"Hello Eebon."

Eebon turned find Alfstanna standing behind him. "Hello Alfstanna. It's good to see you again. I don't think I saw you at the wedding."

Alfstanna shrugged. "I was in the back, so I could make a break for the exit as soon as it was over… I hate weddings."

"Me too." Eebon chuckled, "How many was that for you?"

"That was my first." Alfstanna grinned.

Eebon laughed again, "Mine too… Holy Maker… how do people actually like this kind of stuff? I would be on the parade ground myself, but of course it's full of revelers right now."

"Shame, shame." Alfstanna said sarcastically. "So what do you think of your new sister?"

"She's not bad. Actually I'm really starting to like her. But the real thing she's managed to teach me throughout this whole ordeal is that I never want to get married."

"Boy, you said it." Alfstanna agreed.

Eebon was silent for a few moments and took the opportunity to briefly study his friend. He wasn't used to seeing her all dressed up, and actually looking like a noble, and he imagined that Alfstanna felt the same way about himself. Normally when the two young nobles met, they were wearing far more common clothing, or Eebon would be wearing heavy chainmail and Alfstanna would be sporting a suit of studded leather armor. But now she wearing a purple and teal dress that Eebon was forced to find absolutely stunning, especially as the upper half hugged her lean frame.

"Wow…" Eebon said before he even realized the word had left his mouth. "You look really beautiful!... Erm… I mean… nice dress."

Alfstanna rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the slight blush. "Thank you." She muttered, and her own eyes moved up and down the navy blue and dark, forest green suit that Eebon wore, the Cousland colors, and she noted his muscles pressed against the fabric in some places. "You look… handsome was well… I suppose."

Eebon groaned and drained the glass of wine he'd been holding.

The minstrels finished the song they'd been playing, and after a brief round of applause, they started another. Of course it would have to be a slow song.

Eebon pulled on his collar with two fingers and swallowed before asking. "Would you like to dance?"

Alfstanna arched her eyebrows at him. "You actually know how?"

"Hey! Don't look at me that way! I didn't have a choice in the matter."

"Same here." Alfstanna said, "And no I don't want to dance… absolutely not!"

Eebon sighed with relief. "Me neither." He said.

After another minute or so, Alfstanna asked, "So how did you learn to dance anyway?"

"Mother insisted. She said the son of a teryn needed to be fully cultured."

"Kind of the same story here." Alfstanna said, then she sighed and said. "I suppose one dance would be alright… but only because I'm bored and there's nothing else to do right now."

"Oh absolutely!" Eebon replied and offered Alfstanna his arm.

So what did you think? I decided to throw Alfstanna in there at the end, because if you've read A Noble Fight, then you'll know that the two of them are already good friends. And mostly because I thought the dialogue between Eebon and Alfstanna was hilarious. Please review.