* * * * * * * * *
Outside of the suite shared by Daine and Numiar, Adian slumped against the
wall, letting out a rush of breath. It had been stupid to think that after
all these years Numair still might be free. Oh, it had been a faint hope
from the start, Adian knew that. Numair was handsome and intelligent, and
had certainly never lacked for female company before. Yes, it had been
unreasonable to imagine that she and Numair may have been able to pick off
where they had left off 10 years before. And with her rational mind, Adian
knew that. "Gods, why am I so disappointed?" She thought to herself. " I
knew this would happen. If I hadn't been stuck in Scanra for the past three
years, I even would have known that he'd found a mate already. So
why...GODS! Do I still love him?" After careful probing of her feelings,
Adian determined that it was indeed the case that she still had feelings
for her "brother".
She bit her lip until it nearly bled. "That's just too bad." She said aloud, startling Silkfur, who was still in the hallway. She continued her monologue silently. "Arram is with Daine now, and I have never seen him quite so contented. Far be it from ME to break these two up. Actually, I doubt that I could if I tried. All that it would earn me was the loss of both their friendships, which I certainly do not want. I will have to beat this, that's all. After all, there are plenty of nice looking men here at court.." That thought set a smile onto her lips. If she played her cards correctly, she would not have to be sleeping alone tonight. In a much happier frame of mind, the Shang Dragon went off to find King Jon.
* * * * * * * * * *
The ruler of Tortall did not look up as his door quietly opened. He had recognized the shuffling step of his valet, whom he had sent to find Adian. He had it on excellent authority that she had arrived at the palace several hours ago with orders to report directly to him, and yet she had not. This greatly displeased him, but he would not allow his irritation to show to Robert, his valet. Irritation was not a good emotion to show to underlings. Instead, he went on quietly reading his book until Robert cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Majesty?" Robert said, announcing his presence. It was all that he could do to keep from rolling his eyes. Clearly, Jon was doing his "I'm the King and don't get mad, especially in front of the underlings" thing again. An unfortunate side effect of this was completely ignoring Robert until he did something that directly required Jon's attention. Like calling his name.
Jon looked up from his book in mock surprise. "Why yes Robert? What is it?"
Poor Robert managed to suppress a heartfelt sigh. The King was terrible at playing games. He was more transparent than water. But he was a good King, and Robert served him out of a kind of irreverent devotion. Even if he was terrible at faking surprise.
"I have searched the palace, my lord, and cannot find the current whereabouts of Lady Adian." Lady. Now there was a laugh. Robert had been at the palace for quite some time and remembered her well. "Lady" was not the term to describe her. "There were reports that she visited Master Numair's room, but she is not there now. No one knows where she is."
"Perhaps you should look a bit harder." Said a voice from behind the King's chair. "You may have overlooked the obvious Robert."
Jon sat bolt upright and turned around. There, in a chair behind his own, sat Adian cheerfully smiling at him. Robert, at this point, was unable to suppress a wide grin. "I should have known Lady." He said. "If you have no further need of me your Majesty?"
Jon indicated that he could leave with by inclining his head, and Robert fled the room gratefully. No doubt there would be shouting soon. Best to be as far away as possible when the sparks began to fly. The kitchens, perhaps? Maybe the dungeons would be safer. In any case, Roberts steps went rather quickly down the hall.
The King sighed. "I suppose there's no point of asking you how you got in here. There never is. You have not changed much, Dragon Lady." He frowned. "You do realize, of course, that you disobeyed a direct order by not coming to report in immediately?"
"Ah yes, Jon, it had crossed my mind. However, since I am not technically one of your subjects, since I was not born in Tortall and have not sworn direct allegiance to her. You really can't tell me to do anything. I may choose to acquiesce to a request, but I am not obligated to follow orders." She sat back with a smile. Meetings with Jon were always a battle of wits, and she intended to win this one.
"Hmm. But do you also realize that by Government Document 36A Section 3 Clause 12 the King of Tortall is granted absolute power over all persons within the boundaries of Tortall. Thereby, all persons in my country are under my direct jurisdiction and all orders given on this soil must be obeyed, under all punishments allowed by the country of Tortall." Now it was Jon's turn to sit back with a self-satisfied smile. He had got her that time. Matching wits with Adian had always been a bit of a hazard, but he'd had 10 years to improve his verbal fencing skills. As well as learn Totall's laws more thoroughly.
"But my dear King Jon, you are forgetting something." Adian's smile could only be described as predatory. "I was not ON Tortallan soil when I received these so called 'orders'. Therefore, Government Document 36A Section 3 Clause does not apply."
Jon only glared at her, his mind furiously racing for a comeback. She would not win so easily.
"Listen, Jon, this is pointless. I am here now, so you'd best tell me what you want."
The King blinked. Here was a marked change. He had expected her to be different, of course. 10 years is a long time, after all. Besides, long term assignments like the one she had just completed changed people. Some never recovered. But this was more shocking than anything he could have anticipated. Adian had not earned the title of Dragon Lady only for her status among the Shang. Her temper had aided her in gaining such an epithet. To see her back down from an argument...was alarming, to say the least. And something that he would have to watch closely. How deeply did these changes go?
But Jon was not King for nothing. He could perform the dance of diplomacy as well as anyone. He hid his alarm and confusion behind his public face, and continued on with the conversation.
"Ah yes. You wish to know why I recalled you after the end of the war." He rocked his chair back on the two hind legs, a habit that his tutors had never been able to break him of during his page days, and steepled his fingers. "Well you see, we're having this little ball to honor the heroes of the war, and -"
He was abruptly cut off as she leapt from the chair so quickly that it fell over with a mighty THUD. Her eyes were a pale crystal color and blazed with anger. Her hands were balled into fists at her side.
"Absolutely NOT! Gods damn it Jon, I will NOT attend another damned ball! All I did for the past three years was attend balls, dances, parties! Wore dresses, acted like a lady, painted my face.NO!" She took a shuddering breath, trying to calm herself. She almost smiled in spite of her anger. This felt like old times.talking to Jon in his office.screaming at Jon in his office.
"Jon, you cannot be serious. You dragged me to Corus all the way from Scanra - for a BALL?" She stood stock still glaring at him, making no move to pick up the chair that she had knocked over.
To her surprise, Jon laughed. "I knew that would, er, 'irritate' you. There's a bit more to it than that, actually. I was hoping that perhaps you would allow yourself to be stationed in Corus. Myles and George have been experiencing something of a 'shortage in personnel' because of the war, and this city has suffered because of it. We need an operative who can create multiple identities around the city and also exist in the palace. Right now, you're the only person available to us who can maintain personas both low and high born. We need you here."
Adian's mouth formed a small "O". Just for malicious spite, Jon added "But I was serious about the ball. As the murderer of Maggar, the country will be holding you in the highest regard. You must attend." The look she gave him could have leveled cities. "Well, you must be tired from your journey, and I have an important meeting to attend. Perhaps we can discuss your new assignment later?" He was nearly out the door when he turned and said, "The ball is in two days. Be there." And with that he swept away, leaving Adian white hot with anger and also feeling very much like she had been gotten the best of.
* * * * * * Authors Note: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to post this! The semester got crazy, and then finals..*shudder* Anyway, I have a bit more free time now, so I hope to be posting regularly. Look for most of your favorite characters to show up in the next chapter!!
She bit her lip until it nearly bled. "That's just too bad." She said aloud, startling Silkfur, who was still in the hallway. She continued her monologue silently. "Arram is with Daine now, and I have never seen him quite so contented. Far be it from ME to break these two up. Actually, I doubt that I could if I tried. All that it would earn me was the loss of both their friendships, which I certainly do not want. I will have to beat this, that's all. After all, there are plenty of nice looking men here at court.." That thought set a smile onto her lips. If she played her cards correctly, she would not have to be sleeping alone tonight. In a much happier frame of mind, the Shang Dragon went off to find King Jon.
* * * * * * * * * *
The ruler of Tortall did not look up as his door quietly opened. He had recognized the shuffling step of his valet, whom he had sent to find Adian. He had it on excellent authority that she had arrived at the palace several hours ago with orders to report directly to him, and yet she had not. This greatly displeased him, but he would not allow his irritation to show to Robert, his valet. Irritation was not a good emotion to show to underlings. Instead, he went on quietly reading his book until Robert cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Majesty?" Robert said, announcing his presence. It was all that he could do to keep from rolling his eyes. Clearly, Jon was doing his "I'm the King and don't get mad, especially in front of the underlings" thing again. An unfortunate side effect of this was completely ignoring Robert until he did something that directly required Jon's attention. Like calling his name.
Jon looked up from his book in mock surprise. "Why yes Robert? What is it?"
Poor Robert managed to suppress a heartfelt sigh. The King was terrible at playing games. He was more transparent than water. But he was a good King, and Robert served him out of a kind of irreverent devotion. Even if he was terrible at faking surprise.
"I have searched the palace, my lord, and cannot find the current whereabouts of Lady Adian." Lady. Now there was a laugh. Robert had been at the palace for quite some time and remembered her well. "Lady" was not the term to describe her. "There were reports that she visited Master Numair's room, but she is not there now. No one knows where she is."
"Perhaps you should look a bit harder." Said a voice from behind the King's chair. "You may have overlooked the obvious Robert."
Jon sat bolt upright and turned around. There, in a chair behind his own, sat Adian cheerfully smiling at him. Robert, at this point, was unable to suppress a wide grin. "I should have known Lady." He said. "If you have no further need of me your Majesty?"
Jon indicated that he could leave with by inclining his head, and Robert fled the room gratefully. No doubt there would be shouting soon. Best to be as far away as possible when the sparks began to fly. The kitchens, perhaps? Maybe the dungeons would be safer. In any case, Roberts steps went rather quickly down the hall.
The King sighed. "I suppose there's no point of asking you how you got in here. There never is. You have not changed much, Dragon Lady." He frowned. "You do realize, of course, that you disobeyed a direct order by not coming to report in immediately?"
"Ah yes, Jon, it had crossed my mind. However, since I am not technically one of your subjects, since I was not born in Tortall and have not sworn direct allegiance to her. You really can't tell me to do anything. I may choose to acquiesce to a request, but I am not obligated to follow orders." She sat back with a smile. Meetings with Jon were always a battle of wits, and she intended to win this one.
"Hmm. But do you also realize that by Government Document 36A Section 3 Clause 12 the King of Tortall is granted absolute power over all persons within the boundaries of Tortall. Thereby, all persons in my country are under my direct jurisdiction and all orders given on this soil must be obeyed, under all punishments allowed by the country of Tortall." Now it was Jon's turn to sit back with a self-satisfied smile. He had got her that time. Matching wits with Adian had always been a bit of a hazard, but he'd had 10 years to improve his verbal fencing skills. As well as learn Totall's laws more thoroughly.
"But my dear King Jon, you are forgetting something." Adian's smile could only be described as predatory. "I was not ON Tortallan soil when I received these so called 'orders'. Therefore, Government Document 36A Section 3 Clause does not apply."
Jon only glared at her, his mind furiously racing for a comeback. She would not win so easily.
"Listen, Jon, this is pointless. I am here now, so you'd best tell me what you want."
The King blinked. Here was a marked change. He had expected her to be different, of course. 10 years is a long time, after all. Besides, long term assignments like the one she had just completed changed people. Some never recovered. But this was more shocking than anything he could have anticipated. Adian had not earned the title of Dragon Lady only for her status among the Shang. Her temper had aided her in gaining such an epithet. To see her back down from an argument...was alarming, to say the least. And something that he would have to watch closely. How deeply did these changes go?
But Jon was not King for nothing. He could perform the dance of diplomacy as well as anyone. He hid his alarm and confusion behind his public face, and continued on with the conversation.
"Ah yes. You wish to know why I recalled you after the end of the war." He rocked his chair back on the two hind legs, a habit that his tutors had never been able to break him of during his page days, and steepled his fingers. "Well you see, we're having this little ball to honor the heroes of the war, and -"
He was abruptly cut off as she leapt from the chair so quickly that it fell over with a mighty THUD. Her eyes were a pale crystal color and blazed with anger. Her hands were balled into fists at her side.
"Absolutely NOT! Gods damn it Jon, I will NOT attend another damned ball! All I did for the past three years was attend balls, dances, parties! Wore dresses, acted like a lady, painted my face.NO!" She took a shuddering breath, trying to calm herself. She almost smiled in spite of her anger. This felt like old times.talking to Jon in his office.screaming at Jon in his office.
"Jon, you cannot be serious. You dragged me to Corus all the way from Scanra - for a BALL?" She stood stock still glaring at him, making no move to pick up the chair that she had knocked over.
To her surprise, Jon laughed. "I knew that would, er, 'irritate' you. There's a bit more to it than that, actually. I was hoping that perhaps you would allow yourself to be stationed in Corus. Myles and George have been experiencing something of a 'shortage in personnel' because of the war, and this city has suffered because of it. We need an operative who can create multiple identities around the city and also exist in the palace. Right now, you're the only person available to us who can maintain personas both low and high born. We need you here."
Adian's mouth formed a small "O". Just for malicious spite, Jon added "But I was serious about the ball. As the murderer of Maggar, the country will be holding you in the highest regard. You must attend." The look she gave him could have leveled cities. "Well, you must be tired from your journey, and I have an important meeting to attend. Perhaps we can discuss your new assignment later?" He was nearly out the door when he turned and said, "The ball is in two days. Be there." And with that he swept away, leaving Adian white hot with anger and also feeling very much like she had been gotten the best of.
* * * * * * Authors Note: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to post this! The semester got crazy, and then finals..*shudder* Anyway, I have a bit more free time now, so I hope to be posting regularly. Look for most of your favorite characters to show up in the next chapter!!