Rune Stealer

Dinner

"Do I have to?" I whined, pulling myself from the now tepid bath water.

"I'm afraid so, Miss," said Mercy, as she grabbed the towel that she had set on the floor earlier. "King's orders."

"But we just got back," I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in exasperation, sending water droplets flying. Mercy flinched as liquid splat on her face. With a chuckle, Mercy wiped her face on the towel before handing it to me.

"Which is exactly why the King wishes you join him for dinner tonight. So you have your adventures fresh in your memory. Come now," urged Mercy, "let us get you clothed." Reluctantly, I left the wash room with the towel wrapped around my chest. "I've set out a few garments from the palace tailor that I thought might catch your eye."

My jaw dropped at the three stunning, princess quality gowns that were laid out on my bed. Two of the dresses were raven black and both elegantly long with tight corseted bodices. One of them had soft, billowing long sleeves. The other black dress was embroidered with golden stitching and had tight, lace sleeves that ended in a ring to go around the middle finger. The third dress was the most breathtaking. It was the most shimmering of silvers complete with a corset and thick silk skirt. Emerald rune-like stitching glimmered at the waist and low cut neck line. It had only one sleeve, though. The green stitching at the neck line traveled upwards one shoulder and transformed into a glorious emerald sleeve. The sleeve grew wider till it ended in a gaping hole; the bottom of it stretching almost the length of the dress itself. Lying next to it though was a dark emerald silk glove with similar silver stitching at the hem. I assumed it was to be worn on the arm without a sleeve. They were all so beautiful and should be worn by a royal princess. Not by me.

My mouth snapped shut and I hissed, "No. Definitely not."

"Oh, yes, Laika," cheered Mercy pleadingly. "They're so gorgeous and the King demanded you wear royal dining attire."

"Then find me a fancy tunic," I argued. "I am not wearing a gown." Mercy sighed, defeated.

"I though this might arise," she mumbled as she turned and reached for a pile of clothes that were set on the vanity and handed them to me.

For a second it looked like a soldiers' uniform with dark breeches, black boots and silver tunic, but when I held it up, it was much like the elegant silver dress. The tunic was tailored to a woman's body, rather than a man's and was tighter with a low cut neck line. The glimmering green stitching was the same and there was only one sleeve. However, the sleeve was silver and ended with a ring to wrap around the middle finger, like the one black dress. It came with an emerald wrap that would cover my chest and the shoulder without a sleeve. A dark belt, much like my own leather belt, rested on my hips. I stood looking in the mirror with awe.

"These are one of the uniforms I've prepared with the Royal Tailor for you at the request of the King," informed Mercy with a happy grin. "This is one of the more formal one of course. For Royal Dinners."

"You made this?" I asked in surprise.

"Well the tailor made it," admitted Mercy as she laughed. "I just gave her ideas."

"Oh, Mercy I love it," I giggled.

"I'm glad. Now sit and let me fix your hair." Mercy braided my hair back in an interesting way, starting at the crown of my head and ending at the ends of my hair. She left a few strands of hair out of the braid at the beginning. Those strands framed my face. Mercy dropped the braid itself over my shoulder and I saw that she braided a silver cloth into my dark hair.

"Silver looks great on you," mused Mercy.

"It contrasts with the gold," I said half-jokingly, gesturing to my rune.

"No I think it compliments it. It brings out the beauty of it." Mercy cooed with such sincerity that I almost believed her.

Just then, there was a hard knock on my door and Mercy left to answer it. I stood up and followed her.

"Hello, Mercy," greeted an annoyingly chivalrous voice. "I'm here to take Lady Laika to the dinner." When I got to the door way I saw Cress standing there with that familiar large grin of a mad man on his face. Behind him stood Zyn quietly, whose mouth twitched when I met his warm ice colored eyes.

"Lady Laika," said Cress with a nod as he held his hand out to me; his eyes traveled over my body with a dark haze over them. "Shall we?"

"I have no choice in the matter, now do I?" I sighed and without taking his hand, I walked out into the hall. "Lead the way, Your Highness."

***

We reached the dining hall too soon. I had continued my search for my parents' rune souls and I had stretched my reach to what felt like all the corners of the palace. There was still no sign of them. At this point, there was only two possibilities. Either they we even farther east in the palace and I needed to explore more, or the King had already destroyed them. I prayed it wasn't the latter.

Cress led me to my seat which was across from Kian's, adjacent to Saar's, and next to Cress's. Zyn stood in the corner of the dining room, making himself invisible.

"So My Lady Laika," started the King as the servants filed in with platters of food. "Kian has told me the main highlights of your mission, but I've ordered you here to discuss what is to be done with Lord Plianne.

"Well," I began and stopped to swallow a mouthful of mashed potatoes, "we could kill him."

"No, no," dismissed Saar, "we don't want to waste resources. You could..." King Saar paused to wave his hand at me as he searched for words. "You could take his rune from him."

"And do what with it, exactly," I asked in a satirical tone, pretending to act engaged, but I don't believe the King picked up on it. Kian did, though, for he shot me a threatening glance.

"Use it for something." Saar paused again, unsure what he was asking for.

"I think what you mean, Father," announced Cress as he propped his head in his hand, "is Laika could take it from him and give it to someone loyal to the Kingdom so it can be used for the benefit of the Kingdom."

"Yes, yes," exclaimed King Saar. "However, who is more loyal to Galabee than myself?" I raised my brow at the King, waiting for him to come to his point.

"Laika," said the King, his face taking a serious expression. "I order you to give me that amplifier rune." I scoffed, not taking him seriously.

"That's an ambitious request," I laughed as I sawed through a slab of steak.

"It is not a request," retorted the King. I looked at the King with my brows furrowed and decided to check out his mind. His emotions were dark with greed and it seemed to emanate out of him like sweat.

"'Oh, but one can confused greed for ambition as they do often take the same form,'" I quoted to no one in particular. I sighed, setting down my fork and knife. "King Saar, I will have to respectfully decline." Silence filled the room and I resumed consuming the food on my plate. The King began to sputter and became flustered. Before he could say anything I explained myself. "It can very well kill you, Your Highness. It is an extremely strong soul that I, myself, can barely keep in check."

"What are you saying?" growled Saar.

"Your soul is weak and this amplifier rune soul will consume you because you won't be able to consume it."

"I am plenty strong enough," boomed the King rising from his chair. "I demand you-"

"No." Then there was silence in the dining hall once more. We could hear the soft shuffling of the cooks in the kitchen and the rubbing of Cress's fingers under the table. If I listened very carefully, I could also hear the sounds of Saar setting me on fire with his eyes.

Then there was a swish of cloth moving and the slap of skin against skin. My palm stung as I caught Saar's hand before it could collide with my cheek. I pushed the shaking hand of the King away before rising from my own chair.

"I will be returning to my room now." Cress tensed and pushed his chair back. "Alone," I hissed, reaching into his mind and forcing him to sit back down. I nodded to Zyn and he followed me as I left the dining hall.