Romancing Mr. Masbolle
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Keladry Mindelan gazed out the window of her sitting room. She had her brown hair pinned up in a neat coil, her hands folded demurely in her lap and her sewing set at her side. She knew that to her sisters she would appear idle and lazy but there was more going on behind her mind. She was thinking about her family and their situations.
Ever since their father had attempted to help out a friend their family had been attempting to get money back. Although they were not extremely poor, comparing their family to the lavish lifestyles of other families around Corus they were poor. Her father was quite respected as was her mother, and her brothers had made marvelous marriages but nothing had quite made them reach the situations they longed for. Keladry knew it was hard for them all. Her sister Adalia was the one who was most suffering. Demadina had been like Adalia but had been safely married into the haMinch family. She was happy, rich, and living the lifestyle they had all longed for. Adalia was stuck in their family unmarried as of yet.
Keladry knew Orie was adapting to the lifestyle like her. Kel being one of the youngest could hardly remember their rich life back when she was young. She was quite used to secondhand gowns and other little things that saved money. She was constantly getting gowns that were repaired and replenished from her sisters. She did not mind, not really for all she wanted was her education and her family's happiness.
"Kel," Adalia her beautiful older sister entered the room. Her thick glossy hair was in a tight knot, and she wore a fine silk dress that had been a gift from their richer Aunt's and Uncle's. The green color complimented her beautiful creamy skin, and her graceful figure, "Are you well? You seem a bit pale,"
"I'm quite well, thank you," she smiled at her sister who nodded and sat down near her.
"Sewing?" she asked looking at the pretty white gloves sitting next to her sister. Kel nodded and gazed down at them. Adalia had complained of how boring her gloves were and Kel had taken her mothers sewing basket and begun a design on the hem of a pretty rose chain, "They're pretty,"
"They're for you," Kel smiled at Adalia who picked them up inspecting them with a small smile on her face. Adalia was the one that Kel felt deserved them the most. She had been attempting to control her need for the finer fashions. She often went and looked at the shops, and Kel and she would attempt to get the seamstresses they had to help them get their gowns done the same way. Their seamstress also tried their best but lately had been getting quite fed up with the girl's futile instructions.
There was some silence while Adalia slid her hand into the perfectly fitting glove. Kel had measured them against Adalia's riding gloves and prayed they did fit. The bigger smile on Adalia face made her relax slightly. Kel adopted her gaze back out the window and listened for her sister's speech.
"I like them. Thank you," she commented sliding her hand out of the glove and replacing it carefully next to the other one, "Demadina was commenting. To think, our own family, our own sister would complain to us about how she's not getting a pretty new gown!" there was a bit of infuriation in her voice.
"You do know that she cannot help it. She's living a much richer life then us," Kel said peacefully but it only enraged her even more. She stood up smoothing her gown, a habit that had been picked up to let the others know when she was ready to explode.
"Yes, yes of course she is. Our parents should do the normal money making ways but instead they stick to their beliefs," Adalia's short, graceful steps agitated Kel. Adalia had to be perfect in every little thing she did, "No, father can't start his own business he must work for the rest of the city. He must work for the infernal Conte's. Yes they are our ruling family but truly, father could do something else," Kel sighed. She knew how this argument was going to end. Kel herself believed she would rather be poor then have her parents do something silly like the other lords did. Marrying their daughters to older men for money was cruel, and heartless. She refused to let her parents do what Adalia suggested.
"Yes, but why would you do something to get rich and go against what you believe in," questioned Kel looking at her sister curiously, "Be grateful that our parents are honest, hard working people and do not marry us to rich noblemen. You'll make a good marriage and escape this world," there was neither pity nor sympathy for her sister. Adalia gazed over at her down to earth, collected sister with a smile on her face again.
"You are right, it is useless to complain and I am proud of mama and father," there was affection in her voice as she sat down next to Kel. The next moment, Orie entered the room looking slightly put out. She and Adalia began discussing things but Kel had already begun sewing again and did not care. She hated sewing but Adalia wanted gloves and she would have them.
All three girls were dressed and sitting in similar fashions. None of them however were quite the same. Orie was sweet, shy, and dreamy. She took each day as it came and hardly ever planned anything. Adalia was well groomed, sleek and beautiful with arrogance to match it. Kel however was the one most people found the nicest to sit with. She was down to earth, sensible, and slightly pretty but she couldn't compete with her sisters. Kel had a sense of humor when it came to things and had a bit of a fire in her. She was compassionate, and was never cold hearted unless one deserved it. Their other sisters were nothing as the other families said. They all had the same brown hair but Kel was the only one with their father's dreamers hazel eyes. The other two had their mother's softer green eyes. They both had graceful figures and small stature while Kel was tall and sturdy. She was slim and solid and the best horse woman of their family. They all had delicate features, and intelligence. Kel bested them both when it came to books, Adalia when it came to artistic talents and Orie when it came to music.
When the door opened to reveal Nealan Queenscove everyone relaxed. Upon hearing the knock on the door, Adie had quickly removed herself to sitting on a chair right a proper. Orie was at the piano and Kel herself was sitting straight and happily in a chair. A book was before her but shut with a ribbon marking her spot and there was a calm look upon her face. The second Nealan or Neal stepped through the door they relaxed their positions, Orie returning to her seat and tea was served.
Neal was Kel's best friend and had been since the sixteen year old boy had stumbled upon the ten year old girl. Now, Kel was sixteen and Neal was twenty two and not any closer to being married. Various people found their friendship odd, and remarked that it should not be allowed but Neal did not care and neither did Kel. Neal had red hair and green eyes and was quite tall and lanky. He liked his books as much as Kel, but hated mathematics the only thing Kel really did enjoy in her education.
"Hello," greeted with a cheerful smile.
"Good afternoon Nealan," Adie greeted accordingly to society, "How are you to day?"
"Very well, thank you. And you, Miss Adalia?" his eyes danced as he waited for her answer. Adie frowned at him briefly but then put a small smile on her face.
"The usual Neal," her voice was less proper now and she turned back to her sketching which she had taken up before he had entered the room. Neal took the book Kel was reading in his hands and frowned at her briefly. He knew that this was a book that the booksellers refused to give to girls and she grinned wickedly at him.
"How may I ask, did you get possession of this book?" he noticed then that Orie was smothering laughter and Adie was coughing into a handkerchief.
"Oh, I got Anders to get it for me," was her pleasant reply. He nodded and she looked at him, "Let me guess, you've read it,"
"Of course," he answered, "I always read,"
"We've noticed," Orie commented dryly, "Now if you'll excuse me I have a place to be thank you,"
Neal spent more time with Kel and Adie. They knew Ilane would be horrified if Adie left them because she felt that the only way to be proper was to always be so. Adie liked Neal's company well enough so it wasn't a taxing time for her although he seemed to prefer Kel to anyone else. They had funny jokes between them, and an easy regarding manner that puzzled her. There was nothing more then friendship she knew but it was difficult to understand why a twenty two year old man would spend time with a sixteen year old mere girl. When they had been ten and sixteen it had been even more difficult to understand because Neal had been in his most exciting years in court. Kel however had captured his fancy as a friend and had never been separated. There was never a time when they weren't together and some ladies found it odd.
"My cousin," Neal started and Kel controlled the flush that was ready to spread through her cheeks, "Is coming back next week. Do you recall him?"
"Domitan, right? Tall with dark hair and blue eyes," Kel commented closing her eyes as though searching memories with a small frown of concentration on her face. She did not need to remember him for he flooded her thoughts almost always. She'd always felt a certain amount of affection for Neal's cousin although he had yet to notice her. She'd always been that constant presence and probably meant little to nothing to him. Neal grinned at her when she opened her eyes.
"That's the one. Hard to forget him," Kel nodded in silent agreement. Oh yes, it was indeed hard to forget him, "Anyway. He's coming back from one of his longer travels," Neal pulled a face, "He's my age and so we'll be going around the city together but I'll be sure to call in I promise," there was no disappointment on Kel's face. She knew and wanted Neal to have other friends then just her and her own friend Yuki.
"Have a good time Neal," she smiled at him, "You don't have to call in. I'll probably spend time with Yuki," he nodded and they went on with conversations. If Neal noticed Kel's distant look he didn't commented upon it.
Neal left and Kel appeared at supper in better spirits. Adie didn't ask her at all what was wrong, suspecting it had to do with her best friend's cousin. When they finished supper Kel retired surprising most of her family. Usually she hung around and read or talked. She often would be seen stroking one of the family's hounds and idling trying to find something exciting to do.
In her room Kel flopped onto her bed. She had no desire to speak to anyone. Neal's cousin was coming back, and her torment would begin. She'd always been unconditionally in love with him. Now her life was going to be turned around, right in time for her first season.
A/N: Should I continue? I don't think I will, but I just wanted to see if this idea was any good or if it's totally stupid.