~A.N~ This is written as an insert to add as an extra part to Tamora
Pierce's book Squire. This insert is written about the night after Keladry
meets the Yamani ladies. ~
DISCLAIMER: All characters and settings belong to Tamora Pierce
~*Chapter One *~
Keladry was sitting with Cleon, Neal and the others in the mess, eating supper when suddenly the door flew open. Princess Shinkokani entered the mess hall closely followed by Yuki; both still dressed in their riding clothes. Kel stood up with everyone else and bowed to the ladies; she looked at them closely and saw that they were extremely upset. Lord Wyldon got slowly to his feet and bowed, he did not realize that the Yamanies were upset because of the control they had over their expression; they had on their Yamani Masks. The only sign of any distress was the way the Princess was continually wringing her hands. Kel knew that for the Yamani to show even that small sign she must have been very upset.
'My Lord Training Master,' the Princess began after bowing first to Lord Wyldon then to the room. 'I am very sorry for taking Squire Keladry away two nights in a row, but could you please excuse her. It is quite urgent that I speak with her.'
Lord Wyldon looked from the Yamani ladies to Kel and back again, as if waiting for someone to explain. After a minute, when it was obvious no one was going to say anything further, Lord Wyldon beckoned to Kel. She stood up instantly and hurried forward; she bowed to Lord Wyldon in the eastern style then turned to Shinko and Yuki and bowed in the Yamani fashion.
'Thank you my lord.' Princess Shinko said and with a quick bow to Lord Wyldon and another, even quicker, one to the assembled pages and squires she left, before they could even bow in reply. Yuki and Kel did the same and then hurried after her.
As soon as the mess door shut behind them Kel asked 'What's wrong, what's happened?' The Yamani Ladies stopped and turned to her. For a moment they both looked uncertainly around. 'It would not be suitable to tell you here.'
At that Kel felt her stomach contract. Why? Why wouldn't it be suitable to tell her here? It must be something pretty bad for them not to tell her straight away. 'No. Tell me here.' Kel tried to calm her self; she tried to control her imagination. She tried to keep her face free of expression, free of emotion. She tried to keep Yamani calm. It was probably no big deal. But if it was no big deal why did she have such a bad feeling in her stomach? 'Tell me! What's happened? What's wrong?'
Shinko hesitated. 'We went riding today, with your mother...'
Kel's stomach lurched. Had something happened to her mother? No it couldn't have, her mother was a great rider. Nothing could happen to her. Even though Kel tried to keep a blank face it was obvious that both Yuki and Shinko guessed what she was thinking. Yuki reached out and squeezed her arm. 'Don't worry; nothing has happened to your mother.' She assured her. Kel felt weak as a wave of relief washed through her. She couldn't imagine what life would be like if something happened to her mother.
'As I was saying; we went out riding and when we got back there was an urgent message for your mother, it had been left at the stables so that she would receive it immediately.' Shinko paused, not sure how to continue. 'The message was from Mindelan. Your brother, Anders, had been hit by an arrow, while doing border patrol on the Scanran border.'
DISCLAIMER: All characters and settings belong to Tamora Pierce
~*Chapter One *~
Keladry was sitting with Cleon, Neal and the others in the mess, eating supper when suddenly the door flew open. Princess Shinkokani entered the mess hall closely followed by Yuki; both still dressed in their riding clothes. Kel stood up with everyone else and bowed to the ladies; she looked at them closely and saw that they were extremely upset. Lord Wyldon got slowly to his feet and bowed, he did not realize that the Yamanies were upset because of the control they had over their expression; they had on their Yamani Masks. The only sign of any distress was the way the Princess was continually wringing her hands. Kel knew that for the Yamani to show even that small sign she must have been very upset.
'My Lord Training Master,' the Princess began after bowing first to Lord Wyldon then to the room. 'I am very sorry for taking Squire Keladry away two nights in a row, but could you please excuse her. It is quite urgent that I speak with her.'
Lord Wyldon looked from the Yamani ladies to Kel and back again, as if waiting for someone to explain. After a minute, when it was obvious no one was going to say anything further, Lord Wyldon beckoned to Kel. She stood up instantly and hurried forward; she bowed to Lord Wyldon in the eastern style then turned to Shinko and Yuki and bowed in the Yamani fashion.
'Thank you my lord.' Princess Shinko said and with a quick bow to Lord Wyldon and another, even quicker, one to the assembled pages and squires she left, before they could even bow in reply. Yuki and Kel did the same and then hurried after her.
As soon as the mess door shut behind them Kel asked 'What's wrong, what's happened?' The Yamani Ladies stopped and turned to her. For a moment they both looked uncertainly around. 'It would not be suitable to tell you here.'
At that Kel felt her stomach contract. Why? Why wouldn't it be suitable to tell her here? It must be something pretty bad for them not to tell her straight away. 'No. Tell me here.' Kel tried to calm her self; she tried to control her imagination. She tried to keep her face free of expression, free of emotion. She tried to keep Yamani calm. It was probably no big deal. But if it was no big deal why did she have such a bad feeling in her stomach? 'Tell me! What's happened? What's wrong?'
Shinko hesitated. 'We went riding today, with your mother...'
Kel's stomach lurched. Had something happened to her mother? No it couldn't have, her mother was a great rider. Nothing could happen to her. Even though Kel tried to keep a blank face it was obvious that both Yuki and Shinko guessed what she was thinking. Yuki reached out and squeezed her arm. 'Don't worry; nothing has happened to your mother.' She assured her. Kel felt weak as a wave of relief washed through her. She couldn't imagine what life would be like if something happened to her mother.
'As I was saying; we went out riding and when we got back there was an urgent message for your mother, it had been left at the stables so that she would receive it immediately.' Shinko paused, not sure how to continue. 'The message was from Mindelan. Your brother, Anders, had been hit by an arrow, while doing border patrol on the Scanran border.'