A Trifle Homesick

When Heron woke up, he felt a bit disoriented. He still wasn't used to sleeping in the strange bed. Again a wave of homesickness crashed over him.

He slowly got up and got ready for the day. He was not sure what to expect of the day – nor how free he would be to do whatever. If his hosts had anything planned, as a guest he needed to go along with it.

It took him about half an hour to get completely ready and then Elswyth knocked on his door. She was slightly impatient when he opened the door, and grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her.

She took him down to eat breakfast. Serendiah was sitting and talking to Kuryzan. The elf was laughing as he talked with her. He seemed a lot more at ease than he had when Heron had seen him yesterday.

But as he sat down, he saw that tenseness return to the other wizard. His eyes dropped to stare at the table as he slightly fidgeted. The queen sighed and shook her head as she watched him do so.

"Good morning, Prince Heron." Serendiah smiled at him, "I hope you slept well last night."

"I did, thank you very much." Heron replied politely.

He ate his food quietly, not sure what else to say.

Then he heard a soft purring noise and looked around to find it. It was that cat with two tails that had been with Kuryzan the first time he had seen the man. It was currently by his feet and rubbing against his robe. Kuryzan looked down with a smile at it and patted his lap. The cat lept up and curled up on him.

Serendiah raised an eyebrow but said nothing as her ward slipped some meat to the cat.

Heron smiled and tried to engage his fellow wizard in conversation, "That's a very pretty cat."

Kuryzan looked up and actually met his eyes with a shy hint of a smile, "Thank you. Quorpas is my familiar. We've been together a long time."

"I've never seen a cat with two tails before." Heron was interested. And was hoping to continue the conversation.

Kuryzan looked down, and stroked the cat, "He is a fairy cat. They are rather rare. I am rather lucky one wanted to be my familiar."

Heron had never really heard of fairy cats. He said as much. And again the wizard smiled, "They don't tend to mingle with people very much. Unless to be a familiar."

He fell silent after that. And Heron decided not to push the conversation. The elven wizard seemed shy, and Heron was pretty sure that for him that was considered a pretty good conversation.

Serendiah looked happy and he saw her mouth a "thank you" to him. She did not say anything aloud though.

Not till breakfast was over and then she turned and smiled to him, "So Heron. The letter sent asking us to host you also asked if we could have you do activities that would be good for strengthening your body. And it is promising to be a lovely day out. How do you feel about horseback riding?"

He had never really done it before. Their were only two kinds of horses in Amriel. The ones that pulled carts and a knight's horse. And unless you were a knight you did not ride their horses.

Though, there had been once that Asrar had thrown him up on his horse in an attempt to teach him. But he had not let go of the reins and just taught him some of the basics.

He nodded hesitantly though. And Serendiah then turned to her ward, "Kur, would you like to join us? You really could use some sun. When was the last time you went outside again?"

He was quiet for a moment but then sighed. "It has been about a month I think."

"That isn't healthy. I swear you are getting almost as bad as that Court Sorcerer of Carendlus."

"…" Kuryzan frowned, "I will go riding. How soon?"

"In about an hour why don't we meet in front of the castle? I'll go send word to the stables to prepare a few horses."

Kuryzan had fallen silent, it looked like his mind was wondering. The queen looked at him and then sighed and said, "You can invite that half-elven friend of yours if you'd like."

"Which one?" He smiled.

"Both, if you'd like. Those two siblings are good for you. Especially the younger one. She brings you out of her shell more."

Heron listened to this, but it really did not mean anything to him. He had no idea who they were talking about so to him it really had no meaning. Though he did kinda hope one of them came – he had never met a half-elf. And he was curious.