‘Do not be deceived,’ she said. ‘Many of these people would stick a knife in your back if they thought it would get them ahead in the world. And in some cases, I am not just speaking metaphorically.’
‘Are you always this cynical?’
‘I am a realist,’ she said. ‘I grew up here. I know what they are like.’
‘I have always heard it said that the high elves are the noblest people in the world.’
‘And I am sure you have always heard it said by high elves. We are not ashamed to praise ourselves, are we?’
‘Should we be?’
‘It would not matter if we should. It would not stop us. Oh dear, it looks like Lord Larien has noticed us.’ She made a small grimace but he thought she was not really so displeased.
‘Why is that a bad thing?’
‘He has been paying court to me for some time. He can be quite jealous.’
Tyrion had noticed the tall, athletic-looking elf earlier. He had not appeared to be so jealous. He had been surrounded by a coterie of admiring beauties to each of whom he seemed to be giving a portion of his attention. All of them appeared to be flattered to receive it too. He strode closer, straight backed, head held high. He smiled at Liselle, nodded curtly to Tyrion.
‘Ah, the delightful Liselle,’ he drawled. ‘And this would be your cousin from the mountains we have heard so much about.’
Tyrion smiled at him. ‘I only see one of you. Is that the royal we you are using?’
Lord Larien looked at him a little more closely, as if he had not been expecting any rejoinder from Tyrion.
‘I am Prince Tyrion,’ said Tyrion, to make the point that he did have royal blood. He bowed. ‘I am pleased to make your acquaintance.’
Liselle laughed. This did not please Larien. ‘Larien. Delighted,’ he said, his expression making it very clear he was anything but. ‘It has been a pleasure. Lady Liselle. I hope we can expect a dance later if your cousin does not insist on monopolising your time.’ His tone made it clear how boorish he considered this.
Gracefully, Larien bowed to them in a way that made it clear he was only really bowing to her, and then he backed away to his coterie of admirers. Liselle laughed and smiled at Tyrion admiringly.
‘There is more to you than meets the eye,’ she said. He smiled back but he was not happy. He sensed she was playing a game here and he was a counter in it. Her real interest was in Larien and he was being set up as a potential rival to generate a little jealousy and interest.
Larien said something to his female admirers. They all looked at Tyrion and laughed. He waved at them gracefully as if delighted to be the centre of attention although he knew he was somehow in trouble.
A very pretty young elf maid detached herself from the laughing group orbiting Lord Larien. She glided closer, a picture of grace in her long ball gown. ‘Lady Liselle,’ she said. ‘Why do you not introduce your beautiful companion to the rest of us? We are all ab-so-lute-ly dying to make his acquaintance.’
‘Prince Tyrion, Lady Melissa,’ said Liselle. He bowed. She curtsied. Lady Melissa looked up at Tyrion through very long lashes. Her eyes were a very pale grey.
‘You do not look much like your brother,’ she said. ‘It is hard to believe you are related. One so fair, the other so... interesting.’
‘We are twins,’ said Tyrion. ‘I am the older by a few minutes.’
‘Twins. That is so unusual. Twins are very rarely born to high elves,’ said Melissa.
‘They are very rarely born to any sort of elves,’ said Liselle.
‘Indeed. That is what I meant. It’s very, very unusual. Perhaps your parents used certain occult fertility rituals.’ She placed a strange emphasis on the last two words, and Tyrion could not help but feel that he was being insulted although he had no idea how.
‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘My father was a mage, of course...’
Melissa sniggered. Liselle looked torn between embarrassment, anger and a desire to laugh herself. He did not see how what he said was funny. He kept smiling smoothly though, unwilling to let them make him uncomfortable. If they wanted to play games, that was fine. He knew that once he had worked out the rules, he would win. He always did.
‘I have said something amusing,’ he said. ‘Perhaps you would care to explain