Don't have much to say but enjoy anyway.
It was very hard for Kairi to see Sora's family leave, but the time had come. Unbeknownst to her, the family had discussed leaving in stages, but when all was said and done, it was decided that a mass exodus was best.
Kairi new she would miss them all, but Aerith's absence was especially going to pain her. She had been with them at Twilight Crest for so long that Kairi found herself asking just how she was going to handle her departure. If the tears clogging her throat were any indication, she was not going to enjoy it at all.
She was in deep conversation with that very woman as Sora, just yards away in the courtyard, spoke with his mother and brothers.
"Plan
to come again in the spring."
"Kairi's birthday?" Bell
guessed correctly.
"Yes," Sora went on. "We will have a tourney and celebrate my wife's eighteenth years in a style befitting her."
No one could stop the smiles over the way Sora had said my wife. It was a delight to watch his live of her blossom. They talked on for some minutes while Aerith and Kairi had their time.
"You'll
come again soon?"
Aerith hugged her. "Of course I will. You
could come to see me as well."
Kairi's eyes widened, and Aerith laughed. It was clear that the younger girl had never considered this.
"Oh,
Kairi," Aerith now turned earnest; "I can't begin to express
what you have done for me."
Kairi smiled. "Not I, Aerith, God
alone."
"Yes," the new believer agreed. "God alone. I like
that, Kairi. I will remember to walk with God alone."
Kairi
hugged her again.
"I still have so many questions," she told Kairi after a moment.
"And you will find the answers, Aerith. Of that I'm sure. And don't forget Michael. He will be searching as well."
As if he'd heard his name, that young man joined them.
"I can see that Mother is going to cry halfway home." Michael voice was light, and Aerith teased him right back.
"Oh, I don't know; I might cry all the way."
Michael gave her a comical look of horror and then thanked Kairi solemnly.
"I hope you will visit often," she told him. "And bring your mother."
"I will plan on it," he said and bent to kiss her cheek.
The other gathered now, and soon all were exchanging last-minute hugs before riding on their way.
The courtyard seemed empty without them, and Kairi's heart was heavy. In truth, she wished she could go to her room and have a good cry.
The idea was temping, but she Kairi suddenly remembered that she had lost some of her privacy upon her marriage. Having to enter through Sora's room was at times something of a hindrance.
"Will you be all right?" Sora asked of her when the dust of the inner keep had begun to settle.
"I am not sure," she answered honestly.
Sora put a gentle arm around her shoulders, but when she stiffened he immediately withdrew. It was clear that she wanted to mourn on her own. Still, he cared and wanted her to know this.
"I
shall be at the training fields if you need me."
"Thank you,
Sora," Kairi told him, and watched as he turned and walked away in
the morning sun.
(&)
The first day of November was upon them when a missive came from the king. The king wished to see both Sora of Twilight Crest and his bride of six weeks. Kairi nearly panicked.
"Why would he wish to see us? We have done as he asked."
"Kairi," Sora tried to reassure her. "There is nothing to fear. As you stated, we have done as he asked; he merely wants to see us."
"But Sora, he's the king."
"He
is but a mouse, Kairi, and no one to be feared."
She tried to
calm the frantic beating of her heart, but it was with an effort. The
missive asked that Sora present himself in one week, which left Kairi
little time is she had nothing appropriate to wear. Kairi turned
suddenly from her husband and started way.
"Where
are you going?"
"To check on my clothing." And yours!
Kairi suddenly thought. She turned back. "Have you something to
wear, Sora?"
He hid a smile. "I'm sure I have several
suitable choices."
Kairi nodded absently and continued on her
way. Sora said something, but she didn't attend. It was all too
sudden.
However, as Kairi climbed the stairs a bright spot appeared on the horizon. Aerith lived in the area, and Sora was sure to plan a visit.
(&)
Kairi had been to the magical kingdom many years ago and had enjoyed it immensely. She thought she might enjoy it once again, but her nerves were so rattled that she saw little as they rode toward the king's residence after a long day on the road.
Kairi
had never known such disappointment as to find out that they were
expected to stay at the Castle. Sora promised her a visit to Aerith's
before they returned to Twilight Crest, but Kairi, wishing she could
see a familiar face; felt very let down that it could not be
sooner.
The castle was grand, but Kairi felt little elation as
they entered. She was tired and dirty, and more than anything desired
a bath and bed. She knew that her servants felt the same way, and if
it had been possible to ask a fairy godmother to be back at Twilight
Crest, Kairi could have done so.
"Good evening, my lord. Good evening, my lady," a guard intoned as he met them in the vast foyer. "I will show you to your rooms. The king dines in an hour and requests your presence."
Sora nodded, having clearly expected this, but Kairi could have wept. With the late hour, it was inconceivable to her that the king had still not eaten. She and Sora had not taken refreshment either, but Kairi was too tired to care.
Gaining their rooms took some time as they walked down one massive hallway after another, but they were finally in their own suite. Mrs. Potts was unpacking for Kairi, but Sora soon joined them and dismissed Kairi's faithful lady with a nod.
"Will you be all right?" It seemed this was all Sora asked her of late.
"It seems that I have little choice to be anything else."
"On the contrary, if you are not dong well, I will make your regrets to Mickey."
"You can't do that!" Kairi was horrified, and Sora actually laughed.
"Kairi, he is no monster. Indeed, he is a mouse who likes to have his way, but if you are tired he will understand."
Kairi stood and tried to reckon with all that had occurred. She drew a huge breath and let it out slowly.
"I will join you. I am tired, but not overly so, and I do not thing I will sleep at all if I must wait until morning to meet the king."
Sora smiled at her pluck but wasn't at all surprised. The Kairi he knew rose to every occasion. "I'll call for you shortly."
"I'll
be ready."
Thirty minutes later Kairi was as good as her word.
Her wimple in place, she was a vision in navy blue and gold when Sora
came for her. Since she'd taken some time to pray, her face was
serene. She took Sora's offered arm, and fortunately for Kairi, he
began a conversation meant to soothe.
"I
really preferred it when you wore your hair down."
"You did?
You never told me that before."
"I'm telling you now."
"Well, I'm a married woman now. It's not proper for my hair to hang long."
"Says
who?"
"Well," Kairi faltered. "Everyone."
"Umm."
Sora sounded clearly skeptical. "I guess I'll go along with it
while we are here, but I am the final say at Twilight Crest, and when
we get home, you can do away with your wimples."
"Why, Sora,
that's outrageous! It's not proper, I tell you."
"And who
says we need to be proper all the time? It's probably 'everyone'
again."
Kairi smiled at his teasing, but realizing that he was
quiet serious about wanting her hair down. Indeed, it was a good ting
she did not know. It would have left them arguing when they reached
King Mickey's massive dining hall.
"The Earl and Countess of Twilight," the foot man announced in a thundering voice as Sora and Kairi stood on the threshold.
As they stepped forward, Sora felt Kairi's hand tighten on his arm, and he spoke to her in a soft, reassuring voice.
"You will do me proud, Kairi. You have nothing to worry about."
"What if I say the wrong thing?"
"You won't."
He sounded so confident that Kairi felt reassured. Her chin rose slightly as they walked across the huge tile floor, and when she saw a group of women watching her handsome husband with appreciative eyes, she smiled with great pride.
Mickey was in a group against one wall, and Sora moved slowly in that direction. It had been years since they'd seen one another, but Mickey recognized him. Sora knew some pride of his own when Mickey broke away and came toward them. Kairi curtsied low, and Sora bowed when the king stopped a few feet before them.
"Welcome, Sora," Mickey spoke, his voice high and joyful.
"Thank you, my lord. If it pleases your highness, my I present my wife, Lady Kairi of Hollow Bastion."
"Hello Kairi. Welcome to my home."
"Thank you, your grace. I am honored at your hospitality."
The king smiled. He had heard that Namine's younger sister could not hold a candle to that blonde beauty, but Mickey found her lovely and very charming. It passed trough his mind that she might also be a deceitful as Namine, but then he warned himself not to judge too swiftly.
"I
would like to meet with you tomorrow, Sora."
"Yes, my
lord."
"Afternoon. Two o' clock."
"Certainly."
With
that, the king moved off. Kairi stood in shock.
"That's
all there is to it?"
Sora's grin was lopsided. "Well, that's
all there is for you. I must still meet with Mickey tomorrow."
"Are
you nervous?"
"No. curious, but not afraid."
Kairi was
amazed at his calm. She did not know what she would have done without
him.
They circulated some, and Kairi met other lords and ladies, but it wasn't long before they were seated separately for dinner. Kairi found herself seated among men and women she did not know, but who had obviously been to court before.
Kairi did a lot of smiling and nodding, but because she was not comfortable with the way the mentioned different people who were not in attendance and systematically tore them apart, she didn't have much to say. It was one of the longest meals of her life an hour after the meal ended; she had still not seen Sora.
But God was taking care of her. Two older women had come to peak with her. They were not among the women she had dined with, and Kairi found real companionship with them. One was Lady Daisy, who was a lady in waiting and the others was Lady Miny Mouse, wife of the King. They seemed genuinely interested in her, and within moment Kairi was confidently sharing with them. She soon learned that both were old enough to be her mother, but it didn't seem to matter. They chatted freely and without restraint, and Kairi detected no malicious intent in either woman.
Some 20 minutes later the threesome, who had been speaking near one of the hearts, moved from the head that was when Kairi heard the voice. Her footsteps lagged, and she finally came to a halt.
"Kairi?"
Lady Daisy spoke. "What it is?"
"That voice," Kairi said.
Both women stared at her. The room was so noisy that it was barely possible to make out any one voice, but Kairi looked certain.
"What voice. "Lady Miny asked.
Kairi's head turned slowly until she spotted a tall, well-built, red-haired man just a few feet away. Kairi stared at him, listening to his every world as though mesmerized. She was suddenly back in the forest on the awful night she had been ambushed.
We lost men tonight over a trunk full of homespun rags! There's nothing here but some good horse flesh. Let's ride.
"That's him," Kairi said, her voice still soft.
"Who, Kairi?"
"He's
the one." Kairi's voice was louder now. "The man who helped
killed my father's men and stole my father's horses."
Everyone
within ten feet stopped and stared. Kairi took no notice. She was
still watching the young lord when he turned burning eyes in her
direction and stared at her. A burning heat ran all over Kairi. She
wanted to cry Sora's name, but she was too frightened to move or
speak.
The crowd that had grown so silent all began to speak at once. The nose was so overwhelming that Kairi began to tremble from head to foot. A moment passed, or maybe an hour, Kairi couldn't tell. She felt a hand on her arm and someone calling her name, but everything was receding.
Kairi slid into unconsciousness long before she realized that the hand holding her, and the voice calling her name belonged to the one she hand wanted to call for just moments before.
I am not done with the next chapter yet so you will have to wait. Please R&R.
