The Dragon Queen

[JadeKnight]

He gave a little smile at the bow of the servant, almost chuckling as she spoke of there being bad luck at seeing his queen. However, he doubted it would be right of him to show any bad thoughts about their superstitions.

"I would not think of such a thing."

He watched her move back behind the curtain before his Queen spoke.

"Yes, it seems a little birdie...I thought that's the right term...told me that you were missing a handmaiden that you would most likely want back at your side. Since there is nothing currently for me to do, I figured I might go and fetch this handmaiden for my Queen. You would just need to tell me what she looks like, let her know I am coming, and any other information I might need."

 

[Poprockz]

She nodded from behind the curtain. "Your sources are correct. Betty is my other handmaid, and I would sorely miss her if she wasn't able to attend. I had held out hope that maybe they would have been on their way back before the wedding procession, but it seems they are waylaid in the palace in Belvoria."

One of the servants tapped her arms so that she had to lift them, the servants working on some of the seems of the torso part of her gown. "She is a young woman like myself and Glinda. She has Red hair, freckles, and green eyes. Though, she is more petite than Glinda or myself, her stature shorter, and her womanly attributes not quite as pronounced."

Cassandra paused for a moment, "She is also mute. Betty was the daughter of the captain of the city guard. Her father was murdered and her tongue was cut out as a young girl. My father took pity on her and assigned her to grow alongside me as my handmaid. I doubt my messenger birds will beat you to that kingdom, so I suggest you use the correct phrase and she will recognize you as someone she can trust. Listen to my mind and I will tell you the words."

She knew he could communicate telepathically, so she looked at him and thought "The princess is worried sick about you. Her nose is red and her skin is blue."

Out loud she finished, "it was something we used to say to each other as children. I would hope they put her and the rest of the party up in the palace, but I don't know."

 

[JadeKnight]

He was silent as he listened to what his Queen told him about Betty. He didn't think she would be hard to find, but then he could also be mistaken. This would also give him a chance to see how things were at the other kingdom, just so he knew what he was going to be up against. He really doubted he would have any problems with his plans, but he just wanted to be sure.

"I see. Well, I shall do my best to have her back in time."

He chuckled for a moment, knowing he would have to be back as well.

"Is red hair unique or the average hair color? Is there any particular item she loves to wear to help her stand out from others?"

 

[Poprockz]

The Queen smirked behind the curtain, also understanding that her groom needed to be back quickly as well. She had confidence in his abilities, believing that he may even have many more magics unknown to her.

She thought for a moment and shrugged. "Red hair isn't uncommon. She wears an emerald brooch though, never takes it off as it was her father's. It's more of an army metal than a brooch, but she wears it like an ordinary necklace. "

 

[JadeKnight]

"I shall have her back in plenty of time my Queen."

Having the information he needed, he stepped out of the room to leave her to continue getting taken care of. He soon began to walk through the halls as he thought of the best way to go about retrieving the handmaiden.

It wouldn't be good to approach the other kingdom yet in his true form, as that would probably get things riled up too quickly and cause his plans to fall through. No, subtly would be the best approach for the time being. Travel by horse would be too slow, but an idea did come to him.

He had gifted treasure from his hoard to each of the kings at that time as thanks for the bravery of their men who died in the war. He wasn't completely cold-hearted after all. And he always made sure his treasures would be tainted with a bit of himself, mostly a drop of blood fused within some part of the jewelry. The treasure he had given to was a pair of golden spears.

Clothing himself in a deep red velvet robe, he took a moment to make sure everything was adjusted. Satisfied, he began to focus on the golden axes and their location. Using them as the focus point, he soon disappeared from sight. He reappeared with the dark recess of an alcove within the throne room. A few feet away, the golden axes were in full display in a criss-crossed pattern above the throne itself.

 

[Poprockz]

The throne room was fairly empty, the nobles already on the road toward the wedding at the other kingdom. However, there was a bit of a commotion on the other side of the room.

"Please m'lord! Listen to reason! We need at least three carriages to get back to Kelvor, and I know that you have some in reserve within the palace. We are your honored guests and you cannot treat us like this!" The man trying to keep his voice from becoming too disagreeable looked to be a knight of Kelvor, dressed in armor similarly to Sir Tumerin.

The other man looked like an older noble, his grey hair shortly grown around the balding patch of his head. He had a sour expression and was puffing himself up. "You watch your tone, Sir Brexton! If I'm remembering correctly, we were kind enough to put you up at the Rabbit's foot when there was no room for you at the palace. Secondly, we have no carriages to spare and as I also remember, Lady Beatrice compensated you handsomely for them."

"Compensated? You mean stole them and then had payment delivered!"

"Excuse me Sir, are you accusing a lady of the court of thievery?!"

The knight looked frustrated, his hand going to his head for a moment. "No- but. For the gods' sakes, please at least spare a carriage for the women! The wedding is soon upon us!"

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, we've no carriages to spare for you. You'll simply have to stay until your country sends for you, or delivers some compensation for you to buy additional carriages. I am the lord regent when the King is away, and what I say goes. Now leave this hall before I have you removed." The man looked slightly pleased with himself, a slightly smug smile on his face as the knight fumed.

Sir Brexton stalked away, clearly seething with anger.

 

[JadeKnight]

The dragon was about to move out when he heard the arguing ensuing a few feet away. He frowned for a moment as he listened to it, a little smirk on his face as he heard about the whole situation. It made him want to punish both the King and Beatrice that much more. It would be very satisfying putting them in there place and then some.

He waited a few moments after the conversation finished to follow after the knight. If he was right, this would make finding the handmaiden that much easier. In fact, he could get all of his subjects home in time for the wedding. It was all a matter in how to play this. He decided not to come out as the king just yet, but a wealthy benefactor to help move them along.

He soon moved after the knight, catching up to him just outside the castle. It would be the best place to make his cover that much better. He came up behind the knight and tapped the man on the shoulder.

"Pardon me, good sir. I couldn't help but getting wind of your current situation. As a matter of fact, I was sent to retrieve soon to be Queen Cassandra's handmaiden Betty. I also believe I have a way of helping getting you and the rest of her subjects back in time for the wedding, if you are so inclined for a bit of charity."

He gave a little smirk for a moment.

"It seems that her subjects aren't being treated so kindly under the current alliance."

 

[Poprockz]

The knight had been scowling, but his expression softened a bit when he saw Tritoch. The dragon looked like a noble rather than a guard, but he didn't have that pompous air that a lot of them had. He listened intently and then nodded.

"My good sir, that is putting it lightly." The knight let out a sigh, relaxing slightly and fully taking off his helmet. He had jet-black hair and green eyes, and eyebrows that almost made him look angry even if he was grinning with merriment. Merriment was the last thing on his mind though as he considered Tritoch's offer.

He paused and then gestured for him to follow him. "Walk with me, kind sir. Let me treat you to some ale. Then we can discuss this a bit further- I think I could use a drink to stop myself from marching back in there and giving that man the wallop he deserves." The knight led him back to the inn mentioned previously: The Rabbit's Foot. Once there, he ordered four ales and set two down for Tritoch and took two for himself. The place was warm, but rather shabby, a couple whores having made it their place of business.

After gulping down half a pint he, panted, setting down the tankard and looking up at him. "When we arrived here, we were all shaken from what had happened on the road. The princess was gone and nowhere to be found, and we had hoped that the prince would help his betrothed. Fucking bastard..." He said the last part very quietly, gritting his teeth. It was unwise to insult a kingdom's ruler so he kept his voice down.

"Shortly after we arrived, we were moved from the palace to this inn, being told that in actuality he was going to marry another princess he had waiting in the wings. What kind of man abandons someone if it's in his power to save them, especially someone he's made a promise to? Makes my blood boil." He shook his head and downed the other half of the tankard.

"Anyway, about your offer. I'm desperate at this point, but I can't know that you're not another noble looking to take advantage of us to put it bluntly. If it were just me, I would heartily take you up on your offer as I get the gut feeling that you're of a different breed than the rest of those blood-suckers, but I have people I need to protect. I'm sure you understand, sir. What assurance can I have from you that your intentions are good?" He looked hopeful, as though he just needed a scrap of assurance to accept whatever offer he might have.

From the stairs a pair of green eyes watched, the girl kneeling down between the bars of the handrail as she watched them silently. She had beautiful red hair and was dainty and petite as the Queen had described her. Most humans wouldn't even notice, but she was actually an elf. Her ears had been clipped, hidden by the attention-grabbing red of her hair.

 

[JadeKnight]

The dragon followed the knight back to the inn, pausing at the door for a moment. Even in his transformed form, his senses were quite keen. He wiggled his nose for a moment at the scent of unwashed humans gathered in one place. He wondered for a moment when the last time some of them had a bathe, but he didn't say anything as he followed inside.

At the offer of the ale, he picked up one of the mugs and took a few sips. It wasn't going to really affect him, but he decided not to look too obvious. He gave a little chuckle for a moment as he listened to the knight complain about the situation, hearing the contempt for the prince's action.

"Yes, it sounds like you have truly been left to rot on your own. If your finances are gone, then perhaps something should be done."

He lifted his first mug as well, downing it before placing it back on the table. He did pick up the redhead on the stairs in his casual scan of the room, leaning back a little in the chair at the same time. He couldn't tell what she was exactly, but she did have a more exotic scent than humans. It was one he hadn't had a chance to encounter in a very long time.

"Well, I am not completely sure on how I can show my intentions are good. However, I think it would have to start off with a generous offer."

He dropped his right hand beneath the table for a moment as if he was fishing something out of his robe. Concentrating for a moment, he summoning a few small gems into his hand. He was sure it would probably be seen by the redhead, wondering what her reaction would be. He lifted his hand and gently laid the gems on the table.

"Would this be a good start for you to get the needed transportation?"

 

[Poprockz]

"Holy shite!" He exclaimed, then coughed and looked embarrassed, "My apologies for the foul language, but how in the world are you at a place where you can casually carry around gems like that? You must be a very prominent man to pull that off."

While elves tended to live very long lives, it was true that this one had indeed grown up with the princess, being only a child at the time when she came to live at the palace. She hadn't been raised by elves, but she still had a keen eye for magic, an elf's intuition being innate rather than taught. She got up from the stairs and quickly glided gracefully down them, coming up to the table and looking at the jewels. Reaching out, she picked one up and looked at it, cocking her head to the side.

The knight looked between them awkwardly and whispered, "Betty! He hasn't agreed to give us those yet, please put it down."

She did so, but moved back over to the knight, tugging on his arm and shaking her head "no." Her eyes glanced at Tritoch worriedly, casting her eyes down from him and continuing to try to pull the knight away from the table. He shrugged her off, but she remained close, hiding behind him slightly as her emerald eyes looked anywhere but their dragon benefactor.

 

[JadeKnight]

He smirked a little at the knight's reaction to his offer, not finding it surprising.

"Let's just say I am in my own way."

He picked up his other mug and sipped at it as Betty came over to the table. He didn't have to ask here name as the knight confirmed things for him. He smiled and shook his head for a moment at the knight's words.

"Don't worry about it. I am sure she was simply curious."

He did notice she was frighten of him, so he decided that it would be a good time to calm her. However, he didn't do it out loud as he spoke within her mind.

Don't worry little one. The princess is worried sick about you. Her nose is red and her skin is blue.

He continued to speak as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"As I said, these should more than cover the needed amount for the transportation. However, I know that time is of the essence. You will have to gather everyone and the belongings, pack them up, and meet me outside the city gates. Is that fair?"

 

[Poprockz]

As soon as he spoke within her mind, she stopped avoiding his eyes. She now looked at him with more curiosity than fear. The lady gave him a little nod and slowly walked toward him, circling his chair. Her eyes seemed to be trying to figure something out.

The knight's eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly. "Yes, m'lord! When shall it be done? I can have everyone ready within two hours if you think we can leave today."

Now on the other side of the knight, Betty tugged on Sir Brexton's arm once and gestured as though she wanted to write something.

"Oh, so that's what you wanted, sorry m'lady." The knight dug around in his pouch and produced a small notebook and a little pencil. Her hand moved quickly before holding it out for Tritoch to see. It said, "But you're too big to be in that body." She cocked her head to the side again as though she wanted an explanation.

The knight glanced at her note and turned beat red. "Betty, don't insult the man!" he said softly but firmly. There was no anger in his voice, but a bit of sternness. She looked down at her feet for a moment before looking back up at him curiously once more. She was a year older than Glinda, though most assumed she wasn't quite as mature due to the fact that most of her communication was nonverbal.

 

[JadeKnight]

"Two hours shall be just fine."

He did watch her circle his chair for a moment, though he didn't reach for her or anything. He did find her intriguing to not be scared or jump when he spoke in her mind. He raised an eyebrow for a moment when she wrote her little note before showing it to him.

"It's quite alright sir. She is quite bright it seems. She means no harm by it I am sure."

He grinned for a moment before standing up from his chair. He reached out for a moment, patting Betty on the head gently before looking to the knight.

"I will see you outside the city gates then."

Just be patient little one. All answers in due time.

He picked up the mug and finished off before he made his way out of the inn to wait on them.

 

[Poprockz]

She watched him leave, reaching up and touching the place where he had patted her. It almost felt like he had left residual energy on her, her hair feeling a bit warm.

Sir Braxton wasted no time, immediately downing his other ale in record time and collecting each of the members of the party. Once everyone was there, they moved as a group outside of the city gates, not quite sure where exactly this mysterious noble was.

"-I'm just saying that you don't even know who this man is." Said a woman, fanning herself with a delicate little fan. "He could simply be playing a prank for all you know."

Sir Braxton's eyebrow twitched, "Madam, I assure you his jewels were real, and I get the feeling that is of a respectable sort."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh yes, you gathered us up because you had a feeling, yes. Very smart of you."

Betty stood slightly away from the chattering group. She looked as though she was expecting something as her gaze was fixed on the tree-line. Her emerald eyes moved up and scanned the clouds as she waited, her fingers fiddling wither her emerald medallion.

 

[JadeKnight]

He was partly surprised that the knight had followed his command, even more that he was able to get the others to follow suit. He had been sitting beneath on of the trees in the shadows, wondering exactly how long it would take them.

When they finally came out, it seemed the knight had done the best he could to get everything organized. With a little magic, it wouldn't be hard to get everyone back to the castle in time.

He waited to let them sweat a little before walking out towards them. He didn't say anything for a moment as he walked back and forth along the line of carriages before stopping in front of the knight.

"Ah, very good. As long as everyone stays inside and doesn't panic, I can get you back home quickly."

He held up a hand to keep anyone from speaking to him, giving a smile and little wink to Betty. Turning away, he walked a little further away before turning to face them. His clothes shifted as they melded into him. Then his form glowed a soft white as he began to change into his true form. He knew it was a risk in front of the city, so he had created a little magical wall earlier to keep any guards from seeing past the carriages.

 

[Poprockz]

Someone pointed to Tritoch as he approached them, the group turning to them as the volume of their chattering turned down until there was silence. They watched him walk back and forth, some of them whispering to their companions or significant others as he passed.

Sir Braxton raised an eyebrow at his comment and opened his mouth, the hand silencing him before he shut it and waited for Tritoch to tell him what was going on.

When he started to make the change, several of the men and women fainted on the spot. The knight turned pale and his hand went to his sword as a reflex, though he was more confused and frightened than hostile. He moved quickly to stand in front of Betty, but she peeked out from around him, watching with wide eyes as he transformed.

Once he was standing there in all of his glory, she started to walk forward toward him curiously, reaching out to touch him. The knight grabbed her wrist and pulled her back gently so he could once more use his body as a shield for her. However, she wasn't one to be held back for long. She was quick and graceful, the girl darting out from behind him again and avoiding his arm as she picked up her dress a bit and made her way near Tritoch's front claws. She smiled, reached up, and jumped up and down for a moment as though she wanted him to pick her up.

"Betty!" The knight hissed fearfully, clearly concerned for her safety.

 

[JadeKnight]

It amused him at the various reactions he got from his subjects. He knew that humans were weak, so the fainting was of no concern to him at this point. When the knight placed his hand on his sword, he lifted his head into the air.

He didn't say anything for a few moments, still amused by what was happening. He looked down at Betty as she ran to him, jumping up and down with her arms in the air. He lifted his right front claw and turned it upwards, down low enough for her to jump upon. He finally looked to the knight and the others before speaking in their minds.

I can smell and sense the fear from you all. However, there is no need to fear from me. I am King Tritoch, the last of the three dragon brothers of long ago. I am the one marrying the beautiful princess Cassandra and will be your new king.

He stretched his wings wide for a moment before retracting them back against his back as he continued.

If you sit yourselves in the carriages, secure yourselves and keep the doors closed, we can be back to the castle by nightfall.

 

[Poprockz]

Betty didn't hesitate in climbing up onto his claw, leaning and holding onto his wrist for support. She seemed a bit excited, her hands tracing over his scales curiously as she examined them. It would seem that she was pleased that she now knew why his body had previously been too small for what was contained within.

The knight stared hard at the dragon for a few moments before gulping and closing his eyes. The man seemed to be steeling himself before he let out a deep breath, seemingly more centered. He bowed, "my apologies for my reaction. A dragon is not something a mortal like myself sees very often if at all, my King." He walked over to the carriages, most of the people still frozen in shock.

"You heard him, get into the carriages. Secure any items inside, close the curtains, and for godsakes get a move on. You want to see the wedding, don't you? Then move!" His commanding bark seemed to jar most of them enough for them to heed the dragon's orders. People picked up the ones who had fainted and brought them inside, the carriages preparing themselves before pulling down the curtains to ensure that they were ready.

Once everything was set, Sir Brexton stood back and nodded at Tritoch. "I will be staying behind, my King. The carriages are full and my heart is contented."

 

[JadeKnight]

The king gave a little chuckle at the flurry of activity to get ready for the journey back to the castle. He did still pick up fear from several of them, but that was something he was sure that would go away with time.

When everything and everyone was ready, he looked down at the knight as he walked back to say he was staying behind.

If that is what you want to do, that is fine by by me. Be safe Sir Knight.

He hadn't gotten the knight's name yet, but he figured it would come up sometime. For now, he figured that Brexton was in service of his queen with the way he looked after Betty and the others. Tritoch looked down at Betty for a moment before lifting her up slowly. He licked on the side of her face for a moment before moving his claw to let her climb on to his neck.

Once she was in place, he turned his attention to his subjects. He waved his claws in a collection of gestures as he chanted low in his native tongue. The carriages were surrounded by large semi-transparent red bubbles, which lifted into the air slowly. Tritoch shifted his body and launched himself into the sky, the carriages floating up behind him in a train.

 

[Poprockz]

Sir Brexton smiled and nodded, bowing once more. "You as well, King Tritoch. Farewell, until we meet again." He watched as the dragon lifted Betty up, the girl seemingly balancing perfectly on his palm without swaying to keep herself upright. She giggled softly as he licked her face, wiping his saliva off with her sleeve.

When she reached his neck she settled between his spines, watching and listening with interest as he moved his claw and spoke his magic. The girl looked at her own hand and repeated the gestures he made, perfectly imitating him without the spoken words. She seemed pleased with herself and put her hands back on his spine since she could feel his body tensing for his departure.

No one dared to look out of the curtains as they flew, some of them praying that they would be safe from whatever it was the dragon was doing, the red tint of his magic showing as a glow at the edges of the window. Betty didn't seem bothered by any of it, simply waiting patiently to go back home as his powerful wings flapped through the air.

Looking down, one could see a long line of carriages making their journey to the neighboring kingdom. Likely full of nobles hoping to curry favor with the new king and queen, and to confirm the rumors that King Tritoch was not a man, but a dragon. Many were skeptical of the claim, thinking that Cassandra was simply trying to save face after she was abandoned by the prince. Some of them even hoped that she was lying so that they could mock her for her bold claims.

In the meantime, the guards at the walls of Queen Cassandra's palace weren't expecting to see him approaching again, seeing as they thought he was already inside, much less with a train of glowing read bubbles with carriages. However, as commanded, they weren't roused the way they were the first time, merely opening the gates to allow his entry while a group of soldiers stood at attention to welcome them back to the city.

 

[JadeKnight]

He brought the carriages in without incident, landing them carefully at the gates of the castle. With a motion of his claws, the bubbles disappeared from existence. Lowering himself down, he allowed Betty to climb down from his back.

Your queen awaits inside.

Just before she could walk away, he lifted up a claw and tapped a talon lightly on the back of her neck. At the tap, a soft burst of heat could be felt at the spot, radiating outward through her body gently. At the same time, created a small tattoo on the back of her neck.

Remember little one, what is the queen's, is also the king's.

He lowered his claws to ground the ground as he looked away to watch the rest getting out of the carriages. They were still trying their best to get a hold of the whole situation, some fearful to look at him. Leaving them alone for now, he turned and made his own way into the castle, shrinking down to the size of a cyldesdale as he did so.

 

[Poprockz]

Betty put her arms around his arm and gracefully slid down his smooth scales. She then patted his claw before starting to walk off. At the touch of his claw on her neck, she looked back at him with a confused expression. Her hand went to the back of her neck and traced over the tattoo, and it felt to her like the energy of his magic almost crackled against her fingers. Her eyes found his again and she blinked, trying to figure out what it was without being able to see it. She could tell that he had left magic on her, but didn't know what it looked like or what it did to her.

However, she eventually shrugged and walked with him to the castle, having to jog to keep up with him at times, but her stride was surprisingly quick for someone a bit shorter and more petite. She deftly navigated the castle as though she had a map of it in her mind, stopping off at the kitchens first and gesturing for Tritoch to stay put for a moment. They were scrambling around in a panic as the head cook barked orders like a military commander. He was a short man with a big, puffy white hat and short arms.

The girl went up to him without hesitation and she tapped his shoulder and made a face at him that made it look like she was asking for something with puppy-dog eyes.

He turned and was about to bark when he saw her and gave her a broad grin. "Well butter me and call me a biscuit! Betty! How'd you get back here so quick?" She flapped her arms gracefully and he laughed. "Sure, sweat pea. Did you want a pot pie? Maybe a drink?" Betty nodded and held up two fingers on each hand.

"Two of each? You're going to ruin your appetite..." She widened her eyes a bit and put her hands together in a begging gesture.

He sighed, "you know I can't say no." The head cook went to an oven and swiped two pies and then two corked glass bottles of slightly pink liquid. It looked a bit bubbly. She kissed his cheek and giggled while scurrying out to the king. She smiled and held out one of the bottles and one of the pies to him.

 

[JadeKnight]

He gave a little smirk and nod when Betty told him to stay put. He was surprised she stayed with him instead of going to see the Queen. Well, that was probably something to do in due time.

He sat back on his haunches as he waited on her to do whatever she was doing in the kitchen. He looked around at the rest of the servants rushing around as they tried to get the rest of the last minute decorating done as well.

He was trying to decide on how to present himself at the wedding in which form when she returned with the two pies and two corked bottles. He lowered his head to sniff at one before opening his mouth and taking a large bite of it, some of the crumbs and juices dripping back into the pan.

Mmm, thank you little one. I think you will have to help me with the bottle right now though.

He grinned for a moment as he continuing to chew before swallowing the mouthful he had. A thought came to his mind that he would have to do something to help the girl out, just to get her into his graces more. He moved his head close to her, sniffing at her for a moment before taking another large bite of his pie.

You are different, not human. Correct?

 

[Poprockz]

Betty grinned as he took a bite, giggling at the way the crumbs fell down from his intimidating mouth. It was like watching a stern warlord lick an ice cream cone. She reached out and brushed some of the crumbs off of his jaw for a moment before holding the pan steadily for another bite.

When he spoke in her head, her hand briefly reached up toward her red hair as though to tuck her hair back from her ears instinctively. However, it quickly lowered after a halting stop, the girl looking away and shaking her head adamantly “no.” She did it as though it was imperative that she make this clear.

A male voice whispered in her memory, “fucking knife-ear....” then a memory of searing pain and the distinct feeling of being drenched around her ears and down her neck. The liquid was hot and thick, and smelled of iron. But even more vivid was the memory of her father’s face. Though it was a painful memory, she clung to it as though she would forget her father’s face if she didn’t.

The girl fiddled with the items in her hands nervously, looking suddenly up as though she had an idea and setting the bottles down before setting her own pot pie down as well. She took a bottle back and pulled out the cork, offering it to him excitedly. It was obvious she wasn’t fond of that subject and preferred to keep things light and fun.

 

[JadeKnight]

He caught her action of pulling her hair away from her ear, but he wasn't able to see exactly what it meant. However, he understood the shaking of her head. Though she did answer his question, he could tell by the pain on his features and eyes for a moment that it was a sore subject.

She seemed to be like a child in her acting, innocent but cute. He was liking his queen's choice of handmaidens. He tilted his head for a moment as he saw her fiddling with the bottle for a moment. As if understanding her intentions, he lowered his head and opened his mouth for her to pour in some wine.