Kel - New Knight of Tortall; Part 2

Chapter 8 ~ Banquet Before Battle

THIS STORY IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE READ "KEL-NEW KNIGHT OF TORTALL" THE ORIGINAL, BEGINNING STORY BY ME, CHIRPYBOOKWORM. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THAT STORY FIRST, THIS WILL BE VERY CONFUSING TO YOU…SO GO READ IT! =)

By the way…there's this thing called "AuthorAlert", and it's really neat. You go under your log-in name, and put the name of an author that you like. Then, when that author writes the next chapter in his/her story, ff.net notifies you through email with a direct link to the chapter. How cool. (more hints there)

Notes~ nothing is mine. Absolutely nothing. Except for my plot. But nothing else is mine. Absolutely nothing. Caitie~ I just guessed about your name! Thank you to my dear loyalist, and Amanda!! =)

Kel rolled over in bed. Dom was lying next to her. Shaking her head in surprise, she did a quick recap of the previous night. Goddess, she thought in awe. That was different! Kel remembered deciding that Dom was right. It was definitely time to move on with her life. She had missed Cleon, and she would always remember him, but he was gone, and she had to stop crying about it. Rolling over, she kissed Dom softly on the lips, enjoying the tender look in his pale blue eyes as she did. Now last night they'd been quite different, she thought, grinning. Last night Dom's eyes were a naughty sky blue, mischievous. But of course, she added mentally, recalling every enjoyable moment, they definitely had reason to be!

It was time to leave their fort at the Own, and travel to Mindelan. At the crack of dawn the five members of the expedition were off, their horses fresh and sensing the excitement in the air. The trip was uninteresting. Kel occupied herself staring at Dom. She admired the way his gold-trimmed Own uniform fit him snugly. He wore his red sergeant's ring proudly, his broad shoulders tall. Catching Kel looking at him, he flashed her an impish grin and licked his lips playfully. She shot him a scolding look, laughing all the same at his means of subtle flirting. Their Knight Commander looked back at them. He had noticed something different about them this morning. Looking at both Kel and Dom suspiciously, Raoul turned his face to the front. He knew that their relationship had been tight lately, yet today it felt as though it was not only warmer, but as if there was an entirely new bond between them. He wasn't far wrong, either!

The Second Company of the King's Own was overjoyed to see them. They were nearly shaking with fear as they read the letters from King Jonathan's spies, reporting that there would be over 12 Scanran monster machines (as well as several troops of combatants) planning to invade Mindelan the next night. Raoul grinned happily as the Second Company read the letters, his eyes begging for battle. Kel shook her head at her old Knight Master's folly. He was so caught up in the excitement of battle once again, he forgot that they were dealing with an extremely powerful enemy, one that had been defeated only a few times. Fief Mindelan gave them a warm welcome, inviting the Own to a dinner feast at their house. Kel sighed. Another banquet.

Getting ready for dinner that night, Kel had gotten the same bedroom that she'd always had, none of her cousins having taken it. Her parents were elated to see her again. Questions about Cleon had been cut short by Raoul, who whispered in her father's ear before he pried further into the matter. Although Kel was happy to see her cousins and relatives, she had a heavy heart as they asked her where their favorite red-headed playmate was. Upon protest to wearing a dress, Kel's best excuse being that she didn't own one, her mother thrust a beautiful silk gown in her hands, and rushed to get a seamstress to help her get ready.

There was a light knock at the door, and the seamstress entered, two servants in tow. "Good evening, Mistress Keladry dear," she sang out clearly. "I've been told you may need some…assistance with your dress and face paints." Seeing Kel wince, she laughed good-humoredly.

"Miss, I was wondering if maybe you could make the dress more…I don't know…original," Kel implored. "How so?" questioned the seamstress, curiosity taking over. Kel grinned, a devilish glint in her eye. "Nothing too daring. Just enough to make my parents cover their mouths in shock, but not enough to make them ashamed of me." She showed the mistress her drawing of the perfect dress.

Taking measurements and sewing, the dress was ready to fit in nearly no time. Next came the face paints. Here we go again, Kel thought, annoyed at all the fuss she had to go through to look presentable. But the seamstress was completely resigned to doing the job right, or not at all. "Smile, love," she ordered briskly, dusting rouge on the apples of Kel's cheeks. She applied globby black goop with a wand on Kel's pale lashes, and brushed a layer of light pink lipstick over her lips, to which she also added a shiny gloss. Next came the hair. Kel had to bite her tongue to stop the heated comments at the edge of her mind from brimming out as the seamstress pulled, tugged, teased and curled her limp, now just below shoulder-length locks. Smiling grimly, Kel endured the price for beauty until the woman declared that she was done. Looking in the mirror, Kel gasped. Her dress was the most astonishing to others, but to her the best thing was that she looked ravishing. Her hair was a mess of curls, raised prettily atop her head, with a few face-framing wisps of chestnut hair hanging loose. Her face was wonderfully done up, but still so that you could see her naturalness. Looking down at her dress, Kel smiled slowly, liking what she saw. The knee length green dress had been altered in many ways that the seamstress called "brutal for such a pretty gown", but even she had to admit that it did look dazzling this way. It was now cut-sleeved on the left shoulder, and the right side had…well, no shoulder. The neckline was acceptable, and though it showed a little too much cleavage for Kel's liking, the seamstress had been right when she promised that it would look good in the end. A large, silver buckle wrapped loosely around her waist made her middle look narrower than it really was, and an emerald chain and ear drops finished the whole outfit.

"I love it!" Kel said finally, turning to the awaiting seamstress and maids. "It's fabulous, thank you so much." The older woman smiled graciously and nodded goodbye, saying hello to a stranger in the hall. The stranger turned out to be Dom, knocking on the open door out of courtesy. Kel turned to face him, and felt her breath catch in her throat. Her heart sped up as she looked him over from head to toe, thinking Oh you! You have no right looking so regally wonderful! Dom was clad in a royal blue suit with a white cotton shirt, his sergeant's ring still around his muscled arm. A blue jacket covered the upper half of his body, and his dark hair was combed back rakishly, giving him an alluring appeal. Kel wanted to hold him, and kiss him, and bed him right then and there, but stopped herself abruptly. He, in turn, rubbed his big hands together, eagerly anticipating the night when he'd have her all to himself. The daring dress revealed much to his liking, and it was definitely eye-catching. Trying to keep his excited voice under control, Dom said, "You look…beautiful," his voice cracking. You big oaf he said to himself crossly, she doesn't want to hear you mumble your compliments! "Beautiful?" Kel repeated, completely unaware that her voice was making him weak with desire. "My dear Domitan! How utterly boring!" she tossed at him, her fake royal accent making him laugh. Loosening up, he replied, "Of course, darling. Shall I try again? Hmm…divine, or maybe exquisite." Kel giggled, taking his offered arm as they swept down to the banquet hall.

Arriving at the banquet hall a little late, Kel and Dom planned to make a grand entrance. Strolling in normally, they both heard and saw the gasps around them. Kel caught Raoul's eye, smiling at his laugh, and in turn had to bite back a laugh of her own when she saw her parents. Their mouths were covered with their hands, just as she'd expected. Her mother looked utterly horrified. Putting on her most grave face, Kel walked over to her parents' table after the whispers died down. "Young lady just what in Mithros' name do you think you're wearing?! Try to remember that you're representing the Mindelan Fief!" Ilane of Mindelan sputtered angrily, ignoring the stares coming their way. Kel nodded solemnly, expecting the following speech about manners and being well-bred. As she was getting up to leave her parents, her father, Baron Piers of Mindelan, leaned over and whispered softly in her ear, "Don't tell your mother this, but I think you look rather becoming in that dress." He put a finger to his lips and turned to face his wife, shooing Kel off with a hand. She grinned. Turning, she tried to find someone she knew. Usually, the speech from the hosts came at the beginning of the banquet, but her parents had the speech at the end on this day. Kel saw Raoul, making polite conversation with her eldest cousin Louisa, but he never liked banquets much. She also spotted Volorin and Wolset, the other two members of the Third Company requested to come to Mindelan, but they too were with various female relatives of hers. She carefully went to a corner of the room and stood on a chair, her eyes scanning the hall for Dom. She found him. Oh, yes, she did find him. And he was kissing a vixen in red satin.

***Oohhh! I know I know…keep going. I got my 10 reviews this time! I never realize my writing thrives off reviews….hmmm….you know what that means? More reviews, more chapters!! It gets very exciting from here, so I suggest you review as soon as you read this. And also…you can review my other story, too. Kel- New Knight of Tortall, under Chirpybookworm. It couldn't hurt!***