Chapter 4: City of Wonders
Disclaimer: The usual, Tamora Pierce owns all canon charaters and settings. I only own Fi and her horse at this moment in time
Fi had been risen at dawn and led half –asleep to the stables. There she had found Alanna standing by a dapple-grey mare, whose main colour was nearly the same as the Lioness' metal armour.
"This is Steelstar, she has a good nature and Moonlight's old tack fits perfectly. She's yours."
"Alanna I don't know what to say!"
"Just say you'll take her and I'll be happy."
" Of course, she's gorgeous!"
Another voice drifted from the door, "She's quite complimentary about you too Fi." To this remark, Fi had spun to see Daine and thought, maybe I'm liked after all.
*****
That had been three days ago. Now all three women and Fi approached a rise in the road. At the top, they stopped and Fi's mouth dropped. Below her was the multi-coloured mass that was Corus. On the far side of the riverbank sat the Royal palace.
"Big isn't it" Kel said from a safe enough distance for Peachblossom's happiness.
"Huge" Fi replied, awed
Alanna trotted over on Darkmoon, "Are you two planning on staying here all day? It's just that Myles is expecting us and I don't want to worry him. And knowing my father, he will have informed their Majesties as well."
"King Jonathan and Queen Thayet!" said the now startled girl. She hadn't thought that she would be special enough to meet their Majesties, " They will be there in this talk will they!"
"Who knows" returned Alanna, " But if we don't get moving then we'll never get to the palace anyway!"
Daine called over, "Leave be Alanna, surely you were surprised by the sheer size of Corus the first time. I know I was!"
Alanna smiled, "Sorry Fi. I'm just a little stressed about seeing Jon again."
*****
Riding through Corus was an eye-opener for Fiona. Especially with the company she had. People in the street clapped, whistled, glared, jeered but mainly praised the three women she was with. Whilst the two knights and Wildmage just smiled and kept eyes fixed on the palace, Fi looked around in awe at the market. From behind her Kel called, "It's quite some place don't you think?"
"It's amazing!"
The young knight chuckled, " That's exactly what I thought on my first visit here"
*****
Once at the palace, they had their mounts stabled to rest from the long journey. Daine bid them farewell when she went to find Numair. Alanna went to see the King, having not seen him in around eight years, leaving Kel and Fi in the courtyard, promising to meet them in Myles' rooms just after sunset.
Fiona looked up at the tall women beside her, " Where do you want to take me then?"
"Well seeing as we've got till sunset, how about going into Corus, looking at the market and getting you some of your own clothes?"
"One small problem, I haven't a copper to my name."
"Fi"
"Hmm"
"Did you actually look at anything that was in that book other than the book and Faithful?"
"No, I didn't see anything else, why?
"Because as well as those, there was some music, a strange horn instrument thing, and over 100, gold, nobles!"
"Wow!"
" So you may have no coppers, but I assure you, you needn't worry about money"
"Where did it all come from?" asked Fi weakly
"From your goddess friend I assume."
"Don't call her my friend, I've never met her in person."
"Never seen her? Then how did she get you here?"
"Well you see, I was meditating in my room listening to a CD"
" A CD?"
" Never mind that. Any way, I was listening to a CD of whale-song when I heard a voice in my mind say " You are wasted here" and suddenly the whale-song had stopped and was replaced by the sound of waves. I opened my eyes and found myself in a boat with a cat sitting by the mast and with a book in my lap."
" What was the voice like?" Kel wanted to know
"I don't know, like a ... well, it made me think of mist and fog, so thick that you couldn't see anything. It was female, and sort of calm, and dreamy, and, well, safe."
"Definitely sounds like Shakith to me." Said the woman.
Fi suddenly remembered something Kel had said earlier, "By the way, where did you put the clarinet and..."
"The what!"
Fi looked at the knight. She isn't as controlled as the book makes out, she thought, " The clarinet is a woodwind instrument I play. You know, the horn thing!"
"Oh right, I put that and the music in your packs."
"Thanks. Well are we going?"
" Yes. Here's your money anyway. I kept it safe for you."
******
On the way out on a couple of the palace spares, they heard a horse trotting behind them and then a "Kel!" shouted to them. Fi and her companion stopped their horses and turned in the saddle
"Mind if I join you?" asked a tall man with dancing black eyes. Kel smiled at the rider, "Nice to see you again Raoul. This is Fi. Fi this is..."
"Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, Knight Commander of the King's Own." Fi finished in a singsong voice, before turning a beet red. Raoul only smiled, " So you are the youngster who has been the subject of court gossip for the last couple of days."
"Pardon Sir?" asked a surprised Fi
" The palace gossip-merchants have been spreading rumours about you for the past two days."
"What sort of rumours?" asked a frowning Kel
"All sorts, from Fiona being a transformed Stormwing to her being from another world!"
"Well they got something right," muttered Fi
Now it was Raoul to be surprised, "Excuse me!"
Kel smiled, "We'll explain en route"
*****
Corus was still very busy. Fi let Kel tell the story, letting her look around her. The city was a place that seemed to have a mind of it's own. Finally Kel came to a halt outside a small shop. Tethering their horses to a railing by the wall, Kel told a youth nearby that he would get a noble to guard the animals. She then led Fi into the building, followed closely by Raoul.
Fi stopped in the middle of the room. Never had she seen that amount of fabrics in so many different colours. A woman sitting behind the counter looked up from her sewing. Seeing Kel she smiled, "Nice to see you Lady Keladry."
"Afternoon Lalasa, I was wondering if I could ask a favour."
"Well I've got a dress to make for the queen, but seeing that its you, I'll make time for it, provided it's not too big."
"Its for my friend Fiona here," Kel pushed a unnaturally shy Fi forward," She's in desperate need of some everyday usage clothes and a couple of evening garments."
"Is this the Swoop girl then?" asked Lalasa, frowning.
"Does everybody know about me!" exclaimed Fi
"Sorry m'lady. What colours would you like your breeches in?" asked Kel's former maid, eyes twinkling.
"Two black, two blue please" replied Fi politely
"Shirts?"
"Just white"
"And the two dresses?" asked the seamstress
"Kel looked at Fi and then answered for her, "One a lilac-grey another a navy-blue I think Lalasa."
"Ok then. Lady Fiona, if you would just step this way I'll take your measurements."
After a series of stretching and posing, Fi could finally leave the shop Kel and Raoul. Though the sun had sunk a little since setting off, they still had at least three hours left 'til sunset. Because the clothes needed making, she wouldn't have them for another couple of days. Altogether, her clothes had cost 15 gold nobles. Though she still had plenty of money, Fi was starting to get concerned. She would need a well-paid job, and she still didn't know if she had enough Gift to secure one.
"Penny for you thoughts" said a voice to her left
"Hmm..." Fi looked at the rider next to her to find bottom-less black eyes, "Oh, I wasn't thinking about anything important."
"You sure? You looked troubled" asked the Knight Commander
"Honestly, it's nothing. Could I ask a favour though".
"Fire away"
"Could you ask Kel if we could stop at Shakith's temple after we've finished whatever it is we're doing"
"After visiting the market you mean?"
"Is that where we are going then?
Raoul nodded, " Kel thought you would like to look around."
"Then after that we could go to the temple?"
"I should think that we can do that. I'll check it with her."
"Thank you my Lord"
"Just Raoul, Fiona. We're friends enough now aren't we?"
The girl nodded smiling," Then you might have noticed that Kel calls me Fi. I'd be glad if you'd do the same Raoul."
The big knight nodded before trotting up to his companion in front, leaving Fi to her thoughts.