Dinner Plans

Muld discusses Practical magic innovations during dinner with the Losasidhe royals.

9.

Dinner Plans

 

 

Muld found an extraordinary selection of beautiful clothes for him to choose from within the wardrobe.    He felt ashamed to even touch the rich garments, for they were certainly the type of clothing worn by nobles.    He picked a green ensemble that seemed to be the most humble of those availiable to him.

They fit perfectly and he was slipping on the leather boots when there came a knock on the door followed by a page’s announcement that dinner would be served in several minutes.

He felt more nervous than was usual for him in an uncertain situation as he walked down the grand staircase toward the dining hall.     No one was in the halls as he made his way and he hoped he wasn’t going to be late.

Two servants stationed on either side of the hall pulled the doors open for him as he approached and he entered a beautiful feasting hall.

As usual for most Elven buildings, the structure seemed somehow natural and graceful, comfortable and open, yet intimate with the spiraling wooden panels that mimicked their natural form as trees.

In the center of the room were set eight tables - which surprised him, for he had not expected on that great number of dinner guests.     The king and queen were already there, and were chatting with a group of three handsome elven men, one who had the same fiery red hair as Syndi.    Standing with the princes were their ladies, all of them  tall, graceful and regal in appearance.

There were other nobles of the Losasidhe court, some seated and others standing, and all turned to give him curious looks as he entered.

Lord Derych stood off to one side speaking to a group of adoring young ladies, and Muld held his breath for a moment as he scanned the women, hoping that Syndi was not among them.   He was relieved to find that she was not.

She wasn’t in the room at all, he determined after glancing around, and that did little to dispel his feeling of being completely out of place.

He was making his way to a free space at one of the outlying tables when King Eiolmoel called out, “Master Muld!”.    Gesturing for him to come to him, Muld meekly approached the King and his family, bowing respectfully as he approached.

“Master Muld, I would like you to meet the rest of my family.”   He introduced them in their birth order:   Elothmends and his wife Kalsyl, Symorden and his wife Jeevy (who was extremely pregnant and looked as if she would burst at any moment) and Encersyel and his lady, Daryleayn.

“We are most pleased to meet you, Master Muld,” Elothmends said cordially to him as his eyes seemed to survey his character.

“Thank you, Your Highness; it is a great honor to meet you and your family as well.”

“Lord Derych tells me that you have volunteered to serve as bait in the scheme to capture some of the pirates plaguing us.”

“Well, I am certainly not a brave man, but I feel that as many of these pirates that can be removed from harassing the kingdoms of our world, the better.    It is the very least I can do.    It is my intention to capture at least one of their ships and fortify it, as well as the one that Princess Syndi and I captured, to use against the rest of Hobnail’s ships.”

His response seemed to greatly please the heir to the Losasidhe throne, for he nodded approvingly, gesturing for Muld to be seated nearby.    He sat opposite of him and asked him many questions about the arcane technology used on airships, leaving his lovely wife to chat with her sisters-in-law.

Muld happily answered all the prince’s questions, very pleased to see his interest.    He was not aware that during their talk, Derych had joined them, along with the crew of the North Wind, who were respectfully listening to Muld tell Prince Elothmends what magic could do to increase the speed and armaments of a ship.

 

For nearly a quarter of an hour, Muld told the prince, Derych, and the crew of the airship all that he knew, and even King Eiolmoel and his other sons sat and listened, while Queen Synthaeia led her daughters-in-law to a table far removed from the talk.

He was describing a theoretical idea he had to deflect missiles aimed at an airship with a magic shield, when his eyes caught movement at the entrance of the hall.

It was Syndi, arriving late and hurrying into the room.   But it was her appearance that got Muld’s full attention, causing him to break off in mid sentence and rise to his feet with an awed look that showed that he had forgotten everything else.

She wore a flowing green gown that sparkled with green gemstones sewn into the corseted top.    It was tastefully low-cut and she wore her long red hair down, which flowed like a copper river down to her waist.    She rushed into the room, oblivious to how stunning she looked or how all the men present had their eyes glued to her radiant form.

At his table, all the men were standing now, each with different expressions on their faces.    The King’s was pride mixed with slight sadness at the mature appearance of his youngest child, while her brothers were equally amazed at the loveliness of their little sister.   Derych and his men had hypnotized looks equaling Muld’s own stunned expression.

“Wow...” Muld whispered, though his comments carried to all the men around him and they all agreed with it.

 

She gracefully raced across the room, but instead of going to the other women, she went straight over to Muld’s table.

“Sorry I’m late; did I miss anything?”  She asked them as she came up to the table, looking a bit confused why everyone was standing as she approached.

“By Yesh, you are the most beautiful angel under the stars.”   Muld heard himself exclaim, horrified immediately that his heart had got past the censor of his mind.

He looked in terror at her reaction and her eyes sparkled brighter than the jewels in her dress.   She leaned over and kissed his cheek and then looked around at the men, “So, what’s the plan, gentlemen?”

Thankfully the King told her that they were only discussing arcane magic, while her eldest brother gently pushed Muld back down into his chair.   He couldn’t speak for a few moments; his brain scrambled at her nearness.  

He heard the talk around him, but didn’t understand a single word.   Fortunately, all the plans for the next day had been settled in the afternoon.   Syndi found a chair and inserted it between her father and him, looking at him with an amused look.

“What in the heavens is the matter with you?”  She asked as he sat there with his mouth open, looking particularly stupid.

Before he could answer, the servants brought the meal and everyone focused on eating.    Muld slowly recovered, but his head kept turning to look at the gorgeous redhead seated beside him.    Her attention was turned to her father, who was asking her about her sorceress training.    

Syndi’s mother made several attempts to pull her husband and youngest child away from the Practical Magician’s table to the usual one in the very center.    But the king gently told his wife that he was speaking to Syndi about her life in Westmark and Queen Syntheaia left them alone with a frown.

Muld picked at his food, not eating anything and barely able to answer Syndi’s brothers as they spoke to him. 

Like a drunken man, he struggled to appear sensible and casual, but his mind was plagued by his emotional outburst and reaction to Syndi.

Analyzing it as the dinner progressed, he wasn’t immediately aware that the feast had ended and that court musicians had struck up dancing music until he glanced over at Syndi’s chair and found that she was not there.    Turning from side to side, he was surprised to find all of the princes gone as well as most of the airship crew and Derych as well.    Only King Eiolmoel remained at the table and was scrutinizing Muld with a twinkle in his eye.

“She’s dancing with Lord Derych, Master Muld,”   The king said softly, pointing to one of the couples on the floor.   Syndi didn’t seem particularly happy, but not angry either as she was twirled around the room.   Muld felt a strong pang of envy, but still he could not keep from watching them, staring intently at her with a slight smile.

“They would make a perfect match,”   Eiolmoel said to the Practical Magician, but there was something in his voice that hinted that he didn’t believe that.

“Your Highness,”  Muld started to say, not turning from watching her, but he knew anything he said to her father would sound foolish, so he just sadly shook his head and kept silent.

“You don’t think so, Master Muld?”   The king asked gently.

“Your Majesty… I am unworthy to give any sort of opinion concerning your daughter, but I do know that Lord Derych does not respect her.”

“Go on,” The king commanded.

“He sees her as a prize to be won; something beautiful to be placed upon a pedestal and kept as a possession.   Perhaps he seeks status by winning her hand as well.   He does not see her properly and he is not right for her.”

“And you know who might be right for her suitor?”

“He would have to be a man who would see how intelligent that she is and how resourceful she can be when she feels confident enough to make up her own mind.   She doesn’t want to just be a lovely woman in beautiful clothing, Your Majesty, she wants to grow and to learn and to live.”

Muld was too afraid to turn to look at Eiolmoel, for he had spoken too frankly to him.    Still watching her dance, Muld hoped that her father would understand why he had said those words to him.

The king was silent for a minute, then took a deep breath and asked, “Master Muld, when you look at my daughter, what do you see?”

“I see a flame, Your Highness, burning brilliant and hot, but one that is buffeted by the wind so much that it does not know how it can grow and become even brighter and hotter.   I see an extremely sharp mind that can learn very quickly, that is just now beginning to see the potential that rests within her.    I see a young woman who is full of life and joy, excited about the possibilities before her, but terribly unsure of herself and of her capabilities.    Everywhere she goes, she lights up the room with her charm and grace, Your Majesty.”

 Eiolmoel laughed softly.   “Master Muld, when describing my daughter, you did not once mention anything physical about her.”

Muld blinked in surprise, “I didn’t?   I am sorry-“

“Master Muld that was not meant as criticism!”   The King interrupted, “I am pleased that you see her as more than just a beautiful woman.”

“Oh, but she is that, Your Majesty.    That is why I implore you to not try to force her to marry anyone that she does not want to marry, even if that suitor makes ‘a good match’ or is a friend of the royal family.     Let her make up her own mind, sir, and I suspect that she will please you when she finally makes that decision.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have any suggestions for her, would you, Master Muld?”   The King said with a sly grin that Muld knew was on his face even though he was not looking at him.

“I can tell you this, Your Majesty, I am completely certain that I would never dream to include myself as a possibility.    Your daughter deserves the very best; a man that is not only handsome like Lord Derych, but who is devoted to her as a partner and equal, not simply a pretty jewel to show off.”

“And you don’t consider yourself worthy of her?”  

For the first time in the conversation, Muld turned and looked the king directly in the eyes and said, “I am certainly not worthy of your daughter, Your Majesty.    I know my place in this world, sir, and I realize that Syndi’s place is in courts such as this.    She deserves the very best, Your Majesty.    That is not me in any way, sir.”

King Eiolmoel seemed very surprised at Muld’s confession and knew that he was honestly speaking what he truly felt.

The Losasidhe monarch had opened his mouth to say something encouraging to the humble young man, but before he could speak, Syndi appeared out of nowhere, grabbing the magician by the hand.

“Huh?  Syndi, what-?”  He stammered in surprise as she pulled him after her.

“Your turn, ‘Master Muld’!” She said with a grin.

“My turn to what?”

“Dance of course!”   She continued pulling him after her, and Muld looked back helplessly toward her father, who waved in amusement.

“But I was talking with your father… how rude!”  He exclaimed, but the girl only laughed at him and dragged him onto the floor.

Derych, mildly displeased at her decision to change partners slumped down in Muld’s vacant seat and said to the king while staring after Muld, “He doesn’t know his place, Your Highness.”

King Eiolmoel looked at the expression on his daughter’s face as she worked to force the embarrassed young elven man to dance with her, and he found himself smiling, “No, Lord Derych, he doesn’t know his place because he feels he has no place, nor real worth.”

“What a pathetic young man,” Derych said with a feigned sigh of pity.

“Don’t underestimate him, Derych, he may be humble, but he’s quite bright and possesses an odd charm that he doesn’t even understand.”

“I fear that he’s charming Princess Synthaeia, sire.”

“Yes,” the King said, “and he doesn’t even realize it.”

 

***

“Syndi, I really don’t like to dance…” he was protesting, but she didn’t seem to be listening, which didn’t surprise him as she had danced with him once before.

“I wanted to speak to you privately, and I felt this might be the safest place,”  She said as she pulled herself close to him as the dancing now was slow and intimate.

“That sounds ominous…” he answered, feeling extremely nervous to be so close to her, even as a dance partner.

“This is serious, Muld!    Actually, that is why I was late.   I overheard a secret rendezvous - they were meeting in the hallway behind the servant apartments.   I was looking for one of the seamstresses to repair a rip in the sleeve of this dress, but she was not in her quarters and I heard whispering at the end of the hallway.”

“What did you hear?”   Muld asked, intrigued.  

“I couldn’t make out all of it as I could only get so close without them hearing or seeing me.    It was two men talking - I couldn’t see them as they were hiding in the shadows- but I heard them mention Hobnail.”

“The pirate chief?”

“They were whispering about your plan.   I think there are spies that will pass on information to Hobnail.”

“If that’s the case, then they’ll have to do it by scrying device, as we’re putting the plan into motion tomorrow.”

“But even if a spy were to contact Hobnail, would he be able to warn his pirate ships that we were planning a trap?”   Syndi asked as they danced.

“He would if all the ships have crystal balls like the one that we captured.”

“So what can we do?   I didn’t see who the two whispering men were and by now they’ve probably already contacted Hobnail.”

“If we change the plan for tomorrow, it will reveal that we know that there are spies here.”

“But if we go through with it, Muld, they won’t take the bait.”

“I’m not so sure, Syndi,”   Muld said thoughtfully, “They seem rather daring.   Going into Westmark by night was a risk, as Marksylvania has several airships that could have intercepted them.”

“I’ll bet the pirates have spies there as well, who send word of what airships are docked at any given day.”

“If I was Hobnail, I’d strike here tonight, while the crew of the North Wind was here at the feast.     They’d know they could attack, seize the pirate ship we captured, perhaps disable the North Wind and make off to their lair without anyone able to pursue them.”

Syndi stopped in the middle of the dance floor, alarmed at the logic of Muld’s theory.

“What should we do?”

“Just keep dancing for now, in case we’re being watched.   I have a plan.”   

As they continued to slow dance, Muld shared his idea, not knowing that two spies were watching them and everyone else at the feast very closely.

Reviews

[Elina]

I apologize for taking so long to get back to reading/editing? this book. In truth, I've already completed it (and thoroughly enjoyed it)! But I wanted to come back and re-read, and see if I could lend my "eagle eyes" to your novel, to be of help.

"...leaving his lovely wife to chat with her sister-in-laws." This should read "sisters-in-law."
"...causing him to break off in mid sentence and rising to his feet..." Here, "rising" should be "rise."

[Eddie Davis]

Thanks, Elina, for taking time to correct my all-to-frequent mistakes. Your eyes are a huge blessing to me.