“If you do be finding Cerioth, your best option do be running.”  Durrak said, “If I no did be a fool, I no would be looking to fight with her.  But she did be destroying Farenholm, killing all my people and taking up residence in the halls of my ancestors.  For that, I do be owning her.”

“She ate my Master.”  Callindra said, “I plan to cut her open and see if he’s still inside.”

With that, she turned and walked from the table.  Lorin watched her go, eyes searching for a hint about what possible danger she thought she could pose to a fly, let alone a dragon.

“Did you be noticing her hands?”  Durrak asked, “She do be a left handed fighter, light blade, fast footwork.  She do be wearing that ‘lady’ disguise well.”

“You really think she’s dangerous?”  Lorin asked, still mesmerized by the sway of her hips as she walked away.  “Beautiful as a naked blade, but other than how she moves, I would never have guessed…”

“Oh, I do be certain, Lorin.”  Durrak took a cigar from his pouch and blew a plume of dull red smoke to curl through the air.  “If there do be one who might beat me to Cerioth, it do be her.  We should be working together, but I no do be knowing if we can be trusting her.”

Abruptly, Lorin stood and hurried in the direction Callindra had gone.  “What the hell, why don’t we ask her?”  He said, giving Durrak a grin.

–

Callindra was worried about her friends after they hadn’t followed her in, but even more, now that The Order had threatened her in public.  If Ellen Eth allowed this type of behavior at a ball, there was little doubt that worse was to come for guards and servants.  She also wouldn’t be at all surprised if knives in the night were next.

As she walked toward the stairway where she’d come in, a guard stepped forward from an alcove where he had been watching unobtrusively.  “Pardon Lady, but my Lady ‘Orien would like to speak with you.”  He gestured toward a raised dais where she could see Ellen Eth sitting at a low marble table.  The woman was staring at her.

“Of course, I would be delighted to make her acquaintance.”  She said with forced enthusiasm.  “I wouldn’t have thought she would want to meet me personally.”

“My Lady meets with all of her guests personally.”  He said, “She only invites those with whom she wishes to speak.  Lady ‘Orien finds these casual parties to be far preferable to a formal audience.”

“I see.”  Callindra said, “It makes sense to wish to meet informally first.”  It certainly did make sense.  In this setting, most of her potential enemies would be unable to carry a weapon, and if they did, it would be difficult to conceal anything in formal wear.

With a nod to the guard, she made her way toward the dais.  She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, glancing back she saw the Elf Lorin walking toward the guard with a purposeful stride.  If he was following her, she decided to deal with him after Ellen Eth.

Callindra approached the table and curtseyed deeply while keeping eye contact.  “Lady ‘Orien, it is a pleasure to meet you.”  She said as she rose.

“Charmed, I’m sure.”  Ellen Eth said, giving her a smile that did not touch her eyes. “I must say you are not at all what I imagined you would be.”

“We are rarely exactly as expected, Lady.”  Said Callindra with a slight inclination of her head.  “I trust the differences are positive ones?”

“Based on the exploits I’ve heard of the Adamantine Brotherhood and the reputation of battle mages from The Order, I rather thought you would be more martial in both appearance and manner.”  She said, “I was surprised when you did not send Rrayu away and even more so when I heard the reports of your drastic changes in appearance and manner the evening you arrived.”

Callindra hesitated but decided that the truth was as likely to work as anything.  “When my life required me to know how to be a warrior, I became a warrior.  When I had to be a Lady, I learned to be a Lady.”  She shrugged, “Off hand, I would say being a warrior is easier and less dangerous.”

Ellen Eth blinked, the only thing betraying her surprise.  “Ah, well.  I suppose your training to become The Sol’Estin could hardly have included courtly arts.”

A laugh burst from her before Callindra could stop it.  “Oh, gods and demons no.”  Just thinking about Glarian trying to teach her how to wear stays or walk in skirts nearly made her dissolve into helpless laughter again.

“Of course.  Rumor has it that he was a bit of a recluse?”  She gestured, and a servant stepped from the shadows with goblets and a pair of bottles.  “Is it true that The Order disbarred him?”

“I don’t know all the history, but from what he told me, they could not remove him without trial by combat, and none of them had the skill or power to defeat him,”  Callindra said, watching as the servant poured her a goblet of mead.

“Why would he break the bylaws and train a student after being forbidden to do so?”  Ellen Eth mused, accepting a glass of dark red wine from the servant.

“I’m sure he had his reasons,”  Callindra said, taking a sip of the excellent mead.  “But I saw him practicing the Korumn and wouldn’t stop begging him to teach me the Sword until he agreed.”    Her head felt lighter than it should.  She’d never told anyone that before, and it seemed as though she should be thinking more before she answered.