A little over two hours later, someone trudged into the kitchen with a huge sack which he threw to the ground. The bag of grain slouched on the floor.
"You had best be careful with that. The Lady's temper runs on a short fuse these days," Sage said to Cyrus who had brought in the grain.
He was the Lady's mercenary hand. The Lady had him do contract jobs for her every once in a while: bring in huge lumps of meat or heavy sacks she had purchased and had him transport her purchases all the way from the Villages and fairs by cargo carriage.
Cyrus grunted as he headed for the back door from which he had entered. Sage leaned leisurely across the counter I was cleaning. I had just finished the cooking I had been assigned by the Lady. It was the last cooking I had done for the evening and the present patrons in the dining hall were mostly taking sips of wine and liquor.
Cyrus shut the backdoor as he exited the kitchen. He reappeared later with another sack. He came back with two more heavy sacks after that and then a basket of fresh fruits which he presented on the counter.
"Wine or mead?" Sage asked him then.
"Either."
Sage gave him a tumbler of wine and he took a long sip and dropped the cup.
He finally turned to Zephyr and Kamari who were doing the dishes to the side. "How are you ladies these days?"
The girls giggled at him and Sage rolled her eyes at them. Cyrus was a bit popular amongst the girls because he was a supposed "rebel" leader. He was human and he acted all macho and savvy and tells the girls tales of how he and his group have gone toe-to-toe with the Imperial guards very frequently. The girls were very taken by how rebellious and strong he was.
I wasn't sure I believed his stories, but the girls did. Sage held the same level of skepticism if not more.
"I heard they executed a rebel leader a few days ago," Sage announced then.
Cyrus turned to face us. Sage lifted a tray and I cleaned over the counter just under the tray.
"Aye. It was a terrible trial," Cyrus said. "But it is one of those things a rebel has to face. Sometimes, certain death is the fate of the revolutionary."
He said this with a truly down expression to mirror the seriousness of the situation and still the flexing of his muscles downplayed all of that seriousness.
"But not you," Zephyr said as she fluttered down beside him, starstruck. "You're one of the tough ones."
Kamari landed next to me. "I heard his Imperial Highness chopped off the rebel, Rune Sepehr's head."
"No. He had his dogs tear him to pieces," Cyrus answered. "Huge teeth digging into the poor man's flesh. Truly horrific."
The girls looked horror-stricken and in awe of Cyrus who could speak of such a thing without any fear or outward horror.
"The Emperor is cruel," I said then.
"He's not cruel," Zephyr said. "He is only ruthless with offenders."
"Zephyr, it's the same thing," Sage said then.
But then I have no idea what I expected from one named Zephyr: a cool evening breeze. Her mind was always breezy.
"He is just pure evil," Sage acquiesced.
"Oh, he is no sweat. I will sever his head and chomp his silver locks off and make a coat out of it," Cyrus boasted.
Zephyr and Kamari ooh-ed at his display of bravery even though they did not particularly care about the human rebels or their cause. I just said:
"Silver locks? Is he old and weak then?"
I am a hypocrite. I also have pale hair, but I hoped the Emperor was not as strong and untouchable as they said. I hoped he might be old and at the mercy of servants who did his bidding without any intrinsic power of his own.
"You've never seen him?" Kamari asked.
I have only ever lived in the lower provinces. I had never been to the Emperor's cities or the capital. Those were the only places the Emperor ever truly visited in his ceremonial visits.
"No," I said.
"Oh, he is the dreamiest...!" Zephyr said. "I want to marry him!"
Cyrus did not like this shift in attention from his own prowess and supposed capacity. He turned sourly to Zephyr. "The Emperor will only marry an elite Elf-not a common fairy. There has been rumors that he will marry an Elven princess from one of the neighboring kingdoms. You ladies don't stand a chance."
Sage picked at her nails. Kamari and Zephyr sneered at Cyrus, childishly sticking their tongues out at him. I took up two trays piled up one on top of the other and headed for the wash basin when I heard a loud call that froze me in my steps.
"Av-ril!"
I turned back to see Lady Uma at the door. I took in a gulp. What did I do now? I wondered.
"Come with me," Lady Uma said. "Now!"