The Panther ~Ch.6
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!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Immediately, a throng of young men swarmed around Lady Lilian. Kel watched, much amused, as she fluttered her eyelashes, giggled and teased her captivated audience. The music started up again, a flowing waltz. "Kel, my pearl, would you like to dance?" invited Cleon, who had snuck up behind her.
"Of course!" she smiled, holding out her hand. They twirled onto the dance floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several dances later, Kel sat down on a velvet covered bench, hidden in a tiny alcove next to a window, behind some drapery. "I'll get us some supper." offered Cleon, heading off towards the delicious looking sandwiches and fruit jellies. A moment later, Lilian arrived, breathless and laughing. Since the first waltz, she had not been off the floor, and had had partner after partner "cutting in".
"Kel, honey, isn't this just marvelous! So many dances, this is so much fun! Do you mind if I sit down - my poor, little feet are sooo tired! Where's Cleon?"
Moving over, Kel answered "He just over went there to get some sandwiches."
"How nice! Oh, Squire Micah, yoo hoo!" she waved to one of the squires who was earlier one of her admirers over.
Turning slightly pink, he came over (amidst much teasing from his friends) and bowed. "At your service, my lady."
"Micah, honey, if you're not too busy at the moment, could you get Lady Kel and me some nice, cold punch? I've been dancing for so long and my poor, little feet are so tired!" she begged, prettily, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Certainly my lady! I won't be a moment." bowing, he rushed off to fetch the drinks, almost bumping into Cleon, who was returning with two heaping plates.
"What was he doing here?" demanded Cleon, good-naturedly.
"He went to get us some drinks, and are you having a nice evening?" greeted Lilian.
"That's great! I didn't have extra hands, so I was going to go back for them. Here we are." Cleon, carefully placed the heaping platters of sandwiches and other hors d'oevures on a tiny side table. Micah, returned, panting from the effort to run quickly and not spill anything.
"Here you are, my ladies." He set down the glistening crystal goblets, filled with the glowing cranberry punch. "Sir Cleon." he saluted.
"Thank you, Squire Micah." Cleon returned the salute.
"Thank you ever so much, Micah, honey!" smiled Lady Lilian sweetly. The enchanted squire noticed how the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, the way a cat's mouth curves when he drinks cream. He bowed yet again, and stumbled back to his friends who quite spoiled his dreamy mood.
"So Kel, darling, tell me about some of these people here."
The three chatted and giggled (or rather, Lilian giggled, Kel and Cleon laughed) while eating the delicious sandwiches, and Kel pointed out to Lilian the notorious flirts, the well-known bachelors, and the charming knights. She then warned her about the scheming court beauties who stopped at nothing to get what they wanted, and who could poison someone's reputation with their malevolent gossip. "And him over, there,..."she pointed "that's Sir Myles, who escorted you tonight."
"Yes, I've known him for quite a while now. Such a charming man, and his wife is so sweet. Pity about his drinking though."
Kel looked up in surprise. "How did you know him?" She knew that Sir Myles was getting too old to travel to places like Fief Alderton or foreign courts.
"Oh, that was a long time ago. It was before I went to the convent school. He visited us one day, to discuss some business with father, and ever since then, I've sent him a note every Midwinter. You know, I simply haven't a head for business or mathematics! I am entirely at the mercy of my head steward - all I know is that each month, I'm supposed to send the man a list of my expenses and then later, he sends me my pocket money."
"You really should learn something about accounting!" advised Kel. "What if he's cheating you?"
"Oh dear! I've never thought of that!" gasped Lilian
"We learned something about accounting when we were in training. Kel, couldn't we teach Lilian some of the basics?" suggested Cleon
"Yes! Why don't we?"
"Could you? That's so kind of you!"
"Since there's nothing serious going on now, Neal and Roald could help too, and we could also form a small study group for the pages too." Cleon's ideas were really starting to grow now.
"That's splendid! So when should we start?"
"How about tomorrow evening? We usually exercise in the mornings, and after lunch we sometimes go riding. Lilian, would you like to join us for our rides?" invited Kel.
"I'd love to!" Just then, yet another handsome young man came into the alcove. "Why hello there!" beamed Lilian
"My Lady, would you care to dance with me?" he blurted out.
"Certainly! Lord Edmund of Meadowburgh isn't it? You were presented tonight, weren't you?" Standing up, she said "Kel, Cleon, thank you so much for your kind offer. I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Goodnight!" called Kel
"Sleep well." Smiling charmingly at the dark-haired Lord Edmund, Lady Lilian took his offered arm. "Now, do tell me something about yourself, Lord Edmund, ....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Lilian hummed to herself as she brushed her long black hair. The ball had been spectacular. Lord Edmund was so friendly and she had also met so many other people, the friendly Lord Anthony, the talkative dandy Sir Douglas, and that notorious charmer Sir Gregory. Kel and Cleon were so kind, after all she had only met them today and yet they all got on so well. Slipping into a lovely white nightdress, she made sure that all the entrances were physically and magically locked and tumbled into the giant, four-poster bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sir Myles checked all the wards around the dark room. Satisfied that all was secure, he opened the letter that had been placed in the secret compartment of the flower vase next to his door. It said,
Dear M,
I'll use code names until I know this is secure. As you know, I've arrived. I'm awaiting your instructions.
Panther
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
hmmmm, I like to keep up the suspense, so you'll just have to keep guessing!
To Shining Star, I'm glad you review after each chapter.
To smicc, thank you!
To Lady Snape, you really cheered me up today! thank you!
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!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Immediately, a throng of young men swarmed around Lady Lilian. Kel watched, much amused, as she fluttered her eyelashes, giggled and teased her captivated audience. The music started up again, a flowing waltz. "Kel, my pearl, would you like to dance?" invited Cleon, who had snuck up behind her.
"Of course!" she smiled, holding out her hand. They twirled onto the dance floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several dances later, Kel sat down on a velvet covered bench, hidden in a tiny alcove next to a window, behind some drapery. "I'll get us some supper." offered Cleon, heading off towards the delicious looking sandwiches and fruit jellies. A moment later, Lilian arrived, breathless and laughing. Since the first waltz, she had not been off the floor, and had had partner after partner "cutting in".
"Kel, honey, isn't this just marvelous! So many dances, this is so much fun! Do you mind if I sit down - my poor, little feet are sooo tired! Where's Cleon?"
Moving over, Kel answered "He just over went there to get some sandwiches."
"How nice! Oh, Squire Micah, yoo hoo!" she waved to one of the squires who was earlier one of her admirers over.
Turning slightly pink, he came over (amidst much teasing from his friends) and bowed. "At your service, my lady."
"Micah, honey, if you're not too busy at the moment, could you get Lady Kel and me some nice, cold punch? I've been dancing for so long and my poor, little feet are so tired!" she begged, prettily, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Certainly my lady! I won't be a moment." bowing, he rushed off to fetch the drinks, almost bumping into Cleon, who was returning with two heaping plates.
"What was he doing here?" demanded Cleon, good-naturedly.
"He went to get us some drinks, and are you having a nice evening?" greeted Lilian.
"That's great! I didn't have extra hands, so I was going to go back for them. Here we are." Cleon, carefully placed the heaping platters of sandwiches and other hors d'oevures on a tiny side table. Micah, returned, panting from the effort to run quickly and not spill anything.
"Here you are, my ladies." He set down the glistening crystal goblets, filled with the glowing cranberry punch. "Sir Cleon." he saluted.
"Thank you, Squire Micah." Cleon returned the salute.
"Thank you ever so much, Micah, honey!" smiled Lady Lilian sweetly. The enchanted squire noticed how the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, the way a cat's mouth curves when he drinks cream. He bowed yet again, and stumbled back to his friends who quite spoiled his dreamy mood.
"So Kel, darling, tell me about some of these people here."
The three chatted and giggled (or rather, Lilian giggled, Kel and Cleon laughed) while eating the delicious sandwiches, and Kel pointed out to Lilian the notorious flirts, the well-known bachelors, and the charming knights. She then warned her about the scheming court beauties who stopped at nothing to get what they wanted, and who could poison someone's reputation with their malevolent gossip. "And him over, there,..."she pointed "that's Sir Myles, who escorted you tonight."
"Yes, I've known him for quite a while now. Such a charming man, and his wife is so sweet. Pity about his drinking though."
Kel looked up in surprise. "How did you know him?" She knew that Sir Myles was getting too old to travel to places like Fief Alderton or foreign courts.
"Oh, that was a long time ago. It was before I went to the convent school. He visited us one day, to discuss some business with father, and ever since then, I've sent him a note every Midwinter. You know, I simply haven't a head for business or mathematics! I am entirely at the mercy of my head steward - all I know is that each month, I'm supposed to send the man a list of my expenses and then later, he sends me my pocket money."
"You really should learn something about accounting!" advised Kel. "What if he's cheating you?"
"Oh dear! I've never thought of that!" gasped Lilian
"We learned something about accounting when we were in training. Kel, couldn't we teach Lilian some of the basics?" suggested Cleon
"Yes! Why don't we?"
"Could you? That's so kind of you!"
"Since there's nothing serious going on now, Neal and Roald could help too, and we could also form a small study group for the pages too." Cleon's ideas were really starting to grow now.
"That's splendid! So when should we start?"
"How about tomorrow evening? We usually exercise in the mornings, and after lunch we sometimes go riding. Lilian, would you like to join us for our rides?" invited Kel.
"I'd love to!" Just then, yet another handsome young man came into the alcove. "Why hello there!" beamed Lilian
"My Lady, would you care to dance with me?" he blurted out.
"Certainly! Lord Edmund of Meadowburgh isn't it? You were presented tonight, weren't you?" Standing up, she said "Kel, Cleon, thank you so much for your kind offer. I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Goodnight!" called Kel
"Sleep well." Smiling charmingly at the dark-haired Lord Edmund, Lady Lilian took his offered arm. "Now, do tell me something about yourself, Lord Edmund, ....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Lilian hummed to herself as she brushed her long black hair. The ball had been spectacular. Lord Edmund was so friendly and she had also met so many other people, the friendly Lord Anthony, the talkative dandy Sir Douglas, and that notorious charmer Sir Gregory. Kel and Cleon were so kind, after all she had only met them today and yet they all got on so well. Slipping into a lovely white nightdress, she made sure that all the entrances were physically and magically locked and tumbled into the giant, four-poster bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sir Myles checked all the wards around the dark room. Satisfied that all was secure, he opened the letter that had been placed in the secret compartment of the flower vase next to his door. It said,
Dear M,
I'll use code names until I know this is secure. As you know, I've arrived. I'm awaiting your instructions.
Panther
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
hmmmm, I like to keep up the suspense, so you'll just have to keep guessing!
To Shining Star, I'm glad you review after each chapter.
To smicc, thank you!
To Lady Snape, you really cheered me up today! thank you!