This is the start of my new story! Since Tammy has never described a Tortallan wedding, please bear with me that they have wedding receptions. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. However, Aiden and the fief Deerhorn are my own creations.
A Second Chance at Love: Chapter One
Aiden wasn't going anywhere particular, just wandering through the palace. He was basking in the warm spring air and enjoying being back home after five years as a part of the Tortallan embassy in Tusaine.
He came to a split in the corridor and turned left, vaguely remembering that this was either the way to the chapel or to the doors leading to the gardens, either of which seemed fine to him, so he was somewhat surprised when he heard what sounded like crying.
He sped up a little bit, his footfalls echoing against the stone walls as the sniffling noise got louder. He turned a corner impatiently and almost ran into a young woman almost as tall as him who had her face in her hands. She looked up when he approached, revealing hazel eyes swimming with tears.
"I'm sorry," Aiden said quickly, and the woman sniffled again. He paused as she took a breath. "Are you okay?"
She ran the back of her hand over her eyes, wiping away the tears but leaving her eyes red and puffy. "I'm fine," she murmured, looking down as though embarrassed.
Aiden didn't want to pry, and in any other situation he would have turned and left, but something about this sad young woman compelled him to stay and try to help her.
"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.
Her response was sharper this time. "Yes," she said. "I'm fine. I was just at my friends wedding, and I guess I was being a little…emotional."
That explained her silk shirt and embroidered tunic, Aiden thought, though that wasn't what a lady would normally wear to a wedding.
"Oh," he said, at a loss. Why would she be hiding outside if she were just happy for her friend? He decided not to ask that, instead sticking out his hand and saying, "I'm Aiden. Sir Aiden of Deerhorn."
She shook his hand politely, displaying the scars that crisscrossed her palm and fingers. "Keladry of Mindelean."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelean? The Protector of the Small?"
She didn't blush, just shook her head as if at an old annoyance. "I really don't like the title. It's just Kel."
"Kel, then." Aiden said with a smile she didn't return. He didn't think the nickname fit her, but he wasn't going to call her anything else since he didn't know her. She turned to look uneasily behind her, as if she needed to go somewhere.
"Am I keeping you from something?"
Kel looked startled. "The reception, but it's all right," she said hastily. "I don't really want to go."
Aiden was a bit puzzled as to why she would be crying at a wedding but not want to go to the reception, so he nodded.
"I mean, I should go." Kel continued. "Dom may not notice if he doesn't see me, but Neal will, and he'll wonder…"
"Neal of Queenscove?" Aiden interrupted, remembering his childhood playmate.
"Yes," Kel looked up at him, unleashing the full power of her wide eyes. "Do you know him?"
"Yes, though I doubt he remembers me. We used to play together when we were young."
Kel nodded, absorbing this. "He'll wonder if I don't show up," she repeated. "And then he'll come looking for me, which would be a shame, because he shouldn't miss his cousin's wedding." She looked back toward the door that Aiden suddenly remembered was a side entrance to a fair sized dining room, which must be where the reception was. "But I really don't want to go. I'd rather go riding."
Aiden hesitated before speaking. "If you like, I could go let Neal know you're not going. Just slip in to tell him," he offered. "If that would be helpful."
Kel looked extremely grateful. "Would you? Just- just tell him I've gone for a ride, he won't question it, he knows I hate parties." She almost smiled. "You don't mind?"
"Not at all," Aiden said. "It will give me a chance to see him again."
This time Kel did smile, though it was halfhearted and small and seemed very sad. "Thanks." She said. "That's really…nice."
"Don't mention it," Aiden said, and with a touch to her shoulder he was down the hall and into the reception room.
Aiden was glad the first dance was over by the time he entered the room. The dance floor was filled with swirling couples in an array of finery, so he went mostly unnoticed as he slipped inside and looked for his old friend. He recognized Neal's distinctive profile and started to where the knight was sitting, his hand over the smaller hand of a woman who Aiden guessed was a Yamani based on her kimono style dress and curtain of dark hair. He crossed the room quickly and tapped Neal on the shoulder.
He looked up in shock. "What- Aiden? Aiden of Deerhorn?" Neal asked.
"The one and only."
Neal jumped to his feet in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"Here as in Tortall or 'here' as in this wedding that I was clearly not invited to?"
"Both." Neal said with a grin.
"I'm back from the embassy, so I get to stay in Tortall for a while." Aiden explained. "And I wouldn't be here, but I ran into a young lady outside by the name of Keladry of Mindelean who wanted me to let you know that she wasn't going to be coming to the reception." Neal's face was settling into a scowl, so Aiden hurried on. "She didn't want you to come looking for her, but she said you'd understand because she doesn't like parties."
Neal sighed. "I understand that Kel's dislike of social events has nothing to do with why she isn't here, yes."
"Neal," the lady next to him chastised, taking a hand off her swollen belly and putting it in his. "You could at least try to be compassionate."
"I am compassionate, Yuki," Neal grumbled. "It's just upsetting, that's all."
She gave a half smile in Aiden's direction, then glared at Neal. "You could bother to introduce me to your friend, Nealan."
Neal shook his head. "I'm worried about Kel, you're worried about introductions. Figures."
"Of course, I'm worried about Kel too!" Yuki sounded indignant. "But we are at a party after all, and you ought to introduce me to your friend."
"Aiden, may I introduce you to my wife, Lady Yukimi?" Aiden offered his hand, and Yuki shook it gently. "Yuki, this is Sir Aiden of Deerhorn. We knew each other when we were children."
"Lovely to meet you." Yuki said.
"The pleasure's mine." Aiden replied.
"If this is all over, can we return to the matter at hand?" Neal said, agitated. "Why did Kel say she wasn't coming?"
"She said she was just a little emotional over the wedding, and she didn't want to go to the reception. She didn't say why." Aiden kind of felt like he was being interrogated.
Yuki raised a delicate eyebrow. Neal voiced her thoughts. "Kel? Emotional?"
"That's what she said. I mean, she was crying."
This time Yuki spoke over Neal. "She was crying?"
Aiden looked to Neal, alarmed, and he explained. "Kel rarely cries. Well, try never. I mean, I've seen her get a cut up her whole arm so deep you can see the bone and not cry once."
Aiden winced. "Are you sure? I mean-"
"I hope Dom knows what he's done." The words sounded scornful but Yuki's face didn't change.
"You know he doesn't," Neal sighed, sinking into his chair. "If he did, we wouldn't be in this whole mess."
"Can you please explain to me what is going on?"
Yuki let out a soft breath. "Kel won't like that we're telling you, and she hasn't technically told us, but she…she had feelings for Dom." Her voice was as soft as a feather falling. "But she never told him, because they're close friends, and she didn't want to ruin their friendship. She had to go to the wedding, but I don't think she could bring herself to come here."
"And she knew-" Neal's voice was loud, and Yuki shushed him. "She knew that if she didn't come, I'd go looking for her, because honestly, were worried about her."
"And I can't go chasing after her, though I'd like to," Yuki joked, her hands resting on her belly. Neal beamed at his wife, and Aiden felt a twinge of jealousy at Neal's upcoming fatherhood, though he was mostly thrilled for his old friend.
"I'm sure she'll be alright." Aiden said quietly. "She said she was going to go for a ride, I think."
"That will calm her down, you know that." Yuki murmured. She turned to Aiden. "Neal doesn't need to worry, but he does anyway. Kel can take care of herself."
"I'm sure she can." Aiden grinned. "I should probably go before the happy couple wonders who I am."
"We'll catch up later," Neal said, shaking his hand.
Aiden walked away with a smile on his face. When he'd left that morning he'd never expected anything this exciting to happen. He felt sorry for Kel, but he also couldn't wait to see her again.
So there you have it. Thanks a million to Navigator101 for an amazing job beta-reading and for giving Aiden a name and putting up with hearing about all of my plot bunnies! Please leave a review to tell me what you think!