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CHAPTER FOUR
"So Lady Katalina, what do you think of Tortall so far?" asks the King in a quiet yet bemused tone. You can see the spark of intelligence through his eyes. I take a liking to him immediately.
After a brief pause, "I do not know much of the realm of Tortall; however the city of Corus seems very interesting and full of life. The merchants are very polite and helpful." I thoughtfully answer, with a smile.
"I hope you find yourself at home here. If there is anything you wish to do in particular, please feel free to ask." King Roald nods then turns to announce the end of dinner.
"If everyone wishes, shall we move to the ballroom?" and with that everyone was escorted out, unfortunately for me I was stuck with the prince. ~~**~~
"Milady, care for a dance?" the prince bows as the music starts to play. Looking for a way out of accepting; required by protocol, I inwardly sigh, the King and Queen were looking in our direction. Curtseying I accept politely, making a mental note to step on his feet.
It was perfect, a waltz. The beat went, one, two, ouch, one, two, ouch...(A/N: well it was his fault for asking!)
"Um princess, do you purposely do this!" Jon winces.
"Do what yer highness?" I ask in a sweet and pleasant tone.
"Erm, nothing." Jon replies while glancing at one of his squire friends with a look that screamed; Help!
When the song ended Jon excused himself to go dance with Aldero's wife, as was required. I hold an evil grin on my face, one that the certain friend of Jon's saw.
"May I have this dance Lady Katalina?" requests the friend of Jon's.
"Certainly, erm,"
"Lord Raoul milady"
"Aren't you a little young to be a lord?" I ask suspiciously while being led onto the floor.
"Well, my father abandoned our fief to go study magic gems, leaving the fief in my name." Raoul states matter of factly starting a more complicated waltz.
"They said you were intelligent, beautiful, and powerful. I have to admit they are certainly right." Raoul states jovially.
"To tell you the truth, I thought you really didn't know how to dance when watching you with the prince, obviously I was wrong because you dance perfectly." He says after the forth dance he claimed.
"Perhaps it is the partner that makes the difference?" I state with humor, sending Raoul into laughter. The song ends and Raoul escorts me off the dance floor to a chair.
"Am I missing something here? Prince Jonathan is the most eligible bachelor in the realm, yet you seem adamantly against him."
"That's because I am adamantly against him." I state off handedly.
"Why?" Raoul asks with confusion written all over his face.
"Well, you'll laugh at me if I told you my reason." Looking over to the Dias I see the King and Queen get up to dance.
"Knights honor I won't." He says seriously.
"But you're not a knight yet!" I cry in amusement.
"Well, squire's honor then." Raoul's eyes crinkle in amusement.
"Fine, it's all because when I visited here last time HeThrewAMudBallAtMeAndRuined MyHairAndDress." I say in one big breath.
"..." Raoul stares blankly at me for a second before giving in to whoops of mirth. Blinking in surprise I turn a pinkish shade trying to get Raoul to stop laughing.
"It's not funny! You told me squire's honor!" I scold in a hushed tone.
"Ah, ha..sorry. I crossed my fingers behind my back." Taking a swallow he regains his composure. "Sorry milady."
"Humph, you should be." I look away in mock anger. I suppose it is a really stupid reason to hate someone.
"So stepping on his feet was revenge?"
"No, well I guess. I was going to throw him into a water trough or turn him into a mouse... but then he saved my life. I figure I owe him." I say with a shrug, "It's getting late, I should find Aldero."
"Leaving so soon?" he looked truly sorry.
"I want to introduce fresh air to my lady's in waiting, they insist on staying in, and since they said that tomorrow I can do anything, I was going to drag them horseback riding. Do you know any of the trials around here? Perhaps you can be our guide."
"Ah! I know so many of them, however I don't know if I'll be able to get out of my chores for the day." Raoul looks crestfallen.
"Well, who do you have to report to?" I ask in consideration.
"You see that man over there talking to the prince. His name is Lord Gareth, father of one of my friends. That's who I report to."
"It shouldn't be too hard, when I call you over make sure you don't have a clue what I am doing." I say while walking towards the man.
"Wait, but I don't know what you're doing!" he asks in a hushed panic.
"Hm, all the more better." I reply with a mischievous grin before walking off.
I snap my fan out to get their attention. Both of them bow before I tilt my head in acknowledgement.
"We were just talking about. I guess you wouldn't be interested in what we were just talking about, milady." Lord Gareth frowns.
"Ah, Lord Gareth, I've heard a great deal about you. All good of course." I muster all the authority I have and stand taller. "Wasn't it you who negotiated the release of my Uncle back in the Storm wing wars?"
"Well I took some part in it, however I had extensive help." A confused looking Gareth smiles in wonder.
"My Uncle is all I have left, if there's anything I can do to ever repay you please don't hesitate to ask." I add hoping to get on his good side.
"Are you fond of Intrigue?"
(A/N: intrigue is like chess, however instead of a bishop, you have a mage, and instead of pawns you have squires. The mages can cast spells on others, the squires can be turned into knights if they reach the other sides. The board is three sided, allowing a "guest" player, where nobody knows which way the third player will attack or ally with.)
"Very much so, have you played it before?" Gareth the elder looks astonished by the possibility.
"Of course, it is my favorite game. Perhaps after I come back from my ride tomorrow, we could have a friendly game after dinner before the ball."
"I would be delighted!" Gareth answers in radiance. (Apparently intrigue is his favorite game as well.)
"Excellent, I look forward to it. I have a small favor to ask you. Do you think you could spare squire Raoul tomorrow, I have heard that he knows the paths around the outskirts of the city quite well."
"Of course, of course! Let me see now, where is that boy off to? Ah! Squire Raoul, could you grace us with your presence for a moment?" Lord Gareth commands.
"Lady Katalina here has requested your company in a ride tomorrow, I give you permission to escort her safely through the trails. You may ask one other fellow squire to help you. You are dismissed."
"Thank you milord, I take my leave." Before Raoul leaves though he winks at me, unnoticed by everyone except the prince.
~~**~ REVIEW~~**~~
CHAPTER FOUR
"So Lady Katalina, what do you think of Tortall so far?" asks the King in a quiet yet bemused tone. You can see the spark of intelligence through his eyes. I take a liking to him immediately.
After a brief pause, "I do not know much of the realm of Tortall; however the city of Corus seems very interesting and full of life. The merchants are very polite and helpful." I thoughtfully answer, with a smile.
"I hope you find yourself at home here. If there is anything you wish to do in particular, please feel free to ask." King Roald nods then turns to announce the end of dinner.
"If everyone wishes, shall we move to the ballroom?" and with that everyone was escorted out, unfortunately for me I was stuck with the prince. ~~**~~
"Milady, care for a dance?" the prince bows as the music starts to play. Looking for a way out of accepting; required by protocol, I inwardly sigh, the King and Queen were looking in our direction. Curtseying I accept politely, making a mental note to step on his feet.
It was perfect, a waltz. The beat went, one, two, ouch, one, two, ouch...(A/N: well it was his fault for asking!)
"Um princess, do you purposely do this!" Jon winces.
"Do what yer highness?" I ask in a sweet and pleasant tone.
"Erm, nothing." Jon replies while glancing at one of his squire friends with a look that screamed; Help!
When the song ended Jon excused himself to go dance with Aldero's wife, as was required. I hold an evil grin on my face, one that the certain friend of Jon's saw.
"May I have this dance Lady Katalina?" requests the friend of Jon's.
"Certainly, erm,"
"Lord Raoul milady"
"Aren't you a little young to be a lord?" I ask suspiciously while being led onto the floor.
"Well, my father abandoned our fief to go study magic gems, leaving the fief in my name." Raoul states matter of factly starting a more complicated waltz.
"They said you were intelligent, beautiful, and powerful. I have to admit they are certainly right." Raoul states jovially.
"To tell you the truth, I thought you really didn't know how to dance when watching you with the prince, obviously I was wrong because you dance perfectly." He says after the forth dance he claimed.
"Perhaps it is the partner that makes the difference?" I state with humor, sending Raoul into laughter. The song ends and Raoul escorts me off the dance floor to a chair.
"Am I missing something here? Prince Jonathan is the most eligible bachelor in the realm, yet you seem adamantly against him."
"That's because I am adamantly against him." I state off handedly.
"Why?" Raoul asks with confusion written all over his face.
"Well, you'll laugh at me if I told you my reason." Looking over to the Dias I see the King and Queen get up to dance.
"Knights honor I won't." He says seriously.
"But you're not a knight yet!" I cry in amusement.
"Well, squire's honor then." Raoul's eyes crinkle in amusement.
"Fine, it's all because when I visited here last time HeThrewAMudBallAtMeAndRuined MyHairAndDress." I say in one big breath.
"..." Raoul stares blankly at me for a second before giving in to whoops of mirth. Blinking in surprise I turn a pinkish shade trying to get Raoul to stop laughing.
"It's not funny! You told me squire's honor!" I scold in a hushed tone.
"Ah, ha..sorry. I crossed my fingers behind my back." Taking a swallow he regains his composure. "Sorry milady."
"Humph, you should be." I look away in mock anger. I suppose it is a really stupid reason to hate someone.
"So stepping on his feet was revenge?"
"No, well I guess. I was going to throw him into a water trough or turn him into a mouse... but then he saved my life. I figure I owe him." I say with a shrug, "It's getting late, I should find Aldero."
"Leaving so soon?" he looked truly sorry.
"I want to introduce fresh air to my lady's in waiting, they insist on staying in, and since they said that tomorrow I can do anything, I was going to drag them horseback riding. Do you know any of the trials around here? Perhaps you can be our guide."
"Ah! I know so many of them, however I don't know if I'll be able to get out of my chores for the day." Raoul looks crestfallen.
"Well, who do you have to report to?" I ask in consideration.
"You see that man over there talking to the prince. His name is Lord Gareth, father of one of my friends. That's who I report to."
"It shouldn't be too hard, when I call you over make sure you don't have a clue what I am doing." I say while walking towards the man.
"Wait, but I don't know what you're doing!" he asks in a hushed panic.
"Hm, all the more better." I reply with a mischievous grin before walking off.
I snap my fan out to get their attention. Both of them bow before I tilt my head in acknowledgement.
"We were just talking about. I guess you wouldn't be interested in what we were just talking about, milady." Lord Gareth frowns.
"Ah, Lord Gareth, I've heard a great deal about you. All good of course." I muster all the authority I have and stand taller. "Wasn't it you who negotiated the release of my Uncle back in the Storm wing wars?"
"Well I took some part in it, however I had extensive help." A confused looking Gareth smiles in wonder.
"My Uncle is all I have left, if there's anything I can do to ever repay you please don't hesitate to ask." I add hoping to get on his good side.
"Are you fond of Intrigue?"
(A/N: intrigue is like chess, however instead of a bishop, you have a mage, and instead of pawns you have squires. The mages can cast spells on others, the squires can be turned into knights if they reach the other sides. The board is three sided, allowing a "guest" player, where nobody knows which way the third player will attack or ally with.)
"Very much so, have you played it before?" Gareth the elder looks astonished by the possibility.
"Of course, it is my favorite game. Perhaps after I come back from my ride tomorrow, we could have a friendly game after dinner before the ball."
"I would be delighted!" Gareth answers in radiance. (Apparently intrigue is his favorite game as well.)
"Excellent, I look forward to it. I have a small favor to ask you. Do you think you could spare squire Raoul tomorrow, I have heard that he knows the paths around the outskirts of the city quite well."
"Of course, of course! Let me see now, where is that boy off to? Ah! Squire Raoul, could you grace us with your presence for a moment?" Lord Gareth commands.
"Lady Katalina here has requested your company in a ride tomorrow, I give you permission to escort her safely through the trails. You may ask one other fellow squire to help you. You are dismissed."
"Thank you milord, I take my leave." Before Raoul leaves though he winks at me, unnoticed by everyone except the prince.
~~**~ REVIEW~~**~~