Pendant of Fortune (16 page)

“
Absolutely. Can we bring Streak?”

“
If he wants to come, sure.”

Volle turned to ask Streak if he’d be interested, and the wolf nodded, already listening with a cocked ear. He nodded to Helfer. “I think we’ll both join you.”

“
Good. Can’t wait. I haven’t had a proper run since this retreat started. My legs are getting all weak.”

“
I doubt that,” Volle said, and just then Tish and Tika sat down on the other side of Streak.

Tish, seated closer to the white wolf, said to him and Volle, “Welcome to the first official banquet, m’boys. Should be a good one. Hello, Lord Ikling. We all appreciate your hospitality, and especially you taking in these two troublemakers.”

“
Oh, they’re no trouble, sir,” Helfer said with a grin. “Not too much, anyway. And Weasel knows we could use a bit more trouble around here, eh?”

“
I’m sure Weasel thinks so,” Tish retorted, “but I’m not sure His brothers would agree.”

“
Well, then let them host this damn retreat.” Helfer was grinning, but there was a ferocity to his words that spoke to the underlying truth.

“
Well spoken.” Tish grinned and turned to Streak to ask him a question. Volle listened to the first part of it, then was caught up in more complaints from Helfer.

The weasel talked about Alister through the appetizer course, even with his mouth full of the fruit-and-quail egg mixture that he told Volle was a specialty of his land. He ran out of steam at about the same time he ran out of appetizers, though, and his usual good humor took over. “You know,” he said as the servants were clearing the plates and setting down salads with tangerine slices arrayed at their sides, “at least it’s over now. I’ll probably have to see him every day, but hopefully not all day any more. So maybe I can relax and enjoy myself.”

“
I hope so,” Volle said with a grin. “Isn’t that the point of this retreat?”

“
Maybe for them. I’ve never been on one, and likely won’t be on another. You have to be important.”

“
The whole year is a kind of retreat for you.”

Helfer gave him a wink. “You could look at it that way. I guess this isn’t too bad a tradeoff, then.”

The salads were delicious, seasoned with a blackberry vinegar that Volle remembered from palace meals. He crunched lettuce and carrots between his teeth and looked around the table for the first time. He recognized most of the lords and ladies, and from the looks of it, most of them recognized him. A few met his eyes, and others turned quickly away when they caught him looking at them. Easy to pick me out with Lord Dewanne still gone, he thought, and it was as he was looking around Laya to see if Dewanne really was gone that he caught his first glimpse of Dereath.

The rat was eating quietly, and as far as Volle could see, he was alone. He looked well-groomed, and Volle could just see the shoulder of the blue vest he wore over his white shirt. That was a bit of a shock in itself; as long as Volle had known him, Dereath had always worn black. For a moment, he wondered if he were mistaken, if perhaps Lord Asith had been moved up in the peerage. But no, the rat turned his head, saw Volle, and there was no mistaking the dark eyes and crooked smile.

“
Don’t worry,” Streak said behind him. “He won’t hurt you.”

Volle turned, slightly surprised. “What?”

“
He won’t hurt you,” Streak repeated. “He’ll lose the hearing.”

Tish was listening now, too. Volle said gently, “I appreciate that. But I’m not convinced it’ll be easy.”

“
He doesn’t have any witnesses, does he?”

Volle and Tish exchanged a look. Tish said, “Apparently he does. We’re not sure exactly what the witness knows.”

Streak looked down and mumbled something. Volle didn’t catch it, but thought it sounded like
won’t be a problem
. He put a paw on the wolf’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry. We’ll win.” He had to stop talking as the servants chose that moment to clear his plate and bring the main course out to the table.

The spices on the roasted pig made Volle’s nose twitch. They were also familiar from his time at the palace, not as different as the meal he’d had at Helfer’s the previous night. The vegetable dishes were very small, he noticed, probably because most of the important lords were carnivores. He noticed only a scattering of herbivores around the table, Lord and Lady Wallen among them.

Before anyone could begin eating, Lord Alister stood up. “Welcome to their Majesties’ Annual Retreat, hosted this year in Vellenland. It is perhaps a trifle colder and wetter than we had anticipated, but I’m sure we will be able to make it a relaxing time for all.”

He was met with a little grumbling, but most of the table clapped politely.

“
And now,” Alister continued, “let us drink to the health of their majesties.”

“
To their health,” the crowd called as one, raising glasses and drinking.

“
Thank you,” King Barris said, nodding to Alister and rising as the coyote sat down. “My friends, I would like to propose another toast, to Lord Ikling and Governor Burren for their hospitality. Your health.” He raised his goblet, looking down at Helfer.

Volle realized that Governor Burren was on the other side of Laya. He hadn’t noticed him before. He raised his glass with the rest, grinning at Helfer. The weasel, aware of the King’s eyes on him, just looked modestly down at his plate, but he kicked Volle under the table. The toast was somewhat less enthusiastic than the previous one, but nobody refused to drink, at least.

And then they were allowed to eat. Of course, the food was delicious. Helfer chewed a mouthful of roast pig and sighed happily. “You know, I like my local cooking, but I’m used to this.”

Volle nodded. “It’s good to taste the palace food again. But I liked your cook’s food too.”

“
She’s good, but this…ooh.” Volle could see Helfer’s little tail wagging against the chair.

He grinned and turned to Streak, but the wolf had only taken a couple bites of his food and was staring at his plate. “Are you feeling okay?”

Streak nodded. “Just ate too much earlier. Not really hungry.”

Volle wrinkled his muzzle, concerned, but just then Helfer tugged on his sleeve. “So, Volle, listen, I suggested to Alister that maybe one of the days the lords could travel down to the orchards. Nice weather, we can get them freshly picked fruit, and hopefully it’ll make them feel better about the retreat. What do you think?”

“
Oh. Sounds like a good idea.” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Tish was talking to Streak, so he focused on Helfer. “Say, shouldn’t your steward be planning this sort of thing?”

“
Don’t worry, I’m going to go back to Huster with a long list tonight and he’ll be up here tomorrow. But it looked better for me to be here today.”

“
Looked better? Since when do you care about that?”

“
I don’t. But I have to stay on at least a neutral footing or I might get kicked out of the palace. Or at least lose my quarters. I wouldn’t want that.”

“
No, I guess not. Say, do you know who’s in my old quarters now?”

“
Nobody. Nobody new has come to the palace, so yours are still empty. They did take most of the stuff out of them, looking for…you know. But I guess they didn’t find anything.”

“
Nothing to find,” Volle said simply and truthfully. There were things he prized, a couple of them, but he kept nothing around that would incriminate him.

Helfer looked at him and grinned. “Oh, yes there was.”

Volle blinked, about to take a drink of wine. “What?”

“
You still had two of my P. Zinsky books.”

Volle choked on the wine and laughed. “I’m sorry!”

“
Somehow,” Helfer said, “they knew to bring them back to me.”

“
I don’t suppose anyone else reads gay romance novels.”

“
Some of the ladies do.” Helfer was grinning. “You’d be surprised at the number of requests I got after they were returned to me. I’m a regular library.”

“
Like who?” Volle lowered his voice.

Helfer tapped his muzzle with a finger, signifying quiet, and indicated a few of the ladies around the table by pointing his muzzle. Volle chuckled. “My, my.”

“
Interesting, eh?”

“
Just wondering if it means they’re unhappy.”

“
I don’t think so. I just think they’re curious about two males getting frisky.”

“
You could ask. Maybe you could invite them along to the Staff and sell tickets.”

“
If I needed the money.” Helfer grinned.

They were finishing up the main course by that time, and only a few minutes later, the servants reappeared to clear the table and bring out a cheese course. Volle turned to Streak, but the wolf’s attention was elsewhere as Tish explained the different kinds of cheeses to him. He turned back to Helfer and kept talking to him through the cheese course and dessert, turning every so often to smile at Streak and ask if he was enjoying the meal.

As the servants were clearing away the remains of the rich berry-topped butter cake with cream, Lord Alister stood up again and cleared his throat. He was near the head of the table, and the King and Queen turned to look at him, as did the rest of the nobles.

“
Lords and ladies, I hope you have enjoyed this meal. There is a group of merchants currently waiting in the reception area, to the right as you exit the banquet hall. They were chosen by the King’s staff, and without their help, we could not have prepared this banquet for you. If you would like to pass by and express your appreciation in person, I’m sure they would be grateful.” They would also love the chance to acquire more noble patrons, Volle knew. Abandoning their shops in the city for two weeks or more cost them, and most merchants did so with the hope of gaining new clients from the peerage.

“
We will announce tomorrow’s activities and have the information distributed to your servants. Until then, have a good night.” He was cheered again as he sat down. A moment later, the King and Queen rose and lumbered toward the exit, pausing occasionally to talk to people along the table as they passed. When they reached the doors and passed through them, the crowd began to rise themselves.

“
We’re going back to the mansion very soon,” Helfer said. “If you’re leaving soon, I’ll go back with you. Otherwise I’ll have to go with these two.” He tilted his head toward Laya and the governor.

“
I think we’re leaving pretty soon,” Volle said. Streak raised a paw, but Tish cut in before he could say anything.

“
I think you should come with us to see the merchants, Volle.”

“
I’m not sure…all right.” Volle changed his answer when he saw the look in Tish’s eyes. “Can you wait that long, Hef?”

“
I think so. I’ll just send these two on their way.” He turned back to Laya and Burren to do that.

“
Shall we?” Volle gestured to the three wolves on his left.

“
Certainly.” Tish downed the last of his sweet wine and rose, then helped Tika to her feet. They followed the three weasels out of the dining room and gathered in the entrance, where Volle could see the crowd of merchants off to the right. Glimpsing a familiar pair of ear tips, he suddenly knew why Tish had wanted him to see the merchants.

“
Hef, you coming?”

“
Sure, why not.”

Streak spoke up unexpectedly. “You know, I’ll just…meet you here afterwards. Okay?”

“
That's fine. You’ll be here?” Volle looked at him curiously.

The wolf seemed to be looking at part of the crowd of nobles, or trying to avoid looking at part of the crowd. “Yeah. I should be. I might wander a bit.”

“
We won’t be long.” He was starting to feel a little concerned, but didn’t want to make a scene in front of the others. He touched his nose to Streak’s and smiled to let him know he trusted him, and got a weak smile back. “See you back here, then.”

Streak nodded, and raised a paw. “Back here.”

As they walked away, Volle looked back to see the wolf, but he had already disappeared into the crowd. He thought he saw a white head walking quickly away from the banquet hall, but then he bumped into Helfer, and by the time he could look back around, the head was gone.

He recognized a few of the merchants, but one in particular was a welcome sight. Volle approached the table, glancing only briefly at the samples of finely crafted glassware on it. He smiled as he extended his paw to the tall rabbit behind the table. “Mister…Marik, isn’t it?”