The two simply stared at them for a moment. “Seer and Healer, hmm?” Jehenna said turning her attention to Maelen. Maelen stared her straight in the eyes. Neither blinked. Finally, Lenamare intervened as it began to look like it would go on forever.
“Yes, well. We can always use another lightning bolt in the fray that’s coming,” he nodded to Gastropé. “And healers are always welcome in a battle.” He stepped so as to block the stares between Jehenna and Maelen. Maelen nodded to him. “Rupert is one of ours of course. Do you do anything useful?” He asked Edwyrd.
Edwyrd had really had it with this asshole. He nearly turned to flame right then and there and gave the guy a bear hug, but he restrained himself, somehow. He frowned at Lenamare and said very sternly, “I am not without my own... talents.” While Lenamare might be a super-powerful wizard, and Edwyrd a sixteen year old boy, Tom was a greater demon who’d gone head to head with Lenamare before and made the man sweat. He wasn’t going to be intimidated at this point.
Whatever Lenamare saw or heard was apparently sufficient for he shrugged and said, “Very well, I’m sure we’ll find uses for your... talents. I’ll arrange rooms for you. I suppose at the same time I should see about some for Trisfelt and his students. They’ll be arriving sometime in the next few days.”
Perhaps an hour later, Lenamare had gotten them rooms. Nothing quite so fancy as Lenamare’s own, of course. However, still much nicer than what they’d had on the ship. As on the ship after the battle, it was once again two to a room. Rupert and Edwyrd took one, Gastropé and Maelen another. Jenn got one of her own. Tizzy got shoved in with Gastropé and Maelen, since he was theoretically Gastropé’s demon. The rooms were in a part of the palace that was about fifteen minutes’ walk from Lenamare’s quarters. Edwyrd did not object too much to the close proximity, he figured it could have been worse; it could have been a lot closer.
As they left Lenamare with a steward to show them the way, Lenamare told them that he’d expect them for dinner in the evening and would send someone for them. After they were out of sight, Jenn had remarked “How generous of him to allow us to dine with him. Maybe then he’ll bother to ask how Rupert and I managed to survive being abandoned by his girlfriend.” She just shook her head. Edwyrd felt about the same way.
The steward showed them to their rooms and gave them directions to the closest cafeteria where they could charge food to their rooms and Lenamare’s account. Jenn smiled at that, obviously planning for a feast.
After they settled into their rooms, deciding to get some long deserved rest. Rupert jumped in his bed, smiling at Edwyrd. “Thanks again for the flying lesson, Father. I really enjoyed them.” Rupert seemed a bit tired, and ready to close his eyes at any moment.
“Me too.” Edwyrd smiled back. He, of course, was not the least bit tired. He leaned back in his bed anyway. He didn’t have much else to do. Actually, he could think about strategies, he supposed. If an archdemon was coming, guess who’d get shoved into battle. Not to mention the Rod. They’d still probably have to deal with them. At least for the moment they were in a slightly safer position.
Edwyrd supposed he should practice some of his demonic abilities. For one thing, he should practice them in his true form, and in his Edwyrd form too. For all out battle, he’d have to revert to his true form, but for little things it would be good to know his limits. Actually, it would be good to know his true form limits as well.
The room was just big enough that he could change back, but he wasn’t too thrilled. There didn’t seem to be a lock on the door and if someone walked in it could be awkward to say the least. He looked over to Rupert, who’d fallen fast asleep. Having been up all night had been hard on his companions. He’d really have to break Rupert of this sleeping habit though. Or maybe he should figure out some way of developing one. He smiled to himself, looking around the room for some candles to practice lighting.
About an hour and a half after they’d settled in a knock came at Edwyrd’s door. Edwyrd got up and went over to the door, mentally extinguishing the four candles he’d lit. He opened the heavy oak door to find a young man on the other side wearing some sort of uniform.
“Good day,” said the young man.
“Good day,” Edwyrd returned.
“Sir, my lord Councilor Damien has sent me to convey his wishes that you and your party might join him for lunch today, if it would be convenient for you.”
“I don’t believe I know Councilor Damien.” Edwyrd said puzzled. He certainly didn’t know anyone other than Lenamare and Jehenna in Freehold.
“Certainly, I’m sure. However, Councilor Damien does know of your party and is most desirous of meeting you all. I believe he simply wishes to conduct a short informal interview over lunch. Simply to help him in his investigation over the complaints raised by the wizards Exador and Lenamare. I’ve already taken the liberty of speaking with the young lady, she had no objection.”
“OK then, I suppose.” Edwyrd shrugged. “At what time and where should we meet him?”
The young man smiled, “I will return in about three hours to show you the way.” Edwyrd nodded and the young man told him, “Until then.” The servant then moved on towards Gastropé and Maelen’s room. He wondered if Tizzy was also invited.
“Who was that?” Rupert asked groggily from his bed as Edwyrd shut the door and returned to his own. The morning sun outlining the window on his pillow as he adjusted it to keep the light out of his eyes.
“Our lunch invitation, I guess.” Edwyrd said.
“Welcome! Be seated.” The wizard named Damien told them as they were shown into a garden dining room, open to the sky above. They’d introduced themselves in the other room. The council member really didn’t look like what Edwyrd had expect a member of a wizard’s council to look like. For one thing, he was younger than Lenamare. Damien only appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties and had long dark blond hair and a short beard and mustache of the same color. His clothing was also not the traditional wizard’s robes, but rather a nice set of brown leather riding pants and a large billowy shirt with gold embroidery that matched his hair coloring.
In all, Edwyrd decided, he looked more like one of the three musketeers than a wizard. While the wizard wore no sword, he did have a rather long dagger at his hip. Damien was gesturing at the six chairs around a glass top table set in an iron frame. Almost like standard patio furniture at home, Edwyrd thought. The five travelers took the seats indicated.
Tizzy it seemed, according to a slightly worried Gastropé, had decided to go out exploring the fortress and the city. Edwyrd could only hope that the demon would be discrete and not get into too much trouble. He suspected the city guards were not going to appreciate a lone wandering demon in the city.
“Thank you so much for joining me on such short notice.” Damien told them as he took the sixth seat after his guests had been seated. “I know you’re all tired from your journey, and would probably prefer to just rest quietly rather than get wrapped up in council affairs so quickly. Unfortunately, I felt that the sooner I had the opportunity to speak with you, before important details might be forgotten, the better.
“You see,” Damien continued spreading his hands out over the table, “I am the council member charged with investigating the claims being made by Lenamare and Exador. If I am to be able to get a complete idea of the situation, then I need to talk with all parties involved, as soon after the incident as possible.”