Approach the chateau

The king and princess descend into the valley toward the location for their meeting. Stewart says, "It is fascinating to me how little we know about the people with whom we will be meeting. They are just as much citizens of Mirantia as you and I, but it is as if we are approaching foreign emissaries."

"It was not always this way," remarks Adella. "In the time of our grandparents, the magical and the mortal were much closer. The history books are unclear about what it is that resulted in the division and distrust."

"We can only hope that our efforts this day will result in a restoration of the relationship between the two races," said Stewart, hopefully.

"Even in referring to the 'two races' there is much misunderstanding," says Adella. "When we speak of magical beings, that encompasses such a wide variety of species. Elves, dwarfs, centaurs, hexenbiests... Those we refer to as 'magical' are much more varied than we who claim the classification of 'mortal.'"

Stewart nods. This is something he knew, but it was good to be reminded.

"Do we even know what species Althesire is?" asks Adella.

Stewart looked at his sister in surprise. "Actually, I do not," he admitted. "Until this moment, I guess I assumed he is basically like us -- only magical."

Adella frowns. "That would have been helpful information to glean. The fact that he wrote to you in an ancient language suggests that he is from one of the old, old races, but it could very well be that Old Gortenhäggen is merely a ceremonial language used in official correspondence. If so, there's no telling what his ancestry is."

"Do you expect that he will speak in Old Gortenhäggen?" asks Stewart. "It will be quite tiresome if everything has to be translated."

"I hope not. I feel much more comfortable with my written abilities, as opposed to my oral skills."

Stewart winces as she says "oral skills." He had pretty much banished the impure thoughts of his sister from his imagination until that prompting.

"Be that as it may," replied the king, "I will count on you to redirect me if you sense that I am stumbling into dangerous waters. I do not want to create a political conflict because of a cultural gaffe."

Their conversation stops as they near the chateau, and the door at the entrance opens. Stewart attempts to keep the surprise from showing on his face as he takes in the appearance of the being who emerges. He is easily as tall as Stewart and generally humanoid in appearance, except for the very noticeable fact that his face appears to be a blending of human and a silver-furred fox.

"Greetings," he says, approaching the royal couple with outstretched arms. "Althesire I am being. Cordiality and pelvic thrusts to you from my scrotum!"

Stewart and Adella exchange looks of bewilderment.