Mythran's Master Of All

Ren and Artemis walked out of the reception area at a normal pace, then looked at each other. “Race?” They asked at the same time, let out a chuckle, then ran through the air.

The Pervarians had felt them coming and started to turn, then felt Ren and Artemis had already passed them. They looked at the lobby to see where they went, and all they saw was a 10 foot by 10 foot square hole in the outside wall for a moment, then it disappeared.

The Pervarians didn't say anything as they calmly left the castle, and each third person held the door open a little longer than necessary for them to step through it. None of the people in the lobby or outside noticed this, and the representatives of the kingdom of Pervaria loaded up into their assigned spots in their caravan. When they were all seated, the drivers all flicked their reins at the same time and the entire caravan moved as one.

It was slow going, since it was a capital city of a kingdom and everyone was up and about, and it gave them lots of time to talk and discuss things.

“Tell me what you think of them.” Kenkoth asked Tatya.

“They're brash and arrogant, almost to a fault.” Tatya said. “The self-entitled feelings from both the king and his wife were almost sickening.”

Kenkoth chuckled. “The king grew up as a royal so his were understandable. The wife on the other hand, married into it.”

“I think that's why she feels so much more entitled than everyone else.” Tatya said. “She's too reserved and is hiding from her own emotions.”

Kenkoth nodded slightly. “She also has a touch of death about her.”

“The princess explained it to me the other night, during our 'girl talk'.” Tatya said. “Her mother was infected by a ghoul and was healed.”

“Normally that wouldn't be that big of a deal.” Kenkoth said. “A lot of them recover and are fine.”

Tatya nodded slightly. “She said her mother was going to turn into one, and the healers caught it just in time.”

“An aborted conversion? Really?” The healer asked, surprised. “Did she say how it was done?”

Tatya shook her head. “She was there and witnessed the procedure, but she's not a healer.”

“So, even if she knew what the healers used, she wouldn't know the techniques needed.” The healer sighed. “What a pity.”

Tatya nodded and then smiled. “I learned something else interesting from my talk with the princess. She is pretty starved and a little desperate to share the things she has in her life with someone deserving, except that there isn't anyone in her life to share them with and no one is coming forward to accept the responsibility.”

“She shares her fate with a lot of powerful women, then.” Kenkoth said and chuckled.

“Are you saying that if she had been a man...”

“Yes.” Kenkoth said. “Especially here in the Human Kingdom, where it's the males that dominate society's rules of Etiquette.”

Tatya chuckled. “How short-sighted they are.”

“That was one of the reasons for this excursion.” Kenkoth said. “Once we realized that...”

“Everything went much smoother when they believed that you were the head of the delegation.” Tatya said. “It was quite amazing, really.”

The healer chuckled. “I'm not sure why they believe it's easier to deal with a man.”

“They assume he has authority, even if a woman is presented before him.” Kenkoth said. “Tatya was introduced first, and yet they didn't treat her as the important one.”

“The only one who did that was Ren.” Tatya said.

“That was quite the display you put on.” Kenkoth said, and she smiled.

“At least he recognizes that women can be a source of both power and authority.”

“He still deferred to me.” Kenkoth said.

“Only because we didn't correct him when he saw King Alamast do so.” Tatya said. “Even when I stood behind you as King Alamast approached, it was me he looked at, not you.”

“I didn't catch that.” Kenkoth said.

“You were too busy looking at Lady Eleanor.” The healer said with a knowing smile.

Kenkoth chuckled at being discovered so easily. “She is a beauty.”

“Her emotions are too tightly wound for me.” The healer said. “I couldn't really discern anything from her for the entire time of our visit here.”

Kenkoth nodded. “It's always a bit of a surprise when someone can throw us off like that.”

“That's why you find her so intriguing?” Tatya asked.

“That, and like I said, she's a beauty.”

“You're so shallow.” The healer said and they laughed. After a few moments, Kenkoth spoke again.

“What about Ren?”

“He is unlike anyone I have ever met before.” Tatya said. “We have met Adventurers along the way to the capital, and none of them can come close to his presence.”

“Or his prowess.” The healer said and touched the bracelet on his wrist. “Or his generosity.”

“Did you get the full list of his titles from Jirqym?” Kenkoth asked.

“He slipped it to me just before we sat down for breakfast.” Tatya said. “I didn't get the chance to read it, though.” She took out the piece of paper and saw how much writing there was on it.