Chapter 2 – Guided tour
All eyes turned and Kel was very unnerved. ' Why do they stare so?' she questioned Yuki in Yamani.
Every heart in the hall pounded as the Yamani ladies walked to the dais.
At the back of the hall, Prince Roald turned to his friend Neal and elbowed him. ' So, your Lady has arrived. What do you think?'
Neal wasn't sure. Lady Kel was beautiful, in her cream inner kimono and a golden outer one, tied to accent her perfect figure with a scarlet obi. Two fans hung from the Yamani sash. Her waist length glossy brown hair was pinned in two knots at the back of her head, each secured in place with a crimson lily. A single thin plait trailed from each one, down to her obi. She wore the subtlest amount of lip paint and a hint of rice powder, accenting her dreamy hazel eyes. Her mouth was full and decided. She was beautiful. But did he want her? Cleon, the big redhead to the side of him, was sure there was more to Lady Keladry as Neal was obviously thinking.
Lord Wyldon stepped from the dais and bowed in Easterner style to the two Yamanis.
' Welcome to Tortall.' He said to them as they bowed in the style of the Yamanis, hands palm down on their thighs.
Then Kel and Yuki turned and bowed to the mess hall. All the boys hurriedly got to their feet and bowed back. The two ladies hid smiles behind their fans.
'I believe you'll be wanting a look around?' Lord Wyldon enquired.
Kel nodded as she took in the training master. If she had come over sooner, she sensed he would have trained her well in becoming a Tortallan knight.
'Squire Nealan of Queenscove, please come to escort Lady Keladry on a tour.' Neal stood and walked to the front of the hall and offered his arm to Kel, who upon it placed a perfect hand, with long tapered fingers.
'May I have a volunteer to escort Lady Keladry's maid?'
Every hand in the mess hall was raised, except that of Cleon, who would have preferred to escort Lady Keladry.
'Prince Roald, you escort Miss Yukimi.' Said King Jonathan, rising. 'Your friends may be excused to accompany you. The rest of you pages and squires must finish your meals before we meet Lady Keladry and her mother Lady Ilane properly.'
Prince Roald, Cleon of Kennan, Merric of Hollyrose and Faleron of Kings Reach rose and joined Neal and Kel at the door, pausing only for Roald to offer Yuki his arm. She glowed with pleasure.
All eyes turned and Kel was very unnerved. ' Why do they stare so?' she questioned Yuki in Yamani.
Every heart in the hall pounded as the Yamani ladies walked to the dais.
At the back of the hall, Prince Roald turned to his friend Neal and elbowed him. ' So, your Lady has arrived. What do you think?'
Neal wasn't sure. Lady Kel was beautiful, in her cream inner kimono and a golden outer one, tied to accent her perfect figure with a scarlet obi. Two fans hung from the Yamani sash. Her waist length glossy brown hair was pinned in two knots at the back of her head, each secured in place with a crimson lily. A single thin plait trailed from each one, down to her obi. She wore the subtlest amount of lip paint and a hint of rice powder, accenting her dreamy hazel eyes. Her mouth was full and decided. She was beautiful. But did he want her? Cleon, the big redhead to the side of him, was sure there was more to Lady Keladry as Neal was obviously thinking.
Lord Wyldon stepped from the dais and bowed in Easterner style to the two Yamanis.
' Welcome to Tortall.' He said to them as they bowed in the style of the Yamanis, hands palm down on their thighs.
Then Kel and Yuki turned and bowed to the mess hall. All the boys hurriedly got to their feet and bowed back. The two ladies hid smiles behind their fans.
'I believe you'll be wanting a look around?' Lord Wyldon enquired.
Kel nodded as she took in the training master. If she had come over sooner, she sensed he would have trained her well in becoming a Tortallan knight.
'Squire Nealan of Queenscove, please come to escort Lady Keladry on a tour.' Neal stood and walked to the front of the hall and offered his arm to Kel, who upon it placed a perfect hand, with long tapered fingers.
'May I have a volunteer to escort Lady Keladry's maid?'
Every hand in the mess hall was raised, except that of Cleon, who would have preferred to escort Lady Keladry.
'Prince Roald, you escort Miss Yukimi.' Said King Jonathan, rising. 'Your friends may be excused to accompany you. The rest of you pages and squires must finish your meals before we meet Lady Keladry and her mother Lady Ilane properly.'
Prince Roald, Cleon of Kennan, Merric of Hollyrose and Faleron of Kings Reach rose and joined Neal and Kel at the door, pausing only for Roald to offer Yuki his arm. She glowed with pleasure.