Kierrai watched the snow that fell steadily outside the window. Everyone in the castle was running around in preparation for the Satinalia celebrations that would be occurring that evening. If she had to be honest with herself, she was hiding. People kept asking her a million questions about the festivities, and it was going to make her head explode. She was perched in a window sill on one of the upper floors of the castle where she knew nobody would find her. Unfortunately, someone in the castle knew exactly where she would be.
"You're hiding!" Zeriah accused. Kierrai jumped, nearly falling out of the window sill.
"Andraste's ass, Zeri! I didn't hear you approaching!" she cried. Zeriah grinned.
"I learned from the sneakiest rogue I know." She said, poking Kierrai in the side. Kierrai stood up, towering over her friend.
"I'm glad I could help you out." She laughed. Zeriah beamed at her.
"It's time to start getting ready." She said. Kierrai groaned.
"Now? The ball isn't for hours!" she whined. Zeriah laughed.
"Well, it will take us that long to get into our dresses. And we should stop by the kitchens and see if Nan will give us something to eat before our stomachs get crushed by corsets." She pointed out. Kierrai felt her belly rumble at the mention of food and she nodded in agreement. The pair walked down to the main floor, and Kierrai nudged Zeriah in the side.
"Have you heard from Sam and Traven?" she asked in hushed tones. Zeriah shook her head.
"Not recently. I'm starting to get worried." She admitted. Kierrai put an arm around her friend's shoulders.
"He'll be fine." She assured her. Zeriah smiled up at her and nodded.
"I hope you're right." She said as they went through the doors of the kitchen. Nan gave them some bread and cheese and sent them to get ready. After a long, agonizingly hot bath, Ora arrived to tie Kierrai into her gown.
"Breathe out, girl." The old woman ordered. Kierrai did as she was told and blew out all her air. She felt the ivory-boned corset tighten against her skin as Ora's slim fingers quickly laced her up. She inhaled as much as she could, which definitely was not much. Ora raised a grey eyebrow at her. "Can you breathe?" she asked. Kierrai knew better than to say yes.
"Not at all." She lied. Ora smirked knowingly.
"Good girl. I'll be back." She said before leaving Kierrai alone in her room. Kierrai put a hand on her lower abdomen, trying to control her breath. Maker, she hated corsets. She looked around the room and saw her dress lying on the bed. She sighed and awkwardly clambered into it. The door opened to permit Zeriah, who was already completely ready for the evening. Her creamy white gown clung to her small form until her mid-thigh, where it flowed out in a loose feathery skirt. The sleeves fell off the shoulders and bared her collarbone while still managing to hide most of her cleavage. Her black hair looked even darker against the stark white of the dress as it cascaded in loose curls down her back. Parts of it were braided to stay out of her face. On her face she wore a delicate white mask that was adorned with dove feathers. The feathers were in a half circle that covered the top half of her face, leaving everywhere below the cheekbones bare. She looked more beautiful than the dove she was portraying.
"You look gorgeous." Kierrai said. Zeriah grinned.
"You look half-dressed." She teased. Kierrai rolled her eyes.
"Well you could lace up my dress." She pointed out. Zeriah chuckled and helped her finish putting on her gown. The small woman hummed softly as she tied the laces and then set to work on Kierrai's hair. Kierrai closed her eyes, letting Zeriah take care of her while Ora was gone. She felt her auburn curls being teased and heightened while also having some cascading down her back. Zeriah tied Kierrai's mask into place and took a step back. Her diminutive friend gave a low whistle of approval.
"Maker, girl, you look every inch a Queen." Ora said from the doorway. Kierrai turned to look at herself in the mirror. Her gown was a deep, tawny gold with flecks of dark coppery brown that amassed in a dark cluster around her chest. Like Zeriah's, it held tightly to her body until it reached her thighs before it flowed out into fuller skirts. Unlike Zeriah's, it had short sleeves that barely held on to her shoulders, with a thin, translucent fabric that flowed away from her body like a shawl. Her mask, which covered from the tops of her cheeks to her hairline, was a dark, burnished gold in the design of a lion, and her own chaotic curls acted as a wild mane. She looked as regal as the lion she portrayed.
"This is the most beautiful thing I have ever worn." She admitted. Ora barked a laugh.
"All eyes will be on you, my dear." She promised. Kierrai groaned. She hated public attention.
"Can't wait." She mumbled. Ora chuckled and sent the girls on their way. Apparently guests had started arriving while they were still getting ready, and the masquerade was in full swing. Kierrai couldn't resist the urge to grin. This was the night where anyone could be whoever they wanted. Masked nobles and peasants mingled as though they were best friends all throughout the castle grounds, and the party spilled into the streets of Highever. Kierrai actually enjoyed herself as she was spun around by numerous masked men. She found that she liked the mystery of it all. After a few hours, she was pulled into the arms of a tall, graceful young man with an unruly mop of black hair and a simple red mask.
"Kierrai I must say you look absolutely ravishing this evening." A familiar voice murmured into her ear. She gasped in surprise.
"Traven!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his broad shoulders. He chuckled, but shushed her.
"Keep my presence a secret for now." He requested. She nodded and they continued their dance.
"Have you found Zeriah?" she asked quietly. He shook his head, scanning the crowds.
"I have no idea what she is wearing, and everyone in Highever seems to have long black hair." He explained. She tilted her head.
"Well how did you find me, Trav?" she asked. He laughed.
"Look at you, Kierrai: Nobody else would be able to pull off masquerading as a lioness. Besides, lions are on the Theirin family crest." He pointed out. She shrugged. He was right.
"Have you located them, then?" she asked. Traven nodded.
"They led us on a merry chase, but it turns out that they returned right here to Highever. Well, they are holed up just outside Highever." He said, dipping her low to the ground. She rolled her eyes.
"So they've been right under our noses this entire time? Typical." She grumbled. He nodded.
"Yes, but we can do nothing until the celebration ends. For now, we should enjoy ourselves. Maker knows I never get the chance to do that in the tower." He decided. She grinned at him.
"Wouldn't you rather enjoy yourself with your Lady Dove?" she teased. He chuckled.
"Well certainly, but I can think of far worse punishments than dancing with you, my dear." He pointed out. She laughed and grabbed his hand, leading him to where she had last seen Zeriah. The glorious dove was still there, laughing and dancing with everyone around her. Traven grinned and strode over to her. "Did you miss me?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms. Zeriah's face lit up.
"Very much." She said, kissing his cheek. Kierrai chuckled as she watched the pair. She knew it was just a fling, but she was glad they could both get some enjoyment out of their lives.
"You do look beautiful, my lady." A warm voice whispered into her ear. She grinned and turned to see Samwell standing beside her. She embraced him tightly before pulling away with a blush on her cheeks. She forgot that she had never actually gone further than simple flirting with him. Sam beamed and crushed her against his chest.
"How are you, Sam?" she asked. He shrugged.
"I'm better now that you're here." He said. Kierrai laughed in surprise.
"Well, I can say the same." She admitted. The Templar's full lips quirked into a smile.
"Let's dance." He said, pulling her across the floor. For the rest of the night, the handsome Templar did not leave her side, even after they left the party. Kierrai saw Traven and Zeriah sneaking away into her bedroom and she smiled to herself. Everyone was definitely enjoying themselves that night.