The Fifth

Prologue

Erius grimmest, while he had volunteered to host the human ambassador he was not looking forward to it. He has had few encounters with them but he didn't particularly care for them. He found them unsophisticated, primitive and backward. Their so called archmages wouldn't pass as students in an elven academy for the magically challenged. Magic also manifested in the women of humans. Erius found this preposterous, let the women drill and march in the army or flutter about on the backs of their drakes but leave the magic to the qualified, though human men hardly counted as qualified. But still High Arcanist Spellstrike insists that the have "immeasurable potential". What does he know of potential, buying his position instead of earning it. Still house Stargazer needs all the prestige it can get Erius thought to himself. Ever since his wife Aurelia died he'd all but stopped his political scheming and his children certainly haven't done anything extraordinary.

Erius rubbed his temples, maybe my proximity to the humans with their "immeasurable potential" will get him back on the map. "That's it!" He exclaimed in the privacy of his office. Serfus entered the room with a confused look "excuse me, sire?" Erius looked up from his desk "Nothing, when does the ambassador arrive?" "Her carriage was delayed but she should be here within the hour" Serfus replied. "Good, now leave me I have preparations to make". Serfus turned and left the office closing the door behind him. Now alone with his thoughts Erius layer out his plan. No respectable elven women would have anything to do with him now, an aging noble without affinity for magic who has fallen out of favor with the High Arcanist, he'd be lucky to even get the time of day from an officer in the common soldiery much less a conversation. However a newcomer that's a subject of intrigue to many a bureaucrat who can't be that bright, now that he can work with. What was her name again? Naiv...Naix....Nai...something, an unimportant detail. Duonia had been telling him that he's looked lonely these past few year and, while she would be more likely to fall off her drake then get a commendation his daughter could always read him like an open book.

After a bit of work Erius put on his best robe and cleaned himself up into a suitable state, apparently a human had arrived a half hour ago, he made some excuse that he was doing some time sensitive ritual to enchant something but apparently she was almost finished the meal given to her and it was time to meet her. He walked down the stairs from his tower to the main building and as he entered the dining room he saw the women sitting at the table. Relatively non descript even by human standards, she had brown hair done up in a fashion that looked uncomfortable. We're all humans that short Erius wondered, she couldn't have been more then 5 and a half feet tall. Serfus straightened his back and announced him. "Lord Erius Stargazer, head astronomer of the High Arcanist's court." Though that title has ment little as of late, she doesn't have to know that Erius thought to himself. "And this is Naivi ai...." "Thank you Serfus why don't you go get some wine from the cellar, something made from starplum." Erius cut him off. Serfus sighed and hurried off to the cellar. " Starplum is exquisite, it only grows at night and will rot in the light." "Oh, thank you" she replied with a combination of shyness and confusion. "I do hope the meal was satisfactory, I apologize for my negligence as a host there was an star alignment that I simply had to take advantage of"

"It was quite fancy, and....eventful"

"Ah, yes I thought I'd introduce you to the elvish tendency to magically infuse our food, I hope you are not suffering any adverse effects?"

"Oh! No, I seem to be all here, but still it seems like a lot of trouble..."

"Nonsense! One does not get to entertain a foreign dignitary."

"Oh well actually.."

"Ah, Serfus there you are, now leave us." Erius says as Serfus returns. "Now you really must try this wine."

After a few hours of talking about himself and elven culture and certainly a few more bottles of wine Erius woke up with a headache and regret, the things one does for prestige. Glancing to the other side of his bad and seeing Naivi sleeping peacefully, Erius hoped that humans really did have that "immeasurable potential" that Spellstrike said they had. It would be the first time that snake would be right in awhile. During the pleasant breakfast that followed, it seems that Naivi was also not spared the morning headache either. She seemed cheery despite this and much more talkative than last night, which was fine with him, though she seemed to know an unusually large amount of information on farming for diplomat. Serfus entered the room, the happiest Erius had ever seen him. "I am delighted to announce the arrival of Lady Naixenia Candor, ambassador of the united human kingdoms!" He then motioned to a very aristocratic looking women with long flowing blonde hair, dressed in a blue robe with gold accents. "Thank you, I'm pleased to meet you Lord Stargazer, I apologize for the delay my carriage broke down so I sent my aide ahead to let you know I hope she wasn't too much...oh my, are you alright you look ill?" The color drained from Erius's face and the solid purple orbs that were his eyes turned three shades lighter as he realized the error he made.