BubbleStream

“That was dignified,” Gordek said, settling into the seat.

“Shut up. I noticed you didn’t do much to stop me.”

“Why should I have? We both knew it was a futile display,” Gordek propped his feet on the empty seat facing him. “And, I had to stay behind to help my dear friend Yorel wipe his expensive brandy off the floor.” Gordek burst into a staccato spurt of laughter. “Never saw him more disturbed. Tokorellans don’t usually behave like that.”

“He should keep that in mind. Not everyone will bow down to him willingly as ruler of the known universe.”

The guards had allowed Linsora and Permac their laughter, some of them even broke into empathetic grins. Covered with sweat-smeared dirt, they weren’t welcomed back into Yorel’s pristine home. He met the party on the front steps of his house. Yorel indicated that Permac would reside in what he called his guest quarters. Surrounded by a ludicrous number of guards, the two guests were lead to a small one-story building next to the main house. Linsora and Permac exchanged few words. She showered while Yorel’s people took her clothes to be cleaned of the flowerbed grime, declining the offer of a new outfit of colorful Tokorellan design. When the clothes returned, she replaced all the weapons in their pockets, although for the first time in her life they provided her with little comfort.