Amends

Arnya saw me coming, of course. She stood up as if to walk away, but she was pinned in by the table, giving me the precious few seconds I needed. “Please, Princess, can I have a word?”

“If I count correctly, that last sentence had seven. Septuple your requested number.”

“I’m here to apologize.”  As she didn't have a comeback, that must have caught her off guard. I pressed my advantage. “Acting like I did, using your love of your people to manipulate you into sending Gaz out like that—it was wrong.” I paused. “Oh geeze, I have to apologize to Gaz too. Is she here?”

“She is elsewhere at the moment.”

“Right, I’ll tell her sorry later. But for now, Arnya, I’m sorry. You have no reason to forgive me, but please do anyway.” Bowing felt right, so I did. She kept looking at me with an impenetrable look. “Uh, you’ll want to know the nature of the invention I’ve thought of.”

“Rei, that’s not the most important--”

“It’s called a printing press,” I barreled on, too nervous to stop. “You guys already have simple stamps, right? I’ve seen some. So imagine you have a bunch of little stamps with a letter on each of them, ok? You slide them all onto a grooved slit on a piece of wood so it forms all the words on the page, only backwards, see, and then you can stamp that same page hundreds or thousands of times for very cheap, and--”

“REI.” The force she put into my name finally cut me off. “That’s not important.” She paused. “Well, actually, that is an interesting idea. I’d need to see it in person, but this ‘printing press’ has potential...no, no, Arnya, don’t get distracted!” She tapped her head with a fist in a remarkably cute way. “What I meant to say, Rei, was I should apologize too. I know you had your reasons, but becoming hostile like I did wasn’t right, especially when our relationship otherwise lately has been so friendly, er, close, er no that’s not right, um...what was I saying?” Her face was noticeably pink, probably from the heat in this room.

Despite myself, I laughed. “I’ve never seen you at a loss for words before. It’s cute.” A moment later, I covered my mouth. What had I just said? The atmosphere must’ve been getting to me, too.

“Well! A bit rude to compliment a lady on her faults, don’t you think?” But she was smiling kindly. I smiled back awkwardly. The band struck up an upbeat number. Arnya looked like she couldn’t find the words.

Ah, to heck with it. I was already way outside my comfort zone this evening; might as well keep pushing the envelope. “Um.” Oh, great start, I mentally berated myself. “Arnya, um, may I have this dance?” I reached out my arm.

“Oh! Yes? Yes, for certain!” She took it. We then both realized that the table was still between us. I let go of her so she could walk to the end of the table and come back around, but instead she athletically jumped over the entire table, landing cleanly right beside me. I blinked. I mean, I had seen her do more impressive athletic feats in her training, but it was so unexpected I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. She stood straight, face red again. “Honestly, you have no tact.” Taking my arm again, she said “Well. Shall we proceed to the dance floor?”

I pushed through people to reach the area where several couples were already dancing. But before we could reach it, our way was blocked by a middle-aged man with balding golden hair, idly swishing a glass of wine. He was flanked by two hulking guards, one dogman, the other human. I felt Arnya’s grip tighten in my arm, so I politely stepped to the side to avoid him.

He mirrored my step, blocking me. I was about to ask him to move but he spoke first. “Ah, if it isn’t the famous Court Alchemist,” he drawled. “I’ve been simply dying to meet you.”

“Hello,” I replied cautiously.

“And I see you have the fickle princess on your arm. You know, alchemist, she has a reputation for abandoning men she has been promised to. I do so hope you aren’t her latest.” He paused, then affected surprise. “Oh! But of course, you were her latest.”

“It was my idea,” I growled, but Arnya shut me up with another squeeze.

“It has been a long time, Lord Farsight,” she said tightly. Farsight? This must be Sir Gwyn’s father.

“Indeed. I would say it’s lovely to see you again, but I find it so passe to lie at a party.”

“I wasn’t aware you planned to attend,” she said delicately.

“The messenger with my invitation must have been lost,” he said carelessly, taking a swig of wine. Some dribbled down his throat, which the human guard wiped away.

“How are your lordship’s estates faring?” Arnya asked. It was technically polite, but I knew her well enough to hear the steel thread in her voice. It had intimidated me plenty of times.

“Dreadful, dreadful. The king’s taxes are just far too high. 50 basis points from my entire revenues. Absurd.” Before Arnya could reply he snapped his fingers at a passing young dogman waiter. “You. Dog. Fetch me a plate of steak.” The waiter bowed and retreated. “But things aren’t all bad,” he continued to Arnya and myself. “I have reason to believe the taxes will be falling very soon.”

“I wasn’t aware his Majesty plans to lower taxes.”

“Perhaps not, but I think a new king would be more than willing to drop them.”

“Surely you jest,” Arnya said winterly. “The king is in excellent health.”

“There are other ways for a new king to be appointed than just death, my dear.”

“Then,” she said, voice so cold I started checking for frostbite, “perhaps your lordship can educate my lack of knowledge, since the only other way I know of is for the king to abdicate. And I can assure you that my grandfather will not step down anytime soon.”

At that point the dogman waiter returned with the meat. Farsight snapped his fingers. His human servant took the plate and cut the rare meat into thin strips, which he proceeded to feed to Farsight. Blood dribbled down the unpleasant lord’s chin.

He made us wait for him to finish chewing before wiping his mouth on his servant’s sleeve. “The Council of Lords can always pass a vote of no confidence,” he said lazily.

“Now you surely jest. In our 300-year history, not a single vote of no confidence has ever passed. It takes a 90% agreement from the lords, and I know my grandfather does not have so many enemies as all that.”

“There’s always a first time. But politics is boring at a party. What I really wanted was the beloved court alchemist to be introduced to my guest.”

As if by magic, two figures appeared at his side. One was a tall feminine figure dressed head to toe in white robes that covered every inch of skin, even the face. I couldn’t even see her hair. But I recognized the other instantly. He was dressed in finer clothes than when I had last seen him, but the blood red robes and iron mask covering his mouth, nose, and eyes were unmistakable. The Grand Hunter.