“It is an honor to meet you, your grace. My name is Delia,” She said.

  “The honor is mine,” Noah replied, “You may call me Noah.” He wasn’t sure what to make of her response upon seeing him, as he was certain they hadn’t met. Perhaps his name had gone ahead of him.

  “I apologize for the wait, I hope you have been kept comfortable,” She said, smiling at Noah before looking pointedly at Julie. Noah nodded emphatically.

  “I’ve been well taken care of, but I appreciate your concern, Delia.” Noah replied.

  “I’m glad to hear it. Now Julie, would you mind giving us the room? We have private matters to discuss.” Her words were more statement than question and Julie was quick to oblige. Once she had cleared the room, Delia strode to the side of the room and poured two cups of tea. Noah couldn’t help but notice the way her hips swayed back and forth, her blonde hair glistened, and the silk that caught on the small of her back as she twisted. He blinked. He blinked again. Focus, Noah. He told himself, shaking his head at his straying mind. He missed the minute grin that flashed across her face as she noticed his attention.

  “Would you like honey in your tea?” She asked, her voice sweet.

  “That would be delightful.” He answered, knowing sweets were quite the delicacy in this world. She returned and set two small saucers on the table, each with a fine piece of china. She watched him pick up his cup and drink with the innocence of a child. Sure, she hadn’t poisoned it–this time, but she could have. His eyes lit up as he tasted it, and she lifted her own cup, soon mirroring his enjoyment.

  “This is quite nice.” Noah commented, still holding the cup close to his mouth.

  “It is called violet stranza, a flower from my homeworld. We are fortunate to have found it in the forest, it even possesses medicinal qualities,” she explained. Noah nodded, doing his best to feign interest in the plants. Delia laughed lightly, a musical sound that made Noah’s heart beat just a bit faster.

  “Shall we move on to business then?” She asked.

  “That sounds good,” Noah replied.

  “Very well. In that case, I will get straight to the point. I have come on behalf of the king to extend an invitation to join him in the capital. He is interested in meeting a fellow sovereign,” She stated. Noah considered that. It fit with his goals perfectly, and yet he couldn’t deny the strange feeling he got. He shrugged it off. He would have gone to the castle one way or another, now he would just be going through the front door.

  “That sounds interesting. I think I will accept his invitation.” Noah replied. Delia smiled brightly before taking another sip of her tea.

  “Delightful. Would you be ready to leave in the morning?” she asked. He nodded.

  “I don’t see why not. I will only need to inform my attendants. We traveled light.” Noah responded. A flicker of a frown crossed her expression before her smile reappeared.

  “For traveling purposes, how many are in your retinue?” She inquired.

  “Only the two. You likely passed by them on the way in.” He answered. She tilted her head before opening her mouth in an ‘oh’ of realization.

  “Do you mean the orc and drakon?” She asked, seeming amused. Noah nodded.

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  “Yep, fine attendants those.” He explained. She giggled and Noah was sure that color found its way to his cheeks.

  “In that case, I will let the administrator know to show you to your rooms for the night. We will have the opportunity to talk further in the carriage,” Delia said before standing and moving to the door. Noah finished off his tea and stood just as Julie reentered the room. The two ladies whispered an exchange and Delia departed with a final shared smile, leaving the two alone once again.

  “How did it go?” Julie asked after hearing the click of the front door.

  “It was interesting…” Noah mused as he recalled their interaction. Flashes of the elf’s figure came to mind and he abruptly withdrew from his reverie.

  “Did she enchant you too?” Julie smirked and Noah choked on air. Julie guffawed.

  “That was supposed to be a joke! That wily tramp!” She huffed. It was Noah’s turn to laugh.

  “Are you jealous?” He asked. I didn’t realize my eyes were reserved for you,” Noah said, flashing a cheeky grin. Julie narrowed her eyes, a look Noah recognized from the many predatory cats he had slain. He dropped into a fighting stance, his subconscious preparing for battle. Instead, Julie let out a long breath and sank into the couch.

  “You’re right of course. I let that ship sail when I chose not to go with you up the mountain. Something about it being an elf that caught your attention though…” She grimaced. Noah held up his hands.

  “Now wait a second. I may have found her attractive, but that’s the end of it. I don’t know if it's just how long I’ve been away from civilization or what, but she caught me off guard. That’s all,” Noah said, secretly hoping that was true. Julie studied him for a moment before giving a reluctant nod.

  “If you say so. I guess I should just be thankful that I am the one showing you to your rooms.” She said, the humored grin audible in her voice. Noah sighed but couldn’t help but find the teasing enjoyable after months of brutality, blood, and boredom. These kinds of mundane exchanges only happened in the brief moments between battles and he couldn’t deny that there was something different about it being with a beautiful woman. Julie soon led Noah and the others to a nearby home that had been set aside for important visitors like himself. It was only a stone’s throw away from the town hall and was stocked with all the amenities. In fact it had something that Noah hadn’t dared to hope for. A shower. He didn’t know why or how, but at that moment he really didn’t care. As soon as Julie had said her goodbyes, he claimed the bathroom and barricaded the door.

  Glory to glory, the water was heated. He could have cried. He did cry. He turned up the temperature to its maximum and let it scald his filthy skin. There were fragrant soaps and a sturdy loofa at his disposal and he used them liberally. Sometime later, no one could really say how long, he emerged. He wore the silken green shirt and trousers that Julie had offered him and he was every bit a new man. He had taken the opportunity to shave and bind back his hair in a clean braid. Judging by the expressions of his companions, he looked every bit the new man that he felt. He grinned victoriously, the very same grin he wore after a successful monster-swarm culling. Seeing his newfound vitality, Recter claimed the shower next, insistent upon utilizing this new training method. Meanwhile, Ta’Ku and Noah scrounged together a meal from the well-stocked pantry, settling on a charcuterie of hard meats and cheeses with thick slices of fresh bread. It was heavenly, enchanting in a way that the elf could never manage. Noah would have chuckled at the thought if his mouth wasn’t packed full of food.

  There was a lot to be said for pleasant company and showers. A lot. But it was food that he really missed after all these months. Unseasoned, unsalted meat was his perpetual lot in life. It had even gotten to the point where he dreamed of being a vegetarian, something that would only have haunted his nightmares on Earth. A single tear dropped onto his fig-jam and brie toast, and he realized he needed to reign himself in. It would be no good to spoil perfectly good food with his tears. After some time Ta’Ku and Recter swapped out and the drakon seemed unable to hold back a constant hiss of delight as he snacked upon the various delicacies. By the end of the night, the three were like a trio of purring cats, and it was only the call of sleep that interrupted their festive revelry.

  Noah sighed deeply as he sank into the mattress. It wasn’t as comfortable as the one in Jeline’s castle had been, but it was leagues beyond the black dirt he had grown accustomed to. His sleep was dreamless and uninterrupted for the first time in several months. When he finally awoke he felt years lighter and it was with bright eyes that he prepared for the travel ahead. He would meet with this elven king and make his demands. If the king failed to comply, he would tear down the kingdom until he got what he wanted. Noah grinned at the thought as he opened the door to the waiting Delia.

  “Are you ready?” She asked.

  “I am.”