What Lies Beneath

The indistinct rustle of cloth roused his attentions from their delving inward. The pair of men seated themselves at the oval table, both wore thin masks of confidence to shield their discomfort from him. He knew they would not touch the platters of food that had been prepared and laid out. But propriety dictated the effort be made, as he had little intention of staving off his own hungers.

Each man came in what was to be assumed as his best attire, one bearing the colours of their House while the other thought himself tucked within rich silks. A minor irritation, and an insult he had not the desire to explain in terms simple enough for these men to understand. Moreover, they had something he desired. That in itself dictated a certain degree of..tolerance.