“Stacia,” Fluff said, breaking the silence. “You were going to tell us about the Dark Lord.”
“Aye, ya be right, Fluff. Me mind be wanderin’ down the long chain of life since me lovin’ husband first entered me life. I was marvelin’ at how fleetin’ our time could have been, and instead how amazin’ it be tha’ it worked out as it has,” Stacia told her before she sighed happily. “But ya be askin’ about me God, and I did promise to tell ya.”
They listened as Stacia gave them a brief description of the Dark Lord’s views. She set her cup aside when she had finished, “Tha’ be a brief summary.”
“So, be free, love as much as you want, and try to do good?” Karen asked with a raised brow. “Not much of a Dark Lord.”
“Ya misunderstand how the term means,” Stacia giggled. “Nay Dark as in evil, but Dark as in pure. Darkness be the absence of light, it be pure in tha’ regard. Light be a mixture of many colors, it can be fractured, fragmented and chaotic.”
Fluff nodded, “Light can be broken apart into its component wavelengths. Why is he called the Dark Lord then, and not the Pure Lord or something similar?”
“It be the name he was given,” Stacia shrugged. “I do nay know the full tale. Besides, he does be Dark in other regards at times. Ya has seen his hall, master, did ya think most would be comfortable there?”
Fluff looked away, her posture shifting to a closed expression. Alburet caught her movement, one hand going out to rub her ears. “I thought it was amazing myself. There were people of every race there. No one was in any pain that they did not wish to experience, all of them were happy. A world of happiness is not something to be mocked. Considering the trappings, though, I can see where some would have issue with it.”
Fluff had looked back at him as he spoke, her lips turning up slightly. “You liked it?”
“It was pretty amazing,” he told her sincerely.
“Now I want to go see it,” Karen added.
“You might get that chance,” Alburet replied. “I’m sure I’ll be summoned again when I finish putting this armor set together.”
“Oh, then I totally want to go with,” Karen told him with a grin. “I recall the tapestry in his temple, looks like my kind of place.”
Snorting with laughter, Alburet replied, “I’m sure you would be right at home.”
“Stacia, we are going to look in on Al’s memories tonight. Do you know what we’re going to be looking at?” Fluff asked as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Considerin’ the trouble he had the other night, I was thinkin’ it mayhap be time to tackle a tough one. Iffin ya be okay with tha’?” Stacia asked Alburet.
Taking a deep breath, he considered her question. “How bad?”
“It be a memory of loss that ya have shut away. It will nay be good, but we will be there for ya. I think we should take a big step first and see how ya handle it. Iffin we can ease some of the pressure of ya memories like tha’, it will help ya recover better.”
He glanced at the other two, seeing their reassuring gazes. After a moment he nodded, “Okay. We can try it. You haven’t led me wrong yet.”
Stacia tilted her head up, leaning in to take a kiss. When she pulled back after the kiss, her eyes were shining. “I will nay willin’ly do so, either. Ya happiness means the world to me, but I fear for ya.”
He kissed her again to reassure her, and himself. “We still have a couple of hours until dinner. How about we distract ourselves with a few rounds of cards? And not strip poker, Karen.”
Karen smirked, “Seems I’m becoming predictable. I’ll have to see about changing it up a little.”
As they played, it struck Alburet that he might want to arrange for a carriage to get to dinner. He messaged Vanessa and asked her to set up one for them and one for Gerald and Marysue over at the Dead Man Inn. She replied after just a couple of minutes, telling him that it was all set up, so he went back to playing cards.
A little over an hour later, they changed into more formal attire. The carriage was waiting for them when they finally left the house. Opening the door, Alburet helped each of the women in before getting in behind them.
Karen and Fluff took the seat across from Stacia and Alburet. Each pair happily cuddled as the carriage took them through the city. “So, what’s this place like?” Karen asked as they traveled.
“Fine dining, easily the best restaurant that I’ve ever eaten at,” Alburet told her. “It’s run by past champions of the arena. Try not to react to the scars and missing body parts.”
Blinking, Fluff shook her head, “Why do they work there if they are past champions?”
“It be somethin’ they can do for a fair bit of coin,” Stacia told her. “It also be somethin’ of a tradition for them. Each of them ate there when they were champions, being served by their predecessors.”
“That’s actually kind of nice,” Karen added. “It would be good to know that if you made it to that level, you would one day be viewed equally by those that came before you.”
“Aye, it be a tradition since the city was founded,” Stacia informed them. “It was built by the first champion of Stormguard, Vincent Jenkins. His family have been guards or fighters in the arena ever since.”
“Jenkins.” Alburet felt his lips quirk up. “I met one of the latest of that line at the Goblin Fort.”
Karen also smirked at the name, “Did he go running into danger?”
“He attacked me in the bath,” Alburet chuckled. “We have since put that behind us. Overall, he’s a good kid, his upbringing just got the better of him.”
“He attacked ya for bein’ a Summoner?” Stacia asked.
“It was actually for being a civvy using the Fort’s bath. I summoned Tiny to keep his friends off me while I put him down. That was before they changed how unarmed combat works.”
Karen snorted, “That must have been short lived.”
“He didn’t last long at the time,” Alburet shrugged.
“Here we are, sir,” the driver called out as the carriage came to a halt.
Stepping out first, Alburet helped the women down. Turning to the driver, he was about to speak when the driver held up a hand to cut him off.
“I know. I’ll be waiting for you to finish your dinner. They’ll tell me when you lot are ready to go.”
“Nice to see we’re in capable hands,” Alburet replied. “Enjoy your break.” Dismissing the driver, Alburet opened the door to the Victory Lap. “Ladies, after you.”
They were greeted by the maître d’. “Good evening, and welcome to the Victory Lap. What name is the reservation under?”
“It should be either Alpha Company or Alburet,” Alburet answered. “It was made for us by a friend.”
“Yes, I have a table for six reserved for Alburet,” the grizzled, grey-haired man said. He tugged on a gold cord next to him. A one-armed man in formal attire came out of the back. “If you will follow Reddan, he will be your server for the evening.”
“The other two should be here before too long,” Alburet advised the maître d’.
“We will show them to your room, sir.”
Nodding, Alburet offered his arm to Stacia, as Fluff was on Karen’s. “After you, then,” Alburet told Reddan.
Following Reddan down the hall, Fluff and Karen took in the rich décor of the place, paying particular attention to the various tapestries they passed. They were brought to a door with a gold plaque. Reddan opened it and bowed them in.
Once Alburet had seated the women, Reddan presented a bottle of wine. He opened it, placing the cork next to Alburet before pouring a small amount into the glass before him. Alburet tried to think of what he should be doing in this situation, but he had never been in this position before.
Reddan waited patiently, with an air of someone prepared to wait all night if need be. Alburet’s eyes shifted to Karen, who motioned for him to pick up the cup. Following the small gesture from Karen, he picked up the cup. He could vaguely recal
l having seen people swirl the wine carefully and smell it in some steak houses, so he did that.
The scent of the wine hinted at blackberries, plum and oak. After sniffing it he took a small sip, letting it linger on his tongue before swallowing. “Very good,” Alburet said placing the cup back down.
With a bow, Reddan poured for the four present, before he left the room. Once he was gone, Alburet let out a deep breath, “Never had to do that before.”
Stacia giggled, “Ya did fine.”
“A lot of people smell the cork, but it’s much harder to tell if the wine is good that way,” Karen added. “Sniffing the wine and tasting is what you need to do. I’m a little surprised, though, that they didn’t ask us to select a wine.”
“Tha’ nay be how this place runs. The wine be matched to the meal,” Stacia told her. “There will be at least two more bottles, that be served with different courses.”
“Is this going to be the same five course meal we’ve had before?” Alburet asked her.
“Aye, and the wine will match the meal as before,” she told him.
Before Alburet could reply, Gerald and Marysue were ushered in by Reddan. Gerald sat Marysue next to Stacia before claiming the other end seat for himself. Alburet sat when Gerald did, having stood when Marysue had come into the room, as was polite.
“Welcome to the Victory Lap,” Alburet greeted his friends as Reddan poured them both wine. “Stacia’s family has treated each of her sisters and her here for their first hunts, when they gained their classes. It seemed right for us to celebrate taking Gwain’s Keep in similar fashion.”
Gerald sipped the wine, his face one of surprised pleasure. “If the food matches the wine, this will be a very good meal indeed.”
“It be five courses,” Stacia informed him. “Soup, appetizer, salad, entrée, then the dessert.”
Marysue looked nonplussed at being told what a five-course meal consisted of. She knew how formal dining went, having been raised on it. “We are aware, but thank you, Stacia.”
“We also have some business to discuss after the meal,” Alburet told the other two. “Guild business that came up today, but it can wait.”
Before Gerald could ask any questions, Reddan came in with the first course. He placed and announced the soup formally, then left again.
They spent the next hour savoring the exquisite meal, with each course building on the one before it. As they polished off their desserts, each of them felt sated but not stuffed. Once the dessert had been removed, coffee was served for them by Reddan before he left them alone once again.
“So, what business did we have to discuss?” Gerald asked as he sipped at his black coffee.
Alburet sat back, watching Gerald as he started explaining. “We did good. Second to take a Keep and I’m damn certain that Delvers Inc. didn’t go deep into their high end zone to do it.” He sipped his coffee before continuing, “That’s going to mean that we’ll get swarmed with more people wanting to join us. I would bet a good chunk of the next test group will want in.”
“Well, yes,” Gerald added, uncertain where Alburet was going. “Success always draws people in.”
A thin smile creased Alburet’s lips, “I was talking to the others earlier. It’s pretty unanimous that I should step aside and put you in charge. You’re basically running the guild as it is.”
“What? Why?” Gerald responded, sitting forward as he put his cup down.
Alburet held up a hand to forestall the questions for a moment. “Multiple reasons. One, I can’t take a lot of attention, that all goes back to my NDA. The next most important reason is that you’re better suited for this. More so, as the guild grows. Followed not far behind by the fact that I’m sure Ioaniss is going to push through the whole noble thing. You might be able to handle that, but I would get us into so much shit.”
Brows knitted, Gerald looked unhappy. “It was you that gave us the contacts to even do the quest for the Keep. You brought this group together and even created the guild. I can still help with everything, why suddenly turn it over to me?”
Eyes flickering to Marysue, who was looking from Alburet to Gerald, Alburet continued speaking. “I will still do everything I can to promote the guild first, but I’m just not suited for this. People are getting more uncomfortable with me being in charge due to my nontraditional relationship as it is.” He turned to Marysue. “Do you have an opinion, Marysue?”
Gerald turned to her to ask her to back him up, but he paused when he saw eagerness and hope written on her features. His pause let Marysue give her opinion. “Take it.” She touched Gerald’s lips with a single finger to forestall his talking. “I want you to do it. I told you we needed something between now and the end of the test to prove to Dad that this is worth the investment. This can do it. Plus, he doesn’t think you’re ready to head up the companies yet even though we both know you’ve been doing the work. If he sees you rally a few thousand people under your leadership, able to hold your own no matter where you are and all with me safely at your side, it will help.” Her eyes gleamed. “Please, Francis?”
Kissing her finger, Gerald got her to remove it from his lips. “Mary, are you sure this is what you want? It will slow down our hunting a lot.”
Shaking her head, she took his hands on the table. “It isn’t the hunting that matters. It’s being able to spend time here with you. Now that we’ve started moving forward, I want you to be able to be beside me when we leave here. Even if it is only for a month. You know I plan to browbeat Dad into letting us come back.”
Closing his eyes briefly, Gerald nodded once before he raised her hands to kiss them. “If this is what will make you happiest, then I will do it, as I always have before. You are the most important person to me.”
Alburet grinned as he signed a document he had drawn up earlier. Once he had, he handed it down the table to Gerald. “Drop that off at the City Hall tomorrow and it will be official. We’ll be informing the guild tomorrow at the banquet.”
Gerald put the scroll away. “I didn’t want this, you know? I shut down everyone who even hinted at this.”
“I’ve heard,” Alburet said as he stood. “I was really lucky to have met you, and Marysue. You’ve been good people to know. Friends I would like to say. I wish I could say more but… NDA.”
Gerald stood as well, “This might curtail our hunting some, if things keep happening with the guild.”
“We have another five months before you all have to step away. I’m sure we can find some time to hunt in there.” Walking around the table, Alburet extended his hand to Gerald, who took it. “Besides, I’m sure we’ll both be being kept busy during the evening.” A sardonic smile twitched across his lips as he shook hands with Gerald.
“You will be, at least,” Karen said under her breath with a snicker.
Marysue stood up, followed by the other three. “Thank you, Al.” Marysue came around as the men released hands. She kissed his cheek, much to Gerald’s apparent shock. “This will help me with something I had hoped for. If there is anything I can do for you outside of Alpha World, I will, on my name as a Dorn.”
His smile became brittle as he met her eyes. “I wish I could ask, but I’ll never be able to take you up on that offer.”
Marysue’s eyes narrowed slightly, as Gerald’s widened. Before Marysue could say anything, Gerald took her arm, “We should be going. It is the duty of the guest to know when the party has ended.” Giving the others a nod, he escorted Marysue from the room.
As the door closed behind them, Alburet released a ragged breath. Marysue’s offer had caused images of Kaylee to flood his mind. He considered what Marysue could do for Kaylee if she knew the truth.
His wives gathered around him as he regained his composure. “Sorry,” he said, giving them a brittle smile. “I just know what I can’t ask for, no matter how much I want to.”
“We can…” Karen started before she cut off. “We can’t though, because of that damned NDA.”
&
nbsp; Stacia tightened her grip on him, “Ya nay be allowed to break the NDA spell.”
Stroking her back gently, Alburet replied, “It won’t happen. I won’t jeopardize what I wish for.”
As they stood there Reddan came into the room. “Sir, the bill.” He held out a small leather-bound folder to Alburet.
Alburet took it, glanced at the price, grunted once then stacked the coin on the table. “Thank you for the service, Reddan. The extra is yours.” Alburet extended his arm to Stacia as he motioned the other two towards the door. “Ladies, the night is over, it is time to retire.”
Fractured Spirit (Alpha World Book 5) Page 6