Speak further to Talaitha

Once you have resumed your clothing (you are compelled to slip the ceremonial breastplate on your shoulders without buckling it; it seems odd to ask for Talaitha's help!), you open your coin purse and withdraw four gold coins - a high price indeed for a fortune-teller, but whether Talaitha's power is real or not, it seems that she has earned a premium fee for her services.

"You are very generous, King Xavier," she says, bowing at the waist as she accepts the coins.

"May I ask a personal question, Talaitha?"

"Of course."

"I notice that your own wagon and tents are placed some distance away from your fellow Romani, and I am told that you do not mingle with them. Why is this?"

Talaitha sighs softly. "My methods of communing with the Spirit World are... unusual," she says. "Among my people, it is considered shameful to offer such intimacy outside of marriage; it matters not that I do it only to secure a connection between my subject and the Spirits. I am only tolerated because my notoriety attracts curiosity, and potential customers for those who use a more traditional approach - and because even my own people dare not risk angering the Spirits by banishing me completely. When I must walk among them, I am permitted to do so only with my face covered, and Hanzi speaks for me. It is a very lonely existence in many ways, but it would seem to be my fate."

"Perhaps you might ask the Spirits if something better lies in store for you," you suggest.

"Alas, that is not possible. I can only ask the Spirits about others, not myself. It is not because they do not answer; it is because they offer too many answers, and because I have my own dreams and desires, I cannot separate what is true from what I might wish to be true - or from what I might fear." She pauses a moment, then says, "King Xavier, I wonder if I might be so bold as to ask you a personal question as well."

"Certainly."

"Do you believe what I have told you this day? Do you believe in the truth of my power?"

"I began my life as a worker of iron," you say. "Such a life teaches one to believe in hard fact - to put faith in what is undeniable and proven. When one takes the metal to the forge, it does no good to believe that it is good iron; one must examine it carefully and know that it is. If the iron is of poor quality, then one must accept it and work within the material's limits. There is iron fit for a warrior's sword, and there is iron fit for a plowhorse's shoes, and a smith must have no illusions about which is which.

"Then, as King, I learned that one must be skeptical and shrewd; that people are often false, either because they indulge in flattery or because they seek to subvert a King's power and use it for their own means. Finally, my opinions have been shaped largely by my first advisor, Lord Duncan, who rejects the mystical arts in all forms; I must say in all honesty that he would consider you an utter fraud, and the coin and time I have spent on you to be wasted. That having been said, I cannot say whether your power is real or not; but I am convinced that you believe it is real and that you are not deliberately trying to deceive me. It also seems to me that whether it comes from the Spirits or not, you have shown that you have a strong insight and perception. As for what you have told me... time will tell, and you yourself have said that the Spirits are not always right."

She smiles, a very genuine smile this time, and nods at your words. "I think you have achieved a wisdom much greater than your youth would imply, King Xavier."

A thought occurs to you suddenly. "Talaitha, is there any restriction upon you mingling with others outside of your own people? Would you be compelled to cover your face and speak through Hanzi if you were to simply walk about in the city, or visit the castle?"

"It would likely cause no little concern among my people if I were to do so, but they have no power to forbid it."

"In that case, it would please me if you would come and attend the opening ceremonies to the festival as my guest," you say to her, "and to the reception and feast to follow. It seems wrong to me that you are denied even conversation with any besides Hanzi and your occasional customer, and while you are here in Elyssia I would prefer you feel that you are welcomed among friends."

Her eyes go wide with surprise. "That is... most generous, King Xavier. I would be delighted, and honored."

"Splendid! Hanzi may attend as well, if he so desires. I will arrange for the City Watch to keep a guard on your campsite, as I imagine that there are many curious visitors who would take advantage of your absence and pry into your personal effects."

"Again, I am overwhelmed by your generosity." She bows to you. "I thank you, King of Iron. You offer much kindness to one who is unaccustomed to such."

"Then I shall send a watchman and one of the Kingsguard to escort you in one hour; I fear that I must make my own preparations and am unable to take you to the castle myself." You hold out your hand, and after a moment's hesitation she offers hers, and you take it and gently kiss her fingers. "I take my leave now, Talaitha."

Outside the tent, you find Hanzi scratching Steelheart's neck in his favorite places; it did not take long for the boy to learn where they were! "I see my steed has not suffered in my absence," you say to him as you approach.

"Your Majesty!" Hanzi says, bowing to you.

"Rest at ease, young man. I have just invited your mistress to the castle for the opening ceremonies of the festival, and it would please me if you would attend as well."

Hanzi's eyes go as round as tea saucers. "To the castle?"

"Indeed. You would be most welcome."

Hanzi stammers for a moment. "I... I do not know what to say!"

"I hope you will say that you will be there."

"Yes, yes, of course, Your Majesty!" Hanzi's face is lit up like a spring sunrise... then suddenly, his good mood collapses. "But... my clothes are all as these. It would shame me to appear before your noble guests as one dressed in rags."

You reach into your purse and extract three silver coins. "Use these, if you will, to acquire whatever raiment you see fit. Here in Elyssia, we celebrate the various cultures from which our people hail, and so it would please me to see you appear in whatever the Romani view as appropriate for such an occasion."

The boy is close to tears as he takes the coins from you with a shaking hand. You wonder for a moment what his relationship is to Talaitha... is he her son, perhaps? One who uses her methods would certainly be prone to pregnancy, but you DID have a rather good look at her naked body, and she did not show the signs of a woman who had once borne a child. Well, this is not the time nor place to ask such things.

"I take my leave of you, Master Hanzi," you say to him as you mount up on Steelheart, "and I thank you for taking such good care of my horse. I shall see you at the castle shortly."