Paladin (part 1)
Filed under Fiction on May 25, 2004
Keywords: Aribeth de Tylmarande, paladins
Standing before the closed, wooden door, he hesitated, his hand half-raised. His stomach fluttered in anticipation of this meeting. She had invited him, though. With a deep breath, he knocked.
“Come in.” The words were magical, musical, beautiful.
He turned the doorknob and entered. She sat there, slightly askance from the doorway, at her vanity. Long auburn tresses fell well below her shoulders, the light of candles shimmering off the strands as she swept a brush through them with repeated strokes, occasionally revealing the tapered tips of her ears. A sheer robe was draped over milky white shoulders and provided little more covering than the pale, silky slip that hung from thread-thin straps and exposed a full, round bosom.
“Oh, excuse me. If you were expecting Abbot Moss, I can come back at a more appropriate time.” The young man averted his eyes and felt the heat of his flushing face.
“No need for embarrassment.” Her laugh sprinkled the air like the tinkling of glass chimes. “The normal attire of my service to Tyr hardly makes one feel feminine. It is a pleasant diversion, reminding me that I am a woman as well as a warrior.”
“Yes, of course.” He nodded as if he understood.
“Please, have a seat. I was intrigued by your request to interview me after our public audience. What can I do for you?”
Almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones and slender jawline combined to form an exquisite, statuesque face that took his breath away. But as those green orbs fastened upon him, he saw that this was nothing more than another matter of business to attend to.
“Uh, yes. Well, first of all, thank you for seeing me on your own time, Lady de Tylmarande. I was not sure who else to turn to.” He smiled weakly and she nodded back in reassurance. “In fact, the priest at Tyr’s temple here in Neverwinter recommended I speak to you.
“This may sound strange, but . . . things . . . have been happening to me. Things I cannot explain. Not necessarily bad things, though.”
“And what makes you think I can shed some light on this problem?” Aribeth sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, the movement causing her shift to rise just above the knee.
“That will take a little explanation.” He licked his suddenly dry lips before continuing.
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