Chapter 16 – Dinner and Dance
Hal was confused. The guy at the top of the stairs had spent a great deal of time introducing some really important person that must have decided to come in later because then he'd mentioned Hal's name instead.
Weird.
The high collar on his coat was chafing at his neck. But Renora told him not to fuss with it.
So he didn't.
Still itches though.
People were looking at him funny. A lot of the younger men stared at him in either fear or awe, and sometimes a combination of the two. The ladies just stared. Some of them were smiling as they stared, others had a sort of calculating look on their faces. But the majority of them just stared.
Again.
Weird.
Off next to the wall where the tables were, he thought he saw Ceorn waving at him. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs he led Renora over in that general direction until she pulled back slightly, looking up at him with her eyes wide open.
She’s beautiful, Hal decided as he gazed down into her hazel green eyes. Once again he wondered what it was that she saw in him, but pushed it aside because the fact of the matter was that she saw something.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Hal motioned over to where the others were. " Aren’t we going to join them?"
Renora's gaze grew distant. "Well, of course we are." She said. Hal nodded and started to go in that direction again. "Eventually," Renora added on.
Hal turned back, a confused expression on his face. "Huh?" he asked.
"Wouldn't you like to dance first?" Renora asked quietly, her voice hopeful.
Hal shook his head, the pony tail flopping over one shoulder. "I don't think so."
"Why not?"
Hal shrugged, straining the stitching on his coat while his face heated up. "I can't dance."
Renora smiled. "Have you ever tried?"
"No.”
“Then how do you know you can’t dance?”
“That's how I know I can't dance."
"Hal," Renora admonished softly, rubbing at his arm encouragingly. "That's just silly. You can't know if you know how to do anything if you've never tried."
Hal looked from side to side, confused. "Yes, you can."
"Honest. Come on, I'll teach you how. It isn't hard. All you have to do is move with the music and watch your feet."
Realizing the futility of the situation, Hal tried to ignore the flush he felt creeping up his face as he looked down at Renora's petite frame. "You're gonna make me go out there and make a fool of myself for you, aren't you?"
Renora smiled broadly, a laugh bubbling on her lips. "Yeah," she chuckled.
Hal sighed deeply and hung his head. Then he motioned with his free hand for Renora to lead the way. "After you, Lady Renora."
After the first few initial minutes where Hal felt as if the whole dance floor was watching him and his partner try to fit in with the motions of the general group, the big man came to a startling discovery. Not only did he find dancing to be surprisingly fun, he was also quite good at it! He swung Renora around in the air at random moments when the music called for it. He jostled good naturedly with other people on the ballroom floor when their shoulders and elbows collided accidentally. His shoulders rolled and his hands waved until Renora finally claimed that she “needed a break.” Hal felt a startling disappointment. He also noticed that a path seemed to form as he exited the dance floor, making it surprisingly easy for him to lead Renora out of the throng of people.
These people have excellent manners.
Ceorn had a broad smile on his lean face as Hal and Renora approached. " ‘Eh there lad. You' were lookin' good out there," he said, the grin quivering just a bit as he did so. "Did you have fun?"
Hal cocked his head to the side for a second, thinking about it. "Yes. I suppose I did."
Renora looked up at the big man with a glowing smile. "I certainly hope so, Hal. Do you think that you'll be up for a second round after dinner?"
He shrugged. "Sure. We’ll see."
The kelt looked the big man up and down with another smile. "I do like what you’ve done with yourself this evenin' Hal. I don’t think I’ve seen your hair in anything other than its usual haystack position."
Hal's face flushed again, trying to keep his hand from removing his hair from the too tight band holding it in place. While he was able to admit that he looked a bit cleaner with his hair pulled back, it was so uncomfortable! He didn't think that he'd ever get used to it.
Sir Terius came forward and introduced his wife... Seranna? Hal hoped he didn't manage to forget her name before the evening was over, especially seeing as how she smiled as if he were her best friend.
Garn stepped right in front of Hal and just stared at him. He didn't speak or utter a sound, he just stared. After a few seconds Hal became uncomfortable. "Is something wrong, Garn?"
The mage stood there for a couple seconds more and shook his head, his dark hair swaying as he did so. "Nope," he said. "I was just making sure that you were who I thought you were."
Hal frowned at that comment but shrugged it off, figuring it to be a concept that was way over his head. He did become very envious of the way his friend was dressed. "How come you were allowed to keep your hair loose?"
Garn smirked. "Because your hair looks like a haystack."
"Oh, I see." Just once Hal wished he could have a conversation with the mage that made him feel like less of an idiot.
As Hal looked for a place for himself and Renora at the head table he learned that one hadn't yet been set out for them. Much relieved, Hal began to look around for a less obvious place for the two of them to dine. But with a snap of his fingers and a barked command, Terius set the servants to work at dragging out an extra pair of chairs and a wing for the table. Within minutes, two extra places were set. Renora took one seat and Seranna sat next to her. Within moments they were chatting away like old friends.
Hal joined Terius and Garn in their conversation, Ceorn had gone back onto the dance floor to woo more of the ladies with his charm.
"So Hal," Sir Terius asked. "What do you think of Southmoor Castle so far?"
Garn peered at his friend from the corner of his eye. "This should be good," he muttered with a grin.
Hal thought about it for a second. "Well," he began. "It's big."
The mage covered his derisive chuckle with a sudden bout of coughing. Terius pat him on the back and offered him a glass of wine from a passing waiter. Garn smiled and accepted the glass eagerly.
Terius offered one to Hal as well which he declined politely. Un-offended, the Head Knight took a glass for himself and sent the servant on his way. Hal allowed his gaze to wander around the Great Hall. It was an immense room and rather garish in his opinion. In all honesty, what does anyone need with a room this large? Sure, It’s good for parties and stuff. But unless one happened every other day, what was the point? You could just as easily have a party like this outside.
Bringing himself back to the conversation, Hal realize that he had just missed a question. "I'm sorry, what was that again?"
Terius smiled. "Not to worry, I was just asking if you had ever thought about becoming a knight."
Astonished, Hal felt his jaw swing free. After a couple of seconds with a rather silly look on his face, the big man tried to formulate an answer. "Uhm, not really." Then seeing the disappointed look Terius gave him, Hal tried to elaborate. "That is... I never thought about it. Back home at the Grove, we don't have knights. So... that's about it. And besides, there's probably tests an' stuff that knights have to go through, and I'd never be able to do that."
Sir Terius gave him a curious look. "Why not?"
Hal shrugged. "I've never been taught anything worthy of a knight. I'd fail right at the beginning."
The knights smiled. "No one would expect you to know everything right off the top, Hal. We would train you, and educate you. To the point where you would be
able and proud to be a knight yourself."
Hal heard the words but didn't believe them for even a second. He shook his head. "No thanks, Sir Terius. I don't think that'd help me much."
Terius was not to be daunted. "That was a very quick refusal Hal, so let me say this. I won't accept your answer right now. All that I ask is that you think about it and let me know after a couple of days rest here in Southmoor. You have impressed me in the short time I’ve known you and I believe you have the raw potential that many young men dream of but never quite achieve. Give it some thought during your stay here?"
"If that's what you want," Hal said with a shrug.
"It is," the knight said with a smile. Then he cast a look behind Hal and smiled again. He took the mage by the shoulder and began to lead him away. "Now if you'll excuse us, Hal. I think that there's someone who wishes to speak with you. Come good mage, tell me something of import."
Garnthalisbain frowned in thought. "I don't think I could do that without making you confused, Sir Knight."
Terius grinned. "Try me."
Reluctantly Hal turned around. He was more than a little afraid that it was going to be Renora again. And while he appreciated her company and was honored by it, his arm was getting sore. She'd been leaning on it almost all day!
His heart nearly stopped when he recognized the woman before him. She was dressed in an elegant purple gown that covered her from her shoulders to her ankles, leaving her left arm bare save for a gossamer thin piece of material of the same color attached to her wrist. When she stepped forward, Hal blushed as he saw the slit up along the right side of the skirt. Pushing the honey blond hair away from her face she looked up at the big man with her liquid amber eyes. "Hi Hal," she said.
Hal nodded his head once, his mouth suddenly dry. "Milady," he whispered. Then he realized how inadequate that sounded and tried to expand on it. "It's, ah... nice to see you this evening. You look... " He flailed desperately in his mind to find a word. And failed miserably.
Sigh.
Tasha smiled up at him faintly. "I know what you mean," she said. She took a step forward and picked at a fold in his bluish grey brocade. "I've never seen you like this Hal. It's... an interesting change."
He shrugged again. "I guess. S'kinda uncomfortable though. And I wish I could let my hair down."
She looked up at him critically, then she shook her head slowly. "No, it looks fine like that. In fact, you might want to think about getting it cut down to that length."
"Why?" Hal asked, his eyes wide at the thought. "You mean the bit that the guys who fixed my hair took off wasn’t enough?"
Tasha smiled. "No, it looks fine like that. You just might want to think about making a change and taking the rest of it off."
Hal couldn't think of a single reason why he might want to ever look bald, but he smiled tightly and nodded down at her. "As you wish, milady. Turns out I've been given a lot of things to think about this evening."
They didn't say anything for several moments. Hal forced his gaze away from her and over the crowd of people dancing. In the middle of the crowd was Ceorn, hopping and gallivanting around. He had both of his hands over his head as he executed several high energy leaps and turns. Hal grinned at the sight and caught Ambori's face among the minstrels. The youthful bard was smiling broadly and was strumming his lute madly, trying to keep up with the more experienced musicians of the king's court.
"Hal?" Tasha spoke, bringing the big man's attention back to her.
"Yes, milady?"
Her mouth opened and closed several times. Hal was surprised. he'd never truly seen her at a loss for words before. When she finally spoke, it was quite softly. "Hal," she tried again. "We never did have that talk I've been speaking about, have we?"
Hal went over the events of the past couple days in his mind. Then he shook his head. "I don't think so, milady."
Whatever she was about to say then was immediately forgotten as she frowned slightly. "Hal, do you realize that you have never, at least in my memory, called me by my name? Always it's 'milady' this, or 'milady' that." Resting a hand on his forearm, Tasha smiled at the big man. "We're friends if nothing else, Hal. You can call me by my name."
Hal shook his head. "I don't think I could do that, milady."
Tasha sighed. "Why not?"
Hal was about to speak, then stopped. He frowned in thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, why. I just feel as if I don't... It just doesn’t feel proper."
"That's just silly, Hal. We've known each other for years now and we've become close during that time. At least close enough for you to refer to me by my name." She smiled reassuringly.
Hal shrugged. "I guess... I don't know."
Just then all sound in the Great Hall stopped. The Announcer rapped his staff three times and waited until there was absolute silence. "Ladies and gentlemen. At this time it is my esteemed honor and privilege to announce to you, the King of Southmoor, Lord Timoth and his beautiful wife and Queen, Lady Teixiara!" A loud, brassy fanfare erupted from the minstrels and continued to trill along as the King and Queen of Southmoor made their entrance into the Great Hall.
At the top of the staircase, Lord Timoth raised one hand and silence once again fell over the Great Hall. "Greetings and good evening to you all," he began. "I am happy and honored to see all of you here this evening on the anniversary of my son's birth. Would that he could have graced us all with our presence tonight, but it seems the trials and activities of this day were a bit too strenuous. Consequently, he chose to bed himself down early."
Queen Teixiara smiled benignly. "He was too worn out after crawling around the apartments all day." A general chuckle rose throughout the crowd.
Hal turned to Sir Terius. "What?"
Seranna smiled at the big man's confusion. "Their Highness' son is only one year old today." She explained.
"Oh," Hal said, feeling rather foolish. "Of course."
"Well, I don't want to take up any more of your time this evening," Lord Timoth went on. He gestured grandly to the minstrels. "Please if you would continue with your playing we can continue with the ball and get down to the most important part." He pat softly on his stomach then. "The feast!" Another general laughter and then the music started, sending the throngs back to their dancing.
Sir Terius stepped forward and spoke to the companions. "If you all would be so good as to take your places at the table? Their Highness will be here shortly and I am certain that they will be eager to speak with you right away."
Tasha looked at Hal regretfully for a moment then nodded to the lead knight. "Of course." then she cast a quick look around and frowned. "Where's Ceorn?"
Hal gestured over his shoulder with a thumb. "On the dance floor. Don't worry, I'll go get him." It was a very quick process actually. As soon as Hal began to make his way to the floor, it seemed as if the crowd parted to make the way easier for him. Hal smiled at the people as he passed. The people here are so nice to strangers.
After almost physically dragging the swarthy kelt away from a circle of ladies Hal managed to return to the High Table just before the Royalty arrived.
Sir Terius rose to his feet and gestured for the others to do the same. Hal who been in the process of sitting down found himself in that awkward position between standing and sitting. After flushing for a brief moment, Hal rose to an almost military stance and waited.
The King, Lord Timoth, had once been an imposing man. With broad shoulders and thick arms that implied a great deal of swordplay and battle, but nothing terribly recent. His hair was steel grey and hung at the back of his neck. He was garbed in the formal red and black mantle of his office with a long and flowing cape flowing behind him. The color of his eyes were hard to make out due to his squinting. Overall, Hal guessed his age at being anywhere from mid-fifties to anywhere in his sixties. Strangely the man seemed familiar to Hal. It wasn't as if Hal had seen the man before, but it was something in the way his jaw was set. It reminded Hal of someone that
he had met, and recently too.
The Queen was a shocker though. She was dressed in contrast to her husband in colors of white and blue which swirled all about her slender frame. Her thick blonde hair was done up in curls on the top of her head, held in place by a silver tiara. Her skin was smooth and wrinkle free, her blue eyes twinkling at the sight of so many guests. Hal was stunned. Is that legal? he thought to himself. I don't think she's all that much older than I am.
Sir Terius continued with the introductions. "My Liege and Lady, I have the distinct honor to introduce to you our guests this evening." He gestured to each person in turn. "First off, may I introduce Lady Tasha Pellaren, daughter to Baron Tyren of the Vineyard Grove."
Lord Timoth nodded his head. "A pleasure milady. Please convey to your father my fondness for the wine that he produces. 'Tis some of the best red wine that I have ever tasted."
Tasha blushed prettily and surprised everyone by curtsying slightly. "Of course, Your Highness. You honor my family with your words."
Terius carried on. "Across from her is Ceorn Lochlaven, a former gladiator from the Clanlands. Next to him is the mage, Garnthalisbain, also from the Vineyard Grove."
Lord Timoth broke in. "I have heard, good mage that you have been yearning for a word with Our Court Wizard."
Garn grinned and bowed. "I have, Your Highness. Word of this Braxin Balinvain has reached my ears through the annals of us who feel the powers of the universe. I was merely hoping to... talk shop with him, if you will."
"Of course," Lord Timoth smiled. "And you, Lochlaven was it?" Ceorn nodded. "I have heard of you, I believe. In recent months I have been sent invitations and requests to witness and or sponsor an event. I have turned down them all, though your name has been offered as an incentive for sponsoring such an event."
"I thank you profoundly for that, yer’ majesty." Ceorn said with a true smile. "I was held in the pits agains't me will and every day in which I didn’t have to fight was a blessin'."
Timoth nodded his head once as Terius went on. "And finally, at the end of the table we have Lady Renora of Portrian and her escort for the evening, Hal of the Vineyard Grove."
Lord Timoth smiled briefly at Renora but locked his gaze on Hal for a long moment. Slowly his eyes opened to their full width, giving Hal his full grey-eyed look. The big man stood through the whole ordeal nervously, wondering if there was something that he should say. Finally, the King's eyes closed again and he stood there for a long moment without moving. At long last he held his arms wide and smiled. "Welcome all of you to Southmoor Castle. Please sit, I'm certain that you're all at least as hungry as I am."
When the selection of food for dinner came out, Hal could feel his mouth begin to water in a way that it hadn't in many years. There were glazed hams and roasted haunches of beef and mutton and stewed vegetables and pies and pheasant and turkeys and .. a lot of other things that Hal couldn't put a name to but he ate anyway because it tasted delicious.
Finally, after the party had gorged themselves on the first real meal that they'd had in weeks, Hal leaned back in his chair, at least as much as he was able to, and sighed. He was content and full. Therefore, he was happy.
There had been a great deal of conversation of the dinner but Hal hadn't really been listening. He had been too busy trying to find a happy medium between stuffing his face and eating gracefully. He never really found one but he did hear mention of the tale of the journey to Southmoor. Along with the Sunraiders and the boat journey and the freeing of Ceorn. Hal was just glad that no one asked him any direct questions during the meal for he'd have been far too preoccupied to answer them.
There was a slight commotion to his right just then. Hal snapped his gaze in that direction alert and ready for action, his hand unconsciously straying to where his axe should have been. Fortunately there was no need.
The man that stood there could hardly be construed as a threat in Hal's opinion. He was roughly five and a half feet tall, with an average build, leaning towards the skinny side. His hair was dark brown as were his small beady eyes. He sported a thin goatee that looked more like whiskers than actual facial hair. His ears were overlarge and his face long, giving him a mousy sort of expression. He was dressed in robes of an ash grey with a black trimming and he wore a chain of office around his neck.
Lord Timoth frowned at the little man. "You're late."
The man bowed jerkily. "A thousand apologies, My Liege. I was unavoidably detained by matters immediately more pressing. I hope that this hasn't been an inconvenience." Even his voice added to the overall mousiness of the man, it was high pitched and squeaky. As if he never had it crack on him when he was younger.
Garnthalisbain stood and extended his hand to the man. "Braxin Balinvain, I presume?"
The man rounded on the mage suspiciously. "Yes. And you?"
"Garnthalisbain. I've been looking forward to meeting you." He kept his hand outstretched.
Gingerly the Court Wizard shook it and looked the younger mage in the eye. They held that pose, standing toe to toe for a long moment. Instantly Hal changed his opinion of the man and regarded him as a definite potential threat. Any man who could look Garn in the eye without backing down was worthy of caution, even if he did look like a rodent.
There was a commotion from the music pit and one of the minstrels stood upon a podium. He smiled at the throng of people and accepted their polite applause with grace. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began in a strong, deep voice. "Our next piece will be the Serongara. We here in the orchestra, if you will, would appreciate all of your participation in the upcoming dance. We will give you a five minute break to prepare. Thank you."
Queen Teixiara looked at her husband with a smile. "Feel up to a round of dancing, Your Highness?"
Lord Timoth laughed. "Would that I were, dearest. Unfortunately my old bones aren't up to the strain anymore. Perhaps one of the others .. ?"
Ceorn rose to his feet with a fluid grace. "Yer’ Highness, if'n ye don't mind me sayin' I would consider it a great honor fer you to be me dance partner for the Serongara."
Lady Teixiara smiled at the kelt. "Certainly good sir." She rose to her feet and took Ceorn's arm.
Renora dragged Hal to his feet and began to lead him to the floor. "Come on big guy, you promised."
"I know. But what's the Serongara?"
"You've never seen it before?"
"I've never been to a ball before."
"I see," she paused. "Well, we'll watch the first couple of passes go by and then join in after. It's a long dance so we won't miss much."
It wasn't actually that difficult a dance at all, Hal decided. In fact it was very much like his lessons on the practice field learning how to fight with his weapons. In fact it used many of the same muscles and balancing features.
The gentleman leads his partner around in wide circle. Along the way they spin in a series of small circles and figure-eights. And at the end, the man dips the woman before handing her off to the next man. And so on. the challenge came when the music increased in pace and one had to get all of the spins and pirouettes exactly right to keep from tripping over one's own feet.
After just a couple of passes Hal and Renora joined the throng. He had a bit of difficulty at first, trying to keep moving along with the rhythm of the music. But after that brief stumble it all worked out fine. They spun and figure-eighted and laughed the whole way. Hal found the balance he had learned on the practice field to be very useful in this case, allowing him to stay up on his toes for a great deal of time as they danced.
After dipping Renora as deeply as he thought was decent without causing her to fall, she quickly kissed him before swinging along and dancing with a completely different partner. Hal was so surprised that he forgot to start moving again when a red-haired woman with wide green eyes took his hands and began to move.
He felt very uncomfortable dancing with this woman that he'd never met before though she didn't seem to mind. She just smiled up at him with a very
odd look in her eyes as they twirled along. "You dance magnificently," she complimented him. Hal tried to explain that his was his first time and that he wasn't all that good but she would hear none of it. Just before he dipped her and handed her to the next man she whispered into his ear, "If you have trouble sleeping tonight just wander around the east wing of the castle and I'll help you nod off." As Hal handed her on, he wondered what exactly she had meant by that.
Hal went through just about all of the women as partners and after a while they all seemed to blend together in his recollection. He danced with women of all sorts. Some beauteous, some not. He was embarrassed when he danced with Terius' wife, Seranna. Though she did give him some helpful tips for his balance on the figure-eights. When Queen Teixiara came into his arms for the dance he nearly tripped over himself, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing header into a passing waiter. It took Her Majesty’s fully good humored smile to loosen him up and just treat the dance as that. A dance. No reason to be alarmed. She did compliment him on his form though.
He went on for another long while, partners entering and leaving his arms at an ever increasing rate. Then the music began to slow as it neared the end of the piece. Consequently the dancing slowed so as to compliment the tempo.
Feeling that this partner would be his last, Hal turned to her as gracefully as he was able and bowed. When he raised his gaze he was astonished to notice that it was Tasha standing before him with a surprised expression on her slightly sweaty face.
Hal froze, missing a couple of beats to the dance. At last Tasha rolled her eyes dramatically and stepped into his reach, all but actually leading him in the steps to the dance. At first the big man continued to freeze. He wanted to just seize up and stop, right there on the dance floor. But after a couple moments and spins, he permitted his reflexes to take over and allowed himself to get back into the swing and rhythm of the music. Tasha was just another partner, one of the many that he'd been through that evening.
But as the music slowed and their motions followed suit, it appeared that Tasha was actually starting to lean into him? That she was actually pressing close to him and enjoying being in his presence? No, he thought to himself. Mustn't let my imag .. imarg... mind run wild on me. I've just got to assume that she's tired or .. or... Hal stopped thinking and began holding her close, letting his body respond where his mind failed him.
They held each other close through the last few turns. As they reached the final dip, Hal slid his large, powerful hands down to the small of her back and watched as Tasha leaned as far back as she was able, both of her arms stretched out to the sides. Hal could feel his heart pounding as if he'd just run ten miles and could feel his palms getting sweaty.
Finally the music stopped and Tasha allowed herself to be brought back up to a standing position. Hal knew that he should have taken his hands away from the small of her back, but he didn't. Just as she didn't take her hands away from his powerful shoulders as they stared into each other’s eyes.
Tasha reached up and touched Hal's cheek, her fingers were cool against his unusually flushed skin. Hal reached up and held her hand in one of his own. "Hal... " she began. Her voice was soft, questioning.
Hal forced himself to swallow. "Yes, milady?"
The world was flooded with light. White, blinding light pierced into the eyes of Hal and everyone else in the Lands. The light altered in color from white to crimson. then was gone, only to be followed by the sound of hysterical, maniacal laughter.
Interlude - Thirty Seconds Earlier
The dark elf, Abalanor, remained seated at his throne. He had once again established a mental link with the immortal Xir. Sweat poured down the elf's pallid flesh in rivulets, dampening his scarlet robe at the fringes and under the armpits
This has to work, he thought as an aside.
He screamed. His body arched and writhed on the throne, crimson rays washing over his slender frame. Energy picked at every particle of his body, examined it and put it back. All in the space of seconds.
The PAIN! Abalanor thought, trying to keep a conscious link open throughout all of the agony.
I cannot stop! If I stop this, Xir will have no place to... AARRRGH!!... to, aim his energies. Only if he... has a focal point can he... ErrGH!... burrow through the barrier.
Tears streamed down the wrenched and contorted features of the archmage. But he could not stop.
He would not stop!
The world exploded in light.
When he awoke, all that he could hear was the sound of laughter.