So once again on an early spring day, I was ensconced in a coach rolling down the middle of the Street of the Sun. Again people lined the street, but this time they waved and cheered. And as before, outriders joined us, but this time they wore our colors as well as the Renselaeuses'.
This had all been arranged beforehand, I found out through Nimiar. People expected power to be expressed through visible symbols, such as columns of armed outriders, and fancy carriages drawn by three matched pairs of fast horses, and so forth. Apparently Shevraeth loathed traveling about with such huge entourages--at least as much as Galdran used to love traveling with them--so he arranged for the trappings to be assumed at the last moment.
All this she told me as we rattled along the last distance through Remalna-city toward the golden-roofed palace called Athanarel.
When we reached the great gates, there were people hanging off them. I turned to look, and a small girl yelled, "Astiar!" as she flung a posy of crimson rosebuds and golden daisies through the open window of our carriage.
"They didn't shout last time," I said, burying my face in the posy. "Just stared."
"Last time?" Nee asked.
"When I had the supreme felicity of being introduced to Galdran by the esteemed Marquis," I said, striving for a light tone.
This had all been arranged beforehand, I found out through Nimiar. People expected power to be expressed through visible symbols, such as columns of armed outriders, and fancy carriages drawn by three matched pairs of fast horses, and so forth. Apparently Shevraeth loathed traveling about with such huge entourages--at least as much as Galdran used to love traveling with them--so he arranged for the trappings to be assumed at the last moment.
All this she told me as we rattled along the last distance through Remalna-city toward the golden-roofed palace called Athanarel.
When we reached the great gates, there were people hanging off them. I turned to look, and a small girl yelled, "Astiar!" as she flung a posy of crimson rosebuds and golden daisies through the open window of our carriage.
"They didn't shout last time," I said, burying my face in the posy. "Just stared."
"Last time?" Nee asked.
"When I had the supreme felicity of being introduced to Galdran by the esteemed Marquis," I said, striving for a light tone.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Court Duel ]
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