Dark Armor: First Meetings

"You're here early," whispered a woman's voice beside him, and it was only because he was actively focusing on remaining calm that Pallian didn't startle and drop his glass. He looked around cautiously, but didn't see anybody. 

So he whispered back, "So are you." The voice was unfamiliar, and though he thought he could feel someone standing just beside his left shoulder he wasn't entirely sure that he wasn't imagining that. "I thought the current fashion was to arrive late?"

"Ah," the voice whispered back. "Ordinarily it is, but when visiting the keep of a long-time enemy the fashion is to scout ahead before arriving officially."

"Understandable." Pallian lifted his glass and took a sip, to make it look less like he was muttering to himself. He was attracting enough attention just by being at Court and not being executed; he didn't need rumors of his madness spreading through the Obsidian Citadel. "Subtle, too," he added. "Very subtle."

It wasn't the High Magister; that woman was all business and would never have risked giving herself away. One of the princesses, then, and likely not the sturdy second-princess in the soldier's clothes; that left third-princess Ashmiren.

A soft laugh answered him. "I had thought to ask you about my future husband," she said. 

"Not here," he said quietly, pretending to take another sip of his drink. "Perhaps I could offer to give you a tour of the garden tomorrow."

"That might work. Very well, in fact." She paused. "All right, I'm going now. When we arrive in a few minutes, do try to look surprised."

Pallian pursed his lips to hide a smile. "Stay away from the bald man near the main doors," he suggested. "And keep your thoughts to yourself when you're around him."

"Oh." The princess sounded surprised. "All right. Thank you."

"My pleasure," he whispered back, and was surprised to find that there was no irony in the words at all.