Snippet #2748824

Opting out of grand robes and heavy coats and cloaks, the king dressed himself in a simpler outfit. Simpler, in this case, still meant grandiose and remarkably royal. It had silver stitching through the entire length of the silken surcoat which made up beautiful and intricate patterns. Staring at it almost made you think it spelled out letters or some hidden message. Around his middle sat a belt. Under the surcoat he wore a dark green silken shirt, tailored to perfection. All in all, the outfit was every bit royalty, but slightly more discrete than what he usually wore to balls and other such royal frivolities. He started at himself in the mirror and nodded. He had the distinct feeling that some of the people at the table, might not have the best relationship with authority. Hence the simplified outfit.

King Balian stepped out of his chambers and headed down a grand hall toward the great dining hall. Immediately, two guards fell in behind him. While he walked, he mulled over what questions they might have and how to best answer them. But the truth was, he needed these people to go and bring back more knowledge for him. No one knew very much about any of this. Balian suddenly realized how that most likely was a huge contributing factor to the fear that seemed to grip every one privy to knowledge about these marks.

He’d been to visit his granddaughter before this evening. Her condition had neither improved or worsened. She seemed stable. She talked with him for a little bit, but she was weak. So many times since she had fallen ill, had he thought he was going to lose her. But she had been strong and survived. For that he was grateful. His son, the Crown Prince would not be joining them this evening. At the express order of Balian himself. While he was sure he’d make a good leader some day, the king was acutely aware of his lacking sense of diplomacy and to some extent, empathy. His son had a hard time understanding people outside his own social class.

And that is crucial.

The door in front of him swung open. It wasn’t the main door into the hall. It was in the opposite end. Those at the table couldn’t see him until he stepped onto the dais. When Balian did so, he lingered for a second. It both reassured and worried him that they were already talking and drinking wine.

How did they get wine? He thought for a moment. They weren’t supposed to have that until food was at the table. A few nervous servants looked upon their king with very apologetic expressions.

It was, of course, the wizard from before who was entertaining everyone. Balian stepped down from the high dais and toward the table, back straight and hands behind his back. He stopped behind his chair and looked around.
“Friends! I apologize for keeping you waiting. I see you have already made yourselves comfortable.” He looked at the wizard. “But no more. You must be hungry?” His eyes found those of the skinny farm girl, then the orc and several others.
“Hungry?” Callion piped up, standing behind the one called Thomas. “I believe I could eat a horse, the typical size of a horse being upwards of a 1000 kilograms, or over 2200 pounds for those of you who don’t understand the metric system.” The Wizard strolled around the table, his hand swinging a goblet of wine as he did so. “Despite already having some bread…and yet no soup!” Callion glared at the help. “Which I expressly ordered the moment I got in here, after assuring myself that the table and its many accompanying utensils were indeed not trapped. Tell me, good help…are you good help? Where is my soup?” There was a brief pause before Callion seemed to realize what exactly he was doing and straightened himself. “Right, of course we’ll be eating right away, no need to make a large horse out of a small mouse, or a meal out of an appetizer in this case. Come, let us feast like Kings with a King!” With all that said and done, Callion appeared to calm down and take a seat between Garos and Mara.

Balian had a hard time suffering fools. But this was more amusing than anything else. He stood and watched the wizard rant and even cracked a smile from time to time. It seemed, however, that the man remembered where he was and who he at the moment kept waiting. He calmed down and sat down between the farm girl and the.. Orc? Balian stretched out his arms and looked at them all.

“I shall take Mr. Lightson’s description as an expression of how you all feel. At least regarding your hunger.” He added the latter part after a moments thought. “And you have, of course been waiting far too long.”
With that, he signaled to the servants, and they quickly scurried off to fetch the meal they would be eating. Meanwhile, Balian looked around and silently wondered how they had been given wine. The help had not been willing to give them anything to eat other than the bread, but somehow they had acquired wine?

I cannot have them drunk. He thought to himself. At least not yet…

What they did after he retired to his chambers, he wasn’t really that concerned with. But for now, they’d have to remain civil and clear-headed. Furthermore, if they got drunk, they might start asking questions to which he’d have no answers. And that simply wouldn’t do.

A medium-sized door to the right of the king swung open and out streamed one servant after the other. They each carried a plate with food and some brought ale, mead and wine. They wouldn’t be missing anything at this table. It was a proper meal before their journey. It had large beef and pork roasts, sausages, and other meals of meat. Meat pies and bread. Even the occasional salad. Balian new the cook and he nearly salivated right there looking at all of it. Instead, however, he took a seat and smiled.

“Please, let us not stand on ceremony more than we need to.” He gestured to every body and then the food. “Eat!”