Battlefield

With a little coaxing from the servants, Aurora was ready for dinner. She changed into a sickly greenish-yellow gown that paled her skin, but the cloth itself was very fine. The Empress wondered if Princess Calla had selected the gown to make her look ill. The she-elf had hand delivered the garment.

"I will have to watch out for that lady," the Empress mumbled. She took one last look in the mirror and sighed. Aurora would have to put away her vanity for the sake of her Empire. It was a small price.

Gandr and Alvar had not yet returned, making Aurora slightly anxious. She hoped they were simply gathering all the information before bringing it to her. She looked down the hall for them one last time before resigning herself to dinner without back up. Ithel might try to defend her if tempers rose, but that seemed like a dangerous option. Aurora would fend for herself.

The Empress had not had the pleasure of eating in the banquet hall previously. It was in the same style as the rest of the place, white with fiery accents. The table was long and the rest of the company were already seated.

Aurora was relieved to see that only the King, Queen, Crown Prince and Crown Princess were at the table. Aurora may have been outnumbered, but at least it was not terrible odds. The servant led the woman to her seat and pulled out the chair.

"Welcome, Empress Aurora. We are glad you have decided to join us." King Zoltan and the others stood from their chairs.

"Your Majesties, Your Highnesses," Aurora greeted them with a curtsy. The monarchs seemed as calm and aloof as ever. Ithel looked uncomfortable, and Calla appeared....expectant. There was a gleam in the beautiful elf's eye that sent a shiver down Aurora's spine.

The Empress happened to glance down at the chair, and spotted something unusual on its seat. Instead of a soft cushion, there was a spiny thorn as big as the Empress's hand laying on top of the smooth wood. So that was her game! Of all the wars Aurora was in currently, this was by far the most annoying. She was in a battle of wits with a jealous newlywed. It was insane. If Aurora sat on the thorn, the pain and angry display would have embarrassed her and justified Calla's disdain.

The king sat and his family followed. Resolved not to give Calla any pleasure, Aurora slipped the thorn onto the ground as she slid into the seat. The Empress pretended not to even notice the prank as she pulled her napkin demurely on her lap. "I appreciate your hospitality," Aurora said as she looked at the King and Queen. "I know I am an unexpected guest." She smiled sweetly at them.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora could see that Calla was fuming because her stunt had not worked. The point in the match had gone to the human.

"When have we ever been anything other than welcoming?" Zoltan asked without a hint of irony.

'Ha! Last time I was here you tried to force me into marriage with the threat of death, and this time you have my Chief locked away where I cannot reach,' Aurora wanted to say. Obviously elven and human standards for welcome were not the same. Thankfully the question had been rhetorical, so no answer was required.

Lanassa turned a critical eye on her daughter-in-law. "Calla, did you select this dress for the young Empress?"

The princess was caught off guard and stared blankly at the Queen before nodding. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"We must get your eyes checked, my dear. Or is your fashion sense really that atrocious?" Lanassa took a dainty bite from the plate that was placed in front of her.

There was no good answer to the question and Calla wisely stayed silent. Ithel placed his hand on her knee under the table to comfort her. To him, it had just been an innocent misunderstanding. The king ignored the whole exchange and changed the subject.

"Did the gnome not wish to join us this evening?" the king asked disinterestedly. He munched on a green leafy vegetable, resembling a royal rabbit.

Aurora regarded the place setting next to her. The elves had expected the halfling to come. "Gandr preferred to spend some time with Lord Alvar. They are old friends. I hope you will excuse him." It was true, although Aurora did not mention their choice of activity to do together.

The king nodded at the mention of Alvar. "Ah yes, my future son-in-law. If only my daughter would come back to marry him. Do you have any idea when that may be, young Empress?" Zoltan inquired with an expectant gaze.

Although Aurora liked being called young, the king seemed to have used it to mean inexperienced more than youthful. She gave a thin smile. "As soon as I have completed my mission and returned home, she will come back to complete her part of the bargain. You can ask her that question yourself at that time. I know as much as you on the topic."

The Empress was trying to be vigilant on all fronts, but she almost missed the vinegar masquerading as juice from the meat on her plate. Only the smell alerted her. Taking a tentative bite, Aurora confirmed that her meat had been improperly seasoned. Rather than make a fuss, she ate all the side dishes without complaint. Calla was disappointed yet again.

"What exactly is your mission?" Lanassa was genuinely curious. Aurora wondered if there was more to the question, but saw no reason to lie. The elves would find out some other way soon enough.

"The gnomes overran the palace and have taken over my Empire with the help of my son. I am looking for allies."

"Your kingdom was attacked and you ran away? Of course that is typical of you humans. What else would I expect with that man as your Chief Councilman?" Zoltan insulted both Aurora and Zan.

While Aurora had not been expecting the insult, she saw an opportunity. "War is never that simple, Your Majesty. And I have never seen Zan run from a fight."

"And yet he is here…" the King pointed out.

"Protecting me!" Aurora responded with just enough passion to spur the King onward.

Zoltan raised one eyebrow. "Ha, he only protects himself."

Lanassa interrupted her husband, "That is enough, Zoltan!" The Queen's hands were becoming white as she gripped the table.

"I think the Empress deserves to know the kind of man she has trusted, don't you?" Zoltan pressed. The air in the room was thick with tension. Part of Aurora was frustrated by the king's heavy-handed dealings, but she also wanted to know what had happened. Lanassa looked frustrated also, but then she sighed.

"Do you remember the story I told you to try to convince you to marry Ithel?" The queen asked.

The princess snorted. "Why you would ever want such a thing is beyond me!" she quipped. "I mean Empress Aurora is no match for your son at all." The queen shot a warning look at Calla, who had already opened her mouth for another jab at Aurora. Calla fell silent.

"On that we are agreed, Your Highness. We are a poor match indeed." The Empress had no desire for a fight and Calla was not wrong. "As for your question, Your Majesty, I remember the story."

"Then I shall only share the highlights for my son and his bride." Lanassa seemed relieved to be getting things off her chest. "A long time ago I was engaged to a human. He was smart and funny and claimed to love me. We were engaged to be married, but on the day of our wedding, my human groom was nowhere to be found. He disappeared. Zoltan saved me from utter humiliation by marrying me instead."

"You mean…" Aurora's mouth dropped open.

The Queen pressed her lips together and nodded.

"Zan was the one who jilted me."