Audience with the duke

We were taken through into a dining hall, where the air was thick with the scent of old wood and burning candles. The room was grand, with high ceilings adorned with faded tapestries that told stories of times long past. A long, oak table dominated the centre of the hall, set with fine bronze plates and silverware that gleamed in the dim light. An elderly man entered through a door at the end of the hall, her looked to be in his fifties with white receding hair. He was accompanied by his personal guard, understandably defensive when he was about to converse with a wolvir.

“Welcome, I am duke Sebastian of Turndale. Please take a seat and food will be brought shortly.” He said in a hoarse voice.

As the duke took a seat at the head of the table, I sat on the opposite to him, Elle sat on my left, a few of my warriors seated themselves too, and Sylvie and Melantha dutifully stood behind me.

“Greetings, I am king Fen, of the wolvir kingdom. This is my queen and mate, Ellanor.” I introduced Elle to the duke, and he nodded to her, giving a warm smile. She politely nodded back, giving an equally warm smile as well.

“I must say, this is new to me. A wolvir wanting an audience with me. And with an human woman as his queen, very different times are upon us. With what your letter spoke of, you want to propose a trade deal?” He said.

“Getting straight to it I see, I like it.” I said to him with honeyed words. “Yes. As I said in my letter, I have recently been made king of the wolvir kingdom, and I wish to propose a deal with neighbouring kingdoms so that my own will prosper along side with new allies.” I explained.

“Your letter mentioned about meats and furs, what else do you have to offer?” He asked.

“We are excellent hunters, and know how to properly use our kills. The meats and furs will be of emasculate quality. And we can offer our other expertise.”

“Oh, and what is that?”

“War. We have won one against the orcs, and we are very adept in fighting. You would be hard pressed to find any other capable warriors than of the wolvir kingdom. We can offer some mercenaries to protect your town from threats.”

“I see, I see.” He pondered whilst bridging his fingers. “But I know deep down you do not want my resources from this deal do you?” He said bluntly. He had me there.

“No. Your liege, your king is who I truly seek to make an audience with.” I truthfully told him. “I want the steel they produce.”

“Well, the king of Steelton owns the iron mines located in and around Steelton. He also has skilled craftsmen that help produce the steel of the city. Steelton is one of the largest producers of the finest steel weapons and products in these lands.” He explains. “The king, bless his soul, has no heir. And by rights, male succession is what is accepted, and I happen to be next in line. Let’s say if I were in power of Steelton, I became the next king, I would be more inclined to offer the steel and the teachings on how to craft the best weapons.”

As the duke finished his sentence, a female servant entered the hall with a tray of food. The aroma of roasted meats and freshly baked bread filled the room. The servant set the tray down on the table and began to serve the food.

The servant, a woman with dark brown hair tied neatly in a bun, moved with quiet grace as she placed the tray on the table. Her pear shaped figure was draped in a simple yet clean dress. Her features were delicate, with high cheekbones and a soft jawline, giving her an understated elegance and almost innocent look. As she served the food, her eyes met mine briefly, revealing a flicker of curiosity before she looked away, her movements precise and practiced. The room seemed to pause for a moment, the weight of the negotiation pressing down as the scent of delicacies filled the air.

I couldn’t help but take a glance at the servant’s big ass as she walked away. The dress she wore hugged her curvy rear end enticingly, making me hungry for something else besides the food in the table. I then refocused my attention back to duke Sebastian.

“How would you propose we settle this matter?” I asked him, seeking for any mistrust or deceitful was in him.

“We are on the brink of war with a neighbouring kingdom. They have been growing stronger in the past few months. If yourself and your warriors assist me in repelling our enemies, and showing that I would be more competent as a king, we will have a deal. And if the king dies during our battles, then so be it. It will be a win-win for both of us.”

After some consideration, I agreed to his terms.

“Wonderful!” He clapped. “You are my guest tonight, and will have the finest room we have to offer. Tomorrow we will ride for Steelton, there we will meet the king, and devise our plan.”

We then conversed with each other, sharing stories and experiences. I learned he is well respected in his role as duke, and he means to help his kingdom and people prosper, like I intend to. We told each other our customs and cultures, he learned more of wolvir taking thralls and the mating ceremony. I learned that their kingdom was one of the best at architecture and weapon manufacturing.

After we ate and drank our fill, I made my way with Elle to our room for the night. My warriors took up simple lodgings in a tavern not far from the keep, whilst my thralls took up residence in the servants quarters.

On the way to my room, I spotted the same servant girl from earlier who served us food. An idea came to mind.

An intriguing idea!