Chapter 9: Royal Introduction
Authors Note: Firstly, I must apologise most profusely for the long delay for this chapter. I have had it written for AGES, before Christmas in fact, and just never got round to typing it. Well, you'll be glad to know I chained myself to the keyboard to get this done, and here it is! Chapter 9! Hope it was worth the wait! Now, enough distractions from the text. I will detain you no longer! Here you go!!!
On the first day in September, Fi was given rest from her lessons. Alanna had left two weeks earlier, and Fi chose to use some time to write her a letter in reply to the one she had received from the lady knight. Once she finished it, she realised it was lacking something. Clapping a hand to her forehead, she hid the letter under a piece of music (The Entertainer by Scott Joplin) before leaving the room, locking it as an after thought.
*****
Kel had been doing a complex practice dance with her glaive when a knock came at her door. Putting down her polearm, she looked outside. Fi stood there, looking slightly vexed, "Can I come in?" she asked. Standing back to hold the door open, Kel gave Fi a questioning look as the younger girl walked in. Fi went straight to the point, "Do you know where I can get a coat of arms to use as a letter seal?"
*****
Standing in a small room, Kel introduced Fi to the man who created the stamps nobles used for seals. He asked the girl about her magics, and important details about her. Where Fi got stuck, Kel answered on her behalf. Once he had made some notes on the information , he started to sketch down an idea. He then showed her his design for her comments:
The man looked up at her, before looking back down at his sketch, "The sword is for you ability for fighting," Fi nodded, she was a reasonable fighter now. She let the man continue, "Shakith's symbol is for recognition of your sponser. The Hand is the healer's symbol, and the Tree is for your Earthmage status."
"And the Central diamond?" Fi asked
"That is for a husband's sign if you choose to keep your coat of arms when you marry."
"I like it, when could I have it made for?"
"Five minutes miss, it just needs indenting on the rubber. Please, take a seat."
*****
Fi sat by Kel on a small bench. A minute later, she heard footsteps followed by voices.
"But Papa, I don't even send letters!"
"You will someday Liam, so you are going to gave a stamp. I am not going to let you send royal letters without a royal stamp, is that clear?" With this, the door opened. The King and a young man a couple of years older than Fi entered. Getting up, she bowed to them both at the same time as Kel and the Stampmaker.
Jonathan smiled, "May I present my second eldest son, Prince Liam," he said to the women before turning to his son, "Liam, this is Fi. You already know Keladry." Prince Liam bowed before looking Fi over as she in turn looked at him. He had short black hair in the same style as his father's but he had his mother's hazel eyes. He was very handsome, with a perfectly shaped nose and mouth and well set eyes. He grinned her, and she returned it in kind.
Jonathan talked to Fi again, "In three days, the court social season starts. Keladry needs proper royal presentation, as do you. The queen will meet you both by the palace seamstress' room s tomorrow." Once the king finished speaking, the stamp maker gave Fi her stamp with a red wax candle. Both the girl and Kel bowed, before they left.
*****
The next evening, Fi took her sealed letter to the couriers before going to her dinner of roast chicken. Afterwards, she said goodbye to Daine, who she had eaten with, and walked over to where Kel stood waiting patiently. The young knight put her hand on Fi's shoulder and started to steer her through corridors and up a few flights of stairs. Finally they reached the right rooms. By the door stood Queen Thayet. Fi had met the beautiful monarch just before Alanna had left. They had an understanding, which showed in the smile Fi gave her during the obligatory curtsey.
The queen nodded her acknowledgement, "Good evening Fiona, Keladry." She said before knocking on the door and entering.. Two women sat inside embroidering a dress. The older looked up and smiled. She obviously knew that Thayet would not expect her to get up to curtsey when she was working.
"What do u require your majesty?" she asked.
"A dress and also a dress tunic with shirt and hose," replied Thayet, "Fi here needs to have the dress for royal introduction. Do you have anything ready made?"
"I'll send Mirelle here to have a look," said the woman, nodding to her younger colleague who put down her work and bustled quickly to an area behind a curtain The other woman looked back at Thayet, "What about the tunic?"
Kel spoke up, "Russet red shirt and hose and a bright red dress tunic with a gold braid as a trim"
"Gold Brocade?"
"No thanks."
With this, Mirelle came back with a blue grey dress in her hands. She held it out for Fi to inspect. It was all done in the blue-silk. It wasn't too revealing, nor too modest. In the cuffs of the quarter length sleeves were small pieces on inset Tyrite. The only embroidery was on the bodice, which was decoratedin gol threads, which entwined with each other in beautifully intricate patterns. "How much is it?" asked Fi.
"80 gold nobles Lady Fiona."
With this revelation, the girl's heart sank. She couldn't possibly pay for this dress. It would leave her 20 gold nobles in debt. Thayet spoke, "I'll pay for it. She only had 100 nobles to begin with and any good dress is worth at least 70. If Alanna can give her a horse, the King and Duke Baird tuition in her magic and Kel show her the fighting arts, and all for free, I think she is special enough for this."
*****
Fi put on her new dress with immense satisfaction. It was three hours before her court presentation, but she wanted everything just right. Pulling the silk into place, she turned to her hair. As usual, it was flared in all directions. It was always like this after she'd washed it. Brushing the shiny brown locks gently, so as not to place hairs on her dress, she pulled them it up with a grey ribbon, and placed it ina bun. She got the static at the top of her head to lye still by passing a wet hand over it.
Fi was just putting on he jewellery, struggling with the eardrops, when a knock came at the door, and Daine peered in. Walking the length of the room in a couple of strides, she helped Fi sort out the Tyrite jewels. " You look pretty." She remarked as she helped put on Fi's tiara, "Fi, how old are you?"
"I'm 14, My 15th Birthday is the fourth day of Midwinter, the 22nd."
"That young? I thought you were older."
"How much older?" asked the girl, curiously.
"Just younger than Kel. Maybe...a couple of years below her. About the same age as Owen of Jesslaw, I dont know if you know him."
" I do know him. But I'm not his age. So thanks, but, I dont want to wish my life away just yet."
Daine didn't reply. She looked Fi over one last time, before smiling and putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Have you decided what surname you are going to have when you are announced?"
Fi, who had been shunted foster parent to foster parent all of her life, gave Daine a look of worry, "No, why? Do I need one?"
"Yes, of course. All respectable Tortallans have one, even ones that appear out of no where."
Fi bit her lip, "Um.....let me think....." She tried to remember what she had first done with her Earthfire. That was a moment memorable enough to be named after. Ah yes, the flower. She could have that as a surname. Now, what was it called...
"Got one yet?" asked the Wildmage.
Nearly...how about...Larkspur?"
"Fiona Larkspur...sounds good. Has a ring to it. Anyway, we ought to get a move on. Lets go."
*****
Fi stood silently behind the door to the ballroom by Kel, who looked perfectly calm and relaxed. Looking at the woman, Fi felt a small rush of envy, before asking, "Aren't you in the least bit nervous?"
"No. Why should I be? I've been to dances before, and its not as if I dont know their Majesties."
"I'm really jumpy."
"You shouldn't be. You look fine. And I didn't know you were out to impress anybody in particular."
"I just want to be accepted..." Fi mumbled quietly
Kel shook her head, something she'd been doing quite a lot of recently, "Fi, you are accepted."
"Not by everyone."
"By the people who matter, those closest to you, you are."
"Thank you." Fi said, and gave the tall knight a grin. Kel smiled back. Just then, the usher came up behind them, nodding towards the door to tell them it was time for their entrance. He then opened them, and walked through. Banging his staff three time on the floor, he called into the suddenly silent hall, "Sir Keladry of Mindelan and the trainee Earthmage and Healer, Miss Fiona Larkspur."
Kel offered an arm to Fi, and both walked quietly through the giant oak doors and down the steps towards the thrones. Once five paces away, Kel bowed and Fi curtseyed. The King smiled and nodded to them in unison with the queen. This was their cue. With another bow and curtsey, they moved into the crowds.
*****
Raoul had watched this ceremony with pride. He liked Fi for all that he had only known her a month. As for Kel, he had plenty of reasons to be proud of her. Next to him, Gary exclaimed, "Whoever it was who said that new girl was plain is a proven liar!"
"She knows when to make an effort." Raoul replied calmly, "She's a bright girl."
*****
Kel and Fi walked slowly into the congregation of people. Behind them, the fifth and final introduction took place. Walking by a group of young knights and squires she recognised, Fi was stopped by a man a couple of years older than Kel. He smiled, "Miss Larkspur, would you care to dance?" He asked, as the orchestra started playing.
Fi took one look at the blue eyes and the shoulder length blonde hair before realising who this must be (Kel's glare just giving her all the confirmation she needed.) She gave him a sarcastic smile, "Sorry Sir Joren, but I already have a partner." She replied, before grabbing the nearest of the squires from the group next to her. Dancing so that her back was to Joren, she whispered, "Follow my lead." To the youth she was dancing with. When Joren finally took the hint and left, she gazed up to properly thank the squire. Doing so, she got a surprise.
"Prince Liam! I'm so sorry! How can..."
"Dont worry about it, I know what the Stone Mountain fellow is like." The prince replied, hazel eyes amused.
"You dance very well your highness." Fi said after a while, trying desperately to make conversation.
Liam winced, "Please, dont call me highness. Just Liam I dont like to keep being told I'm special just because I was born to a King and Queen."
Fi noticed that he wore only one, small, royal insignia on his relatively plain clothes. She looked back up at him, "Sorry, Liam. I was just trying to be polite."
"That's alright Fiona. And in regards to your earlier comment, you dance very well yourself."
"I've never been a particular lover of dancing though." Fi replied
"To be perfectly honest, neither have I!" said the prince with a grin, "Would you like to go for a walk instead?"
"That would be brilliant. Lead the way!"
At this, Liam grinned again, and took her hand. Weaving in and out of dancing couples, the finally found their way out of the ballroom and into a courtyard. From here, he lead her into another garden, and to what seemed to be a plain, ivy covered wall. It was only when Liam swept away the ivy leaves, Fi saw a door in the stone. Pulling a key from his pocket, Liam placed it into the lock. Whispering a word as he turned it, the tumblers clicked open. Opening the door, the prince held it open for Fi to enter. Ducking, she walked under the ivy-dripping archway.
Inside was a small courtyard covered in plants. Trees were planted in each of the four corners. Bushes grew in-between them, and in front of those sat rows of brightly coloured flowers. The rest of the ground area was covered in shiny cobbles. In the very centre stood a fountain in front of a huge tree, whose branches scraped against the high glass ceiling.
"Its like the Secret Garden!" Fi gasped
" The what?" asked Liam, who sat lazily on a bench in front of the stone fountain.
"Oh, nothing." The girl replied. She walked over to the large tree. "What's wrong with this grand old lady?" she asked, running a hand down the bark.
"Do you feel it as well? It's ill, but its beyond my coping."
"How do you 'feel' its illness?" Fi wanted to know
Liam shrugged, "I think its my Gift. Its got a speciality with plants. Some say it's my very nature. My mother has only ever been able to wield the Dominion Jewel once, and that was to heal a plant, whilst pregnant with me."
Fi looked at him with magic. His Gift was an aqua colour. In the middle of that, his Essence burnt bright white, like everyone's did. However, there was the odd purple spark in it that suggest Earthfire, though he wasn't able to use it as it was part of his very being. She told this to Liam. She turned back to the tree.
"I think I can heal her." She said, before reaching for her magic. She forced Earthfire into the tree, using it to pull all the bad ness down through the roots. Once in the soil, she changed the black poison into a rock. Opening her eyes again, she saw a black stone half poking through the ground. It was an opal. Bending down, she picked it up and offered it to Liam.
"A present my prince." She said, with mock formality in her voice.
"I couldn't take it, they are so expensive!" gasped the youth
"Obviously they are just poison turned into rock. It was formed on your ground, so keep it!"
Slowly, he accepted the stone. He couldn't stop thanking her. Fi shook her head, "Stop it. You'll only embarrass me, and then I'll go bright red, I know what, to thank me, you'll let me carve something on it."
Liam nodded, and passed the opal back to her. Taking it in her hands, Fi thought hard about her coat of arms, and used her magic to engrave it upon the rock. She then put a basic stress relieving charm on it with her magic, making it take a blue-grey sheen. Returning it, she said, "I've put a magic on it. If everything gets to much, just press it to your temple, and you should feel better,"
"Thank you!"
"Think nothing of it. Could you show me back to my rooms, only, I dont know my way back from here."
*****
Standing outside her bedchamber, Fi turned to the prince from the doorway. He smiled, "I can't thank you enough. I dont know if you noticed, but all the plants had perked up by the time you left. You have the same effect on them as Daine has on animals."
"Daine has more effect than I do." Said a pink-cheeked Fi
"Don't be modest Miss Larkspur. I'll see you soon." Liam started to turn to leave, but to Fi's surprise, had a change of heart and hugged her instead. A little confused, FI hugged him back. We they released each other, their eyes met. His look made Fi feel as if her heart was melting. To stop herself from drowning in his hazel eyes, she broke eye contact.
"I look forward to meeting you again Prince Liam." She said quickly at shut the door. Letting herself sink to the floor against it, she heard his footsteps recede slowly down the corridor, She scolded herself under her breath. Why did she have to go and ruin such a good evening? A voice in her head replied, it was as much him as you.
She changed quickly, hanging up the dress and put the jewellery aside. Lying back on her bed, she felt tears in her eyes. She yelled mentally, dont get attatched Fiona Larkspur! You'll only make it worse!
The voice in her head spoke again, "How? By the looks of things, you've gotton yourself into an identical problem as Alanna's."
Fi realised that this was not just her mind voice. Looking to her right with bleary eyes she saw Faithful. The cat jumped beside her, "You cant worry about this all night. I'll help you sleep now. Talk to him tomorrow."
He purred a note. As he held it, Fi's eyes started to droop. She managed to mumble a quick "Thank you" before slipping into a deep sleep.
*****
Liam sat in his rooms. He was turning the opal over and over in his fingers. He had known Fi to be special when he had met her. But now he had probably blown their friendship. Why did he have to go and fall in......No, he wasn't going to think of it. He had to forget her. Anyway, hadn't Daine said to him earlier that Fi was only 14? He would be turning 18 next month, having started his knight training at 11 after a year at mage school. The age gap was quite large
He remembered the stone's charm and put the opal to his temple. If he wasn't stressed now, then he didn't know what he was. As cool calmness ran through his body, he relaxed. Putting down the gemstone, he decided to meditate. He had been doing so for only a couple of minutes when his door was opened.
His knightmaster, Sir Aromat of ha Minch, walked in with his mousy brown hair ruffled by the wind. "Come on Liam, we've got to go. Ha Minch has a slight spidren problem. Before they'll send the Kings Own so far, they need someone to assess the situation."
Liam frowned, "This is more than a slight problem isn't it?"
The man nodded, "Say your farewells and pack. We are leaving two hours with Sir Nealan." With a grim smile, Aromat turned around and left. After thinking for a minute, Liam started writing on his special paper, that with a royal insigna. Sealing it, he left the room. First he visited the locksmith, before taking the letter down to Fi's room.
He was slightly nervous about facing the girl again. Knocking, he fidgeted until the door was opened. Faithful sat looking up at him with his direct purple eyes. "Prince Liam, I am afraid Fiona is asleep." He mewed in a slightly amused tone
"No matter, could you give this to her when she wakes." Replied the youth, handing Faithful the letter he carried, relieved that Fi was in bed, "Tell her that I'll be in ha Minch by tomorrow morning." He added, before walking down to the stables.
Continued in Chapter 10: Fi gets a job, and meets a familiar face. Thats all I'm letting out now!