As Khary stared out the window of the Web Coach, he realized that he wasn't the only one admiring the scenery passing by. Aaron and Morton were also looking out the other windows.
"Doesn't look much different from the other Territories; no horrible stenches or rotting corpses yet," he called to the other young men. Morton turned and grinned at Khary, but Aaron merely gave a shrug and didn't turn his gaze from the window. He had been in a black mood ever since they had gotten on the coach early in the morning.
Now, in late afternoon, the shadows stretched across the golden fields that seemed to go forever. Khary thought he spotted a dark area on the horizon. "Lord Rafel said that we should get to the estate that Jaenelle is staying by early evening; we're probably close now." He cleared his throat, "Are the girls still playing cradle with Lord Rafel?"
"Last time I checked," Morton said. Aaron looked morose as he looked at the doorway where the low murmur of voices filtered through.
The trip had started off pleasantly enough, with Lord Rafel arriving just after dawn and escorting them to his coach. They had chatted the morning away exchanging amusing stories; Lord Rafel's mostly about his childhood and the Queens' about their many misadventures with Jaenelle.
Rafel had recognized Jaenelle's name and then explained that while he had never met her he knew that she was staying with a cousin of his outside Goth.
The trouble had started after a sumptuous lunch. They had started playing cards and Rafel's flirtatious manners of the day before returned. The Queens were flattered and Morton and Khary weren't really bothered by it. But Aaron had been barely civil all morning and after enduring several sly innuendoes directed at Kalush with gritted teeth, he had stood up and went out to the viewing chamber, slamming the door. After several seconds of stunned silence, the Queens looking shocked, Lord Rafel smirking and Morton looking uneasy, Khary stood up. "I'll go see if Aaron is all right, maybe, maybe he wasn't feeling well."
He glanced quickly at Morghann for confirmation, she nodded slightly; he went after Aaron.
He found Aaron staring at a metal bar below the window, gripping it tightly, his face white. Khary thought he was probably imagining Lord Rafel's neck instead of the bar. Khary didn't get too close; he knew a Warlord Prince's temper was volatile, especially while courting a witch. And when the witch didn't return his affection…
He waited a few minutes and then offered, "My uncle says that sometimes a witch likes to flirt with other males to get experience and then when she has enough confidence, she comes back to the male she wants to impress. Maybe Kalush-"
"It's not Kalush that is the problem; it's him!" Aaron snarled. He ran his fingers through his hair. He's flirting with her and Karla and Morghann as well. That doesn't worry you?"
Khary thought that Aaron's territorial instincts had more to do with his being upset rather than Rafel being untrustworthy. He grinned. "Maybe Lord Rafel needs experience too?"
"Shut up Khary," said Aaron but without heat; he slumped down on a couch.
That had been several hours ago; Khary hadn't really felt like going back to play cards. He stayed with Aaron. Morton must have come in while he was preoccupied with his thoughts. Khary noticed that they had gotten to the dark area, houses were appearing along the road and the Coach was slowing down.
Lord Rafel appeared in the doorway. "Lord Khardeen, Lord Morton, Prince Aaron," he said formally. "We have arrived at my cousin's estate. If you would escort the Ladies, I'll go ahead and make sure everything is ready and inform Lady Jaenelle of your arrival."
He waited in the doorway as the boyos slowly got to their feet. Rafel raised an eyebrow as he turned to leave and Khary felt a flush of shame. He suddenly realized that they had been rude this afternoon going off to sulk. They had ignored several guest rules of Protocol. Lord Rafel must think that they were backward country bumpkins. He hurried his step and found that Aaron and Morton had quickened their pace as well. A look at their faces let him know that they were aware of their mistakes.
They went into the other room where the Queens were waiting. One look told the boyos that they weren't pleased. Khary offered his arm to Morghann. She sniffed, pointedly ignoring him as she, Karla and Kalush made their way down the steps into the cool twilit air. The young men followed behind on the path to the estate.
The manor of the estate was a lovely colour of red-brown brick, three stories high with a large front walkway leading to a wide verandah. At the front door Lord Rafel wearing a worried expression, was talking to an older woman. Just before the Queens reached the bottom step leading to the verandah, Rafel said a hasty farewell to the woman and hurried down the steps. He put up his hand to stop the group from going any further.
He looked around hesitantly and then said, "There's been a miscommunication. Lady Jaenelle left this morning for a party held in Terian, near the mountains, and my cousin has informed me that the Lady would continue on to Dhemlan after the gathering. There would be no way to get a message to her; it's too late. I'm sorry."
The disappointment was clear to read on Karla, Kalush and Morghann's faces. Khary knew it was printed on his face as well. He heard Karla say angrily, "So it was all for nothing!"
"No, not nothing, my Lady," said Rafel. "My offer to escort you around Goth still stands if you wish."
Karla bit her lip and looked at the other two witches. They were communicating psychically, but on the distaff thread; the males obviously weren't included. They seemed to have reached an agreement when Morton sent a thought on the general thread. *Karla, maybe we should go back to Dhemlan; Jaenelle isn't here.*
*I agree with Morton, there's nothing for us here* Aaron chimed in. Khary agreed with them both.
Karla ignored the males and she looked straight in Lord Rafel's eyes as she said, "Of course we still accept your offer, Lord Rafel."
Khary had a moment of disbelief followed by "What!" He was echoed by Morton and Aaron.
"Don't we have any say in this?" sputtered Aaron.
"You boyos don't have to come along," said Kalush boldly. "Lord Rafel will escort us."
Rafel said carefully, "I could arrange a Coach back to-"
"No!" Morton, Aaron and Khary shouted. Lord Rafel looked taken back.
"Thank you for your offer, Lord Rafel," said Morton just as carefully. "But we serve the Ladies, and Protocol dictates we can't leave them alone in a strange Territory."
Lord Rafel was silent for a second, studying them all in a glance. Then he smiled an unconvincing smile. "I understand completely, Lord Morton. Now, if there are no further discussions I'll take you to the inn for the night." He led the way back to the Coach.
Karla hissed at Morton as they walked to the Coach, "I don't have a Court so you don't serve me yet, Morton!"
Morton said nothing but his expression showed he was hurt.
Nothing else was said during the trip to the inn. The atmosphere in the Coach was uncomfortable; the Queens staring icily at the boyos and the boyos glaring back. Lord Rafel stayed up front with the driver.
They reached the Ringed Horse. Khary, Morton and Aaron unloaded the luggage while the Queens followed the innkeeper to the rooms, barricading one of the doors.
Lord Rafel stopped Khary as he was carrying in the last bag. He reached out a hand to stop Khary from going upstairs. "Before you turn in tonight why don't you all join me for a drink in the common room?"
Khary felt suddenly felt dizzy; he closed his eyes for a moment, after a second he opened them. The moment of dizziness had passed. Lord Rafel was staring.
"Well?" he asked. Khary nodded.
"Good boy," said Rafel, clapping him on the shoulder. "You'll tell the girls."
Khary nodded again. As he made his way down the hall he felt strangely lightheaded and disconnected from his body. He must be more tired than he thought. He knocked on the Queens' room.
"What is it?" a voice snarled.
"It's Khary, Lord Rafel has invited us all down for drinks."
He heard the bolt of the door unlock and Karla, Morghann and Kalush piled out. Khary quickly got out of their way and then fell in with Morton and Aaron. They didn't look well either, in fact it seemed that Aaron was almost fighting himself to keep walking down the hall.
When they got to the common room, Morton held himself back for a second and whispered, "Something's wrong."
Khary hardly paid attention to Morton's words; he saw where Lord Rafel was sitting in the corner, the shadows almost obscuring him. The Queens were eagerly making their way to his table.
When they were all at the table Lord Rafel took a glass of wine from a platter and the server gave the rest glasses as well. Rafel raised his glass and said, " To friendship between Territories."
They lifted their glasses to the toast and Khary heard a little voice saying drink, so he took a sip. Drink more the voice urged. Somewhere in the back of his mind however another voice yelled NO! Stop! It's a-, he looked around the table and found the others in similar states, their glasses at their mouths but stopped. Drink Now! the little voice commanded and Khary felt his body obey as he took a huge gulp of the wine, everyone else doing the same. He coughed as some of it went down the wrong way and when he looked up he saw Lord Rafel's eyes glittering coldly. Suddenly everything was clear.
"Compulsion-," he coughed, unable to finish.
Morghann looked at him, "spell," she finished softly.
Karla was staring at her glass. "There's something in here," she said. "Don't drink any more wine!" she said urgently.
But it was too late, Khary realized as the first edges of darkness crept across his mind; he felt the drug starting to take hold. He tried to descend to the Opal but couldn't even get to the White. He watched dimly as Kalush slumped suddenly and fell off her chair.
"You bastard!" roared Aaron as he moved towards Lord Rafel, grabbing the man's throat.
Khary tried to get up to help Aaron but his body wouldn't obey. He felt himself fall to the ground. "Idiot!" was his last thought as he pulled under by a suffocating darkness.
