31Ari jumped, dropping the dustpan in her surprise. A month of working in the palace and it still amazed her that no matter how important the visitor or the occasion, the royalty of Saelac inquired about tea. General Roxbury stopped to report, and they demanded she fetch the teacups. An ambassador visited, and they drank tea as they chatted. Ari supposed that, if the guards were to warn the Queen of an attack on her castle, she would make them sit right down and drink their tea before going to fight.
The girl thought about this as she picked up the dustpan, scattering once more the dust mites - who giggled and made faces at her before she could sweep them up again. She reasoned that was probably because tea was a formality. Royalty never forgot formalities. Formalities were important - they kept order and discipline around the palace. If the Queen were stripped away of her crown and her tea and her intolerable good manners, Ari thought, then she'd just be another woman. She wouldn't be able to order anyone around without her formalities. Ari hoped to heaven that that day would come.
"Why no, I don't think I will." The dustpan quivered in her hand as Ari stifled another jump. This was a new visitor; she'd never heard the voice before. It was clear and matter of fact, but she knew it was in for trouble. The Queen might be angry - good manners were certainly a formality - and this voice didn't seem to care for them. Not even a 'no thank you!' Ari was impressed.
The pillows rustled as the Queen rose from her throne. Ari cast a hurried upward glance, just for safety's sake. If the Queen was angry, Ari would suddenly feel the urge to go to the bathroom, or sweep another least, that's what Ari would say. She would really be feeling the urge to leave as soon as possible. Queens used other formalities when the angry, formalities which usually didn't have anything to do with tea.
But the Queen's face was a picture of deliberate benevolence. She strode forward with that queenly step and clasped those queenly hands behind her arched, queenly back. In that queenly voice that only royalty could possess, (Ari was sure they'd made a law concerning the very topic) she inquired, "Where are you? Oh, do come out where I can see you, please."
A young man with dark, curly hair stepped out from behind the doorway. He held a staff in his right hand, and he looked like he was in a hurry. The Queen hesitated a moment before smiling indulgently. Hurried people who held staffs were not to be made angry, even she knew that. They were usually Mages, and Mages cared little for formalities - especially when upset. This was the second difference between the Queen and her subjects, Ari observed. The Queen always had obvious control - she needed it. With Mages, you never could tell - but you always hoped to heaven that they had it.
"Your majesty," the man said. He did not bow, but merely nodded.
The Queen nodded back. "You are Taife?" She paused. "The Mage?" Ari nearly slapped her forehead. As if it weren't obvious.
"Yes." The man grinned. It was a nice grin. "The Mage." He did not add 'your majesty.' Ari began to clap mentally.
A moment or so later Taife's head tilted in her direction, and his mouth twitched - almost as if to keep from laughing at her. Ari flushed and returned to her sweeping. Of course, all her attention stayed on the conversation. She wasn't about to miss overhearing a talk with a mage. Magic wasn't exactly rare in Saelac, but it wasn't common either, and Mages tended to .slightly more interesting than the everyday folk.
The Queen's voice grew less conversational. (If this were possible.) "You know why I have sent for you, do you not?"
"I have been briefed on the matter, yes."
"Good. We begin tomorrow after tea time." Thankfully, the Queen didn't hear the sigh that came from Ari's corner. "Ari will show you to your room."
The broom dropped to the ground. The dust mites giggled triumphantly and scattered. "I will?" Ari asked in surprise.
The Queen's face grew taught. "Yes, Ari, you will. And you will be his maid as well. Give him whatever he asks for." There was an embarrassed pause. "Down the hallway to your left and up the stairs, first room on your right," she muttered.
Ari fought back a chuckle. Here in the palace, it was always assumed that the employees knew exactly where to put guests. But even the servants here weren't high class enough to be Mindgamers - the street term for Mind Mages - and read those directions straight from the minds of their employers. Well, it was rumored that the grouchy cook was good enough to know if you stole one of her pies, but Ari put that down to urban legend.
Holding the broom like a weapon, she nodded at Taife and trooped out the richly decorated throne room. *****
And into the richly decorated hall.
As the servants saw it, this was just another strange thing the Queen insisted upon. She'd spend lots of money buying some rich and decorative object, then spend lots of money hiring servants to dust it every day, and then spent lots of time convincing her subjects that the money came out of her own pocket rather than the royal treasury. And everyone knew the phrase "time is money" in Saelac, so it turned out that the Queen was just spending money all around.
It seemed that as soon as Ari thought she couldn't be more amused by the habits of royalty, royalty rose to the occasion yet again.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a cough from Taife. She turned and looked at him. Some dust mites on a nearby chair squeaked in horror as they saw the broom plant itself on the ground.
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't give me any of that, please," he said quickly. "You can imagine I have had enough of the palace manners in the day I've spent here."
Ari smiled. "I can, sir."
He groaned back at her. "I said."
"You said please," she pointed out, then shut her mouth abruptly. If the Queen heard her talking like this, it would be back to the kitchens with her. But Ari was surprised to find Taife laughing.
"I like you," he said, grinning. "You're not like the rest of them, with their intolerable manners and their endless formalities." She stared, remembering that this was the very phrase she'd uttered to herself in the throne room. Was the man a mind mage? "Yes," Taife said.
Well, that answered that question. Not, of course, that it made Ari feel any happier. "Don't."
He glanced at her again. "Why not?"
She rolled her eyes right back. The man was incorrigible. "Because I don't want you to. That's why."
And then they were at his room. Ari was surprised to find that it was one of the best rooms in the castle. Very impressive, if you were the sort who liked tea cup collections on your bedside table.
She swiftly opened the door and turned to go, but Taife put his hand on her shoulder and gently twisted her around again. He studied her a moment. "You have pointed ears."
She looked at him in disbelief. Why did he care? "Yes. So? I'm half forest sprite. Green eyes, pale skin, pointed ears, the whole gig."
Taife continued looking at her. "Well, half of it, anyway." Suddenly he remembered why he'd stopped her. "Ari, listen. I'm telling you this because I like you, and I don't think you'll tell anyone. don't think bad thoughts, alright? And then I won't have to read them. Because that's why I'm employed here. I'm the best Mind Mage in Saelac they could hire, you see."
Ari glared at him. "And the most modest, too?"
"Honest is more like it."
"Fine then. Go on."
He paused. "And I'm here because the Queen wants a precaution against spies. Apparently, there's been one in Bael and she doesn't want it happening here. just don't go thinking bad thoughts, and everything will be fine," he ended lamely. "Because I like you, and I don't want you getting into trouble."
Ari was confused. The broom quivered in her hand. "I'm not sure if I believe you." She smirked. "But then you probably already know that, don't you?" She turned and walked down the corridor. Taife did not follow.