Henry was well-trained enough now that, even though the earl's words lit a fire underneath him and filled him with a great deal of frustration, he still gave a gracious smile.
"I appreciate your hospitality, my lord," he said. "What a privilege this is."
Even though he had strange feelings of anxiety in his stomach and his legs had no desire to move forth, he got out of his chair and a servant pushed it into the table behind him.
The moment his dark eyes went to the room full of people, he realized it wasn't the first or last time he would be the person in attendance with the darkest complexion. The nobles of the north were even more fair than the ones in the south.
At the same time, Chemoians didn't seem to hold the same prejudices those in the south had. It further solidified the thought that he wanted all the peasants to come to Tenetium.
