(Takes place at the royal palace in Corus, Kel's a squire, and pretend Joren doesn't die in the Ordeal)
"Your sister is truly a sweet creature Keladry, are you sure you're related?" Joren said sweetly.
"Yes, I'm positive. And as her older sister it is my duty to protect her from scum like you!" Kel snapped.
So, Kel has a weakness, Neal thought. I pity the girl; Kel looks fierce enough at the mention of her sister to take on the entire population of Scanran raiders! Though, what Joren said was true. Neal remembered the first time he had laid eyes on the beautiful young girl. Even at 14, the girl was one of the prettiest Neal had ever seen. The first time he encountered her, was after she was exchanged for a Copper Island spy. The Count of Seabeth and Seajen, Kels' grandfather, was the ambassador to the Copper Islands, and when the war broke out he was able to escape, but had not been able to free his granddaughter, Lilianne. The Copper Islanders took her as a hostage to use against Tortall. For near 5 moons until they agreed to exchange her, the poor girl was starved and deprived of sleep and beaten daily, and housed in a damp, moldy dungeon. When she was finally returned to Tortall she was nearly too weak from starvation to stand. Lilianne fainted into Kels arms the moment she stepped off the boat, exactly one month ago. Her ragged dress hung extremely loosely on her body, and when the sleeve was pulled back it revealed her rail thin figure and deep gashes from her restraints around her wrists. As she gained strength her strait brown hair regained it's shin and silkiness and a sparkle returned to her hazel eyes.
"I believe it's up to Lilianne to decide who she keeps company with." Joren replied innocently.
"Not if I have anything to do with it," Kel snarled. Joren smiled serenely and walked away. Kel returned to her friends in the practice court.
"What was that about?" Neal asked.
"Joren thinks he's going to court Lilia," Kel said grimly, using the girl's childhood given nickname.
"Thinks?" Neal prodded.
"He won't get within a hundred yards of her if I have anything to do with it!"
"Kel, if Lilia wants Joren to court her, you can't tell her no," Owen informed her.
"Whose side are you on anyway?! You know what scum Joren is! I'm going to protect Lilia from that jerk if I have to fight a duel with him!" this was no empty threat and everyone knew it.
"Come on Kel, can you not worry about your sister long enough to duel with me?" Faleron asked. Kel agreed to the mock duel, her friends were right, she had to stop worrying. Lilia was a smart girl; she would be able to see Joren for what he really was. And if she didn't, Kel would inform her.
"What about this one?" Princess Lianne held up a dress for the 50th time for our approval.
"I still like number 34 the best," I said for the 16th time. Hi, I'm Lilianne of Mindelan.
"It's as nice as all the other ones," said the other girl in Lianne's chamber, Allyrianne of Hollyrose.
"Which one was number 34 again?" Li asked absently as she studied herself in the body length looking glass.
"The scarlet red one with gold embroidery." I recalled. Lianne turned to dig through the pile of expensive dresses on the flagstone floor.
"This one?" Lianne held up the velvet dress.
I glanced up and nodded.
"It is pretty, but I don't think it's my color. Why don't you wear it, Lilia?"
"Really? Thanks Li!" Lianne threw the dress to where I was sitting on the bed.
"What's the big deal about a stupid ball anyway?" Ally complained over the sketchbook in her lap.
"Are you joking!!!!????" Li exclaimed. "We're only being presented at court for the first time in front all the crowned heads of the Eastern Lands and we're not even 15 yet!" Li said in an impressive one breath.
Ally rolled her eyes. "And your point is?"
"This could very well be the most important night of your life! This night could decide who you marry, your social standing, everything!"
"Not like Lilia needs to look for a husband, she and Joren of Stone Mountain are practically betrothed!" Ally said, at which I blushed crimson.
"We are not! I don't even know if I like him! He's so…so…"
"Perfect!" Li finished. "Really handsome, of a good family, rich, smart, almost a knight, honestly Lil, if you and he weren't together I'd go after him myself!"
"I'm not stopping you! Kel hates him and you know it's not for no reason. Remember what he did to her maid?" I informed my boy-crazy friends. Joren? A husband? He didn't seem the type to settle down at all.
"So he has strong ideals!" Allyrianne retorted.
"This is it!" Li proudly held up a violet dress embroidered with silver. "This is the perfect dress!"
"What are you going to wear Ally?" I inquired.
"How should I know?"
"What!?" Li and I squawked and hurriedly pawed through the dresses to find one for Ally.
"That Lilianne will do quite nicely," Joren grinned at his friends.
"For what?" Vinson of Runnerspring asked dumbly. Joren smacked him upside the head.
"For getting back at the Lump," Joren sneered.
"How are you going to use her little sister to get back at the Lump?" Garvey asked.
"We, or rather I, get her pregnant than (he waved his hand) dump her. You know how the Lump hates people being mistreated. Then, when she challenges me to a duel, I show her how weak women really are." Joren said, an evil glint present in his eyes.
"What if Lilianne resists you?" Vinson, oddly enough, was the one thinking about the obvious flaws of this plan.
"Resist me?" Joren chuckled. "When I get done with her she'll be wrapped around my little finger!"
"What am I going to do with my hair?" Li screeched, running to the mirror.
"Li, you already did your hair," I said calmly.
"Right, but what am I going to wear?" Li screeched again.
"You're already wearing it," I told her. "You have to stop worrying!"
"Me? Worried?" Li laughed shakily. Ally and me exchanged looks.
"Look, Li, you have to calm down. How are you going to make good impressions on kings and queens if you have a panic attack and faint?"
"Faint? Who's going to faint?" Li was breathing fast and nervously twisting the rings on her fingers.
"Lianne, take a deep breath." She did so. "Now, repeat after me. This is no big deal."
"This is no big deal."
"There is no reason to be nervous."
"There is no reason to be nervous."
"I am a retard."
"I am a re… Hey!"
"See! Are you nervous?"
"No. Okay, we better go now before I lose my nerve." Lianne grabbed my arm and pulled me out of her room.
"Oh Goddess. Oh Goddess. Oh Goddess." Li, Ally and I stood at the top of the staircase in the Queen's Ballroom. Li was still twisting her rings and had begun to talk to herself softly. The King and Queen had taken their places on the thrones. Three young men waited to walk with us down the stairs. One, a Gallan prince took Lianne's arm. A Tusaine knight took Ally's, and a Maren prince took mine. We had not been introduced, and he bowed and told me his name.
"My lady, I am Prince Reeve of Maren." His voice was deep and had an educated accent, Common was not his native language.
"I am Lilianne of Mindelan, your highness. Please call me Lilia though," I said with what I hope was my most dazzling smile. He smiled back. Then I heard the herald begin to announce Lianne.
"Presenting Her Royal Highness Princess Lianne of Conte, daughter of King Jonathan the Fourth and his queen Thayet of Conte. His royal highness Prince Regan, son of King Rycroft and Queen Oliana and heir apparent to the throne of Galla," the herald bellowed for all to hear. The entire court and the sovereigns watched as the couple moved gracefully down the stairs. Ally and her escort moved to the top step where Lianne had previously been standing. Lianne and Regan bowed to the kings and queens of Tortall, of Galla, of Tusaine, of Maren, the Emperor and Empress of the Yamani Islands and the Governor and Lady of Tyra. The herald took a deep breath and started to announce:
"Lady Allyrianne of hollyrose, daughter of lord Byron and Lady Geneva of Hollyrose, Sir Calder of Mackeis Port, knight of the realm of Tusaine and son of Count Henley and Countess farica of Mackeis Port." Ally and her escort reached the bottom few steps smoothly, until…
CRASH! Ally had managed to miss a step and slide down the remaining few, grabbing her escorts' arm and bringing him down as well. A gasp went through the horrified nobles. What did Ally do? Instead of breaking into tears and running from the room like any normal girl who had embarrassed herself in front of the most powerful people in the world would do, she stood up and smiled. Her escort stood, took her arm again, and they greeted the royals with bows and curtsies. The herald, sensing the uneasiness of the nobility, motioned to us to go to the top step.
"Presenting Lady Lilianne of mindelan, Heiress to Fief Seabeth and seajen, (with his daughters provided for, my grandfather made me his heir. He felt guilty about the Copper Isles) daughter of baron piers and Baroness Ilane of Mindelan. His Royal highness, Prince Reeve of Maren, Heir Apparent to the throne of maren, Son of King Arrio and Queen Ioanna. Knight of the realm of maren," the herald announced. Slowly we descended the grand staircase without incident.
At the bottom, we greeted the royals. During my third curtsey, to the Queen and King of Maren, Reeve's parents, my knee, to my total mortification, cracked as I went down. I caught my breath and a blush rose to my cheeks. I saw, to my intense shame, a smile grace the lips of the King Arrio, Queen Ioanna and Prince Reeve.
"You're really pretty when you blush," Reeve told me after the minstrels began to play.
"And I'm not pretty otherwise?" I pretended hurt feelings.
"You must listen better. I said you're really pretty when you blush, which in itself would explain that you are pretty even when you aren't blushing and exceptionally pretty when you are.
"How on earth could I have missed that?" I said sarcastically.
"Perhaps you were too busy blushing."
"You know, I'd love to have more interesting conversations such as this but could we possibly take a short recess to dance?"
"Certainly. And I'm glad that you find this conversation interesting, I hope our next topic will fascinate you as well as this one has."
"No doubt it will, with a person as well educated as you apparently believe yourself to be, it would be unavoidable."
At last, someone who appreciated sarcasm, my diplomatic family spent way too much time in the Yamani Islands and refused to have anything but a twisted Yamani sense of humor. Why don't I have their sense of humor? I didn't go to the Yamani Islands. At the time I was only a toddler in swaddling clothes and not at all suited to the sea. I had also just been through a rather nasty bout of a childhood illness, which left me in a very frail state; therefore I was left with the wife of my eldest brother Anders. Then, when I was 10, Grandfather Grant and Grandmother Arista went to the Copper Islands to try and smooth out the problems between them and Tortall, and I went with them. Oh, right, but back to the ball. Reeve took me hand and led me onto the dance floor where the other couples did a slow, stately dance. We joined them.
"Did you imply that I, Prince Reeve of Maren, heir to the throne, and knight of the realm, is conceited?" he said haughtily.
"The word conceited is of your saying, not mine. I said: a person as well educated as you believe yourself to be, it would be unavoidable. Really, you must listen better, your highness." I used the same words he had teased me with. He grinned, a beautiful white smile.
"I shall try harder next time, lady."
"See that you do."
"You didn't strike me as the sarcastic type," he commented as we danced.
"What type did I strike you as?" I wanted to know.
"The quiet type. I thought your family stuck to the Yamani traditions."
"They do. I, however, did not accompany them to the Islands. Did you not know that it was I who was taken prisoner in the Copper Isles?" He looked shocked.
"Indeed I did not. And just why were you in the Copper Isles of all places during a time of struggle?"
"Do you not listen to news? My grandfather was sent there to make an attempt at peace. For four years he struggled to maintain ties with them."
"Forgive my saying so, but he must not have been so good at it." Reeve interrupted.
"Tis difficult to bargain with an insane emperor who could at any moment call for the slaying of your wife or granddaughter. It is a wonder that he managed to keep them from Tortall's throat as long as he did while we fought Scanra."
"I see. I had forgotten the risks. Continue," he urged.
"Anyway, my family was in the Yamani Islands negotiating the marriage treaty."
"Wait, why did your grandfather take you and your grandmother knowing you could be killed?"
"Seems dumb, doesn't it?" I agreed. "But actually, it was for insurance. Any man who takes his wife and a child to a hostile neighbor surely comes in peace."
"But they took you prisoner, you said."
"Indeed they did."
"Why?"
"A representative from Scanra came. He told them that Tortall had attacked Scanra, which was totally untrue. It was the other way around, but truth does not matter with the Copper Isle emperor. He believed he was obligated to help Scanra. Luckily, my grandfather heard of the guard coming to arrest him and his envoy and escaped with my grandmother. But they had already taken me to the dungeon and there was no way to save me. He had no choice but to return to Tortall to explain what happened."
"Wow. You know, news travels slowly to Maren, it is so far away from Tortall. Was it very awful?" he asked, sympathetic.
"Yes, but I try not to talk about it." He nodded.
"Were your parents back in Tortall when you were taken prisoner?"
"Yes. But what could they do? Nothing. And Keladry was a page and my brothers fighting the war, my sisters married."
"Would you care for a glass of cider?" he suddenly changed the subject as the dance ended. I nodded, eager as he was for something less dramatic to talk about.
"So, why did your parents bring you to the convention?" The convention, as it was being called, was a meeting between all the rulers of the Eastern lands to unite them against the enemies, Scanra, Copper Isles, and sometimes Carthak.
"They want me to make an alliance with a princess of one of the Eastern lands. My uncle the prime minister, is handling things at home while we are away," he explained.
Figures, I thought. One really cute, nice, smart, rich guy and he had to marry a princess, which I was far from. Not that I had the ambition to be a queen or anything, but still…. He was really cute. Wow, that sounds really shallow. I don't just wish he didn't have to marry a princess because he has the most gorgeous dark blue eyes and perfect strait blond hair and…..
"Lady?" Reeve's voice cut into my thoughts. And how sweet! He kept calling me lady!
"Sorry, I was thinking about something," I said honestly.
"Anything you could share?" he inquired innocently.
"Umm, well I just wondered which alliance would make the best political position for Maren," I lied quickly.
"A girl concerned with politics and diplomacy!" Reeve exclaimed.
"When you come from a family like mine, you can't escape politics," I joked.
"My parents have your friend Princess Lianne in mind, actually."
Lianne!! Not fair!! "And what do you think about that?" I really wanted to know.
"Oh, it doesn't matter what I think. She seems very nice, it would be bearable at the very least."
At least he's not too enthusiastic about it. "If your parents want you to marry Lianne, why aren't you her partner tonight?" I wondered aloud.
"The King and Queen of Galla want their son to make an alliance with Tortall as well."
There's always a light at the end of the tunnel!! He might not marry Lianne after all! But, if it wasn't Lianne, it would be another princess. Wait, what am I thinking? I just met this guy 10 minutes ago and I'm already wishing I could marry him? Is that crazy or what? Quick, change the subject!
"So, do you have any siblings?" I asked. His face lit up at the mention of his family.
"Yes. 3 little sisters."
"Aww, how old are they?"
"Shellbi is five, Blaze is seven, and Nikki is nine. They are the bane of my existence," he laughed.
"I think you like them!" I accused.
"You have no proof! How many siblings do you have?"
"Too many, eight. Four brothers, four sisters, and I'm the youngest by far."
"What are their names and where are they?" he asked.
"Anders, Inness, and Conal are all knights. My brother Demadry is a student at the royal university. Adalia, Oranie, and Patricine are all married, and Keladry is a squire. She's over there," I motioned to where Kel was talking with Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami.
"Do you like being the youngest?"
"Not really. I don't even know my siblings really. By the time they got home from the Yamani Islands my brothers were already knights, Patricine was married, Kel became a page, and I went to the Copper Isles. Then, when I got back, Adie and Orie were married and Kel was a squire and my 3 oldest brothers had children of their own."
"I understand, though I can't relate personally, being the oldest. Shall we dance?"
"Sure."