The Reception

The rest of the day passes by in a blur and a whirlwind. You give a much shorter version of the speech Duncan wrote for you in the city square, to much applause from the people, and then go to endure the reception and feast afterward. Despite all these distractions, you find it nearly impossible to put Trina's kiss from your mind.

Trina herself, it should be noted, shows no outward sign that anything is any different. She remains as stoic and duty-bound as she has always been, spending half her time standing at attention by the main doors and the other half circling slowly about the room, keeping a watchful eye. Because you wished them to enjoy the festival, you made certain that Captain Navarre gave the Kingsguard ample time away from their duties that they might join the celebrations, but Trina will not be dismissed from duty until late this evening.

And if she were, what then? It's not like you can just talk to her as if she were any other woman, and if you could then what might you possibly say?

"If I may be so bold, Sire, you seem to have more on your mind this evening than just the celebrations."

You turn to face the voice, and discover Lady Arethousa has approached carrying a goblet of chilled white wine in each hand, one of which she offers to you. "Does it show so clearly?" you ask, accepting the drink.

"It is my business to see when men and women are troubled," she says with a tiny shrug of her shoulders. "Many come to the pools to let the steam and vapors carry away that which weighs on their minds, and as proprietor it is my place to do my best to help them forget, at least for a time... or to listen as they speak of their burdens."

"I have no doubt that you could offer me sorely-needed comfort, Arethousa," you say, "had I not given my word that I would not speak of it. But, I assure you it is a personal matter, one which concerns me as a man and not as King."

"I know what your word means to you, Xavier. If you cannot speak of it, then you cannot. But do not let it fester unresolved... I sense that this is something which will not be going away on its own."

"I fear you are correct, my lady."

"Of course, there is one with whom you may speak of it without breaking your word, and that would be she to whom you gave it in the first place."

"Well, I'm not sure that would be -" you pause for a moment, looking at Arethousa with a raised eyebrow. "What makes you think I speak of a woman?"

Arethousa smiles softly. "Sire, do you think I cannot tell when a man is troubled by thoughts of a woman? I know well the ways of the heart, and I know how those ways show in the eyes." Then her own eyes flicker to the left, and her expressions shifts at once from mischievous to bright and inviting. "Ah, Lord Kristoff, how wonderful to see you in good health! I understand Sir Benedicht will be bringing glory to your house by competing in the lists on the morrow?"

"Indeed," the elderly man says in his thickly-accented voice as he approaches. "My son is favored to win, at least among those from Elyssia. It is hard to say how he will do against those visiting from other lands, but I have every confidence in him. Lord Bertrand and I have something of a large wager, as his own son Thibault will be jousting as well. Sire," he says, bowing his head to you.

Strict protocol would have demanded that he greet you before saying anything else, but of course that is not something you make a habit of standing on. In any event, the house of Degermark is a special case; they were among the first settlers of Elyssia, and the closest thing the kingdom has to native nobility. It took some time for Lord Kristoff to support your rule, even after Benedicht joined the Kingsguard, but he has become a strong ally among the populace. "I am looking forward to the joust myself," you say, pushing thoughts of Trina's lips from your mind. "It will be the first time we have had such a contest in tournament, as we have never before had sufficient numbers of those who have the skill. I have never even attempted it, myself."

"Ah, Sire, if I may be so bold, I would strongly encourage you to practice the joust! My son will be pleased to offer instruction, I am sure. The joust is the most noble of combat skills; indeed, the very mark of knighthood..."

Lord Kristoff goes on at length about the majesty of the joust, while your mind irresistibly wanders back to the fleeting feel of those soft, full lips against your own.

The evening seems interminable, but at last the hour draws near when you might take your leave without seeming unmannerly. Lady Trina was dismissed from her duties at the ten o'clock bell, and she immediately left the party to pursue her own interests. You had an impulse to follow... but that would have been impossible, even if it were not inadvisable.

Your mind goes back to what Arethousa had said earlier, about how people go to the pools to let their troubles evaporate for a while. The appeal of that is undeniable... but it occurs to you that you may need more than a dip in the waters to clear your head! Arethousa, you know, is more than just the proprietor of the pools; she is also the manager of Elyssia's only brothel. You have never patronized the establishment - before you were King, you simply did not have the coin to spare on such indulgences, and of course after you became King it would have been unseemly. But, she has made it clear that if you ever wished to partake of such services, she could see to it that your patronage could be kept discreet and that no one need know of it...