Chapter 4

The conversation was kept to a minimum during dinner. Jorgarn had expected a long table where one would have to shout to be heard. He was surprised that the sitting area was rather cozy. He was further surprised to learn he was to be seated directly beside Princess Denae. He hoped he wouldn't make a fool out of himself.

Lady Eslada and life in Longview were the main topics of conversation during the main course. Jorgarn was exceedingly uncomfortable when the discussion turned to him when after-dinner wine was served.

"I understand your official title is somewhat long-winded, Master Elmwood," the Princess said. Jorgarn wasn't certain he liked the twinkle in her eye.

"I am afraid, Your Highness, and I mean no disrespect to the Royal Family," Jorgarn said after a slight hesitation, "that my title is somewhat a work of fiction. Or at least the title Sir Torbert has told me I have."

The Princess' gaze narrowed.

"From what I understand, you are known as Jorgarn Elmwood of Longview, Squire Protector of the Manor," Denae said. "Is that not the case?"

Jorgarn tried not to show his fear. He had arrived under false pretenses. Pretenses he was unaware of but false just the same.

"Again, Your Royal Highness, I do not mean to disparage your cousin, Lady Eslada, but I fear her letters might have been a bit exaggerated as far as my duties and my title," he said. "She believed a life in the Noble Guard to be better for me than one in the priesthood."

"Priesthood?" Denae sputtered. "I will return to that in a moment. So, what is your title?"

He considered his response.

"Jorgarn Elmwood, trainee for the Noble Guard," he settled upon.

"I learned an interesting fact today," Sir Torbert cut in. "Master Jorgarn is no longer a citizen of Longview."

The Princess sat back suddenly.

"Exiled?" the Queen asked with disgust. They were the first words she uttered to Jorgarn during the extended time they had shared company. "They send us their refuse. I should have known after what I heard of your display yesterday with Master Symington."

The King simply sat silently.

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty," Jorgarn said in harsh voice. The Queen's imperiousness had rankled him immediately and her statement had pushed him to the edge. He knew his face was reddening. A soft pat on his arm from Denae caught his attention. He glanced to her and she appeared to be appealing to him to tread lightly.

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty," he repeated in a softer tone. "I was not exiled and I am offended that you would assume so without cause. A person who willingly leaves Longview and does not plan to return is no longer a citizen. It doesn't matter that I was from the ruling house. It is the law."

Jorgarn's restraint was rewarded with a dual pat on his arm from the Princess.

"Well, that explains that," Denae said in much brighter voice than she used during her inquisition. "I would like to know the duties of a Squire Protector though."

So would I, Jorgarn thought to himself. The slight smile that crossed Denae's lips made him wonder if she could read his mind.

"I will explain to the best of my ability, Your Highness," Jorgarn said.

"Please, call me Princess Denae or Princess," she told him. "May I call you Master Jorgarn?"

"Uh, Jorgarn is fine, Your Highness," he replied. "I am no one's master."

"Tut, tut," Denae said with a smile. "It's Princess Denae, remember?"

"Yes, Princess Denae," he responded. It didn't feel right to him to call her by her name.

"I understand you mastered quite a few during training yesterday," she said. Denae shot a pointed glance toward her stepmother. "And one prior to training."

"That was a misunderstanding," the Queen said quickly and loudly. "Cruit Master Symington explained that last night."

"And his version does not match the reports I've been given," the King said sharply. "Now, I would like to hear Master Longview – Jorgarn's version. Please, continue, Jorgarn."

Jorgarn shot a quick glance to Torbert but the man's face was emotionless.

"Your Majesty, I am the first to admit that I am unaware of some Emerti customs," Jorgarn said. "Perhaps it started as a misunderstanding. However, Your Majesties, I did not misunderstand Master Symington's intentions when he came at me with a drawn sword. Those intentions I understood perfectly."

Torbert gave a brief nod that Jorgarn caught out of the corner of his eye.

"And, pray tell, what led up to Master Symington drawing his sword?" Denae asked a little too eagerly for Jorgarn's taste. He was immediately on his guard.

He did his best to relate what happened the previous day in minimal detail. He didn't want to get into a pissing contest with someone who obviously enjoyed the favor of the Royal Household.

"Uncle Torbert," Denae said sweetly when Jorgarn had concluded his narrative, "is it tradition for a new recruit to be treated such?"

"It is not, Princess Denae," Torbert said firmly. "What happened has been dealt with severely. Master Symington has been put on notice. One further infraction and he will be dismissed from the guards."

The Queen took a sharp intake of breath.

"So his promotion was not on merit," Denae continued. "But more to ensure his safety."

"Actually, Your Highness," Jorgarn answered. "It was more to ensure my safety."

"Oh, please," she said as she sat back in her chair. "I saw you yesterday. You are the best swordsman this country has seen since my uncle."

Both the Princess and Jorgarn blushed.

"Ah, Princess Niece," Torbert said lightly. "I didn't know that at the time. I was led to believe our young friend here had no formal training. Suffice it say, his informal training was done by two of the best. Do you care to guess, brother, who trained young Jorgarn?"

The shift to familial tense caught Jorgarn off guard. No one but the Queen seemed perturbed by Torbert's excitement.

"Do tell, brother," the King replied.

"I would rather you guess," Torbert replied with a smirk. "I will work a week in the kitchen if you can name them in three tries."

The King rubbed his chin.

"And if I don't?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Double portions of ale for the Emertland Guard for a week," Torbert answered.

Jorgarn and Denae were each shifting his or her gaze from one man to the other. The Queen was looking angry and slightly bored.

"As much as I would like to see you in the kitchen, it would be unfair for me to guess," the King replied. "I overheard one of my attendants talking about it today. It's nice to know where Melodart and Gorin landed though. I'm not surprised that Eslada asked them to come to Longview. How long did you train with them, Jorgarn?"

"Almost five years, Your Majesty," Jorgarn said. "I started right after I killed a boar during a street festival."

"After?" King Landor said. "I remember Eslada writing that you killed a charging boar with one shot. You must have been quite young then. Please, when we are in private, you may call me King Landor."

Jorgarn's eyes widened.

"Oh, Your Majesty," he said haltingly. "I don't think that is appropriate. But I thank you for your kindness."

"I don't think it is appropriate either," the Queen intoned.

The King's gaze landed upon his wife.

"Luckily, I am the one who gets to gauge appropriateness of salutations, Lorida," he said in a cold voice. "Young Jorgarn, if you don't feel comfortable using my name at this point, it is quite alright. But don't let the opinions of others stop you. I think very highly of Eslada. I value her opinion. She obviously thinks very highly of you. By proxy, I think highly of you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Jorgarn said softly. "Although I did not realize she was speaking of the King of Emertland, his daughter and his brother, I can assure you that Lady Eslada speaks nothing but kind words about your family."

"Does she also think of you as ott bornta and karida dä?" Denae asked innocently. "Did I pronounce those words correctly?"

The three men shot wine out of their noses.

"What?" Denae asked. "Did I say something incorrectly? I am interested in learning to speak Longview. I plan to travel to my mother's birthplace soon."

Jorgarn recovered to find both the King and Sir Torbert looking at him each with an expression of amusement marking his face. The King tilted his head toward Jorgarn to let him know that it was up to him to explain.

"Princess Denae, Your Highness," he faltered as he sought the words to explain it to her. "Those words are not something one says lightly. There is a special meaning to them in the context you overheard them. I apologize for our reactions. But there must be a very special feeling between two people for those words to be uttered."

"What do they mean?" Denae asked.

Jorgarn closed his eyes and prayed the conversation would move forward. It didn't.

"Your Highness, there are words that do not translate well from one language to another," Jorgarn said in what he hoped wasn't a condescending manner. "I am unsure of the exact meaning in this language. I am not sure there is a literal translation. They are more marginalized terms. Perhaps one day it will be possible for me to know all the words I need to know. Today, I do not so I revert to Longview for terms I do not know. But those are not words to be tossed about cavalierly and I apologize to you for doing so earlier with Sir Torbert. What I said was in a joking manner. I pray that you understand and forgive me."

Denae's eyes twinkled and she started to speak. Jorgarn dreaded what she might ask next. He briefly considered drawing the King and Sir Torbert into the fray because they obviously knew what the translation was. Jorgarn was saved by the King.

"Well said, Jorgarn," the King said with a concealed chuckle. "My daughter, it is a problem you will find with anyone who is not extremely fluent in our language. We have many words that sound the same but mean something different. I'm sure you are aware of that. However, in Longview, that is not the case. Those words translate to many different meanings here. But in Longview they mean words only a person close to another would speak."

Denae nodded her understanding.

"Words such as 'I love you, ' or a special pet name," she said thoughtfully. "I do understand and I apologize to Jorgarn for putting him in an awkward spot. I have been warned many times about overheard conversations and about using words I don't know the meaning of. Today it caught up with me. Please, accept my apology, Master Elmwood. I mean no harm to you."

The Princess looked as if she was about to cry. Jorgarn felt like a jackass.

"Your Highness," he said in as sweet a voice as he could muster, "although there is no reason for you to apologize, I will accept it if you prefer. I know better than to think anything in a manor house with as many people as this one holds will be private. I spoke foolishly and flippantly to Sir Torbert. That my words were overheard and repeated is my fault alone."

Even the Queen was impressed by how Jorgarn handled the situation. Queen Lorida had no idea what Denae had uttered but she understood enough to know it was something better left unsaid. It was foolish of the girl to repeat what she had overheard and gallant of Jorgarn to do everything in his power to lessen her embarrassment.

Although she was impressed, Jorgarn's actions did not endear him to the Queen.

The conversation paused for a few moments while Denae composed herself. Jorgarn had done his best to make her feel less foolish but she knew she had not acted wisely.