over to the tub, then she’d taken the time to examine the room properly.
The bed, walls, and furnishings looked mostly normal, but there was something subtly wrong about them, she’d noticed. It wasn’t their dimensions, which had been faithfully copied from what she’d seen back home, but rather in how they were shaped and joined, she decided. The furnishings seemed like copies made by people who’d just seen pictures of the items and didn’t have any idea of how to make them normally. There wasn’t anything of too impressive beauty in her room, and it looked simple but well-cleaned.
What startled her more was that she hadn’t seen any fair folk taking care of the building. They’d passed through the common room, which was broad and had similar furnishings to the room she was in, though without beds, and it had a fireplace as well. It was eerie to see a fireplace made of ice, but she wasn’t worried about that. Instead, she was worried about the presence of Essryl.
“I really hope she isn’t going to be interfering,” Ruethwyn murmured, trailing her fingers through the cooling water. It wasn’t staying warm for as long as she’d hoped, and she carefully continued washing herself. If she was going to meet someone of import, she wanted to look her best.
Eventually, the water cooled enough that Ruethwyn pulled herself out of the tub and began to dry off. There was a knock at her door, and she hesitated before calling out. “Yes?”
“Hey, Rue, we were just told lunch would be served in a few minutes. Are you almost done?” Sella asked, her voice calmer than it had been.
“I’m just drying off now, so I should be out soon,” Ruethwyn replied, letting out a breath of relief.
“Great! I’ll see you in a bit,” Sella replied.
Changing back into her dress, Ruethwyn did her best to prepare herself for a possible meeting. Brushing out her hair didn’t take too long, since she didn’t see the point in trying to do too much with it, and before too long she was ready. Ruethwyn steeled herself to meet Essryl again, then stepped out of her room.
It was only the way she’d prepared herself that kept Ruethwyn’s jaw from dropping at the sight of the man setting the table. He was a bit over six feet tall, muscular in a way that Ruethwyn imagined most soldiers might envy him, and with pale skin and near-white blond hair. His eyes were a deep blue, and around him, dishes and silverware swirled through the air as if borne on invisible hands. No, it was wind, she realized a moment later, and the man was devastatingly handsome as he looked up at her and smiled. Even if she wasn’t terribly attracted to men, the smile he gave Ruethwyn made her blush slightly. It certainly didn’t help that he was wearing little more than trousers and an open vest.
“Good day, Miss Sylaris. Lunch is almost served,” the man said, his voice deep and resonant. “I am called Davek Gale and am in charge of maintaining the guest quarters. Please, have a seat.”
“Oh, thank you,” Ruethwyn said after a moment, blinking and looking at the table.
Belatedly she realized that all the others had already taken seats on the polished chairs, with most of them sitting well away from Essryl. The Illisyr had taken one of the ends, while Tadrick had taken the other end, and Ruethwyn hesitated, then headed for the chair next to Essryl and between her and Sella. Korima seemed more able to fend for herself than Sella where Essryl was concerned. If anything, Essryl looked amused by everything.
“You look better, Ruethwyn,” Essryl said, nodding slightly at her.
“I’d say thank you, but I’m wondering why you bother. I don’t think I look good in the slightest,” Ruethwyn retorted as she sat.
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. Physical beauty… that is ephemeral. It can be acquired, granted by magic or deific blessings. If I wished to, I could repair every inch of skin across your body in less time than this meal will take,” Essryl said, watching Ruethwyn closely with a smile playing across her lips.
“Then why don’t you?” Sella interrupted, startling Ruethwyn into looking at her. The young woman blushed, but she raised her chin as she met Essryl’s gaze. “If you could, why not?”
“Hm, you intrigue me, Sella. Most of the time I think you’re a wallflower, easily pushed to do something, and then you choose to stand up to others, no matter the danger. You’re unusual in that, I think,” Essryl said, a smile playing over her lips. “But to answer properly… because Ruethwyn hasn’t earned it. I saved her life as a gift, an attempt to see how far she could go when she was hurt so horribly. That is her true measure, as far as I am concerned. How many would give up on magic when half their mana veins were crippled? How many would continue with artificing when they had but a single hand? How many would dare to face a dragon again for another who barely knew their name when it could lead to their death?”
Essryl’s words rang out in the room, and she let them hang there for a moment before continuing. “With each test, Ruethwyn has proven herself to be adequate, or better than I anticipated. That’s why I gave her back her eye, because she exceeded my expectations. I could do more, yes, but why should I? I consider her beautiful as she is. Her poise, her determination, and her mind make her beautiful, not a mere physical shell.”
Ruethwyn found herself blushing halfway through the explanation, even as she found herself staring at Essryl. The Illisyr looked completely serious, which was all the more astounding in its own way. Their three previous encounters had all been extremely antagonistic, so this one was completely alien to her.
“You aren’t just saying that, are you?” Korima asked, her eyes intense as she looked the dark elf over from across the table. “At first I thought… well, I thought that you were toying with her, like a cat with its prey. I don’t like the thought, mind you, so I was prepared to roast you if given half a chance. But you’re actually interested in her as a person, aren’t you?”
“Of course not. I don’t lie, I don’t make idle threats, and I don’t deliberately mislead people. I may omit details on occasion, but generally not important ones. Alas for you lot, you aren’t important to My Lord… which is the main reason Ruethwyn even has a chance,” Essryl told her, smiling slightly as she tapped the table. “I just hope I don’t encounter her in her attempt. If that happens… well, I’ll heal her before I toss her into the rooms with the rest of her people. It’s the least I can do if I’m going to be taking her freedom away.”
That sent a chill down Ruethwyn’s spine, and she cleared her throat, sitting back as a plate and silverware floated into place in front of her. She managed to keep her voice level as she spoke. “I have every intention of trying to avoid you. I have no illusions about being able to beat Resvarygrath, even if I manage to get myself healed after my visit here, and if you’re near his strength, I have no interest in losing to you, either.”
“Good,” Essryl said, nodding in approval. “Now, then… I’ll let you eat. You doubtlessly had a more difficult trip coming
here than I did, and I’m sure Davek would appreciate the chance to show off his cooking.”
“Only because you are content with anything that you can eat,” Davek said, sniffing in annoyance. “You’re no fun to tease, either.”
Ruethwyn blinked, then smiled at the man warmly as she asked, “Does she visit often? You sound like you know her.”
“No, but she was here for a few weeks a few decades back, negotiating a treaty between Valisair and the Golden Dominion. I got to know her then,” Davek explained shortly. “Now then, lunch.”
The food he unveiled practically glittered with magic, and Ruethwyn’s eyes went wide at the sight of it. She didn’t imagine even nobility frequently got to eat food which had grown in nodes.
Despite Ruethwyn’s anxiety at Essryl’s presence, her discomfort slowly eased as the meal progressed. Aside from when she was asked questions, Essryl didn’t really speak, instead watching them carefully. It wasn’t what Ruethwyn had expected from the woman when she’d arrived, and while it put her at ease eventually, it also was a slowly growing worry.
Her friends were wary, but despite that, they calmed down faster than Ruethwyn had expected. That was probably because they hadn’t seen Essryl move before, Ruethwyn thought. Between Davek and Essryl, the fair folk had significantly more flair and was a friendly, welcoming presence. That made him a significant distraction through the meal, which also had some of the most wonderful food Ruethwyn had ever had the chance to eat.
Eventually, just as the meal was wrapping up, Ruethwyn heard someone clear their throat behind her. It was an oddly high-pitched sound, and she turned to look for who was there.
A tiny woman no more than three feet tall stood behind her, her skin pale green and her hair black as pitch but cut in a neat bob around her head. She was wearing a delicate dress of lavender cloth, one far more intricate than Ruethwyn’s own, and revealing a petite, tiny figure. She looked up at Ruethwyn and the others fearlessly, her eyes a much deeper green than her skin.
“Ah, Verdrina! You’re looking absolutely lovely this afternoon,” Davek boomed, giving a graceful bow. “To what do we owe your radiant presence?”
“Not to your silver tongue, Davek,” the tiny woman retorted, her voice delicate but crystal-clear. “Where are your manners? You’ve not introduced me to our new guests.”
“Ah, my apologies, my dear lady, your sheer beauty caused it to slip my mind,” Davek replied, his tone and smile causing Ruethwyn’s lips to twitch, and she saw Tadrick exchanging a grin with Korima as well. The fair folk gestured around the table, introducing each of them in turn. “Here we have Korima Lightweaver, Tadrick Daskar, Sella Vintas, and, of course, Ruethwyn Sylaris. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Verdrina the Fair, Queen of the Gardens of Valisair and confidant of the Tower Lord.”
Ruethwyn blinked, as she didn’t remember telling him her full name, and she didn’t think the others had, either. It wasn’t too surprising, as many fey and fair folk were reputed to like being mysterious, but it was somewhat odd.
Verdrina sniffed at his introduction, looking them over and smiling gently at them. “Ignore Davek, he loves being overly dramatic. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you, and to welcome you to our fair city. I trust that the accommodations are to your liking?”
“They’re very nice and comfortable,” Sella said quickly, causing Ruethwyn to nod in her agreement. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Verdrina.”
“I agree! Especially after the cold trip here, it’s lovely not worrying that my ears will freeze off, or my tail, or anything else,” Korima added, her eyes bright. “I have to ask, though… Queen of the Gardens?”
Verdrina shot Davek an annoyed look, but her face blossomed with a smile as she replied. “As I said, he’s overly dramatic. However, I am in charge of the flower gardens here in Valisair.”
“You rule over them with an adorable, affectionate iron grip,” Davek retorted.
The woman ignored him, and Ruethwyn smiled at her as she asked, “Frost lilies and the like, I assume? I’ve heard that magical flowers bloom here in the Frostglades, but I didn’t see any on my trip.”
“You wouldn’t see any, not at this time of year. The most beautiful flowers only bloom in the most bitter of cold, and those which don’t tend to bloom at the height of summer. Alas, you missed both,” Verdrina explained, smiling at Ruethwyn. “I also see that your dress is woven from frost lilies, is it not?”
“That’s right. I was looking for mana-infused cloth, and this was what they had on hand,” Ruethwyn confirmed a bit nervously, since she didn’t want to offend the woman. She suspected that Verdrina was a bit more important than she made out.
“It’s a lovely cloth, and I’m glad to see that it was put to good use,” Verdrina replied. Her back was still perfectly straight, and she looked them over before speaking again. “I’m also here to ask Ruethwyn to come with me. The Tower Lord wishes to meet you to discuss why you came. We’re well aware that the presence of your companions was unanticipated, and as such, they don’t have specific requests for him.”
“Um, that’s not entirely true,” Korima said, cutting Ruethwyn off a moment before she could speak. “I mostly wanted to get permission to tell Rue’s story about the time she spends here.”
“Truly?” Verdrina asked, looking intrigued. “Why would you want that?”
“Well, I’ve heard that you swear people to silence about what happens here. The thing is, I’m from a clan of storytellers, and Rue’s story… I think it’s worth telling,” Korima said, her ears flicking nervously. “I’ve also heard that your people love properly told stories, so I figured asking permission was the best idea.”
“I see. Well, I’ll pass your request along. I can’t guarantee anything, but I think you have reasonable odds,” Verdrina told Korima, smiling more warmly, then looked at Ruethwyn. “Well? Are you willing to meet with him?”
“Absolutely. It’s why I came here, after all,” Ruethwyn replied simply, setting down her fork carefully. “Right now, or later?”
“Now would be best, though he’d understand if you need to wait,” Verdrina said.
“There’s no need to keep him waiting. I prepared before lunch just to be safe,” Ruethwyn said. She folded her napkin and set it on the table, looking at Davek as she added, “Thank you for the meal, Davek. It was one of the most wonderful things I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Ruethwyn,” Davek replied, smiling widely.
“Um, should we get ready to come along?” Sella asked, frowning as she looked at the front door.
“No, I’m afraid that the Lord didn’t wish to meet with any others,” Verdrina told her, and her gaze turned to Essryl and sharpened. “That includes you, Essryl. You have no business here that requires you meeting with the Tower Lord.”
“I’m well aware of that and wasn’t going to insist on accompanying you,” Essryl replied calmly, sipping at her wine. “His time isn’t to be wasted on mere pleasantries, and such always bore me.”
“Good,” Verdrina told her.
Ruethwyn finished cleaning up as they spoke, then carefully moved her chair back so she could stand. As she did so, Sella looked at her and smiled nervously as she spoke. “Good luck, Rue. It’s my advice that led us here, so I hope it’s fruitful.”
“You aren’t the only one who suspected there could be something here to help. We’ll just have to see,” Ruethwyn said simply, and her eyes drifted to Verdrina as she added, “Besides, as other fey have said. All things have their price. If it’s possible, we’ll just have to see if I can pay for it.”
“An excellent attitude for meeting the fair folk or fey,” Essryl replied, nodding in approval as she looked Ruethwyn in the eyes. “Remember, you’ve survived a dragon and faced your fears without breaking. Keep your chin held high and show no fear, and you’ll do well.”
“You’re giving her advice?” Tadrick asked incredulously. “You’re the one who could heal
her easily!”
“I never said it was easy. I said I could do it in less time than the meal took,” Essryl retorted bluntly. “There’s an enormous difference between the two.”
As the two sniped, Korima smirked at Ruethwyn and teased, “I’ll interrogate you about what happened later, Rue. You’d best get going.”
Ruethwyn struggled to find words, then finally settled on something simple. It wasn’t enough to express how she felt about her friends’ support, and it wasn’t really appropriate to Essryl, but it was what she had, so she spoke softly. “Thank you.”
Turning away, Ruethwyn nodded to Verdrina, who quickly headed for the door. The small woman opened the door and Ruethwyn blinked in surprise and the faintest amusement at what she saw outside.
A sleigh awaited them in the snow alongside the main path and hooked up to it were eight dog-sized ferrets with pure white fur. Their heads turned to watch Ruethwyn and Verdrina as they approached, but the animals didn’t move any more than that as the fair folk climbed into the sleigh and took a seat obviously designed for her. The rear seats were unoccupied, but at her gesture, Ruethwyn followed and took a seat next to Verdrina.
“I had expected to walk, not to be given a ride. Thank you,” Ruethwyn told her.
Verdrina flicked the reins and the ferrets began to trot along the snow, drawing the sleigh at a steady pace through the snow. As they did so, the woman smiled at Ruethwyn again. “Ah, but then I’d be all but running to keep up. Such is undignified at best, and if you slowed your pace to match my own it would take significantly longer to get anywhere. As such, I far prefer the sleigh. It allows us a modicum of comfort without putting either me or my guests in a position of indignity.”
“That makes perfect sense to me,” Ruethwyn agreed, relaxing slightly as they moved through the city. As they traveled, she saw more fair folk, and she was fascinated by the sight of them.
Queen of Ice (Through the Fire Book 2) Page 34