Danais couldn’t believe the morning he was having. After hours in the bathhouse, he had been massaged, oiled and scrubbed, and he smelled like freshly coined money. He felt like he had all the gold and silver one could possess. If this was what being rich felt like, he could surely get used to it. Getting his hands groomed was understandable, but he was having serious trouble wrapping his head around the idea of getting his feet groomed. Keeping the nails trimmed for toe- sucking was okay, but having them soaked and scrubbed, oiled and lotioned just like the hands, seemed a bit much. However, he had to admit his feet were feeling amazing.
“The palace is behind this wall.”
“Villa, not palace—and yes,” His uncle responded. The perimeter of this building was even larger than that of the seer’s. That made sense; however, Danais doubted that he would be dealing with the same modest living space once inside. And he was not to be disappointed.
“Good day, Master Tomal. There has been a small change in seating. You will be at the head table.”
“Your master is full of surprises.”
“It would appear so. You will be beside him and the seer and the singer, by the guest of honour.”
“Will I be required to stay with the entertainers?” Danais asked. His uncle chuckled.
“You are at the head table, young sir. You would be ill advised to leave your seat empty for so long,” the servant said before ushering them into the house.
As they entered, Danais was again taken in by great architecture. The main walls were yellow, and the interior walls were white stone. The hall at the end of the entrance had arched ceilings, and it was lined with diamond-shaped oil lamp fixtures. The floor was redwood and polished to a beautiful shine. It had a glass-dome ceiling—the most glass Danais had ever seen for just one wall. Much as he wanted to take in the scene, they were now late due to the last-minute change. The head table had already been walked in and introduced. The only person left to be introduced was the guest of honour. Lucky for them Lord Vardon had already made the apologies for their tardiness.
“This corridor will take you right onto the stage. Do you know Barton?”
“Yes,” Danais replied.
“Leave the seat beside him empty and take the next one. I trust you’ll have no problem finding your seat, Torak.”
“Certainly not. And I’ll see to it that Danais gets to his in the event he can’t follow your detailed instructions.”
“Good. I shall hold you personally accountable if he doesn’t find it.”
“And what will happen to me if I fail?”
“I’ll turn you into my sex slave.”
“And that’s supposed to be punishment?”
“That depends entirely on what entices me.”
“Torture? Now that’s just bad. Does Lord Vardon know you proposition his guests?”
“I am sure he wouldn’t mind my torturing you—especially after your last meeting.”
“That was an accident. I tripped and just happened to pull down his pants. Do you think I would intentionally unclothe him in public?”
“Only an idiot would think that fall wasn’t a fake.”
“I’m not going to entertain that with a response.”
The servant laughed, and Torak and Danais finally made their way down the hall. Once on the stage, Danais was mesmerised again. The floors were made of the blue Keldonian stone. A number of glass French doors lined the hall which were all separated by the yellow wall. The lamps between all the French doors were blue stained glass, shaped in the profile of a swan. Danais thought it must take gallons of oil to keep the place lit at night. Then again, the yellow walls were quite reflective, so maybe it didn’t.
He looked up and saw there were three enormous crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Then it occurred to him: why, amongst the twenty or so people at the head table looking out amongst the hundreds of nobles from across the land, were Lord Vardon, the serving girl from his lunch two days ago, and Barton at the head table? How did they all know each other? Why was the seer sitting beside his uncle? Was this really the blue wine of the magician province that he was sipping on? Or was it the hallucinogenic type from the realm of Danais? He didn’t have time to scold himself for shifting his train of thought so easily because the guest of honour was finally coming down the aisle.
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