CHAPTER XXIII #5
“Ale, certainly,” I laugh, shrugging my shoulders, “but I credit the whiskey to the Old Boys’ Club at court. They didn’t let me engage with them until I could properly handle the drink.”
Cal frowns at the comment, as does Lord Daniel from afar, but it’s Holis who turns in his chair to look at me, replying for the table.
“They did not treat you well that night, Alexis.”
I reach for the decanter of whiskey and shrug my shoulders again before tipping the drink at him in question. Holis nods and grabs an empty glass as I reply, “how else will the men change their minds if someone is not there to challenge their thoughts?”
Lord Daniel watches me pour Holis’ drink and brings a hand up to his beard.
I pour myself a decent sized whiskey and set the drink back on the table, adding with a smile.
“Sir Miles is a good man, as is his wife. Sir Petarch and his wife Constance were unsurprisingly amiable. The rest… well they could use with a few new comments in their midst.”
Lord Daniel smiles softly, averting his gaze that was on me to Stormfall. Holis also gives a small smile, nodding his head in understanding.
“Those Discerni men have frequented this café from time to time,” Sera leans past her brother by marriage with a frown, “their wives even more often. I doubt there’s any room in their minds for changing, Alexis. They are very content and set with how they live.”
I sit back in my chair and take a small sip of whiskey, considering her words.
“Sir Miles is a good man,” Cal adds to the table “if any change comes from that group it will be spearheaded by him.”
“And perhaps Lord Alexander…” I say more to myself, thinking of the handsome Discerni who remained quiet and thoughtful through the ambush, challenging the others cunningly.
“Have you met Lord Alexander before, Lady Alexis?” Lord Daniel asks me from across the table. I hide my sad scowl, hating that he refers to me so properly.
“No,” I shake my head, giving him a smile, “that night at court was the first.”
Lord Daniel nods and takes a sip of whiskey, averting his gaze again as Mana walks outside with the small barrel resting against his chest. Barnes stands up to help him, moving around the table to pull out a chair so that Mana can place the ale on top.
“How many?” Barnes asks the table.
Cal laughs and pushes his mug towards Barnes, “the full of the lot.”
I stand up and grab everyone’s mugs with a grin, then walk over to Barnes so he can get to pouring. He smiles at me and takes the first glass as I study him quietly from the side.
Barnes has been with our group since the beginning, traveling in tandem with Claymore until just recently, with the other Warrior Discerni staying behind in Fumagalli and Gaumond.
He joined this group from the start and has experienced everything with us over the past fortnights, and I suddenly feel a little shame as I look over him now.
His golden tanned skin shines under the sunset, the shade mixed with his bulky muscles reminding me so much of Keane.
Both of them have spent their days outside and under the sun, a tribute to the travel and hard work they put into their bodies.
My shame deepens when I realize that we’ve never really had a conversation between us two.
He was just always there, providing himself as part of the group… as protection.
Barnes looks at me with dark brown eyes, the color nearly black.
It matches perfectly with his long brown hair that he has tied in a knot at the nape of his neck, the fashion similar to how Lord Daniel wears his.
He smiles and hands me a filled mug, the feature looking good on him as it does with all Discerni who let their emotions shine through.
I take his offered mug and wait as he pours another, smiling back at him with a low voice. “Thank you for showing the Prince your fire, Barnes.”
Barnes grins, eyes finding mine in slight astonishment, “he was able to summon, then?”
I nod my head just slightly, the two of us looking at eachother with the same awe, “so far I’ve seen a spark to light, a full room of candles set ablaze, as well as a smaller version of your undying fire that rested beside our camp.”
“Ancients,” Barnes shakes his head in pure wonder, “that’s too quick for him to pick up.”
My eyes flick to Lord Daniel behind Barnes. He nods his head quietly, his words from that first night at court in Bardot replaying in my mind.
He has power, Lady Alexis. Pure, raw, unfettered power to the Lands. The type that only comes around once in a few generations…
Ancients.
That’s power, indeed.
Barnes hands me the second drink and gets to pouring again. I take both to the table and drop them off with Alanna and Cal, then head back to the barrel.
“I fear I may want to do this more often, Sera,” Cal chuckles from behind as Barnes and I grin together.
“We will welcome you any night,” Sera replies with genuine enthusiasm in her voice, “all of you.”
I turn and spot Mana giving his wife another rare smile before he slides his hand under the table to place it on Sera’s thigh.
He gives it a squeeze, the sight completely wholesome, as Barnes hands me two more mugs and sends me on my way.
I drop them in front of the loving couple and make my way back to my seat.
Barnes pours two more drinks for Holis and I before he finishes off for Lord Daniel and himself. I take my drink in thanks and turn in my seat towards Holis, watching as he reaches out to pour a glass of water for Stormfall.
You’ve missed this pampering, haven’t you Storm?
The Bird of Ash looks at me and gives a small caw in reply, puffing his chest out proudly. I chuckle and shake my head at him in small amusement just as Holis shifts in his seat to look at me curiously.
“Stormfall has missed your spoiling of him, Holis.”
Holis grins and continues to stroke Storm on his chest, the purr of satisfaction greeting his fingers in return.
Cal and Alanna are also smiling at the Bird of Ash, but both lift their gazes and drop their mugs on the table, standing swiftly from their chairs.
Loud and commanding footsteps grace the café from behind as my heart takes a few leaps out of my chest. I take a deep breath and softly place my own mug on the table and stand to greet the Princes.
Both Keane and Desmond have the looks of clouded exhaustion on their faces, but they both relax when they take in the veranda in front of them.
Keane has changed and is dressed in Warrior black, the darkness always looking good on him as he smiles to the table.
Desmond is wearing the deep green of Warrior with black pants, also matching his brother in his dark attire.
He looks formidable, they both do, a harsh reminder of who they are and what they do for the Kingdom.
We all give the Prince brothers a brief bow in greeting. Keane makes his way to Lord Daniel first, clasping his arm with a small nod.
“Thank you for keeping an eye on the Leviathans.”
Daniel dips his head to his Prince, replying softly, “they’ve been rather quiet over the last few days.”
Keane grimaces but nods in return, reaching out to Barnes as Desmond says hello to the Discerni twins and Sera.
“Thank you for hosting us tonight, Sera.”
“Of course, Prince Desmond. The pleasure is mine.”
Desmond smiles at the beautiful Discerni woman and greets the rest of the table around him, finally heading to the seat next to Alanna. He clasps a hand on Cal’s shoulder in greeting when he walks by, his hard features giving me a silent nod when he sits down.
Keane also turns in his walk to greet Sera and the twins, smiling to Cal and Alanna before taking his seat at the other head of the table.
The full of our group sits down with him, my hands reaching for two empty glasses and the whiskey while ignoring the small blush that wants to creep onto my cheeks.
I can feel the Prince’s gaze watching my movements, the simple glance making my heart race.
Keane reaches under the table and pulls on the leg of my chair, bringing it and my ignoring eyes closer to him.
My full body stills at the movement, my heart pounding rapidly, everything about me not knowing what to do as I feel everyone’s gazes land on the two of us, curious as to our interactions.
I focus instead on pouring drinks for the brothers and wait for someone to begin a conversation, any conversation. But the table remains silent, as if waiting for the Prince to begin the night.
Keane brings his hand to my thigh with a squeeze, leaning forward to grab the drink I poured for him with a knowing smirk. I silently take a deep breath and pass the second to Desmond, the full of the table still eerily quiet.
Desmond catches my gaze when I offer him the whiskey and nearly laughs in amusement at my expense.
His lips pull up in a wide smirk, knowing exactly what’s taking place and what has me so stiff, so I scowl in response and take his drink back before he can wrap his fingers around it.
The whiskey is gone not a moment later, my eyes glaring at Disce’s Master Informer as the slight burn runs down my throat.
Keane’s hand on my thigh tightens as he leans back in his chair, a low chuckle gracing the table. Both Desmond and Cal give a small laugh as I pass the empty glass back to the dark Discerni, letting him pour his own drink going forward.
“After all I have done to help you, Alexis…”