Darius was thoughtful for a moment before answering. “It got too quiet.”
“You finally learned to listen to your surroundings.” Vitaria added.
Both turned to look at her. Jake eyed her up and down with an appraising eye. “Well worth the effort.” He commented as he winked at Darius. Vitaria missed neither the wink nor the soft blue sparkle in Darius’ eye as he spoke.
“Not totally sure on that yet.”
Vitaria’s eyes narrowed to slits as she glared at Darius invoking a smile from him. She turned her attention to Jake. “And just who are you?” She asked, giving him the once over.
Jake put his arm around Darius’ shoulders as he spoke. “Who am I? I, fair lady, am Jake Williams. Best friend of this poor unfortunate soul.”
Darius pulled away from him a bit as he gave him a look like he had two heads.
“I’m the poor unfortunate soul? It is I who must put up with you and your tag along existence.” He emphasized by tapping Jake’s chest with his finger. Try as she might, Vitaria couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Darius are you ever serious?” Before she had a chance to react, Jake had released Darius and quickly draped his arm firmly around her shoulders. “Maybe we should sit and discuss the unfortunate demise that you had to pull this fool out of M’Lady.”
Darius rolled his eyes skyward in disbelief at his friend’s blatant move, but before he could even do anything Vitaria was way ahead of him. As smoothly as a grape being pinched from it’s skin, Vitaria extracted herself from Jake’s grasp and slid her arm through Darius. “It is I whom is indebted to young master Darius for it was he who prevented a Lorkian spear from impaling me.” She gave Darius a sideways glance, “Even if it was not done in the most gentle way.”
Jake’s eyes narrowed as he attempted to give Darius the evil eye. “He can be very bewitching M’Lady. One must be very careful around him. He will woo you until won then discard you like old laundry. He has broken so many hearts that they’re stacked up like cordwood outside his window.”
Vitaria burst out snorting despite herself and quickly stifled it with the back of her hand. She looked at Darius, as he put his free hand over his heart as if in pain.
“Oh, that cuts me to the quick M’Lady, that you of all people would question my judgment after all we’ve been through; especially on matters of the heart.”
“That, dear fellow is why I must intervene on the young she-elf’s behalf.” Master Peter spoke. His booming voice made both young men jump. “Now if you two braggarts have sufficiently confused, nay harassed her there are other matters to contend with.”
And with that he slickly extracted Vitaria away from Darius and steered her towards the Elder table. Both Darius and Jake stood there with their mouths wide open. Before staring open mouthed at one another.
“We have been duped.” Darius commented.
“I’ll say, and rather smoothly at that my friend.” Jake added.
“He should be a silversmith with that tongue.”
“Yes, most definitely.”
They both knew that Darius would be staying back from the first battalion going out unless problems necessitated it. Jake was pretty sure he would be going. Both were half listening to what was going on as they continued to catch up on what had transpired last week while Darius was away.
Jake finally asked, “So how’s Kaleen?”
“Kaleen’s fine. None the worse for wear…Oh yeah she’s gotten very proficient with her sword.”
“Humph. Good.”
Darius kept his mouth shut about Draymus, although he knew that wasn’t why Jake had asked.
“I did get to talk with my Grandfather a little while I was there.”
Jake looked puzzled for a moment before his eyes flew open wide as he exclaimed.
“The elf leading Kaleen’s group?”
“Yes, that’s my grandfather.”
“He didn’t look old enough to be your grandfather.”
“He’s an elf…remember…we don’t show our age like men do.”
“But your father?”
“We talked about this before. Remember? I’m only half elven.”
Jake looked down at his feet trying to remember. He looked back up at him. “But you said…?”
“Same mother genius.”
Jake gave him a dirty look. “Yeah…now I remember. So what does that make you?”
“What do you mean?”
A smirk planted itself on Jake’s face. “Does that make you a half lord or something?”
Darius glared before giving a smart-assed answer as he pulled himself up tall. “Why yes and you may address me as such.”
Jake barked out a short laugh as he spoke. “In your dreams my brother…in your dreams.”
In short order the meeting began to break up and people started to leave. Gregan and Vitaria were given the messages from the elders as well as the plans as to when the villages would be moving forward with troops. Darius elbowed Jake sharply, causing Jake to look at Darius as if he was crazy. Vitaria came walking back towards them. He spoke a little louder than was necessary to Jake.
“Jake…you didn’t go see your girlfriend Jenna before you came over did you? Won’t she be a bit upset with you?”
Jake didn’t see Vitaria approaching as he answered. “No.” Then he followed Darius’ line of sight and saw Vitaria. “No Darius, Jenna wasn’t upset ’cause I stopped quickly and let her know what I was doing.” He glanced at Vitaria before continuing. “That’s what a man does to be courteous to his lady.” Then he gave Darius an accusatory look as he asked, “Why? Were you going to stop in and speak with her without my knowledge?” Jake winked at Vitaria.
The appalled look plastered on Darius’ face as he tried to speak spoke volumes to his character. The sputtered statement following ended all doubt.
“I…no!…I would never do that to you or her. You’re my best friend and Jenna is also a good friend. Best friends just don’t do that. I don’t know what they do at Silvarnon, but that we…it just doesn’t happen.”
“I’m glad to hear that, and no, that doesn’t happen at Silvarnon either.” She looked around until she spotted Simon. “Now let’s see if we can get your father and head back to your home. I can’t speak for you, but I for one would be grateful for a comfortable night’s sleep before the first morning light.”
One look at his father and his posture told Darius that his father was nowhere near ready to head back home.
“I can tell you right now that that notion is a lost cause. We might as well head out on our own.” Then he looked down at her, his face brightening like that of a young child with a secret to share. “Besides, I wanted…would like to show you where I have to slave away my daylight hours.”
She gave him a confused frown. Jake interpreted for him.
“What my besotted friend is trying to say is that he wants to show you the smithy.”
Darius gave him a pained look as Vitaria smiled at the reference of Darius being besotted with her. She gave him an out as she watched his eyes. “Maybe you can show me the ringmail that Master Finian was bragging on.”
Darius’ face lit up. “I can do that…” He paused unsure “If you really want to.” He was relieved as she smiled and nodded.
“Great…let