Amalee stood in the middle of the massive ballroom, uncomfortable in her new lacy gown. There were over a hundred nobles milling about, and the air was circulating poorly, making the room uncomfortably warm even with its high, vaulted ceilings. In addition to the heat, the party had been going on for over an hour, and a fog of alcohol that had settled caused the inside of her nose to burn.

As disgusting as she felt at that particular moment, she knew she had to stay. She slowly took a sip of the water in her champagne flute. The thin crystal was cool against her skin, and she had been making sure to refill it often.

One of the less important members of the Lower Council had just finished speaking with her and had walked away when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she came face to face with a middle aged man that she did not recognize. His arms were incredibly long for a man of his height, and he appeared to be slightly overweight. He was visibly sweating in the heat, and he carried a stout glass in his left hand with an amber liquid sloshing around a pair of ice cubes in the bottom. His deep brown eyes were scanning her small frame, and he seemed to like what he saw. Altogether, he didn't seem like the most pleasant person to be associated with.

She smiled brightly at him.

"Good evening, sir," she said politely. But before she could go on, the man interrupted her.

"I had heard rumors that his highness hired young ladies to...provide entertainment, tonight. I didn't think it was true, but here you are," he said. Disdain was obvious in his voice.

For once, Amalee was at a loss for words. She stood there in awe at the sheer impudence of his statement.

She recovered from her initial shock admirably quickly, though.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" she said.

Now it was the stranger's turn to look shocked.

Following up on her advantage, she added, "I could have you removed from the Council for that."

She was taking a chance. She had no idea if this man was on the Council, though by the way he carried himself with such an air of importance and his sheer audacity, it was very likely.

The look of fear in his eyes was evidence enough that she was correct, so she continued. "Who do you think you are? I should have you thrown out of here this instant." To emphasize her point, she actually turned around in a huff and began walking. She had barely taken a step, however, when the man called for her to stop.

"I-I-I'm terribly sorry, ma'am, I-"

"My lady," she added.

"My lady. I-I-I don't know what to say-"

"Clearly."

"Can you forgive me, my lady?" the man asked, bending slightly so that he could look into her eyes better.

Amalee pretended to consider his request. Finally, she responded, "Tell me your name."

The man grinned, despite the tenuousness of his present situation. "I am Lord Alexander of the Lower Council of Neverwinter. I'm the man who arranged the Tyranus expedition and reopened the trade routes after the cultists were dealt with." His voice was full of self importance as he recited his full title for her.

Amalee frowned slightly, annoyed that he had seemed to have forgotten that she had the upper hand at the moment.

"Well, Alexander," she said, purposefully leaving out his title even though he had used hers. "I am most displeased. I was having a wonderful evening until you decided to come along and insult me." This was untrue; her evening was already awful, but he didn't have to know that.

At that moment, Alexander seemed to realize that, if she did not know him, then she was likely not on the Council, and probably just someone's wife, and thus of less standing than him.

"I don't really suppose that's of any importance to me, though. After all, I am on the Council. What are you?"

His question left her speechless. Politics is its own type of battle, and she did not appreciate the rules being broken in any way. Minutes ago, he had been stuttering and pandering. Now he had the gall to ask her something like that? If she was not so irritated, she would have been amused; his gross overestimation of his own rank was such that he obviously hadn't even considered that he might confront someone higher. It was time for her to play her ace.

"My personal assistant was a key member of the Tyranus expedition. I am Lady Amalee," she told him, and she turned around and walked away before he could respond. Just as she turned, she managed to see his face. It was a look of pure terror, for he had realized that one of the most influential independent nobles in the region was the tiny woman he had just insulted.

Alexander was created by Graham S. I do not own that character.