Chapter Ten
"Check it out! What do you think of this jacket, Noaa'lan? Do you think S'aalia would like it on me?" K'aashi said, parading around the room in Noaa'lan's old wardrobe.
"I don't know. It depends on what she likes, I guess."
K'aashi ran a hand through his blond hair as he studied himself in the mirror. He smiled devilishly at his reflection.
"Yup, she's going to go head over heels for me, I can tell you that right now! Say, how come you never wore this jacket? It looks nice!" K'aashi asked.
"They made it too small. I couldn't get my shoulders into it. So, what makes you so certain that S'aalia is going to come to this dance tonight??" Noaa'lan asked with interest.
"Oh, trust me! She'll be there! She's totally hot for me, I can feel it!" K'aashi said, strutting around the room.
Noaa'lan laughed so hard that it brought tears to his eyes.
"iT'naa tchk'aana!/i What do you know, Noaa'lan," K'aashi growled.
"Calm down, K'aashi! You don't have to swear at me! I was just kidding. Yeah, I think she likes you, but you can't take it personally if she decides not to come to the dance!" Noaa'lan exclaimed.
"Speaking of girlfriends, do you think that J'aa'nie will be there?" K'aashi said with a teasing tone in his voice.
"Hey, shut up!" Noaa'lan said with a frown. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she'll be there. Did you know that freshman girls make up the greatest percentage of students attending the upper class dances?"
"That doesn't surprise me one bit. So, what will you do if she is there?" K'aashi asked.
"What else? Talk to her. She'll be there, looking for me. I can't hide from her. Nor would I want to," Noaa'lan said bluntly.
"Aren't you forgetting that your father told you to avoid getting too close to her? Last time I checked, dancing counted as "getting too close"." K'aashi said with a smirk.
"K'aashi, I've been doing some thinking. I know that my father doesn't want me to fall in love with J'aa'nie, but think about what it could do to resolve the feud! Once R'aa'nlan T'naa'lichi realizes that the two of us are in love, and that I treat her well, he'll see that the feud between our families is stupid! There really isn't any reason why our families should hate each other. What happened long ago is over and done with, and we should forgive each other and move on," Noaa'lan ranted as he toweled off his wet hair.
"Wow. You really are in love with her! I hate to be the voice of reason, but you know next to nothing about the source of the feud between your father and R'aa'nlan! You're crazy to think that you and J'aa'nalia loving each other can put an end to that feud!! Noaa'lan, you're my best friend, and I'd hate to lose you!" K'aashi said sternly, his tone resembling that of Noaa'lan's father.
"K'aashi, you don't have anything to worry about! Nothing is going to go wrong! I have a good feeling about this dance tonight. I think that it's the perfect place for J'aa'nie and me to show everyone that we're together," Noaa'lan said, his blue eyes flashing brightly.
"Oh, do what you want to do. There isn't any chance of me ever changing your mind anyway!" K'aashi groaned. "Just. . .try to avoid your father! I don't think it's a good idea for you to reveal your relationship to him just yet."
"Ah, if Professor S'aahai didn't tell him yet, I'd be surprised. The two of them are old friends from when they both went to the Academy," Noaa'lan said as he put on a clean blue shirt.
"Hmmm." K'aashi said, stroking his chin.
"What?" Noaa'lan asked, looking curiously at his friend.
"I bet that if we could get to know Professor S'aahai better, he could tell us what went on between your Dad and R'aa'nlan."
"Ha! There's a joke if I ever heard one!! Do you realize what you're saying?" Noaa'lan exclaimed. "K'aashi, Professor S'aahai thinks that we're lousy, grimy Ten'aahas!! He'd rather stop assigning literary essays than help us!!"
"That's it!! We can do a report!!" K'aashi cried, jumping up onto the trunk at the foot of Noaa'lan's sleeping pallet.
"Oh, now I know you've really lost it! Get down off of my furniture!! My mother will have a fit if she sees your shoeprints on there!" Noaa'lan yelled. "What do you mean?"
"We can do a report on the different theories and myths about the "falling out" that your father and R'aa'nlan had! There are certainly enough of them circulating around this school!!" K'aashi said enthusiastically.
"Oh, that would go over real well with my father!!" Noaa'lan said, rolling his eyes. "I'm starting to think we'd be better off asking S'aahai ourselves, and then taking whatever sarcasm he dishes out."
"Why do you think S'aahai is the way he is? Do you think he just never found a mate?" K'aashi asked.
"No, actually. His wife died, when we were about four. No children. He actually lives on campus, and I hear he's going to be chaperoning the dance tonight," Noaa'lan said, raising his eyebrows at K'aashi.
"Well then," K'aashi said, smiling at Noaa'lan as he showed off his new outfit. "He's just going to have a good view when I hit on his niece!"
"Oh, if it isn't the two morons!!" Kahl'aan said from the doorway. "Noaa'lan, I need that holodisc that you stole from me! Cough it up, pond scum!!"
Noaa'lan grabbed the disk off of his desk and thrust it at Kahl'aan, who gave him a hard whack on the arm.
"Hey, you do that one more time, and I'm telling mother! Why in N'aanwaria do you even need your disk now?? Aren't you going to the dance?"
"No. I wouldn't go to one of those stupid things if a F'aalran was waiting outside to tear my guts out!! Some people here aren't thinking about mating!!" Kahl'aan said with a sneer.
"Come on, Kahl'aan! You're old enough to think about mating!! Stop being so old-fashioned!!" K'aashi said with a laugh.
"Maybe none of you realized that you won't even be allowed to marry until you're twenty-three years old! I'm being realistic here, because I don't think dating is a very practical method of finding a mate when you're just going to have an arranged marriage anyways!"
"In case you haven't noticed, Kahl'aan, I'm the one who's going to have an arranged marriage, not you. So I'd get off your lazy butt, put on some nice clothes, and head down to the dance with us!" Noaa'lan said, thrusting a finger at Kahl'aan's chest.
"What makes you think that father will let you go!? You've only been grounded for four days! I'd say that your little nighttime escapade deserves more time than that!!" Kahl'aan said defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Don't you even think about telling father! I'm not going to miss this dance tonight!" Noaa'lan said angrily.
"What'll I get for keeping quiet?" Kahl'aan asked with a smirk. Noaa'lan thought about this for a second, and then he went over to his desk. After rummaging through the piles of papers, he came across what he was looking for.
"It's the new holodisc virtual game. I've been hiding it from you, because I know how you go through my stuff!! Take it or leave it!" Noaa'lan said, scowling at his brother.
Kahl'aan looked at the holodisc with the same wide eyes that a child would look at a piece of sweet C'knaaha. He grinned at his brother and nodded eagerly.
"Don't worry about father ever finding out! I'll be in my room permanently from this point on!" Kahl'aan said as Noaa'lan handed him the holodisc. He promptly ran out of the room, and the two friends could hear a door slam shut at the end of the corridor.
"Man, your little brother is such a pain! I'd never give him any of my stuff!" K'aashi exclaimed.
"Well, sometimes it's worth paying him off. I wouldn't miss this night for all of the sn'aala in the sea!" Noaa'lan said, grabbing his jacket.
"Are you ready to go?" K'aashi asked.
"Ready."
"Well then. Lets make tracks, shall we?" K'aashi said with a smile. "Uh, question. How do we get out of here without your parents noticing?"
"We gotta take the back way out. Down the escape route," Noaa'lan explained.
"Escape route? What are you talking about? K'aashi asked as the two walked down the hallway toward the older part of the palace.
"Back when my ancestors ruled N'aanwaria, there were a lot of problems with assassins. I guess that not too many of them were as popular as my father and grandfather. They had escape routes built into the palace at strategic locations in the event of an attack. They're still all there, just in case something were to happen. I think it's pretty pointless if you ask me," Said Noaa'lan.
"So, they used to run down this tiny little passageway here to safety? I find that hard to believe! It's too steep to run down!" K'aashi said as he almost slipped on one of the steps.
"Well, I never said that it was very practical, just that it was there!" Noaa'lan said as they reached the end of the tunnel. The sun was setting slowly behind the dense jungle surrounding the Palace. Golden dots of light flickered through the trees and came to rest upon the blue-gray stone facade of the royal palace. Noaa'lan could already hear the sounds of the dance through the underbrush, and the music and laughter beckoned to him. K'aashi followed his friend down the short path to the school's courtyard.
The students of Narundi Academy had gathered in a rare moment of chaos. Those who normally plodded through their days without making a sound were moving and singing along to the music. Those who were more vocal were standing in a circle, daring one another to get inside it and make a fool out of themselves. The music was accompanied by shrieks, laughter, and the clapping of hands. A smile crossed Noaa'lan's face as he realized what he'd been missing.
"Fun, isn't it?" K'aashi said, elbowing his friend.
"Definitely! This is wild! Say, do you see J'aa'nie anywhere?" Noaa'lan asked.
"Uh . . . yeah! She's right over there, by the refreshment table."
Noaa'lan walked slowly across the courtyard. J'aa'nalia had seen him almost immediately and was walking towards him. Everything around them appeared to be in slow motion as the two came to meet in the middle of the courtyard.
"Madam, may I have this dance?" Noaa'lan asked as he bowed to her. J'aa'nalia smiled and nodded, her green eyes sparkling. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he pulled her close and her eyes stared up at him.
"I was worried that you weren't coming," She whispered softly into his ear as he hugged her.
"Why? You know that I wouldn't miss a chance to be with you," Noaa'lan said tenderly, kissing her cheek.
"Well, it's just that your family . . .well, I thought it was a bad idea for you to be seen in public with me. You know how reporters love to find out more about you," J'aa'nalia said awkwardly.
"Believe me, no reporters are allowed inside the Academy. My father would throw a fit if that were to happen. He doesn't want the royal family to be in the public eye. He's quite protective," Noaa'lan said with a frown.
"And would he throw a fit if he knew that we were together?" J'aa'nalia asked softly, looking up at him with her big green eyes.
"Probably. However, he thinks that both Kahl'aan and I are home tonight, and I bribed Kahl'aan not to tell him where I was."
"Oh, you bribed him, huh? What'd you do? Give him some of your stuff in exchange for him keeping silent?" J'aa'nalia asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, my newest holodisc. The one I didn't want him to know I had in my room. It was definitely worth it, though, because now I'm with you," Noaa'lan said, smiling warmly at J'aa'nalia. J'aa'nalia returned the smile, looking lovingly up at him. He stroked her cheek with his hand and leaned down to kiss her softly on the forehead. Through the force Noaa'lan could feel their minds connect instantly, and he was finally able to fathom the extent of their attraction to one another. As he looked into her eyes, he felt a deep ache in the center of his being, and he knew that he had to tell her the truth.
"Noaa'lan . . . I . . . I love you!" J'aa'nalia blurted out in a whisper, her face turning red as she quickly averted her gaze. He could tell she'd been experiencing the same sensation that he had. He gently touched her face and she turned back to face him again.
"J'aa'nie, I love you too," He whispered, smiling at her. Over the past few days, the two of them had become quite close. They'd been holding hands and kissing whenever Noaa'lan was sure that his father's back was turned. The rest of the students had begun to take notice, and now Noaa'lan could feel many sets of inquisitive eyes on him and J'aa'nie as they danced. He knew that it was a big risk that they were taking by making their relationship public, and that they'd surely run into trouble. Noaa'lan gazed deep into J'aa'nalia's eyes and he saw the strength and bravery inside of her; he knew that together they could do it. They'd show everyone else that their love was stronger than the animosity between their families. Noaa'lan leaned down and kissed J'aa'nalia ardently as she wrapped her arms around him. The kiss continued for several minutes as the conversation around them died down to a stand still. Neither one of them noticed as they continued to hold each other close. Noaa'lan stroked her long blond hair as he kissed her softly on the chin. He'd never felt so close or so connected to anyone, and his emotions rushed over him and overwhelmed him. He loved her, and he couldn't feel anything else but her soul joined with his on that night, soaring beneath the stars.
"Hey, Patrl'aan, I hate to ruin your night, but your father's here, and he's pretty pissed!!" K'aashi said urgently while shaking his friend on the shoulder. Noaa'lan broke away from kissing J'aa'nalia and gave his friend a dirty look. Then, his mind realized what K'aashi had just said. He looked over to the side of the courtyard to see his father standing there, his arms crossed over his chest, giving his son an angry scowl. Noaa'lan knew he was in for it.
"He told me to tell you that he wanted to talk to you, NOW!" K'aashi said while biting his lip. Noaa'lan could sense his friend's concern for his well being, but that wouldn't save him from what his father had to say. Noaa'lan swallowed the lump in his throat and told J'aa'nalia that he'd be right back. He slowly approached his father, knowing that he'd completely ignored his orders to avoid becoming involved with J'aa'nalia. He knew that disobeying his father with regard to this matter would surely bring about a lot of scolding and punishment. As he came closer to where his father was standing, he could see the intense anger in the king's eyes, and Noaa'lan knew that he was going to get more than just a scolding.
"Come with me. We need to talk in private," Cel'aanaeus growled, his voice tense with anger. He gave his son a harsh shove as they exited the courtyard.
"Check it out! What do you think of this jacket, Noaa'lan? Do you think S'aalia would like it on me?" K'aashi said, parading around the room in Noaa'lan's old wardrobe.
"I don't know. It depends on what she likes, I guess."
K'aashi ran a hand through his blond hair as he studied himself in the mirror. He smiled devilishly at his reflection.
"Yup, she's going to go head over heels for me, I can tell you that right now! Say, how come you never wore this jacket? It looks nice!" K'aashi asked.
"They made it too small. I couldn't get my shoulders into it. So, what makes you so certain that S'aalia is going to come to this dance tonight??" Noaa'lan asked with interest.
"Oh, trust me! She'll be there! She's totally hot for me, I can feel it!" K'aashi said, strutting around the room.
Noaa'lan laughed so hard that it brought tears to his eyes.
"iT'naa tchk'aana!/i What do you know, Noaa'lan," K'aashi growled.
"Calm down, K'aashi! You don't have to swear at me! I was just kidding. Yeah, I think she likes you, but you can't take it personally if she decides not to come to the dance!" Noaa'lan exclaimed.
"Speaking of girlfriends, do you think that J'aa'nie will be there?" K'aashi said with a teasing tone in his voice.
"Hey, shut up!" Noaa'lan said with a frown. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she'll be there. Did you know that freshman girls make up the greatest percentage of students attending the upper class dances?"
"That doesn't surprise me one bit. So, what will you do if she is there?" K'aashi asked.
"What else? Talk to her. She'll be there, looking for me. I can't hide from her. Nor would I want to," Noaa'lan said bluntly.
"Aren't you forgetting that your father told you to avoid getting too close to her? Last time I checked, dancing counted as "getting too close"." K'aashi said with a smirk.
"K'aashi, I've been doing some thinking. I know that my father doesn't want me to fall in love with J'aa'nie, but think about what it could do to resolve the feud! Once R'aa'nlan T'naa'lichi realizes that the two of us are in love, and that I treat her well, he'll see that the feud between our families is stupid! There really isn't any reason why our families should hate each other. What happened long ago is over and done with, and we should forgive each other and move on," Noaa'lan ranted as he toweled off his wet hair.
"Wow. You really are in love with her! I hate to be the voice of reason, but you know next to nothing about the source of the feud between your father and R'aa'nlan! You're crazy to think that you and J'aa'nalia loving each other can put an end to that feud!! Noaa'lan, you're my best friend, and I'd hate to lose you!" K'aashi said sternly, his tone resembling that of Noaa'lan's father.
"K'aashi, you don't have anything to worry about! Nothing is going to go wrong! I have a good feeling about this dance tonight. I think that it's the perfect place for J'aa'nie and me to show everyone that we're together," Noaa'lan said, his blue eyes flashing brightly.
"Oh, do what you want to do. There isn't any chance of me ever changing your mind anyway!" K'aashi groaned. "Just. . .try to avoid your father! I don't think it's a good idea for you to reveal your relationship to him just yet."
"Ah, if Professor S'aahai didn't tell him yet, I'd be surprised. The two of them are old friends from when they both went to the Academy," Noaa'lan said as he put on a clean blue shirt.
"Hmmm." K'aashi said, stroking his chin.
"What?" Noaa'lan asked, looking curiously at his friend.
"I bet that if we could get to know Professor S'aahai better, he could tell us what went on between your Dad and R'aa'nlan."
"Ha! There's a joke if I ever heard one!! Do you realize what you're saying?" Noaa'lan exclaimed. "K'aashi, Professor S'aahai thinks that we're lousy, grimy Ten'aahas!! He'd rather stop assigning literary essays than help us!!"
"That's it!! We can do a report!!" K'aashi cried, jumping up onto the trunk at the foot of Noaa'lan's sleeping pallet.
"Oh, now I know you've really lost it! Get down off of my furniture!! My mother will have a fit if she sees your shoeprints on there!" Noaa'lan yelled. "What do you mean?"
"We can do a report on the different theories and myths about the "falling out" that your father and R'aa'nlan had! There are certainly enough of them circulating around this school!!" K'aashi said enthusiastically.
"Oh, that would go over real well with my father!!" Noaa'lan said, rolling his eyes. "I'm starting to think we'd be better off asking S'aahai ourselves, and then taking whatever sarcasm he dishes out."
"Why do you think S'aahai is the way he is? Do you think he just never found a mate?" K'aashi asked.
"No, actually. His wife died, when we were about four. No children. He actually lives on campus, and I hear he's going to be chaperoning the dance tonight," Noaa'lan said, raising his eyebrows at K'aashi.
"Well then," K'aashi said, smiling at Noaa'lan as he showed off his new outfit. "He's just going to have a good view when I hit on his niece!"
"Oh, if it isn't the two morons!!" Kahl'aan said from the doorway. "Noaa'lan, I need that holodisc that you stole from me! Cough it up, pond scum!!"
Noaa'lan grabbed the disk off of his desk and thrust it at Kahl'aan, who gave him a hard whack on the arm.
"Hey, you do that one more time, and I'm telling mother! Why in N'aanwaria do you even need your disk now?? Aren't you going to the dance?"
"No. I wouldn't go to one of those stupid things if a F'aalran was waiting outside to tear my guts out!! Some people here aren't thinking about mating!!" Kahl'aan said with a sneer.
"Come on, Kahl'aan! You're old enough to think about mating!! Stop being so old-fashioned!!" K'aashi said with a laugh.
"Maybe none of you realized that you won't even be allowed to marry until you're twenty-three years old! I'm being realistic here, because I don't think dating is a very practical method of finding a mate when you're just going to have an arranged marriage anyways!"
"In case you haven't noticed, Kahl'aan, I'm the one who's going to have an arranged marriage, not you. So I'd get off your lazy butt, put on some nice clothes, and head down to the dance with us!" Noaa'lan said, thrusting a finger at Kahl'aan's chest.
"What makes you think that father will let you go!? You've only been grounded for four days! I'd say that your little nighttime escapade deserves more time than that!!" Kahl'aan said defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Don't you even think about telling father! I'm not going to miss this dance tonight!" Noaa'lan said angrily.
"What'll I get for keeping quiet?" Kahl'aan asked with a smirk. Noaa'lan thought about this for a second, and then he went over to his desk. After rummaging through the piles of papers, he came across what he was looking for.
"It's the new holodisc virtual game. I've been hiding it from you, because I know how you go through my stuff!! Take it or leave it!" Noaa'lan said, scowling at his brother.
Kahl'aan looked at the holodisc with the same wide eyes that a child would look at a piece of sweet C'knaaha. He grinned at his brother and nodded eagerly.
"Don't worry about father ever finding out! I'll be in my room permanently from this point on!" Kahl'aan said as Noaa'lan handed him the holodisc. He promptly ran out of the room, and the two friends could hear a door slam shut at the end of the corridor.
"Man, your little brother is such a pain! I'd never give him any of my stuff!" K'aashi exclaimed.
"Well, sometimes it's worth paying him off. I wouldn't miss this night for all of the sn'aala in the sea!" Noaa'lan said, grabbing his jacket.
"Are you ready to go?" K'aashi asked.
"Ready."
"Well then. Lets make tracks, shall we?" K'aashi said with a smile. "Uh, question. How do we get out of here without your parents noticing?"
"We gotta take the back way out. Down the escape route," Noaa'lan explained.
"Escape route? What are you talking about? K'aashi asked as the two walked down the hallway toward the older part of the palace.
"Back when my ancestors ruled N'aanwaria, there were a lot of problems with assassins. I guess that not too many of them were as popular as my father and grandfather. They had escape routes built into the palace at strategic locations in the event of an attack. They're still all there, just in case something were to happen. I think it's pretty pointless if you ask me," Said Noaa'lan.
"So, they used to run down this tiny little passageway here to safety? I find that hard to believe! It's too steep to run down!" K'aashi said as he almost slipped on one of the steps.
"Well, I never said that it was very practical, just that it was there!" Noaa'lan said as they reached the end of the tunnel. The sun was setting slowly behind the dense jungle surrounding the Palace. Golden dots of light flickered through the trees and came to rest upon the blue-gray stone facade of the royal palace. Noaa'lan could already hear the sounds of the dance through the underbrush, and the music and laughter beckoned to him. K'aashi followed his friend down the short path to the school's courtyard.
The students of Narundi Academy had gathered in a rare moment of chaos. Those who normally plodded through their days without making a sound were moving and singing along to the music. Those who were more vocal were standing in a circle, daring one another to get inside it and make a fool out of themselves. The music was accompanied by shrieks, laughter, and the clapping of hands. A smile crossed Noaa'lan's face as he realized what he'd been missing.
"Fun, isn't it?" K'aashi said, elbowing his friend.
"Definitely! This is wild! Say, do you see J'aa'nie anywhere?" Noaa'lan asked.
"Uh . . . yeah! She's right over there, by the refreshment table."
Noaa'lan walked slowly across the courtyard. J'aa'nalia had seen him almost immediately and was walking towards him. Everything around them appeared to be in slow motion as the two came to meet in the middle of the courtyard.
"Madam, may I have this dance?" Noaa'lan asked as he bowed to her. J'aa'nalia smiled and nodded, her green eyes sparkling. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he pulled her close and her eyes stared up at him.
"I was worried that you weren't coming," She whispered softly into his ear as he hugged her.
"Why? You know that I wouldn't miss a chance to be with you," Noaa'lan said tenderly, kissing her cheek.
"Well, it's just that your family . . .well, I thought it was a bad idea for you to be seen in public with me. You know how reporters love to find out more about you," J'aa'nalia said awkwardly.
"Believe me, no reporters are allowed inside the Academy. My father would throw a fit if that were to happen. He doesn't want the royal family to be in the public eye. He's quite protective," Noaa'lan said with a frown.
"And would he throw a fit if he knew that we were together?" J'aa'nalia asked softly, looking up at him with her big green eyes.
"Probably. However, he thinks that both Kahl'aan and I are home tonight, and I bribed Kahl'aan not to tell him where I was."
"Oh, you bribed him, huh? What'd you do? Give him some of your stuff in exchange for him keeping silent?" J'aa'nalia asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, my newest holodisc. The one I didn't want him to know I had in my room. It was definitely worth it, though, because now I'm with you," Noaa'lan said, smiling warmly at J'aa'nalia. J'aa'nalia returned the smile, looking lovingly up at him. He stroked her cheek with his hand and leaned down to kiss her softly on the forehead. Through the force Noaa'lan could feel their minds connect instantly, and he was finally able to fathom the extent of their attraction to one another. As he looked into her eyes, he felt a deep ache in the center of his being, and he knew that he had to tell her the truth.
"Noaa'lan . . . I . . . I love you!" J'aa'nalia blurted out in a whisper, her face turning red as she quickly averted her gaze. He could tell she'd been experiencing the same sensation that he had. He gently touched her face and she turned back to face him again.
"J'aa'nie, I love you too," He whispered, smiling at her. Over the past few days, the two of them had become quite close. They'd been holding hands and kissing whenever Noaa'lan was sure that his father's back was turned. The rest of the students had begun to take notice, and now Noaa'lan could feel many sets of inquisitive eyes on him and J'aa'nie as they danced. He knew that it was a big risk that they were taking by making their relationship public, and that they'd surely run into trouble. Noaa'lan gazed deep into J'aa'nalia's eyes and he saw the strength and bravery inside of her; he knew that together they could do it. They'd show everyone else that their love was stronger than the animosity between their families. Noaa'lan leaned down and kissed J'aa'nalia ardently as she wrapped her arms around him. The kiss continued for several minutes as the conversation around them died down to a stand still. Neither one of them noticed as they continued to hold each other close. Noaa'lan stroked her long blond hair as he kissed her softly on the chin. He'd never felt so close or so connected to anyone, and his emotions rushed over him and overwhelmed him. He loved her, and he couldn't feel anything else but her soul joined with his on that night, soaring beneath the stars.
"Hey, Patrl'aan, I hate to ruin your night, but your father's here, and he's pretty pissed!!" K'aashi said urgently while shaking his friend on the shoulder. Noaa'lan broke away from kissing J'aa'nalia and gave his friend a dirty look. Then, his mind realized what K'aashi had just said. He looked over to the side of the courtyard to see his father standing there, his arms crossed over his chest, giving his son an angry scowl. Noaa'lan knew he was in for it.
"He told me to tell you that he wanted to talk to you, NOW!" K'aashi said while biting his lip. Noaa'lan could sense his friend's concern for his well being, but that wouldn't save him from what his father had to say. Noaa'lan swallowed the lump in his throat and told J'aa'nalia that he'd be right back. He slowly approached his father, knowing that he'd completely ignored his orders to avoid becoming involved with J'aa'nalia. He knew that disobeying his father with regard to this matter would surely bring about a lot of scolding and punishment. As he came closer to where his father was standing, he could see the intense anger in the king's eyes, and Noaa'lan knew that he was going to get more than just a scolding.
"Come with me. We need to talk in private," Cel'aanaeus growled, his voice tense with anger. He gave his son a harsh shove as they exited the courtyard.
