Disclaimer: I can lay claim to nothing.
A/N: Written for Rainstorm Amaya Arianhrod for her birthday.
In spite of the pleasant, summer weather, Lianne was seated in shade, and, contrary to the usual feelings of happiness that sun awoke in her, her outlook becoming bleaker and bleaker with every sight of joviality.
She watched as many of the other young people enjoyed themselves, dancing, laughing, and flirting, all of them looking as if they hadn't a care in the world. Not surprisingly to Lianne, the most carefree was Alianne of Pirate's Swoop, the obvious queen of the picnic, basking in the glory and attentions of the young gentlemen now that Kally was married and settled in Carthak.
Lianne knew that she shouldn't begrudge her friend some attention; it wasn't Aly's fault that she had been born attractive and outgoing. Still, Lianne couldn't ignore the maddening fact that her childhood friend was now outshining her. At this moment, as far as Lianne was concerned, it was an entirely unfair reversal of what one would expect an unmarried princess to experience, particularly if said unmarried princess was not wholly unattractive by any account.
Yet somehow, expectations be damned, Lianne always found herself watching as Aly dazzled the male population of every gathering, and the young women flocked around her charismatic friend. Lianne was considering ignoring the others and trying to find a book when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Do I dare ask why you're over here while just about everyone else is over there?"
"Apparently you do," Lianne replied, pointedly ignoring the question. "I didn't know you'd be here; usually you're training or something."
"Summer," Alan said cheerfully. He squatted down next to her, surveying her carefully blank expression, and then glanced over towards where his sister and her court were starting what looked to be country line dance of sorts. "What do you say we go over and join them?"
Lianne looked uncertain, until Alan added, wickedly,
"I bet we can dance rings around them."
