I actually hadn't planned anything for this chapter besides "state dinner." It took off, and I definitely wasn't going to get any studying done until I had agreed to write all of this down. I hope you enjoy it!

The Emperor's Mage
Chapter Five: Glass

Daine was never going to be used to state dinners. They were very long, dull, political things where the tiniest mistake would somehow get turned into a disaster, and that was true even when Tortall was hosting a reasonably friendly ambassador. Here, the emperor could take the slightest bit of rudeness as an insult, and the peace talks would be over before they even began. It might have been okay if she'd been at a table with anybody she knew, but Lord Martin and Alanna were with the other important diplomats at the main table.

Even she could tell that the emperor was insulting Lindhall by sticking her teacher in the farthest corner of the room. She wouldn't have minded so much if she was sitting with him, but she had been assigned to a reasonably nice table. Really, it was a very nice one, considering that she was a teenage commoner that only had links to nobility to go boasting about, but so far no one at her table had given her any opportunity to brag. There were still two open seats, but Daine wasn't holding out much hope. The Carthaki nobles were murmuring to each other and looking enviously at the slightly better tables.

The men and the women were painted up just as elaborately with thick lines of color, and every last one of them wore enough sparkling bits of rocks and gems to make any crow jealous. Daine amused herself with imagining a crow's likely reaction to such a bounty, and that involved very determined birds prying the shiniest pieces away from their owner. She might have been content to smile blandly the entire night while imagining how various animals would react, but the seat immediately next to her was claimed by a blonde woman with vividly blue eyes.

"Oh, hello!" the stranger said, smiling. She did have a very pretty smile, and the lines of her makeup weren't nearly as thick as the other nobles'. "And here I didn't think we'd get any fresh blood at our table- I'm Varice Kingsford."

Varice Kingsford was a very pretty woman, even to a girl that regularly had dinner with Queen Thayet. Varice's blonde hair fell perfectly into curls and the light paint on her lips perfectly matched her pink Tortallan-style dress under a white silk mage's robe. Daine was instantly jealous of the woman's curves, but managed to ignore that reflex to focus on Varice's genuine smile.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri, generally called Daine." Daine had no idea if she was meant to do anything else with the introduction, but her new dinner companion didn't seem bothered. Varice actually looked happy to meet her, if the widened eyes were any indication.

"Oh my, his majesty has been kind. I think we can stay with first names if you don't mind. You have been the subject of quite a bit of gossip, dearie, and it'll be lovely to have someone to share stories with. I'll trade stories, it's only fair, and you can be sure to tell me if all you Northern folk would prefer different fare during your stay."

Daine blushed, and sincerely hoped it wasn't the Tortallan variety of gossip. Most people had quite a bit to say about her ma, and recently rumor had it that Daine slept with anyone that would stop to tap her on a shoulder. "I'm quite Northern originally, so I may not be the best judge. I'm Gallan by birth, but I've been a citizen of Tortall for three years."

"I'm Tyran by birth, so I quite understand." Varice stood again with an apologetic smile. "Half the reason I'm seated here is that I'll be up and down the whole meal, but the last of our merry little table should be along soon." Varice glanced at the rest of their table before leaning to whisper in Daine's ear. "Don't mind the others, now, they tend to sit a little closer to his majesty when we don't have guests, and they think the sun doesn't shine on all of us. You look lovely, even if they can't tell with a body not covered in reflective objects."

Daine turned to see Varice better, startled by the compliment, but her new friend smiled before vanishing through a doorway in the back of the room. Now that she thought of it, there hadn't been any fancy adornment on Varice's robe or dress. Daine suddenly felt much better about her blue gown with only sapphire eardrops to set it off.

That is, she did feel better, but then she caught Arram Draper's eyes for the second time that day. She nodded in acknowledgment before facing the table again. It was better to stare at the unhappy nobles all night than be caught up by his magic again.

"Miss Sarrasri?"

Daine took a moment to respond, because she was recalling every single vapid thought that she had ever used to camouflage boredom while at one of these dinners. He took the open chair next to the one Varice had claimed, and when she looked at him there were no useful thoughts for him to catch.

He cleared his throat. "I would like to apologize for earlier. It was an accident, as strange as it may seem, and it took me entirely too long to realize."

Daine relaxed only slightly when that earlier sensation of disconnect didn't set in. Arram could still try it again later, after all. "Apology accepted."

Arram nodded politely. They were only saved an awkward silence because Varice bustled back to the table positively lit up with excitement.

"It'll be a front row seat for you, Daine." Varice said, glancing up to the head table and curtsying. The emperor stood moments later, followed by everyone else in the large hall. Daine was surprised to be nearly the same height as Varice, even as Arram towered over both of them.

Daine supposed she should be paying attention to Ozorne's speech, but Varice was much more interesting. Her eyes were closed as Arram rested both of his hands on her shoulders, murmuring words that sounded harsh to Daine's untrained ear. She didn't understand what was happening until the sense of magic grew strong enough that it was tangible, and the air itself seemed to spark with power. The sensation grew and built until Ozorne raised his arms- another cue, then.

Varice spread her arms and whispered a word that made Daine's teeth hurt. A moment later, platters appeared on every single table, from Ozorne's to the small table in the back of the room where Lindhall jumped at the sudden magic. The emperor sat after a nod to the astonished room, and Daine looked at Varice with new respect.

Arram was very solicitous in pulling out Varice's chair, and bent to let Varice kiss him on the cheek. Daine might have been the only person to notice that Varice was pale and trembling slightly, or that she wasn't holding Arram's arm purely from friendliness. Daine seated herself before the two of them were done, in case Arram had similar designs on her chair.

Arram poured a glass of dark liquid out before sitting. Varice drained it rapidly, seeming to regain her color as soon as the cup was empty.

Daine knew enough about the Gift to be impressed, and liked Varice well enough to be frank. "Lord Martin looks fair interested, Varice, and I know I'm still partial to seeing someone handle that much power."

Varice had regained her color and more. She was flushed with pleasure at the many astonished nobles, Carthaki and Tortallan alike. "Thank you, Daine, you're sweet to mention it. His reaction is rather flattering, but I think I like Sir Gareth the Younger. He's quite a bit cuter than the rest of the delegation."

Arram raised a brow.

Varice rolled her eyes. "You're very cute too, Arram, but the girls are talking. Just because you let me pull on your power for the hundredth time because I don't have the reserves to do something that fancy- would you like to try any of this, Daine?" She pushed the pitcher closer. "It's pomegranate juice, with just a squeeze of lime to set it off."

Reaching for the pitcher, Daine noticed the platters of delicacies for the first time. She felt positively green at the sight, but all the shipboard lessons on diplomacy remained quite firm. They were to eat whatever they were offered at banquets. They could refuse any special offerings, but they weren't to seem above the country's cuisine. It hadn't seemed like such a burden at the time, but that was before she saw a platter of mice laid in front of her.

"Oh, I bet you haven't seen those before! They're dormice, rolled in honey and poppy seeds." Varice's beautifully manicured hand popped one into her mouth, and she chewed with every sign of pleasure. Daine felt ready to vomit.

Arram's hands came between Daine and the tray, pouring a second glass of juice. "I've seen it in quite a few readings that wildmages tend to avoid meat, or at least to be extremely selective in their choices," he said, setting the glass in front of Daine as he refilled Varice's.

At that precise moment, Daine didn't care that he was probably an enemy or that he had stopped her in her tracks just a few hours ago or that he did all manner of unsavory things at Emperor Ozorne's directions. He was her favorite person in the entire world, however briefly, because he had saved her from something too horrible to contemplate.

"Fish and some poultry only," Daine agreed instantly. "Domesticated birds like chickens already done into pieces are fine, and it's the same with meat from cattle. I don't eat water creatures that come up for air, but anything else from the water has been fine so far."

Varice accepted that explanation instantly, and looked a little chagrined to not have thought of anything. She immediately listed off entrees that might be acceptable, and Daine was relieved to hear that most everything else would be fine. Arram didn't say much else to Daine, which suited her fine, but he kept the rest of the nobles in conversation and let Daine monopolize Varice's time.

Not even the emperor's announcement (to Alanna, not to Daine herself) that Arram Draper would supervise Daine's efforts at healing the birds dimmed Daine's good mood. She'd let Alanna talk her teacher around, and she would let herself believe that Varice might just be right. Arram might not really be as scary as everyone seemed to think, if he let Varice use his Gift to deliver out trays of appetizers and then the fancy desserts. Varice worked for the emperor, too, and she was just as nice as anyone back from Tortall.

Daine made her decision over dessert. Alanna had stopped by to pass on the emperor's announcement just after the main course, and to compliment Varice on the presentation of the first courses. Arram had continued to look after Varice throughout the dinner, and ended up running back to the kitchens several times when Varice admitted that she should save her strength for later.

She wasn't going to trust Arram Draper because he was kind to Varice, by any means. She was going to give him a chance.