Emma's Viewpoints
Emma fanned herself nervously. She was dressed in a grey silk tunic with green leggings and a surcoat, which was the usual dress for a female warrior while in Court.
She stood in a dressing room at the top of the Great Stairs into the main ballroom. The King had decided that she was to be introduced at court, properly, so here she was.
Nervously she fingered the intricate silver on the hilt of her Gallan dirk. A dirk was the longest blade that commoners were permitted to carry, and as a spy, she couldn't proclaim to all the world her nobility.
The baron George, now her commander, was presenting her at court. The world accepted that since Emma's father was dead and her mother died last year, Alanna and George could foster her.
As a last minute check, she buttoned the small grey pearls that kept her kid gloves on, checked the mirror one last time, and left the dressing room.
Amice stood outside, dressed in crimson shirt and hose with a gold tunic. She wouldn't be introduced until she was knighted.
Emma cursed that tradition dictated she had to wear slippers, and a veil, and Amice didn't. She stuck her tongue out at her stepsister. It's my own fault about the surcoat, Emma thought. I could have stayed on as a page, but no.
Emily stepped out from a hall in the other direction, looking nervous. Emily had it the worst. Emma grinned as her sister's gown nearly tripped her up.
"Stupid skirt." Emily muttered. Emma raised an eyebrow and contained a laugh. For someone able to hang off rafters on a tavern, and a better lock-pick than George himself, Emily looked like she might trip over her braid.
Last to arrive was George. He grinned at the three of them, Emma and Amice aiding Emily, who had her petticoat stuck around her foot.
Emma tried not to laugh. "A fine picture of a noble lady you are, Emmy."
Emily cocked her head to one side. "Maybe we should have Emelia act as a stand-in."
George shook his head. "I thought looking alike was bad enough. Why do your names have to be all alike?"
"We had a very cruel and unusual mother."
The petticoat came unstuck and the chief herald beckoned to them. Emma steeled herself and composed her features into a vaguely smiling mask.
One of the doors swung open. Emma and her sister took either of George's arms. "Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop." the herald decreed as they walked forward. "His foster daughters. Emily of Silvertree and Pirate's Swoop, King's Courier. Emma of Silvertree and Pirate's Swoop, messenger to the king, member of the Cold Mountain Unicorns, Nobles of the Realm of Tortall."
Emma heard the titter that went up as she was intoduced. Three years she had caused an uproar at court by being immortal. She had left, for good, or so she thought.
She bowed, made observances to the king, and at last was free to look for Laylia'sassaultant.
It was infuriating; there were half a dozen men who fit Laylia's description. Emma sighed and split up with Emily, passing her a spelled glass from their Gifted sister. Theoretically, they should be able to see the unmagic through Emelia's glass circles.
The king and queen were about to retire when the two sisters met up again.
"It's no use." Emily said disgustedly. "There's no way that we can spot him cold,or walk along holding a piece of glass to your face. We're going to have to look for him later."
Emma agreed, and after saying goodnight to George, they left. Almost at their rooms, they turned a corner into a dark corridor, and before they knew it, they saw nothing. The last thing Emma felt was her head hitting rock as the unmagic closed over her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Emma blinked. The world was fuzzy. She squinted and a pair of feet came into focus. She was lying on the floor, and Emily was beside her.
Laughter rang through the room, bouncing off vaulted walls. Emma saw a woman get off a chair placed in the center of the room. She looked like a mercenary; her face was scarred, and a battered cutlass hung at her side. "Well, don't you look a pretty sight." the woman jeered.
"Well, if I'm being compared to you, I guess I must be something worse than a rat." Emma shot back. Emily wasn't moving; that scared her.
The woman's face twisted with hate. "When the master's done with you, I'll personally rip your gut open. Nobody insults me and gets away with it."
"And where is your great master?" Emma asked.
"Oh, he'll come soon enough."
Emma laughed as Emily stirred. "Then your master must be a coward, not to face me when I'm awake." she reached her hand to her belt purse, which still contained her mage's kit. Her dirk and Emma's dagger lay a few feet away. Fumbling, she found her dowser. Touching an opal, Emma called on her power.
A bubble of power appeared around the. "Cut me loose." Emma ordered the woman. "Maybe then I'll tell the chamberlain that you cooperated."
Fear flickered across the woman's face. "All right." she moved to Emily and unsheathed her cutlass. Emma watched her, face stony. "Cut her loose."
In just a second, the woman's cutlass moved up to Emily's throat. "You're much to trusting. Now stop it or I cut her throat."
Panic flashed in Emma's mind. Emily was one of the best friends she had ever had, and was her sister. Reluctantly, she let her sheild drop. The woman slowly reached out and put a collar on her, one with dampener spells.
Emma let her shoulders droop. This idiot thought that a simple damper collar would stop her magic, like the Gift.
With a yell of triumph the woman slit Emily's throat. Blood blossomed on the collar of her green silk evening dress.
Something akin to rage happened. Without thinking, Emma blasted the woman with her magic, knocking her against the wall. If it wasn't for the damper collar she would have incinerated her bones until only ash was left. The clatter of footsteps from far off alerted her. Emma grabbed the weapons, Emily's body, and went into the Divine Realms.
Emma fanned herself nervously. She was dressed in a grey silk tunic with green leggings and a surcoat, which was the usual dress for a female warrior while in Court.
She stood in a dressing room at the top of the Great Stairs into the main ballroom. The King had decided that she was to be introduced at court, properly, so here she was.
Nervously she fingered the intricate silver on the hilt of her Gallan dirk. A dirk was the longest blade that commoners were permitted to carry, and as a spy, she couldn't proclaim to all the world her nobility.
The baron George, now her commander, was presenting her at court. The world accepted that since Emma's father was dead and her mother died last year, Alanna and George could foster her.
As a last minute check, she buttoned the small grey pearls that kept her kid gloves on, checked the mirror one last time, and left the dressing room.
Amice stood outside, dressed in crimson shirt and hose with a gold tunic. She wouldn't be introduced until she was knighted.
Emma cursed that tradition dictated she had to wear slippers, and a veil, and Amice didn't. She stuck her tongue out at her stepsister. It's my own fault about the surcoat, Emma thought. I could have stayed on as a page, but no.
Emily stepped out from a hall in the other direction, looking nervous. Emily had it the worst. Emma grinned as her sister's gown nearly tripped her up.
"Stupid skirt." Emily muttered. Emma raised an eyebrow and contained a laugh. For someone able to hang off rafters on a tavern, and a better lock-pick than George himself, Emily looked like she might trip over her braid.
Last to arrive was George. He grinned at the three of them, Emma and Amice aiding Emily, who had her petticoat stuck around her foot.
Emma tried not to laugh. "A fine picture of a noble lady you are, Emmy."
Emily cocked her head to one side. "Maybe we should have Emelia act as a stand-in."
George shook his head. "I thought looking alike was bad enough. Why do your names have to be all alike?"
"We had a very cruel and unusual mother."
The petticoat came unstuck and the chief herald beckoned to them. Emma steeled herself and composed her features into a vaguely smiling mask.
One of the doors swung open. Emma and her sister took either of George's arms. "Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop." the herald decreed as they walked forward. "His foster daughters. Emily of Silvertree and Pirate's Swoop, King's Courier. Emma of Silvertree and Pirate's Swoop, messenger to the king, member of the Cold Mountain Unicorns, Nobles of the Realm of Tortall."
Emma heard the titter that went up as she was intoduced. Three years she had caused an uproar at court by being immortal. She had left, for good, or so she thought.
She bowed, made observances to the king, and at last was free to look for Laylia'sassaultant.
It was infuriating; there were half a dozen men who fit Laylia's description. Emma sighed and split up with Emily, passing her a spelled glass from their Gifted sister. Theoretically, they should be able to see the unmagic through Emelia's glass circles.
The king and queen were about to retire when the two sisters met up again.
"It's no use." Emily said disgustedly. "There's no way that we can spot him cold,or walk along holding a piece of glass to your face. We're going to have to look for him later."
Emma agreed, and after saying goodnight to George, they left. Almost at their rooms, they turned a corner into a dark corridor, and before they knew it, they saw nothing. The last thing Emma felt was her head hitting rock as the unmagic closed over her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Emma blinked. The world was fuzzy. She squinted and a pair of feet came into focus. She was lying on the floor, and Emily was beside her.
Laughter rang through the room, bouncing off vaulted walls. Emma saw a woman get off a chair placed in the center of the room. She looked like a mercenary; her face was scarred, and a battered cutlass hung at her side. "Well, don't you look a pretty sight." the woman jeered.
"Well, if I'm being compared to you, I guess I must be something worse than a rat." Emma shot back. Emily wasn't moving; that scared her.
The woman's face twisted with hate. "When the master's done with you, I'll personally rip your gut open. Nobody insults me and gets away with it."
"And where is your great master?" Emma asked.
"Oh, he'll come soon enough."
Emma laughed as Emily stirred. "Then your master must be a coward, not to face me when I'm awake." she reached her hand to her belt purse, which still contained her mage's kit. Her dirk and Emma's dagger lay a few feet away. Fumbling, she found her dowser. Touching an opal, Emma called on her power.
A bubble of power appeared around the. "Cut me loose." Emma ordered the woman. "Maybe then I'll tell the chamberlain that you cooperated."
Fear flickered across the woman's face. "All right." she moved to Emily and unsheathed her cutlass. Emma watched her, face stony. "Cut her loose."
In just a second, the woman's cutlass moved up to Emily's throat. "You're much to trusting. Now stop it or I cut her throat."
Panic flashed in Emma's mind. Emily was one of the best friends she had ever had, and was her sister. Reluctantly, she let her sheild drop. The woman slowly reached out and put a collar on her, one with dampener spells.
Emma let her shoulders droop. This idiot thought that a simple damper collar would stop her magic, like the Gift.
With a yell of triumph the woman slit Emily's throat. Blood blossomed on the collar of her green silk evening dress.
Something akin to rage happened. Without thinking, Emma blasted the woman with her magic, knocking her against the wall. If it wasn't for the damper collar she would have incinerated her bones until only ash was left. The clatter of footsteps from far off alerted her. Emma grabbed the weapons, Emily's body, and went into the Divine Realms.