Chapter 2. The dress
Kel entered the room cautiously. She hadn't been in a fight - yet! -, So
why had The Stump called her to his study? She wondered. The Stump was
Neal's name for Lord Wyldon. Quite disrespectful, she admitted, but still
it was true. He was very stiff. "Enter Squire Keladry" she heard Wyldon's
voice say from inside, "I haven't got all day". Kel would dearly have loved
to say that it was night and that the day had already gone, but she kept
her tongue. Already a year with Wyldon had taught her that if she said
that, she would be scrubbing tack and weapons for the rest of her life! She
knew Neal would have said it no problem though! She smiled to herself
thinking of Neal.
Wyldon was seated in a plush red velvet seat behind his desk. "Sit, Mindelan," he instructed her. She sat. "You called me sir?" "Yes, I dare say you remember me talking about the feast that will be held tomorrow night?" "Yes sir I do" "Well there will be lots of important people there, and at the high table The Yamanis, their guests, The Tortallian Royal family, your parents, (his lips stiffened) the Lady Alanna and I, will be seated. You are to serve the high table." Kel gave a gasp, "Me!" she exclaimed. "That's what I said isn't it" Wyldon said. "Oh and I believe you know the Yamanis quite well, don't you?" Kel gave a slight nod. "Well you are to show the utmost respect to them, do not talk to them unless you are talked to and don't act like they are your friends - for certain reasons you wouldn't understand - Do I make myself clear?" "Yes sir," Kel faltered, trying to decide whether to ask him: Why all the rules?
She decided against it, she wasn't going to take any chances with him. Something told her that he was angry for some reason. So it was understandable that she didn't want to anger him further. "Very well, you may go" he waved her out with his hand. Kel bowed and walked back to her room. "What was that about?" asked Lal, as soon as she had walked into the room. "Wyldon was being really weird, saying I couldn't talk to Chis and" - "Lal! Where did that come from?" For lying there on her bed, was a beautiful silk kimono. But it wasn't just any kimono. It was a special kimono, made of the finest silk, worn by Yamani royalty on special occasions! It was so gorgeous! It was a beautiful crimson shade with Yamani symbols embroidered on it in gold, and it looked as if it would come down just a bit past her feet, if she tried it on.
"I have no idea," said Lal, in response to her question. "Salma gave it to me to give to you. She said she didn't know where it was from but that she had been told it was for you". Salma was the head of the cleaning staff in the palace. "But, isn't there a note of some kind?" Kel asked. "Nope!" Lal said. "Wait a minute, look on the dress" Kel replied. "Yes! Here!" A note was pinned to the dress that read this. This might be useful for you Kel. I'll see you sooner than you'd think! And that was it. No name or anything. "But who?" Kel began. But the evening bell cut her out. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "I have to be at the mess in 5 minutes!!!" She quickly ran to her mirror, dragged a comb through her hair and pulled on a white shirt and a light blue muslin dress over that. Then shouting "See you later!" to Lal, she ran out the door, down the corridor and into the mess hall.
She had just made it. Neal waved to her to signal where he was sitting and Kel nodded and waved back. She grabbed a tray, put some food on it and walked over towards the group. "Hey Kel!" Neal said, making space for her on the seat. "Haven't seen you for ages!" he said. "Yeah, well it's not that odd, seeing as we've both been away!" she teased him. He grinned bashfully and looked down. "Oh did you hear about the Yamanis?" Cleon asked. "We were all there you idiot!" Faleron replied. "Yeah isn't that princess person supposed to be engaged to you Roald? Merric asked playfully. Everyone except Kel started wolf whistling and teasing Roald. Kel knew that he didn't really mind it, but he was nervous and too much of the teasing annoyed him.
"Guys c'mon! Leave him alone" Kel shouted above the noise they were all making. "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you! You always say things like "Back in the Emperor's court" but you didn't actually know the royal family did you?" Seaver asked Kel. "Yeah I did, actually the princess, Chis is my best friend." "You're joking!" Roald said in amazement. "No, actually she" - but Cleon cut her off. "I thought the princess's name was Chisukima or something like that?" "Chisakami" Kel corrected. "Chis is her nickname" Suddenly a hush fell upon the room. The king had entered and gone up to Lord Wyldon's table. "I would like to say a few words but I won't keep you long" he said to the crowd of pages and squires in the mess. "I'm sure Lord Wyldon has already informed most of you about the visitors we are to have here in the palace in just one week, but for those of you, who do not know, please allow me to explain.
Kel listened to exactly what Wyldon had said, but in different words for the second time that day. "I expect all of you to show the utmost manners and hospitality to our guests" the king finished up. "When they arrive to the palace, I wish that everyone be present to welcome them" "Oh and will Keladry of Mindelan please come to the high table immediately" he said. Kel got up slowly and nervously. She had never been requested to come into the king's presence before, why now? She walked slowly up to the high table. When she came very close to the king's chair, she stopped walking and bowed down very low to him, Yamani style, with her palms flat on her thighs. "Keladry, I believe you know the Yamani royal family?" Kel swallowed and nodded, "yes Your Majesty" "Well I think it best if you come and meet them at the place where their ship docks when they arrive." "Sire, she has work and lessons to attend to," Wyldon said but the king cut across him. "I am aware that she has lessons to attend to, but I promise that she will go straight to whatever class she is due in, as soon as she returns to the palace, is that reasonable Lord Wyldon?" "Yes sire" Lord Wyldon said grudgingly.
"Fine, then it is settled. Mindelan I will send for you on the arrival date. You are dismissed," said the king. Kel bowed low once more and returned to her seat. As soon as she had returned, her friends badgered her with questions. Most of them were: what have you done this time Kel?!!! She finally escaped having to answer all the questions, when Neal suddenly exclaimed "Oh no! We're going to be late for Tkaa's class!" That shut everyone up. Tkaa was a basilisk and the group's instructor in learning about the immortals. Tkaa, being an immortal himself was the best teacher for that certain subject that they could have. Not all of them went to his class. The magicless people alone went to Tkaa's class, for those that had the gift went to study magic at that time. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I hope that's o.k. And please could you review. It was very long but the next chapter isn't going to be that long because my Mum wants me to get off the computer!!!
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Wyldon was seated in a plush red velvet seat behind his desk. "Sit, Mindelan," he instructed her. She sat. "You called me sir?" "Yes, I dare say you remember me talking about the feast that will be held tomorrow night?" "Yes sir I do" "Well there will be lots of important people there, and at the high table The Yamanis, their guests, The Tortallian Royal family, your parents, (his lips stiffened) the Lady Alanna and I, will be seated. You are to serve the high table." Kel gave a gasp, "Me!" she exclaimed. "That's what I said isn't it" Wyldon said. "Oh and I believe you know the Yamanis quite well, don't you?" Kel gave a slight nod. "Well you are to show the utmost respect to them, do not talk to them unless you are talked to and don't act like they are your friends - for certain reasons you wouldn't understand - Do I make myself clear?" "Yes sir," Kel faltered, trying to decide whether to ask him: Why all the rules?
She decided against it, she wasn't going to take any chances with him. Something told her that he was angry for some reason. So it was understandable that she didn't want to anger him further. "Very well, you may go" he waved her out with his hand. Kel bowed and walked back to her room. "What was that about?" asked Lal, as soon as she had walked into the room. "Wyldon was being really weird, saying I couldn't talk to Chis and" - "Lal! Where did that come from?" For lying there on her bed, was a beautiful silk kimono. But it wasn't just any kimono. It was a special kimono, made of the finest silk, worn by Yamani royalty on special occasions! It was so gorgeous! It was a beautiful crimson shade with Yamani symbols embroidered on it in gold, and it looked as if it would come down just a bit past her feet, if she tried it on.
"I have no idea," said Lal, in response to her question. "Salma gave it to me to give to you. She said she didn't know where it was from but that she had been told it was for you". Salma was the head of the cleaning staff in the palace. "But, isn't there a note of some kind?" Kel asked. "Nope!" Lal said. "Wait a minute, look on the dress" Kel replied. "Yes! Here!" A note was pinned to the dress that read this. This might be useful for you Kel. I'll see you sooner than you'd think! And that was it. No name or anything. "But who?" Kel began. But the evening bell cut her out. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "I have to be at the mess in 5 minutes!!!" She quickly ran to her mirror, dragged a comb through her hair and pulled on a white shirt and a light blue muslin dress over that. Then shouting "See you later!" to Lal, she ran out the door, down the corridor and into the mess hall.
She had just made it. Neal waved to her to signal where he was sitting and Kel nodded and waved back. She grabbed a tray, put some food on it and walked over towards the group. "Hey Kel!" Neal said, making space for her on the seat. "Haven't seen you for ages!" he said. "Yeah, well it's not that odd, seeing as we've both been away!" she teased him. He grinned bashfully and looked down. "Oh did you hear about the Yamanis?" Cleon asked. "We were all there you idiot!" Faleron replied. "Yeah isn't that princess person supposed to be engaged to you Roald? Merric asked playfully. Everyone except Kel started wolf whistling and teasing Roald. Kel knew that he didn't really mind it, but he was nervous and too much of the teasing annoyed him.
"Guys c'mon! Leave him alone" Kel shouted above the noise they were all making. "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you! You always say things like "Back in the Emperor's court" but you didn't actually know the royal family did you?" Seaver asked Kel. "Yeah I did, actually the princess, Chis is my best friend." "You're joking!" Roald said in amazement. "No, actually she" - but Cleon cut her off. "I thought the princess's name was Chisukima or something like that?" "Chisakami" Kel corrected. "Chis is her nickname" Suddenly a hush fell upon the room. The king had entered and gone up to Lord Wyldon's table. "I would like to say a few words but I won't keep you long" he said to the crowd of pages and squires in the mess. "I'm sure Lord Wyldon has already informed most of you about the visitors we are to have here in the palace in just one week, but for those of you, who do not know, please allow me to explain.
Kel listened to exactly what Wyldon had said, but in different words for the second time that day. "I expect all of you to show the utmost manners and hospitality to our guests" the king finished up. "When they arrive to the palace, I wish that everyone be present to welcome them" "Oh and will Keladry of Mindelan please come to the high table immediately" he said. Kel got up slowly and nervously. She had never been requested to come into the king's presence before, why now? She walked slowly up to the high table. When she came very close to the king's chair, she stopped walking and bowed down very low to him, Yamani style, with her palms flat on her thighs. "Keladry, I believe you know the Yamani royal family?" Kel swallowed and nodded, "yes Your Majesty" "Well I think it best if you come and meet them at the place where their ship docks when they arrive." "Sire, she has work and lessons to attend to," Wyldon said but the king cut across him. "I am aware that she has lessons to attend to, but I promise that she will go straight to whatever class she is due in, as soon as she returns to the palace, is that reasonable Lord Wyldon?" "Yes sire" Lord Wyldon said grudgingly.
"Fine, then it is settled. Mindelan I will send for you on the arrival date. You are dismissed," said the king. Kel bowed low once more and returned to her seat. As soon as she had returned, her friends badgered her with questions. Most of them were: what have you done this time Kel?!!! She finally escaped having to answer all the questions, when Neal suddenly exclaimed "Oh no! We're going to be late for Tkaa's class!" That shut everyone up. Tkaa was a basilisk and the group's instructor in learning about the immortals. Tkaa, being an immortal himself was the best teacher for that certain subject that they could have. Not all of them went to his class. The magicless people alone went to Tkaa's class, for those that had the gift went to study magic at that time. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I hope that's o.k. And please could you review. It was very long but the next chapter isn't going to be that long because my Mum wants me to get off the computer!!!
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