A/N: Yay, rah, me! Look how soon I got this chapter up! Wow… 40 some reviews for 2 crap chapters and a prologue. I never thought I'd see the day. This chapter will be a little better hopefully.
DISCLAIMER: Characters belong to me. Places however are borrowed from the Almighty T.P. :D
Lady Ribyyn of Hadic II: Shadows
Chapter 3 – Twas the Night of Midwinter
Sunset. In the distance the bells tolled six-o-clock. The Midwinter celebration had started at long last. Everybody who was anybody was at some form of celebration, whether it be in the royal palace or some slimy tavern. But not The Shadow; The Shadow was a nobody.
He stood alone by the gates that separated the lower city and the market place. After living in Corus his whole life The Shadow knew that the gates were locked only two days of the year; Beltane and the first night of Midwinter.
There would be no work for him tonight. None of the less respectable people of the lower city worked on Midwinter or Beltane. The thieves would celebrate, the assassins would join them. The Shadow was neither. The Shadow was a pawn.
He could remember when he was free, if you could call it that. He was younger then; only seven when he officially joined a gang of thieves. It was every boy for himself. Trust no one. Let no one see your pain. Those were the rules. The only trustworthy one was the kitchen maid who would heal the cuts and bruises after they were acquired.
Even so, it was more of a life than the one that he led now. He had people to speak to. He had a motherly figure; one that was more motherly than the woman who held the title. The only favor she'd ever done him was give birth to him, and, considering the situation he was in, that was hardly a favor.
Looking back on it, those three years, from when he was seven to when he was ten, were the best years of his life. It was then that he discovered why the thieves and assassins hardly worked on Midwinter, and never on Beltane. It was embarrassing to break into a bedroom in which two people were in a rather compromising position. Granted, that could happen at any time during the year, but it was more likely to happen on one of the major holidays.
There was a snap behind him and the slamming of a door. A cat yowled. A dog barked. A woman laughed. Sighing, he pushed himself off the wall and strode down the deserted streets, past the lighted taverns and the celebrations, to his dark, shadowy alley where he knew he was alone. Where he was always alone.
(A/N: Sorry for the interruption. ::sob:: I feel so sorry for my shadow man. He's got a sob story.)
~*~
Ribyyn heard the bell toll. Cursing out loud, she grabbed the dainty slippers that lay at the foot of the bed and rushed out the door. Gathering up her skirts in one hand she ran as fast as her feet would take her to the palace ballroom. Stopping outside the grand doors she carefully placed her feet in the delicate shoes. Smoothing her skirts, she placed her hand on the door and gently pushed it open and slipped inside.
"You're late," said a deep voice from behind her. Ribyyn whirled around to see Lord Alden of Goldenlake, looking tall, large, and impressive in emerald velvet.
"Sorry," she murmured out of the side of her mouth, averting her gaze to her feet.
Alden sighed and smiled. "Bryt purposely kidnapped you early this afternoon in order to get you ready so that you wouldn't be late, and yet somehow you are. Why am I not surprised?"
Ribyyn looked up at him and grinned, relieved to see that he wasn't upset. "No matter," he said, placing a large hand on her shoulder and pushing her into the crowd. "There's someone the king would like to introduce you to."
And it starts, Ribyyn said to herself as her foster father led her towards a circle of young men.
"Mathias," Lord Alden called out, and a familiar mop of dark hair turned around to reveal a familiar set of stunningly blue eyes. "Mat," Lord Alden continued as the young man made his way towards them, "I'd like you to meet Ribyyn of Hadic. Ribyyn this is-"
"Sir Mathias of Fawks Ridge," Ribyyn finished. Lord Alden raised a brow. "We met this morning," she explained.
"Nice to see you again, Lady Ribyyn," Mat said smoothly, ignoring the Lord of Goldenlake. "I see that I was wrong in my earlier assumption."
"And what assumption would that be?" she asked as Alden slipped away discreetly.
"That there was no proper lady underneath all that grime."
Ribyyn bit her lower lip in thought, unsure of whether what he'd said should be taken as an insult or a compliment. She never had the chance to make up her mind however. "Mat!" cried a young man from behind the knight. "Who's the beauty?"
Ribyyn felt her face go pink as Mathias's friends turned around. Ribyyn could feel their eyes traveling up and down her body. Why must they stare so?
"This, my dear friends," Mat said haughtily, "is Lady Ribyyn of Hadic."
"Lady Ribyyn of Hadic?" asked one of the young men, peering at her curiously. His hair was a light auburn color that went well with his amazing green eyes.
"Forgive me for being forward," Ribyyn excused herself, "But would you kindly, stop staring?"
"You're Kalvin's sister?" asked a voice from her left.
Ribyyn blinked, caught completely unaware by the strange turn in the conversation. Someone here knew her brother? But how? The Kalvin she knew was a very secluded person. His best friend in the world had been Darin, the town blacksmith's son. Beyond that, the only people Kalvin had ever spoken to were servants and family members. Her family was dead, and Ribyyn highly doubted that any of the castle's servants were here, at the palace's Midwinter Party, socializing amongst the nobles.
She turned to the young man who had posed the question. "How do you know my brother?"
"He was here as a page for a week or two, but had to leave for a…" He paused in thought. "What did he call it?" he asked, turning to a friend.
"A family crisis, I think," answered the young man with green eyes.
"Family crisis?" Ribyyn murmured, clearly confused. She shook her head. "How long ago was this exactly?"
"Gods," sighed Mat, deep in thought. "Nearly ten years ago, I'd say. It's so odd. I knew who you were, and I knew who your brother was, but I just couldn't put two and two together."
Had Ribyyn been her normal self, she might have made a smooth comment about Sir Mathias's intelligence. Instead she was determined to figure out this mystery. If she thought about Kalvin hard enough she could vaguely remember him talking to her about going to the palace. She could even remember visions of him leaving. But for some bizarre reason, she couldn't remember him ever being away for an extended period of time. And she certainly couldn't remember any family crisis.
"So," Mat continued with a flashy grin, "perhaps you could enlighten us as to what this family crisis was?"
Ribyyn glanced up at him. "Let me think. When he was ten, I would have been around seven." She was quiet for a moment. "I broke my arm when I was seven."
"Broke your arm?" asked the green eyed man. "That's hardly a family crisis. I broke mine when I was five. And again when I was nine."
"And eleven. And fourteen. And seventeen. And again last year when you decided to do saddle tricks after drinking three or four glasses of wine. For you, Madsen, breaking an arm is a common occurrence," said a feminine voice from behind Ribyyn. She turned to see Min standing behind her with a wide grin on her face.
"Did I ask you, Minnie?" Madsen snapped. "I don't think I did."
Min just smiled innocently. "Ouch. You should be nicer to your cousin, Madsen, especially since she'll be queen some day."
"Well, when that day comes I'll be nice. But that day isn't now, so I'll pick on you when I want to."
"He's your cousin?" Ribyyn whispered to Min.
"On my father's side. That's why he's not eligible for the crown."
"Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" Madsen continued, ignoring the princess. "Oh yes, the Hadic Family crisis. Please, Ribyyn, continue."
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I can't quite remember any of it. That whole year is a blur for some reason. I'll have to ask Darin." Ribyyn realized what she had said quite suddenly and slapped her hand over her mouth before she said something she really didn't want to.
"Darin?" asked one of Mat's friends. "Who's Darin?"
"I'm really not allowed to tell you that," Ribyyn said quickly.
"Oh, come on," Madsen insisted.
"No. Really, I shouldn't." Ribyyn looked desperately over at Min. "I think I've said quite enough already. Besides, Min still needs to introduce me to her friends. I shall see you later, gentlemen." Ribyyn curtseyed and then grabbed Min by the wrist and dragged her away.
"That was an awfully close call," Min said quietly. "You'd best be careful what you say from now on."
"I know," Ribyyn whispered back. "Believe me, I know."
~*~
Jessalyn sat by one of the large bay windows, curled up with her knees at her chest and desperately trying to keep a bored face on. It was difficult with Ribyyn and Min's new best friend, Mathias, in view. Gods, the man was such a cursed snob! It wasn't fair that he was so handsome at the same time.
Sighing, she turned her head so that it faced the window and closed her eyes. Parties had always bored her, but this one was particularly boring. However, she couldn't go and tell her father that. He'd simply laugh and say, "I told you so." The night before Jessa had insisted that she be allowed to come. Ribyyn and Min were going to be there, so there was no possible way she could be bored. Unfortunately, she hadn't expected Sir Mathias and his friends to come into the picture.
There was a tapping on the window and she opened her eyes and gasped, falling off the window seat. Rising up onto her knees, she stared at the face in the window, attempting to recognize it. It was in shadow, facing away from the setting sun that blinded her eyes. She squinted at it as the person tapped again. Above the music playing in the background she heard a faint call of, "Jessie, let me in!"
"Darin?" she whispered to herself. Climbing back onto the window seat she grabbed the curtains and pulled them closed. Turning around she unlatched the window and watched as Darin climbed up onto the window seat. Standing, he straightened his tunic and hose, both of which looked to be rather expensive. A bit too expensive for the king of thieves, I'd say, thought Jessa. "Darin, what are you doing here?" she asked as she watched him.
"What does it look like I'm doing here?" he asked, pausing and waiting for her to answer. The young girl just stared at him blankly. "I'm attending the Midwinter party."
"Why?"
"Because I feel like it," he said, giving his tunic and shirt one last tug. "How do I look?" he asked as he struck a pose.
Jessa looked up at him from where she sat at his feet. "Your hair's mussed." The thief frowned, running his fingers through his messy blond locks in an attempt to put them in some order.
He smiled down at his young friend. "Better?" She shrugged, watching him intently. "You're useless," he told her jokingly, but saw her face fall. "Something wrong?" he asked, his voice concerned.
She shrugged. "I'll get over it."
"If you say so," Darin said, doing his best to talk like a noble as he closed the window and locked it again. He carefully pulled back one of the thick, heavy, blue curtains and glanced around the room in search for Ribyyn. Spotting her, he jumped off the window seat and made his way towards her. Looking back towards Jessa he winked and was then lost in the crowd of people.
Jessa sighed and returned to staring out the window and daydreaming.
~*~
Ribyyn sipped her glass of punch as she listened to Min gossip with a friend. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she sighed and rolled her eyes, expecting to see Mathias. However, when she turned around, she found herself staring into laughing green eyes topped by a sweep of blond curls instead of the mesmerizing blue eyes and coal black hair she had anticipated. She gasped in shock and delight and dropped the glass she was holding, shattering the crystal and spilling the punch all over her skirts.
Min and her companion turned to see a young man with blond hair dip down to pick up the glass with a napkin that lay on a nearby table, while Ribyyn furiously tried to wipe the punch stains off her dress.
"Ribyyn?" asked Min, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Ribyyn answered quickly as she rubbed the dress with a damp cloth that a page had handed her. "Nothing at all. Continue talking, I'll be fine."
Min shrugged and turned back to her friend, launching herself back into the conversation.
"What are you doing here?" Ribyyn hissed at her friend, as Darin handed the napkin holding the crystal to the nearby page and warned him to be careful with it. "Do you realize what will happen to you if you get caught?"
"I'm not going to get caught if you don't give me away," he replied softly. "Now act natural." He smiled at her and said a bit more loudly, "I apologize, my lady. I did not mean to startle you. I was simply going to ask if, perhaps, you would join me in this next dance."
Ribyyn blinked, instantly suspicious. "Why?"
Darin laughed, making Ribyyn feel more at ease, and offered her his arm. Sighing, she appeared to be thinking about it. He saw her look over his shoulder and then her eyes flashed and she smirked. She placed her hand on his arm and he led her towards the center of the room. Glancing over his shoulder he caught Min's eyes and smiled at her. Recognizing him, she smiled back.
Quite a bit of time passed and Ribyyn had hardly spoken a word, a rare occurrence when it came to her. She also still had a sly smirk plastered onto her face. "All right, Ribyyn," he said, breaking the silence. "What's with the smile?"
"Oh," Ribyyn said flippantly, "I've just managed to drop a potential suitor."
"Have you?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes," she said, her smirk turning into a grin. "Frankly, I'm quite proud of myself."
"Shouldn't you be thanking me as well as congratulating yourself?" She glanced up at him with questioning eyes. "After all, you wouldn't have been able to drop the suitor without my help. If I hadn't come-"
"Why are you here anyway?" she interrupted him as he spun her out.
"Is there a problem with me being here?" he asked, instantly regretting the question.
"You mean other than the fact that you could be arrested?"
"Won't be the first time," he answered with a smile.
"That was rhetorical."
He laughed and Ribyyn smiled at him. "Oh Gods, Ribyyn, I've missed you. You haven't visited me all week. I'd thought you'd forgotten me."
"Forget you? Never." She sighed and her smile faded. "Lady Bryttany hasn't allowed me to go into the city this week, at least, not without her. And even if I could go into the city whenever I wanted to, going everyday might be a tad suspicious."
"True enough," Darin agreed. "I suppose this means I have to come here and visit you more often."
"Are you sure that's wise?"
"My dear Ribyyn," he answered, "Since when have I ever been wise?"
She replied with a gleeful laugh that made his heart beat faster. "I suppose you have a point," she said and paused in thought as the music stopped. "Could we go outside for a moment? We'll be able to talk a bit more freely out there." Darin nodded and followed her to the garden's edge.
"Where did you get the clothes?" she asked, as if realizing for the first time that they were not the clothes that he normally wore.
"I bought them." Ribyyn raised a brow. "Honest," he insisted, "they wouldn't fit so well otherwise. Though, I will admit, the money I bought them with was not obtained in such a noble fashion."
Ribyyn grinned, "Well, at least I know you haven't changed any."
"Why would I have changed?"
"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "You know, my worst nightmare is that you'll meet some beautiful blonde with dimples and an oversized chest and you'll never want to speak to me again." She smiled, but Darin saw past the façade.
"Now why would you think that?" he asked jokingly. "Surely, you know that I'd have the decency to tell you I never wanted to see you again." She looked up at him, her normally happy blue eyes sparkled and he saw the tinge of sadness. He became serious, "Ribyyn, if a fifteen-year-old can fall in love with his best friend's thirteen-year-old sister, and four years later still feel the same way about her, you've nothing to worry about. Trust me."
Her sad eyes once again became happy, and she grinned. Then, standing on the tips of her toes, she placed her lips on his.
He smiled down at her. "Gods, I've missed that," he said and kissed her again. When he pulled away he said, "Min knows I'm here. If we don't go back in soon she'll think I've talked you into running away with me." He paused and his smile turned into a grin. "Again."
Ribyyn laughed as she took his hand and they walked back into the palace and the stuffy, overcrowded ballroom.
Neither of them saw the pair of dazzlingly blue eyes watching them.
A/N: Oh yes that chapter was definitely MUCH better than the last two. At least in my opinion. 5 pages! Review and you get a cookie!