Free The Black Sword Trilogy: The Four Nations by Jeffery VanMeter Page A

was winter.  And yet, it wasn’t cold like it had been in the hills.  It wasn’t warm like spring or summer, but there was a conspicuous absence of cold that he felt should have been there.
                  When they reached the table, there were about a dozen people seated who immediately stood when Kayla stepped onto the wooden veranda.  Kayla gave a kind of gentle warning look to two people who had been standing near the head of the table and they moved further down.  Kayla then directed Terri and Kenner to the empty places.  Kenner then caught sight of a strange looking man next to where Terri was to sit.  He was larger than the rest and covered in thick, yet neatly kept hair.
    “Didn’t anyone tell you it’s not nice to stare?” The odd looking man said in a teasing voice.
    Kenner then stood behind the wooden chair where he had been led and when Kayla sat, everyone there followed suit.  Bowls and plates full of food were then passed around from person to person.  Kenner couldn’t stop from looking at the hairy man seated across from him, though.  He strongly resembled the men he’d seen in his dream.
                  “Looks like here’s another one who’s never seen a Morgril before.” He said smiling.
                  “Kenner,” Kayla said.  “Allow me to introduce my military advisor, Saab.”
    Kenner reached across the table to shake his hand.   Saab’s hand was rough and his grip was strong.
                  “I must apologize if I appeared rude.” Kenner said to Saab.
                  “No need,” Saab answered.  “I know my kind are rare to see on this side of the Blue Mountains.”
    He then gave a mischievous look around the table.
                  “You should have seen the looks on all the people’s faces when I first came here.  I think they were afraid I was going to eat them.”
    Several of the guests at the table laughed.
                  “The truth is, “Saab added.  “I prefer children.  They’re easier on the digestion.”
    Everyone laughed again and then Kenner felt more at ease.
                  “This is quite a feast,” Kenner stated.  “I hope your people didn’t go to all this fuss for just the two of us.”
                  “This is not quite the feast we should have prepared for such honored guests.” Kayla said.
                  “Well, I don’t know about ‘honored’…” Kenner began to say.
                  “Oh yes,” Said the lady sitting next to Kenner.  “The son of Banner is a most honored guest at our table.”
    He turned to face the lady.
                  “You knew my father?”
                  “We most certainly did, didn’t we Lady Kayla?”
                  “Yes, we did.” Kayla answered.  “I remember him fondly.
                  “Fondly?” Kenner almost gasped.
                  “Of course, I do.  He was a man of great cheer and humor; and quite charming if I may say so myself.  And he was very gentle with a particular young girl who had an obvious crush on him.
                  “I think we all did,” the lady next to Kenner added, “probably even some of the men.”
    Everyone at the table at the table laughed except Kenner.
                  “What’s the matter, Kenner?” Kayla asked him.  “You look surprised.”
                  “I’ve never heard the words ‘cheer’, ‘humor’, or ‘charm’ used to describe my father.”
    Kayla then looked at Kenner with a sad smile.
                  “I know he was deeply hurt by the events that drove him to the hills.  It was most unfortunate.”
                  A moment of uncomfortable silence followed; which was mercifully broken by Saab.
                  “Was that a battle cat I saw getting out of the