Inheritor Of Magic: The Magi King

Half an hour later, Wolfe had made them all fancy new evening gowns for the dinner, and Reiko had sent for Arthur, so they could all go down together.

The Coven Council would all be there, Wolfe assumed. Reiko might have intended a Family dinner, or one with her close advisors, but the old women wouldn’t want to sit this one out while the deal was still being read by the legal team.

There was too much at stake for them to not have their own input into the final amendments, and they didn’t have the physical or political power to change the deal after the fact, a drop in status that still greatly disturbed them.

They used to rule the city with an iron fist, or their predecessors did, for the ones who had lost a Family Head in the fighting. But that era was long gone now, and they were struggling to adapt from the way that they had been raised and trained for half a century.

Arthur smiled at the witches as he reached the group on their way to dinner, and gave a polite bow.

“I must say, the ladies have impeccable taste in clothing, and I do feel a bit ashamed that my own fashion isn’t quite as lovely.” He greeted them.

Cassie laughed quietly, while Ella smirked at the Demon.

“Wolfe is the one who designed these clothes with magic. If he wasn’t a town leader, he would have made an incredible tailor.” Ella informed him.

“Really? It’s not common that a man gets so into fashion. Where I’m from, they tend to be more interested in what it underneath.” Arthur joked.

“Oh, I’m quite certain that he is, but it’s like wrapping a gift. The presentation matters.” Ella suggested.

They were still laughing and joking when they made it to the dining room, where a number of Morgan Family members were waiting for them to arrive. The Coven Council had just entered the building and could be heard walking down the hall, so Reiko paused just outside the door.

“It’s bad manners for me to arrive before my guests. It makes them look like they’re late for dinner.” She explained to the confused Demon.

“Oh, I see. In that case, we will head in first, and you can join us momentarily.” Arthur agreed, holding out one bent arm for Ella to take.

He led her in with Cassie, Priya and Wolfe right behind them, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

“Saint Noxus. We have heard much about you. This must be Gormana Representative Arthur, and Lulabeth Priya of Sylvan City.” A middle-aged Witch greeted them.

“Indeed we are. But I’m afraid we haven’t been introduced.” Arthur replied.

“My apologies. I have gotten so used to being here in Morgana around familiar faces that I completely forgot. I am Mildred Morgan, youngest Aunt of the Coven Leader.” She explained.

Wolfe could see Arthur silently categorizing the woman as lacking in common sense and a bit snooty, so he came to her rescue.

“The Morgan Family has led the city for centuries. With them being so isolated, it would be highly unusual for anyone in the city to not know who she was by face. The whole family are public figures, whether they like it or not.” Wolfe informed Arthur quietly.

The Demon struggled to relate the concepts of isolated with the millions of people in the city, as such behaviour was normally reserved for dirt poor rural towns and inhospitable regions, but he accepted the explanation easily, in true diplomatic style.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Madam Morgan. Tell me, are those stones on your hairpiece common in this region? They are quite lovely.” He asked.

“Indeed they are. They are actually formed in the clams that populate the irrigation channels outside the city, from a combination of the minerals left by magical plants. They’re not considered precious, but they are relatively uncommon, and beautiful to look at.”

“Oh, so not a gemstone but a pearl. That is surprising.” He began, then the door swung open and the Council members entered.

Arthur took his place at the table, between Ella and Priya, while Wolfe sat between Cassie and Ella to his left.

That would put Cassie next to Reiko, with her Aunt on the other side, and the Council in the middle of the table, with most of the Morgan Family toward the foot. It was an odd arrangement, but they had long since gotten used to it, and preferred to be away from the politics at the head of the table.

If there hadn’t been foreign guests, they still would have had the Council sit together, for the sake of their own peace of mind.

The Council smiled at Arthur as they approached.

“Representative, good news. The legal team has found no issues with your proposal, and we will be recommending to the Coven Leader that she accept it as is.” The head of the Council greeted them.

Arthur smiled back at the old woman. “That is lovely news. I do prefer it when the deals can be made smoothly with a minimum of haggling.”

Then Reiko entered, and those who were seated rose to their feet, and waited for her to sit before returning to their seats.

“That is wonderful news, Council Head. I will have it worked into the overall agreement with Forest Grove exactly as it is.” She began, then gestured for the food and drinks to be brought forward.

Wolfe was a bit concerned, as everyone in his group had gotten used to Rank Five and Six magical gardens, and the products that they produced, while Morgana Fortress was suffering food shortages not long ago, but the quality of the cooking made up for the common ingredients, and the food smelled delicious.

[I think I’ve become a food snob. We should spend more time touring around together and talking to normal people.] Wolfe informed the three witches with him silently.

[Do you really think that you can meet normal people other than accidentally? Everyone knows who you are. Even if you showed up at some rural trading post, they would take you to their leader and call the regional protector.] Cassie laughed back in his mind.

[I just don’t want to ruin my pallette is all.]