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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7422102" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 161Their initial arrival was quite disorienting.Glori doubted that she would ever get used to this form of travel.  One moment they had all been standing in the ornate antechamber in the Apernium that contained the Arreshian wizards’ teleportation circle, and the next they were somewhere far away.  That interval, that moment of nonexistence that filled the space between, was something that Glori did not want to think about.Instead, she tried to focus on her surroundings.  As the brief haze that had clouded her senses began to clear she realized that she was somewhere outside.  The room in the Apernium had been brightly lit, but the natural sunlight here was nearly blinding.  The air was warm but not excessively so, and she could smell both the bright floral scents of growing things and hear the faint buzzing of bees.  They were in some sort of natural grove, surrounded by a curved white wall that blended discretely in with the trees and bushes that filled the space.  The floor beneath her feet was stone, colored in markings that she realized were part of a large mosaic that filled a space several times broader than the room they had left.She glanced over to see that her companions were making similar adjustments.  Javerin seemed to have regained her composure; that made sense, given that it was her spell that had catapulted them halfway across the continent.  The only other members of their company made an odd pair.  Kosk looked more himself in his new robes and staff, but the woman next to him, though nearly identically dressed, remained something of an enigma.  Glori knew from the wizards’ earlier comments that Embrae Kelandras had been asked to join the embassy because of her connections to the elvish leadership, but neither they nor she had revealed any more details.  The elf woman looked to be a little tense as she looked around at their surroundings.  She wore only her simple monk’s robe and soft slippers; she’d brought neither weapons nor any other personal belongings with her.A hint of movement drew Glori’s attention and she belatedly realized that the elves had sent a party to greet their arrival.  Blinking against the sunlight, she noted that there were six of them, dressed in an assortment of finery, their formal robes augmented with bright jewels in all of the colors of the rainbow.  They all shared the ageless look common among the high elves that she remembered, but she didn’t recognize any of them specifically.She was about to turn away when she saw him.It had been years since she’d last seen Majerion, but he hadn’t changed a bit.  He was not part of the welcoming committee but rather stood back near the entry to the area, leaning against an ornamental column.  His tunic and breeches were perhaps less dusty and of rather finer cut, but he still wore his usual accessories, a rapier on one hip and a golden lyre on the other, with half a dozen bags and pouches hanging between.  He caught her eyes and his lips twisted in a smirk that was so familiar that Glori’s breath almost caught in her chest.  For all that she’d come here with the intent of confronting him, the sight of him actually standing there in the flesh was too overwhelming even for her anger to overcome.She was so distracted that she nearly missed the initial round of introductions.  Belatedly she heard her name being spoken and forced herself back into the moment.  One of the elves had stepped forward ahead of the others, apparently the highest-ranking member of the group.  But he barely acknowledged Glori or Javerin, instead stepping forward to bow deeply to Embrae.“Princess, welcome back to your homeland,” he said.Glori’s eyes widened, and even Kosk seemed briefly taken aback.  Embrae merely looked uncomfortable, and when the other elf did not rise from his pose she said, “Advisor Lendelaine, I am not here in a formal position.  For now, treat me as part of this embassy.”The elf official straightened, but still inclined his head in a gesture of respect.  Javerin, perhaps irate at being ignored, cleared her throat and said, “Advisor, we are on a mission of great urgency to both of our peoples.  It is important that we secure an audience with King Gevalaine as soon as…”“The King and the Royal House have removed to the summer estate at Seven Falls,” Lendelaine smoothly interjected, not quite meeting the wizard’s gaze.  “Be assured that the Advisory Council has been given full authority to treat with you.  We are in constant communication with His Majesty, who is aware of the full… situation.”“Excellent,” Javerin said.  “Then we can begin whenever you are ready.”“In due time,” Lendelaine said.  “You have waited decades to reach out to us, surely a few extra hours will not hurt.  Come, we have prepared guest quarters and refreshment for you, to recover from your long journey.”There was just enough of shift in tone with that last for Glori to recognize it as sarcasm, though she might have missed it without Majerion’s tutelage.  As the elves gestured for their guests to follow them, she looked back over at where he’d been standing.Her former mentor was gone.</blockquote>

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