The Vampire & Her Witch

Ashlynn was later than she intended to be when she finally arrived at the small dining room she'd chosen for her meal with the young lords of Lothian March. Her lips were ever so slightly swollen, and a small dab of fresh blood lingered at the corner of her mouth after the intense kiss she'd shared with Nyrielle, but next to her crimson lipstain, it was unlikely anyone would notice it as anything more than a smudge of her makeup.

When she entered the dining room, Lord Liam, Sir Hugo, and Sir Carwyn all stood immediately, though the room's final occupant remained sullenly seated. Sir Rain looked rougher than he had when he arrived, and it was clear from the rough beard that had formed on his neck and jaw that he'd refused the aid of an Eldritch servant to maintain his appearance.

It was a shame, Ashlynn thought as she gave the petulant knight an evaluating look. The beard suited him, even if such things were out of fashion on the frontier where lords strived to appear 'civilized', but the thick growth on his neck combined with the sullen set of his lips to rob him of the dignity the beard should have given him.

"Be seated, my lords," Ashlynn said as she took her own seat at the head of the table. Sir Rain's childish refusal to act like a guest aside, the others seemed to have taken the hint when she sent new clothing to each of them that tonight would be an important evening, and they were all on their best behavior.

"Lady Ashlynn," Carwyn said, gesturing to the decanters and goblets on the table. "Would you prefer barley water or cider? I'm afraid there's no wine to offer," he apologized awkwardly.

"There will be wine later if there's anything to celebrate," Ashlynn said with a slight smile at the village knight's manners. Ollie had called him a good man, and he was already making a good impression. "For now, cider will do. We have several things to discuss, and I prefer to keep a clear head," she explained with a slight flush of embarrassment.

By the time the young knight had finished pouring drinks, the doors opened to reveal a pair of horned servants, dressed in blue and green harlequin-patterned livery and bearing silver platters covered in small dishes. The scent of warm herbs, savory and thyme, filled the air, accompanied by a delicate, slightly sweet aroma wafting from bowls filled with a bright orange soup and topped with crumbled cheese.

"Your Dominion," one of the servants said with a deep bow toward Ashlynn. "If it pleases you, Georg has prepared a butternut squash soup with goat cheese and fine ground walnuts, a salad of winter greens topped with a roasted quail leg, and butter poached carrots with parsnips to begin the evening," he said as his companion placed a trio of dishes before Ashlynn and each of the young lords.

"Send my thanks to Georg," Ashlynn said warmly. "And tell him that I've been looking forward to this meal since I left the fortress last night."

"The custom here is to eat many small dishes," Hugo quickly explained to Liam. "If this is like the last feast that Master Georg prepared for us, I suggest that you only eat as much as you enjoy. There will be several more dishes to come."

"I see," Liam said politely, waiting for Ashlynn to take a spoonful of the warm, comforting soup before spearing a carrot for himself. He'd expected it to be soft and nearly mushy when the servant mentioned that it had been poached in butter, but the center was still pleasantly firm and the sweetness of the carrot mingled with the richness of the butter along with a spice he couldn't identify to create a bite felt perfect for an evening next to a crackling fire while cold rain and hail fell outside.

"Lady Ashlynn," Liam began carefully as he tried to find a way to begin what was certain to be a delicate conversation. "You've lived among the dem-, er, among the Eldritch for quite some time now. Sir Hugo even mentioned that you've traveled beyond the mountains to places that no human has ever seen. Is the food this impressive everywhere you've traveled?"

Of course, he was asking about far more than just the food. It was clear that this mysterious Master Georg had elevated cookery to a high art form, but this was a place that had been, even though only briefly, conquered by humans. The powerful vampires here were also humans. So, while Liam was asking about the food, what he really wanted to know is if the lands beyond the mountains were the sorts of savages he expected them to be, or if they were just as sophisticated as the people here.

"Everywhere I've been is different," Ashlynn said without reservation. "The Frost Walkers of the High Pass are carnivores who cut holes in the ice to fish for giant sturgeon and other fish. They produce a caviar as good as or better than any of the caviar I've been served from Marquis Kuusik's domain in the north, and their raw preparations are nearly as sophisticated as the ones I enjoyed in Blackwell County."

"High Fen City is far more diverse," Ashlynn added. "With hundreds of thousands of people traveling from all across the Eldritch lands to trade, you can find dishes, spices, and traditions from almost every corner of the Eldritch world. I'll confess that I'm not brave enough to try the delicacies of the Scaled Clan, though," she said as she moved from the warm, comforting soup to the crisp, peppery salad.

"The, the Scaled Clan?" Sir Carwyn asked. "People like the knight who challenged me to a duel?"

"Yes," Ashlynn said with a warm smile. "But Captain Barsali isn't a knight. He's a Champion of the Arena in High Fen City. It's an honorable title, one not inferior to your own," she quickly added. "But it must be defended constantly in battles before the people of High Fen City and he holds no lands."

"I'm sorry," Liam said, interrupting before Ashlynn could explain further. "Did you just say that there is a city the size of the Royal Capital just the other side of the mountains? One of the greatest cities of the de, the Eldritch world, is that close to us?"

"High Fen City is impressive," Ashlynn agreed. "More impressive than Crystal Lake City or the High Pass, to be sure. But compared to the Lake of Stars or The Dark Wood, to say nothing of Thousand Spires, it can only be called a large city, but not a great one. It's ruled by a High Lady, not a Great Lady. If you've studied your history well, then you should know that it boasts the same sort of power as the Vale of Mists did before it fell to Callach Lothian in the Second Crusade," she said pointedly.

"But Sir Carwyn," Ashlynn said, pointedly turning away from Liam to address the most junior person in the room. "I'm glad you mentioned Captain Barsali. There's unfinished business between the two of you, and I've intervened on your behalf," she said as she delicately carved a morsel of quail meat off the bone.

"If you're willing to accept my offer," Ashlynn said after savoring the herbaceous flavor of the slightly gamey fowl. "You and your men can return home to your village. You can even leave in the morning if you like," she said with a pleasant smile. "You just need to accept two conditions and you can return to your wife in time for the birth of your child…"