Numinor's Greatest King--and Queen

A

Alexhandr

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Alexhandr Ro Denthanor stood beside his best friend and High General, Jakir Aussir-Oth, his scaled hands behind his back. The two comrades looked over a company of Draconis soldiers. Named "Bloodfangs" for their ruthlessless in battle and tendency to sink their sharp teeth in their opponents when they were unarmed, the veteran company had served Alexhandr's father and now served him. They were the most loyal of all soldiers, elites and veterans. All wore dark green and black plated armor and held long, obsidian blades in their right hands, their swords upright as they were inspected.


"Perfection, just as always," Alexhandr said to the Captain of the Bloodfangs and to Jakir. The Captain saluted the High General and then bowed low before his liege. He then about faced and barked orders. "A-bout, face! For-ward, MARCH!" The Bloodfangs then marched forward in perfect unison, heading back to the barracks after getting another grade-A inspection after a skirmish. All members were sane; as sane as a Bloodfang could be, anyway.

King Alexhandr turned and grinned to Jakir. "Ah, Jakir, my friend. All is going well. The remnants of the Sjach are weak and feeble, and they constantly cower before our righteous might!"

"Indeed, my liege," said the High General, a small smile on his face. "But, you have spent too much time with me today. I insist that you take a break and spend time with the common folk of Numinor. They adore you, and enjoy it when you walk with them in the streets and talk to them in the markets."

The black-scaled Dracoins king nodded to the blue-scaled High General. "Aye, that is right. I think my people are too kind to me. Ahhh, but you are right. I have not walked with them for some time. It would please them. You know how to find me at all times, Jakir. If diplomats and the like arrive while I am spending face-time with my people, fetch me post haste."

"Of course, sire!" replied the General, who then bowed before his friend. "Enjoy yourself, my king."

Alexhandr smiled as he walked away. He loved talking to his citizens. He enjoyed hearing their compliments and criticisms. It made him elated. After walking past several farms and waving to the people he walked by, Alexhandr entered a market near the Southern gate of Numinor. He browsed the wares and talked economics with a few merchants, and asked a few denizens how their families fared. All who saw him were comforted by his humility and his benevolence. They all bowed to him, not out of fear or respect, but out of love.

A group of females, each a different race: a high elf, a dark elf, a draconis, an orc, and a human all giggled and crowded around him. They spoke to him quickly, bombarding him with questions about his well being and whether or not he was seeking a life-mate. The usually social Alexhandr blushed and shied away, slowly pushing past them, all while answering their questions rapidly and politely. He jogged away as he got out of the circle, and sighed.
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"You've got to be joking! Even if I were the most skilled thief in the city, there's no way I could manage something like that!" a female voice hissed angrily in the dark of an alley. She had her hands on her hips and was obviously incredibly frustrated with the man before her, but he seemed more patient than anything. He said nothing for a moment, just looking her over as though assessing her. She seemed even more annoyed by that and ran a hand through her wild black curls, her dark red eyes appearing a harmless brown as she awarded him a fierce glare.


"You have more skills than you give yourself credit for. Besides, you're attractive. That should be more than enough to excuse any mistakes you make along the way," he said dismissively, waving an absent hand at her.


"Let me get this straight. You want me to pretend to be some sort of foreign diplomat just to get deep enough in the company of the king to steal the crown jewels? Have you lost your mind?! I have no personal qualms with the king as you seem to have, need I remind you? Putting that aside, I've never dabbled in politics and that would be more than a 'mistake'. I don't even know how to greet royalty!" she exclaimed, the multiple bangles on her wrists chiming as she gestured with frustration. She shook her head and turned from him, the knee-length skirt around her waist swishing from the movement.


"Lynia, you have no choice. You are an Elven gypsy with no money to speak of and your only skill is reading fortunes from those strange cards you carry with you. Do you want to pick pockets for your entire life or not?" he asked flatly. "The only way to bring your brother here is to pay his way, and you aren't earning enough coin as it is," he added, making her frown as she realized he was right. When she had no ready protests, he nodded and gestured out of the alley. "The tailor is expecting you. You need to look like a diplomat if you intend on acting like one. Ladies of power don't dress like that," he said, disdain clear in his voice even though she couldn't see his expression.


She said nothing, simply left the alley and rounded the corner. As soon as she did, she ran into somebody who was jogging in the opposite direction. Startled, she fell over, scattering her cards everywhere. She blinked and scrambled to her feet, quickly pouring out apologies politely and waving a hand to gather her cards back in her hand. When she looked up, she realized she had literally just run into the king that she was setting out to deceive. Stunned, she blushed faintly and looked away, worried that meeting his gaze for too long might give away her plans. Though, now he was going to recognize her unless she completely changed her look.. She sighed inwardly and took a step back, still absently stuttering out apologies and debating running off. After a moment, she changed her mind. She was no coward, was she?


"I am so sorry, my liege. Would you accept a fortune reading as a proper apology?" she offered, holding up the cards in her hands and giving him a faint smile.
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The king of Numinor was extremely embarrassed as he bumped into an extraordinarily gorgeous elven female. He slowly rose to his feet and gave her a smile that said, 'fear nothing, my lady. I knew it was an accident.'

He brushed off his cloak and dusted off his iron breast plate, then bowed before the common female. A king bowing to a commoner was... unheard of. No king in history had ever done such a thing! But Alexhandr did not view himself superior to his people. As king, he viewed his occupation as a duty to protect and serve, not force and command, though giving orders and the use of force was a necessity of his job.

"I do not believe in fortune reading, my lady," Alexhandr began. The Draconis king was beautiful to gaze upon. Even his voice was alluring. But his most gorgeous feature was his ruby-red eyes. "Although, if it does please you and will allow you to not worry, I will accept your fortune reading." He was an honest creature. Due to his religious beliefs, Alex was wary of fortune tellers and gypsies, but by no means did he shun them or look down upon them. Numinor had always been a pulchritudinous city-state of countless races and beliefs, a massive melting pot of cultures.

People bustled about him, yelling praises and greetings to him, and many surrounded him, wondering what he was doing speaking to an elven gypsy girl.
​
 
Lynia was unsurprised to hear that the king didn't believe in such a thing as fortune reading. It seemed that people of high power fell into one of two categories. Either they relied heavily on the readings they received and had a court gypsy available at all times - which even she considered to be silly; or they were like Alexhandr and didn't believe a single word of them. She preferred the ones like him, though she knew that there was truth in what she told the ones who cared to listen. As he offered to accept regardless of his disbelief, she felt a twinge of surprise. Apparently he was willing to set aside his own thoughts just to make her feel better. This was the kindness that she had heard so much about yet never experienced in person. It made her feel even worse for coming to close to a scheme against the man for her personal gain. Yet at the same time, would stealing from such a wealthy person have really harmed him? He had it all, didn't he? All but a queen, from what she knew.


"I would appreciate that, my liege," she said easily with a smile, taking in the fact that his eyes were almost a mirror image of her own, though brighter. Hers could usually pass as brown when she had need to hide her Elven heritage, but his were unmistakable. She discreetly cast her gaze about and realized they were drawing a crowd. No surprise there, considering her current company. Arching the cards in one hand, she let them fly in an arch to her other hand about two feet away, allowing them to shuffle and mix along the way. Once they were all in a pile, she shuffled them with rapid fingers and fanned them out before him, face down.


"The first card you choose is often said to be the most important. Take your time," she said, keeping her accented voice quiet yet clear enough to be easily understood as she watched him, wondering where his fingers would lead him. She was genuinely curious about how this reading would go, and that was a rarity as she did it so often for a coin these days.


The man from the alley had emerged and joined the crowd, the jostling bodies making it far too easy to keep an eye on Lynia and watch as she displayed her arts to the king. He knew that she was being stupid by spending too much time in his presence - there was no doubt the king would recognize her now, despite any sort of costuming or makeover he could give to her. The only option now was an outright robbery with some carefully planned sneaking. He frowned and crossed his arms, then carefully schooled his expression to one of calm and interest as he watched Lynia fan the cards. As soon as this was over, he'd have to talk to her and work out a new plan. There was always a new plan to be had, if one worked hard enough.
 
Alexhandr looked upon the elf for several moments, studying her. He was not sure whether she was a false gypsy, those who went about proclaiming they knew fortunes, only to steal from the innocent and ignorant, or a true one, who had some sort of capabilities. Though he did not believe in fortune telling by any means, he did think that "true" fortune tellers contained strong psychic magicks about them. Cards meant nothing to him. It was their mental capabilities that separated them from the petty thieves and liars.

He took off the leather glove on his right hand, removing it by pulling the finger-holds outward one by one. The monarch's eyes never left the deck of cards the elven gypsy had spread out in front of his black-scaled face. "Forgive my ignorance, dear lady," he said softly. "I do not know how this works, but I shall do as you say." With another minute of careful deliberation, Alex pulled the card next to the farthest right of the lot. Not looking at it, he held it toward her. "What precisely does this mean?" he politely inquired, flipping the card over face forward to her.

Alexhandr Denthanor glanced about the crowd nervously. This would be odd to his people, he was sure of it. They knew that he held strict religious beliefs that went against gypsies and fortune tellers, so why was he dawdling about with this elf, playing her little fortune-telling-game? Although not one to personally care what others thought of him, he knew that due to his station, it actually did matter how his people saw and viewed him. He wished it were not so, but all kings must be master politicians. Here he was, risking his very reputation just to make a gypsy whom he had never met before in his life feel at ease with herself.

He smiled to his people and spoke to them. "Ah, my lovely subjects. Do not judge by what you see. The Creator teaches us to tolerate and love those who hold different ideologies and beliefs. Take heed to this lesson and remember it for the rest of your lives. Judge not lest ye be judged!" With that, many people appeared to become at ease. The crowed seemed fine with this, and took what their king said to heart, believing his every word.

Of course, Alexhandr actually had meant every word he spoke. That was the difference between him and many rulers. Alex never spoke something unless he believed it.
​
 
Lynia hadn't looked away as Alexhandr studied her, knowing that to break his gaze would be the same as admitting she was concealing something. She had nothing to hide, after all, except for everything that she was. Despite the risk, she told herself repeatedly not to be a coward and to act like she was worth something. They were surrounded by people, after all. Now wasn't the time to break down and admit everything to him about the plots to steal as much as possible from him. Something about his eyes made her want to confess, and that actually frustrated her slightly. She wondered absently if the tales of the king possessing mental abilities were true, but they had all been drunken rumors. Still, the ravings of a drunkard were the secrets of a sober man. She knew that well enough to not write off any tale until it had been thoroughly disproven. That ideal had kept her alive more than once, though most would dismiss it out of hand.


Her gaze moved as his did, and she watched him pick a card. Most people had a tendency to pick the very edge cards or the one in the exact middle - or at least, as close to the middle as they could guess. He did none of those things, proving yet again that he was different. Of course he's different, she told herself, he's a king and not some common fool. She lowered the fanned cards slightly and reached out to accept the card from him, her gaze flicking over the image absently as she listened to him calming the edgy crowd. A faint smile touched her lips as he satisfied them with words that rang with honestly. Interesting.


"Your first card was the King of Swords. Hardly surprising that one of your stature would draw this first. It signifies the capability to lead and defend your people, but it also holds a warning of growing too confident in battle," she said, setting the card aside and letting it hover in the air as though she had set it on a table. Most gypsies would probably not have gone past the 'defend your people' bit, but she wasn't going to sugarcoat her words just because he was the king. He wanted a reading, and she was going to give him a real one.


"The second card is speaking more to the future than the first. There are three cards total for a short reading, my liege, which is all I shall ask that you endure," she said with a smile, fanning the cards before him yet again as her eyes focused on his.
 
The crowd around the two 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed as she informed him of what his first card what and the details that accompanied it. Folk began to gossip and whisper, some pointing at the two, others turning their heads and glancing around them, beckoning their comrades to watch the fortune telling. This made Alexhandr shift a bit. So much focus. Although a king, he did not enjoy concentrated amounts of attention on himself for lengthy periods of time.

His fingers glided back and forth over the fanned cards. Deep in contemplation, the ruler of Numinor had decided that this gypsy was one of the true ones. Something about her made him confident that she had more capability than she let on, or that she herself even knew. Eventually, he grasped the card that was dead in the middle and showed it to the gorgeous elf-gypsy. "Alright. King of Swords makes sense. But, what of this one, eh? What does it say about my future?"

An inquisitive and open minded creature, Alexhandr was beginning to take a liking to this fortune telling. Not because he believed it, but because this was new to him and it was interesting. Alex took pleasure in learning and participating in new activities. The average, healthy Draconis lived 2,500 years, so he decided at an early age that he would seek as many unknown anomalies as he could and educate himself on them. This was one of those anomalies.

Not being a lustful being, the king began to scold himself as he realized he was gazing upon the elven female a bit too long at times. This embarrassed him, for he was a man of honor and grace, and believed that a man's eyes should always remain looking into those of a female unless she give him permission to look upon the rest of her figure for a period of time. His black-scales became light-gray as he blushed, flustered.
​
 
Judging by the reaction of the crowd, Lynia had a feeling that even after the king had left her company today, she was going to be getting a lot of new business. Perhaps she could even afford to buy a real dinner tonight instead of stealing from one of the shops as had become habit lately. That'd be nice. There was a tavern only four streets down from where they were standing now that made a roast chicken delicious enough to make any man's mouth water. Since she had left her original home, she had given up the Elven tendency to dislike meat. Chicken was the only one she enjoyed, but it was still better than munching nothing but fruit and vegetables with a side of nuts. The thought of food distracted her for a few moments while Alexhandr decided on a card, but the second that his fingers connected with the cards, her focus was entirely on him.


His aim was incredible. He wanted the middle card, that much was obvious, but the fact that he actually chose the one in the dead center was almost eerie. Of course, nobody would notice that except herself since she had the best angle for it, but still. She accepted it from him and felt her heart trip, actually failing to beat for a few seconds. It took all of her skill and focus to keep her face clear of any expression that would give her away, but she did allow faint surprise to cross her eyes since that would be the most appropriate response for any other fortune teller to have upon drawing this card.


"The Dance of Thieves. A dangerous card indeed, my liege. I would advise you to be wary of those you allow to get close - there is likely a traitor in your midst, though perhaps not in the darkest sense of the word. Something is destined to be taken from you soon unless you defy Fate," she said, keeping her voice carefully even. If the next card wasn't a crowd-pleaser, she was going to be sick.


Placing the card face-up next to the first, she tuned out the reactions of the crowd around them. She could sense the man from the alley nearby and knew that he was watching, but she tuned that out as well. Nothing mattered except finishing this reading and getting away as soon as possible before this ended up backfiring. This was supposed to be innocent and quick. Inwardly cringing, she fanned the cards out to the king one last time and gave him a light smile that had been practiced for years.


"Your last card, my liege?" she queried, noticing the faint change in his facial appearance but not commenting on it. She may not have much experience dealing with royalty, but she knew pointing that out was out of bounds. Perhaps he wasn't a fan of crowds. Nonsense, she thought immediately, he was a king and they loved attention. Plus, she guessed that he got plenty of female attention all the time. There was no denying he was attractive, especially this close.. She pushed those thoughts away quickly, focusing on his actions.
 
The crowd gasped as the elf informed their beloved king what the second card meant. Their murmuring became louder and more chaotic, and their eyes darted between their monarch and the unknown gypsy. The more chaotic the crowd became, the weirder Alexhandr felt. So many eyes were boring into him right now, each person awaiting their liege's next move, all curious as to what this all means.

Alex nodded to the elf-maiden. "To defy Fate is to defy the will of our Maker," he stated. "One cannot defy the will of the Maker, no matter how hard he or she tries. If this fortune telling is true, then I cannot put a stop to whatever happens. I shall bear the consequences then. If there is a traitor, the only thing he could possibly take from me are material objects, which I care for not in the slightest." This statement is what made many of the crowd become silent. Their lord and protector had confessed he did not care for gold, coin, jewelry, or anything material. This pleased the people but also made them curious as to what their monarch wanted out of life since he had no desire for wealth.

This time, Alexhandr Ro Denthanor, king of Numinor, closed his bright red eyes and grasped a card at random. He caught a hold of the card that lied in between the new middle card and the card on the far left. Once more, he held the card out to the lovely elven female. "This be my last. Inform me, good gypsy, of what this means for me."

Everyone became silent. Even the birds quit chirping, as if even they were curious as to the answer. So silent it was, that Alexhandr could hear the elf breathe. He looked upon her with warm, inquisitive eyes. "No matter what it is, dear lady, I shall not mock you for it. I am glad I did this. This is very interesting." With that, he showed her a handsome, genuine smile. What an odd politician. Honest and genuine...
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It was rather easy to stifle the majority of her shock upon his proclamation of not caring for material possessions, since she was already controlling herself so tightly. However, a faint surprise reflected in her eyes. How could he not care for the wealth he had accumulated? True, she wished that such things weren't necessary. Elves in general didn't seek vast coin, though they did love beautiful things that tended to cost quite a bit. Yet the only reason that she wanted money was not for herself, but to send for her brother to come to the city. He deserved a real chance at life, and there was no way to do that with a poor sister who did nothing but flip cards all day long. Her lifestyle would shame him - the rest of her family had already disowned her, after all. She avoided those thoughts as the crowd silenced, her focus on Alexhandr as he pulled his final card.


As soon as she saw it, she let out a soft breath that she hadn't even realized she had been holding. This card had drawn a negative reaction only once, and that was because the wife of the man who had drawn it was standing right next to him at the time of the telling. However, she knew that the king was currently unmarried, and the majority of the crowd around them seemed to be female. Her first assumption was that this would be received well, and that the king was going to be getting a lot of pretty ladies thrusted on him whether he liked it or not. A good chance to escape, then.


"Ah, my liege. I'll admit I didn't expect you to pull this card today after the last. However, I'm glad you did. This card is the Heart's Soul. Love is coming to you, sire, and soon. Perhaps you will soon treat your people to a queen," she suggested with a smile, knowing the crowd would likely erupt with cheers at that.


The man in the crowd who had been watching the exchange even more intently than the rest was starting to get an idea, and he decided that he should put his plans into action. Without a moment of further hesitation, he turned away from the activities and went to the tailor that Lynia was supposed to have visited nearly an hour ago now.
 
The crowed erupted in a roar of cheers and elation. "Huzzah! Huzzah! A queen for our king! A queen for our king!" they chanted.

Alexhandr stared at the card, his red eyes boring into the front of it. He now appeared nervous. After a moment, he regained himself, then bowed again to the gypsy elf. "Ah, my dear lady, you have entertained me. Again, I am glad I chose to accept your fortune telling. For your services" --he began, reaching his right hand to his sash-- "I give you this pouch of fifty Numark, our nation's currency. Please, spend it in any way you will. I have no need for it. And you must take it, because I shall not take no for a answer!" He spoke to her in a stern, firm tone, yet his face was bright and gentle, playful in manner.

The crowd slowly began to disperse. What had happened here today would be talked and gossiped about for quite some time. The people were pleased, and the rumors of their king pulling three good fortune cards from a deck would further increase his standing among the people he so lovingly ruled.

"I pray that the Maker's will allows us to meet again, Elf-maiden. Maker bless you and protect you."
​
 
Lynia bowed as Alexhandr claimed to have been entertained, the cards piling back into her hand neatly before being slipped into her pocket and out of sight. As he pulled out a pouch and pressed it into her hands, her eyes widened in shock. Not only had she never been paid so much for a telling, but she honestly hadn't expected or really wanted payment for the honor of reading the cards of a king. She was going to reject it and give it back, but then he told her that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Almost unwillingly, she smiled and bowed her head in acceptance. He truly didn't care for material wealth, just as he had said. Was there anything normal about this man at all?


"If you insist," she said, knowing that she would spend perhaps one coin or two before setting the rest aside to save for her brother. This might even be enough combined with what she already had, but she doubted it. She put the pouch in her pocket - a different one than the deck of cards. As he spoke to her again once most of the crowd had dispersed to spread the story, she gave him a genuine smile and shook her head slightly.


"You shouldn't waste your prayers and blessings on one such as myself," she said softly, then realized that she was correcting a king and quickly stopped herself. Reaching her slender hands up, she removed one of her necklaces. A woven gold wire with round beads of emerald and polished ivory teeth. It was more than a simple piece of jewelry, and she stepped forward, pressing it into the king's palm. "A ward against your potential thieves," she said quietly, her words for his ears alone as she gazed up at him.


She realized she was lingering too long and looked away with a faint blush, stepping back quickly and looking around to make sure too many people hadn't noticed. It'd be awful to tarnish his reputation by being too close to him, as she was nothing but a gypsy woman. She offered him a hesitant smile, then turned to leave, knowing he was probably quite busy.
 
King Alexhandr was pleased that she accepted his gift of coin. A feeling of warmth and pleasure overflowed him as he saw her put the pouch away. 'Another soul that I have helped personally. Ah, this is a much better feeling than giving orders to someone else to do it!' Alex thought.

"I do not waste my prayers and blessings, sweet lady. Rather, I spend my prayers and blessings. I give them because I wish to. They are never a waste." He caught her facial expressions, and then laughed in a very amusing manner. "Hark, good elf-maiden! I am not going to punish you because you corrected me. I am open to criticism. It makes me a better ruler and person overall!" Then, as she pressed her very interesting necklace into his large, rough palm, he blushed. Her face was now but an inch away from his, and her could feel her body pressing against his chest. The diplomatic mastermind gulped once out of timidness. Her words were stunningly beautiful to his ears to begin with, but her now soft spoken words were as beautiful as silk, flowing into his ear and making him feel delightful inside.

King Alex gazed back into her eyes, a sheepish smile on his handsome face. Then, the elf maiden turned to walk away. "My lady!" he said to her as she turned around. "May I please have your name?" He did not know what drove him to inquire such a question, but he had to know.
​
 
The lingering feeling of his body touching hers made her feel almost giddy even as she turned away. How strange, to be so affected by a mere touch that had lasted less than a minute. On top of that, it had been beyond inappropriate for one of his stature. She was just grateful that nobody was yelling about it being a scandal or anything yet. With luck, no rumors or gossip would churn about anything more than the telling. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about how attractive he was, though - in more than just physical appearance. While that was pleasing to look at, there was so much more there. It was easy to tell why he was looked upon so favorably by his subjects. Rarely had she heard bad things, and now she really understood why. He barely acted like a king at all - and that was a very, very good thing. She smiled at the thought and sighed contentedly, but then she heard his voice call to her mere seconds after she had turned away.


She turned back in surprise, looking over her shoulder curiously to see if he really was speaking to her. When she realized he was, she turned back fully and caught his question. She blinked in surprise, then smiled, her eyes lighting up with amusement. To think he would actually care about such a pointless detail made her want to laugh for some reason.


"It's Lynia. A true pleasure to meet you," she said, a faint laughter clear in her voice as she tilted her head a fraction. He was so bizarre. She was going to say something else but thought better of it, keeping her silence as a fairly large group of giggling females surrounded the king. They were all chattering about something - likely the final card draw. Lynia smiled and shook her head slightly at the young girls, so excited about something that likely wouldn't affect them. The king would probably find a princess somewhere, she presumed.


With that thought, she took a step back and vanished into the crowd, only to be pulled aside almost immediately for a fresh reading of a curious woman.
 
Alexhandr's mind was now in war with itself. His duty was to his kingdom, first and foremost. Nothing came before this. It was his lot in life, his destiny, his fate, and he did not abandon it. On the other hand, he desired to cast aside his duties for awhile and learn more about the elf named Lynia. Her light, faint laughter as she spoke her name resonated, replaying in his mind. He was beginning to wonder if he was dreaming this whole time, or that perhaps he had been drugged or put under a spell. Never in his 1400 years of existence did he ever feel such a desire to go after a female before. The king shook his scaled head side to side, telling himself that now was the time in a Draconis's life where mate-seeking was a focal point in their lives. Hormones altered their desires and focuses. Not one to give into anything, including nature, Alex rationalized his feelings and then pushed them aside.

His eyes, however, stayed upon Lynia's heavenly figure until the group of young lasses surrounded him and blocked his few. About to politely protest, Alexhandr was saved by his good friend Jakir."Sire. Appears you have caused quite a stir and pleased your people at the same time. Who knew taking to fortune telling would lead to such a positive outcome?"

Jakir smiled at his liege, and Alex returned with a grin. "'Tis the Maker's sense of humor, I suppose," the king replied nonchalantly.

"Mmm. Quite," said the High General quietly. After a moment of examining his friend, Jakir gave news. "Now, a dwarven diplomat has arrived. They wish to expand our trade agreement. It appears the good miners have stumbled upon a massive iron ore vein, so their exports are going to increase dramatically. We being good comrades with the dwarves, they sent a diplomat to us first, sire."

Alexhandr heard every word his friend said, but gave no response. The entire time he was being talked to, the monarch of Numinor had looked about for the elven female named Lynia. To his dismay, she was no longer anywhere in sight.

Jakir patted his friend on the back."Appears your gypsy lady has left quite an impression upon you, Alex," he said, speaking to him informally now as an old comrade instead of a general to his king.

"Yes..." he mumbled to himself. "She has." Alexhandr gathered himself after that, then turned to look face to face with his blue-scaled ally. "Let us meet this diplomat. I like the idea of more iron. If they export more to us, we can export more to them. Our blacksmiths take a liking to it when they receive more iron in their supply wagons every month." With that, Alex and Jakir began to return to the majestic, massive castle that was found in the dead center of Numinor. A hardy Dwarven diplomat awaited.
​
 
Lynia had finished the requested reading fairly quickly, but by the time she turned away, the king had vanished from sight. She felt a pang of disappointment but she pushed it off irritably. There was no point in feeling anything like that. Of course he had gone, what reason would he have had to stay? It's not like she could give him a second reading - it'd be the same as the first, nothing had changed since then. She just couldn't help but feel as though she wanted to see him again, no matter how absurd the urge. Shaking her head at her own thoughts, she sighed and turned away from the crowd, even though she knew she could likely make more coin there if she lingered. Money wasn't at the front of her mind anymore, not now that Alexhandr filled her thoughts and coin filled her pocket heavier than it had been in a very long time.


"You certainly caught the attention of the king with that little stunt. He could barely keep his eyes off of you, Lynia. Not that I blame him much there," a voice said to her side. When she looked, it was the man from the alley - Purn. She rolled her eyes but he grinned, walking with her as she left the crowd. "It's true. You know it is. I've been thinking, and you were right, the diplomat idea won't work," he went on, in a tone that clearly indicated he had worked up something else.


"Purn, you're absurd. He's a king with hundreds of women who would fight each other to the death just for the honor of eating a meal with him. I certainly don't classify as his 'type'," she quipped back, shaking her head with a smile. She moved through a bunch of people and paused her steps, shocked to see Alexhandr not that far ahead of her, walking and speaking with a man that she faintly recognized from his high position but not on a personal level.


"Come now, you know that you caught his gaze," Purn argued with a grin. "Lynia, think about it. Flirt with him a few times, seduce him, whatever it is that you gypsies call it. It'd be easy to get invited inside long enough to steal something of value," he went on, and she immediately whirled on him with a frown.


"No," she said firmly, waving off his protests and walking away until he gave up and left her alone, deciding to try again later. She was so annoyed by the mere idea of 'seducing' such a kind man just to rob him that she barely paid attention to where she was going, which nearly resulted in her literally running into Alexhandr again. Mentally cursing, she quickly halted her steps and let out a sigh of relief when he walked away and put more distance between them. At least this time she had been behind him instead. She hoped he hadn't noticed, she didn't want to appear like she was purposely tailing him.


"Yes, please," she said absently as a woman walked up to her and offered to sell her a flower. She laughed lightly as the woman made a joke, though she wasn't truly listening. Taking a coin from the purse in her pocket, she overpaid the woman and took the flower with a smile, just trying to relax.
 
Alexhandr Ro Denthanor and Jakir Aussir-Oth walked side by side through the Numinorian streets. The people waved and called out praises to them, some praying for them and others thanking them. The two noble Draconis waved and smiled back at them, thanking them for their kind words and affections. Jakir's mind was focused on the Dwarven diplomat. Alexhandr's, however, was focused on Lynia. The High General could tell that his liege still had the elf-maiden on his mind by the way the king looked around constantly, searching for Lynia. Jakir said nothing about it to his friend, for his King had every right to desire a lady, and he also knew that by the way Alexhandr was acting that even if Alexhandr did not want the elf maiden, his Draconis nature would force him to want her. The General smiled at this.

After walking for fifteen minutes, Alexhandr stopped in his tracks. "Is all well, my king?" Jakir asked, turning to Alex, concern in his voice.

"Aye, General," Alexhandr said, glancing about him. "I heard it."

"Heard what, sire?"

"I heard her laugh. That light, celestial laugh. She is nearby, Jakir." The black-scaled Draconis then started to walk backwards, his ruby-red eyes darting from place to place, scouting for Lynia. Evenutally, he spotted her. She was holding a flower in her hands and smiling. A sweet smile that made the Draconis's heart pound heavily within his chest. Slowly, he began to walk towards her. Rationality told him that a dwarven diplomat was more important, but his heart said otherwise. Draconis were well known for tossing aside rational thought in favor of the heart's desire.

"Lady Lynia?" he called out to her as he now stood but fifteen feet away, still heading towards her. Meanwhile, the High General crossed his arms and shook his head, and then continued to make his way to the castle. He could not stop his lord and master. No one could.
​
 
Speaking to the woman for a few minutes more, Lynia caught up on the neighborhood gossip. Sometimes the cards didn't want to reveal themselves to certain customers. It wasn't something that she could control, but she still wanted to give an accurate reading. So, she made certain that every whispered bit of information reached her somehow. If a woman asked for a reading and the cards refused to reveal anything, Lynia would know if a man was secretly admiring her and could pull the Heart's Soul card to subtly push the female in the right direction. Things like that made her feel low and cheap, but she had a lot less control over her ability than most people thought. Apart from all that, gypsies loved to talk, and that just made it all the easier to spread gossip around like wildfire.


Suddenly she heard a voice say her name that immediately made her turn. Her heart stopped for a moment - a combination of thrill and panic. Had he found out somehow that she had been plotting against him? Did he want his coin back after handing it out only as a good showing for his people? No, that didn't make sense, he had been honest. That much she could tell. No matter what he was after, though, she had to admit that just the sight of him made her smile.


"I thought you had left, my liege. Is there something I can do for you?" she asked with a smile, inwardly smacking herself repeatedly for even letting herself think girlish thoughts about a king.


Purn had tailed Lynia, waiting for her to calm down enough for him to cut in with his proposition again. It was a simple enough idea, he thought. What harm would flirting do? Alexhandr was a king - no doubt he had women all over him all the time. An Elven gypsy, though? One that had read his fortune, no less, and was attractive. It would be more than easy for her to get inside and get back out alive and unsuspected. He sighed, irritated with her for rejecting him for no reason. As the king approached, he cocked an eyebrow and smirked, hiding in the shadows. So, the mouse was going to come back to the cat. perhaps this time Lynia would think better of his idea.
 
Alexhandr Ro Denthanor now stood right in front of her, his face one of nervousness and glee. Just hearing her sent shivers of pleasure through him and gazing upon her made his large draconic heart beat violently within his chest. His fingers shaking lightly and his tail swaying a bit quickly behind him, the Draconis King bowed before the gypsy again. He inhaled, as if wondering what he was doing was foolish. After a moment of awkward silence, Alex spoke.

"My lady, I invite you to my court. I ask that you join me for a bit within the castle. I shall show you around and I could perhaps introduce you to nobles and even a diplomat. At the end of the night there shall be a feast, dancing, and singing. If you so desire, given a brand new outfit to wear to it. This is not enforced. Tell me no, and I shall depart from you and hold no grudge against you."

Alexhandr had been in over a hundred battles in six wars within his two hundred year reign already. Blood, death, gore, daemons, the undead and the unknown did not frighten him in the least. But inviting Lynia to his castle made him timid and flustered. 'What if she declines?' he thought. 'I would never force anyone to keep my company, but this damned desire inside of me shall not fade. I wonder...'

The king's eyes never once left that of the gypsy's. Even though he had seen countless horrifying things in his life, his eyes remained soft. Warm. Nothing about them would give away that Alex was a warrior and a hard politician. Nothing about them would give away all that he has suffered through either.
 
Lynia tilted her head slightly at the moment of silence as the king stood before her, wondering if it was just her imagination that made him seem more nervous than she had even been when she realized who she had run straight into earlier. She was about to speak again when Alexhandr spoke up and invited her to come to the castle with him. Taken completely by surprise, she was struck speechless as he went on to describe how she could meet important people, get a tour, even partake in a feast. More than anything, she wanted to squeal with excitement.


'Flirt with him, seduce him..' Purn's voice floated through her mind. She forced it away hard and gave Alexhandr a bright smile as she looked up at him.


"I would love to," she said, not even looking around even though she knew at least a few people were listening in on the exchange and stopping to stare. The king was inviting the gypsy girl to the castle? She wouldn't believe it herself if she wasn't the one it was happening to. "I must warn you, though, that I haven't danced in years and will likely only fall," she added, laughing softly as her deep red eyes sparkled with amusement.
 
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