the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 21

 

The scratch at the doorway told Laun that she was going to have to leave the relative safety and comfort of the green room.

There had been some preparation for Laun.  She had been pouring over the history books and the etiquette book when she was not sleeping or seducing Falmir’s officers.  They had been simple to spot and easy to get into bed.  It was a diversion, but just for a moment or two.

Laun was dressed in the bright green under the blue and green cotharde.  The veil was on and pinned into her braided hair.  A little color was on her cheeks and her natural color was showing beneath.  She stood from the vanity and nodded to her reflection.

Ithian was in the main room waiting for her.  He had spent the night, watched her do her morning dance and had left.  That was two days ago.  He was shined up and looked like the Ambassador of Rosemond in his black with the red rosette on his shoulder.  His blue eyes sparkled with just a little of the black and silver kohl around his eyes.  He held out his hand and bowed over hers.

There wasn’t need for talking.  Ithian was at her side, she was at his.  They walked slowly through the hallways of the Palace, the lanterns bright in the middle of the afternoon.  Several servants trailed behind, some of his and one of hers.  Little groups of people, servants and nobles, watched as they went past.

The reception was in the place called the Gallery.  It was also lit up and shone with extra mirrors and gilt.  People were at the bottom of the stairs waiting, talking amongst themselves as the reception was starting.  There was a herald at the bottom of the stairs that was announcing who was coming into the Gallery.

Laun looked at Ithian and he nodded once.  They made their way through the groups of people, Ithian introducing Laun once or twice as they went.  They were able to walk closer to the front of the line because of their status.  Laun heard Lords and Ladies names being called out, Magistrates and Dukes introduced.  Ithian pulled her forward with him and told the herald their names.

“Ithian Bedral, Ambassador of Rosemond.  Lady Laun Salam-Dir.”

The baby was kicking and making her uneasy stomach even worse.  They took the stairs slowly and Laun found that many faces were pointed towards them as they came up the stairs.  Laun had her pleasant but bored smile on and found that it was cracking as soon as she saw how many people were already in the Gallery.

Ithian pulled her to one side as they came to the top of the stairs.  This was the actual reception line and she had read how it was supposed to go.  Ithian introduced Laun to the first person in the line, she curtseyed and that person introduced her to the next person in line.  Laun was passed down the line like that, meeting the people who’s names she had seen from Ithian’s pouch, the Mayor of the Capitol City, a Bishop of some faith, then up to her Uncle, Heran Dresden, Ambassador from the Midlands to Rosemond.

He had already met too many people, but when it sunk in who was in front of him, he froze.  Laun tilted her head and looked at him.  She said, with a smile on her face, “We still need to talk, Uncle.”  She turned to the next person in line and introduced herself to him, leaving Heran dumbfounded and unable to even give a warriors’ grip to Ithian as he looked at his niece.

Her excellency was only a few people further and had seen the half-hearted exchange.  Her sharp eye was on Laun as she approached.  Laun curtseyed as deeply as she could as the Rosemond Merchant General introduced her.

“I see that you were the one to steal our Ambassador away from us.”

Laun kept her eyes down and said, “He was kind enough to escort me for this evening, your Excellency.”

Lady Engrid fanned herself with a feather fan.  “Please, Laun, it is Engrid between us.”  She used the fan to raise Laun’s chin and they looked eye to eye.

“Thank you.”  Laun tried to not look away, but when the urge came too great, she turned to the next person in line, Falmir.

His eye slid down her form and then up to her face.  Falmir took Laun’s hand and kissed it as she made a small curtsey.  “Laun, I am pleased you were able to make it, after all.”  His voice was strained.

Laun said, perhaps a little loudly, “It was my honor, sire, to attend.”  Laun tried to step past to make room, but Falmir pulled her to his side and kept his large hand on her shoulder.

Falmir smiled and held out his hand to Ithian.  “I am afraid I will have to insist you take your place in the line.  If I have to do it, so do you, Ambassador.”

Ithian bowed and stood between Heran and Engrid, the Merchant General moving down slightly to make room between.  Falmir did not let Laun go.  He turned to her and said, “And you have to be here, too.  Daughter.”

Laun felt both important and like an afterthought as she was the end of the reception line.  Many people looked back and forth between Falmir and Laun as he introduced her, but not directly as his daughter.  She knew she had forgotten people’s names already by the time the next person was introduced to her.  It did not matter.  They remembered her.

A tankard of water was in her hand at one point, long enough for a sip before it was taken away before the next person was introduced.  She thought it was from Hazalam, but she was not sure.  It was needed, though, as talking even just a little off and on for an hour was tough on her throat.

Everyone who was going to come up the marble stairs had done so.  Falmir offered his hand to Lady Engrid and they went off to a slightly raised dais with several padded benches on it.  Ithian offered his hand to Laun and followed Falmir and the Council General.  Ithian was kind enough to put himself between Engrid and Laun, but that did not save her from the older Ladies’ gaze.

Laun watched as her Uncle stepped around people and watched the dais, more to the point, Laun.  He kept away, but had an eye on her until he realized she was watching him, too.  He turned and kept to the other end of the gallery.

There was small talk consisting of comments on what people were wearing, not wearing or wearing badly.  Laun picked out of the crowd whom the three others were talking about and did not entirely agree, though she nodded and smiled or shook her head appropriately if talked to directly.  A few platters of small bites were offered, Laun raising her hand to her mouth, palm away, to say no.  The servant paused before going to the next person, an odd look on his face.  A crystal goblet with milk was presented to her and she gladly drank.  Talk went to the clear weather and Laun just smiled and looked at her hands.

Several people came forward dressed in garish colors, one with a drum in hand.  They bowed to the dais and the drummer started playing.  Laun watched the dancing, her fingers tapping along with the beat.  Ithian put his hand on her arm briefly and she stopped.  She enjoyed the dance and smiled at the performers as they bowed.  They left and she could hear the drumming a little ways down with another performance in the gallery.

Laun looked up and Lady Engrid was watching her.  Laun smiled and went back to looking at her hands.

A juggler came to in front of the small group and entertained them for a while.  He threw one of the painted wooden balls at Ithian who dropped it.  The juggler laughed and started up again, throwing the next ball at Laun who snatched it out of the air.  The juggler bowed deeply at her and motioned for her to throw it back.  She became shy and shook her head.

The juggler went to his knees in front of her and started to juggle the balls he had, trying to prompt her to toss the ball to him.  She smiled and saw when to toss it and let it go.  The juggler caught it smoothly and continued juggling as he got up off his knees.  He moved away slightly and then tried to bow, hitting himself in the head with his wooden balls and scattering them.  Laun giggled.

Laun was done with keeping her head down, figuratively and physically.  There were too many entertainments and she started letting herself just enjoy the evening.  The contortionist came by and Laun realized that most of the costume was paint.  The young girl was able to touch her toes to her forehead from several directions and balance on the knee of one of the other performers while doing so.  There was a fire breather who was given a wide berth as he walked along creating fireballs from his mouth.

Laun had more milk and turned away more of the sweets and finger foods being passed.  Engrid kept an eye on her and Laun would look over and smile no matter how she really felt.

There were a few times when she saw noble men and women walk by, dressed as the others, but following a pace back or deferring to other nobles for no apparent reason.  Until she saw the finger go through a loop at the neck of one of them.  The woman leaned into the man.  His eyes went to the floor and Laun heard, “Yes, Mistress,” before she let go and the loop flipped down and hit the metal collar it was attached to.  Laun turned to Ithian and saw that his eyes were on the collar, a fascination and fright in his eyes.

Laun put a finger on Ithian to get his attention.  “I hate to ask this, but is there a privy close at hand?  I feel that I should find one.  Soon.”

Ithian focused on Laun and blinked, a small swallow showing he was trying to shift his mind away from the noble with the collar.  He nodded and motioned to one of his servants, a woman wearing black.  “Please escort my Lady to the privy.”

Laun stood, trying to not make a show of her belly and excused herself from the dais.  She followed the servant through the crowd and entertainers.  There was a small concealed door on one of the walls and the servant let her through.

It was to the servant’s holes and corridors, but a few steps inside, another door opened and a small room with a standard split-bench privy was there.  Laun hiked up her skirts and relieved herself.  There was a common rag which she used without comment and came out of the room feeling much better.  It was busy in the corridor with servants and entertainers passing by.  There were also a few of the nobles who had stepped into the dark ways to have small words among themselves or to take advantage of each other.

Laun was amused at the looks she got while in the corridor from the nobles.  As if they had been the first ones to think of going in there and felt territorial.

Ithian’s servant helped to guide Laun back to the gallery, but did not rush her back to the dais.  Laun stopped to watch several of the entertainers, some she had enjoyed before.  Some of the costumes were colorful, some fanciful.  Many of the entertainers had masks on, many had thick make-up.  But even with the entertainers, she felt as though many eyes were on her as she walked through the crowd.

And then she saw a flash of a body she knew.  He had a mask on, but she knew those scars.  She stopped and rubbed her stomach under the cothardie, thinking.  The crowd parted slightly and she saw that there were many men dressed in colorful loincloths that were showing off their bodies in various ways, posturing, and it reminded Laun of the wrestling match she had judged back at the keep.

She walked forward and she was right.  The men in the colorful loincloths were about to wrestle.  She knew who was going to win.

The two men played to the crowd around them, a clearing made by four of the other men at the rough corners of the match field.  One man was pale, his red hair almost as bright as his mask and loincloth.  The other, dark, his mask a dark green to match his own bare covering.  They both flexed their muscles.  They both posed to show their backs.  Only one paused when he saw Laun.

Laun had her hands under the silk and velvet of the overgarment, her hands soothing the tumbling baby inside.  She had a small smile and she only slightly nodded as their eyes met.  He continued with his performance and turned to his opponent.

The crowd around them cheered the two men on.  Laun was quiet and watched.  She did not want to be more of a distraction than she already was.  There was some sort of signal and the men wrapped their arms around each other’s shoulders.  They moved about and Laun could tell that neither of them was really putting too much into the wrestling.

There was grunting and shuffling of feet and then some signal between the men and the pale man lifted the dark one off his feet, the dark jumping a little to help.  The dark man came down and was pinned by the pale one.  To the crowds’ amusement.  There was the surrender signal and they were up again, playing again to the crowd and moving slightly further down the gallery.  Another pair of the men started to posture and pose drawing different people in the crowd to watch.

Silar went to one knee to be one of the corners of the field.  Laun went to in back of him and continued to watch the choreographed performance.  She did not say anything.  He did not say anything.  As the wrestling came to the pin, Silar stood and turned.

They looked at each other and Laun turned away.

The noise and press of the crowd did not even leave a hole where Laun had walked.  Silar moved with the wrestlers away from where they had been.

Laun tried to make it back to the bench next to Ithian as she thought of her dark prince.  She was bumped into by one of the performers who apologized and moved on.  She felt...different and found that something had been pinned to the inside of her cothardie by the performer.  It was a charm of some sort and if she hadn’t been looking for it, she would not have seen it.  Laun wondered about it and subtly moved it from where it had been pinned on the inside of the over garment to inside one of her sleeves.  She smoothed the clothing she was wearing to see if anything else had been planted.  Nothing was obvious, and she had nothing to take.

Except for the little bell she had tied to her ankle once again.  She could feel the ribbon still there as she rubbed her feet together.  She thought she might feel someone going up her skirts.  That made her smile.

She made it back to the dais and sat.  Laun felt a little flush on her face and was glad when more milk was handed to her.  She smiled at the others and waited for the next entertainment.

It did not take long for a man in colorful, flowing robes to come to in front of them.  He had on a pointed hat and seemed to have an odd doddering way about him.  He started to do some magic tricks and Laun saw that she had been possibly planted for the show.  She watched as he pulled scarves out of his palm.  He produced a rose from air.  He then tapped a woman on her shoulder and asked to borrow her pendant.

“I believe that I can make this pendant disappear from your neck and have it appear on someone else.”  He seemed to look around and then pointed to Laun.  “You, Lady.  You have no jewelry on you?”

Laun let a slight blush appear and said, “None that can be seen, good man.”

That seemed to fluster him slightly and bring chuckles to those watching.  “Well, then.  Ahem.  Lady, would you join me and this little girl-”

The look on the older nobles’ face was priceless.  “I am a grown woman!”

The magician looked closer and seemed to see her for the first time.  “Oh.  Now I see it.  So you are.”  There were chuckles from those around them.

Laun stepped down to the floor and was on one side of the magician, the other Lady on the other.  She saw the positioning and knew that she had just messed up his trick.  She smiled and thought quickly of how to let the man recover.  She turned and shrugged at Falmir and as she turned back, did a bump of her own, taking something from the performers’ belt.

The magician took out another of the scarves from nowhere and placed it around the noble Lady’s neck, covering the necklace.  He drew the scarf away and the necklace was gone.  There were a few gasps from the crowd and the magician seemed to be doddering again looking for the necklace.

He showed that the scarf was just a scarf and that the necklace could not be hiding in his sleeves.  “With the power of magic, I will try to make it appear again.  But as we all know, once something is lost, it cannot be found in the same place it went missing.”  He turned to Laun and lightly ran his hand over where he was expecting the planted pendant, his other hand creating a distraction.

His eyes went wide when he did not find what his assistant had planted.  Laun turned and said with a wink, “I hope you didn’t just bring me down here for a grope!”

There was laughter and a sneer or two.  He bowed to her and said, “Lady, all I do is in the name of magic.”

Laun put her hand to her mouth and pointed at his hat.  With her pointing hand, she reached up and ‘pulled’ the pendant from under the rim.  “There it is!”

There was applause and laughter from the crowd.  He took ahold of her hand and showed the thing as a flash of metal as he took it from her.  The magician bowed to the dais and to the older Lady, giving her back the actual pendant.  He then turned and took Laun’s hand and bowed over it.

He had a low tone that Laun could barely hear over the crowd.  “That could have been quite embarrassing, Lady.”

She curtsied and said, “Next time make sure of who you are planting on.”  Her hand dropped the item she had taken from his belt into his hand.  She turned away from him as he checked himself and grimaced.

Laun sat on the bench again and looked like a child smiling at the magician as he turned away to find some more people to entertain.  Laun saw the woman who had bumped her and tilted her head at her.  There was a returned nod and she disappeared into the crowd.

Engrid was smiling and said, “I never know what he will come up with.  He once made a pouch of crown plate disappear.”

Laun could not resist.  “Gambling, no doubt.”  She smiled and saw that the Council General was forcing a smile at Laun.

Luckily, the next round of entertainers came through and distracted the grand Lady.

This is how the evening went.  People would come up and talk to Falmir or Engrid or Ithian for a few minutes and then move on.  Laun saw a swirl of some people who wished to talk to her, but as they would approach, either her escort or the mere presence of the other two would scare them off.  A few came up to Ithian and Ithian would introduce them to Laun, but then distract the person with something before they could talk with her.

It was starting to get quite annoying to Laun.

Laun was being entertained, but she was also bored.  It was an odd combination and she was getting restless.  It had been long enough and Laun rose to excuse herself to the privy again.  Unfortunately, Lady Engrid decided that she also needed to go and stood to go with Laun.

There was a little bit of unsettled noise in the crowd as the grand Lady stood and then took Laun’s arm.  They stepped down together and Laun could not do anything but walk with her.

Engrid leaned over and asked in her beautiful, soothing voice, “So, how are you enjoying the evening, my dear?”

Laun smiled, a hint of falseness to it as she answered, “Other than being made a stadge for the magician, it has been wonderful.  Thank you for letting me attend, Engrid.”

There was a gracious nod as they made their way through the gallery.  Laun noticed that everyone gave them space as they moved, no one within a pace of them.  Laun watched the faces as they passed, the paint of fear under the masks of civility on most people.  Laun kept her head up and did not shrink away from the arm wrapped around hers or the hand that would reach over and tap hers as the Lady Engrid would wish to speak.

They came to the hidden door and a servant next to it opened it for them.  Laun motioned for Engrid to go before her and Laun followed her through and into the ill-kept darkness.

Engrid knew exactly where the privy was.  She had been there many times in the past, and had brought her own paper flowers for use.  Laun thanked the Lady when she was handed one after Engrid came back out of the small room.  Laun used the privy, even though not much came out.

“Now that we are alone, I wish to talk with you, young woman.”  There were servants around, but they disappeared as Engrid started to speak.

Laun curtseyed a little and said, “What would you like to speak about?”

Engrid’s hand was on Laun’s cheek.  It was a gesture she herself used often to show her gratitude or acceptance of someone.  From the grand Lady, it was an unwelcome touch that sent shivers of dread down Laun’s spine.

“My servant told me that you and Ithian seem to be having an affair.”

Laun nodded, trying to keep her voice level and her eyes on Engrid’s.  “Yes.  I think most of the Palace had come to that conclusion.”  Laun waited for the next question, and since she thought she knew what it was, she had to keep herself from tipping her head to the side as she furiously thought ahead.

The smile on Engrid’s face was one of superiority.  “How do you find him?”

Laun had several things she wanted to say, but decided on, “Quite adequate.”

Engrid waited for more, but Laun was not giving it.  “What would your husband think?”

Laun knew this was going to be brought up.  “I am not handfasted or married to anyone, Engrid.  I share my title with no one.”

Even in the low light of the servant’s run, Laun saw the delight gleaming in the grand Lady’s eye.  “In your condition, that is not proper.  Something will have to be done about that.”  Engrid started to turn but Laun did not move.

“Your excellency, the love I left at the household waits for me.  I would prefer to wait until I can get home to my family before committing myself.”

That was not what Lady Engrid was expecting.  She turned back and looked at Laun, a slight flick of her eye almost over Launs’ shoulder.  It was a long look and Laun tried to keep a calm face under the scrutiny.  “I admire your...dedication to him.  Though, perhaps a little misplaced.  Your household will not be the same, if you ever see it again.”

Laun’s jaw clenched.  “Engrid, I hope it has changed.  There are many other babies waiting to be born before mine, and I look forward to blessing all of them.”

Again, that was not what she was expecting.  Laun saw that Engrid had started to tap a finger and thumb together and Laun read that as a sign of annoyance.  Laun smiled broadly and motioned to the gallery door.  “Shall we have your apprentice lead us out?”

Engrid’s eye flashed to behind Laun.  “Yes, perhaps we should rejoin the reception.  It is being held for me, after all.”  Engrid narrowed one eye and the blonde rushed past to open the door for them.

It had been the only noise she had heard while they had been posturing at each other, a footscrape on the worn boards behind her.  The other servants had not dared be that close and that obvious.  Laun knew that the blonde was in trouble.

Engrid stepped out and there was a slight change in the noise around the door.  Laun stepped out and kept her eyes on the ground as she walked behind the older woman.  She tried to look as though she had just been chastised for something.  When she did glance up, she saw sympathy in many faces.

Engrid led the way directly back to the dais and Laun sat next to Ithian, looking at her hands as she sat.  Ithian looked from one Lady to the other and said nothing, but he did pat Laun on the knee before concentrating on something in the crowd again.

The people who wanted to talk to Laun became bolder.  One gentleman came forward and, since Ithian had already introduced them, started talking to Laun directly.  It was nothing of importance, but he had his polished boot on the platform, his heavily embroidered sleeve on his silk-clad knee as he leaned in to hear Laun.  She smiled at him as they talked and let him think he was bringing her out of her shell.  Her eye tried to be steady on him, but the moving crowd with the entertainers would catch her eye and then she would look at him, seeing new things, like the small smooth stone she saw around the man’s neck that almost looked like it was in the shape of a bell.

A noble woman sauntered up and the man Laun was talking with introduced them.  He stepped back after a few more words and Laun had another talking companion for a while.  The goblet of milk was in Laun’s hand as she spoke about the weather and the beautiful dresses many of the women were wearing.  Another noble came up and was introduced.

This cycle repeated for a while.  Laun did not remember the names, but remembered that the one Duke had a slight lisp and opals for his jewels.  And one of the women was constantly fanning herself because of the many layers she had on in heavy silks and velvets.  And the man who seemed to have no title, but was introduced to her and was delightedly telling her about his adventures sailing up the river from Rosemond.  There were more.  Enough to keep Laun not bored as she sat there for another hour or so. 

Laun would be asked where she had procured her outfit and she would simply motion to Lady Engrid, bringing a mask up on many faces as they had to turn to see who she was motioning to and realized that they were being watched.  Laun cared that the eye of the Council General was on her, and it was good to share the scrutiny with others.

Musicians came through and played in front of the dais for a while.  It made Laun want to dance.  Walking was not the same, though any outing in the Palace was enough exercise to keep her strong in the legs.  The last person to talk with her excused themselves as it was too loud to really talk over the music.  Laun turned to watch the musicians and she saw a flicker of a motion at her side.

She turned her head and Silar was there, a loose drape of fabric over him that matched his mask and loincloth.  He stayed back of Laun’s bench, knelt with one knee on the platform, bringing him below the sight of many people.

Laun leaned back slightly and raised her goblet, Hazalam taking it from her.  It was not empty, but it looked like she was asking for more.  Silar kept his face low and said, “Please be careful, Mistress.”

Laun put her hand over her mouth and tilted her head.  It looked like she was just listening to the music as she said, “You warn me?”

Silar leaned dangerously close and said, “The Lady is the one I told you about.”

Laun turned and accepted the full goblet, looking directly into Silar’s eyes.  “Who is she?”

The last thing he said before backing away was, “Blue.”

There were so many things that Laun wanted to know, to talk about with Silar.  His was a piece of information she had wondered about, and had needed to know.

Laun sipped on the milk which had been changed to Sweetmilk.  She thought, not really hearing the music.  She looked over at Lady Engrid and smiled, trying to look like she was just happy to be there.  It almost looked like the Lady was getting bored with watching her.  Falmir was still showing that he was very uncomfortable, but keeping his own emotions in check.

Laun and Falmir glanced and caught each other’s eyes for a moment. Something passed between them to reassure each other.  They looked away and Laun knew that Falmir was at his breaking point.  Lady Engrid was counting on that.

Laun’s stomach finally would not be denied.  The milk and sweetmilk was good, but she needed something a little more substantial.  Laun motioned to her man and said quietly, “Find someone with one of the food platters.”  He was gone before she turned back.   

The musicians bowed and curtseyed and moved on.  Laun sipped on her milk and scanned the crowd.  She could follow the tensions and relationships between the people she could see.  Some were obvious, some not as much.  Her eyes followed another of the noble men who had a metal collar on.  There were a few entertainers that were scattered about, and at least one person dressed like a noble who was actually with the entertainers.  Laun tilted her head and caught the eye of one of the women as she went between two of the nobles, something passing from their belts to her hand.  Laun smiled and winked, the woman nodding and walking past.

Laun had several of the platters at her elbow.  She chose a few bites from each one and the servers went down the line of the raised platform.  Laun had been trying not to eat because of the nervousness she had flitting around in her stomach.  When she started to get slightly light headed, Laun knew she needed to have something.  It was all good, though she declined one of the platters of sweets with her hand faced away from her mouth again.

Ithian leaned over and said, “I haven’t seen that since I went through an etiquette class years ago.”

Laun turned her head slightly and said, “Perhaps more people need to follow what they are taught.”  Her voice was a little sharper than she intended and she put her hand on his arm.  “I am getting cranky.  I did not mean to take it out on you.”

Ithian put his hand over hers.  “I think you have been doing very well for having been on display tonight.”

“When does this end?”

His face dropped slightly.  “When her excellency decides it does.”

Laun nodded and dropped her hand from his arm.  His hand followed hers and they held hands lightly for a few minutes.  It made her feel good that they were touching, but she looked up and saw a few odd looks on some of the faces of the nobles around them.  Laun looked over to Engrid and saw a predatory look in her eye, but was not sure for what.

The baby kicked and Laun’s hand went to her stomach.  It had been a hard one.  Most of the time, they were like little pressures from inside her.  This one seemed to have force behind it.  Ithian’s eye went down to her stomach and he reflexively smiled.

“Be careful, Ithian.  Your reputation.”  Laun smiled and tilted her head, her eyes looking at him from the corners.

He leaned in closer.  “Actually, I expect a few new invites because of you.”

Laun felt happy.  It was like when she knew that Fount had been with someone else.  She smiled wider and said, “I am glad to be of service.”

His eyebrow went up.  “You don’t mind?

“Why would I mind?  You have been with people before me and will be with people after me.  We are not contracted and even then, I would not expect you to be stuck with just me.”

He blinked.  Ithian leaned back slightly and blinked some more.  He finally said, “I don’t think anyone has ever said anything like that to me.”

Laun smiled and looked at their hands still touching.  “I have been told I am unique.”

He brought her hand to his lips and said, “Yes.”

The cycle of entertainers brought several of the contortionists and acrobats around again.  There was also a woman with a staff full of birds wandering around.  She stopped in front of the dais and made the birds do odd little tricks.  Several of the birds kept trying to fly away, but then the woman would blow a whistle and they would circle back to the staff.

Laun was delighted by the display.  The woman took one of the brightly colored birds onto her finger and talked to it.  It talked back in something that almost sounded human.  Laun clapped her hands together and the woman approached with the bird.  Laun did not hesitate and held out her hand.  The bird looked and then walked over to her finger.

Laun petted the head of the bird after she let it run it’s tongue over her knuckle through it’s beak.  The pigeons from Salam-Dir flashed through her mind, along with a little homesickness.  It’s white and blue eye looked at her as she gently stroked along it’s green and blue head, a crest raising and falling as it leaned into her touch.

“Lady, he matches your outfit.”  The woman held out her hand and the bird walked back to his owner’s hand.

Laun smiled and felt her cheeks starting to cramp with the true and false smiles of the evening.  “He is so pretty!  What is his name?”

The bird heard the question and started singing a mariner’s tune.  He repeated one phrase over and over until the woman turned the bird on his back.  The bird then came out with, “and I die!” It’s head fell back limply.

There was polite applause from some around them and Laun giggled.  The woman bowed slightly and took her collection away with her.

The Council General stood.  There was a change in the crowd as they turned to pay attention to her.  She looked about and then turned to Falmir.

“Your Majesty.  This has been quite an evening.  Thank you.”  Her voice rolled over the people around her, smoothly and calmly.  She curtseyed and held her hand to Falmir.

He stood and bowed over her hand.  “It was my pleasure and honor, your excellency.”

They turned and Falmir escorted her through the parting nobles to the stairs.

Ithian stood and held his hand out to Laun.  She carefully stood and then took his hand.  “Now it is over.”  He bowed to her and started to walk them to the stairs.

Laun had to start smiling again as people approached them for a word here and there.  One of the entertainers slid up beside Laun and gave her a small bouquet of flowers.  She thanked her, but the entertainer was gone before she could finish.  

Ithian was trying to keep them walking and not distracted by the people coming towards them.  He finally turned to her slightly and quietly said, “Do a pregnant thing.”

Laun had to think about what he had just said and looked at him sideways.  She stopped and seemed to look faint, the hand with the flowers going to her head.  Ithian turned and put her arm around his neck.  Several of the nobles fell back, leaving some of the entertainers closest.  Laun fluttered her eyelids and let her knees drop slightly, but said under her hand, “Have the wrestler in green carry me.”

Ithian looked up and saw the group of wrestlers were indeed close.  He motioned his head at them and said, “You, help me with her.”

Silar was at her side in a few strides and had her up in his arms.  Her arm went around his neck and she said, “Just to the bottom of the stairs.”

Laun heard the wave of talk that followed them.  She kept her eyes closed and felt a hand on her back and one on her foot, neither Silar.  Laun had a little bit of a start as she realized that the foot being touched had the small bell on it.

They had some time going down the stairs.  Laun said one thing, getting only a slight reaction to it from the dark man.  “Tell Sand Master Greir House.”  Silar nodded and continued down the stairs with her in her arms.

At the bottom of the stairs and at the side of the hall, Laun was set on her feet and she leaned heavily on the man who had carried her down.  She seemed to regain her senses and composure and pressed away from him.  She held the flowers to her nose and felt the paper around the stems for the first time.  Through the flowers, she said, “Come to the green guest chamber later, if you can.”

He made a slight nod and then pulled away from her as Ithian came and replaced him for support.  Silar bowed and went back up the stairs.

Laun leaned on Ithian’s shoulder and they started walking again.  He had one arm around her and one under her elbow and they walked as though she may faint again.

“I hope that did whatever you needed it to, Ithian.”

He put his chin to her hair and whispered, “We were able to avoid some people I really did not want to talk to.  I think you liked being carried a little too much.”

Laun had a flash of a smile as she said, “Who wouldn’t want to be carried by a strong, handsome exotic like him?”  Laun felt something in Ithian’s touch and noted it for later.

It took until about halfway down the hall before Laun felt that she could walk on her own without drawing suspicion to them.  Her back did hurt, but it wasn’t anything worse than she normally had.  The lights were still blazingly bright in the Palace, keeping any usually dark places empty of people.  She felt good about that until the landing right before the floor she was on.

Bregnan was there.  Just standing, watching as they went by.  Laun turned away from him and hoped that he had not seen the flash of panic on her face.  Thinking of him made her tired.  She just wished she could reach out and kill him.  Falmir still wished to have him around, so she couldn’t.  She knew she could take that life.

Ithian bowed to Laun at the door to her chamber.  He put her hand against his chest and said, “I dare not go in with you tonight.  I may not leave.”

Laun’s eye traced his face and stopped on his lips.  “If I didn’t know better I would think you had forsaken your duty to Rosemond.”

He shook his head slightly.  “No, my Lady.”  He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm.

“As long as you do not forsake your love at home.”  

He stopped and closed his eyes.  “How do you do that?  I was just thinking of...”  He leaned in and kissed Laun.  It was short but deep.  He pulled away and bowed again.  Laun watched as he walked away, his hand going to the back of his hair to smooth it.

In Chapter 23, it is late and Laun had to deal with an unexpected gift.