“Wow.” was all he said before taking a second sip. After a moment, he added, “This is the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth!”
Sam was quiet, his eyes closed and a smile on his lips as he licked them clean. After a moment, he opened his eyes. “I didn’t know this was even possible. These druids, are they elves? Cuz this tastes like magic potion made by elves in all the old stories.”
Harmon shook his head. “Not elves, arachnoids.”
Sam’s eyes went wide. He gulped once before asking, “Arachnoids? Like, arachnids? As in eight legged spider people?” Allistor sat down, not liking where the conversation was going.
“Indeed. Planet Octia is inhabited by a race of what you would call spiders. Though octians are not typical arachnoids. The race is generally aggressive, much like goblins. Though with higher intellects, a stronger prey instinct, and a hive mind social structure. They also have an affinity for technological trades. Except for the octian druids, who long ago isolated themselves from their brethren and strove to return to their roots by rejecting technology and embracing nature.”
“Do I even want to know how they make this stuff?” Allistor asked. He was pretty sure the answer would ruin the experience for him. “Tell me this isn’t made from giant spider pee.”
Sam leaned forward, setting his elbows on the table. “I gotta hear this. So I can tell Meg. She hates spiders.” He grinned happily.
Harmon chuckled. “The octian druids make their homes among the fruit trees, living in web hammocks strung between branches. When the fruit ripens, they pluck it free and masticate it, squeezing the juices into containers fashioned from the wood of that same tree. The juice is left to ferment for some time before being taken and distilled into the liquid you’ve just tasted.”
Sam laughed loudly as Allistor’s thoughts whirled. He suspected this was in part due to the multiple samples of brandy he’d imbibed. On the one hand, he was relieved he hadn’t just tasted spider pee. On the other… pre-chewed fruit from a giant spider’s mouth did not sound the least bit attractive.
“Can I have a small refill?” Sam asked. “I want to take this down to Meg, let her taste it. Then tell her the story.” He grinned at Allistor. “I might need to sleep in a spare room tonight, but it’ll be totally worth it!”
Harmon obligingly refilled Sam’s sample glass, then offered a refill to Allistor, who held up a hand to decline. He had moved on from the slight revulsion toward the drink’s origin, and was now experiencing a different conflict.
“This spider brandy is clearly the most delicious of all of these. But if I gift this to Master Daigath, do I risk offending or alienating him when he learns its source?”
Harmon shook his head. “Master Daigath is familiar with both of the samples I brought with me this evening, and indeed, enjoys both. It is a wide universe, Allistor, and most other races would not blink at this brandy’s origin. Consuming the flesh of other species is commonplace. Orcanin are not the only ones, for example, to consider properly roasted goblin flesh to be a delicacy.”
“Then I should gift him a bottle of this.” Allistor nodded, feeling relieved, and slightly tipsy.
“Not necessarily. This is a safe choice, one that he certainly would not reject. But as I said, he might appreciate the novelty of a local product. At his age, anything new is a welcome change. I believe either of your Earth samples would please him.”
Sam, on his feet and headed for the door with his surprise for Meg, paused to offer his input. “I’d go with the Hennessy to start with. Just for the fancy presentation. Then, when he knows us a little better, offer him some of our moonshine.” He looked at the sample in his hand, then at the bottle on the table in front of Harmon. “Hey uhh… how much for the rest of that open bottle?”
Harmon resealed the bottle and held it up. “Since we are among friends, how about you and Lady Meg cook one of your special meals for my people?”
“Deal! Whatever you like!” He paused in the middle of reaching for the bottle. “Uhh… except there’s no way I can talk Meg into cooking goblins.”
Laughing, Harmon handed over the bottle. “Some of your earth beef, or… what did you call it? Murder chicken bbq? Any of your local dishes, with Lady Meg’s magic touch, would be fine.”
Sam took the bottle and slipped it into his inventory before downing the sample and returning the glass to Harmon. “You got it! Just let us know when, and we’ll go all out!” He looked at all the empty glasses on the table, then scooped them into his ring as well. “I’ll go run these through the dishwasher and get em back to you.”
Harmon and Allistor followed Sam out of the room, the orcanin and the marine chatting about spider spit as they got on the elevator. Allistor waved good night before heading to his own quarters. After confirming his wakeup call with Nigel, he slipped into bed. His head barely hit the pillow before he was asleep.
Chapter 9
Allistor was pleased to find that he wasn’t even slightly hung over when Nigel woke him two hours before the first sunrise. Amanda, who hadn’t been in bed yet when Allistor retired early with a snootful of brandy, groaned and tried to cover her head with a pillow.
“Oh, no you don’t. I need you and your lovely smile to help me win over Master Daigath this morning. After that, we’ve got a big day storming the castle.!” He spanked her lightly on the butt, then pushed her toward the edge of the bed. She had to plant her feet on the floor to avoid rolling out and faceplanting.
“You snored like Fuzzy last night.” She complained, getting to her feet and stretching a bit before heading toward the shower.
“Must of have been the spider spit I drank last night.” He offered as he followed her, dropping his shorts as he went. Once in the oversized shower, he grabbed some soap and began to rub her back.
“Let me guess… Harmon? How hung over are you?” she asked before ducking her head under the water and grabbing the shampoo.
“Not at all. We tasted a few brandy samples, strictly for science.” He moved his hands up to help massage the shampoo into her hair.
“Riiiight. Science. So where does the spider spit come in?”
He told her the whole story as they quickly and efficiently soaped each other up and rinsed off. Ten minutes after Nigel’s wakeup, the two of them were dressed in clothes Lilly had fashioned for them. They weren’t exactly formal, but were well made and fitted to them perfectly. Allistor wore mostly black, with red and grey accents. In contrast, Amanda wore a cream colored dress that was modestly cut, but hugged her figure quite attractively.
Allistor quickly confirmed that he had the box with the Ancient Shellback heart, the bottle of Hennessy, and several other rare crafting materials in his inventory. Taking Amanda’s hand, they walked onto the waiting elevator and headed downstairs. Harmon had suggested that they serve their visiting VIP one of Meg’s delicious breakfasts, saying it might be a swaying factor in Master Daigath’s decision.
One by one, the advisors that Allistor had requested to join them began to arrive. Some through the teleport, others just coming downstairs. All four analysts attended as well, anxious to meet the legendary elf. Gralen arrived at the same time as Harmon, and had barely stepped off the teleport pad before Nigel’s voice rang out.
“Master Daigath has confirmed permission to teleport to this location. He will arrive momentarily.”
The AI only just finished speaking when the pad lit up, and the ancient elven master appeared.
Harmon stepped forward, bowing deeply to his old mentor. “Welcome, Master Daigath. I thank you for granting my request. You honor us with your presence.” He stood upright and smiled at the elf.
Daigath looked like any other elf Allistor had seen, though instead of appearing to be twenty two years old, he looked more like thirty. He was dressed in forest green leather from head to toe, the stitching simple but somehow elegant at the same time. When he stepped forward to embrace Harmon, his movements were fluid and economical, displaying both agility and g
race.
“Harmon, my old friend. It has been too long.” He smiled kindly at the orcanin, glancing down at the blade tucked into Harmon’s boot. His voice was just as smooth as his gait. “I see you still carry that old thing.”
“Until the day I die.” Harmon replied solemnly. “It remains the most precious gift I’ve ever received…” he paused and nodded toward Allistor. “and Prince Allistor recently gave me several billions of klax!”
“Ha! Flatterer! It’s but a simple blade. But come, let us not keep your friend waiting. Introduce us!”
Both of them turned toward the waiting crowd, Allistor with Amanda at his side in the center of the group. “Master Daigath, may I present Prince Allistor of Invictus, Planetary Prince of Earth, and Emperor of Orion, and his mate, Lady Amanda.”
Allistor stepped forward with Amanda at his side, and Daigath bowed his head. Allistor had the urge to return the gesture, but a slight shake of Harmon’s head kept him upright.
“Welcome to Invictus, and Earth, Master Daigath.” Allistor smiled at the elder elf. “We are most grateful that you were willing to come and meet with us.”
“Thank you, Prince Allistor, Lady Amanda. I am most pleased to meet you. I admit to having followed some of your recent adventures, and being most impressed. It is rare to find a prince who cares so much for his people. Even rarer to find one who rose to such heights from, please forgive me, such a low station.”
Allistor maintained his smile. “There is nothing to forgive, Master Daigath. I did begin with nothing but my clothes, and my friends, most of whom you see here before you, and a little bit of luck.” He looked at all the friends, old and new, standing behind him. “If you’d like to accompany us to our dining area, our chefs have prepared a morning meal I believe you will enjoy.” He motioned for the elf and Harmon to walk alongside Amanda and himself. They were silent for a few moments as they crossed the lobby while Daigath took in their surroundings. He paid special attention to the sunken garden visible through the glass lobby doors as they passed. “Harmon tells me your first encounter with my race nearly resulted in war?”
Allistor did his best not to gasp even as Harmon winked at him. “Y-yes, that’s true. I’m afraid I am woefully unprepared for the situation I find myself in. We accidentally offended a commander of the Or’Dralon during our very first foray into space. Fortunately, I was able to apologize and establish more friendly relations before he disintegrated us.”
Daigath shook his head as they approached a long table, taking the seat indicated by Allistor after waiting for Amanda to take hers. “The Or’Dralon. Among the worst of the bunch. My people have become entirely too prideful, too full of themselves. So focused on honor and etiquette, politics and power, that they’ve forgotten how to live.” His tone was sad and his voice quiet as he finished.
Not knowing how to respond, Allistor sat in his own seat and nodded along. Amanda saved him by answering. “I’m afraid we’ve had very limited interaction with your people so far, though L’olwyn here is helping us to understand them. I think you’ll find we humans are much less rigid. We’ve spent the last year so concerned with simple survival that we’ve not had much time to focus on niceties.” She paused to indicate the simple dining area and the uncovered table at which they sat. “I’m afraid we’re much more… humble than what you might be used to.”
Daigath’s gaze snapped up to L’olwyn as Amanda mentioned his name. Then returned to Amanda with a smile. “You are most gracious, Lady Amanda. My home is in a tree, deep within an ancient forest. My neighbors are creatures of land and bough, and visitors are few. My days of pomp and noble etiquette are millennia behind me.”
Turning to the only other elf at the table, he said, “L’olwyn. I have heard that name. You are unhoused, are you not?” His tone was friendly, a simple question.
L’olwyn lowered his head, blushing slightly. “I am, Master Daigath.”
The ancient elf chuckled. “Fear not, child. I have heard your story. Your predicament is no fault of your own. As far as I know, you have only ever acted with honor and loyalty. I, too, am unhoused. Though it happened so long ago that no one living remembers. And back then it did not carry the stain it does now.” He turned back to Allistor. “That you have taken in an unhoused also speaks highly of you, and resolves one of the issues I believed might stand between us. This pleases me.”
Allistor’s pulse slowed as he began to feel comfortable with the elven master. “Please, allow me to introduce the rest of my advisors.” He went around the table, introducing each human and alien and stating their title or function. Just as he was finishing up, the food arrived.
“And this is Lady Meg, with her husband, Sam. Our two most talented chefs.” Meg set a plate in front of Daigath first, followed by Amanda, while Sam put his in front of Allistor and Harmon. Behind them, a long string of kitchen staff brought plates for everyone at the table. When everyone was served, Meg and Sam joined them, sitting across and several seats down from Daigath.
“Please, enjoy.” Amanda smiled at their guest. Daigath took a moment, folding his hands in his lap and closing his eyes. Everyone else waited in silence, allowing the elf to observe his pre-meal ritual.
Opening his eyes to find everyone else waiting, he smiled. “Apologies. A habit so old I do not even notice it anymore. Just a simple gesture of thanks to the creators.” He lifted the fork next to his plate and examined its contents. There were scrambled eggs with diced onions, spices, and peppers sprinkled in, a cup of fresh fruit, several strips of crisp bacon, and freshly baked bread. Meg had hastily confirmed with Harmon the day before that Daigath wasn’t a vegetarian. On the table in front of him were pitchers of water, orange juice, and coffee.
As Daigath scooped some eggs onto his fork and took his first bite, the others at the table dug in. All of them trying not to stare as they awaited his reaction.
Except Meg. Meg stared unabashedly. Which caused both Sam and Allistor to have to resist smiling. Sam nudged her gently with an elbow, and she turned to glare at him for a moment before resuming her observation of the elf.
Daigath set down his fork as he chewed and swallowed, then took a sip of water. “Harmon has told me that you are an artist when it comes to food, Lady Meg, and I must agree. This is delicious!” He smiled at Meg, who was beaming back at him.
“Thank you, Master Daigath. Cooking for my family and friends is one of the joys of my life.”
With that, the rest of the group dug in, all of them making sure to compliment Meg and Sam in one way or another, usually around half-full mouths. Which earned them a hostile glare from both Meg and Amanda.
By the time everyone was finished eating, it was nearly time for the first of the suns to rise. “Master Daigath, would you like to accompany me to the roof? The suns will rise soon, but it should remain cool and comfortable up there for a while.”
“Certainly, Prince Allistor. Sam, Lady Meg, thank you for a wondrous meal. It has been decades since I’ve eaten so well.” He bowed his head slightly to Meg, who just blushed.
Allistor led Daigath, Harmon, and Amanda to the elevators and up to the roof, where they took seats in the lounge area. Daigath eyed Allistor’s smithy before sitting. “I had heard rumors that a planetary prince was crafting his own weapons, but I doubted the gossip-mongers. It seems I should give them a bit more credit.”
Allistor chuckled. “I’m no master craftsman. I’ve just recently began to train in Weaponsmithing and Enchanting. The former I sort of picked up by accident, along with Improvisation, in the early days of the apocalypse. I was simply trying to figure out a way to stay alive.”
Daigath nodded. “Self-preservation is often the best motivator. And I’m glad to see you pursuing a crafting skill or two. Far too many nobles think themselves above such pursuits.”
“I’ve been a noble for less than a year, and frankly, I know even less about ruling and the politics involved than I know about Weaponsmithing. I’ve surrounded myself with the best fr
iends, advisors, and analysts that I can, to help with the ruling. I’m hoping you’ll consent to help me with some of the other knowledge I seek.”
“Ah, yes. You wish to advance as a battlemage. I can indeed assist with that particular need.” The old elf favored them with a half smile, pausing to gaze eastward, where the brighter sun had crested the horizon. “Assuming I choose to remain here for a time.”
Amanda leaned forward in her chair. “Allistor has set aside his morning to speak with you, to show you around, in hopes of convincing you to stay. Is there anything in particular you’d like to see?”
Daigath took in the view, frowning slightly. “I dislike cities. Even ones so sparsely populated as this one. I prefer the deep forests and solitude of nature. Do you have such a place where I could reside while I’m here?”
Allistor nodded. “I believe we do. I became a prince when Lady Helen awarded me all of our former nation’s national parklands. We have a Stronghold called Wilderness that I believe you’d enjoy. Or, if that is not remote enough for you, we can create one in a suitable location.”
“I would like to see this Wilderness of yours.”
“We can travel there right now.” Allistor and company got to their feet, and five minutes later they were stepping off the teleport pad at the Wilderness Stronghold. Though he couldn’t see anything beyond the high walls, Daigath smiled. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Yes, I can smell the forest.”
Allistor led them to the main tower, and up the elevator to the top floor lookout post. From there they took the short staircase to a landing pad he had created before he realized the sheer size and weight of the yacht he’d been promised by the system.
Daigath looked around, his gaze passing over the mountains in the near distance, the old-growth forest, and the lake below. He frowned slightly when he noticed the clearing just beyond the lake. Harmon coughed, embarrassed. “Yes, uhm, I’m afraid that was me. I needed space to land my ship when I delivered Prince Allistor’s yacht on the first day.”
Shadow Sun Progression: Shadow Sun Book Four Page 14