I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's stuff.

Okay, I released this once under the pen name Takarimon, but I don't really like Digimon anymore, so I've changed my name. Also, when I started this, I didn't finish it, back in 2002 or 2001. I was reading my old fics, and realised I hadn't finished it, so I decided to finish it now. I added another chapter. So, ignore the Takarimon comment at the bottom. Well, don't ignore the comment, ignore the name Takarimon, 'cos I'm not Takarimon anymore. Here it is:



Surprise Love

Chapter 1: Getting Ready

Buri was cleaning up her room when Kel came into her room with a note.

"Here, Buri. This comes from Raoul," Kel said.

"Thanks," Buri said.

Buri read the note.

Buri,

I know it is a bother, but could you come with me to my Midwinter

family feast? I just know that if I don't come with somebody, they'll

be on me for suitable women in a second. You can pretend you're

my lover or something.

Raoul

She laughed and told Kel she'd go. After Kel had gone, Buri thought about what she could wear. She went outside and into the library, where Thayet was.

"Are you busy?" she asked.

"I'm almost done," Thayet replied. "Why?"

"I was wondering whether you could help find out what to where to Raoul's family dinner tonight."

"He invited you?" Thayet asked. "I thought it was only for family."

"Well, if he doesn't show up with a wife or a lover, his aunt will probably choose a suitor for him, so I agreed to help him out."

Thayet wrote out a few more words and got up. "Let's see what we can do."

Thayet opened her closet. "You don't have much," observed Thayet.

"well, I hardly go to special dinners like this," laughed Buri.

"Let's go to my room, and see if we can find you something suitable," with that, Thayet grabbed her hand and led the way to her and Jon's room.

She opened her closet. "Is it a casual dinner, or a really serious one?"Thayet asked, as she ran through the variety of dresses, skirts and breeches.

"I think it's sort of in between. You know, not that special, but not a day-out-for-a-picnic type either," Buri answered.

"Well then, try this on," Thayet produced a beautiful pink dress, all shimmery.

Buri went into her dressing room and tried it on.

"I don't think it really fits me," Buri muttered.

Thayet was trying not to laugh. Just then Alanna knocked on the door.

"What are you doing?" She asked, staring in bewilderment.

By now both Buri and Thayet were laughing.

"Trying some clothes on for this dinner tonight," Buri answered.

"Well, that dress will never do. You're short and stocky, like me, so try on something like this,"Alanna went back into her room, then came back with a velvet maroon dress, with gold edging, where the shoulder lines were, and in the middle.

Buri disappeared in the dressing room and reappeared wearing the dress.

"Wow. Looks good!" Alanna and Thayet gave their thumbs up.

Thayet plaited her dark brown hair and pinned it around her head. Alanna added black shoes.

"Perfect!" They cried altogether. By now practically everyone in the palace excluding Raoul, the King's Own and Kel were watching them in astoundment.

Daine fastened black earbobs, and Thayet added face paint.

"Now you're ready," Thayet said.

By then it was almost time to go, so Buri thanked her friends and went back to her room. Alanna had loaned her a shimmery maroon wraparound to keep her warm.

Humming to herself, Buri absentmindedly tucked her dagger into her strap/pocket she always wore, just below her loincloth. Buri was always ready, for any attempted murder or anything. Then she walked out into the still night, at the place she supposed to meet Raoul.

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There we go. The beginning of a good fic (at least I hope so). The second chapter will soon be up 'cos as soon as I finish one chapter, I usually begin the second.

~~~Takarimon