The Panther ~Ch.5
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.
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You've had a busy life then." observed Neal.
"Yes, I have." she replied. "Anyway, do tell me about your adventures as squires. I'm sure they must have been very interesting, especially when the war was going on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the clock rang the first bell and the meal was almost finished, a page walked over, and bowing, he handed Lady Lilian a white card, with golden letters. Reading this, she suddenly exclaimed "Oh dear me! Can it be one o'clock already? The time has been passing by so fast! There's a ball of presentation tonight, and I'm supposed to be presented! Won't you all please excuse me, there's so much I have to do - get my hair done, a manicure, find a suitable dress, ..."
"Certainly, my lady." answered Roald. "Would you like one of us to escort you back?"
"That's so sweet of you but no thank you, I should be able to find my way back alright. I hope to see you all of you at the ball tonight!" curtsying, she glided quickly out of the dining hall, leaving behind more than a few sighing squires.
"So, what do you think?" asked Neal.
"She seems quite nice, but there's no trouble to tell that she was trained in a convent." smiled Kel
"Yes." giggled Yuki. "Her manners could rival even a Master of Etiquette at the Yamani court!"
"I suppose that she'll be flirting with every man that she sees tonight. I bet she'll wear a really low-cut dress with frills." said Cleon
"Just so long as she doesn't try it with you." mock-growled Kel. "Still, she's really nice and friendly. I hope we can be friends."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Lilian hurried along the sun-drenched corridors of the expensive part of the palace. Reaching her room she unlocked the door, and slipped into her very feminine rooms. There was simply so much to do! First of all, what in the Mother's name should she wear? It was at times like this that she wished she had a maid. "I must remember to ask Kel about that." she thought. She rang the bell for the palace servants to bring bath water. In the meantime, she pulled open the door of her expensive teak wardrobe. It was filled to bursting with silks, satins and lacy things - and these were just the clothes for the summer! Running a hand along the dresses, she stood deep in the thought. "Too long, too warm, too plain, hmm..." There was a polite knock at the service door (these suites had two doors, one from the hallway for noble guests, the other door discreetly hidden in back for the servants). Opening the door, Lilian admitted a small team of maids. They were specially trained ladies' maids, so all curtsied politely and went to work. Within minutes, Lilian lay blissfully soaking in a delightful, hot bath, with a nourishing mask, and with one girl doing her manicure, and the others laying out things for the ball.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My Lady............" intoned the deep bass voice of the herald.
"My Lord ..........." he droned.
"The Baron ........." As each name was called, the person named descended the grandly sweeping staircase leading to the ballroom floor, and bowed or curtsyed. Since there had also been several 'graduates' of the local convent arriving that day, it was an unusually long list.
"Sir ....................."
Lady Lilian stood in the antechamber, waiting for her turn. Her head was confidently high and her back was straight, the way the teachers always taught. Waving a snowy-white fan with emeralds, she fanned herself with the bored look that all the convents taught to project an air of confidence. Inside however, her thoughts were rushing along.
"Ah, my Lady Katarina Lilian of Alderton I presume." a voice interrupted her thoughts. It was Sir Myles. Pricking an eyebrow up delicately, she smiled and nodded.
"Sir Myles? I haven't seen you since ages ago. I trust you are well?"
"Quite, quite. My goodness you look lovely" He complimented her. His glance flickered momentarily towards the curious (and nosey) people still waiting like she was. "I am to be escorting you tonight on your way down."
"Why thank you! My goodness, how do you live here all year round, this is simply SO exciting!" she gushed in a most empty-headed manner.
"My Lord Edmund of Meadowburgh." called the herald.
They turned to watch the handsome man stride out. "It will soon be your turn." Myles spoke. The room was now empty - she would be last to be presented.
"My Lady Katarina Lilian Felina of Fief Alderton."
Myles took her arm, and giving it a reassuring squeeze, they walked out into the bright lights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kel, Cleon, and Neal watched as the beautiful figure of Lady Lilian descended. (Yuki was attending Shinko and Roald at next to the Royal Family). Her gleaming black hair was full of beautiful flower-like jewels and the rosebud tiara was set high on her head. But the dress was gorgeous. It was the most girlish thing possible, and on anyone else would have looked silly. But it suited this girl perfectly. It was a graceful pink, and the chiffon-like material would have floated, except for the layers upon layers of ruffles. The neckline was, as Cleon had predicted, low, but tastefully so. The cluster of tea roses and ribbons on her shoulder added the perfect touch. She glided across the marble floors, in the peculiar trotting walk the ladies used so that their skirts would fan out. Grandly, she curtsyed to the Royal Family. The King aknowledged her with a nod. The background music ended, and the room was filled with applause for the new arrivals.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Shining star, THANK YOU for reviewing each chapter! I'll be sure to read some of your writing as soon as I get a chance!
To vistana, THANK YOU! If you keep reading, log-in so I can read something you've wrote.
To all my dear readers, thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Anyway, please review!
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.
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You've had a busy life then." observed Neal.
"Yes, I have." she replied. "Anyway, do tell me about your adventures as squires. I'm sure they must have been very interesting, especially when the war was going on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the clock rang the first bell and the meal was almost finished, a page walked over, and bowing, he handed Lady Lilian a white card, with golden letters. Reading this, she suddenly exclaimed "Oh dear me! Can it be one o'clock already? The time has been passing by so fast! There's a ball of presentation tonight, and I'm supposed to be presented! Won't you all please excuse me, there's so much I have to do - get my hair done, a manicure, find a suitable dress, ..."
"Certainly, my lady." answered Roald. "Would you like one of us to escort you back?"
"That's so sweet of you but no thank you, I should be able to find my way back alright. I hope to see you all of you at the ball tonight!" curtsying, she glided quickly out of the dining hall, leaving behind more than a few sighing squires.
"So, what do you think?" asked Neal.
"She seems quite nice, but there's no trouble to tell that she was trained in a convent." smiled Kel
"Yes." giggled Yuki. "Her manners could rival even a Master of Etiquette at the Yamani court!"
"I suppose that she'll be flirting with every man that she sees tonight. I bet she'll wear a really low-cut dress with frills." said Cleon
"Just so long as she doesn't try it with you." mock-growled Kel. "Still, she's really nice and friendly. I hope we can be friends."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Lilian hurried along the sun-drenched corridors of the expensive part of the palace. Reaching her room she unlocked the door, and slipped into her very feminine rooms. There was simply so much to do! First of all, what in the Mother's name should she wear? It was at times like this that she wished she had a maid. "I must remember to ask Kel about that." she thought. She rang the bell for the palace servants to bring bath water. In the meantime, she pulled open the door of her expensive teak wardrobe. It was filled to bursting with silks, satins and lacy things - and these were just the clothes for the summer! Running a hand along the dresses, she stood deep in the thought. "Too long, too warm, too plain, hmm..." There was a polite knock at the service door (these suites had two doors, one from the hallway for noble guests, the other door discreetly hidden in back for the servants). Opening the door, Lilian admitted a small team of maids. They were specially trained ladies' maids, so all curtsied politely and went to work. Within minutes, Lilian lay blissfully soaking in a delightful, hot bath, with a nourishing mask, and with one girl doing her manicure, and the others laying out things for the ball.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My Lady............" intoned the deep bass voice of the herald.
"My Lord ..........." he droned.
"The Baron ........." As each name was called, the person named descended the grandly sweeping staircase leading to the ballroom floor, and bowed or curtsyed. Since there had also been several 'graduates' of the local convent arriving that day, it was an unusually long list.
"Sir ....................."
Lady Lilian stood in the antechamber, waiting for her turn. Her head was confidently high and her back was straight, the way the teachers always taught. Waving a snowy-white fan with emeralds, she fanned herself with the bored look that all the convents taught to project an air of confidence. Inside however, her thoughts were rushing along.
"Ah, my Lady Katarina Lilian of Alderton I presume." a voice interrupted her thoughts. It was Sir Myles. Pricking an eyebrow up delicately, she smiled and nodded.
"Sir Myles? I haven't seen you since ages ago. I trust you are well?"
"Quite, quite. My goodness you look lovely" He complimented her. His glance flickered momentarily towards the curious (and nosey) people still waiting like she was. "I am to be escorting you tonight on your way down."
"Why thank you! My goodness, how do you live here all year round, this is simply SO exciting!" she gushed in a most empty-headed manner.
"My Lord Edmund of Meadowburgh." called the herald.
They turned to watch the handsome man stride out. "It will soon be your turn." Myles spoke. The room was now empty - she would be last to be presented.
"My Lady Katarina Lilian Felina of Fief Alderton."
Myles took her arm, and giving it a reassuring squeeze, they walked out into the bright lights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kel, Cleon, and Neal watched as the beautiful figure of Lady Lilian descended. (Yuki was attending Shinko and Roald at next to the Royal Family). Her gleaming black hair was full of beautiful flower-like jewels and the rosebud tiara was set high on her head. But the dress was gorgeous. It was the most girlish thing possible, and on anyone else would have looked silly. But it suited this girl perfectly. It was a graceful pink, and the chiffon-like material would have floated, except for the layers upon layers of ruffles. The neckline was, as Cleon had predicted, low, but tastefully so. The cluster of tea roses and ribbons on her shoulder added the perfect touch. She glided across the marble floors, in the peculiar trotting walk the ladies used so that their skirts would fan out. Grandly, she curtsyed to the Royal Family. The King aknowledged her with a nod. The background music ended, and the room was filled with applause for the new arrivals.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Shining star, THANK YOU for reviewing each chapter! I'll be sure to read some of your writing as soon as I get a chance!
To vistana, THANK YOU! If you keep reading, log-in so I can read something you've wrote.
To all my dear readers, thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Anyway, please review!