Read Online Love's Labor's Won by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
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help wondering if they would have started to arm-wrestle if they had been alone.
“My daughter informs me you wish to become a Court Wizard,” Randor said. “Do you feel qualified to serve as my sorcerer?”
Emily blinked in surprise. She’d known that Jade would be accompanying them to Zangaria, but she hadn’t known he intended to become the Court Wizard. God knew King Randor needed someone trustworthy to serve as his wizard...and yet, why Jade? Why a newly-qualified combat sorcerer, just out of his apprenticeship, when there were more experienced magicians out there? Someone like Lady Barb? Or, even though she hated to admit it, someone like Master Grey?
“I do, your majesty,” Jade said.
There was a long pregnant pause. “Then we will see, young man,” King Randor said. His tone was light, but his eyes never left Jade’s face. “Please, join us at the high table for dinner. I would see what you are made of.”
Imaiqah poked Emily in the side. “Can you see the queen?”
Emily frowned, then looked around. Queen Marlena should have been sitting beside her husband, if on a lower throne, but there was no sign of her. None of her letters had mentioned an illness, or something else that would have kept her from greeting her daughter; everything she’d written had suggested she was looking forward to seeing Alassa and her friends again. Emily glanced back at the king, who was dismissing his court, then at Alassa. Her face was tightly controlled, but Emily could tell she was worried.
We have to keep acting like noblewomen here , she thought, as the crowd started moving into the Great Hall. There will be a chance to talk about it later .
“It’s dinnertime?” Frieda asked. “We only just had breakfast ?”
“Time difference,” Emily said. She groaned inwardly. They would probably have something akin to jet lag the following morning. “It’s late afternoon here.”
The Great Hall seemed larger than she remembered, she noted as they were shown to their seats. As before, there were ten huge wooden tables, one set higher than the others, but they all seemed to be larger, with more places laid for the guests. Emily rolled her eyes as she and Frieda were escorted to seats three and five and sat down, remembering how the whole event was organized. The closer to the king, who had seat one, the greater the prestige. She would have gladly traded her position with someone else, perhaps one of the barons who looked unhappy at having to suffer the humiliation of sitting in the ninth chair, but she knew that wouldn’t be allowed. The seating plan would have been worked out after months of careful negotiation.
Frieda took her seat and peered at the chair between her and Emily. “Who’s sitting here?”
Emily shrugged. Imaiqah or Jade? No, Imaiqah was seated next to her father, the newly-ennobled Viscount Steam, while Jade was seated on the king’s other side. She wondered, briefly, if King Randor intended to give him a job interview right there and then, then realized it was yet another test. The Court Wizard had to endure much more than merely working spells on the king’s behalf. There would be dinners and ceremonies and hundreds of other boring arrangements that couldn’t be ignored, merely endured.
She looked up as someone pulled the chair away from the table. “Lady Emily,” a very soft voice said. “I believe I am sitting here.”
“Welcome,” Emily said, although she wished she were sitting next to Frieda. “Please, join us.”
The newcomer looked...odd. She had white-blonde hair, skin so pale it was almost translucent and large blue eyes. Her pale blue dress was cut low, revealing the tops of her breasts, and clung neatly to her hips. Emily couldn’t help being reminded of Alassa, save for the fact that while Alassa looked stunningly human, there was something oddly inhuman about the newcomer. There was nothing she could put her finger on it, yet it was there.
“I am Alicia, Heiress to
“My daughter informs me you wish to become a Court Wizard,” Randor said. “Do you feel qualified to serve as my sorcerer?”
Emily blinked in surprise. She’d known that Jade would be accompanying them to Zangaria, but she hadn’t known he intended to become the Court Wizard. God knew King Randor needed someone trustworthy to serve as his wizard...and yet, why Jade? Why a newly-qualified combat sorcerer, just out of his apprenticeship, when there were more experienced magicians out there? Someone like Lady Barb? Or, even though she hated to admit it, someone like Master Grey?
“I do, your majesty,” Jade said.
There was a long pregnant pause. “Then we will see, young man,” King Randor said. His tone was light, but his eyes never left Jade’s face. “Please, join us at the high table for dinner. I would see what you are made of.”
Imaiqah poked Emily in the side. “Can you see the queen?”
Emily frowned, then looked around. Queen Marlena should have been sitting beside her husband, if on a lower throne, but there was no sign of her. None of her letters had mentioned an illness, or something else that would have kept her from greeting her daughter; everything she’d written had suggested she was looking forward to seeing Alassa and her friends again. Emily glanced back at the king, who was dismissing his court, then at Alassa. Her face was tightly controlled, but Emily could tell she was worried.
We have to keep acting like noblewomen here , she thought, as the crowd started moving into the Great Hall. There will be a chance to talk about it later .
“It’s dinnertime?” Frieda asked. “We only just had breakfast ?”
“Time difference,” Emily said. She groaned inwardly. They would probably have something akin to jet lag the following morning. “It’s late afternoon here.”
The Great Hall seemed larger than she remembered, she noted as they were shown to their seats. As before, there were ten huge wooden tables, one set higher than the others, but they all seemed to be larger, with more places laid for the guests. Emily rolled her eyes as she and Frieda were escorted to seats three and five and sat down, remembering how the whole event was organized. The closer to the king, who had seat one, the greater the prestige. She would have gladly traded her position with someone else, perhaps one of the barons who looked unhappy at having to suffer the humiliation of sitting in the ninth chair, but she knew that wouldn’t be allowed. The seating plan would have been worked out after months of careful negotiation.
Frieda took her seat and peered at the chair between her and Emily. “Who’s sitting here?”
Emily shrugged. Imaiqah or Jade? No, Imaiqah was seated next to her father, the newly-ennobled Viscount Steam, while Jade was seated on the king’s other side. She wondered, briefly, if King Randor intended to give him a job interview right there and then, then realized it was yet another test. The Court Wizard had to endure much more than merely working spells on the king’s behalf. There would be dinners and ceremonies and hundreds of other boring arrangements that couldn’t be ignored, merely endured.
She looked up as someone pulled the chair away from the table. “Lady Emily,” a very soft voice said. “I believe I am sitting here.”
“Welcome,” Emily said, although she wished she were sitting next to Frieda. “Please, join us.”
The newcomer looked...odd. She had white-blonde hair, skin so pale it was almost translucent and large blue eyes. Her pale blue dress was cut low, revealing the tops of her breasts, and clung neatly to her hips. Emily couldn’t help being reminded of Alassa, save for the fact that while Alassa looked stunningly human, there was something oddly inhuman about the newcomer. There was nothing she could put her finger on it, yet it was there.
“I am Alicia, Heiress to
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