Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce and her genius owns everything except the story line, which is mine. Other than that, I own nothing!
***
Kel knocked three times on Yuki's door and was greeted with a hug when the door opened.
"I haven't seen you in forever!" her old friend exclaimed, "You've been too busy with this betrothal business." "I agree", stated Kel, "but I need your help and Shinko's if you know where she is. I've made a terrible mistake."
Yuki left to retrieve Shinko from where she'd been reading in her rooms. When they got back, Kel told them what had happened in the market place and in the hallway. "... and then he just walked away. I've never seen him so mad before, not even when I was training at the palace for one whole year." Her friends seemed to ponder this as Kel thought about how she had left a little bit out of the story. The part about how her heart had plummeted at those harsh words.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Yuki's suggestion. "You could talk to him like you would if you were Kel, maybe arrange a meeting between the two of you, and no one else." Shinko added onto that thought: "Maybe you could try and show him why you left... and how you had a reason to be mad and the fighter that you know are."
Kel nodded slowly. Maybe this would work out after all. The three friends visited for a while, talking about nagnita practices again and what Tortillan nobles would last less than a month in a harsh Yamani court. Kel couldn't help but sigh and think that Yuki was definately right when she clearly voiced her opinion of the silly brown-haired, green-eyed boy who had stood outside of her door reading her pitiful love poems, someone that Kel could only place as Neal. Time flew by too fast and the supper bell was ringing by the time Kel remembered that she still had to figure out what she was going to do. Kel stepped out of Yuki's rooms and started sprinting down the hall, a plan already forming in her head. She just needed approval, and then it might just work.
***
Kel bursted into the Emperor's office to find a bemused looking Empress and Queen of Tortall looking back at her. As quick as she could, Kel flashed her fan up to her face and opened it, successfully hiding her recognizable features. "Your majesties," Kel bowed, placing her palms on her thighs and bending at the waist, showing the upmost sign of respect towards the monarchs. "If you don't mind my interrupting, may I please have a word with the Empress?" she directed the question at the Queen of Tortall.
"Of course I don't mind, your highness, and please. call me Thayet." "Only if you will call me Kel" Kel replied diplomatically. Kel thought the queen seemed nice enough, but she couldn't forgive her for her getting kicked out yet. It was hard to forgive and forget.
Kel walked through the adjourning door and into the sitting room with the Empress. "I was wondering if it might be possible to arrange something." As Kel told the Empress about her plan, she saw her eyes lighting up and the corners of her mouth turning up in the slightest, in what could only be called a Yamani smile. The Empress apporved it herself and told Kel that she would have a final discision soon, as soon as she talked to the Emperor and their majesties of Tortall.
Kel excused herself and headed outside to the practice courts. She stopped by her rooms on the way and chose her glaive from the rack that held her most prized weapons. She spun it easily in her hands and almost laughed at the calming effect it had on her. She restored her mask and stepped out into the sunshine to search for an empty practice court. She spotted one without too much difficulty and started over to it.
Kel swung her glaive in the familiar patterns of her every day exercise and let the effort soothe her from the day's stress and trials. As she brought her glaive down for the final sweep after about half an hour of a workout she walked over to the fence, her muscles screaming at the normally effortless work. She had over-exerted herself in the last half an hour, as she usually only had about 10 minutes to practice. As Kel took a swig of water from her flask, she noticed a figure standing in the distance observing her. He wasn't standing close enough so that she could see his features clearly, but merely had his hands in his pockets and his calm and level gaze rested on her. She started towards him but before she could reach him, she was stopped with a hand on her shoulder.
"Excuse me, your highness, but have you seen Lady Yukimi around?" Kel was about to deny it and suggest he go look somewhere else, but as she turned around, she noticed that the person standing before her had very green eyes and boyish hair that was a light brown colour. It was Neal. Hurriedly spinning around the other way so that he wouldn't realize her, she explained that Yuki was in her rooms and offered some advice on not to read poetry to her. Neal thanked Kel, still not knowing that it was her, and ran off in the direction of Yuki's rooms, as directed by Kel. Hmm, thought Kel, that's interesting. Neal and Yuki. I never would have thought.
Kel turned around and expected to see the stranger that had been looking at her while she was practicing. Instead, she saw nothing but the clear air that surrounded the practice courts in the place that he should have been. She couldn't help but hope that it had been Roald, but squashed the thought of it. She would not get attached from these Tortillans again.
***
The next morning, a dreary Kel woke up to the sound of laughing outside her room. Curious as to what it was , she threw her clothes for the day on, and quietly nudged open her door, careful not to intrude, but only observe what was happening.
As she inched open her door and slipped out, she almost fainted from shock and felt her jaw drop down to the floor. Standing behind the pillar to her far right, she saw what had have to have been the source of the laughter. Her best friend and former best friend stood in the corner, kissing and murmuring sweet nothings to each other. Yuki and Neal were oblivious to there surroundings and continued as Kel stood there gaping at them.
Deciding that she would leave them to... whatever they were doing and corner Yuki later to ask about all the details, Kel picked up a run down the deserted palace halls as she realized that she was almost late for breakfast. As Kel turned into the dining hall she saw the Empress motion her over to talk to her. Wondering what she could possibly want, and then remembering their conversation the previous day, Kel hurried into a fast walk.
"The Emperor and I have decided that it would be a wonderful idea. Their majesties from Tortall are thrilled as well." Thrilled, thought Kel, they should be scared. Kel nodded her head in acknowledgement. "I will announce it then at lunch, Your Majesty?" "That would be great Kel," agreed the Empress. Kel made eye contact with the Emperor, her adoptive father, and silently thanked him with her eyes. He nodded as if to say, you'd better know what you're doing, but I trust you.
Kel sat down in her usual spot and cringed inwardly as another familiar weight settled in beside her. Roald didn't make eye contact with her during the whole meal. He said little and only raised his eyebrow when a flushed Neal came in, followed shortly in but a flushed looking Yuki. Of course, to the general public, or to the Tortillans at least, she looked fairly composed for breakfast. But to Kel she looked like she had just had the time of her life, and she knew why. Breakfast was over after a long silence had descended upon the royals and nobles alike. Kel didn't think it could have passed any slower. At this rate, it was going to be a long visit for the Tortillans. Kel was about to get up when the Empress looked her sharply in the eye and declared, loudly enough for everyone to hear:
"I think it would be wonderful for us all to go on a nice long ride through the forest today. It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful day inside. The Tortillan Delegation nodded its consent and the Empress clapped her hands together in excitement. "Great, then it's set. Everyone can meet in front of the main stables in one bell's time." Kel groaned inwardly. They would surely have her riding alongside Roald and while she normally would have found her spirits rise at the opportunity of riding with a friend, she thought about breakfast and decided that it would be a very uneventful ride. Kel sighed when she realized that she could possibly be forced to ride sidesaddle.
As Kel changed into a riding kimono, she couldn't help but look at her breeches longingly. Even though she would much rather be wearing those, she didn't think that the Empress would approve of that attire for a 'betrothal riding party'. She walked into the more private stables, where the royals and other important foreign dignitaries or yamani knights kept their prized horses. She saw the Tortillans tacking up their horses in a friendly manner talking to each other in a polite way. Kel slipped in unnoticed and slid through the door and into Hoshi's stall. Hoshi was her riding horse more than her battle horse, that was more Peachblossom's job. When she had finished grooming, tacking up and bribing her to be good with an apple, her favourite treat, Kel scooped up her reins and headed out of the stables breathing in the rich smell of horses, hay and sweet feed left over from the horse's breakfast. Those were her favourite smells, especially when she could be in a peaceful area, like the stables.
As Kel marched out in the sunlight with her horse, she remembered that she was supposed to be riding sidesaddle. She saw the Empress heading her way with a slight frown on her face and immediately chastised herself for forgetting so quickly. Calm as a lake, thought Kel, just say you couldn't find your saddle and then remembered that you had brought it to the tack shop for a repair and polishing before the Tortillan delegation came and forgot to retrieve it after. Yes, that will work. Just hope, that she doesn't go looking for it in the stables and finds it on it's usual rack unpolished. Kel looked up to see the Empress tilt her head in an unbelieving manner and send Kel a questioning look.
"I, uh, left it in the tack shop for a repair job," stammered Kel, unused to lying to her adoptive mother, and much less so when she was in 'Empress' mode. Kel didn't even bother to add the part of before the Tortillan delegation came, she'd just wonder why Kel hadn't picked it up yet, or fire the blacksmith who was fixing it for taking too long. The Empress gave her a final glance before nodding her head and turning on her heal to walk away. Kel breathed a sigh of relief and mounted her horse.
Kel was riding beside Roald, as she had thought and he wasn't talking to her either, as she had thought. To Kel's amusement, Neal and Yuki were riding behind them a couple of pairs and Yuki was blushing as Neal said something to her, looking straight ahead like he hadn't. Kel raised her fan to her face and started laughing silently at her two friends' antics. Kel resumed her mask, and put her fan back in her pocket while she focused her attention up ahead. This was going to be a long ride.
Guards were lined up on horseback on either side of the party. They rode with emotionless masks and a steady stance. The nobles were lined up two by two on horseback, as well. All together, they made a very regal-looking parade. Kel decided to strike up conversation with Thayet. She was jealous of her dress that made it look like it was almost comfortable to wear while riding not sidesaddle. "You majesty?" she inquired. "Thayet," the queen reprimanded softly. "Right. Thayet, may I inquire as to where you purchased that dress from? It looks lovely," stated Kel. And comfortable.
"It comes from Tortall, from the palace dressmaker who suited it to my current needs," Thayet explained, gesturing towards the saddle. "If you would like one, I could give your measurements to her once we go back to Tortall. The dressmaker is amazing. Her name is Lalasa," she offered. Kel couldn't help thinking if she was even going back to Tortall, what with her betrothed acting like she was a vile type of poison. Obviously, he hadn't talked to his parents about it yet. Kel nodded to the Queen. "I would love that," she exclaimed with a Yamani smile towards Thayet.
***
The ride progressed without much conversation; the Tortillans were marveling at the views of the Yamani Isles and Kel was thinking about the midday meal and how she was going to announce her big news.
When they finished their two hour long ride, everyone went to shower and get ready for the midday meal. Kel thought about what the right time to announce it would be, when it would have to most dramatic effect. She decided on right before dessert was served, so that she didn't seem too ambitious and so that people would have time to talk about it over dessert and she would be able to hear their discussions about it and their opinions on the idea.
Kel walked to the dinner hall, getting there early so the monarchs could see that she was serious about this. She put on a pleasant facade, despite the reason that she was doing this for and waited anxiously for her family and friends. And the Tortillans.
***
The meal was long and excruciating for Kel, but after the main course and the fruit were cleared away and she saw the dessert servers waiting for a signal from the Emperor, she nodded at the Emperor to signal that she was ready. They had agreed upon this earlier, right before the dessert. The Emperor put up a hand to stop the servers and stood up. Everyone stopped talking immediately and looked with confision at the Emperor. Kel never seized to be amazed at the power that their imperial majesties held in the palms of their hands. They were both standing and commanding everyone's attention with their stance. The Emperor announced that if everyone would give thier attention to Kel, please. Kel took a deep breath, paused and continued.
"My family, friends and the entire Tortillan Delegation, it is my pleasure to invite you all to a tournament that I have organized with their majesties," Kel indicated the four monarchs present. "It will consist of 6 rounds of elimination round robin in four categories. Swordfighting," at this Kel caught a smile starting on Sir Alanna's face, "hand-to-hand combat, archery and finally jousting," Kel declared smiling inside at the last one. Kel heard a murmur of excitement sweep through the nobles and decided to sit down after one last instruction: "Please use the sign up sheet by the practice courts to register in the tournament. Thank you."
The Emperor's hand waved at the door and in came the servers, carrying specialties prepared for the outcome of her announcement.
***
A/N: Thank you all for your reviews!! I'm sorry about the lateness of this chapter, but with school starting and everything I just didn't have time. I'M SO SORRY!! I'll try to update soon, but anyways, here is the promised long chapter! :D