Many Meetings
I would like to say thank you to Dreamer, who reviewed my first fic, Nighttime Stirrings, and again to Rylee Whitmore, my most devoted (and only hint, hint! fan of Beginning Again, at least so far).
I warn you, we meet a lot of new characters in this chapter.
Now here's Chapter 4!
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"Oh, I'm so glad you're here! Mother said you'd be coming today," the lemon-haired girl said.
I looked at her blankly.
"Oh, sorry. There I go again," she said sweeping a small curtsy. "I'm Princess Elestra, second child of the King and Queen." She said this all very fast.
"Oh!" I gasped. Making a trembling curtsy of my own, I said, "Sorry, my lady. I didn't know who you were."
"No need to be sorry. And no need to call me 'my lady' either. We're cousins!" she said. "If we leave now, we'll have just enough time for a walk about the grounds before dinner."
"All right, then. Just let me change into my walking gown."
Going into the small dressing room, I chose a soft yellow dress, one that accented my tanned skin nicely. It was a sliming gown, and the square neckline was neither too low nor too high.
Fashions had changed since my mother's day. Replacing the long, open sleeves of the women's gown were the tight, narrow fitted sleeves, with slits at the elbow and shoulder (where gauzy fabric puffed out) to allow movement. Remarkably, fans were still considered fashionable. However the long hair trend was not completely out; while it was still admired, it was not adored.
Finishing my look with a necklace, I walked to the parlor and said with a smile, "Let's go. I'm egger to begin my court life."
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Making our way thought the Primary Guest Wing, we currently came to the Royal Gardens. It seemed as if all the flowers where in bloom just for me, their fragrance tickled my nose.
I thought about how nice it was, walking there with the Princess, but then a realization hit me: If one hadn't seem one's sister in two years, and one suddenly appeared at one's sister's residence, wouldn't you think that one's sister would be there to greet one !?!
Well.
That just showed how much she cared for family relations.
I had to calm my anger, for we presently came to a meeting in the paths where a group of young people filled our vision.
"Brace yourself," Elestra advised quietly. I thought I also heard a hint of covetousness in her voice.
One particularly curvy girl, with soft waves in her hair, caught my eye.
"Clairia! My darling!" Just guess who that was.
"Kitten! How nice to see you again!" I said as we embraced each other. I hope my voice hid my annoyance.
"Here, let me introduce you to my friends," she said. It became immediately apparent why she had decided to dump welcoming me in favor of a walk with this company. A few of the men particularly caught my eye.
"Here is my greatest friend, Lady Tara of Savona, daughter of the Duke of Savona and Duchess Tamara Chamadis." Tara seemed to contain every aspect of a fine court lady- medium height, wavy dark hair, and a beautiful face that had inherited her mother's famous lashes. "And here is her brother, Russav." I swear, if he was just two years older.
"This one here," my sister went, her eyes winking at this well built, dark haired and eyed man, "is Lord Jonavic, first son of Lady Renna Khialem. He always wins at the races." He looked only about two years older than me, and as he bowed over my hand I couldn't help but smile. "And this is his sister, Lady Renna." She seemed to be the same age as me. Her straight strawberry-blonde hair and lean frame gave me the impression that she was a nice, caring girl. We both curtsied.
One man walked boldly up to me. "I am most honored to meet you, lady Clairia. Let me introduce myself- my name is Jarrod," the new man said as he picked up my hand in the fashion of years before and kissed it. Now, he just about took my breath away. He was tall, but not too lean, very handsome, with brown hair and deep blue eyes. He looked only about a year older than me.
"Just what until you see him play, Clairia. He's an amazing Huntiarist," Kitten said appreciatively. I admit, I wish he would've taken me away right then and there and played just to me. "And this one is next to him is his brother, Demetrius. Both are sons of Count Deric and Countess Trishe of Ordanith." Demetrius looked just my age, with blond hair and eyes, that when I looked into them, seemed to change color.
"This is Lanive, and her twin, Geral, the children of Baron Geral Keradec and Baroness Torandar." Geral had red hair like his father, but it was rather subdued. Lanive, on the other hand had straight brown hair, and wearing glasses, she looked like a scholar.
Next was a girl who made me look twice. She had striking red hair and green eyes that seemed to pierce. "Clairia, this is Gloria, daughter of Alcanad Hazhlee and Arasa of Turlee."
"Honored, my lady," she said as she bowed.
"This is Lady Remandra, daughter of esteemed Elenet of Grumareth." We both curtsied, and as I looked into her eyes I found that their color seem rather bleak.
A new man strode up to me. He looked about 17; he was tall with pale yellow locks, and eyes that narrowed in mirth.
"May I present myself, Lady Clairia, as Prince Alaerec.
So this was our next king-to-be.
"My lord, I'm honored," I said as I curtsied low and waved my fan in the mode of Kindly Reverence.
"May I offer you my arm on the way to dinner?" he asked.
"You may," I replied. And as I turned my head to look at those behind me, I saw many looks aimed at the Prince's back- all full of contempt.
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Now to recommence
The young people of the court:
*Lady Renna's children are: Jonavic and Renna the II.
*Deric and Trishe's children are: Jarrod and Demetrious.
*Savona and Tamara's children are: Tara and Russav the II.
*Geral and Torandar's children are: the twins, Lanive (a girl) and Geral the II.
*Arasa (the lady from CD from Trishe's picnic who was kind of dumb) and
Alcanad's kid: Gloria.
*Elenet's kid: Remandra
*And of course there is Prince Alaerec and Princess Elestra.
***Just so you know, Alaerec, Jonavic, and Jarrod are a three-some (meaning they are close friends).***