The conversation hit a lull for a bit as the carriage rolled on. When it came to a stop Karen and Fluff perked up, but Alburet motioned them back. “First gate. There’s another gate after this then the actual door.”
“Aye, it was a bit nerve-wrackin’ the first time. Nay knowing which stop was finally goin’ to be it.”
“What’s it like?” Karen asked. “You’ve both been inside the castle before, so what’s it like?”
“Big, ornate, full of overblown peacocks,” Alburet muttered.
Karen frowned at him, “You really don’t like the nobles, do you?”
“Not one bit,” Alburet replied easily.
“Well Gerald might be one soon, so better start learning to be nice,” Karen added.
“Fine, but you’ll just have to wait and see the castle,” Alburet told her.
The carriage came to another brief stop, “Tha’ be gate two. Next one will be where they open the door for us.”
Fluff smoothed her dress, “I look okay, right?”
“Gorgeous,” Alburet smiled at her.
“Beautiful,” Stacia said to calm the worried Lunari.
“The most beautiful woman in the world,” Karen told her before kissing her cheek. “I’ll try not to shame you any. I get the feeling you probably know etiquette better than the rest of us.”
“I did look over the small bits that Mindblown sent out to the art teams about the nobles.” Fluff’s eyes partially closed as she tried to bring the information to mind.
“For dinner start with the outermost utensil,” Alburet told them. “That’s about all I know. If we copy Gerald and Marysue, we should be fine. They’re used to dealing with the ultra-rich, after all."
“Fair enough,” Karen chuckled.
The carriage came to a final halt, and the boots of the footman could be heard just before the door opened. Alburet got out first, taking up position next to the door of the carriage. Stacia came out next, and Alburet took her hand from the footman. Fluff followed Stacia out of the carriage, and he took her hand with his free one as she stared up at the castle. Karen came out last, taking Fluff’s arm and looking up at the castle as well.
“It’s certainly big and imposing,” Fluff said as she settled her arm in Karen’s.
“That’s what I always tell him,” Karen smirked. “The castle isn’t bad, either.”
“Shall we, ladies?” Alburet asked as he led Stacia past the other two. “It’s best not to keep the King waiting.”
“Just like a guy, always wanting to get in quickly,” Karen said under her breath, just loud enough to be heard.
“Karen, please,” Alburet sighed. “Until we leave, please, cut back some.”
“Fine,” Karen chuckled. “Because you said please.”
As they approached the top of the stairs a butler in royal livery stepped forward. “Are you the officers of Alpha Company?”
“We are,” Alburet responded.
“If you will follow me, then,” the butler told them as he moved towards the doors. “Your guild leader is already here, in the Green Room. I shall show you to him, until you are summoned by Sir Jones.”
“Our thanks,” Alburet replied as they followed the butler into the castle proper.
Fluff and Karen made appreciative noises over the décor. Alburet grinned, having been inside once already. Stacia handled it better this time as well, though she did point out a few items that had impressed her the first time. The halls were empty as they followed the butler. Eventually, they were ushered into a small sitting room, the rugs and furniture all done in shades of green. Marysue and Gerald greeted them as the quartet was shown in.
“Oh good, you made it. I was a little worried,” Gerald said as his shoulders relaxed.
“I would have sent word if we weren’t,” Alburet told him.
“Jones stopped by when we first got here,” Gerald went on after. “This will be a small meal, just us, Jones, and the King. Normally the Queen would be here as well, but she’s visiting the Elven Court this week.”
“Thank gods,” Alburet sighed. “I was dreading it being a state dinner, or something similar.”
Gerald grinned, “I can see where that would cause you to pause. According to Jones, the King just wants to officially thank us for gifting him with Gwain’s armor.”
“Oh good, I was hoping it was something related to that,” Alburet replied.
“Jones did tell us he had a gift to bestow upon us,” Marysue added.
“Oh? Is Gerald going to get nobled, knighted, or however you say given a title?” Karen asked.
“That is my hope,” Marysue beamed.
Gerald looked at Marysue with a bemused expression. “We’ll find out after dinner.”
Almost as if summoned, the door was opened by the same servant that had showed them to the room. “If you will follow me please, the King will see you now.”
Gerald and Marysue led the group following the servant. Alburet, with Stacia on his arm followed them and Karen escorting Fluff came after. As they trailed the servant down the hall a group of finely dressed men came around the corner ahead of them. One of the men came to a halt directly before the servant. “Who are these people? They obviously don’t belong in the court. Two Half-bloods inside the castle? What is the world coming to?” The disdain dripping from his voice was almost physical, it was so thick.
Alburet’s lips twitched as he eyed Skippy Gilden. Before anyone else could say anything, Gerald spoke up, in a soft yet clear tone. “Ah, excuse us, sir. You seem to have the advantage. Who might we have the honor of addressing?”
Pulling his body up straight, Skippy sneered at Gerald. “I’m Skippy Gilden, the next heir to House Gilden. And who might you be, rabble?”
“These are the guests of His Majesty, King Percy Justiceson,” the servant replied before Gerald could. “You are speaking to the guild leader of Alpha Company, Gerald Two-souled, and his officers. You are impeding my delivery of them to his Majesty.”
Skippy’s face went red with anger, “Alpha Company? Run by that miserable upstart Alburet?”
The servant stifled a sigh, “I just stated that the guild leader is Gerald Two-souled.”
Skippy ignored the servant as his eyes came to rest on Alburet, who stood head and shoulders over the others. “You!?”
“Heya, Skip. How’s life treating you? Get any fun surprises in the last few weeks?” Alburet asked with a barely suppressed snicker.
“You sent that assassin?” Skippy’s face went white with anger as he snarled out the words.
“Actually, all I did was return him to the sender. Was that you?” Alburet’s voice went from mocking to icy with the last three words.
“Sir, if you do not step aside, then you will be required to explain to his Majesty the delay you have caused in my carrying out his orders,” the servant said.
Skippy’s nostrils flared as he kept his eyes pinned to Alburet. “I have no wish to anger the King,” Skippy snarled through clenched teeth as he stepped aside. “I’ve simply encountered an old acquaintance with whom I shall be having business again soon.”
Alburet gave Skippy a frosty grin, “I’ll be your huckleberry.”
The mob of nobles all blinked, not understanding the reference. Karen snorted and Marysue’s lips tightened as she suppressed a grin. The servant, clearly annoyed, set off down the hall again. “If you will follow me, please. The King should not be kept waiting even longer than he already has.”
“Of course,” Gerald stepped close to Skippy, leaning in to speak quietly. “If you target one of us, then you will be dealing with all of us. Have a good evening, Sir Gilden.” Gerald set off after the servant.
Teeth grinding, Skippy watched them go, his eyes still locked on Alburet. “As soon as the immunity ends you will wish you had never crossed me,” Skippy hissed as Alburet passed him.
“I’ll greet them the same as I did the last one, Skippy, so be ready for them to bounce back at you,” Alburet replied, n
ot varying his pace as he followed Gerald and Marysue. He was aware of the eyes of Skippy’s entourage drilling into his back as he made his way down the hall. His lips were pursed in momentary bemusement. The anger he had gotten to know so well over the last few years hadn’t consumed him. It was there, bubbling away under the surface, but hadn’t made him want to lash out.
“Ya did well keepin’ ya anger in check, Asthore,” Stacia murmured. “I did nay have to help ya suppress it. This means ya mayhap be gettin’ better, like Fluff.”
“Maybe,” Alburet muttered as he considered the idea.
A few turns later they were ushered into the same dining room Alburet had visited before. Ioaniss was grinning at them as they were ushered inside. All eyes went to the man beside him, King Justiceson, who without trying dominated the room. Standing well over six feet tall, the King was of middling years. His blonde hair was marred by the dusting of grey at his temples. The network of fine lines around his green eyes resolved into smile wrinkles as the King smiled at his visitors.
“Welcome to my home, Alpha Company,” Justiceson intoned, his voice a light baritone that resonated with authority. “Ioaniss has told me much about your journey over the last few days, as well as presenting me with your gift. We shall discuss that more after the meal. Please, come in and be seated.” The King took his seat, gesturing for the rest of them to follow suit.
The group took their places around the small table, Alburet and Gerald seating their ladies before taking their own places. Gerald was to the left of the King, with Marysue beside him. To the King’s right sat Ioaniss, with Stacia beside him. Alburet took Stacia’s other side after seating Fluff to his other side and Karen next to Marysue. Once they were all seated, the doors behind the King opened and a small army of servants came in bearing the first course.
The first course, shrimp arranged into a flower served with a sweet and spicy sauce was one that Alburet remembered from his previous dinner with Ioaniss. Ioaniss smiled as the next course was brought in. “I took your suggestion, Alburet, and asked the chef to use some bacon in this soup. The result is quite nice, and the chef asked me to convey his compliments.” The servant announced the next course, setting bowls of fragrant potato soup infused with some hard cheese in front of each of them along with the same small glasses of clear liquid Alburet remembered from before.
“Dwelden Snapmaw with Elven snow wine.” The servers deftly switched out dishes and vanished once more. During the meal, King Justiceson asked them each about the trek to Gwain’s Keep, getting each of their impressions of several of the larger fights they’d encountered on the way. Descriptions of the bands of Infernals roaming the town around Gwain’s Keep that had cleared the undead in front of the raid were met with wonder from the King.
The conversation was sidetracked when the final course was served. Alburet remembered how incredible the Dragon steak had been, and held back on taking the first bite so he could watch the reactions of the others, especially Karen and Fluff. He wasn’t disappointed, as Karen was rendered apparently speechless and Fluff’s purring became audible.
When dessert was served they all eyed the tiny replicas of the castle with wonder. Even Marysue and Gerald were amazed at the intricacy of the confections.
“This is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Marysue said.
“Yes, I was very pleased to secure the services of this baker,” Justiceson chuckled. “But please, take a taste,” he watched them as they tentatively flaked a piece of the wall away. As they each took the bite, they paused to savor the most perfect dessert they had ever tasted. Seeing their enjoyment, he took a bite of his favorite dessert as well.
At the end of the meal, they each felt comfortably sated. “That was the best dinner I’ve ever had, your Majesty,” Gerald said with conviction.
“I do have the best chefs,” Justiceson smiled broadly. “Now let us adjourn to a different setting and discuss the reason I’ve invited you all here.”
Getting to his feet, Justiceson pulled a cord beside him. The door was opened a moment later by an elf, who bowed deeply. “You called, Sire?”
“Is the Grand Library prepared?” Justiceson asked.
“It is as you wished, Sire.”
“If you will all follow, we are adjourning to the library for coffee and conversation,” King Justiceson said, following the elf from the room.
The group trailed after the King, Ioaniss, and the elf. It took a bit of walking before they came to a set of ornate double doors, which the elf swept open for them. The Grand Library was awe-inspiring. On one side of the massive room, rows of tall bookshelves stretched off into the distance. The other half of the room held desks, seating areas, and displays. The King guided them to a group of couches and chairs in front of a huge fireplace. Beside the hearth, Gwain’s armor was arrayed on a display stand, along with the weapons and shield found with it.
The King settled himself in the largest chair and grinned at them. “Sit, we have some matters to discuss.” Once they’d all taken seats, the same elf who’d brought them there wheeled over a small cart containing a coffee service. He took each of their orders, preparing the coffee quickly and silently. Once it had been served, he all but vanished into the shadows behind the King’s chair.
Taking a sip of his coffee, King Justiceson settled more comfortably into his chair. “Now, as for the reason you are here tonight. I felt it proper to meet for myself the persons responsible for bestowing artifacts of such historical significance upon the Crown. I’ve discussed appropriate gifts to give in return at some length with Lord Jones. After further consideration, I have decided on those gifts that I feel it would be most suitable to visit upon Alpha Company.”
The group all leaned forward slightly in anticipation, drawn in by the gravity of Justiceson’s words. Ioaniss grinned as he sipped his coffee, “You’re playing it up again, Percy.”
Justiceson chuckled, “What would I do without a friend who will call me on my antics? But then, I don’t get to do this sort of thing every day. Fine, fine, let us be serious about the moment. Firstly, I hereby grant Gwain’s Keep and the surrounding lands to Gerald Two-souled. Further, you will be called before the court tomorrow and be knighted so that you may accept my generous gift. This does come with obligations. You must maintain a standing garrison of Crown Guards, who are to be commanded by an officer ranked Commander at the least. You will be responsible for the lodging and upkeep of the garrison stationed in your lands. You may impose your own laws on the lands surrounding your Keep; however, those laws may not conflict with those decreed by the Crown.”
Gerald pursed his lips to speak but the King cut him off with an upraised hand, “Wait until I finish.” Taking another sip of coffee, the King continued his detailed explanation. “You will, as a noble managing the lands granted to you, be able to impose taxes up to the maximum allowed by the Crown. That rate is no more than ten percent on all goods or services purchased in your area of influence. Half of all the taxes you collect will be collected by the Crown every new year. The rest is yours to do with as you see fit, but do keep in mind the men under your command. The commander of your men will report to you, but they are still my men. Do not forget that. If you are ever found to be disloyal to the Crown, they will bring you to me.”
Pausing for another drink, the King seemed to relax, “Now on to the good news. The Crown is prepared to send the best craftsmen at our disposal to get the town surrounding your Keep back in order, along with enough men to properly staff the Keep and the town. So. Did you have any questions regarding this gift or its entailments?”
Gerald cleared his throat softly. “No questions, Your Majesty, but my humbled thanks.”
Holding out his cup for the servant to take, Justiceson leaned forward, “It’s so refreshing to not be hounded about the minutiae. There are two other things I’d like to discuss before we’re done. First, your portal. I will maintain your portal in exchange for being able to send my scouting parties from y
our Keep into the Deadlands. The additional traffic should be good for the town, and in turn the Keep and your guild. The second thing is regarding your previous petition to the Crown.”
Alburet sat up straighter as Justiceson turned to him. “Alburet Two-souled, you were the leader of Alpha Company when this request was made. You’ve since stepped aside and given over your guild to your second. I wish to know why,” King Justiceson focused on Alburet with serious eyes.
“Your Majesty, as you undoubtedly know I was Human, and have become Half-Infernal with the Dark Lord’s blessing. This has been less than well-received in various places. It was decided that it is in the best interest of the guild that the person running it should be more socially acceptable than I am at present. I also have other difficulties from the other world that are best left undisturbed. That would be difficult in the extreme if I was a noble and became a focus of attention.”
Fractured Spirit (Alpha World Book 5) Page 20