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Authors: Donita K. Paul
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Sir Bardon.”
“You’re no longer grumbling against my plans?”
“Who, me? Grumble?”
An hour later, Kale stirred from a light sleep to sounds from the water closet. Bardon splashed in the tub, obviously having taken an interest in the water heated above the porcelain receptacle.
Kale pulled the covers close around her and gazed at her clothes. The material began to shake as dirt and oils were vibrated out of the individual threads of the fabric. After she freshened the cloth, she removed the color and infused the basic blouse and skirt with a soft yellow. That pleased her, and she attached the skirt to the bodice she transformed out of the shirt. She rearranged the waistband, making it a wide sash over a full skirt with an added swag of creamy white. She shook her head and dropped the added feature. The material tumbled to the floor.
“What color would you like me to wear?” she called.
Her lips moved to form the word
pink
just as Bardon answered, “Pink.”
She sighed and, with a nod, changed the yellow to a pale pink. Since the ballroom would be crowded and hot, she chose a lighter fabric and spent some time loosening the weave of the material she worked with. She removed the buttons on the front and made a solid bodice with a scooped neck. She decided against sleeves of any kind as she got up to pull gloves from one of the hollows of her cape. By the time Bardon came out of the bath, her gown was ready, and she had cleaned his clothes and reshaped them into evening attire. She hadn’t asked what colors he would prefer, because she knew he would answer green and black. He truly had no imagination.
“You should wear a tiara,” he suggested.
“I hate wearing a tiara. It always sparks.”
“It sparkles.”
“It sparks, and you know it. I nearly caught a curtain on fire at the urohm wedding.”
“The affair needed a little more excitement.”
“I need a bath.”
He stepped out of the doorway, made a bow, and swept his arm toward the water closet.
“I’ve used all the hot water.”
“It’s a good thing, then, that you married a woman who can heat her own bath.”
When they were dressed and ready to go down to dinner, a tap on the window announced the arrival of a minor dragon.
Bardon unlocked the casement and pulled the glass panel open. Filia and Tieto flew in, gave Bardon a disgruntled glance, and landed on Kale.
“You locked them out?” Kale tried to look stern but barely hid her amusement.
He shrugged.
“Oh dear,” she responded to a bit of news Tieto related.
“What is it?”
“He says he doesn’t like the aura he sees around some of the guests.”
“Pretender’s people?”
Kale shook her head as she puzzled over the continued chittering of the unhappy dragon. “Tieto says the light contains threads that look almost identical to those surrounding teachers of Wulder’s Tomes.”
“Almost?”
“Yes, but the difference is so subtle, he can’t discern the discrepancy. He wishes Regidor were here.”
“That’s one person I know will not be attending tonight.” Bardon tilted his head, studying Tieto. “He matches your dress well enough. Bring him along, and maybe we can ferret out the underlying cause of his dislike.”
Kale looked at the blue and green dragon and at her pink dress. They didn’t clash, but the dragon would not blend in either. Filia came along, and as they walked down the hall, Kale allowed the dress to absorb the colors reflected off the pink and purple dragon. The original shade altered subtly to form a good backdrop for Filia clinging to her sleeve. For Tieto, Kale arranged a shoulder cascade of flowers, one of which was the blue and green dragon.
When they entered the banquet room, a servant ushered them to a partially filled table. Kale embraced Sir Dar, Wizard Cam Ayronn, and Lord and Lady Brunstetter. Leetu Bends, Lee Ark, and his lady wife greeted Kale and Bardon. Leetu went so far as to hug Kale and plant a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re no longer grumbling against my plans?”
“Who, me? Grumble?”
An hour later, Kale stirred from a light sleep to sounds from the water closet. Bardon splashed in the tub, obviously having taken an interest in the water heated above the porcelain receptacle.
Kale pulled the covers close around her and gazed at her clothes. The material began to shake as dirt and oils were vibrated out of the individual threads of the fabric. After she freshened the cloth, she removed the color and infused the basic blouse and skirt with a soft yellow. That pleased her, and she attached the skirt to the bodice she transformed out of the shirt. She rearranged the waistband, making it a wide sash over a full skirt with an added swag of creamy white. She shook her head and dropped the added feature. The material tumbled to the floor.
“What color would you like me to wear?” she called.
Her lips moved to form the word
pink
just as Bardon answered, “Pink.”
She sighed and, with a nod, changed the yellow to a pale pink. Since the ballroom would be crowded and hot, she chose a lighter fabric and spent some time loosening the weave of the material she worked with. She removed the buttons on the front and made a solid bodice with a scooped neck. She decided against sleeves of any kind as she got up to pull gloves from one of the hollows of her cape. By the time Bardon came out of the bath, her gown was ready, and she had cleaned his clothes and reshaped them into evening attire. She hadn’t asked what colors he would prefer, because she knew he would answer green and black. He truly had no imagination.
“You should wear a tiara,” he suggested.
“I hate wearing a tiara. It always sparks.”
“It sparkles.”
“It sparks, and you know it. I nearly caught a curtain on fire at the urohm wedding.”
“The affair needed a little more excitement.”
“I need a bath.”
He stepped out of the doorway, made a bow, and swept his arm toward the water closet.
“I’ve used all the hot water.”
“It’s a good thing, then, that you married a woman who can heat her own bath.”
When they were dressed and ready to go down to dinner, a tap on the window announced the arrival of a minor dragon.
Bardon unlocked the casement and pulled the glass panel open. Filia and Tieto flew in, gave Bardon a disgruntled glance, and landed on Kale.
“You locked them out?” Kale tried to look stern but barely hid her amusement.
He shrugged.
“Oh dear,” she responded to a bit of news Tieto related.
“What is it?”
“He says he doesn’t like the aura he sees around some of the guests.”
“Pretender’s people?”
Kale shook her head as she puzzled over the continued chittering of the unhappy dragon. “Tieto says the light contains threads that look almost identical to those surrounding teachers of Wulder’s Tomes.”
“Almost?”
“Yes, but the difference is so subtle, he can’t discern the discrepancy. He wishes Regidor were here.”
“That’s one person I know will not be attending tonight.” Bardon tilted his head, studying Tieto. “He matches your dress well enough. Bring him along, and maybe we can ferret out the underlying cause of his dislike.”
Kale looked at the blue and green dragon and at her pink dress. They didn’t clash, but the dragon would not blend in either. Filia came along, and as they walked down the hall, Kale allowed the dress to absorb the colors reflected off the pink and purple dragon. The original shade altered subtly to form a good backdrop for Filia clinging to her sleeve. For Tieto, Kale arranged a shoulder cascade of flowers, one of which was the blue and green dragon.
When they entered the banquet room, a servant ushered them to a partially filled table. Kale embraced Sir Dar, Wizard Cam Ayronn, and Lord and Lady Brunstetter. Leetu Bends, Lee Ark, and his lady wife greeted Kale and Bardon. Leetu went so far as to hug Kale and plant a kiss on her cheek.
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