"Mind if I cut in line?" War Scribe popped up literally in front of Lazheros, grabbed a platter and began to fill it with food, "I hope you don't mind. Ladies first after all."

"One would question if you were a lady, chronicler," The bronze man said in a hushed tone enough for War Scribe to hear filled a plate of food and drink for himself.

"Drowlings are all women, Lazheros," War Scribe hissed back with a vicious smile, "But we are rarely ladies!"

"Apparently," The bronze man deadpanned, "That remains to be seen..."

Irzen heard it sure enough with his sharp ears and did his best to stifle a laugh.

The Drowling turned to The Princess, "Good morningtide, your Highness, I hope all is well with you this day? Your husband is recovering well, I trust?"

The princess shook her head, "Just because you are a chronicler and your skill set requires you to record for Validor, doesn't mean you can just teleport wherever you please. A simple appearance would suffice, or perhaps asking to join instead assuming that you're above the law."

"Forgive me, your Highness," War Scribe apologized, "This is merely a trick I like to play on my friends."

Irzen coughed hard.

"Allies." War Scribe corrected herself.

Irzen coughed less hard.

"Associates?" War Scribe smiled sheepishly.

Irzen gave a small cough.

"Acquaintances?!" War Scribe concluded uncertainly.

Irzen remained silent and gave War Scribe a 'thumbs up'.

The elementalist stifled a giggle.

The kurori trotted in past the elementalist who was sitting down at one of the smaller tables and over to the food. The smell of sweet fruits beckoned Caliaphy over.

Serna came racing into the room and saw Caliaphy was busy making her way over to the food table.

"Wait a minute!" The Shield Maiden huffed as she caught her breath, "How did you get here before me?"

"Teeeheehehee!" Caliaphy bragged, "I just did a mad dash without flying cuz' I'm that good.

"Uh huh!" Serna huffed as she walked over to the table, picked up a plate and began to retrieve some food.

Lazheros turned around with his food and joined Alyson but before he did he gave the kurori a look of 'don't do that again.'

"What did I do?" Caliaphy shrugged.

"Small one, you have a tendency to cheat," The bronze man sipped his tea again, "..a...lot."

"Hmph!" The kurori flicked her wings at the bronze man as if to insult him as she strode past.

Serna giggled a little as she got her food and prepared to seat herself.

The princess motioned for the musicians to enter and play a soft morning tune in the backround. She found Willow's friends an odd lot but most welcome, and she'd hoped that her husband would of been able to join them but battles can take a toll on even the most hardy of warriors. She wandered over with her own food and drink accompanied by her hand maidens who flanked her sides behind her. "Tell me, how long have you known Prince Willow, Lord Irzen?"

"I have known the prince for only a year, your Highness," Irzen smiled as he stopped eating to answer her question, "But it feels like I have known him for a hundred years. We first met on the way to the city of Stormhaven which was then controlled by a couple of demons known as the Dunamons."

Alyson cut in, "Sorry but I don't remember you there specifically being there when the Dunamons were hell bent on summoning the Nameless One back to the Realm, Irzen. It was just Willow, Gareth, Heidi, War Scribe, and myself. I believe you came afterwards."

"You're right! I did come afterwards," The Swordsman laughed, "At first, I did not like him. I thought he was too aloof and too emotionless even for a Wood Elf. But as time went by, he started to grow on me. His calm demeanor and sense of loyalty won me over."

"Aloof? Not even close." The elementalist added, "Continue."

"The Princess' question was not directed to you," The Swordsman gave the Elementalist a hard look complete with dagger eyes, "Do you mind?!"

Irzen smiled to himself, "I find Prince Willow to be what is best in Wood Elves. He is honest, forthright, resilient and stubborn. When he asked for my help in saving his homeland, I agreed to join him without hesitation. I did so because I knew in my heart he would do the same for me were my homeland in similar jeopardy. Your brother-in-law may be an excellent Archer and an accomplished Ranger. But he is also an even better friend."

Alyson shook her head playing the 'bad' cop, "Your highness, Willow believes he can change his fate due to him being forced into a 'loveless' and political marriage. I can understand that but make no mistake he can't keep a secret to save his life. A mentor and long time friend and ally of mine trusted him to keep a secret and he failed, utterly. So in my mind he betrayed my trust."

"Seriously!" The Swordsman gave The Elementalist another hard look, "What the hell is your problem?! So he betrayed your trust! You paid him back by breaking up with him. Now you're even! Let it go! You found someone new, you should be happy right now! Get over it!"

Lazheros didn't utter a word as he listened to Alyson's and Irzen's view of the ranger having no imput himself.

Princess Liliandra listened and observed both the swordsman and the elementalist's point of view with an open mind. Some of which she already knew about Willow but perhaps his time away from Northaven had made him a wiser person but there was something else. "Well I thank you for your thoughts on how both of you view and know Willow."

"Your welcome, your Highness," The Swordsman smiled to The Princess before he gave The Elementalist another round of dagger eyes.

The kurori inhaled a bunch of blueberries until she bit into a sour unripe berry and gave the shield maiden a funny look.

Serna did her best to stifle a laugh.

Prince Willow finally came to the dining room though and yawned, "Good morningtide to you all! How is everyone doing this day?"

Caliaphy got up out of her seat blushing and approached the ranger, "Gosh! You're really, really cute, teeheehee!"

"Handsome!" Serna rose from her chair and approached the Ranger as well, "You look very handsome today, Willow."

"Thank you both," The Ranger smiled at The Shield Maiden and The Fairy.

The elementalist looked over and waved to Willow, "Good Morning."

The bronze man also turned in Willow's direction and with a nod acknowledged him, "Good morning, Prince Willow."

"Good morning, Willow," The Swordsman added, "I was just about to tell Alyson how much of a cheap, petty and pathetic little girl she is for not getting over the fact that you failed her test of trust. But in retrospect I think she did you a favor by dumping you. You're way too good to be hooked up with a High Maintenance Hottie like this one."

"Preach! Reverend! Preach!" War Scribe cried out in between bites of her food.

The Prince began to wonder just exactly what in the hell he had just walked into.

"What is a High Maintenance Hottie?" Serna asked Irzen.

"A woman who is so petty and so cheap and has so much emotional baggage that she simply can't let any of it go long enough to enjoy a meaningful relationship with anyone," The Swordsman surmised quickly, "That is all you are, Alyson, and if you're not careful, that is all you are ever going to be!"

"YYYYYEEESSSS!!!" The Drowling crowed, "And the truth shall set you free!"