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Chapter 3

Idrias shook a bit seeing more carnages coming up the road. It was one thing to know that they would be hosting the conference another to have it. She was starting to wonder if the wings were large enough, for all she had never understood why they had them. This looked to be the Royal part, complete with the foreign ambassadors. That set her running to the house, for Mother needed what warning she could give. Nothing had been said of the ambassadors. They generally took this time to return to their lands for a bit. Or so Sara had said, and she would have hid it. For she has been helping me with the protocols, and there is a bunch about different greetings for ambassadors, some I do need to know. Just why would they be with him?

She slowed to a walk as she entered the house and went to the solar, knowing her mother would be there resting for a bit. Lady Glenda had arrived yesterday and it was proving harder than any of them had expected. The solar had been the first thing she had declared as completely unfit, making it a safe place to get a break. The other rooms she had demanded changes in, and had been upset that her demands were not met. Idrias was relived to see only a few were in here, and they were all ones that had told her to forget formality. “Mother, forgive my interruption but I was just out by the road and have word. The Royal party will be here shortly, but with it are a number of ambassadors, some flags were unknown.” There that should make it sound like a rider brought the news. Her mother had jumped up and looked at the others who were also standing. “I think we have about two hours before they arrive. Do I need to find the housekeeper?”

Alice shook her head. “No, I know where she is. Thank goodness we aired all the rooms out. That will help, for all they weren’t to be used it won’t take much. I do wonder why. They must mean for this to be a long congress, for all it should be the next that gets that honor.” The way it was said you could tell that it was one of those honors no one truly wanted to receive. “There should have been word. What you need to do is go tell your father. He will be with the other lords. Don’t bow, but wait until you are looked at and then just say that the Royal part will be here by supper, with a larger than expected party.” She moved to the door then looked back at Idrias and said. “Bless your eyes child, I am glad you were looking. I should have posted a watcher.” Then went on knowing she could trust Idrias not to forget what she was to do. Sara would have, but thankfully for all the problems Idrias could be trusted.

Idrias looked after her mother in shock, realizing that whatever was going on was larger than she had thought. Her mother never admitted that Idrias was a shifter without being forced to. Yet she had just done so, in front of others. That sent her off to the study at as fast as she dared go. At least she knew where her father was, unlike the housekeeper. The best she could have done had her mother want her to find the lady was go to the kitchen and hope one of the maids was there. The housekeeper and her were quietly enemies. The lady being of the school that felt shifters were like young children and needing constant monitoring to be kept from harming their selves. She entered the study and then stopped, there were a lot more people in here than when she had left.

Her father looked up and smiled, thinking she was worried about disturbing them by returning to books she had left. “It’s fine dear, go on, your being in here is isn’t a problem. No one means to run you off.”

Idrias said. “Mother wanted me to let you know that the Royal party has been sighted and they should be here, with guests, in time for supper.”

He frowned a bit and looked at one of the others. The man shook his head. “No, nothing. Just the rumors I was telling you. I wonder what happened after I left town. I had best go.” He looked at Idrias for a bit, hoping that she wasn’t one to take offence easily. “Child, I don’t mean this is an insult, but this is your first conference. I can image you are feeling a bit lost. At the same time my daughter is going to need something she can do. Would you mind letting her help you?”

Idrias relaxed a bit and nodded. “I fear that I am indeed lost, and would welcome some help. If you are sure that she won’t mind. My sister has been, but she has a dozen other things she is trying to juggle.”

The man smiled and nodded. “Truly you will be helping her as much as she will help you. If you want to come now I can introduce you.”

Idrias smiled. “Thank you sir that will help. I fear that none of us was expecting their Majesties for another day so thought that there was more time to get me ready. Therefore this is most welcome.” He nodded and they left. It turned out that his wife and daughters were with Alice when they found them.

He smiled. “Well I see that you have heard already. I should have known. I do wonder just what went on after we left. Now then, Alice you know me and so know that I mean no offence at all. You and Sara both have your hands full. Yet having four girls I well know how stressful the first congress is for them. Sally is not as involved in the court so has a bit more time.”

Alice nodded, why hadn’t they thought sooner? It was the perfect way to keep them both busy and out of trouble. “Of course! How silly. I should have. Sally do you mind helping Idrias? We so seldom bother with formalities that she has been scrambling to learn which are used when.”

Sally looked at Idrias and said. “I think we are being set up. That said I am more than willing to help you. So why don’t we get out here before I get tangled in those curtains for the third time. Do you have a dress planed for supper or I should say will you let me snoop in your closest and pick one? As I am likely to disagree with whatever Sara told you to wear, taking the one you have on to be a sample of what she has set. It is fine, but it is not you at all. We can do better.”

Idrias flushed, for in truth this was Sara’s dress, and looked at her mother then said. “Well yes this is one she suggested. I haven’t had a chance to ask about the dress. There is one that I was told to wear, but there hasn’t been yet for Sara to look at the ones that were just delved and I am not too sure of them. Joe tends to get a bit too worried over what he thinks is best for me over the needs of the events.”

Alice laughed, but had to agree that was a good way to put it. “Go on. Sally knows what is fitting. You can trust what she says. In fact she is going to be far better at helping you, being that you are more likely to relate to the court as she does. I will let Sara know she doesn’t need to make time to check. I know she was worrying as she hadn’t seen the dresses, and none you had after his closet cleaning would work.”

Sally blink. “Some guy ran off with your clothes? Now? How did you ever get new dresses so fast?”

Alice flushed, but was laughing as well, and a bit to hard to explain. Idrias said. “It does sound strange. Joe is the local tailor and decide years ago that he was only one that could make my clothes. Along with that he determined that if left on my own I would just keep wearing the same ones until there was no way I could, and that would have me horribly behind. So he takes it as duty to see that all my clothes are replaced at least once a year. He does this by come here and cleaning out my closets in person, replacing them with the ones he had made. However he didn’t like the way the way the ones he had looked this time. Said I had grown more than expected, so left me only six dresses, none that Sara found good for any formal events. The remade ones were just arrived yesterday. I fear that I haven’t even had time to look at all that was delivered myself, little own show any to Sara. He has tags on some of them, and there is one he said I was wear for this supper, but his ideas don’t always.”

Sally nodded and put her arm around Idrias, ignoring her flinch. “Come on and I will check it and we can go though them.” She started walking, meaning Idrias had to, still a bit confused. It was odd to have anyone get so close to her. “I might do my best to avoid the trends, but I do know them. I will see that you fit in just enough, but stand out enough. For I have noticed that you don’t want to be in the middle anymore that I do, likely why Mrs. Westmarch said I was a better fit. I don’t care to hang out with the socialites. I have too much to do to bother with who is going after what boy this week.”

Idrias said. “I am trying not to hide to much, but it is a bit to much to take. The others I have been around have talked more of their studies than beads and boys. I keep worrying that I am going to embarrasses Sara by how much about that world I don’t know. I can tell it is important to her, but well. So much of it just seems pointless. We need to take these stairs, I fear it is a bit of a climb.”

Sally said. “Yes! That is just what I thought.  Don’t worry you will see you aren’t alone it is just not the crowd that Sara knows. I will see you meet the others. So you have an attic room? My sister thinks I’m nuts, but I do to. I love being able to see.”

Idrias nodded. “I do like it and got it by default. Sara finds it spooky, Landen said it was just to far from the stables, and Seth doesn’t like heights. So I was moved in.” She opened the door and led the way into her tower.