fandomania | The Adventure continues... (Reply)

Please click and view our eggs and hatchlings? I will be doing the same for you. Thanks.

Our eggs:

Our hatchlings:

Several hours later, Haral sent a monk with a message for us. It read:

Dear Patra and family,

The reason King Torval wanted you to come is because a delegation from Rajfahar has arrived and is seeking diplomatic and trade relations. They have also asked for an audience with you and Yusaf [although they haven't asked for him by name]. His Majesty has foolishly granted this request. I have indicated to his Majesty that you are very ill, from grief and the residuals of the attack. He has waived his request that you attend him here. However, he has allowed the delegation to visit you in the compound. I have not been able to dissuade him from this. Since we cannot avoid this meeting, my opinion is that this should be done similarly to what you did with the messenger. However, you, Piatrus and Donal must be dressed to impress with your finest clothes and all the richest geegaws that you can bear to wear. If you can manage it, Patra dear, wear the crown.

Have all the servants out looking busy. Have every bit of opulence out so that the delegation can see them. Offer them food and have Chef Ifon make all his most elegant and impressive dishes. I know that this will go against every grain in Piatrus’ body, but the idea is not just to impress, but to overwhelm.

Captain Quinton must have his guards out everywhere and yet at the same time make it look like the walls are well guarded. Draft every man in the compound to achieve this if necessary. I cannot emphasize this too much. Impress and overwhelm is the key here.

Unfortunately, Yusaf will have to be present, but not, in my opinion, initially. You must make them ask to see him. When he is presented, he too must be dressed well and have your best looking, best dressed nursery maid bring him out. He should, in my opinion, only be given to you, Patra. Do not allow them to hold him whatsoever.

I am stalling this visit as much as I can. I am hoping to give you several hours to achieve this. I hope this is enough time for you to accomplish this.

With love,

Haral

After we all read his message, Pahpey went to Captain Quinton and apprized him of this visit and the necessary deceptions. I quickly gave instructions to Cora about the servants and the decoration of the great hall. While I agreed in part with Uncle Haral, I didn’t want the hall to look thrown together. I felt that we should place several eye-catching heirloom items in an elegant manner that added to the aura of wealth rather than jarring the senses with too many riches displayed in questionable taste.

Mahli went through my closet to give me what choices that I had to wear. As she was searching, I contacted Orlando telepathically.

I explained to him the circumstances and I asked him, “Is there anyway that I can wear the crown without subjecting myself to its powers? I know that I can hold it safely, but if I buffered the crown in some way, would it protect me?”

“Hmmm…” Orlando replied. “That is an interesting question. Off the top of my head, I would say that it is possible, but it would be risky. If I had to choose, I would suggest some sort of fur or leather. Metal conducts power too easily. Cloth may be too thin to protect. If you must do this, be very careful and do not try to invoke it or do any magic around it.”

“Thank you, Orlando, I will be careful.”

I asked Mahli to look for anything fur amongst my clothes, but nothing was found. Mahli then ran out to talk with the other personal maids. She returned with Ellyn, who had been Rosa’s maid. She brought along a white fur scarf, which, when rolled up, made an interesting head band. Ellyn quickly stitched it together and then helped Mahli with braiding my hair and wrapping strands of pearls and amethysts through the braids. When Ellyn saw the meager few clothes I had, she ran back to Rosa’s room and rifled through her clothes and brought out several very rich gowns. After trying on several, we settled on a gold and white brocaded gown, trimmed with gold and diamond buttons up and down the front seam and up several inches on each sleeve. The low neckline, wrists and hem had been trimmed with a similar white fur to the scarf. The dress fit me a tad snugly in the bodice, which pushed my breasts up more than I was comfortable with, but both maids agreed that it looked appropriate and didn’t expose me at all. The only problem was that the skirt was too long. I couldn’t walk in it without picking up the skirts. However, Ellyn pointed out that since I would be sitting during the audience, no one would know this. I grew to like Ellyn and made a mental note to talk to Pahpey about her.

Just as my maids finished with me, Pahpey knocked on the door and came in. He too was dressed very elegantly in a long robe of black cut velvet that showed off the broadness of his shoulders and narrowed down to his waist, with many round pleats. The robe then flared a bit as it continued down to the floor. For an elderly man, he still maintained a trim figure. The robe was trimmed all over in black sable. All the buttons on the front were made of black jet. The only jewelry that he wore was a large gold livery collar. It surprised me. I didn’t know that the king had admitted him to some service order and had ennobled him. I was going to have to ask him about that later.

Pahpey brought two things. The drawer from the safe and a velvet covered box. When I modeled the dress for him, I could see admiration in his eyes and also approval. He had me sit back down on the vanity chair. He then opened the box. As he did so, he said. “I gave this necklace and earrings to my wife, Anya, for our 25th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, she died shortly thereafter and therefore never got to wear them often. I would like you to have this set as a gift from Anya and me. Of all the women in the family, you are the only one, other than my Anya, who could wear such jewels and not be overwhelmed by such opulence.”

He brought out the necklace. On a strand of diamonds mounted in gold, there hung twenty-five flowers of gold, with diamonds encrusting the stems and leaves and pearls forming the flowers themselves. It was the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen. The earrings matched the flowers.

“Oh, Pahpey!” I exclaimed. “This is so beautiful, so precious! I cannot accept this. It is much too good for me.”

“Let me be the judge of that, Patra.” he replied. “As far as I am concerned, these jewels aren’t worthy of you. Your physical and spiritual beauty far outshines any mere decoration. I am not taking ‘no’ for an answer in this. I want you to have this. It will give me pleasure to see you wearing them. I know that my Anya would approve of you getting this. And before you say anything more, I have already gifted a lot of Anya’s jewelry to our daughters-in-law and our granddaughters. More will be passed on to the next generation after that when they come of age. I have already picked out pieces for Celianne, Melia, Melisant, and Eryssa. You are the only one who hasn’t got anything because you keep turning down my offers. This piece is yours. This is my final word on this matter.” He then fastened the necklace around my neck and Ellyn attached the earrings.

To finish off the ensemble, I took the crown out of the drawer and placed it on top of the fur band. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t recognize myself. The woman who looked back at me looked elegant, regal and beautiful; but distant and aloof. It was as if I had turned into one of Donal’s sculptures. I didn’t like what I saw. If this wasn’t necessary, I would have taken everything off and thrown them into a closet. This wasn’t me … and yet it was.

The look on Pahpey’s face was unusual. He looked as if he had seen a ghoddess or an angel … or a ghost. It occurred to me that he was about to kneel in front of me, but I quickly got up and hugged him, thanking him for all that he had done for me. Again, his response was odd. He looked for a moment as if he was going to kiss me, but then he broke away from me and ran out of the room. I was perplexed at his actions. The two maids also seemed to think it was strange.

But I forgot about everything when Donal walked into the room. He was dressed in a short green houppelande that ended just at his hips. He wore gold and green hose that made his long legs look even longer and a gold embroidered triangular codpiece hid and yet showed off his manhood. His only decoration was a gold belt, studded with emeralds, from which hung his sword.

When he saw me, Donal too looked like he had seen a ghoddess or an angel. Before I knew it he was kneeling in front of me. He took my left hand and kissed it. He then slipped my wedding ring back on to my finger. “You found it! I thought I had lost it for good.”

He looked up at me and smiled. “It was right where you hid it, under the bushes you said you and Rosa hid behind. Since you couldn’t remember which bush it was, it took me longer to find. There are a lot of bushes between here and the mountain. But perseverance paid off and here it is. I suppose that against all of these magnificent jewels, it looks very plain. But it is what I could afford at the time. If you like, I can afford something much fancier now.”

“Don’t you dare, Donal conAgri! This ring is the most beautiful and precious piece of jewelry I will ever own. As far as I am concerned, this is the only thing I wish to wear right now.”

Donal got up and we kissed passionately. However, we were interrupted when we heard horses arriving at the compound and a loud knock on the gates, summoning the gateman.

We hurried into the great hall, where Pahpey had preceded us. We got into our positions; me sitting on the chair, Donal standing to my right and Pahpey standing to my left. Ten minutes later, the doors to the hall opened and Captain Quinton heralded our visitors in.