applepie

[I]Well, here it is... Chapter 8 is finished, and I have a good idea where I plan to go with the next few chapters. I will be finishing classes this week, so I hope to find more time to write soon. Then I will be able to get additions to the story up more quickly. Enjoy:)

Meg[/I]

Chapter 8

The morning dawned too early for Allarick. After a fitful night, he was not ready to greet the day. He didn’t relish the tasks before him, and he dawdled some while preparing himself to see others. He wandered around his room while his breakfast was laid out. He was trying to determine what would be the best course for introducing Arabella to his people. He considered introducing her as a laborer who was being granted a special reward, but Allarick was unsure if this would satisfy the curiosity of his political opponents. He didn’t want Arabella to face too close of scrutiny, but that was impossible with her otherworldly beauty. Only fools would believe that she was a worker on the planet. He could always say she was his guest and offer no further explanation for her presence. That might work, but Allarick was too sure that someone would ask too many questions.

With nothing settled in his mind, Allarick sat and devoured his morning meal. He was sure of one thing, and that was that he would need plenty of energy to face the day before him. Normally he would exercise following his meal, but the day was too full to allow for time. He hurried from his room before the dishes were even cleared. He had a morning of meetings to attend to, and he would make his announcement about Arabella following his morning council. He remembered to leave directions with a servant that his guest was to be fed and dressed when she woke. No one was to disturb her, but if she wished to leave her room she was to be shown to the gardens where she was welcome to explore.

As Allarick entered into his council room, he was overcome with a desire to do anything but sit in his chair and hear disputes until midday. His morning was full of cases including an accusation of thievery, a land dispute between four nobles, and even some disputes among the merchants of his own city. Unlike the other, more minor, rulers he was responsible for overseeing all that happened within his own city as well as the issues brought before him by the other lords. Each year a council convened that all the nobles of the planet attended, but if the disagreement was serious enough they could travel to the ruling city early. This one case would fill his morning, because there were many more formalities to be observed when dealing with disputes among the lords.

By midday, Allarick was in the grips of a horrid headache, and he was praying that the dispute between the lords could be remedied soon. They were bickering over a fertile plot of land that was located where their four territories converged. All wished to claim that the entire tract of land belonged to them, and no one was able to furnish more than tentative proof that they laid claim to it. Most of his time had been spent telling the lords that they must remain silent while the others were given their chance to defend their claim. Finally, in irritation, Allarick called a halt to council for the morning.

“We will resume after the meal. I hope that when we return all of you will be able to behave in accordance with the rules of this chamber, and you will each be able to provide a more substantial proof of your claim to the land.” With an angry shake of his head, Allarick left the bewildered lords in the chamber. Never had their lord behaved in such an impatient manner, and shock echoed through the room. The Syine was known for his ability to listen to such debating for hours at a time, and to even skip the midday meal if the situation warranted. The people filling the council room found themselves wondering what had their normally calm lord so impatient today.

Never halting his stride, Allarick found himself moving quickly towards the gardens. As he did so, he could feel some of his tension easing even though the headache did not abate. It was his personal servant, Nechemya, who stood at the entrance to the gardens. Nechemya was more than just Allarick’s servant. He had been in service from the time they were children. They were of the same age, but Nechemya was built like a soldier with waist length black hair and midnight blue eyes that marked him as part of the working class. He was well compensated for the service that he provided to the Syine. Nechemya saw to all of Allarick’s daily wants and needs, but he was also the closest thing Allarick had to a friend. Many nights would find the two of them enjoying warmed myir, a type of local spirit, in the Syine’s chamber.

“Instruct Philomina to meet me here in the garden. I need her help in instructing our guest about our customs.” Allarick had told Nechemya about their guest quickly that morning when he had left his instructions. He hadn’t let him know that Arabella was from another world, but he had told him that she was ignorant of their rules and strictures.

“Shall I have your meal brought here to the garden when your sister joins you and your guest?”

“Please, that would suit us well. Maybe by the time I return to the council I will be ready to face the rest of the day with a full belly. I have not had my normal patience in dealing with the lords this morning, and I fear that they will try what little amount I have left when I return.”

Nechemya bowed to Allarick, and he began to move off towards the kitchens. This is where he was most likely to locate Philomina because she spent much of her time there concocting new recipes for everyone to try at the evening meal. Allarick entered the garden in search of Arabella. He found her sitting amongst a patch of flowers near the waterfall. She was gazing at the water falling into the pool beneath it with a sad look in her eyes, but as her gaze turned at Allarick’s approach, Arabella’s eyes filled with warmth that seemed to chase away all of the shadows. If he had not come upon her in that one unguarded moment, he would have never known she was upset.

“Have you been enjoying the gardens? I hope that Nechemya has done all he could to make you comfortable this morning. He is procuring us some lunch, and he will also be sending in the teacher who will instruct you on our ways.” Allarick seated himself on the grass as he was speaking with Arabella. It amazed him that much of his tension from the morning had eased now that he was able to see that his guest was well this morning. Much of the morning’s ire had stemmed from worry that Arabella was not safe and well cared for.

“You gardens are lovely,” Arabella replied with a soft smile, “The flowers are exquisite, but they are unlike anything that I have ever seen. There are such beautiful colors and smells, I’m grateful that you allowed me to explore here. A meal sounds like a good plan to me. I was not too hungry for breakfast, so I would love to have some lunch.”

Arabella and Allarick sat and conversed for some time, but neither seemed willing to broach any personal subjects. Allarick seemed aloof and unresponsive, so Arabella finally sat in silence. She was watching the ripples on the water and beginning to feel uncomfortable at the lack of conversation when Nechemya reappeared. He was not alone, and it was a young woman who appeared to be in her late teens that followed. She had chocolate colored hair streaked with highlights of copper and auburn. She was dainty only reaching to Arabella’s chin and everything about her exuded a soft feminine quality. She was dressed in an empire waist gown that was the color of a blood moon. Her hair was pulled back from her face and ears, but it was left to cascade down her back in soft waves. It was her eyes that identified the young woman as Allarick’s sister before introductions were made. Her eyes were the same golden color of her brothers and they seemed to glow from their brightness. To say that the young woman was stunning would have been an understatement.

“Arabella, I would like for you to meet my younger sister, Philomina,” Allarick pulled his sister tightly to his side as he was introducing them. From the smile that lit his face, it was easy to see that he loved his sister very much. “Let us sit down for the midday meal, and you will have some time to become acquainted.”