(A/n: *dramatic sigh* I can put it off no longer! Here it goes! This one's for Squirrel Maiden of Green!)
Rhiannon of Leggan sighed and looked longingly out of the carriage window. Beside her, her mother slapped her wrist lightly.
"Ladies are always calm and composed," Nenia admonished. "Sit straight, put your hands in your lap, and breath thought your nose!"
Rhiannon flipped her long dark hair rebelliously. The other ladies-in-waiting in the carriage stifled their giggles. Such confrontations between the Lady of Leggan and her daughter were common.
"Now at the Royal Palace! Make way!" Darin, their driver, announced. The carriage was filled with sounds of ruffling skirts and gasps of wonder.
"Now, Rhian," Nenia began, "when we arrive at the palace, I'd like you to curtsy to all the courtiers--"
"I know, Mother!" Rhiannon interrupted in exasperation.
"I'm not finished," Nenia continued calmly. "You will be given a page-guide right away. Please, please, be kind to the boy!"
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The carriage trundled to a stop. Rhiannon tried vainly to stop fidgeting, and sat calmly. Finally the door was opened. Slowly, all of the ladies-in-waiting and Lady Nenia exited, curtsying politely to the audience.
"Now, Dear," Nenia whispered into her daughters ear. The tall girl stepped forward as a boy several inches taller than she stepped forward.
"Neal of Queensove," he offered, taking his hand in hers and brushing it to his lips and bowing. Rhian blushed and tried to curtsy.
"Ow!" she cried, twisting an ankle on the soft, uneven ground. Neal hissed in sympathy.
"Ooh, sorry about that," he told her genuinely. "It happens a lot, unfortunately."
"What does? People twisting their ankles on the uneven footing, or twisting their ankles because they were preoccupied by your presence?" Rhian gritted her teeth in pain.
Neal smiled, an action that lit up his emerald eyes. "Both, actually," he joked. "Now let me take a look at that ankle." He started to kneel. Rhian quickly moved back.
"It's alright," she explained. "I'll do it." With some difficulty she managed to bend down enough to place her hands, now glowing with soft cream fire, over her swelling joint. Within moments it was healed.
Neal whistled, impressed. "So you're a healer?" he asked.
"Not much of one," she told him. "Just what my Hold's healer taught me. I also have battle magic"
"I can sympathize," the boy agreed. "I was at the university for four years before I decided to come here."
Rhiannon looked him over. He was several inches taller than her 5'9", with light brown hair swept back into a horse-tail, intelligent green eyes, and high cheekbones.
"I thought you looked too old to be a page," she admitted. He grinned.
"Well, my Lady…"
"Rhiannon," Rhian said quickly. "Rhiannon of Leggan."
"Well, my Lady Rhiannon, let us make our way up to the palace." Neal offered his arm and caught her eyes in his. Slowly they started their walk to the palace, talking of books and healing.
(A/n: so….that's what a lot of these are going to be like. There can't really be any fluff, since each are only one chapter long. But I hope there were enough implications of romance there! Next up… Purple Eyes1!)