The evening meal was a success, in addition to the usual dishes, the chefs decided to cook something special. The rumor about two wandering wizards who appeared in the palace and about the hospitable attitude towards them, already confidently walked around all the corners of a small estate.
Pheasant in apples with prunes, pork in orange sauce, different types of fish and other delicacies alluringly glistened in the bright light of torches and candles. Hundreds of wax posts flaunted on chandeliers under the ceiling.
Torches, in turn, lit the hall from the side. Special metal holders were built into the walls into which torches were inserted. They were a ring on the length of an iron cane, nailed tight to the wall.
The ring size was ideal for holding the torch, so that it did not move after installation.
"Simple and practical" - flashed through the head of a gnome, looking at the design of the holders for refreshment.
Dishes exuded an incredible aroma, everything looked like in a real medieval fairy tale.
Having carefully examined the table at which the closest and most influential people gathered in the area, El stood up and raised his glass of wine. The ruby drink has long been considered the best in these places. The conversations at the table subsided and all eyes turned to the master of the house.
- My friends! These guests, Olan waved a hand over a pair of gnomes seated modestly on his left - Wandering wizards whom I invited to my house. I hope this meeting will usher in a greater friendship.They came from distant places and so far did not have the opportunity to show their attitude to the current situation in our country. But I am sure that being wise and possessing incredible knowledge of magic, they will be able to distinguish honest and fair people from liars and tyrants.
We fight for our home, our freedom, for loved ones, for the future. I want to believe, that it will be bright and our children will live in a world where good and justice reign.
- FOR HONOR AND JUSTICE! - Elistart shouted firmly and loudly.
- FOR HONOR AND JUSTICE! - The choir of voices answered in unison.
"And this little fox can talk toast," Jill thought to himself.
The voltage hanging in the air was noticeably dissipated. People talked among themselves and occasionally glanced at the bearded strong gnome and his pretty companion of the same height, with amazing apricot-colored hair.
The rest of the evening passed quite peacefully, a warm atmosphere was felt, a huge fireplace in the middle of the hall comfortably fired sparks. It was felt that everyone had long known each other as one big family. Obviously, the estates and possessions in its vicinity were not very large, since the people at the table communicated quite simply and good-naturedly, without the pompousness and impressiveness so characteristic of a high-born person.
To strangers of small stature at first they were suspicious, but after Al's speech, with sincere interest. There were just an incredible amount of questions. Starting from simple and clear, ending with complex and even intimate.
Where are you from? Do you know that? What is gunpowder? And what do patterns on clothes mean, is it in your language? Do you know how to conjure? How old are you? Have kids? And far from your kingdom? ...
People really reacted to a young pair of gnomes with great interest.
Soon, Jill decided to take his leave and go to his place. Al nodded and asked the assistant butler and the maid to accompany them to his room.
This night, the dwarves fell asleep immediately, after locking the door and drawing protective runes around the bed.
Tall, huge and not very comfortable, seemed to the tired couple the most amazing feather bed on which they only had to sleep.
After the servants led them into a temporary bedroom, they immediately began to discuss small people.
Since they could not attend the feast, they did not hear conversations, but, like other servants, they saw when the dwarves arrived at the castle. Rumors spread among servants faster than news of discounts at a butcher's shop in the bazaar, so that they already knew what the guests were calling and that apparently they would help the viscount with his plans.
- Old Piniero, said that they are the most powerful wizards of the north. And they came to help us free ourselves from these bandits! - began his line Seo, a young guy of about twenty with sly brown eyes. Already at such a young age, he managed to become an assistant to the butler, which was considered a great achievement for a guy without a pedigree.
-And I heard Teresa, our cook, somewhere found out that they lived underground for a hundred years and developed special poisons, so now they travel and kill everyone who pays the most. They don't have the strength, you see how small they are, but in poisons they are hoo-о! very knowledgeable!
- The fool is your cook, she understands a lot! These are wizards, I tell you! And not the robbers that clog up holes and make potions. Those are suitable only to rob tramps on the roads, and a wise healer will quickly find an antidote. Fortunately, we have two of them in the city ...
I'm interested in something else ... Why do they not know the local laws and customs? Even if they came from far away, our entire continent from the north sea to the plains in the south does not differ much in the methods of governing the state and religion. Yes, and their language is very strange, the groom Jerome says he never heard anything like it ... An interesting couple ...
- All the same, they look like bandits potions-makers! - The young Stella concluded.
- They are very strange!
-Ehe-he-heh... handed Seo ... "With so many brains in this beautiful head, it's amazing how you don't confuse left and right ...."
But in a rumor, he said: "Everything can be. Say hello to the maid girls."
- Good! Hey Seo! .. Will you come in today? You promised to fix my old bed, it still creaks ...
- Today it will not work, there are a couple of cases, but tomorrow we will definitely do it! The guy blinked meaningfully and smiled. Before it instantly evaporates around the next bend.
"That scoundrel! (Thought Stella and strode a little frowning into her bedroom on the first floor).
Next time you'll ask for it yourself, but I'll think about it, but the assistant butler ... So I'm the son of a blacksmith, too, is building eyes and what?
Huge choice, I remember my mother always said, in order to arrange her life, you need to get married correctly. So that I will definitely choose the best. I'm not end awithout man. Heh.
Oh, all the same, Seo is so promising ... you look in 10 years he will become a butler ... Butler's wife ... That sounds better than a blacksmith's wife ..."
Seo, not a little worrying about these endless female discussions on the topic of marriage and everything else, laid out the layout of the palace that had been collected as a child.
Thanks to his innate skills, he was able to learn to read and write and learn to read from an old monk, on the edge of town, while he was still alive.
Out of kindness, he taught the orphan boy to read, count and write. At a time when the most educated people were clergy and know, training was something unbelievable for a minor without a pedigree.
His love of architecture and design manifested itself very quickly, although nobody really tried to develop it, the old monk died, and he couldn't afford more teachers or, rather, simply couldn't find it. To ask the teacher Viscount to teach, and he was somehow at least inconsiderate.
Seo's castle mock-up also collected thin poles processed by sanding paper and glued together.
Now, having put this small castle in front of him, only half a meter high, he tried to draw on the floor, with a small piece of coal, what he would see if he cut the castle in half, so he trained his memory and imagination before going to bed.
A rare talent for a young guy. But apart from talent, only perseverance and discipline made him who he is and helped him get a place in the castle.
At the same time, the torch was extinguished in the castle, a guard came up, but many inhabitants did not even think of falling asleep. Very unusual events happened today. One of those people who tossed and turned in bed from one side to another was the young Viscount, who pondered and analyzed the events of the day.
His rational way of thinking simply could not build a logical chain and this did not allow him to fall asleep. Where did these two come from? What are their real goals? Are they somehow connected with our enemies?
Why is there no information about their crossing the border of possessions? They could not just appear from nowhere. And this story with an entrance to another world ... Do I have to believe all this? Questions ... And having received the answers to the questions do not become smaller, but only more. Ahh .. Hmm ... time will tell, but the eyes of this gnome are unusual.
It seems like he knows what I think ... it's terrifying ... And his woman?
She is silent almost all the time, but it seems to me that she already knows much more than I can imagine. And that her look at the column during our first conversation ...
Did she really understand that this is the supporting column of the second floor, which should have been noticed for a long time ...
Impossible ... What a strange couple ... El finally grumbled and fall asleep.