Chapter 8
Starlet: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it.
Crown: Yes, Roald knows, but he doesn't know her yet (in the even chapters. In the odd chapters, they aren't engaged. Does that make any sense to you?
Keita: I'll try to keep them simple, heck, they'll probably end up in one chapter like they started, I don't know yet. Thanks. I appreciate the review.
Epitaph Munku-JGSPTV: *laughs* Thank you so much! I'm on your favorite authors list! I love you!! Here's another chapter for you.
Alexa: Yes'm I'll get right on that. Here it is.
After fully explaining to the older man what a shukusen was, she asked him again if he felt inclined to play a game of fan toss.
"It's really not very hard, Squire Nealan, just be sure that the blades do not touch you and you are quite fine."
"Begging your pardon, milady, but I don't think that it is as easy as you may think. One of those pretties could slice right through you. No ma'am, with your esteemed permission I'd rather refrain from your pretty game."
Kel's eyes twinkled. On impulse, she turned to Yukimi and said, "Lady Yukimi, would you be so kind as to demonstrate to Squire Nealan the ease at which the game is played?"
Yuki tossed the fan a few times, mindful of the ceiling, then hastily tossed it at her mistress in a fashion unlike that which should be displayed by normal servants.
Neal gasped as the soon-to-be-princess caught it behind her back and flourished it under his nose. "Are you so sure that you would not like to play?"
"Quite, ma'am. By your leave." He quickly bowed to her and exited the room blushing.
"I think he likes you." The lioness mused aloud. "Or perhaps your pretty lady friend here." The woman grinned in the direction of Yuki. The young Yamani flushed slightly under her rice powder makeup and retired to a chair in the far corner of the room.
"Alanna, would you like to learn how to play fan-toss?" Kel inquired politely after having offered the lady's squire numerous times.
"I'm content with the glaive lessons for now, Kel. An old woman like me cant' learn too many new things at once!" She smiled at her young friend. "Sadly, I must go now and admonish my squire for being so rude and leaving like that. I'll have him in the city healing sniffles for weeks!" She grinned maliciously. "Have a nice day Kel."
"Yuki, you know she was only teasing." Kel walked over to her best friend speaking in Yamani.
"Yes, I know, but he was quite handsome, if I may say so."
Kel's eyes twinkled. "You know what Yuki, I'm so sick of being shut in this room. Let's get Haname from her reclusive corner and go walk in the gardens. You know they have the most delightful flowers here at the palace."
Yuki cracked a slight smile. She did like the flowers. Especially the lilies.
Informing the bodyguard, only because it would be rude to simply sweep past him, of their destination, the ladies took their time mincing their way to the sweeping palace gardens.
Inhaling deeply Kel wanted to just lie down among them and sleep. But of course, as a future princess, she could hardly be found sprawled out in a flowerbed.
She and her ladies were kneeling reflectively by the lily pool when she heard her bodyguard draw his sword and whirl almost soundlessly.
Kel rose silently to find her bodyguard with the tip of his sword applying slight pressure to the throat of Alanna's squire.
"That is quite enough. He is of no threat." Kel said quietly to him. The man lowered his sword, but kept it out and stepped beside his mistress. "You may sheathe your sword." She told him warningly.
"Begging your pardon mistress, but it is my job to keep you safe and I will do what it takes." He grunted respectfully, if that was possible.
"Squire Nealan, what are you doing here?" Kel asked.
"Well, these grounds are open to me as much as you..." he began but a look from the brawny man next to Kel shut him up and caused him to remember his place. "Actually, I would like to talk to you, if I may milady."
"Of course." She began to step towards him, but gestured for her bodyguard to stay with her friends and let her me.
"I will come with you milady." He grunted and stayed there. "But if you wish I shall keep a slight distance." This was all spoken in Yamani, so the young squire had no idea what was really being said at this time and stood there uncomfortably.
The two walked for a few moments in silence, equally aware of a bodyguard that would take any sudden move as an assassination attempt.
Nealan spoke first. "My wonderful knight-mistress said that if I got to know you a little that I would like you a lot and that you need all the friends that you can get." He smiled weakly.
"I would like very much to get to know you, Squire Nealan."
""Good." He grinned, "But first we have to get one thing straight, please don't call me Nealan, I get enough of that from someone else." He shuddered slightly. "It's Neal."
"And you must call me Kel." She smiled eastern-style and presented her hand to him. He took it and kissed it formally.
They looked at each other before he started "Now, I simply have to ask..."
1
Starlet: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it.
Crown: Yes, Roald knows, but he doesn't know her yet (in the even chapters. In the odd chapters, they aren't engaged. Does that make any sense to you?
Keita: I'll try to keep them simple, heck, they'll probably end up in one chapter like they started, I don't know yet. Thanks. I appreciate the review.
Epitaph Munku-JGSPTV: *laughs* Thank you so much! I'm on your favorite authors list! I love you!! Here's another chapter for you.
Alexa: Yes'm I'll get right on that. Here it is.
After fully explaining to the older man what a shukusen was, she asked him again if he felt inclined to play a game of fan toss.
"It's really not very hard, Squire Nealan, just be sure that the blades do not touch you and you are quite fine."
"Begging your pardon, milady, but I don't think that it is as easy as you may think. One of those pretties could slice right through you. No ma'am, with your esteemed permission I'd rather refrain from your pretty game."
Kel's eyes twinkled. On impulse, she turned to Yukimi and said, "Lady Yukimi, would you be so kind as to demonstrate to Squire Nealan the ease at which the game is played?"
Yuki tossed the fan a few times, mindful of the ceiling, then hastily tossed it at her mistress in a fashion unlike that which should be displayed by normal servants.
Neal gasped as the soon-to-be-princess caught it behind her back and flourished it under his nose. "Are you so sure that you would not like to play?"
"Quite, ma'am. By your leave." He quickly bowed to her and exited the room blushing.
"I think he likes you." The lioness mused aloud. "Or perhaps your pretty lady friend here." The woman grinned in the direction of Yuki. The young Yamani flushed slightly under her rice powder makeup and retired to a chair in the far corner of the room.
"Alanna, would you like to learn how to play fan-toss?" Kel inquired politely after having offered the lady's squire numerous times.
"I'm content with the glaive lessons for now, Kel. An old woman like me cant' learn too many new things at once!" She smiled at her young friend. "Sadly, I must go now and admonish my squire for being so rude and leaving like that. I'll have him in the city healing sniffles for weeks!" She grinned maliciously. "Have a nice day Kel."
"Yuki, you know she was only teasing." Kel walked over to her best friend speaking in Yamani.
"Yes, I know, but he was quite handsome, if I may say so."
Kel's eyes twinkled. "You know what Yuki, I'm so sick of being shut in this room. Let's get Haname from her reclusive corner and go walk in the gardens. You know they have the most delightful flowers here at the palace."
Yuki cracked a slight smile. She did like the flowers. Especially the lilies.
Informing the bodyguard, only because it would be rude to simply sweep past him, of their destination, the ladies took their time mincing their way to the sweeping palace gardens.
Inhaling deeply Kel wanted to just lie down among them and sleep. But of course, as a future princess, she could hardly be found sprawled out in a flowerbed.
She and her ladies were kneeling reflectively by the lily pool when she heard her bodyguard draw his sword and whirl almost soundlessly.
Kel rose silently to find her bodyguard with the tip of his sword applying slight pressure to the throat of Alanna's squire.
"That is quite enough. He is of no threat." Kel said quietly to him. The man lowered his sword, but kept it out and stepped beside his mistress. "You may sheathe your sword." She told him warningly.
"Begging your pardon mistress, but it is my job to keep you safe and I will do what it takes." He grunted respectfully, if that was possible.
"Squire Nealan, what are you doing here?" Kel asked.
"Well, these grounds are open to me as much as you..." he began but a look from the brawny man next to Kel shut him up and caused him to remember his place. "Actually, I would like to talk to you, if I may milady."
"Of course." She began to step towards him, but gestured for her bodyguard to stay with her friends and let her me.
"I will come with you milady." He grunted and stayed there. "But if you wish I shall keep a slight distance." This was all spoken in Yamani, so the young squire had no idea what was really being said at this time and stood there uncomfortably.
The two walked for a few moments in silence, equally aware of a bodyguard that would take any sudden move as an assassination attempt.
Nealan spoke first. "My wonderful knight-mistress said that if I got to know you a little that I would like you a lot and that you need all the friends that you can get." He smiled weakly.
"I would like very much to get to know you, Squire Nealan."
""Good." He grinned, "But first we have to get one thing straight, please don't call me Nealan, I get enough of that from someone else." He shuddered slightly. "It's Neal."
"And you must call me Kel." She smiled eastern-style and presented her hand to him. He took it and kissed it formally.
They looked at each other before he started "Now, I simply have to ask..."
1