The Dream Keeper's Dragon

3.17 Excuse Me

The dinner table was set with their finest silver and crystal. Candle chandeliers stood atop a maroon tablecloth which had flowered patterns sewed at the seam in golden thread. Lily bouquets filled tall silver vases and stood by the arched windows that stretched a foot from the high ceiling all the way down to the marble floor.

Aurelie had arrived early and ran into Michael and the King who were too focused on their hushed conversation to notice her. The dinner was meant to be a private affair between the King, Prince Ja'on and her, but Michael appeared to have been added to the list.

"Evening," she said, startling the men who looked and returned her smile.

There were no servants present, but a fire had been lit in the grand, stone fireplace and their glasses were filled with wine. It seemed strange to see the King without a man by his side, doing all but breathing for him. She had gotten used to the same treatment but was still reluctant to accept the concept.

"You look dashing," the King said and stood, accompanied by Michael.

Michael walked around the table and pulled out a chair for her. She felt his eyes burn into her neck as she walked closer, and her cheeks warmed in response to the stare. When she sat, he lightly pushed it in and made his way back to the chair across from her.

"We were just talking an attack to our southern training camp," the King said.

"Casualties?" she asked.

"About the same on both sides, but the camp's been destroyed so we have to move the men to a different location," Michael replied.

Aurelie nodded. The warm light coming from the candles set shadows over his eyes and made his pupils look almost white while accentuating the sharpness of his cheekbones.

"What are you thinking? Perhaps to send the remaining men between the camps that are under construction?" she asked looking from Michael to her father.

The King smiled and folded his arms, passing a quick glance to check Michael's reaction. "Surely some of them are trained enough to participate as novice guards at the camp—they did, after all, survive the attack somehow—and even help build to get the process moving."

Michael's lips jolted down in surprise. He crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward. "That was one of the suggestions."

"And the other?" Aurelie asked, her face glowing with a smile. She tried to think of something else, thinking of the surprise her first idea had caused Michael. What else was there? Bring them to the castle and have them camp like those at Valice? As far as she knew, guards had already been called for since the attack on the town square.

"Bring them here," Michael said. "Or rebuild."

The King leaned back in his chair and brought his ankle up to rest against his knee.

"Is there anything left to rebuild?" she asked while absently curling her hair around her finger. The short hair escaped the finger, and she clasped at the air in an attempt to catch another strand.

Michael tapped his fingers on the table, and leaned his head to the right, in thought. "Yes and no. On the one hand, we cannot move trainees away—that will look weak. Not only that, it will open the south to invasions. On the other, with the construction of the others, it seems like the best option."

"We can't retreat," the King finally added. "That will open the south to more attacks. We can't just simply move camp once they hit us. What happens when they hit the next and the next? Will we bring them to the castle eventually?" He shook his head. "No, that's not an option. We have to make it look like we've left—that I can agree with."