The Panther ~Ch.2
by Pinkpanther
Disclaimer: Anything that you might recognize from the Tortall books belongs toTamora Pierce. The events and characters in this story are purely fictional and are not based on any real-life events or people. The new characters however are mine so please do NOT use without my permission.
Just a little note, I've been trying to portray Lilian as a cheerful, bubbly sort of girl who chatters all the time.
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All eyes were glued to the carriage door. A slender, lace gloved hand reached out to take the hand of the coachman. Kel could just hear the chorus of "ohhh's" behind her from the group of squires. The delicate looking lady stepped out gracefully. She wore a full-skirted, short- sleeved dress of the palest pink trimmed with tiny ruffles and lace. Her hair was black silk and swept to the top of her head. It was held in place with a tiara of what appeared to be rosebuds dipped in gold. Her eyes were a rich dark brown. Around her neck was a large tiger's eye gem.
Remembering his manners and duties as a knight, Raoul stepped forward. "Welcome, my lady, to Corus the capital of Tortall."
"Why thank you, Sir ...?" the lady, girl really, smiled.
"Raoul, milady."
"How do you do? My goodness, this courtyard is quite pretty. That fountain sounds and looks so refreshing. But now my good sir, won't you introduce me to all the others?"
"Certainly, milady. Allow me to present Sirs Neal, Cleon and Kel. The group over there are the senior squires."
"Lady Kel? I've heard so much about you! You're the second lady knight aren't you? I watched one of your tournaments when you were still a squire - you were quite magnificent! I just cannot wait to have a fine chat with you. I do hope you come visit me sometime, it'll be simply lovely to have a good girl to girl talk." she bubbled.
It was at this point that they all noticed that no one had informed them the name of this lady. Kel spoke up warmly.
"Pleased to meet you. But I'm afraid that we have not been told your name."
"Oh dear me. I'm so terribly sorry, in this excitement I simply forgot my manners! Do forgive me, won't you? I am the Lady Katarina Lilian Felina of Fief Alderton. But do please, all of you call me Lilian or Lily. And now, what shall I do with the carriage and my driver?"
"Stephan Groomsman will take care of the horses and he will show your driver where to stay, Lady Lilian."
"Oh thank you so much." she smiled flirtatiously at squires. "However, I am rather tired now, the journey was quite rough and I've been travelling for so long, is there someone who would be able to show me to my rooms? I suppose that we will having lunch in the main dining hall? Is it at noon exactly?"
Sir Raoul motioned to the squires. "I'm very sure, my lady, that at least a few of the squires would be more than willing to help." Beckoning with his hand, several of the more older and bolder squires rushed over.
"Would you please show Lady Lilian to her suite? I trust you'll find it quite comfortable, my lady. It is in the wing of the palace overlooking the Royal Forest."
"Thank you very much! I hope to see all of you at lunch." beamed the girl. She swept a curtsy that would have been the envy of the convent teachers themselves. "And so," she smiled to the squires, "shall we be off?"
The knights watched, amused as the squires fell over themselves to help her, and to lead the way, trying to out-do each other in the knowledge of the palace where they had all lived for several years. As her cheerful voice faded into the distance, Neal whistled. "Now that was definitely a court lady. She's got the looks, the manners, sense of behaviour...."
"You sound like you're talking about a trained poodle!" interrupted Kel.
"Ah, but she is almost. Anyway, Kel, don't get jealous." soothed Cleon "You know I don't have eyes for anyone else."
Raoul laughed. "Good thing that everyone knows about me and Buri and Neal and Yukimi. Otherwise, knowing the way these ladies behave, it would be the same as being stalked by a very demanding shadow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the knights left the courtyard, Stephan Groomsman came out. As he fussed over the horses as all horse-lovers do, a man on a tall chestnut gelding clattered into the yard.
"You there sir!" he called. "Would you be able to see to the comfort of my horse!" He slipped down from the horse and handed a few gold nobles to Stephan. "See that he is well taken care of please."
"Certainly, sir. And your name my lord is...?"
"The Lord Edmund of Meadowburgh. I've just come to court and plan to stay awhile."
"Very good sir." said Stephan, pocketing the coins.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To lakergal, Thank you for the suggestions! I always enjoy learning something to help me improve my writing.
Did you like it? Review please! There's few things more depressing than writing a nice detailed, long story that's read by no one. Just let me know you're reading it. Also, tell me if you want any romance between Lilian and a TP character or an original one. Thanks!
by Pinkpanther
Disclaimer: Anything that you might recognize from the Tortall books belongs toTamora Pierce. The events and characters in this story are purely fictional and are not based on any real-life events or people. The new characters however are mine so please do NOT use without my permission.
Just a little note, I've been trying to portray Lilian as a cheerful, bubbly sort of girl who chatters all the time.
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All eyes were glued to the carriage door. A slender, lace gloved hand reached out to take the hand of the coachman. Kel could just hear the chorus of "ohhh's" behind her from the group of squires. The delicate looking lady stepped out gracefully. She wore a full-skirted, short- sleeved dress of the palest pink trimmed with tiny ruffles and lace. Her hair was black silk and swept to the top of her head. It was held in place with a tiara of what appeared to be rosebuds dipped in gold. Her eyes were a rich dark brown. Around her neck was a large tiger's eye gem.
Remembering his manners and duties as a knight, Raoul stepped forward. "Welcome, my lady, to Corus the capital of Tortall."
"Why thank you, Sir ...?" the lady, girl really, smiled.
"Raoul, milady."
"How do you do? My goodness, this courtyard is quite pretty. That fountain sounds and looks so refreshing. But now my good sir, won't you introduce me to all the others?"
"Certainly, milady. Allow me to present Sirs Neal, Cleon and Kel. The group over there are the senior squires."
"Lady Kel? I've heard so much about you! You're the second lady knight aren't you? I watched one of your tournaments when you were still a squire - you were quite magnificent! I just cannot wait to have a fine chat with you. I do hope you come visit me sometime, it'll be simply lovely to have a good girl to girl talk." she bubbled.
It was at this point that they all noticed that no one had informed them the name of this lady. Kel spoke up warmly.
"Pleased to meet you. But I'm afraid that we have not been told your name."
"Oh dear me. I'm so terribly sorry, in this excitement I simply forgot my manners! Do forgive me, won't you? I am the Lady Katarina Lilian Felina of Fief Alderton. But do please, all of you call me Lilian or Lily. And now, what shall I do with the carriage and my driver?"
"Stephan Groomsman will take care of the horses and he will show your driver where to stay, Lady Lilian."
"Oh thank you so much." she smiled flirtatiously at squires. "However, I am rather tired now, the journey was quite rough and I've been travelling for so long, is there someone who would be able to show me to my rooms? I suppose that we will having lunch in the main dining hall? Is it at noon exactly?"
Sir Raoul motioned to the squires. "I'm very sure, my lady, that at least a few of the squires would be more than willing to help." Beckoning with his hand, several of the more older and bolder squires rushed over.
"Would you please show Lady Lilian to her suite? I trust you'll find it quite comfortable, my lady. It is in the wing of the palace overlooking the Royal Forest."
"Thank you very much! I hope to see all of you at lunch." beamed the girl. She swept a curtsy that would have been the envy of the convent teachers themselves. "And so," she smiled to the squires, "shall we be off?"
The knights watched, amused as the squires fell over themselves to help her, and to lead the way, trying to out-do each other in the knowledge of the palace where they had all lived for several years. As her cheerful voice faded into the distance, Neal whistled. "Now that was definitely a court lady. She's got the looks, the manners, sense of behaviour...."
"You sound like you're talking about a trained poodle!" interrupted Kel.
"Ah, but she is almost. Anyway, Kel, don't get jealous." soothed Cleon "You know I don't have eyes for anyone else."
Raoul laughed. "Good thing that everyone knows about me and Buri and Neal and Yukimi. Otherwise, knowing the way these ladies behave, it would be the same as being stalked by a very demanding shadow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the knights left the courtyard, Stephan Groomsman came out. As he fussed over the horses as all horse-lovers do, a man on a tall chestnut gelding clattered into the yard.
"You there sir!" he called. "Would you be able to see to the comfort of my horse!" He slipped down from the horse and handed a few gold nobles to Stephan. "See that he is well taken care of please."
"Certainly, sir. And your name my lord is...?"
"The Lord Edmund of Meadowburgh. I've just come to court and plan to stay awhile."
"Very good sir." said Stephan, pocketing the coins.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To lakergal, Thank you for the suggestions! I always enjoy learning something to help me improve my writing.
Did you like it? Review please! There's few things more depressing than writing a nice detailed, long story that's read by no one. Just let me know you're reading it. Also, tell me if you want any romance between Lilian and a TP character or an original one. Thanks!