made his heart beat harder and the blood drain from his face. He sprang from his seat and saw her leaning against the door frame. She was biting her lip in the same way as the day he had kissed her for the first time. At that memory his heart danced again and a wave of heat flooded him.
-Gizel? But what are you doing here?-The wizard asked in a strangely unfamiliar voice.
-Oh, now this is how you greet your guests?- The elven woman bounced slightly at the entrance and approached Darius with a slow step. She gently brushed her hand against his cheek and smiled flirtatiously.
-No, no... I just wasn't expecting you so soon.- He said as soon as he had regained his semblance of composure.-I'm glad to see you.- He kissed the hand that was given and briefly held his breath as the woman moved towards him in a smooth motion. He was already hoping...when Gizel smiled slightly mischievously and lightly slipped past him.
-Matheo, nice to see you in good health again,- the blacksmith only mumbled something under his breath not really knowing how to act. He switched, theoretically surreptitiously, his gaze from his wife to his friend and back again.
Fiora, on the other hand, hugged Gizel and they immediately began to grumble amongst themselves. Darius exchanged a glance with Matheo and was sure they were both thinking the same thing. There was trouble brewing. He sighed heavily and tried to control himself. Drawing conclusions from the mere arrival of an elven lady might not have been the best solution, and certainly not the surest.
-And now...- Darius looked over his shoulder at the butler. The man quickly escaped with his eyes and tried to meld with the wall. After a moment, he hesitated and spoke quietly.
-Her Highness the Duchess of laVerture strenuously requested that you not be informed of her arrival my lord.
-As always. What does Oscar said about that?-The earl asked with a hint of offense in his voice.
-Umm...-The butler was evidently trying to answer the question posed at
