Azriel felt much better after her breakfast of quail's eggs and soft bread, with pumpkin butter and a large bowl of porridge. She was contentedly peeling an orange when Tara came upto her, "The Duke wishes to speak with you, once you have eaten Lady Azriel."
"Of course," she nodded, "Lead the way."
After walking up and down narrow stairways and large halls, which held countless suits of armour, paintings and endless bric a brac, and maps, they reached a narrow blue door. Tara smiled at her and said, "Please.....Lady Azriel...it's only for you to enter now."
She walked into a rather cavernous room, full of books, many lined against the walls, others heaped in piles. The book had dark leather armchairs and a fireplace, but there was no fire as yet. There were large oval windows on one side of the room, while the other was a blank wall, in slate grey stone. Above it, hung a red pennant, with the symbol of the Dragon. Under it was a very large table, full of maps and plans. Three people sat there, in deep discussion, speaking in a language that she could not really understand. One of them was Duke Ashdeer, the other was a very beautiful man with a chiseled jawline and a shock of blonde hair, which fell just below his shoulders. The third was a woman with dark ebony skin, wearing a red tunic with a purple sash, with her hair in very tiny curls, all across her head. She also wore, what looked like a net, made of gold on one corner of her head, right up till her ears.
Azriel coughed to let them know she was in the room, and Ashdeer looked up. She was surprised to see his face lit up as he saw her. He raised his arm and gestured to her to join him in the chair next to him. His companions eyed her with some amusement as they looked her up and down. Finally, the lady spoke, "I was expecting you to be taller somehow, after what Ashdeer told me."
Azriel was about to speak when she heard a low growl from the Book, "I'll show her tall...indeed....."
Duke Ashdeer smiled at the lady and said, "Ilana, you will scare the girl even before she gets to know you. Azriel may not be tall, but she can for sure kill a whole bunch of wraiths when she gets angry."
The blonde man spoke up now and his voice was melodious and soothing to hear, as if an orchestra were playing in the background, "Lady Azriel, I am so glad to meet you. I am in awe of you and all I have heard. I do hope, however, that you never have to unleash so much power in one place again."
Azriel nodded silently, and looked at the Duke, who was looking at her intently.
"Azriel, I know you are very keen to know what exactly happened near the lake, but before that you will need to meet my closest comrades and also High Fiefs of Irismus. There is also Aranus, but he is out deploying our forces across for more possible attacks. This is Louis and the lovely lady who greeted you is Ilana, elder sister to Layla, my wife."
Azriel flushed when she realized the connection and wondered what Ilana thought of her. But, Ilana didn't seem to have any such qualms. Instead she leaned towards Azriel and said in a conspiratorial manner, "And that my dear is the talented Duke Ashdeer, in case you haven't met him yet."
Despite herself, Azriel found herself smiling and leaning forward and answering Ilana, "Yes, I think I have, Fief Ilana."
Ashdeer clapped his hands at them all and said, "That's way too much levity for a kingdom which might be attacked by the dark forces anytime. Let's break it up ladies."
They all sat up straight and Ilana said, "She is but a wee child, Ashdeer."
"A child who needs to make some hard decisions," cut back Ashdeer.
"A child indeed....what thoughts run in her head, only I would know," the Book sniffed!
Azriel decided to ignore the comments and focus on what Ashdeer was trying to say. He opened a large map, which hung suspended in the air. It was obvious it was the map of Irismus. He waved a finger and black cross appeared next to a blue dot, which she assumed was the lake, where they had been attacked. He made another few crosses across the mountain range rather far from the first one and said, "It's the first time the dark forces have ventured so far inside Irismus in many years. They obviously have been tracking us since we entered and found a weak moment and spot to attack. It seems they knew where Azriel was since Day one despite all our wards and precautions. This Azriel, leads me to conclude that you were tracked by your blood bond with Ashmeer."
She looked at him in surprise. The Book hissed, "Wastrel....young cur!"
"Yes, Azriel, Ashmeer is right now helping the Dark Lord of the Blight to find and capture you and they will not stop till they achieve their goal."