Page 9 of The Night Prince

“Only just now.You were thinking thisbeforeyou shut them.”Rhalyf nodded sagely.“And when you closed your eyes, you were imagining how pleasant a nude picnic would be.”

“I see.”Aquilan’s lips twitched. “Do you have wine?It cannot be a picnic–nude or otherwise–without wine.”

Rhalyf reached into his saddle bags and produced a wine skin with a broad smile.

“Food?”Aquilan questioned.

Rhalyf patted the other side of his saddle bags.“Cheese, bread, dried meat and apples.Not to mention I’ve seen quite a bit of small game around here.I’m sure I could rustle up something for us to eat if what I have does not satisfy.”

“Nude hunting?”Aquilan chuckled.“Nude cooking?”

“Nudeeverything.But even without the hunting, we have more than enough in my saddlebags for a picnic right now.”

Rhalyf offered the wine skin to Aquilan who took a mouthful.The wine was crisp and clean.It was a particular kind of stony white wine called Chelios that Rhalyf was very fond of.His best friend had spelled the wine so that it remained perfectly chilled.Maybe Aquilan should do that to his armor.The warwasover.Itwouldn’tbe wasting magic now to cast such a spell.And it would make the ride that much more comfortable.

He let his magic stir within him and a wave of frosty air swept over his skin, which immediately dried the sweat that had been running down his spine and collecting behind his knees and at his elbows.He let out a sigh of pleasure and took another mouthful of wine. There were definitely some benefits to peace.

“I’m surprised you have any of the Chelios left, Rhalyf.In fact, I don’t know how you managed to always have a supply wherever we were during the war,” Aquilan laughed as he handed the much lighter wineskin back.

“I am always prepared.”Rhalyf flashed him one of his irrepressible grins.“So what about it, my king?Shall we have a nude picnic?”

A thrill went through Aquilan.A picnic would delay their arrival to Tyrael for a few hours. Maybe he could even stretch it out to an overnight camping trip in these flower-filled fields. Getting to Tyrael tomorrow would surely be soon enough. He could still pretend they were on the road, that the weight of the aftermath would not fall on his shoulders like anvils the moment they arrived in Tyrael.

Aquilan smiled broadly.“I would not be adverse–”

“Father is expecting you at the Aryas Palacetonight, Uncle.We’ve already been delayed by your interesting choice to come through the Selanar Gate rather than the Tyrael one.So no nude picnics today,” Lady Elasha broke in without taking her eyes off the white stone road in front of them.“We do not have the time.”

“I did not realize you heard all that, Elasha,” Aquilan murmured.

Nor that you noticed I chose the gate that was farthest away from the palace, he added silently.

“You mean youhopedI didn’t hear all that,” she smiled.

“Perhaps you are right,” he smiled back.

She nodded in amusement.She had their family’s honey-colored hair though she kept hers cut short to her skull, which had her long pointed ears poking out prominently on either side of her head.She was built solidly along the lines of her twin brother Darcassan.That had bothered her for a time, he knew, but now she seemed to relish her powerful frame.

“What does the king have to do at the palace, dear lady, that cannot wait until later today or even tomorrow perchance?”Rhalyf spread his arms wide, using magic to hold his horse Silveril’s reins. His best friend had clearly decided that peace meant that no amount of magic use was reckless any longer. “The war is over.The Sun is bright.The sky is clear.What could be a better way to spend the day than a picnic?”

Silveril tossed her head as if to agree with Rhalyf’s comments.Rhalyf and Silveril hadn’t always had such a special connection.She’d been skittish around him in the beginning.Strangely, many animals were afraid of Rhalyf despite the fact that his best friend was always gentle with them.Now, like most others, Silveril had been charmed by the rakish lord.

“Father was quite clear that I have to get the king to the palacebeforesunset tonight,” she answered primly. “I do not question my elders, Rhalyf.Perhaps you should do the same.”

“You are not my elder, dear lady.But, personally, I have always been willing to hear anyone’s well-reasoned arguments–no matter what their age–but I have not heard oneyetas to why our dear king cannot do as he pleases,” Rhalyf retorted.

“My father isEmissaryand–”

“Still does not make him my elder.And he was appointed by Aquilan.The king.So Aquilan can disappoint him as much as he wants.Elder brother status notwithstanding,” Rhalyf pointed out with an arch look at Elasha.

She straightened in her saddle and said with a touch of disapproval in her voice, “Father has worked very hard to provide the king a proper welcome!We have been planning this formonthsand–”

“Peace, Elasha, Rhalyf was only teasing.”Aquilan gave his best friend a stern look to stop whatever was about to exit Rhalyf’s mouth to belie his words.“I know that Vesslan, Darcassan and you have done your best to make Tyrael home for me and I thank you deeply for it, Elasha.”

She settled back down on her saddle, looking slightly mollified.“Everything has been prepared specifically for your pleasure.”

“If that was true then you would have provided time for him to have a nude picnic,” Rhalyf muttered.

Her head shot towards him and she opened her lips to say something in her defense, but she must have thought better of it, and merely shrugged.“We’ll arrange one for tomorrow.But tonight, the king has many people to meet with.Though the war is over, thetruework of restoring this world has just begun.”

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