Disclaimer: I do not own Tortall, or any of the Tamora Pierce characters- obviously. Only characters a hard core fan doesn't recognize are mine- IE Aaurie, Branic and Illean.
AN: For Sphinx, Hixy and Blipchan- I don't consider it a good chapter until you guys tell me so! And for glassmaiden and southernbelle- glad you had as much fun reading as I did writing! You guys are all awesome!
Not much happens in this chapter, but I wanted to get something up for you guys and writers block would have made that take forever! I've had the first several pages done for a while and was stalling until I wrote enough to really make it an eventful chapter...but I give up! So here's chapter 37 to tide you over while I try to beat my poor muse until something good pops out!
Alanna half wanted to laugh as she ushered Aaurie back to their shared room. Alanna noted that Aaurie seemed almost speechless, caught completely off guard by her godson's display.
"Young men can be so, well, smug sometimes," Alanna tried, holding back a laugh. Aaurie's face was blank as she sat down at the corner of the bed, fiddling with the dresses she'd left unpacked and spread over the coverlet.
"I shouldn't have gone marching in there- I certainly didn't want to see that," Aaurie admitted with a small shudder. Her cheeks were flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and shock. Alanna watched her for a moment before sitting down next to her.
"Are you alright dear? I know it's been, well, a rough few months for you and you haven't really had the chance to talk to anyone about…what happened," Alanna whispered, resting her hand gently on Aaurie's shoulder.
"There's nothing to talk about," Aaurie replied, sounding almost confused. Alanna knit her brow.
"Aaurie, something awful happened. And it wasn't your fault, but you do need to work through it," Alanna half cooed.
"Alanna, really, I'm fine," Aaurie smiled weakly. "Just embarrassed about making such a scene."
"Well, if you ever change your mind…" Alanna sighed, standing up. "Let's get this dress on then shall we?"
---
Aaurie sat down between Kel and Alanna, settling herself in and trying to focus in on the conversations already in progress around her. Aiden and Raoul were talking about strategic placement of troops and different formations in battle; Thom, Neal and Liam were rambling about different university scholars that Aaurie had never heard of.
After catching a few strings of profanity and broken Common from the guests around them Aaurie decided to tune out everyone not at their table.
"Hmm?" Aaurie asked, realizing that Neal was waiting for an answer to a question she'd not heard.
"I asked how your leg was doing," Neal smirked.
"Oh it's been much better thank you," Aaurie mumbled, absently forking a piece of potato and nibbling on it.
"I see you managed the dress just fine," Liam grinned. Thom elbowed him while Alanna glared.
"Lady Alanna had to help- I swear I won't ever sort these things out," Aaurie shrugged, trying to ignore the Prince's obvious joke at her expense.
"Is the Gallan style so different from your own milady?" Aiden asked, curious as to why she seemed to have such trouble with the garments.
"Oh, no- no, they seem similar enough. I just don't usually-" Neal cut her off suddenly, making a small face in her direction.
"While at court the ladies normally have servants to assist them in dressing- court dresses can be rather complex as you know. Aaurie must not have realized how much harder it was to do without the usual assistance," Neal interjected.
Aaurie almost opened her mouth to retort, not liking being thought of as some stuck up noble woman, but she realized that it was necessary that she, Alanna and Kel be perceived as court ladies to avoid offending the less accepting Gallan men.
"I will see to it you ladies have the proper assistance when we reach the capital- the Prince would be most displeased to see his guests in discomfort," Aiden declared.
"That is most kind of you sir Aiden," Alanna said with a smile while Aaurie simply used her hand to cover her embarrassed face. Aaurie nodded, trying not to groan at the fuss this was likely to cause.
"Do you miss Tortall already then milady? Does it trouble you to be here?" Aiden asked, mistaking her flustered face.
"Oh! No, no of course not. Well, yes I mean- but no I…" Aaurie groaned, unable to come up with the correct response. "I miss Tortall of course, the palace and the forts were my first real home- but I am quite glad to be here."
"Very diplomatic answer for someone so young," Aiden smiled choosing to ignore her initial stuttering.
"How old are you, if you don't mind milady?" Aaurie was surprised as this question came from one of Aiden's men, Lord Roth if she remembered correctly.
"Oh, sixteen," Aaurie answered picking at a piece of bread while she pushed her food around the plate.
"You're so young! Surely your parents were hesitant to allow you to leave your home?" Aiden asked, alarmed. He also looked at Neal, wondering if perhaps the older man had lied about not having a relationship with the girl. It seemed highly suspect that so young a girl would travel with such a group.
"His highness thought that Aaurie would make a good addition to the party despite her age- given her Scanran heritage," Neal interjected, fearing that Aaurie would give the wrong answer.
"Certainly, I didn't mean any offense," Aiden smiled with a small nod.
"I'll be seventeen at the end of the month anyway," Aaurie grumbled at Neal.
"You'll be having your birthday here in Galla then! Great luck to have a birthday during the great fair!" Aiden laughed, clapping his hands together like an excited child. "We'll have to have the palace staff plan something."
"Oh, please don't bother," Aaurie tried, not wanting to make even more of a fuss.
"No bother at all! The prince is used to his father's overindulgences, and while he often refuses such events in his honor, he- like myself, loves the chance to plan for others!"
"Why Aiden my boy- you're starting to sound like a Tortallan woman, any excuse for a party!" Raoul laughed, making Aiden grin.
"It's quite likely that they'll be a grand party for your arrival- they've had plenty of time to plan since we received final word from your king that you'd be coming," one of Aiden's fellow lords drawled, receiving a covert glare from Aiden.
"Perhaps," Aiden huffed; hinting that the lord had just ruined what he'd thought would be a grand surprise.
"Plotting against us folks who hate parties then Aiden? And here I thought we were friends!" Raoul garnered chuckles from around the table, his dislike of social gatherings quite notorious.
"You'll all love it I'm sure," Aiden insisted. "Just tell them you're happily married Raoul- that ought to keep the plotting mothers at bay."
Raoul let out a deep, barrel of a laugh.
"They've got them in Galla too then? Well, I count myself quite lucky to find myself married in that case," Raoul chuckled.
"What about the rest of us lads then Raoul? Us that ain't so lucky as to have a woman like Buri back home?" Higgins barked over the din of the room.
"I submit you to meddling mothers! Keep you lads on your toes," Raoul smiled.
"Kel, darling- dearest, be my protection against these meddling women that would throw their lovely daughters at me," Dom exaggerated, fawning over Kel's fingers. "Save me from the ravages of these young women who can't help but be attracted to me- so ruggedly handsome and charming and…"
"Full of himself?" Neal asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Oh hush meathead, what would you know?" Dom snapped, childishly sticking out his tongue.
"Sorry Dom, won't do it. Besides, you could meet the future Mrs. Meat for Brains," Kel replied coolly, venom evident in her normally kind voice. Those close enough to have heard it, including Dom, looked taken aback.
"Kel- can I have a word outside?" Dom asked finally, his face serious and sad. Kel half growled, half sighed; throwing down her napkin and striding towards the door, Dom leaping up to follow.
"How long have they been carrying on like this? You think they'd figure it out and just get together already!" Aiden murmured.
Half the occupants of the table laughed outright while others fought to muffle themselves with napkins. Higgins, whose mouth was full of food, managed to keep from choking but just barely.
"Oh, I like you lad," Raoul grinned.
The group settled in to eating their meals, chatting casually between bites.
"You were saying that Lady Aaurie was your student Nealan?" Aiden asked, trying to make conversation after a few moments of polite silence between courses.
"Yes, his Highness thought it would be prudent to continue her education while we were away," Neal replied, his answer rehearsed but casually delivered.
"And what are her studies? Certainly you are not teaching her embroidery or dancing," Lord Embric asked, his tone bored and sarcastic.
"Mathematics and logistics, literature- supplementing her court education really," Neal responded seeming slightly flustered by the questions.
"Fascinating- most of our ladies couldn't be bothered with actual mathematics. Forgive me for speaking ill, but most seem content to simply look pretty," Aiden responded intrigued.
"Yes, well, Tortall has a history of ambitious women. King Jonathan is quite dedicated to letting the women of our realm reach their full worth," Raoul admitted to his new friend.
"I am fascinated by your King- the Crown Prince can't seem to get enough news and stories from your kingdom and often regales us all with the tales. Galla has never been quite as progressive, but there is some hope that the Prince will help bring us forward," Aiden replied.
"We'd heard so little of your Prince before arriving- there wasn't much information readily available," Raoul told Aiden. Aiden nodded, swallowing a mouthful of food.
"The Prince spent several years traveling- most recently he spent a year or so at the University of Carthak. Until he became ill no one really expected the King to leave the throne any time soon so the Prince made himself rather content exploring on his own."
"I like a good military man myself, but Neal and Thom here are university men and they're not so bad," Raoul shrugged. Aiden laughed.
Raoul and Aiden chatted happily, Neal watched with amusement noting that if Raoul ever had a son he'd want one like Aiden. The younger man and Raoul seemed to be a matched pair, trading stories, jokes and battle formations.
Thom and Liam were trading hushed whispers, the rest of the men had shifted towards the bar and Aaurie sat silently picking at her desert.
"Mithros Dom! Leave me alone!" Aaurie and Neal both jumped, hearing Kel's angry declaration. The lady knight all but flew up the stairs, a flustered Dom following after her.
"I should go check on them," Neal sighed, excusing himself from the table.
Aaurie watched a small minstrel group set up and began playing, much to the delight of the half drunk crowd. Aaurie laughed as Thom was snatched up by a small, giggling brunette and dragged to the main floor to dance.
"Would you like to dance?" Aaurie jumped, twisting to look up at Liam.
"I, uh, I don't know- I'm not very good," Aaurie stuttered.
"It's alright- everyone looks pretty drunk any way," Liam smiled.
"If you say so your highness," Aaurie replied politely, standing up and letting him lead her to the floor.
As they grew closer to the large group of rowdy soldiers and the inn's residents Aaurie began to grow warm, her breath hitching slightly.
"You alright?" Liam asked, noticing her hesitation. Aaurie gave him a small smile before letting him pull her into place.
"You don't know the dance do you?" Aaurie said after a moment, realizing that Liam seemed to be improvising steps. He laughed, then snorted as Aaurie stepped on his foot accidently.
"No, but I never said I did. Everyone is enjoying themselves too much to notice our missteps anyway," Liam reasoned. He watched Aaurie for several moments, dancing in silence. Her face was drawn up in concentration and anytime someone passed behind her she'd jump or flinch.
"Mind if I cut in?" Aaurie nearly jumped into Liam, squeaking in surprise.
"If you value your feet you'd probably be better off with someone else," Liam told the man, his voice joking but his face stern.
When Liam turned his attention back to the squire he could only frown. Aaurie was shaking, suddenly overwhelmed by the loud din of the room and the constant movement of people all around her.
"Come on, let's get you outside," Liam decided, pulling her towards the door.
--
"Better?" Liam whispered. Aaurie shivered but nodded. The pair perched on a nearby fence facing away from the busy inn. "You alright?"
Aaurie didn't respond, staring out at the dark instead. Liam reached out to place his hand on her back, alarmed when Aaurie yelped and jumped from the fence. Aaurie tried to control her breathing as she stood in front of the surprised prince, grasping for words to apologize for her rude behavior.
"I'm sorry, I, sorry…" Aaurie flushed, flushing red. Liam watched her without answering.
"What's wrong?" Liam asked finally, his voice stern but caring. Liam had never been one to have deep conversations with his conquests, but he did have sisters and talked to them quite often; he'd found that women often needed a bit of prompting before they'd fully open up.
"I just don't know how to make it better- all I can do is ignore it right?" Aaurie asked blankly. Liam watched her, noting that she didn't seem to be talking to him specifically, just thinking out loud.
"I'm not really sure what you're talking about, but in my experience, ignoring it doesn't really help- just makes it worse later," Liam tried, wondering what exactly she was referring to- perhaps her leg injury. "Wounds are meant to be healed, ignoring just prolongs the pain."
Aaurie nodded but began to cry, unsure where the sudden rush of emotion was coming from. Liam frowned rushing forward.
"Are you okay? Is your leg hurting- do you need Neal?" Liam asked, panicked. Above all things he hated when women cried, more so when they were women like his mother or godmother Alanna- women who rarely cried.
"I'm fine," Aaurie choked, then shook her head. "No, no I'm not. Mithros how did everything get so broken?"
"I, well, I don't know. But broken- broken, that means it can be fixed right?" Liam tried helplessly.
"If I was more like Alanna, or Kel- it wouldn't have happened to begin with," Aaurie whispered. She felt empowered by the fact that Liam had no idea what she was referring to- she could talk and not worry about him judging her.
"I think you're a lot like Kel and Alanna- you don't care what people say, you know what you want and you are fighting for it. Did you know that Alanna and my father were a thing for a while? Or that Kel was on probation as a page? There's more to their story than people think. You don't have to be perfect to be a knight."
Aaurie gave him a small smile, laughing through her tears.
"You have no idea what I'm on about do you?" Liam shook his head, laughing. "And you're still trying to come up with advice?"
"I never said I was good at this kind of thing," Liam chuckled. Aaurie nodded.
"Thanks anyway?" Aaurie replied, wiping her face. Liam watched her for a moment debating his next question.
"Is it, I mean…you and Owen? I heard things got a little weird between you two- is that it?" Liam tried. Aaurie snorted.
"No- not completely. I just- the rumors and the whispering behind my back, everyone wants me to fail. I wonder if people are really so cruel, or if it's me- I bring it out in them," Aaurie wondered. Garvey was a knight of the realm after all- he couldn't be all bad if he made it past the Chamber, so maybe it was her fault.
"People change when they come across something new- they get frightened and they react. My mother says you don't know the real person until you've seen them afraid or in front of the new. It's not your fault- with Alanna and Kel you think they'd just get used to it by now," Liam thought out loud.
"I guess it's good you have no idea what we're talking about- you actually give good advice," Aaurie smiled. Liam grinned down at her, happy to see that she'd stop crying even though her eyes were still a bit red.
"Glad to help then," Liam replied with a small bow.