Chapter 2
A/N Second chapter! Okay, thank you to the three reviews, **sniff** but, I'd like more, I LOVE reviews, good or bad, if they're good I keep writing, if they're bad, I get angry and keep writing. On to the story.
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Branwen examined Madoc, her fingers gliding through the dark feathers. Suddenly, she was falling, down the steps. THUNK she hit the first one, and let out a flurry of curses, only to realize she was on the floor in a mass of blankets. She flailed around trying to get her bearings; finally looking up she looked into the amused face of Eachann, her trainer. He was grinning down at Branwen, hands on hips.
"You my friend will never cease to amaze me." He said, shaking his head. Branwen looked up sheepishly, she disentangled herself from the blankets, standing she dusted off her dress.
"You're gunna need to do more then just dust off, you have an audience with 'is majesty."
Branwen groaned as she stood, she quickly removed the dress and went to the closet, she was used to just wearing a petticoat, corset and leggings around him, as it was what they often trained in. She pulled out a white one; it almost matched her skin. She pulled her hair back and shaped it into a braid, carefully she let it fall down her back, making sure it didn't catch on buttons.
"All set!"
He smiled at her warmly; he was 21 years old and had known her his entire life. Unlike her, he had tan skin, with a light dusting of freckles and sandy blond hair, his blue eyes were always laughing and he often had a grin on his face.
The two briskly left the room, when they heard the royal fan-fair they quickened their steps, that was to call all the nobles, when they heard a second fan-fair they went into an all out run. Breathless they burst into the silent courtroom; all heads swivelled their way. Branwen saw her father's face redden, and her mother put her face in her hands slowly shaking in either laugher or crying.
Quickly she curtsied to her father, then to her mother, taking in her mother and fathers fair hair. She went and hurried to the dais where she sat, quivering with suppressed laughter. She looked around, usually, she wasn't called here, this was the adjoining room of the actual palace and the prison she called home. They only called her here when she was important in the conversation. She looked around the room, taking in the foreign visitors, she guessed the Yammani's for their olive complexion and slanted eyes, likewise with the Scanran's with their blond hair and blue eyes, they all were bundled up in furs, she had only her white gown and was shivering slightly.
"Dear daughter, how old are you?" Her father sad rising, he was a tall man with blue eyes and blond hair. Those were the trademarks of the Copper Isles, something she didn't have.
"I am 15 father."
"Dear daughter, who will you marry?"
This last question was so abrupt that the entire courtroom went completely silent. Branwen paled slightly, if that was possible, a breath racked her chest. This was an important question, what could she say?
"Of who do I have choice?" Branwen replied trying to keep her voice even.
"You have these choices, the royalty from the Yamani Islands; " He nodded to the Yammani's who bowed low in return, "and the Scanran's"
"No delegates from Tortall father?" Branwen put in mildly. She was pleased to see her father turn red with anger, she knew the bonds with her father and Tortall were not strong.
"They decided not to come." He said between gritted teeth.
"What a shame.." Branwen said, giving off a fake yawn.
"What is your answer?" Her father growled.
"Neither" She said immediately, she wasn't about to screw some guy so her father could have peace, she much rather preferred war.
"WHAT???" Her father stalked towards her, ready to strike, he seemed to just notice the delegation from the other countries there, and stopped himself in time. "Leave, but join me for dinner afterwards, goodbye." He said, fake smiling mask back in place.
Quickly Branwen jumped up and headed to the door, she was stopped by Eachann, he was wearing a shirt that was somewhat opened at the top, revealing a muscled chest. He took her into the circle of his arms, they walked down the hall like that, swaying like penguins. They walked in silence, both contemplating what had happened. When they reached Branwen's rooms Eachann turned her towards him.
"That was very brave, legs." Legs was his nickname for her, seeing as she was very tall. "I wasn't expecting that."
Branwen let out a sigh, "Neither was I, I guess we'll see my punishment."
The two entered the room, Eira was sitting in a chair by the fire rocking slowly.
"Hey Snow!" Branwen said as she jogged into her room to get her practice clothes.
"Hello child, going off for practice? Have fun."
The Alright came somewhat muffled as Branwen pulled on her practice clothes. Fawn coloured breeches and a white shirt. She left her hair in braid and grabbed her practice sword. She walked out into the center room, Eachann was looking into the fireplace, he hadn't heard her arrival. She quickly ran and tackled him to the floor, unfortunately she was wrong, and he grabbed her by the waist as she came running at him. He dropped her to the floor and tickled her mercilessly.
"TRUCE! TRUCE!" She yelled in a fit of giggles. The two made their way to the practice courts, finally.
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A/N finally the second chapter is done! Review please, sorry there was such a long wait.
Akaara
A/N Second chapter! Okay, thank you to the three reviews, **sniff** but, I'd like more, I LOVE reviews, good or bad, if they're good I keep writing, if they're bad, I get angry and keep writing. On to the story.
**************************************************************************** ********
Branwen examined Madoc, her fingers gliding through the dark feathers. Suddenly, she was falling, down the steps. THUNK she hit the first one, and let out a flurry of curses, only to realize she was on the floor in a mass of blankets. She flailed around trying to get her bearings; finally looking up she looked into the amused face of Eachann, her trainer. He was grinning down at Branwen, hands on hips.
"You my friend will never cease to amaze me." He said, shaking his head. Branwen looked up sheepishly, she disentangled herself from the blankets, standing she dusted off her dress.
"You're gunna need to do more then just dust off, you have an audience with 'is majesty."
Branwen groaned as she stood, she quickly removed the dress and went to the closet, she was used to just wearing a petticoat, corset and leggings around him, as it was what they often trained in. She pulled out a white one; it almost matched her skin. She pulled her hair back and shaped it into a braid, carefully she let it fall down her back, making sure it didn't catch on buttons.
"All set!"
He smiled at her warmly; he was 21 years old and had known her his entire life. Unlike her, he had tan skin, with a light dusting of freckles and sandy blond hair, his blue eyes were always laughing and he often had a grin on his face.
The two briskly left the room, when they heard the royal fan-fair they quickened their steps, that was to call all the nobles, when they heard a second fan-fair they went into an all out run. Breathless they burst into the silent courtroom; all heads swivelled their way. Branwen saw her father's face redden, and her mother put her face in her hands slowly shaking in either laugher or crying.
Quickly she curtsied to her father, then to her mother, taking in her mother and fathers fair hair. She went and hurried to the dais where she sat, quivering with suppressed laughter. She looked around, usually, she wasn't called here, this was the adjoining room of the actual palace and the prison she called home. They only called her here when she was important in the conversation. She looked around the room, taking in the foreign visitors, she guessed the Yammani's for their olive complexion and slanted eyes, likewise with the Scanran's with their blond hair and blue eyes, they all were bundled up in furs, she had only her white gown and was shivering slightly.
"Dear daughter, how old are you?" Her father sad rising, he was a tall man with blue eyes and blond hair. Those were the trademarks of the Copper Isles, something she didn't have.
"I am 15 father."
"Dear daughter, who will you marry?"
This last question was so abrupt that the entire courtroom went completely silent. Branwen paled slightly, if that was possible, a breath racked her chest. This was an important question, what could she say?
"Of who do I have choice?" Branwen replied trying to keep her voice even.
"You have these choices, the royalty from the Yamani Islands; " He nodded to the Yammani's who bowed low in return, "and the Scanran's"
"No delegates from Tortall father?" Branwen put in mildly. She was pleased to see her father turn red with anger, she knew the bonds with her father and Tortall were not strong.
"They decided not to come." He said between gritted teeth.
"What a shame.." Branwen said, giving off a fake yawn.
"What is your answer?" Her father growled.
"Neither" She said immediately, she wasn't about to screw some guy so her father could have peace, she much rather preferred war.
"WHAT???" Her father stalked towards her, ready to strike, he seemed to just notice the delegation from the other countries there, and stopped himself in time. "Leave, but join me for dinner afterwards, goodbye." He said, fake smiling mask back in place.
Quickly Branwen jumped up and headed to the door, she was stopped by Eachann, he was wearing a shirt that was somewhat opened at the top, revealing a muscled chest. He took her into the circle of his arms, they walked down the hall like that, swaying like penguins. They walked in silence, both contemplating what had happened. When they reached Branwen's rooms Eachann turned her towards him.
"That was very brave, legs." Legs was his nickname for her, seeing as she was very tall. "I wasn't expecting that."
Branwen let out a sigh, "Neither was I, I guess we'll see my punishment."
The two entered the room, Eira was sitting in a chair by the fire rocking slowly.
"Hey Snow!" Branwen said as she jogged into her room to get her practice clothes.
"Hello child, going off for practice? Have fun."
The Alright came somewhat muffled as Branwen pulled on her practice clothes. Fawn coloured breeches and a white shirt. She left her hair in braid and grabbed her practice sword. She walked out into the center room, Eachann was looking into the fireplace, he hadn't heard her arrival. She quickly ran and tackled him to the floor, unfortunately she was wrong, and he grabbed her by the waist as she came running at him. He dropped her to the floor and tickled her mercilessly.
"TRUCE! TRUCE!" She yelled in a fit of giggles. The two made their way to the practice courts, finally.
**************************************************************************** ******
A/N finally the second chapter is done! Review please, sorry there was such a long wait.
Akaara