Part 12
Barbarian
I shouldn't have danced with her,
even if she were the only person who didn't wish to kill me. The other Elves
showed more than disdain for her and distrust for me. When they saw her, they
veered away as though she had a disease they did not wish to catch, a pariah.
Her gown and veil were not the end
of her eccentricity. When the gardner interrupted our dance, I felt a slight
shock when I realized that I'd almost forgotten about him as I engaged with the
Lady.
“Of course,” she'd said then led us like a small parade
trailing through the staring dancers. She seemed to hesitate the closer we got
to the dais that seemed suspended on strands of dew from the concave ceiling.
I knew I treaded through enemy
territory, but I felt strangely relaxed as I stalked after my mad host through
the ranks of vicious Elves.
"Perhaps..." Lady Perr
murmured as she looked around worriedly. Had she only just realized the danger
of our situation? If I were an elve, I would have mentioned the energy in the
room, the wild excitement someone powerful struggled to dampen. Would the
Precept behead me right in the middle of the ball? It would be a peculiar
climax to the war I'd waged.
“Lady of Perr,” the High Precept
said cheerfully coming forward with hands outstretched. I recognized him from
the face imprinted in their coinage. Not gold, but stone. Elves had few uses
for gold. “What a charming hat. I’m certain it will cause waves in the fashion
world.”
A female on the dais in a gown
that reminded me of whipped mint chiffon tittered at the Precept's words. Apparently
the preferred fashion leaned towards pastry more than beekeeping. Pity.
“A Tsunami,” she whispered, the
sort of court whisper that could be heard throughout the whole room. Her sharp
toothed smile triggered an emotion that I did not have time for. All the same,
I bared my teeth at her and spoke out of turn.
“As a Barbaran I appreciate the
effort for Lady Perr to adopt the customs of my people in order for me to feel
more at home.”
You could have heard a pin drop as
everyone stared at the me while I tried to keep my gaze firmly on the Head Precept.
“Quite.” Head Precept said as
though there were nothing odd in my acknowledgment of an insult in a voice like
a stringed instrument. He nodded to the musicians at the side to resume their
playing. “Lady Perr is noted for her ability to make people feel at home.”
The mint pouf choked on her laughter,
lifting her drink to camouflage her flagrant disrespect.
“How do you like High City?” Head
Precept asked gesturing beside him for me to sit, waving for someone to bring us
food and drink.
Lady Perr stood at the edge
of the dancers who'd resumed their graceful cavorting with most of their
attention clearly towards the dais. I could have killed him, strangled him with
my hands, but the idea didn't appeal to me. I hadn't been directed to do
anything other than spy out the lay of the land. Somehow, It felt as though I'd
been hand-fed to the lions, however well polished they kept their teeth.
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