Chapter 1
"Kel! Kel! Is that you?" a voice cried. Kel stopped and turned around. A handsome man with curly red hair was sprinting towards her with a woman by his side who was carrying a baby with luscious red locks.
"Cleon?" she asked uncertainly. He whisked her into a big hug and sheepishly put her down when his wife caught up. He cleared his throat.
" Kel! I haven't seen you since.since." He couldn't finish the sentence. He hadn't seen her since he had told her he was going to be arranged married. In spite of the hurt she felt when she remembered the incident, she smiled.
" Yes! It's been too long!" Now that the woman was closer, Kel got a good look at her. She was a petite woman with long black hair and beautiful brown eyes. Her face was pale and she had rouge on her cheeks.
" Goddess!" the woman suddenly cried. "So you're Kel! Cleon hasn't been able to stop talking about ye!" She curtsied politely. Kel curtsied back.
"Ermelian, Ermelian of Kennan." The woman smiled, showing dimples. She's attractive, Kel thought.
"Keladry of Mindelan," Another smile. The baby in Ermelian's arms let out a shriek. Jump, Kel's dog had come looking for her. Kel hadn't noticed the baby before and looked at her. She had her mother's deep and thoughtful eyes and Cleon's red, curly hair. She also had Cleon's smile. Jump nudged Kel's hands, forcing her out of her thoughts.
"Jump!" Cleon cried. He bent down and gave the dog a friendly pat on the back. Cleon seemed preoccupied with Jump, so Ermelian introduced the baby.
"This is Severna," she said. She held out the baby and Kel took her. The baby squealed with delight as she played with Kel's griffin feather, which was on her neck.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I have to get to the Contè Hall!" Kel said.
"Oh Goddess! You eat at the Contè Hall? Back home we always hear about it!" Ermelian said.
"I don't think the Royals will mind if you join them! And I'm sure that Prince Roald will love to see Cleon again," Kel said.
" Mithros! I have never eaten with Royals before!" Ermelian said.
"We beter be on our way then," said Kel.
"Kel! Kel! Is that you?" a voice cried. Kel stopped and turned around. A handsome man with curly red hair was sprinting towards her with a woman by his side who was carrying a baby with luscious red locks.
"Cleon?" she asked uncertainly. He whisked her into a big hug and sheepishly put her down when his wife caught up. He cleared his throat.
" Kel! I haven't seen you since.since." He couldn't finish the sentence. He hadn't seen her since he had told her he was going to be arranged married. In spite of the hurt she felt when she remembered the incident, she smiled.
" Yes! It's been too long!" Now that the woman was closer, Kel got a good look at her. She was a petite woman with long black hair and beautiful brown eyes. Her face was pale and she had rouge on her cheeks.
" Goddess!" the woman suddenly cried. "So you're Kel! Cleon hasn't been able to stop talking about ye!" She curtsied politely. Kel curtsied back.
"Ermelian, Ermelian of Kennan." The woman smiled, showing dimples. She's attractive, Kel thought.
"Keladry of Mindelan," Another smile. The baby in Ermelian's arms let out a shriek. Jump, Kel's dog had come looking for her. Kel hadn't noticed the baby before and looked at her. She had her mother's deep and thoughtful eyes and Cleon's red, curly hair. She also had Cleon's smile. Jump nudged Kel's hands, forcing her out of her thoughts.
"Jump!" Cleon cried. He bent down and gave the dog a friendly pat on the back. Cleon seemed preoccupied with Jump, so Ermelian introduced the baby.
"This is Severna," she said. She held out the baby and Kel took her. The baby squealed with delight as she played with Kel's griffin feather, which was on her neck.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I have to get to the Contè Hall!" Kel said.
"Oh Goddess! You eat at the Contè Hall? Back home we always hear about it!" Ermelian said.
"I don't think the Royals will mind if you join them! And I'm sure that Prince Roald will love to see Cleon again," Kel said.
" Mithros! I have never eaten with Royals before!" Ermelian said.
"We beter be on our way then," said Kel.