Yamani Treasure
Prologue: when we were young
The sun shone down, gently warming the earth and the two children that were standing in the field of flowers looking at each other rather seriously.
"Were going away" a small girl with cinnamon coloured hair, bound in pigtails stated matter of factly, her hazel eyes downcast.
"Where too?" the boy asked, his white blonde hair gleaming in the sun, one hand on his hips
"Umm, the Yamani Islands, well that's what mamma said!" she tilted her seven year old head to the side. "It's ok though, you were leaving too, going off to be a big knight" She smiled at him and playfully pushed his shoulder.
"That's different though, I'm still in Tortal, your going away." The ten year old boy pouted and looked away.
"Joren" she whined "I'll write to you, it's not like its forever, and by the time I come back I expect you to be more nicer to everyone." Joren looked up and grinned cheekily
"And what if I'm not tomboy?" She mock glared at the boy before her and she held up a fist
"Then I'll pound you into the ground" Joren shook his head and smiled
"Whatever" The girl grinned and wrapped her arms around the taller boys stomach in a tight hug
"I'll miss you" she whispered to her only friend
"Don't get too emotional on me Kel" the girl looked up at him with big hazel eyes and smiled
"I'll try not to"They both stood there for a moment before Kel hit Joren on the arm and yelled out
"YOUR IT!" and then ran away quickly laughing like there was no tomorrow as the older boy took after her, his ice blue eyes smiling in delight as he chased after the girl. It was moments like this that made him realise just how much he loved coming to the Mindelan's while his parents were away on business, it gave him an idea what loving parents were like.
~*~
Three years later Joren looked over at the letter in his hands and smirked. Another letter from her. His friends, well cronies, whatever you want to call them were getting a little too curious about who was writing to him from the Yamani islands. He sat in his room and opened the letter, unfolding it to see the black, and a little messy writing of a ten year old Kel.
Joren,
So, your still a page? Not tormenting anyone I hope. Everything is alright here I suppose. I've finally figured out how to read these people, they teach us that emotion is a weakness, we'll in battle it is anyway. SO I've learnt to put this stone like mask on my face, its hard sometimes to keep it there because cricket, my first friend keeps trying to make me laugh. She finds it pretty funny when I do.
There was a pirate raid here, once again. They came swiftly, just before dawn and burnt down our home, mamma, she's so brave, saved all these relics and saved our family. I am really going to keep up with my glaive practise, it's the first time I've seen my mother kill anyone. It's getting very hard to live out here, I'm growing my hair so you cant call me tomboy anymore alright pig?
Stay safe
Kel
He smirked, 'silly girl' he picked up some parchment, and a quill.
Tomboy,
Stop whining you weak tomboyJoren
4 years later
Tomboy,
I'm going to be a knight next year, father wants me to marry some palace brat, she's pretty enough I suppose, not my type. So are you coming to see me be knighted or what?
Joren
Kel smiled at the longest letter she'd gotten from Joren since they'd been apart.
Squire Joren,
It makes me angry that I cant come up with a nickname for you, oh well. I cant come, the pirates are going after the ships now, mamma said that I'd have to wait a few years before we can come back to visit anyway, something about a betrothal or interrelations or something. I wasn't listening. So whose this girl? You cant marry her until I meet her, I wont allow it! If I have to I'll swim through the shark infested waters to stop your wedding Ha!
This guy keeps following me around for some reason, Inness says that he likes me, Ha! If he did then why is he stalking me, its actually really creepy. My hair is long now so stop calling me a Tomboy. Didn't you say you'd grown your hair? Oh, hmm what about pretty boy? Girly boy? Oooh I like that one. That's what I'm going to call you from now on. Girly boy. Hopefully I'll see you soon.
Kel
Two years later
Girly boy,
Get ready for some action! I'm coming home. Well next year some time. Mama say's she knows for certain that I'll be going next year. I'm not sure how she knows since no one else in our family is going, but she is a close advisor to the emperor and all, or something like that. That boy I told you about that was stalking me? Well he asked for my hand. Dad said no, thank goodness, what's with everyone and marriage, hows your betrothal going? Just hang on for a bit longer and I'll be there to sort out this girl.
You didn't really tell me how your ordeal went, you just kind of skimmed over it. Aren't you allowed to tell me or something? Anyway, I want to meet all your friends when I get there.
Kel
Joren sneered, friends? Pah!
Tomboy,
See you soon. I'm busy so stop sending me letters
And I am not a girly boy, I've cut my hair
Joren
One year later
"cricket, stop that!" Kel stated, her face devoid of emotion, however her eyes were crinckled in mirth as the older girl pinched Kel repeatedly all over her body
"itchi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, nana, hachi, kyuu, jyuu, jyuu-itchi, jyuu-ni jyuu-"
"cricket," Kel whined, trying to dart away from the dark haired Yamani girl.
"oh all right" the girl stopped and stood still for a moment before going back up to the Kel "jyuu-san-jyuu-shi-jyuu-go-jyuu-roku-jyuu-nana" and in a quick sucsession finished off her birthday pinches. Kel glared at the girl and folded her arms over her chest.
"that was not funny Shinko" The older girl battered her dark eyelashes and smiled demurely
"it wasn't supposed to be" Kel's face, still in the Yamani mask shook her head and looked away. Shinkokami looked away for a moment, her dark brown eyes filled with pain
"my step-mother is still pushing for that marriage, Kel, can you think of anything?" Kel sat down and dropped her Yamani mask, sighing in defeat.
"well, there have been more pirate raids, maybe you could go missing during one?" Shinko pushed Kel playfully and scowled.
"anything else?"
"Iie, now come on, lets go for our dawn practise." The older girl sighed and stood with her friend
"is Yuki going to be there?" Shinko asked the younger girl. Kel nodded yes and picked up her glaive and ran with Shinko to meet her mother and sisters.
There were many women standing and getting ready for their beginning kata, all stood in even lines facing the water as the sun began to peek over the edge. The women started in perfect sync, their glaives shinning in the dawn light as they moved fluidly in their routine. Once finished they paired off and spared for an hour before bowing respectfully to their partners and then heading off to begin their day.
~
Tomboy,
Happy birthday slug, hope you liked your present. Weddings still being held off thankfully. When do you get here?
Joren
Kel grinned and quickly began to write her letter back
Girly boy,
Soon, be patient, yes I did like my present, thankyou. Things have been hectic, I finally figured out why I'm the only one going back to Tortal, I'm to escort the princess, I still have no idea who it is. Anyway the pirates are still being idiots and attacking us, nothing too bad. We'll be alright. Hmm, your not gallivanting all over the place are you? I expect you to be at the palace when I get there, understood? Oh, and guess what? The emperor himself gave me this jewel, I got the local jeweller to put the gem into the bracelet you gave me, its blue and when held up to the sun has gold spirals swirling through it.
You'll probably receive this just before I come I reckon.
Kel
~
two weeks later
Kel stood before her mother smiling gently, her mother always went on about how important it was to show some type of emotion on your face or you'd become plain. The older Tortillian woman brushed back Kel's long cinnamon coloured hair and then began to twist it into an intricate bun. She was going back to Tortal with the second rate princess Shinkokami, Kel was still miffed that her friend hadn't told her that she was related to the emperor. She was to be going with the bridal party as a translator, guide, and guard to the princess. It was a Yamani custom that the princess only had women as their guards.
The princess, who could very well defend herself only had Kel, and Yuki as her guards while a third woman would accompany them as a companion. Kel was very excited to be going back to see her home land, and more importantly her friend Joren.
They were to head off that morning, Kel donned the more revealing fighting gi, as it was easier to move in then the bulky kimono's the women wore. Kel's clothes were a rusty red colour, the gi top was tight against her torso, the sleaves flaring at the elbows and stopped mid forearm. The pants were loose and an ivory colour, they were slit all the way to the hip, joined with gold links to hold the light fabric together. A rusty red sheer skirt sat low on her hips, over the top of the pants and were slit in a similar style as the pants, and ended mid thigh. Only a gold thick bracelet was resting against her wrist, the present Joren had sent on her seventeenth birthday.
Her mother finished the bun and turned Kel around so she could place the gold rope around her waist where she would hang two shukusen. Then her mother wrapped another gold rope across her torso so that her Glaive could be clipped to her back for easy access. A few daggers were placed beneath the clothing.
Her family stood before her, all ready to give her their hugs and goodbyes. She'd be leaving them and only coming back for visits. They all stood before the Yamani delegation with tears in their eyes, smiles on their faces, very un-Yamani like. Yuki smiled gently at the family and said goodbye to hers, giving deep bows to everyone before the delegation went to the boat that would take them to Port Caynn.
~
Susannah De Silva: yes I know that it is all chopped and stuff, but this is a prologue and it was to give you a bit of a feel as to what has been happening in the past. Shock horror, Joren and Kel are friends? Although they do pay each other out and all. Hehehe Joren will still be a nasty pasty, hmmm anyone guess what the Yamani treasure was? I thought it was pretty obvious, that will come into play later, since it's the title of the fic, it will play a big part. It wont be like the dominion jewel, or those magical ones in aether winds, or something like that. Wmahahha its….den den den EVIL!!! Mah only joking. I'll tell you later in the fic what it is!!! Or…who it is…ahhh confusing. Scanra is going to play a big part, as well as the pirates, oooh. There will be some exciting stuff happening. This is one of those what if story's I think that Kel would be a very cold person in public, but a great contrast when in private, and with her friends, as you can see from the letters. Hehehe I thought that I was staying in character (well slightly) with Joren's short letters. I thought it was cute and Joren is just hot as. I seriously didn't think Cleon was a good match, Neal is a groovy friend but uh love interest? No don't think so. Dom? Yuk, I hated him right off! I seriously thought that Kel would get with Joren but well he had to be killed off. Anyway review and tell me if you liked it! Thanks :D
Kel is 17
Joren 20
Three years difference.