Breaker of Rings

Chapter 3

When King Drew had said there would be a feast waiting for them, the Four Horsewomen assumed it was an exaggeration. Drew was a proud and powerful king, to be sure, but they had arrived after the final meal of the day and would have been quite happy with some simple bread and stew to tide them over until the next morning. After they were done in the bath, the Horsewomen followed their assigned attendants up to the sleeping chambers—one of each of them, complete with their expertly cleaned clothing and a generous selection of fresh attire to choose from. Charlotte and Sasha both revelled in the luxury of the options, while Bex and Bayley dressed as quickly and simply as they could and went back downstairs. "We'll get the best wine this way," Bayley declared as they were about to enter the private dining hall.

"And we get to choose our seats," Bex replied. They both paused in the entryway, though, stunned by the spread of delicacies on the table. Drew's claim of a feast was no mere figure of speech, and she was surprised the table's legs weren't buckling under the weight. "Drew, we weren't at sea for a year. This is far too much."

The king lifted one shoulder in a shrug as he stood to greet his guests. Seated at the other end of the long table was Finn, with Paige roughly halfway between them. Courtesy of the hewn stone walls and the castle's lofty elevation—and likely more than a hint of magic—the private dining hall's acoustics were exquisite; the larger one, meant for huge banquets, was designed more with function in mind. "It was no trouble," Drew insisted, hugging each woman in turn. "What doesn't get eaten now won't be wasted. My kitchens are full of talented cooks who know how to make food stretch far. Please, eat your fill. If there's something you would like and you don't see it, I can have it prepared."

"I don't see how. I don't even know what some of these things are." Bayley poked at what she assumed was a fish of some kind. "I've never seen anything like this in our waters."

"It comes from the south—from the ocean mouth of the Mediterranean." Finn held up a piece on his fork. "You're welcome to try some of mine."

Bex poured herself a glass of wine while Bayley went to examine the fish. Paige was watching her intently, so she embraced her before walking around the table and picking a chair roughly across from hers; there would be more space for the Horsewomen to sit on the side opposite Paige, and they didn't want to appear to play favourites, especially when they were in Drew's lands. "It's been a long time. Is your family well?"

Paige gave a small nod, holding her wine glass up to a candle and swirling it slowly. "As well as ever," she answered. "But I'm guessing the news you bring means that's all about to change."

Still chewing the foreign fish, Bayley dutifully gave Paige a hug before joining Bex on the other side of the table. "We should probably wait for Sasha and Charlotte. They won't be long."

Drew laughed. "Yes they will. I saw the attendants hurrying here and there, collecting dresses. We don't have much on hand that will fit Charlotte, but hopefully she'll find something she likes." Then he gestured at Bex and Bayley's far simpler choices. "If someone didn't know any better, they would assume you were common villagers."

"That's the point. It's a lot easier to get out when you blend in." Bex grabbed her plate and started grabbing items from various serving dishes. The spread was impressive, almost daunting, but it was also mostly food that could be eaten by hand, which she appreciated. Even after the soothing bath, her hands were still cramping, so Bex didn't relish the thought of trying to use dainty utensils. "But the dresses were lovely too."

"If you like that sort of thing," Finn interjected, "which you don't." Then he laughed too, pouring himself more wine. From the looks of his plate, he had already had several servings, but he still reached for another chicken leg. "How were the seas? We've had some wicked storms back home that have prevented my ships from heading out."