The Feast II
The tables for the feast were arranged in a large U shape. The Lunar Courtyard was enormous and the fifty or so guests in it barely filled half of it. The food smelled sumptuous, and Aurora wondered how they were able to compose such a party so quickly.
"We received news from the Ice Barrier Gate that Brinn had returned," Alvar said by way of explanation as he escorted the Empress to her seat. "When she didn't arrive as expected, I went looking for her and found all of you. It would have been a shame for her to miss her welcome home feast."
"I was trying to miss this, you know," Brinn said over her shoulder. She was walking in front with Ithel.
Alvar chuckled, "Our Brinn is a bit of a nomad. We try to encourage her to stay home, but she never does. She looks for every opportunity to leave."
Brinn turned her head once more, "I hate crowds and dressing up. These sorts of things are my worst nightmare."
The five arrived at the table and were stationed with Brinn and Alvar opposite Devrim, Aurora, and Ithel. They were all at the most prominent seats. Everyone stood at their chair and awaited the prince's words. "We all welcome home Brinn, beloved daughter of the elven people. May her life be long and her journeys never be too far from home." He smiled at Brinn knowing that she would balk at remaining near. Ithel sat and the rest of the party joined him.
Dinner was as delicious as it looked. Aurora, a great lover of food, nearly groaned with pleasure at each dish she tasted. Finally full bellies gave way to more animated conversation. The prince and Alvar were both friendly and charismatic, and Devrim and Aurora found themselves enjoying their company.
"That's when I used the air to make myself invisible and barely missed the jealous centaur who thought I was trying to woo his mate. I pushed myself right up against a tree as he passed. The worst part? He nearly relieved himself on my new boots! Needless to say I won't carry horse feed in my trousers again any time soon." Alvar finished his tale. His story was met with laughter and he sat back, satisfied.
"Tell us, Brinn, of your adventures outside the barrier." Ithel insisted.
Brinn had been dodging conversation, shoveling food into her mouth and feigning politeness whenever someone spoke to her. Her plate had been taken by a server, so she had nowhere left to hide. "I would rather not."
"You have been gone nearly a year, Brinn-y. Surely something interesting has happened," Alavar said.
Brinn rolled her eyes upward. "Of course interesting things happened."
"Did something humorous happen?" Ithel asked.
Devrim felt compassion for her. He did not like being the center of attention either. "Leave her alone. She does not want to talk. Surely we can find another topic of conversation," he said gently.
Ithel looked at the beautiful woman next to him, "What do you think, Aurora? Wouldn't you like to hear what Brinn thought of her time in the human world?"
Aurora was so caught up in her own enjoyment that she missed the warning scowl Brinn was wearing. "Of course! I would love to hear something entertaining!" A flash of anger crossed Brinn's face, but then she smirked.
Devrim saw the look and shivered unconsciously, "Uh oh…"
"Alright, I have a story you will enjoy," Brinn said calmly. The party guests around them quieted to listen. "One night I came upon a pair of humans who were making camp upon the shore of a lake: a man and a woman. The man pitched his tent on the beach and planted it firmly. The woman seemed to have far less experience, but was determined that the man should not help her with her tent. She, ignoring the advice of the man, put her tent in a soft patch of grass and staked it down."
"What was wrong with that?" Alvar asked innocently. He knew Brinn would not include the information if it were not necessary.
"Nothing seemed amiss on the face of it. Were it not for a storm incoming, I would have possibly moved on, but something told me to stay and watch them."
Aurora's stomach began to churn. She knew the tale that was unfolding and although the mystery of her rescuer that night was quickly being solved, she dreaded how foolish Brinn would make her look.
"Just after midnight a wicked wind picked up and stirred me from my slumber on my branch (I was resting in a tree). I happened to gaze down at the human tents when a wail above the wind came from the tranquil scene. The woman's tent began to shake from inside as a mess of blanket and human tumbled out onto the ground. I realized that both the woman and the tent were engulfed in a moving black mass, and this is what had caused the woman to panic."
"Black mass?" Ithel asked. "What was it?"
"Ants! The tent was placed on a colossal ant mound." Brinn grinned with the revelation.
"How did she not see it?" A she-elf wondered aloud.
"I do not know," Brinn replied. "Perhaps the soft grass hid it. All I know is that a human girl was flailing about, screaming incoherently in a ferocious wind. She looked like a fish on a hook, if the fish had gangly arms and legs…A bit like when Alvar steps in unicorn manure." Brinn added as she elbowed the he-elf.
The group laughed at the image, and Aurora sank slightly in her seat. "Did the ants bite her?" Alvar asked.
"Unfortunately no. That would have made a better story. But after cleaning her body of the ants, the woman finally realized that a storm was coming in. She tackled her tent and tried to clear the ants inside. But the ants did not want to get wet any more than she, and they put up a ferocious fight. The choice she made next was fatal. She uprooted the tent from the ground and dragged it to the unprotected beach. When the tent was finally clear of the ants, I thought the action was over. I had just about given up watching when without warning, the wind picked up a corner of the tent. It went flat for a moment, but the rain came nearly sideways and gave the wind an extra push. The tent and human began to roll… and I mean ROLL down the beach. I could hardly believe it. Were it not for an outcropping of rocks, she might still be rolling." Brinn paused for the laughter. "The rocks caught the tent and knocked the woman senseless. It was quite a sight."
"What did you do?" Ithel wanted to know.
"I put that woman's tent back where she had it on the beach and put her inside it still asleep. I wish I could have seen her face when she awoke. I bet she will forever wonder if it was all a bad dream." Brinn gave a half smile and shrugged.
The party erupted in laughter. It was a good tale. Only Aurora and Devrim had muted reactions. The grey-eyed man realized quickly that Aurora was the woman in the story. His amusement was mixed with the fact that Brinn could easily humiliate the Empress if she revealed her identity in the tale. But it seemed that the elf had no interest in exposing her. He leaned over to the Empress, "So… you kind of asked for that, you know."
Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "I am not mad. This is totally my fault. At least she did not say it was me."
"That is an extraordinary tale!" Ithel said when the laughter died down. "What do you think, Aurora? Do you think this really happened?"
Aurora straightened her back, "Aside from a slight exaggeration here and there, I find her tale to be quite plausible. And on behalf of the human woman, thank you for returning her to her tent. Better to wake up confused and dry than wet, tentless and miserable."
"Well said!" Ithel cheered.
Aurora gave Brinn a meaningful gaze. 'I'm sorry' the Empress mouthed. She should not have pushed the elf to entertain them. Brinn gave a slight nod and a half smile. She had no intention of being cruel, but she had made her point. No means no.