"Master Andresj'?"
'Dre turned away from the sleek black stallion that he was petting. A handsome, expertly coifed man stood waiting patiently before him. Though the man's face was vaguely familiar, Andresj' was surprised that his guards had allowed the stranger access to where he was.
"Yes?"
"I am Andreas," the servant said. "Your uncle, Prince Stavros, has bid me present this to you." He reverently extended a square white envelope to the young man.
Curious, Andresj' wiped his hands on a nearby cloth and accepted the envelope.
Andreas watched 'Dre read the invitation. Admirably the young man showed no sign of shock or surprise upon reading the wedding announcement. The watchful servant made a mental note to relate young Master Andresj's aplomb to his mistress.
"The ceremony is to be a small, intimate affair," Andreas explained. "Less than five hundred or so of the Prince's faithful retainers are invited. Naturally Prince Stavros desires that his loved ones be in attendance."
Andresj' made a point of flipping the unaddressed envelope over in his hands. "Are you sure, then, that this invitation is mine?"
The biting comment amused the manservant, though he was careful not to show it. Yes, he mused, his mistress would enjoy his account of her family's reactions to his deliveries.
"How am I to contact you with my decision?" 'Dre asked.
This time Andreas made a point of tapping the wax seal that was impressed upon the flap of the invitation's envelope. "Prince Stavros desires your presence," Andreas reminded the young man softly. "You will be there."
