“I don’t like the sound of that,” Nyx said as Zenith Penrose headed back into the crowd to mingle. Her dress being as revealing as it was drew a lot of stares and glances but few approached the beautiful mercenary. Brivaria sighed.
“Let’s talk about it when we’re not surrounded by people with over 100 awareness,” the angel said, throwing a glance to Kseniya and Isolde. Both women nodded.
“So that’s the woman in charge of the people around the forest? Do many people look like you?” Giselle asked. Brivaria blanched.
“Technically, yes? Most angels look similar but her case is more unique,” the winged girl admitted.
On the face of it, Brivaria had liked Zenith except for one thing—the zephyri woman ignored Trixie and when the golden tried to sniff at Zenith’s dress, she pulled back. It had been a subtle thing and the only reason Brivaria noticed it was because she was watching Trixie. Zenith avoiding the dog had confused the poor golden who only wanted to make a new friend.
“There, there,” she said while kneeling to pet Trixie.
The dog received attention until the seating officially began. All told there was somewhere between 200 and 300 people attending the pre-hunt celebration. Many of the tables had at least six people and many of them had eight to ten just as their table did. It was a small gathering in the grand scheme of things but, to an angel who had never attended anything like this, it was a tremendous number of people.
Dinner was a long strip of meat that went from one end of the plate to the other. It was topped by caramelized onions and drizzled with a rich, savory sauce. The waiters were bringing out plate after plate of them to the amazement of both Brivaria and Nyx. Both girls watched the flood of wait staff laden with plates of perfectly cooked food until finally Nyx had to ask the question on her mind.
“How did they cook so much for so many people?” the cat girl asked with astonishment in her voice.
“Preservation runes,” Isolde was quick to answer. “They likely cooked all of this in batches over the last week then stored them. Every meal will taste as fresh and hot as it was when it was first made.”
“Oh, like Brivaria’s Inventory skill.” Nyx’s comparison got nods from around the table. This wasn’t the first time any of them had seen preservation runes as most inns and taverns had them. It was, however, the first time Brivaria and Nyx had seen them at scale.
The angel was planning to give Trixie a meal from her inventory when a waiter asked if she would like something brought out for her dog. The angel wasn’t the only adventurer with a beast companion joining them. Rangers and animal tamers were loath to leave their companions alone so the kitchen staff had prepared suitable meals for animals in attendance. The winged girl quickly agreed to the proposal and soon Trixie had her own gourmet meal. All was right with the world.
Brivaria was halfway through her meal when the announcements began. That wasn’t to say they began early rather the angel simply ate slowly. Most everyone at her table had already finished and, after getting the attention of three separate waiters, Nyx managed to wrangle a second plate of food for herself. Brivaria could see the war in Kseniya’s eyes between the pride of appearing as a proper lady and following Nyx’s example in getting another plate. The winged girl didn’t see which won out as she started focusing on the speakers.
On stage, there was a man giving a long history of the Hunt for the Golden Hind. To hear him tell it was to visualize an epic story between a noble hunter and a beast that was terrorizing the countryside. It was a monumental clash between man and nature with the heroic hunter ultimately putting an end to the deadly rampage. One look at Giselle’s cast suspicion on that accounting of the events as the deer girl’s expression was a mixture of confusion and incredulity. The angel definitely wanted to hear what Giselle’s memories from the land told her but the presence of so many mid and high level people meant such a conversation would have no privacy here.
The storyteller on stage then went through a very brief history of the most recent hunts, giving a nod to Count Dancarlo whose team had slain the hind on the previous hunt. The Count was already on stage and waiting in the wings with the rest of the high nobility. He took a bow as the speaker went on and Brivaria couldn’t help but frown at his attire.
The Count, as she’d seen on the previous day, was a very handsome man. He was tall, possessed of just the right amount of muscle to impress, and was utterly meticulous in his grooming. His black hair was pulled back into an elegant braid and not a single hair was out of place. His behavior on the previous day would forever mar his handsome features in Brivaria’s eyes but she admitted he looked good.
What didn’t look good was the costume he wore. It was a mixture of a dozen different cloth dyes on sheer fabric that was offensive to her eyes on just about every level. To the angel it looked like someone had spilled half a dozen paints on the man’s clothes and he’d worn them anyway. She could distantly hear some polite comments on the exotic nature of some hues and excited muttering about the quality of the fabric but her eyes protested the inhumane treatment of being forced to stare at the Count’s attire so she looked to the other barons.
Baroness Westlake wore a deep crimson dress and had her cherry blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail. If Brivaria’s dress was a five on the scale of fashion then Cordelia’s was at least an eight with various decorations, embroidery, and beautiful lace. She smiled as she looked ahead, not focusing on anything or anyone. Baron Sorenson’s gray hair was swept back and he wore a matching gray vest and slacks. The navy shirt beneath his vest had fiercely ruffled sleeves. They were the ruffles of legends, Brivaria thought. Of everyone on the stage, he felt the most distinguished in posture and dress.
The last of the barons was Garam Felio. Brivaria had never seen or met the man before now but he was easily the least impressive of the lot. Dressed in all black from head to toe, he looked immensely uncomfortable. His hair was pulled back into a braid identical to the Count’s but where Count Dancarlo looked delighted with attention, Baron Felio was the opposite. Bags hung under the baron’s eyes betraying a lack of sleep and every expression his face made save for a frown looked forced. He met the crowd with a fake smile when the speaker called his family name but then his face relaxed back into a scowl. It was as though the man possessed a finite amount of cheer and was forced to spend it sparingly, the angel thought.
At last the history lesson was over and the moment the audience was waiting for arrived. There would be four to six hunting teams—four if only the nobles present got to select teams and six if the nobles not present were granted stand-ins. Each noble would select a group of adventurers as was the tradition. Brivaria had no idea which teams would be chosen beyond the Count picking Alden’s Seasoned Steel. Speaking of which, the Count was up first.
“My friends, it has been a long-standing tradition for we of the nobility to lean upon our adventuring comrades in this hunt and so we have for decades. Velk has ever benefited from its partnership with the adventurers guild and our land’s safety has been ensured through the hard work of Velk’s soldiers, local city watch, and adventurers,” the Count began. Brivaria could see nods in the crowd among both the nobles, merchants, and adventurers in attendance. Alden was smiling in relief as the count went on.
“It is important to remember those who helped us yesterday but just as important to build new relationships for the future. The world is changing and Velk shall change with it. Today, I am pleased to break tradition and invite a new group of friends into the story of our developing region. For my team in the hunt, I will be taking to the forest with a team of handpicked men from Zenith’s Marauders.” The proclamation was met with applause and cheers though noticeably none from the adventurers in attendance. A couple threw glances at Alden’s way and Brivaria was among them. The warrior’s expression was carefully neutral but the angel saw the white-knuckled grip he held his dining fork in. She wondered if the Count had always had this planned or if it was the result of yesterday’s events. Her stomach sank as Baron Sorenson took the stage next.
“In this audience, I have three friends and a fourth man whom I look forward to calling a friend in the future. My friends and I have taken to the field every year since he was old enough to hold a sword and wise enough to know where to put the sharp end,” the old nobleman said with a smile as he addressed the crowd. His eyes settled on the table with a lephori man, two peshmari, and a gaborn. “I would trust this friend with my life and my barony should it ever come to that. I would be honored to be accompanied on the hunt by Sir Gerard Bantal and the stalwart men of Tooth and Nail.”
It was a name the angel didn’t know but the crowd did. There was applause from nobles and adventurers alike. It was obvious even to Brivaria that this Gerard Bantal was well-known in the city of Barton. Upon recognizing the angel’s lack of comprehension, Nyx leaned over to whisper in a low voice that he was the man who fought off the assassin back at the inn. Recognition flared in Brivaria’s eyes alongside guilt. He’d been mistakenly stabbed thanks to her. The applause followed Baron Sorenson as he took his place in the wings and Baron Felio came forward. Once more Brivaria mentally thought the younger baron looked immensely uncomfortable with the whole situation.
“Good evening, everyone,” Garam began. His words were awkward rather than refined and one could hear a pin drop in the silence between them. “This is a historic day and I need a historic… I mean, a brave team to accompany me on this hunt. That’s why I’ve selected Alden Porter and the Seasoned Steel. Thank you.” As soon as the baron’s words began to falter, the rest of his announcement came out in a torrent of words and he scurried off to the side to join Count Dancarlo and Baron Sorenson.
The crowd clapped but the applause was scattered and confused. Alden wasn’t doing much better. He could refuse but it would be unwise. Participating in the hunt came with a hefty amount of coin, even more so if one’s team bagged the hind. Of course Brivaria knew that no team would catch the animal in question. Spending a day or two in the forest and getting paid handsomely for it wasn’t the worst of things. As Alden mulled over this turn of events, Baroness Westlake took the stage. She coughed politely as she addressed the crowd.
“I am humbled by the choices of my colleagues. While I admit to knowing little of the deeds of Zenith’s band of warriors, I know something about Sir Bantal. He was born in our little corner of the world and has spent years proving his valor within our home and without. Any land would be proud to be home to a team like his and I am gladdened to know he has come home for a time. Likewise, I have heard of Mr. Porter and his team. They are a proven team with a diverse skill set and a wise leader. Any lord or lady worth their salt should be honored to have adventurers such as these at their back.” Cordelia spoke softly but, as with her fellow nobles, her voice carried throughout the hall. Her words soothed the agitated crowd in the wake of Felio’s hurried proclamation.
“In truth, any team in this hall today would be worthy of the coming event and more. I suspect the stewards of barons Decrune and Meyers will have many good men and women to choose from in the coming days as they seek you out. Tonight I would like to give an opportunity to a group that is new among us. Though inexperienced today, I believe they will go far with our support. To that end, I have chosen Brivaria and her adventuring team, Divine Blessing, to accompany me on the coming hunt.” Cordelia looked toward Brivaria before turning to walk away. Many turned their gazes upon the copper rank team. All four of its members exchanged surprised looks as no one expected this.
