Alternate Endings
Chapter Three
If you didn't know either Keladry of Mindelan or the Yamani culture well, you wouldn't be ale to tell that the young noble lady was very excited about the contents of the letter that the messenger carried.
She tucked the letter into her kimono and asked her friends to continue the game that the man had interrupted. Now she played with much more spirit and vigor than her lady friends, flipping as much as a quickly as possible, with her passing the shukusen when it had hardly touched her fingers.
Finally, Yukimi, the girl across from Kel in their small circle, dropped the lady's fan that had, spinning wickedly, been passed from Kel. The shukusen dug itself due to its own weight and the propulsion.
"Kel!" Yuki's voice was smooth as her pretty, expressionless face. "What did that letter say? Even since you read it, you've been leaping out of your slippers! What did it say?"
Aside from Cricket - or Shinko, as was also her nickname as well - Yuki was Kel's closest friend. The three had been fast friends since Keladry's first time visiting the Yamani Islands.
"I have been asked by the queen to join the Royal Ladies. I told you about them, yes" Kel looked at her friend's eyes to see what they were really thinking.
Cricket took a fan - just a normal silk and wood fan - from its place in her obi, flipped it open and hid al of her face but her eyes, replying with dancing eyes that gave away the grin hidden by her fan. "Hardly enough, we are sure. Although we are sure that we may be able to scrape together enough memory to understand the point of what you say."
The other ladies hid smiles as well, waiting for Kel to continue.
"It will almost be like being a knight! I can fight and learn glory, but I can still make friends and look pretty in Court. I'll be able to meet my brother's squire and see my nephew enter page training. I'm so excited!" She babbled and her eyes and heart raced, but her voice was soft and her face was carefully blank.
"For you we are happy. Shall we burn incense for thanks and safety? We shall miss you." Shinko and Yuki were some of the most open Yamanis that Kel knew. She nodded in response to Yuki's question, and they went to the nearest temple where they burned incense and prayed.
All too soon, Keladry was saying goodbye to friends that she most likely would not see again for quite some time, if ever.
Back in the home that she shared with her diplomat parents, Kel could openly show how excited, as Tortallan culture permitted, but out of habit, Kel did not. Finding her parents in her fathers study, she bowed to them, but did not go so far as to extend her antics to that of Yamani speech.
Keladry, this is a surprise." Baroness Ilane spoke to her daughter, "To what do we owe this honor?"
"I have been asked to join the Queen's Ladies. Back home, of course. May I?" Nearly bursting with energy and excitement, it was surprising to even Kel that she could hold all of this emotion behind her 'Yamani Mask' of sorts.
"This is wonderful news to be sure!" Baron Piers exclaimed, rising to embrace his child. "Of course you may join the Ladies, if it is to your liking." His eyes twinkled. He too had heard much about the Ladies form his daughter.
"Yes! I want to go! I really do!"
"When do they wish you to be at the palace, my dear?" Kel's father asked her calmly.
"It says as soon as possible. I can go pack my things now, if I may."
"You may." Kel bowed to her parents and left the study.
On her way to her chambers, Kel picked up a maid to help her pack. She was pointing out her best Tortallan dress for the maid to pack, when her mother swept in and enveloped her in a hug.
"I hardly had a chance to tell you in there, but we are immensely proud of you, Kel." Ilane gave her child one more squeeze and released her. "A ship is bound for home will depart tonight at dusk and you will be on it. Neither of us is able to with you. Will you be all right? There will be friends of our on the trader and you ought to be fine."
"I'll be alright, Mama, really. I can even carry my shukusen."
They finished her packing in virtual silence. She said her goodbyes without tear-shed. Dusk saw her watching from the deck of a Yamani Trading ship as her second home slowly shrank in the setting sun.
Chapter Three
If you didn't know either Keladry of Mindelan or the Yamani culture well, you wouldn't be ale to tell that the young noble lady was very excited about the contents of the letter that the messenger carried.
She tucked the letter into her kimono and asked her friends to continue the game that the man had interrupted. Now she played with much more spirit and vigor than her lady friends, flipping as much as a quickly as possible, with her passing the shukusen when it had hardly touched her fingers.
Finally, Yukimi, the girl across from Kel in their small circle, dropped the lady's fan that had, spinning wickedly, been passed from Kel. The shukusen dug itself due to its own weight and the propulsion.
"Kel!" Yuki's voice was smooth as her pretty, expressionless face. "What did that letter say? Even since you read it, you've been leaping out of your slippers! What did it say?"
Aside from Cricket - or Shinko, as was also her nickname as well - Yuki was Kel's closest friend. The three had been fast friends since Keladry's first time visiting the Yamani Islands.
"I have been asked by the queen to join the Royal Ladies. I told you about them, yes" Kel looked at her friend's eyes to see what they were really thinking.
Cricket took a fan - just a normal silk and wood fan - from its place in her obi, flipped it open and hid al of her face but her eyes, replying with dancing eyes that gave away the grin hidden by her fan. "Hardly enough, we are sure. Although we are sure that we may be able to scrape together enough memory to understand the point of what you say."
The other ladies hid smiles as well, waiting for Kel to continue.
"It will almost be like being a knight! I can fight and learn glory, but I can still make friends and look pretty in Court. I'll be able to meet my brother's squire and see my nephew enter page training. I'm so excited!" She babbled and her eyes and heart raced, but her voice was soft and her face was carefully blank.
"For you we are happy. Shall we burn incense for thanks and safety? We shall miss you." Shinko and Yuki were some of the most open Yamanis that Kel knew. She nodded in response to Yuki's question, and they went to the nearest temple where they burned incense and prayed.
All too soon, Keladry was saying goodbye to friends that she most likely would not see again for quite some time, if ever.
Back in the home that she shared with her diplomat parents, Kel could openly show how excited, as Tortallan culture permitted, but out of habit, Kel did not. Finding her parents in her fathers study, she bowed to them, but did not go so far as to extend her antics to that of Yamani speech.
Keladry, this is a surprise." Baroness Ilane spoke to her daughter, "To what do we owe this honor?"
"I have been asked to join the Queen's Ladies. Back home, of course. May I?" Nearly bursting with energy and excitement, it was surprising to even Kel that she could hold all of this emotion behind her 'Yamani Mask' of sorts.
"This is wonderful news to be sure!" Baron Piers exclaimed, rising to embrace his child. "Of course you may join the Ladies, if it is to your liking." His eyes twinkled. He too had heard much about the Ladies form his daughter.
"Yes! I want to go! I really do!"
"When do they wish you to be at the palace, my dear?" Kel's father asked her calmly.
"It says as soon as possible. I can go pack my things now, if I may."
"You may." Kel bowed to her parents and left the study.
On her way to her chambers, Kel picked up a maid to help her pack. She was pointing out her best Tortallan dress for the maid to pack, when her mother swept in and enveloped her in a hug.
"I hardly had a chance to tell you in there, but we are immensely proud of you, Kel." Ilane gave her child one more squeeze and released her. "A ship is bound for home will depart tonight at dusk and you will be on it. Neither of us is able to with you. Will you be all right? There will be friends of our on the trader and you ought to be fine."
"I'll be alright, Mama, really. I can even carry my shukusen."
They finished her packing in virtual silence. She said her goodbyes without tear-shed. Dusk saw her watching from the deck of a Yamani Trading ship as her second home slowly shrank in the setting sun.