CHAPTER VIII #3
“Your Grace,” Kaven says smoothly, catching Keane’s glance before he looks at the seat on his right. “If you would join me.”
Keane takes a step towards the Lord, though not before placing his hand again on my back in small possession, walking the two of us to the table.
He pulls out the chair on his right and lets his brown gaze catch mine in assurance before I take the seat.
Golem’s padded feet move quietly to stand at the wall behind us, the magical creature watching over us both as Keane sits at the Lord’s side.
“Lady,” a timid voice states from behind.
I turn in my chair and look back at the human girl, accepting a long glass of the sparkling liquid.
“Thank you,” I give her a small smile, watching as she averts her eyes from mine to extend a hand to Keane.
I eye the liquid in the glass, its color a few shades lighter than the golden ale I’m accustomed to, and watch as small bubbles begin to rise to the top. The new drink sparkles, everything in Woodlands just fucking sparkles, and has the smell of something both bitter and sweet.
Canon takes a quiet seat to my right, his presence becoming so normal since arriving in Etter that I have to wonder if Keane spoke to him before our arrival, commanding his First Guard not to leave my side.
I turn to the quiet Discerni with a smile as both Holis and Mana sit down next to him, the brothers as stiff and tense as the rest of the room.
I watch in interest as the hardened Discerni takes the seat directly to Lord Kaven’s left, a spot typically reserved at the table for the spouse. Lady Esme seems unbothered, sitting down next to him as Desmond and Lord Alexander follow, the room still completely quiet.
“A toast then,” Lord Kaven raises his glass to Keane with a small smirk, “how long it’s been since the King of Disce has ventured into our lands. Ten years, if I remember correctly…”
My heart pounds hard.
Ten years…
Around the time I was here.
The blonde Discerni next to Kaven smirks with his Lord just as Keane raises his glass.
“Travel that you can expect more of, Lord Kaven...”
I let out a breath behind my drink and take a sip, watching as the Lord raises his brows at Keane in amusement.
“Indeed?” he grins. “What wonderful news. And where does your travel lead you after Etter?”
The cool drink is too sweet in my mouth, the sparkling bubbles biting at the back of my throat as I try my best to hold it down.
“We’ll head back for the Road of Gold,” Keane replies steadily to the Lord, “and pass through Alston and Dankworth on our way to Fensby.”
“You choose not to ride with your brother and the Aireal delegation to La Cour?” Kaven replies in surprise.
Keane shakes his head, placing the sparkling toddy on the table in front of him.
“Prince Troy has that travel handled well enough, while we have business in the western cities.”
Stormfall grips my shoulder as I feel a hooded pair of eyes land on me. I turn my gaze to the hardened blonde Discerni at the Lord’s left, catching his glance before he eyes the Bird of Ash on my shoulder.
“And your business here?” Lord Kaven asks with indifference. “In Etter?”
“Our own,” Keane replies simply, prompting the sneering man to take his eyes off me and look across at the King.
“Well if there’s anything we can do to assist with your stay here, let one of us know,” the blonde Lord tilts his head to his wife and the man next to him. “Though we were surprised yesterday to receive word of your ride our way. I’m afraid we’ve had little time to prepare.”
I hated this dinner already.
Hated it to my very core.
Everything is so stiff, so proper. There’s no friendly faces at the table, just cool and bleak glances that are stoic and unyielding.
I yearn for the black and smokey walls of Gaumond, for the faces full of life and happiness, and Ancients, I’d even pay to be back in Bardot or in Loughty. Anywhere but here.
Stormfall turns his head to my neck, reaching for my ear as he gives it a small nip in agreement, hearing my thoughts.
If only we could talk, Storm, I sigh, taking another sip of the sparkling drink. I would love to hear your own thoughts of this place.
Stormfall gives a small caw on my shoulder, prompting all three gazes from the Woodlands Discerni to turn on me. Lady Esme eyes us from across the table, her glance thoughtful as she looks at the Bird of Ash.
“Is he a hawk, Lady?” she asks quietly, the first of the three to speak to me directly. Both of the Woodlands men frown in their seats, no doubt wishing to ignore my presence altogether.
“He is,” I smile, not caring to admit that Stormfall is much, much more.
“He’s massive,” Esme shakes her head, “much larger than the few hawks that grace our woods…”
“I’m afraid I have to ask,” she looks at Stormfall timidly, “as we’ve had a problem in the past, but what does he eat?”
I look at the woman curiously as Storm does the same. “Raw meat.”
Esme’s eyes widen before she quickly turns her gaze to her husband and the man next to him.
“My wife is very sentimental towards the argents in these woods,” Kaven turns to Keane.
Do not trust the argents.
“We’ve had to poach the hawks out of Etter in the past. They fed on the small birds.”
I stiffen in my seat as Stormfall raises his chest proudly from my shoulder.
“I can assure you, Lady Esme,” Keane turns to the timid woman with a small smile, “that Stormfall has no desire to engage with the birds here. He preys on larger animals.”
“Nevertheless,” Lord Kaven narrows his eyes on Storm, “I would feel comfortable in the knowledge that the hawk remain indoors during your stay here. It would ease my wife’s anxiety.”
That is not going to happen.
I glare back at the Lord as both Holis and Mana shift in their seats next to me.
Keane narrows his own eyes on Kaven before he lets his features turn casual. He sits back in his chair with a small grin and shakes his head. “No.”
Everyone around the table tenses, looking between the King and the Lord of Etter.
“Stormfall is not a bird to be confined,” Keane continues easily, “he will remain at Lady Alexis’ side, whether indoors or out.”
My heart pounds hard against my chest as Lord Kaven looks coolly at Keane. His eyes flick briefly to his wife and then back to the King, nodding his head reluctantly.
“Tell me about the village,” Keane asks, taking command of the conversation now. His voice is still casual but there’s a hard edge behind it. “Do you still have the people here working the forest?”
“Yes, and that work is high in demand,” Lord Kaven replies coldly. “Most of our timber is traded off to the cities of Woodlands.”
Was that what all the humans along the road were carrying in their packs? Wood?
“I should like to see them at their work tomorrow morning,” Keane replies.
I notice the human girl, Rose, turn from across the room to give him a hidden glance.
“Of course, Your Grace,” the blonde Lord replies without emotion, though the man next to him takes a heavy drink, hiding a small grimace.
“Excuse my ignorance,” I look at Lord Kaven with a sweet smile, “but where does all the white marble come from in which your home is built?”
The Lord narrows his eyes on me, not liking that I address him so directly. I’m about to ask the question again when his wife answers softly from across the table.
“The stone rests within our lands, Lady. Just as the black granite does within Warrior.”
I turn to the woman with a smile. “Fascinating. Are there any quarries here in Etter?”
She shakes her head. “The closest is over a half day’s ride to Airea.”
“A full day on foot, then?” I ask casually.
“I suppose,” Lady Esme looks at me in soft curiosity. “Why do you ask?”
Because the packs were too heavy on the backs of the humans in the village to be wood.
Because the white stones that riddled their homes were too hastily built, while the towering and glittering homes above this residence are renovated and new.
Because I saw no horses in the village, no large carts that could transfer heavy loads of timber or stone. Because this place is not right.
“Just my own personal interest,” I smile back at her again, then turn my glance to Keane. “His Grace has let me tour some of the black granite quarries in Warrior. I’m in awe of the labor that goes into the work to acquire it.”
“A tour could not be arranged, I’m afraid,” Lady Esme shakes her head, “that labor comes from those in Airea. We just accept the trade.”
I’m sure.
Keane looks at me with his calm brown eyes, his glance slightly curious but not pressing as he turns back to the Lord.
“The population has grown since I’ve last been here. The village seems to be expanding.”
“Yes,” Kaven replies with a small smirk, just as the blonde next to him does the same. “We had to build another pub for the humans. Work and drink. That’s all they seem to be interested in.”
“And the new school, my Lord,” Lady Esme says quietly before she turns to Keane, “we built a second to accommodate all the children.”
My brows lift in small surprise.
“Yes, yes,” the Lord waves his hand casually, uninterested. “That too.”
“And the Discerni above?” Keane smiles to Esme before he turns his gaze back to Kaven, “still growing?”
“Barely,” the Lord rolls his eyes, as if the answer disturbed him, “Not nearly as fast as the humans.”