"All t'e ladies will talk about you with such a dress!" the seamstress scolded Taisa on her design. "My Lady, you will look like a whore!"
"I will be comfortable," she glared at the woman. Tai hated her status as a noble, but sometimes it did work to her advantage. "Gossip about my private life later, sew now!"
A laugh came from behind the curtain. A beautiful woman, with long creamy blonde hair and ice-blue eyes peered around. She was tall and slender, with a generous bosom-which made Tai slightly jealous-and a ringing laugh. "You have quite a way with people," the young woman commented.
Tai grinned. "They taught me eloquence, those Mithran priests. I am Taisa of Naxen, by the way."
"The sister of Sir Gareth?" the lovely girl inquired. "I am Cythera of Elden."
"The girl Gary....told me about," she hastily finished. "The most beautiful woman at Court."
"But now I see I have a rival." Her laugh was merry. "With such black hair and aqua eyes, you are the most unusual woman they will have ever seen. But I won't keep you." Cythera carried a sack which held her dress. "I must get back and change. I shall see you at Court."
The seamstress looked over at Tai. "My Lady, I work better in quiet. This dress will be delivered ON TIME, promised."
Taisa griined as she left, mounting her horse and riding back to the palace.
=======================================================================
The dress arrived on time as a maid delivered it to Taisa's chambers. A bath, a bit of facepaint, and her trademark silver jewelry made her smile crookedly. Her ears held eight earbobs a piece, usually hidden by her dark hair. A bit of her Gift helped the fishtail braid to stay in her thick hair as she curled it up on her head.
The last thing ws her dress and sandels. The sandels were beautiful, a shimmering silver which matched the lighting bolts that wrapped around her Gift. The dress was as aqua as her eyes, with silver trim and black embroidery. The door knocked as she was almost ready.
"Just a minute," she said, as she walked swiftly to the door. Raoul stood there, in brown velvet trimmed with black, a very handsome sight. Giggling. she helped to tame a wild curl in his otherwise neat hair as she took his arm.
The Herald gave her an odd look. Luckily, she had planned to arrive late, so no one would see her beforehand. Raoul took her arm and whispered in her ear. "You will make quite a scene, but I support you."
She squeezed his arm in thanks as the herald announced them. "Lady Taisa of Naxen, Mage of the Mithran Light, Professor of biology. Lord Sir Raoul of Goldenlake."
=======================================================================
The gasps in the silent room were amazing. Ladies stared and Lords shook their heads. Duke Gareth's eyes snapped with fury as Gary looked between father and daughter, amusement on his face.
"What do you think you are doing?" Tai's father hissed in her ear. "And Sir Raoul, how could you let her come in as such?"
"He did not know that you did not approve," Taisa glared at her father. "And this Court needs something to stir it up."
Two young women, both from Nond giggled as she walked by. "A Lady Whore, especially after becoming a professor. And in that dress, how horrid."
*The dress isn't that bad* Raoul though to himself. It was a long sweeping skirt. which fell to right above her ankles, and a tanked top which exposed several inches of her stomach. *She is muscular and a good fighter. Not only that, she is better educated and more intelligent than most of these ladies here. Jealousy is quite the motivater*
Taisa moved on but there were small tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She used her Gift to stop them, but was afraid to say anything, for fear of her voice cracking.
"I don't see anything wrong, Arami of Nond. At least she does not have a fat stomach hidden by that tight dress like the one you wear," Cythera of Elden stalked over, still able to look completely lady-like. "I find her dress very attractive and cool for the summer. She si probably one of the few who could wear it without looking disgusting. Now, keep a civil tounge in your head!"
Gary had come to his sister's defense, but had not reached the small mob in time. Now his hart melted and he almost collapsed. *I'm in love* he thought giddily with HER!*
=======================================================================
The night went on with no more mishaps. She danced with Knight, Lord and Duke, even with her cousin the King. Gary ended up sitting most of the eveing, staring secretly at Cythera.
Raoul walked Tai back to her room. "Thank you for the lovely evening," she bowed like a man and kissed his hand. Raoul smiled.
"What next? Are you to wear a sword and join the King's Own?"
She smiled as she shook her head and closed the door. "Who knows?" she asked herself softly. There was a rap on the door. "Come in," she called, now dressed in a tunic and breeches. Lady Cythera walked in.
"Thank you for defending me, Lady Cythera," Tai said shyly. Cythera smiled.
"They should not be talking about who is a bigger whore!" Cythera smiled. "And call me Thera, much shorter. I have a request," she said shyly.
"What is it?' Tai asked. She could not imagine what this girl would ask from her.
"I want warrior training. I....I want to be able to defend myself. I can handle a sword and staff," she added quickly, "But wrestling, knifes and axes were something my brother decided I was too weak to handle."
Tai grinned even larger. "Let's get to work. I wish to join the King's Own. Sir Raoul has just put that thought into my head, foolish man."
~~Next Chapter~~
"I will be comfortable," she glared at the woman. Tai hated her status as a noble, but sometimes it did work to her advantage. "Gossip about my private life later, sew now!"
A laugh came from behind the curtain. A beautiful woman, with long creamy blonde hair and ice-blue eyes peered around. She was tall and slender, with a generous bosom-which made Tai slightly jealous-and a ringing laugh. "You have quite a way with people," the young woman commented.
Tai grinned. "They taught me eloquence, those Mithran priests. I am Taisa of Naxen, by the way."
"The sister of Sir Gareth?" the lovely girl inquired. "I am Cythera of Elden."
"The girl Gary....told me about," she hastily finished. "The most beautiful woman at Court."
"But now I see I have a rival." Her laugh was merry. "With such black hair and aqua eyes, you are the most unusual woman they will have ever seen. But I won't keep you." Cythera carried a sack which held her dress. "I must get back and change. I shall see you at Court."
The seamstress looked over at Tai. "My Lady, I work better in quiet. This dress will be delivered ON TIME, promised."
Taisa griined as she left, mounting her horse and riding back to the palace.
=======================================================================
The dress arrived on time as a maid delivered it to Taisa's chambers. A bath, a bit of facepaint, and her trademark silver jewelry made her smile crookedly. Her ears held eight earbobs a piece, usually hidden by her dark hair. A bit of her Gift helped the fishtail braid to stay in her thick hair as she curled it up on her head.
The last thing ws her dress and sandels. The sandels were beautiful, a shimmering silver which matched the lighting bolts that wrapped around her Gift. The dress was as aqua as her eyes, with silver trim and black embroidery. The door knocked as she was almost ready.
"Just a minute," she said, as she walked swiftly to the door. Raoul stood there, in brown velvet trimmed with black, a very handsome sight. Giggling. she helped to tame a wild curl in his otherwise neat hair as she took his arm.
The Herald gave her an odd look. Luckily, she had planned to arrive late, so no one would see her beforehand. Raoul took her arm and whispered in her ear. "You will make quite a scene, but I support you."
She squeezed his arm in thanks as the herald announced them. "Lady Taisa of Naxen, Mage of the Mithran Light, Professor of biology. Lord Sir Raoul of Goldenlake."
=======================================================================
The gasps in the silent room were amazing. Ladies stared and Lords shook their heads. Duke Gareth's eyes snapped with fury as Gary looked between father and daughter, amusement on his face.
"What do you think you are doing?" Tai's father hissed in her ear. "And Sir Raoul, how could you let her come in as such?"
"He did not know that you did not approve," Taisa glared at her father. "And this Court needs something to stir it up."
Two young women, both from Nond giggled as she walked by. "A Lady Whore, especially after becoming a professor. And in that dress, how horrid."
*The dress isn't that bad* Raoul though to himself. It was a long sweeping skirt. which fell to right above her ankles, and a tanked top which exposed several inches of her stomach. *She is muscular and a good fighter. Not only that, she is better educated and more intelligent than most of these ladies here. Jealousy is quite the motivater*
Taisa moved on but there were small tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She used her Gift to stop them, but was afraid to say anything, for fear of her voice cracking.
"I don't see anything wrong, Arami of Nond. At least she does not have a fat stomach hidden by that tight dress like the one you wear," Cythera of Elden stalked over, still able to look completely lady-like. "I find her dress very attractive and cool for the summer. She si probably one of the few who could wear it without looking disgusting. Now, keep a civil tounge in your head!"
Gary had come to his sister's defense, but had not reached the small mob in time. Now his hart melted and he almost collapsed. *I'm in love* he thought giddily with HER!*
=======================================================================
The night went on with no more mishaps. She danced with Knight, Lord and Duke, even with her cousin the King. Gary ended up sitting most of the eveing, staring secretly at Cythera.
Raoul walked Tai back to her room. "Thank you for the lovely evening," she bowed like a man and kissed his hand. Raoul smiled.
"What next? Are you to wear a sword and join the King's Own?"
She smiled as she shook her head and closed the door. "Who knows?" she asked herself softly. There was a rap on the door. "Come in," she called, now dressed in a tunic and breeches. Lady Cythera walked in.
"Thank you for defending me, Lady Cythera," Tai said shyly. Cythera smiled.
"They should not be talking about who is a bigger whore!" Cythera smiled. "And call me Thera, much shorter. I have a request," she said shyly.
"What is it?' Tai asked. She could not imagine what this girl would ask from her.
"I want warrior training. I....I want to be able to defend myself. I can handle a sword and staff," she added quickly, "But wrestling, knifes and axes were something my brother decided I was too weak to handle."
Tai grinned even larger. "Let's get to work. I wish to join the King's Own. Sir Raoul has just put that thought into my head, foolish man."
~~Next Chapter~~