Elminster in Myth Drannor - Ed Greenwood [109]
His eyes flashed with irritation as he spun away from the weight of two level stares, swirling his cloak grandly. Then Elandorr put his hand to his breast, sighed theatrically, and turned back toward them. "It would grieve me deeply," he said passionately, "to hear the same tragic sort of news mooted about the city concerning the proud ladies of Mornmist and Tornglara. Yet such misfortunes can all too easily befall any elven she who doesn't know her proper place, and now keep to it-vin the new Cormanthor."
"And which 'new Cormanthor' would that be, Lord Waelvor?" Alaglossa asked softly, wide-eyed, two fingers to her chin.
"Why, this realm around us, known and loved by all true Cormanthans. This realm as it will be in a moon or so, renewed and set back on the proper path that was good enough for our ancestors, and theirs before them."
"Renewed? By whom, and how?" Ithrythra joined in the dumbfounded game. "Coyly gloating young lordlings?"
Elandorr scowled at her, and drew his lips back from his teeth in an unlovely smile. "I shan't forget your insolence, 'Lady,' and shall act appropriately-you may assure yourself of that!"
"Lord, I shall await you," she said, dropping her head in deference. As she did so, she rolled her eyes.
With a growl, Elandorr swept past her, deliberately extending his elbow to strike her head as he did so- but somehow, as she swayed out of his reach, he found himself bearing down on the back of a servant who had appeared out of nowhere to attend to the Lady Tornglara. Elandorr cast an angry look around and saw that servants of both ladies were closing in around him, eyes averted from him but with daggers, goads, and carry-yokes in their hands. The scion of the Waelvors snarled and quickened his pace, striding out of the closing press of bodies.
The servants crowded in around both ladies, who looked at each other and discovered that they were both dark-eyed, quick of breath, and flaring about the nostrils. The tips of their ears were red with anger.
"A dangerous foe, and now one fully aware of you, Ithrythra," Alaglossa said in soft warning.
"Ah, but look how much he blurted out about someone's future plans for the realm, because he lost his temper," Ithrythra replied. Then she looked at the servants all around them both and said, "I thank all of you. 'Twas very brave, walking into our peril when you could-should-have stayed safely away."
"Nay, Lady; 'twas all we could do, and still know any honor in our days," one of the older male stewards muttered.
Ithrythra smiled at him, and replied, "Well, if I ever act so rude as yon lordling, you've my permission to toss me down in the mud and use that goad of yours a time or two on my backside!"
"Best forewarn your lord of his arrival, though," Alaglossa put in with a smile. "This man's one of mine!"
A general roar of mirth erupted, in which all joined-but then died away slowly as, one by one, they turned and looked along the street to discover that Elandorr Waelvor hadn't walked all that far off after all. He obviously thought that their laughter had been at his direct expense, and was standing looking at them all with black murder in his eyes.
* * * * *
Lord Ihimbraskar Evendusk floated at ease several feet above his own bed, naked as his birthing day, smiling at his lady like an admiring young elven lover.
Lady Duilya Evendusk smiled back at him, her chin resting on her hands, and her elbows resting on the same empty air. She wore only fine golden chains studded with gems; they hung down in loops toward the bed below.
"So, my lord, what news today?" she breathed, still delighted that he'd hastened straight home to disrobe after Court emptied-and that he'd reacted with delight, and not irritation, to find her waiting in his bed. The ceremonially ignored bottle of tripleshroom sherry was still on the floor where she'd ordered it set; Duilya doubted her