Two mornings after discovering the charms, Kel found herself settled between Yuki and Shinko in a carriage heading into the city. The fact she wasn't walking down into the city and would be using the carriage in the city for distances had given Baird enough to clear her for the day. They would be back at the palace well before Kas had finished at the forge so there wasn't a chance he would arrive at the palace to find she wasn't there.
She hadn't intended to go anywhere until Shinko had come for her that morning just after dawn with written consent from Baird and a request that she accompany her into the city with a proper escort to visit Lalasa and do some other shopping. Feeling like it would be a nice gesture, Kel had donned a gown fitting to be in the Crowned Princess' company, and had painted her face. Seeing what she was doing, Shinko had left and returned with a gem studded silk net to catch her hair up in.
She hadn't been aware that Yuki was joining them but she hadn't been surprised to see her waiting in the carriage for them. They had ridden into the city in near comfortable silence with an escort squad from First Company flanking the carriage.
"Keladry, perhaps you can explain why my husband believes you are angry with him. He has started fussing over me again to occupy himself," Yuki broke the silence as they neared Lalasa's shop.
"Did he not tell you what he did?" She wasn't surprised that Neal wouldn't tell his wife what he had done to anger their friend. She was fairly certain Yuki wouldn't approve of his methods.
"He's being tight lipped about it which means it's likely something that he will need to grovel for forgiveness for," Yuki's eyes crinkled. "I enjoy when he has to grovel. I should start planning my list of tasks for forgiveness."
"You don't even know what he has done yet, Yuki," Shinko reminded her.
"That only affects the length of the list," Yuki commented. "Please, enlighten me to what my husband has done so I can make him wish he had never thought of it."
Kel told the story of that night from beginning to end with details while they exited the carriage and entered Lalasa's shop. She endured prying questions from both Shinko and Yuki about what exactly Kas had been doing with her while Lalasa blushed for her during Shinko's fitting and then through Yuki's fitting.
"So now you know what I meant by he'll kiss you like he wants you," Shinko told her, her eyes alight with a mischievous spark. "It seems he was only waiting for you to make the way clear for him."
"I shall have to discover where my husband keeps his half of those ridiculous charms and destroy them," Yuki patted her hand. "I won't let him ruin another night for you. I'll get him to remove them tonight before Kas visits."
"I'd rather just get rid of the damned charms without him knowing and make my locks Neal-proof," Kel sighed. "I'm sure if he knows they are gone he'll find some other way to check in and it may be more annoying than the last."
"You may be correct," Yuki sighed.
Kel turned the conversation away from her and Kas to what Lalasa was working on for the two ladies. With Yuki expecting a child she needed gowns that would accommodate a now growing stomach while Shinko was simply adding to her wardrobe as was fitting for a princess constantly in the public eye.
"Does My Lady also need a new gown?" Lalasa asked when the other two were nearly done.
"I'm still working through the gowns you gave me when I returned home," Kel assured Lalasa.
"Perhaps I shall take fresh measurements, just in case," Lalasa nodded to the pedestal for Kel to be measured. With a shake of her head, Kel went to do as she was bid. When it came to Lalasa and clothing for herself, she wouldn't win any battles. It was best to just let her work.
They left Lalasa's and loaded into the carriage again to visit several jewelers that were pleased to show their wares to the Crowned Princess and her companions. Kel caught herself staring several times at the extravagance of the pieces that were brought out for such an important guest. It all seemed far too excessive. She wasn't one for bright and flashy jewels and found herself drawn more to the pearl embellished pieces that didn't twinkle under the special mage lights while Shinko and Yuki gave their attention to diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds.
Several mage-made items, cosmetics, and perfumes were yet more stops on Shinko's list and Kel found herself sitting outside of the perfumers with the men of First Company to avoid the heavy floral scents of the shop.
"Most royalty tend to allow the shopping to come to them and not make us stand outside of shops in the hot summer sun," one of the men grumbled when more than a few minutes drifted by. Kel knew the man by social rank only. He was a younger son of one of the houses in the book of silver. He was one of the newer recruits that had come after First had returned from the border.
"It's good for her Highness to come down and see the people. Gives them a chance to see her and see she's a real person. Boosts morale of the shops here too when she makes a purchase where others can see," another man commented. Kel knew him for a Corus raised son of the middle classes and knew he had the right of it. Any shop could say they had sold to royalty but it was another to see it happening in person.
"Milady, you should sit. Captain Domitan would be upset if he heard we let you stand so long," the sergeant of the squad caught her attention and nodded to an empty bench that was in front of the shop.
"I wasn't aware you were reporting to Dom as well as your own captain," Kel raised an eyebrow at the sergeant as he gave her a sheepish smile.
"He approached me this morning in the mess when he heard we'd be escorting you for the day. He wanted to make sure you weren't allowed to push yourself too much." He nodded to the bench again. Kel rolled her eyes at Dom's protectiveness and took a seat to wait. She at least expected that sort of behavior from Dom. The morning before he had made sure she had a place to sit on the practice courts and had made sure he had Riley ready to order her to sit whenever he deemed that she had been standing too long.
Nearly half an hour later, Shinko and Yuki emerged from the shop and expressed interest in finding someplace to dine before they made their way back to the palace. Kel watched as Shinko picked out the man in the squad escorting them that came from Corus and asked his recommendation. He had waffled for a long moment before suggesting his own family's eating house.
Kel grinned openly at Shinko when they were tucked into the carriage once more. It had been a masterful move on Shinko's part to not only ask the man his recommendation but to be willing to grace his parents' eating house with her patronage. It was yet another way she was winning the loyalty of the men that were charged with protecting her. When Kel glanced out of the carriage window she saw the man in question riding ahead of the carriage away from them at a quicker pace. It was likely he was going to warn his parents of what he had done.
When they arrived at the eating house they were escorted inside and into a private room while the men that had ridden with them were accommodated in the main dining area. The food was good and the service they received was likely better than they gave anyone else but Shinko was unfailing in her praises.
By the time they were back in the carriage, Kel was ready to admit it was time to head back up to the palace. Despite the frequent breaks to sit, the climbing in and out of the carriage was a motion that pulled hard on her thigh and standing in the shops with Shinko and Yuki had her feeling her wound far more acutely. But it seemed they weren't done as the carriage came to a stop once more. Kel tucked the pain away behind her mask like a good Yamani and followed Shinko and Yuki out of the carriage to find they were in front of the Raven Armory.
"Roald's birthday is soon," Shinko commented quietly to Kel in Yamani. "I thought I'd have something fit for a king made. He doesn't really treat himself at all. I have no doubts you wish to see Kas while we are here, but I also would like your assistance too. It's one of the main reasons I asked you along. I know you have less interest in perfumes, cosmetics, and jewelry than I or Yuki do, but you understand him and you understand Tortallan swords better than I."
"Of course," Kel turned to bow to Shinko the proper Yamani way.
She followed Shinko and Yuki into the shop and watched as the crowd of customers parted for them. She recognized the clerk from previous visits that Shinko spoke with and acknowledged his bow of respect to her as she passed him following Shinko and Yuki into a small room with large, rounded table surrounded by comfortable chairs. A younger apprentice came in and bowed low to the three of them before placing cups and a pitcher of chilled juice on the table before running away.
"What do you know of Master Reeves?" Shinko asked Kel in Yamani when the apprentice was gone again. "The clerk said he would have him come to consult with us."
"He's one of the main Master swordsmiths here and my dealings with him have always been good. Kas works mostly for him," she explained.
"Good afternoon, your Highness, ladies," Master Reeves stepped in and bowed low to Shinko before stepping into the room. "I have one of my advanced journeymen joining me to give him experience in consultations and I would like to see if he would be willing to take the commission as I am already fairly booked. He is very talented and I assure you that you will not be disappointed."
"Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan assures me your judgment is sound," Shinko nodded to Kel and she saw Master Reeves turn in his seat to give her another small bow.
"I hope you are healing well, Lady Knight. Your injury was very distressing news here," Master Reeves gave her a smile. Kel doubted anyone other than Kas was distressed by her injury.
"As with all wounds, progress is slow," she admitted as he nodded.
The door opened again only a few quiet minutes later and Kel was only slightly surprised to see Kas drop into a low bow before even looking up. His clothes were clean of all soot and some of the nicer ones she had seen prior to Roald's gifting to him marking he had probably changed for the consultation and his hair was wet, showing he had cleaned himself up. His hands were wrapped around a notebook and a writing kit.
"Your Highness, this is Journeyman Lander," Master Reeves' mischievous grin did not go unnoticed by any of the women. When Kas rose his eyes fell on Kel and she saw the smile start to tug on his lips.
"Journeyman Lander, it's a pleasure to see you again," Shinko gave him a smile. "I believe you know my companions Lady Yukimi of Queenscove and Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan," Shinko's eyes danced with her own amusement.
"Your Highness," Kas bowed his head again before taking the open chair nearest to Kel. Kel wasn't sure it was fully about being next to her when she realized it placed him in a good place to see both Shinko and Master Reeves without slighting either of them. "I understand you are looking for something special for His Highness."
"For his birthday. I thought he might appreciate a blade fit for a king. Naturally, I could not think of a better place to bring my business." Shinko explained. "I am not as familiar with Tortallan weaponry so your advice would be appreciated, provided the Lady Knight agrees with your advice as well."
While Shinko spoke, Kas' hand brushed over Kel's knee enough for her to know it wasn't an accident. No one else at the table seemed to notice. As Shinko finished talking he gave her knee one good squeeze before he withdrew his hand out from under the table and opened his notebook and writing kit.
"Are you familiar with His Highness' kit? Is there something in particular he's lacking?" Kas inquired.
"His standard kit is complete but it is simple and standard. I thought perhaps something a little better for a long sword might be an appropriate gift," Shinko glanced at Kel and Kel nodded her approval of the plan. If Shinko wanted to give Roald something that he would wear for ceremony as well as find practical use in, it would be a long sword. But Kel wasn't exactly sure what Shinko had been thinking other than it was to be fit for a King.
"Cricket," she turned to Shinko and spoke in Yamani for privacy. "So I am clear and can give proper advice, what are you intending Roald use this sword for?"
"The King carries one at his hip to every banquet and uses it to knight those that survive the Chamber of Ordeal at Midwinter. I was thinking along those lines. Is that not proper?" Shinko's face remained blank.
"That is what I thought, but I wanted to be sure. It is very proper," Kel glanced at Master Reeves and Kas to find them looking intrigued rather than put off by their private conversation.
"I'd suggest something jeweled to set it aside from his standard kit, perhaps sapphires for his eyes," Yuki added in Yamani. "Along the hilt and perhaps request a more decorated sheath. Perhaps silver wire on the hilt instead of their traditional black to accent the royal colors."
"My companions make some excellent suggestions," Shinko switched back to Common to address the men. "A long sword would be exactly what I am looking for. I know it's not standard for the Raven Armory, but perhaps something a little more designed."
"We've done ceremonial blades," Master Reeves assured her. "They aren't our standard design but you've already pointed out you aren't looking for standard. Journeyman Lander is far less set in our ways to provide you with something you would be happier to see."
"Ceremonial but practical as well. Prince Roald is a knight and should be able to use the blade to defend himself at need," Kel turned to address Kas who nodded and began to sketch.
"I'd like to echo the Crown colors of silver and blue," Shinko announced. "Perhaps a silver wire hilt and sapphires somewhere."
"We can incorporate sapphires in the cross guards and pommel," Kas explained. "Perhaps not one large sapphire on the pommel but something like this," he turned to sketching a ball structure with sapphires encrusted around the outside of it. "We'd need to enlist the help of a jeweler but I doubt that would be a problem." He showed the sketch to Shinko and Master Reeves. "Silver or polished steel between them to match the silver wire."
For Kel, it was a different education watching Kas design something. He was quick with the thin piece of charcoal in his hand but precise in his drawing and notes. Listening to him work through a design that would please both Shinko as the giver and Roald as the receiver told Kel exactly why Master Reeves favored him. He wasn't only a master smith in his skill at the forge but also in his ability to conceptualize how to design something that would be practical and beautiful all at once. All he lacked was the official title from the guild.
"Keladry, Yukimi, your thoughts?" Shinko asked in Yamani when Kas had a completed design for them.
"It will be a spectacular blade that I doubt will find a rival in looks," Yuki commented.
"I'm thoroughly impressed and not because of who designed it. It will be a blade that will be passed down through generations," Kel admitted.
"Then it's perfect," Shinko turned to Kas and started to discuss timelines and costs. When it was settled and payment established, she stood and dipped a curtsey to Kas and then to Master Reeves. Master Reeves offered her an arm to steer out of the room and Yuki offered Kel a small wink as she followed them out, leaving Kel alone with Kas briefly.
"I thought you weren't allowed out of the palace," Kas murmured as he rose to stand when she did. "Is Sir Neal going to barge in here too when he discovers you're missing?"
"Her Highness had me cleared for the day so long as we took a carriage." Kel went to him when he opened his arms to her. He still smelled faintly of a strong soap as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm not certain it was the best idea."
"It pushed you too much." It wasn't a question but she nodded anyway. She hated admitting weakness, but she knew Kas wouldn't think less of her or get too protective of her. "Go rest, My Sweet Kel," he leaned down to press his lips to the top of her head. "I will be up to see you soon."
He let her go and she turned to follow where Shinko and Yuki had gone. They were waiting outside of the carriage for her and seemed surprised to see her so soon.
"You could have spent longer," Shinko informed her when Kel made to climb into the carriage.
"I will see him this evening," Kel reminded them. "And now he has a commission from the Crown to focus his attentions on." She brushed off any other comments not wanting to admit to any pain to them. It was shameful to not press through pain to any Yamani. It didn't matter that they had been in the Eastern Lands for over five years. Shinko and Yuki would always respect the Yamani culture between them and Kel preferred to do the same.
When they arrived back at the palace, Kel thanked Shinko and Yuki for the outing with a proper bow then escaped back to her rooms. The couch was nicely made up, telling her the maids had been in her rooms. They hadn't questioned the comforter and pillow on the couch, but instead had started making the couch up for her instead of the bed. She pulled off her shoes and limped into her bedroom to change into a pair of comfortable breeches and shirt. She dabbed at the face paint until it was mostly gone and then pulled the net out of her hair so she could rest comfortably. When she was satisfied that nothing would be remotely uncomfortable she sat on the couch and turned to ease her leg up next to her. Her wound gave a sharp sting as she settled it down straight.
"Kel?" Her door opened and she bit her lip to keep her frustration down. It was Neal. She hadn't locked the door, planning on Kas letting himself in later, but Neal hadn't knocked at all. He opened the door completely and stepped in. His eyes swept the room and then landed on her on the couch with her pillow and comforter. "You're sleeping on the couch?"
"I'm more comfortable out here right now," Kel replied evenly. It wasn't completely a lie. Physically it was less comfortable, but mentally, she felt better. "Can you at least pretend to respect me and knock before you barge into my rooms?"
"I do respect you," Neal grumbled as he walked over to her. Without asking he sat down on the floor next to the couch and made to pull her breeches down.
"Neal! Stop!" Kel batted his hands away. "I don't want to be poked and prodded, and I certainly don't need you pulling down my breeches without my consent."
"I can see pain is putting you in a lovely mood," he commented. "Yuki mentioned you might be hurting since that was all she could attribute your quick exit to. Let me see what I can do to ease it."
"I just need to rest my leg for a while, that's all," Kel murmured, laying her head back against the pillow.
"Resting it would be a good start. Letting a healer make sure there isn't more pain than necessary is another good step," his voice stayed even and his hand came up to rest on her shin. "May I take a look, please? Or I can go get my father if you'd prefer it not be me. I know you aren't happy with me. Dom was quick to express that he believes my actions were inappropriate as well, but you wouldn't listen. You need to wait until you are healed and then I want you to be completely sure. How well do you know this man? How can you be sure he isn't going to hurt you?"
"Neal, you were fine with him until there was a chance he might undress me. Something you happen to have no problem doing without my consent. At least Kas was asking permission from me." Kel felt Neal's hand come up off of her shin as he grimaced.
"I'll go get my father to come look you over," he stood and left the room, leaving the door still open an inch behind him.
Kel let out a groan as she forced herself to stand. Neal was one of her most thoughtful friends most of the time, but also her most thoughtless when it came to things like knocking, not undressing her without her consent when he was playing healer, or even closing the door behind him when leaving a room.
Baird came and went, assuring her the pain was normal with the amount of activity she had done in such a short time. He treated the wound once more but did nothing more to ease the aches. "Rest is the only thing I can tell you right now. If I pump too much Gift into something like this, healings might not be as effective when it comes to one that might save your life instead of ease a little pain."
Kel understood that much. It was the reason that Baird was taking it slow with her wound and only using small amounts of the Gift when it was necessary to ease the burns and help mend the muscle, veins, and skin. She was likely to heal stronger this way than with the Gift. There was no chance that muscle would build back too quickly and be weak when it was her own body doing the agonizingly slow process on its own. No amount of Gift would have taken away the scar or the bubbling and marks left by the spidren blood or she might have tried to convince him or Neal to do it.
When Baird left, she laid back on the couch to nap. She wanted to be good and rested to spend as much time with Kas as possible. But her nap was short lived as a quiet knock on her door and it cracking open alerted her to another visitor. To her surprise it was Kas, still dressed in the clothes from the consultation.
"When you said 'soon' I didn't realize it would be this soon," Kel told him with a smile when he closed the door and locked it behind himself.
"It wasn't going to be but I had this consultation today with a very important woman. Her commission comes first so I was out speaking with our normal jeweler and ordering the supplies I need for such fine work, like a special silver wire we don't have on hand that was requested." Kas explained. "When I returned to start work again, Master Reeves released me for the day, saying I only needed to scrub myself up once."
"Oh," Kel smiled at him. "I think you're brilliant. I never thought of designing cross guards like that to be so pretty but functional." She was rewarded for her praises with him coming to claim the seat under where her pillow was. He tossed the pillow to the floor and forced her to lay back on his lap while his fingers settled in her hair and started to stroke through the strands. It was something she had discovered was very relaxing over the past month with him.
"It was impressive hearing you speak in Yamani to her Highness and Lady Yukimi," he told her. "I knew you could, but it's different to hear it coming from you. I don't suppose you could tell me what you were saying? It's a little unnerving to have my first consultation be with the Crowned Princess and have her talking around me."
"It was nothing against you," Kel assured him. "She sprung the whole thing on me when we were already outside of the shop. I wanted clarification on what she wanted the blade to be used for. Yuki added her two coppers to how she thought it should be designed to better be for a King of Tortall." Kel shrugged and stared up at Kas. "Then at the end she wanted my opinion of your work before she committed."
"I must have done well for you to approve. You know enough about blades to know what's practical and what is overdesign," Kas kept stroking her hair. "Why are you sleeping on the couch and not the bed? Did you think I wouldn't find you if you were in the bedroom?" He teased, which prompted Kel to tell him what was under her mattress. "I'll feel sorry for his daughters when he has them," Kas sighed when she explained the purpose of the charms. "But that doesn't tell me why you are sleeping on the couch when you clearly would be in bed alone."
"I don't feel comfortable in that bed and I doubt I will until the charms go, somehow," she sighed. "He's got them stuck down with glue or some spell."
"Well, he'll get over it," Kas murmured. "I'd like to be able to lay with you and this couch is not big enough for that." Before she could ask what he meant he pushed her to a sitting position and stood up. He took the pillow first and disappeared into the bedroom before coming back to gather up her and the comforter. He cradled her against him as if she were only a small child. She had been carried before but never so easily by a man. Most found the weight of her muscle to be challenging, but Kas didn't even look remotely strained as he carried her back through the doorway and laid her carefully on the bed.
He went about the process of removing his shoes and stockings before he came to lay next to her much like he had the other night. Propped up on an elbow he leaned down over her and kissed her softly, his free hand adjusting the comforter over them before coming to rest on her stomach.
"I'd like to spend the evening with you, like this, if you would allow that," he murmured when he broke away. "Just this and no more."
"I'd like that, but it's barely even the middle of the afternoon," she pointed out. It was only a few hours after midday. She knew she needed to rest her leg and would likely have to stay in bed or on the couch for the rest of the day, but she doubted Kas wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in bed. It wasn't practical.
"I'm making up for the other night. I shouldn't have left but I was frustrated," he sighed and bent down to press his lips against her clothed shoulder. "Let Sir Neal come and tell me that you don't deserve to be held while you rest." Then his lips came up to meet hers once again.
It took Kel until dinner to realize that Neal hadn't come knocking again, hadn't come bursting through her door, and hadn't made a point to try and separate them. Part of her was sure that he wasn't around where he kept his half of the charms if he hadn't come down, but most of her hoped it was him choosing to respect her judgment.
Even if Neal had come, she doubted he could truly find fault with Kas. His hands stayed outside of her clothing mostly around her hips, stomach, or waist while they laid in bed and talked or grew bored of talking and took a break to kiss. Often his hands stayed even above the covers.
When a servant arrived with dinner for the two of them, Kas refused to let her out of the bed, demanding she stay resting while he went to retrieve the food from the sitting room. Kel only made a point to suggest the table might be more suited for eating but Kas ignored her and brought everything to sit on the bedside table.
They finished eating and then Kel noticed one more thing sitting on her bedside table that hadn't been there before Kas had brought their meals back. It was a small box with a bit of ribbon tied around it. When Kas noticed where her gaze was, he blushed and handed it to her.
"I told you the other night that I had something for you," he murmured when the box was in her hands. Kel stared down at the box in her hands unsure of what to do. Cleon had never given her a gift outside of midwinter. She didn't want to appear greedy by being hasty in opening it but she didn't want him to take her hesitance for avoidance either. Suddenly Kas' warm hands were around hers, helping to remove the ribbon and open the box for her to see what was inside. The box held a bracelet made of thin, flat, silver bars twisting to look like vines twining around the wrist. The bracelet itself wasn't a complete circle but Kel could see how it would likely bend to stay on the wrist. "I'm no hand at jewelry but the apprentices at the jeweler we use are very willing to take scrapes we bring them to practice their skills." He took the bracelet from the box and slipped it around her wrist, giving it a firm squeeze to bend it to stay. "It should tighten and loosen without weakening the metal."
"Thank you, Kas. It's beautiful," she managed to murmur out. No one had ever given her jewelry before. It was likely that no one ever believed she wanted it. There was nothing more she could say that wasn't redundant but Kas didn't seem to mind. He simply removed the box and ribbon from the bed and inched back under the covers with her.
"Still hurting?" He asked, his hand drifting down to her hip to indicate her injury.
"Less now that I've rested a while. Are you allowing me out of the bed?" She asked wondering if he was finally sick of just lying around.
"No," he nuzzled her. "I like you right here. I just want to know you are feeling better." He shifted to put an arm under her neck, wrapped it around her shoulder, and pulled her in closer until she had to rest her head against his chest. His other hand wrapped around her waist, holding her against him.
She shifted her head to be more comfortable and found his heart beating just under her ear. The hand he had under her neck and around her shoulders was entangling in her hair, running through it. Between the comfortable warmth of Kas' body against and around hers, the soothing feeling of his hand stroking through her hair, and the consistent sound of his heartbeat under her ear Kel found herself relaxed enough to start to doze off.
