Techromancy Scrolls: Adept (11 page)

I dished up my plate, feeling a little guilty how high I had it piled. There were just so many choices. But I had my eyes set on the large slice of roast beef laying on top of the bed of mashed potatoes and carrots that I had slathered with beef gravy. I haven't seen a piece of beef that large in years, my mouth was watering.

I moved off toward the stables and then saw Jace waving at me I made my way over and squinted at his plate. I said, “No you don't little brother. You get some vegetables and beef or wild turkey on that plate before you eat those sweet rolls.”

His shoulders sagged and his eyes dropped. He hopped out of the long bench seat and took his plate, looking at his feet. “Yes Laney.” I chuckled to myself. I used to do the same thing.

I set my plate down and started to slide into the seat when a voice I was getting quite fond of asked, “I thought you were sitting with us.” I turned and looked up bashfully and brushed some loose hair out of my face. I couldn't help but smile at my Lady.

I looked back at the tables filled with boisterous knights then around at the commoners tables. People were just staring at Celeste, no doubt wondering why a Knight of the Realm was speaking with a herder. I lowered my voice. “I'll not embarrass the knights by sitting there.”

She gave me a toothy grin that was half dare, then she sat her plate beside mine and said, “Fine, We'll just sit here then. Let me just call Vena and Kristof over.”

She started to sit and I grabbed her arm to stop her, squeaking out, “No, you're a Lady!” Embarrassed for her since she didn't have the sense to be embarrassed for herself. A gasp and murmuring ripped through the nearby tables. I looked at my hand then Lady Celeste and I quickly dropped my hand and bowed deeply looking at my feet. What they hell did I think I was doing? I had laid hands on a Lady.

It was her turn to look around, giving a nervous chuckle and an apologetic smile to all of the people now staring at us. She grabbed my arm and hauled me up. “Stop that Laney, grab your plate and come with me.” She picked up her plate again and looked at me expectantly.

I glanced back at the buffet tables where Jace was in line, staring over at us with wide eyes. I lowered my eyes, “I can't, Jace is here.”

She followed my eyes then smiled at my brother, “Grand! He can join us to. Now grab your plate and lets go before you make a bigger scene.” I blushed again and took a deep breath then grabbed my plate. She looked at Jace and pointed to the tables packed with knights and his jaw about hit the ground.

Then with her free hand, Lady Celeste offered me her elbow. I blinked and placed a hand in the crook of her arm and she stood tall and elegant and walked me to the table where Verna, with a wicked grin on her face, was sitting. I noted she was shortening her stride to accommodate me. I didn't want to embarrass my Lady farther so I walked with my chin up, ignoring all the stares and the sudden silence from where the nobles were gathered.

She helped me into the bench beside Lady Verna, then sat on my other side. Again I felt like a child between these two tall, strong women. Verna had nothing but a mischievous smile for me as she said simply, “Laney.” Then looked past me as I bowed slightly, as she said to Celeste, “You're about as subtle as a bull moose you know that?”

Celeste brightened. “I've been told that once or twice.” Then added with a smirk, “By you.”

Verna added, “You've embarrassed the poor woman.”

Celeste's smile dampened a bit and she looked at me. She caught my eyes, “Sorry Laney.”

I shrugged and tried to play it off. “No worries. I need to verify my heart is actually beating from time to time.”

The knights around me hefted their mugs and bellowed, “Here here!” I had to smile at the boisterous lot as one across from me sloppily poured some juice into the mug in front of me. And then I noted that with that, the nobles seemed to have lost interest and went back to their own conversations.

I was about to speak when I noted Jace was approaching the table, his eyes still bugged out. Celeste followed my gaze then bumped shoulders with a handsome knight with flowing black hair and a chiseled jaw. “Tennison, make room for our guest.”

The large man, like Verna, was quite muscular. He playfully pushed the man next to him and who bumped the next man off the end of the bench. Everyone laughed and the ejected knight pulled a barrel over and sat at the end of the table and just kept eating like some sort of machine.

Jace stood there, still in his hero worship shock, and Celeste chuckled at him took his plate and set it next to her and suddenly he was flying. Sir Tennison had just reached back and hoisted Jace by the back of his britches with one hand like he weighed nothing and sat him at the bench between him and Celeste.

My Lady gave him a crinkled nose smile, “Hi Jace. We meet again.”

He looked around and just nodded. He'd find his voice soon then they won't be able to shut him up.

Celeste called out around her, “Knights! Laney Herder, maiden of the realm, and her strapping brother Jace!” They all pounded their mugs and made sounds of greeting. I buried my face against Celetes's armored shoulder.

Verna slapped my back and chuckled. “She'll get her's one day Laney, just you wait and see.” I smiled back at her from my shelter. Then the large man beside her with short stubbly red hair and a full red beard said, “Let us feast, there will be time for talk later.”

Celeste grinned down at me as I pulled away from her, she agreed, “Kristof is right.” Then she grabbed her fork and knife and attacked her plate. I did the same. I ate the vegetables first, working around the roast beef. I have a thing for carrots, I've always loved the taste, they were especially good with that beef gravy over them. I tunneled under the beef, getting all the mashed potatoes.

I glanced around and Jace was devouring everything. I don't think we have eaten so much as we had the past few days. We couldn't seem to get enough. I finished the wild rice then I pulled apart a biscuit and used it to sop up some of the gravy on the plate. There were bacon bits in the biscuit!

Then I just looked at that slice of roast beef. I had already eaten so much but my mouth was still watering as I picked up my knife and planned my attack. I glanced up and found five or six knights just staring at me, not eating.

Celeste had a crease between her eyes and Kristof leaned in so I could see him around Lady Verna. “You've been working around that slab of meat the whole meal, like you were afraid to touch it.”

I shrugged and just offered with a smile, “We don't get much meat, except chicken. This was just a treat for myself. I've never seen such a slice.” Celeste looked mad again. I was starting to get nervous as some knights looked at their meals then sat their silverware down and pushed their half empty plates away.

What? Now I know I had committed some sort of social faux pas. I wish I had paid more attention to the manners and etiquette lessons mother gave me. I tried to ignore everyone and I sliced off a piece of the meat. I made sure to catch some gravy with it then took a bite. I closed my eyes and savored it on my tongue for a moment before I started chewing.

I opened my eyes and noted they were all still watching me. I wasn't sure what to do, so I said with my mouth still full, “This is good.” A cheer went up and everyone turned back to their plates except the few that pushed theirs away. As I ate I leaned into Celeste and said, “Are all knights this easily amused?”

She just smiled softly at me and said gently, “Finish your roast.”

Verna leaned over and explained, “We knights fight to protect those under our care, to make sure they never want for anything. You just remind us that sometimes the sword is not enough.”

I thought I was starting to understand and I started chewing slower. I had shamed them. That wasn't my intent. I smiled a smile I wasn't feeling at her, Celeste placed a hand on my shoulder, and I just kept my head down and finished eating.

I glanced over when Jace asked my Lady, “Is that a real sword? You didn't have it in the church. Is it heavy?”

She winked at him, stood, and stepped away from the table and drew her sword in one fluid motion and laid it across her arm, offering the hilt to him. “See for yourself.”

His eyes shot wide. “Really?” Then he sought out my eyes and I couldn't stop smiling as I gave him a little nod.

He took the leather bound hilt in both of his small hands, not quite getting them all the way around. Then he hefted it. The blade was almost as long as him. He overbalanced and the tip drooped toward the ground. Celeste's foot shot out and the tip clinked on her armor before it could hit the ground. Jace smiled at everyone watching him as he grunted and raised it into the air. It must have weighed half as much as him.

He looked at me. “It is heavy.”

Sir Tennison stood with a chuckle, he was bigger than I thought, maybe six foot four or so. “Celeste's toy? Here's a real sword.” He reached back into his cape and started drawing out a double handed sword from his back scabbard. The blade seemed to go on forever. It must have been five feet long.

Celeste was grinning at the man and retrieved her sword from Jace who was mesmerized by the double handed sword. He placed it in Jace's hands then everyone laughed when he released it and Jace fell to the ground, the blade falling flat and clattering on the cobblestones. Sir Tennison apparently wasn't as picky about his sword hitting the ground as Celeste was.

The big man hoisted Jace up, clapped his back, and said, “Do me proud and work hard, get strong, and one day you may be a knight with your own sword when you are grown.”

Jace nodded enthusiastically, “Yes sir. I promise.” The man pushed him back then looked around, holding his hand out to keep people clear as he walked a circle around his sword then with a scooping kicking motion of his toe, He flipped the sword into his hand and he made a complex slashing display, switching from hand to hand

He transitioned to a double handed grip, and made two slashing upward strikes then swung at the ground with all his might. The blade tip stopped less than an inch from the ground, showing his great control and strength to stop it. He tapped the ground with a little “ting” then stood and deftly slid the blade into his back scabbard.

Everyone clapped and he bowed at Jace then sat back down. It was then I noted the crest on the sash over his armor, the lightning bolt crossed with a sword. He was a Techno Knight like Celeste!

She was still standing there with her sword. She made some silly wiggling movements with hers and did a funny slash in the air and deftly slid her blade into her scabbard without looking as a counterpoint to her comical display. She stuck her tongue out at Tennison and everyone laughed and clapped. The big man got a kick out of it.

She sat back down with me, her eyes twinkling. I had to look down as heat spread across my cheeks. Then she tilted her head to look past me as she made an “Eww” face. “See what I mean? I needed you to save me from that lot.” She nudged her chin.

I glanced over and covered my mouth with my hand in surprise. Lady Verna and Sir Kristof were kissing. Celeste mimed sitting back in a chair as she folded her arms behind her head and prompted, “So tell me more about Laney.”

For the next hour we just sat and chatted. I had almost forgot where we were and the other knights around us. I only had eyes for her and I ate up anything she shared about herself. Jace would sometimes chime in to add embarrassing corrections to some of my stories.

When she asked about my first scavenging run from the keep after I had discovered I was a sensitive for copper, I spoke of the wonder and excitement of it all. Of my first find and how excited I was in the salvage intake courtyard with all the wonders around it. Then my shock at how much coin I received and how it would help to purchase the medicines for mother. When I finished, I looked around and found that some of the knights had stopped what they were doing and had sat in rapt attention as I spoke. Verna was holding a sleeping Jace on her lap.

I looked back toward the church, forgetting I was in the courtyard and couldn't see the clock from behind the inner wall of the castle, so I looked at the sun. Celeste pulled down her gauntlet and showed me it was half past five on that wondrous tiny clock. I smiled at Jace and said, “I think all this food and excitement did the poor little man in a little early.”

Sir Tennison chuckled behind me, “I feel the same myself.”

Suddenly all the knights stood at strict attention. Lady Verna sat tall, chin up with Jace still in her lap. My blood ran cold when Celeste said in a firm tone, “Duke Fredrick sir.” I turned to see the Duke, the most powerful man in the realm of Wexbury. He was a man of modest height, late fifties, dressed in exquisite violet and emerald robes. His dark hair, shot through with distinguished grey was trimmed neatly and his short gotee and mustache looked just like the paintings.

Duchess Lucia was on his arm and the paintings did not do the woman justice. The delicate woman's gown was beyond words and her face did not show her fifty plus years. Her honey blonde hair was in curls and it pooled around her shoulders and down her back. She had a regal air to her.

I dropped to my knees, hands in front of me on the cobblestones, my eyes down. I peeked up, neither took any notice of me, thank goodness. The Duke made a waving off motion with his hand and the knights sat except for Celeste.