Part 5 (1/2)
It took a massive application of will power on the Princess's part not to push herself away from James Her frozen smile looked almost painful as she said, ”Really?” while behind her, Kazaht upturn of his mouth, the hint of a smile
Just then James spied William, who had been stationed by the table of refreshhnesses” He signaled for the young cadet to approach and when Willia William conDoin, son of the duke of Stardock and cousin to our Prince He's about to be coht-Lieutenant in the Prince's army” He quickly named his companions in order of rank
Instantly the Princess's ain she was the vivacious charmer Willia ifts ”Perhaps the cadet could show me some of the palace, while you entertain lanced at Swordmaster McWirth, who stood near the dais and with a nod of his head co nobility The old swordhtly sour, but he nodded and James said, ”Williaallery and Princess Anita's gardens”
As saged herself from James's arm and attached herself to Williaht?” asked the Princess
”Will, Your Highness My friends call me Will”
As William led the Princess off toward the tapestry hall, James indicated the food and wine to Prince Vladic, then Prince Kazaoblet of wine and sipped it ”Very good,” he said ”Darkmoor?”
James nodded ”I believe so Most of our best wines co any?”
James smiled ”I'm on duty”
Kazamir nodded ”I understand By the way, you handled that very deftly Not ive up my sister's company so easily”
”I can well believe it,” said Ja about her”
Vladic studied Ja hi sized up as a possible opponent Vladic said, ”You're perceptive, squire My cousin has a need to be adreat ic A char purchased from a woman who dabbles in such trinkets in our homeland I fear this need for male attention that drives Paulina will eventually create difficulties for her future husband”
”Then she should either reat patience”
Vladic nodded, as he slipped his wine He then took a small slice of melon frohtly indicating satisfaction with the fruit ”The court here in the west is a refreshi+ng change from some of the environments we've discovered east of Salador”
Jas are very different I've not spent much time in the east, but it is”
”More civilized?” provided Kazamir
James smiled ”I was about to say older, but if you prefer civilized, I'll concede the point”
Vladic smiled, and for the first tiuard down a tiny bit ”Well, it's a function of perspective, I warrant Our nations are very old, while this Western Realoblin in centuries There are six other states of some size between the far northern lands and Olasko”
”Elves are interesting,” replied Jaoblins to last ht, but that they ,” ventured Kaza that carries a sword or bow, I guess” Jaed ”I' I don't understand the appeal of the sport”
”It livens up an otherwise dull life,” said Vladic
Jarinned ”I've never found life to be dull, so I suppose that's why”
”You're a lucky h, but other than that, there's little to occupy a man who craves excitement”
Vladic said, ”My cousin is like lory in overt fashi+on But the skills of are of the hunt, those are secondary in i to so whispered into his ear by one of the local nobles ”He seeks office, or a suitable husband for a daughter or an ally against an eneue is a way of life in hed ”That's Squire Randolph of Silverstown I think he's trying to convince the Prince to get one of his pesky neighbors to move his cattle off Silverstown's h ”A very shtly nettled to bein Krondor?” asked Jaed ”Father has planned this as a tour of the west, so I expect we'll stay a few days beforeon He wishes to hunt the Trollhoreat boars reside, as well as wild trolls and even, if true, dragons”
Ja spied a dragonfor one?”
Kazamir's expression darkened ”A etic gesture ”A jest, and obviously a poor one It is just that dragons are everything you've heard of and more If you hunt one, take an arhtly, but Jaated He continued, ”Even trolls are to be avoided unless you absolutely must face one The lowland trolls erous than any lion or bear you roups of two or o hunting theht back”
”Interesting,” was all that Vladic said Then he added, ”How is the hunting in this region?”
”Yes,” said Kazaed ”If you go north, up into the foothills of the Calastius Mountains, you'll find a good population of gaet high into the hills there's a leopards Occasionally a wyvern coon as I'd be willing to face”
”If we stay for e a trip into those mountains?” asked Vladic
Jae with the huntuides and men-at-arh terrain, where game is still plentiful”
Vladic looked pleased, as did his cousin ”Good I will speak withon his plans, perhaps I will prevail upon him to depart the day after on such a journey”
Kazamir's smile broadened a bit ”I suspect, however, you'd better also contrive soone”
Jah from Kazamir The squire said, ”I think I will prevail upon Princess Anita to fashi+on that distraction I suspect ht be faced with soiven the duty to attend your sister”
”Yet you felt no difficulty in turning her over to that young cadet,” observed Kazauarded tone
James leaned over and lowered his voice in a conspiratorial fashi+on ”Young Will lacksexperience No matter how attractive your sister, she would have to initiate anythingbeyond an aard flirtation, I think And if I's, I doubt she will”
Kazahed ”You rasp of certain subtleties is not Yes,a well-connected husband She will not lessen her chances of such by any idle dalliance Her husband will expect her unsullied on their wedding night, and she will be But she willmen very unhappy until that tiround, his view of such issues was far less critical; he had known too many women while a boy, and as a man who enjoyed the pleasures of the bed, to think much of the notion that men had different standards froh men, noble and common, who felt differently that he appreciated the prevalence of that attitude
”Given her use ofenhances difficult back home?”
”Most men in Olasko are terrified of her father,” said Vladic, putting down his now e a refill by one of the servants ”In ed and nodded his head in agreement ”Seems a wise course were I a citizen of your nation; the duke appears a most formidable man”
Kazamir's smile vanished ”As all would do well to note, James” James was certain that remark was more directed at Vladic than at hi for men of my nation to pursue a prize like my sister”
James blinked in confusion ”Prize?”