4. Meetings and Exchanges

I hated the first sight of the king. The arrogance rolled off of him in waves as he looked Keladry up and down. I knew what he was thinking and I didn't like it one bit. Lady Alanna backed herself up by making no effort to hide her revulsion. Keladry's mask gave away nothing, and nothing could be manipulated by one with the right mind to do so. King Maggur would be that exact one. She was confused. I caught the look in her eyes before she fell into step behind Lord Raoul and his guest. I desperately wanted to lay an encouraging hand on her shoulder, but could not.

Inside headquarters, Lord Raoul graciously offered the head seat to the king before rapping out orders to the soldiers. With quick efficiency, food was brought from the mess hall - the best I had seen in a long time. All the officers were served after the king, who merely nodded before beginning to eat. When Lord Raoul stood to bless the meal, he paused only to comment,

"We do not worship your gods."

He said nothing more until he had finished.

My cousin and Lady Alanna were in a race to hold their temper the longest. I would be hearing hours of ranting after this. Keladry calmly sat between them, occasionally twitching her elbow in her friends' ribs. I nearly felt sorry for her, but knew she was the only one with a chance of keeping them quite.

Curse that man. He kept glancing over at their table, fascinated by them for some reason. My hand clinched in a fist before I made myself relax. I knew Keladry could handle herself, but something about his attentions bothered me. Finally he turned to Lord Raoul.

"Forgive me, Commander, but how is it that your country has allowed the weaker sex to occupy a man's station?"

Lady Alanna nearly rose out of her seat but was held down by the ever stoic Keladry. Lord Raoul patiently answered,

"Tortall has had lady knights before, majesty. Only when the need for them became less, did they fade away. Lady Alanna is the first of the new, and Lady Keladry has followed."

"Faded away to domestication."

Alanna yanked out of her friend's grasp. "Domestication, majesty? We fight just as hard as the males in this war. I've bested men in battle twice my size, and I may be a woman with a home and domestication, but I fight for my country just as hard as any other."

A harsh silence fell over the room. All eyes fixed on King Maggur who's gaze did not flinch from the infuriated Lioness. To everyone's shock, he laughed. His laughter continued for quite some time as we all stared at him. When he finally stopped, he smiled and rose from his chair.

"I have heard of you, Lady Alanna of Pirate's Swoop. You are known as the Lioness. It is an honor and pleasure to meet you face to face." His eyes turned again to Keladry. "You, however, I have not heard much about. I hope that will be remedied in the future."

Keladry stood as well and gave him a neutral bow.

Lord Raoul cleared his throat but before he could speak, King Maggur raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. The ratty man who had been first ashore came scurrying into the building, carrying two things on a red pillow which glittered in the torch light. The king picked them up with long fingers and held them up for everyone to see.

They were thin circlets of gold, incrusted with what appeared to be rubies and diamonds that clasped around the wrist. With a flick of his hand, much like the motion of a man giving a loyal dog a bone, he tossed them towards the lady knights. Forced to catch them, Alanna quickly set hers down on the table.

"Thank you, your majesty, but I cannot accept."

Keladry turned hers thoughtfully over in her hand before giving it to Neal. Without a word, she bowed to the king and sat back down. Neal held a glowing green hand over the bracelet, inspecting it with his Gift. After he finished, he handed it back to Keladry with a slight shake of his head. She tucked it into the pouch hanging from her belt. King Maggur turned with a smirk to Lord Raoul.

"Does she speak?"

How I desperately wanted to punch his perfect face in for insulting the best knight I had ever known. Raoul, who had more experience in negotiating than I would ever hope to learn, kept calm.

"Of course, majesty. She has been taught in the Yamani Islands to -"

"Ah yes, those people who wear masks of their own faces. I have heard of them." He smiled irritatingly at her. "How nice to meet a lady who has learned to respect a man's presence."

Keladry stood and I silently cheered for her. Hazel eyes smoldering, she again bowed to the king before speaking.

"Forgive me, majesty, but I have been taught not to speak during important negotiations, which I thought this treaty was to be about. However, I could have been mistaken considering your persistent attentions to Lady Alanna and me." Her eyes flashed to Lord Raoul almost as if she wanted to reprimand him.

King Maggur's blue eyes turned to ice. "You have accepted my gift."

"Because I believed it to be polite. I thought you have come here to discuss a

cease fire between our countries. You may take it back if your intentions are merely to stare at me like some creature."

Lord Raoul saw me start to rise and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head. Gritting my teeth, I complied. Again the king surprised us all by laughing.

"They are like fire and ice, but I have forgotten that ice has its own burn." He gave Keladry a shockingly deep bow. "Forgive me, Lady Keladry. I wished only to see past the mask you so efficiently use. Yes, I am here to discuss a temporary treaty. Please keep the bauble."

Everyone returned to their seats, and a new change came over our guest. He slouched in his chair and took his time to inspect every officer percent at the long tables. When his gaze reached mine, he paused. I did not look away, sensing a sort of challenge. For an endless moment we stared at one another before his lips curled in a mockery of a smile. Giving a pointed glance across the room to Keladry, who was unaware, he looked me over one more time before continuing his inspections. I am not a man to judge at first glance, but how I hated that individual.

Lord Raoul waited for the dishes to be cleared away before addressing the subject again.

"King Maggur, the country of Tortall is willing to agree to a treaty of cease fire, however, we are curious as to why only a temporary reprieve. Why not make an effort for a lasting peace?"

The arrogant man tapped his fingers on the table. "Quite frankly, sir knight, because I do not wish for one."

"Excuse me?"

"My gods are different from your own. I'm sure that is clear." He sighed and shifted in his seat, looking bored. "I have been told by my seer that I will rule all of the North and South. Nothing will stop me. These countries will unite, and I am here to make certain that that destiny will come true."

The entire room was full of murmurs. This war was over a vision that the king had? All the months of harsh work and all the lives sacrificed for something as little as a dream? The man had a larger ego that I could even begin to comprehend.

Alanna sprang to her feet. "You mean to tell us that your gods have told you to attack a peaceful country with no warning, just because they say so?"

He shrugged. "I've heard that you have done no less, Lioness."

She fumed. "I have not sacrificed hundreds of lives. What was ordained for me, was for me alone. And I succeeded on my own. What you are doing is madness!"

"That is how your country works, this is how I conduct my own. I will thank you to leave it that way."

"Not when it concerns Tortall's people!"

King Maggur shoved his chair back and stood. "Tortall will come under my reign, if not now, then very soon. I offer you the winter to prepare. I came to meet the famed lady knights of this country, but now I find no knights - only whores who dress as men."

This brought everyone to their feet in outrage. Shouting and insults rang out as the members of the Own and the Riders voiced their defense of the Champion and Protector. Only Keladry remained in her seat, but her face a new mask of anger. This would not be the first time her honor would have been insulted, but I think she was more concerned with the insult on her country. Lord Raoul's parade ground voice cut through the chaos.

"EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND BE SILENT!"

They obeyed immediately. He stood glaring at us all, then at the smirking King Maggur. Stiffly he bowed.

"Majesty, forgive me, but I think your welcome here is finished. We do not require a cease fire at the price of insulting our people."

Cooly, the man nodded. Snapping his fingers at his guard, they all marched out in perfect formation out the door and through the gate.

888

I found Keladry laying on her back on the cot in her quarters. She stared up at the ceiling, hardly sparing me a glance when I knocked at her open door. Jump and the three sparrows who had accompanied her were curled up next to her in the blankets.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

With a sigh, she shrugged. "If you're asking whether Maggot got to me, then yes. What's bothering me is that he seemed so sure of himself. He's either crazy, or really does believe what he's doing here is the right thing."

I squeezed in next to the animals and looked down at her. "I'm opting for the first."

She smiled. "You would." Her eyes fixed on the boards above again. "We do need a break though. I don't think we'll get it now. Unless..." She pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to me.

Written in red ink was the message:

We would be pleased to speak with you privately and offer you our apologies concerning the meeting earlier. We were impressed by your control among all others. If we are satisfied, we will hold to our promise of a temporary truce. In the name of the Ennead ~ King Maggur of Scanra

I tossed in on the cot. "Don't tell me you're going to accept."

"Dom, you know I must. It's our last chance."

"Let me come with you."

Her eyes laughed at me. "You know I can't. I don't want to insult them any more than we already have. I've taken lessons from Neal and Alanna about the Gift. I don't think Maggur would have the nerve to pull anything this close to the border anyway."

"Oh he's got nerve." I muttered.

Her smile grew teasing. "Are you jealous?"

I grinned back. "That you would fall for such an arrogant son of a Taurus? He couldn't hold a candle to me."

I leaned over and kissed her. When she opened her eyes, they were full of concern and apology.

"I still have to go. Alone."

It hurt, but I knew she was right. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Catching me by surprised, she reached up and took it. With an insistent tug, she pulled me towards her. I smiled, gently tracing her face with a finger as she looked at me with that same wondering look in her deep, dreaming eyes like she couldn't quite believe I was willingly in her arms. I quickly answered that question by caressing her lips with my own, taking my time to learn them by heart. She surprised me again when I felt something flicker against my mouth. I don't think she really even meant to, it was just instinct. But when I answered with my own, she willingly allowed me to take our kiss to a new intoxicating level. Gods, I could die now and be forever happy.