3.33 Dinner Time

Perhaps Nolan was high as a kite but he noticed the energy had changed in the courtyard as he wandered in from the gates. Perhaps he could joke about it with the other gods but deep down he had been dreading this moment, up until now he hadn't really believed Atalon would actually sacrifice Mel, but it had to be done, there was no room for weakness and it was his job to prepare her for the meal. He spotted her right away, like Torus said, standing with Dion just a few feet from the maintenance door. It was perfectly set up, he tried to act straight as he joined them at the scene.

         "Nolan! Where have you been?" Mel appeared unimpressed, she could tell he was wasted. "What's going on? What happened to your face?"

         "My face?" He reached for his cheek, it was still hot, perhaps it was a little red. "Oh, it’s nothing…" He scanned the milling crowds, the Lunies were packing up. "Is the show over already?"

         "Yeah" Mel was obviously unimpressed with the show, too. "Stupid way to end a stupid show. Where's Torus?"
         "I just ran into him at the gates" Nolan replied. "He looked pretty beat up, I think he got into a fight…"

         "He got into a fight?" Mel echoed, wondering now about the cloud of dust.

         "Yeah, I think so… He said he was sad that you wouldn't be able to do his hair."

         "Huh?" She frowned, irritated by his intoxication now. "What are you talking about?" She looked him up and down, noticing his misaligned robe... "You're shit faced, aren't you?"

         "Yeah... I'm not too shit faced" he replied, grinning, he grabbed her upper arm.

         "Let go!" Mel tried to pull away but Dion grabbed her other arm. "Stop it!"

         Nolan leaned in to kiss her cheek. "It's time for you to go get dressed for dinner, Mel."

         "NO!" Realizing now what they were doing, Mel struggled for her life but didn’t stand a chance against the iron grip of the gods, her friends no less! There had to be a mistake! But the gods wouldn't let her go. As if carefully choreographed and rehearsed to perfection, they pulled her to the maintenance door and slipped her inside the dark hollows of the Grand Courtyard walls before anyone had a chance to realize what was gong on.

         Bella mulled over the offer as she watched the Lemurians packing up their gear. Thoughts of going to the Lemurian land were igniting all kinds of racy ideas, would it ruin her opportunities in the New Empire if she went? She really wanted the job at Dion's Salon, could she sell this trip as an educational research project if she had graduated from Salon School already? The reality was risky, the offer reeked of a trap, there was no way it would be looked upon kindly, even for educational purposes. Was it worth blowing a chance to work at Dion's Salon?

         Suddenly the inner dilemma they all faced was interrupted by the sounds of royalty bursting forth from the gates of the Grand Courtyard. King Atalon had arrived! First to appear were an army of sharply dressed soldiers, banging their drums. Lunies and aribu alike parted to make way for the procession, every one of them on high alert. Was the king going to be mad? Glad? had they all been had? Reality was, they were all guilty of indulging in the Serpent fare, they had all enjoyed their foods and libations, they had all allowed themselves to dance and have ideas of feelings and love. They had even been screaming and cheering for more! Those with flags quickly raised them in his honor, hoping for the best.