In the House of Five Dragons by Lindquist Erica & Christensen Aron

Author:Lindquist, Erica & Christensen, Aron [Lindquist, Erica]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: hero, alterra, thief, dragon, fantasy, intrigue, politics, war
Publisher: Loose Leaf Stories
Published: 2011-02-01T16:00:00+00:00

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It was several more days of gradually lengthening audiences before Bastil's visits to the imperial palace brought back a response. After a boring speech of thanksgiving from another Lyceum consul, Rikard and Laurael took their lunch in the fragrant lily garden. A black-armored Star Court imperial guard escorted Bastil to a garden where his lord and lady sat, quietly enjoying the amber afternoon sun.

"Emperor Tychon would be pleased if you would join him for a performance in the imperial palace tomorrow evening," Bastil informed them, suitably seriously. His pride was a quiet thing, private and personal. Nothing like General Castor's brittle armor of ego, Rikard thought.

"Please tell the emperor that it would be our honor," Laurael said.

She kept her pretty smile in place long enough to wave Bastil off and send the knight back to the palace. The imperial guard saluted and bowed before departing. When he was gone, Laurael twisted a cream-colored lily from its stem. She turned it over and balanced it on her palm.

"A week before any response! Tychon is stalling. But even he could not wait forever. He must deal with us." Annoyed, Laurael flicked the lily away into the garden. "I'll need a new tabba."

Laurael's inspiration was difficult to communicate to the dressers, but the next evening, Rikard thought his wife looked lovely. A little overwrought, but lovely. The new tabba was layered in sheer white, gold and cream, sparkling with tiny crystal beads and sashed in an elaborately cross-tied length of gossamer in verdant green. The dressers straightened Laurael's hair with a pair of hot, flat iron plates and oiled it until it gleamed.

Lovely as she looked, Rikard was privately glad that his VEIL saela was appropriate dress. It was not comfortable, but it looked more so than Laurael's tight-cinched tabba and certainly took less time to prepare.

That was not to say that the dressers did not fuss over Rikard, too. They inspected and brushed clean every inch of his new saela, combed his hair and even buffed his nails with a piece of wool. Thainna checked over him during the preparations and assured Laurael that her husband would not bleed through his nice clothes. The foster bowed and reminded Rikard that she would look in on him when he returned later that night.

The early autumn twilight was a rich violet, speckled with silvery stars like the beads on Laurael's dress. Gaius met them outside the house, already pulling himself up into one of a pair of waiting chariots. A hostler tightened the kajja's bridle and then handed the reins to Rikard. Quilted red padding lined the chariot, like a jewelry case, to protect the expensive, valuable things inside. Rikard helped Laurael up into the chariot beside him and held the reins uncertainly.

"Think you remember how to drive, Father?" asked Gaius. He flicked his reins expertly. The kajja trilled and scraped its claws impatiently on the paving stones.

"Hae… I think so," Rikard replied reluctantly.

Not that he had much occasion to drive, even before the war in distant Fiore.

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