"I know Lord Kel wasn't so remiss in his duties that he left you completely ignorant of propriety," I said stopping Leian before she could walk away.
"Alys is part of my staff. A mber of my House. Her words may have been inappropriate, but that is for to decide. You are levels and a Rank higher than her. That slap you found inconsequential may have done real harm.
"You owe Alys recompense. She is mine to punish if I deem punishnt is rited. Don't assu like your family has, that because I am a newly Ranked Prince that I am completely ignorant of protocol or too blind and stupid to retaliate.
"If you had done this to any other Ranked staff, you would have been subject to a duel. I wonder if I am going to have to completely wipe out House Kel before I am given any peace?"
Honestly, I didn't think the altercation was that serious, but Caraid was adamant that I could not and should not ignore the slap. I would have to chat with Alys about proper conduct and how I expected my staff and House mbers to comport themselves, but that would be done in private.
By confronting Leian publicly, I reassured those who bore witness that I would protect those that had sworn to follow . By not responding, Caraid inford , I may actually be breaking my sworn Oath to protect them.
"You will find Jennie to discuss what monetary damages you will pay. I expect no less than a year's wages as recompense for your actions.
"And leave my people alone. If you have a problem, find . Or the next ti you attack one of mine, I will et you in the dueling circle," I declared.
It was late before I finally managed to get to sleep.
After dinner, we'd gone outside to enjoy the evening. Once the sunset, we realized we had made camp next to a wisp colony. The sight of these gentle creatures dancing in the wind was enticing. The effect on those gathered was soothing since the incident between Leian and Alys there had been a tension that perated the actions and discussions of staff and Vassal alike.
The colorful and innocent beings that danced in delight as the sunset helped alleviate that tension. Wisps were floating balls of multi-colored light, blinking like lightning bugs, the colors a mating ritual that was perford nightly. When one of the creatures was brave enough to land on my arm, I managed a closer inspection as he sat patiently and allowed to examine him.
It wasn't an amorphous ball of light and energy, instead, a small winged creature, not fully humanoid, not fully insect, a blending of the two, was generating the light fields. Each flutter of the wing created rivers of magic, magic that ford patterns and glowed. This magic was what caused the ball of light. It was an energy field that protected the diminutive figure and allowed delicate wings of gossar to give lift and force to flight. Without this magic, these creatures would be landlocked.
They were intelligent and individual. And were considered Sidhe, not an animal. They had their own governnt, their own rituals, and their own mythologies and histories. They were Danu's children and were blessed with grace and beauty. A strange type of beauty with their insect features, just as butterflies could be beautiful, so too were they.
But their gentleness could be deadly. They were tricksters. They took delight in leading the unwary astray. Tales of those lost in the woods or children beguiled and attracted to their light proliferated. For all their gentleness and human-like appearance, they used the dead and decaying to lay eggs. Eggs that beca the next generation of Wisp.
The little man that landed on my arm was delighted when I had one of the staff retrieve so milk and honey, lapping it up confidently, manners impeccable until he'd finished and let lose the loudest belch I'd ever heard.
How such a small and delicate creature could generate such noise was startling and awe-inspiring.
I'm not sure who the first person to laugh was, but it was contagious, and soon the entire field, Vassals and staff, were laughing uproariously. It seed to be a signal to those gathered as wines and ales were opened and distributed.
Instrunts were fetched and soon boisterous and spontaneous music accompanied the wisp in counterpoint. lodies began that called to you. Dissonant at first, but quickly symphonic and swelling. Music that touched your soul and required you to release inhibition.
Dance! The lody demanded.
Sing! The harmonies pleaded.
This is what life is for.
The party, the first I'd enjoyed since I'd arrived in this world lasted late into the night. This, I thought as I finally found my bed, is what life is really about. Those joyous monts that occur and have no reason. They simply are. This is what it ans to be Sidhe.
I woke the next morning, sweating profusely, a great pressure holding down. The sll of flatulence cloying and fouling the air. The bed was soaked. At first, I thought I'd had an accident while sleeping, but once I struggled to a sitting position, I discovered that I was not alone.
Sidhe wine was heady stuff, but I'd not thought I'd had that much to drink. That seed to not be the case because I'd been joined in bed. Soti during the night, ala, a four-ton honey badger had managed to slip in my room. A drooling, farting, snuffling over-sized teddy bear had decided to cuddle and nominated as the pillow.
The bed was wet from a mixture of bear slobber and Seelie sweat. The sll was fouled because honey badgers fart. A lot. How and why ala got into my room, let alone into my bed, I was uncertain. But it seed she'd claid .
As she slept, snored, and farted next to . she looked more like the giant teddy bear, a teddy bear that was angry at being woken and at her pillow for dislodging her. It is hard to argue with the designs of a four-ton honey badger. A honey badger equipped with six sets of weapons as hard and sharp as any steel knife.
It took a bit of pushing, shoving, and complaining to get her to release . Ril and Gil rushing into the room as I protested, complained, and eventually begged ala to let go, didn't help matters.
Especially when they stopped in shock and then burst out in laughter, signaling others that sothing strange was going on in my chambers. Their laughter managed to attract other people; it seed the entire House. And soon my room had been invaded by a host of people as I struggled, dressed only in my underwear, to extricate myself from a badger hug.
I may have seen the humor in the situation, if I weren't practically naked, and if it were soone else. And if the sll wasn't so vomit-inducing.
Finally.
Finally. I was free. I escaped quickly into the restroom and had the hottest shower I could stand. Once dressed, I exited discovering ala had been, thankfully, shepherded back to the stables, so I headed out for breakfast. Relieved that ala had deigned to return outdoors and wouldn't be joining at the breakfast table.
The snorts and sudden laughter that followed the rest of the morning were embarrassing, but I bore with them in good humor. I still wish it had been soone else, and I admitted to myself, I'd have been the first to join in mocking and teasing if it had been. Nonetheless, I wasn't going to begrudge a bit of snark and laughter at my expense.
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