NOTE: this starts at the party...err...I mean 'social gathering' and Raoul &
Buri aren't the only ones planning a few tricks. (I'm not sure if "tricks"
is the right word)
Many were already seated for dinner when the Knight Commander of the King's Own finally arrived. His black curls were still wet from a rather recent washing, which was the reason for his late arrival. Those who looked up from their conversations, ready to lay a complaint on the man who delayed their dinner, thought better of it when they saw the Commander. Although he was known to be friendly, they knew he had a short temper at social gatherings, and he was the 'Giant Killer' after all. A servant hurriedly rushed to the Knight Commander's side, explaining that there were a few minor changes.
Raoul gave him a blank stare. "Aren't I little old for an assigned seat?" he asked. The servant bowed, hiding a grin, and then explaining that it was the king's orders he returned to his post by the door. Raoul sighed before heading towards his assigned seat. It was unusually close to the table where the king and queen sat. Sitting down, he realized that he was sitting behind the Commander of the Queen's Riders.
"Assigned seat?" he asked, turning his head to face Buri.
Buri nodded, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup in front of her. She was obviously bored. Leaning back she whispered, "Look at the people we're sharing tables with." Raoul frowned and quickly scanned the people around him, his usual broad, ruddy face going pale. He gulped.
"But this is...these people are...what is our king thinking?! We're sitting at bachelor tables!" he cried out, the K'mir nodded glumly. Buri's companions were rather large men who winked, smiled, and complimented the K'mir whenever given the chance. When the Knight Commander looked at the ladies sitting next to him, they fluttered their eye lashes flirtatiously and toyed with their curls. Instinctively, his eyes darted to Jon – the king, who gave him a heartfelt smile. Clenching his jaw, Raoul held back a growl. He was only planning on a few minor pranks, but if this is how the king was going to play, then he too, would step it up a notch.
"Buri?" the K'mir looked back. "Let the war begin."
The male companion on Buri's right continued his flirting, hardly ever stopping to eat while the one on her left politely budded in occasionally, asking a few questions here and there. The K'mir looked completely harassed and tried hard to concentrate on eating her steak – but it was useless, she was already losing her appetite. When the one to her right brushed his hand gently over her arm, she grabbed a knife instinctively, ready to stab the him. Instead, she took a deep breath and flashed a smile at the man, placing the knife back down.
His smile widened, thinking that Buri had actually liked the touch. He obviously didn't see the knife leave the table. "We're more physical aren't we? I thought words wouldn't..." the man rambled on as Buri rolled her eyes. This man would keep talking senselessly as though they really did have a future together.
She dragged his plate towards her, getting a surprised look from the man. She picked up the knife again. "Would you like me to cut the steak for you? You haven't eaten at all." She asked, purring.
It was his turn to flash a smile. "And would you be willing to feed me as well?" he asked, his voice a tone sweeter. She would make sure he regretted saying those words, or even flirting with her, she thought.
"Maybe, if you're a good boy." Buri replied, giving her best shot at a flirtatious wink. The man grinned and laid a hand on her thigh. The K'mir twitched, but forced herself to lock eyes with him. She smiled at him, spark in her eyes. While the man's greedy eyes were on her, she slowly lifted the arm which she carried the knife above her head. The man looked up at the knife, his face dropping. The K'mir quickly brought the arm with the knife down, stabbing his steak with full force, causing some of the plates on the table to clatter. She smiled at the man wickedly as he fell out of his chair.
He gulped and stared at her, fear creeping into his eyes. "If you will excuse me..." he managed to say before leaving in a rush.
Buri turned her head to face her companion on the left, daring him with her eyes to say sweet things to her. He forced a smile on his face – a gentleman till the end – Buri thought, before excusing himself as well. The K'mir gave a triumphant smile. She had gotten rid of two men in less than half an hour. Not bad, she thought giving herself an imaginary pat on the back. She turned around to see how Raoul was coping and found him looking at her, a childish grin plastered on his face.
"Not bad." He commented.
Buri snorted. "Let's see you do better."
The Queen bit her lip as she watched the two men run off. "What in Mithros's name did she do?" she asked her husband. "What in Mithros's name did 'he' do?" she asked this time, seeing the knife sticking up from the unfinished steak.
"I'm not sure if I want to know." the King replied truthfully, shivers running up his spine at the sight of the knife. The Queen sighed. She was determined to make sure that her friend would behave at upcoming social gatherings, and to make sure of that she would have to show who was Queen.
Many were already seated for dinner when the Knight Commander of the King's Own finally arrived. His black curls were still wet from a rather recent washing, which was the reason for his late arrival. Those who looked up from their conversations, ready to lay a complaint on the man who delayed their dinner, thought better of it when they saw the Commander. Although he was known to be friendly, they knew he had a short temper at social gatherings, and he was the 'Giant Killer' after all. A servant hurriedly rushed to the Knight Commander's side, explaining that there were a few minor changes.
Raoul gave him a blank stare. "Aren't I little old for an assigned seat?" he asked. The servant bowed, hiding a grin, and then explaining that it was the king's orders he returned to his post by the door. Raoul sighed before heading towards his assigned seat. It was unusually close to the table where the king and queen sat. Sitting down, he realized that he was sitting behind the Commander of the Queen's Riders.
"Assigned seat?" he asked, turning his head to face Buri.
Buri nodded, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup in front of her. She was obviously bored. Leaning back she whispered, "Look at the people we're sharing tables with." Raoul frowned and quickly scanned the people around him, his usual broad, ruddy face going pale. He gulped.
"But this is...these people are...what is our king thinking?! We're sitting at bachelor tables!" he cried out, the K'mir nodded glumly. Buri's companions were rather large men who winked, smiled, and complimented the K'mir whenever given the chance. When the Knight Commander looked at the ladies sitting next to him, they fluttered their eye lashes flirtatiously and toyed with their curls. Instinctively, his eyes darted to Jon – the king, who gave him a heartfelt smile. Clenching his jaw, Raoul held back a growl. He was only planning on a few minor pranks, but if this is how the king was going to play, then he too, would step it up a notch.
"Buri?" the K'mir looked back. "Let the war begin."
The male companion on Buri's right continued his flirting, hardly ever stopping to eat while the one on her left politely budded in occasionally, asking a few questions here and there. The K'mir looked completely harassed and tried hard to concentrate on eating her steak – but it was useless, she was already losing her appetite. When the one to her right brushed his hand gently over her arm, she grabbed a knife instinctively, ready to stab the him. Instead, she took a deep breath and flashed a smile at the man, placing the knife back down.
His smile widened, thinking that Buri had actually liked the touch. He obviously didn't see the knife leave the table. "We're more physical aren't we? I thought words wouldn't..." the man rambled on as Buri rolled her eyes. This man would keep talking senselessly as though they really did have a future together.
She dragged his plate towards her, getting a surprised look from the man. She picked up the knife again. "Would you like me to cut the steak for you? You haven't eaten at all." She asked, purring.
It was his turn to flash a smile. "And would you be willing to feed me as well?" he asked, his voice a tone sweeter. She would make sure he regretted saying those words, or even flirting with her, she thought.
"Maybe, if you're a good boy." Buri replied, giving her best shot at a flirtatious wink. The man grinned and laid a hand on her thigh. The K'mir twitched, but forced herself to lock eyes with him. She smiled at him, spark in her eyes. While the man's greedy eyes were on her, she slowly lifted the arm which she carried the knife above her head. The man looked up at the knife, his face dropping. The K'mir quickly brought the arm with the knife down, stabbing his steak with full force, causing some of the plates on the table to clatter. She smiled at the man wickedly as he fell out of his chair.
He gulped and stared at her, fear creeping into his eyes. "If you will excuse me..." he managed to say before leaving in a rush.
Buri turned her head to face her companion on the left, daring him with her eyes to say sweet things to her. He forced a smile on his face – a gentleman till the end – Buri thought, before excusing himself as well. The K'mir gave a triumphant smile. She had gotten rid of two men in less than half an hour. Not bad, she thought giving herself an imaginary pat on the back. She turned around to see how Raoul was coping and found him looking at her, a childish grin plastered on his face.
"Not bad." He commented.
Buri snorted. "Let's see you do better."
The Queen bit her lip as she watched the two men run off. "What in Mithros's name did she do?" she asked her husband. "What in Mithros's name did 'he' do?" she asked this time, seeing the knife sticking up from the unfinished steak.
"I'm not sure if I want to know." the King replied truthfully, shivers running up his spine at the sight of the knife. The Queen sighed. She was determined to make sure that her friend would behave at upcoming social gatherings, and to make sure of that she would have to show who was Queen.
