Legacy

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Mae opened the door to the corridor to a speechless Briasant, gone were the muddied green travel clothes she had arrived in, in their place was a low cut sky blue dress that reached to just below her knees, along with her usual grey boots, around her neck hung a large pendant with a triangular gem and arrowhead on it. Mae's hair was scraped back, tied with a darker blue bow and from there hung loose.

"Will this be sufficient?" Mae asked awkwardly.

Briasant merely nodded, unable to get his mind to come up with a better response.

Mae smiled gently, before making her way down the corridor with Briasant and another guard.

The main hall was divided and dominated by three tables, the first, closest to the fire, was the head table - the Lord, his family and close friends sat upon it, the two other tables were set at right angles to this table - one starting at either end of the main. The more important you were, the closer to the Lord you sat. Many a political intrigue went on in order to gain a closer space.

Both Mae and Ashar were sat toward the far end of the table to the left - closest to the entrance they arrived by. Once again, Grishar's message was clear.

Mae looked across the table to Ashar, he was sat dressed as formally as his kin did - grey jacket with a darker grey shirt underneath, grey trous and black boots. He looked around him, visible uncomfortable, though as Mae noticed, his discomfort was shared by those surrounding him for the most part.

The speaker stood up and announced Grishar and his families entrance, it was overly formal in Mae's mind, but her opinion counted for little here.

Grishar stood and looked around for a moment, a slight frown crossed his brow as he spotted the Dark Elf.

"My lords, ladies, ambassadors and dignitaries, it is my profound honour to introduce you all to my Son, Mithrilaxe, and formally announce him as my successor, but I must also thank two here for being able to bestow this upon him. Were it not for their actions, I could not have done so. The Lady Mae, and her... Assistant Ashar, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

With that he bowed deeply. Mae nodded in response, but said nothing, Ashar merely kept the old lord's gaze.

"I bid you all a good meal." Said the lord after a moment of silence. He clapped his hands and a rush of maids and house-carls rushed forward with food and drink from behind curtains that were spread out evenly right around the room, apparently there were many tunnels that ran too and from the kitchens to here, which made sense given the amount of people this place would routinely cater for.

Both Elves ate as they chose but otherwise remained silent, her dining companions made no effort to speak to them either. All in all the next hour was somewhat uncomfortable, but no more than either expected. It was over too slowly for Mae, who by the end of the meal was thoroughly depressed by the whole affair. The lord stood and left - signalling that those who wished to could do likewise, slowly the guests began to filter out.

After an hour, only Mae and Ashar were left, a few servants were collecting dishes and helping themselves to leftovers.

"That was horrible." Said Mae as the Maid nearest her moved out of earshot.

"Did you expect it to be easy perhaps?" Asked Ashar.

"No, I just didn't realise - not a single human would even acknowledge our presence outside of the announcement. It was like we were nothing more than an unpleasant smell!"

Ashar stood up after a moment of thought "Perhaps a walk would do us good. We may even happen upon humans less hostile toward us."

Mae smiled for a moment, "that would make a nice change".