Disclaimer: I don't own anything that Tamora Pierce owns and if you really
think about it that makes perfect sense
A/N: Whoa I feel like I haven't written in such a long time but EXAMS ARE IN THREE WEEKS! Sorry to all my fans. If I have them.
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Lady Mila noted that Ermelian's face was completely devoid of colour. Her maternal instincts told her that the girl was scared and lonely. This was not a time for formalities. With an inward sigh she got up and hugged the delicate girl. "Hello, my dear. Welcome to Kennan. I hope you like your room?" Ermelian nodded, wincing as Lady Mila touched her aching back. "What's wrong, dear?" Ermelian shook her head.
"Oh, homesickness is such a curse. Come now and have some tea, and I'll tell you how everything will go." Ermelian sipped the hot liquid gratefully. It thawed her, a little. "I've arranged for Tatiana to come home in a week. She'll be staying with us for a while. Cleon is off fighting in the north. I've sent him a letter telling him how pleased I am with our arrangement. Now, I understand you like archery?" Ermelian found her voice. "Yes I do, very much, but Mamma always said-" Lady Mila's lips tightened. Ermelian fell silent. "Well your mamma isn't here, and you shall practice with the villagers down there."
Ermelian felt her face light up. "Are there girls my age, are they allowed up here, are they-" Question after question bubbled to her formerly withdrawn lips. Mila smiled, finding something to get the girl out of her shell. They spent a pleasant couple of hours talking, and Ermelian and Mila found themselves more and more drawn to each other. Finally Lela came to the door. "Ma'am? It's after nine." Mila smiled. "Is it now? Ermelian, breakfast is at eight o' clock tomorrow. Lela will wake you. Lela, please take her to her room."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ermelian stretched luxuriously in her bed. The feather mattress was warm, and a small fire burning in the grate welcomed a sunshiney day ahead. Hearing a knock on the door, she called out 'come in!" Lela entered, her impish smile growing wide when she saw Ermelian at the window. "Hello there, miss. I've got th' wash water for ye. It'll be a gorgeous day!"
Ermelian nodded, looking with appreciative eyes at the alluringly blue lake and rose gardens below. "My thanks, Lela. Would you help me with my hair, please?" Lela had been hoping for such an invitation. After Ermelian had washed, Lela brushed the silky locks until putting them up in a coil. Ermelian stopped her. "No, thank you Lela, I don't want to be too noble today, I'm going to archery practice! Just a braid, or something simple!" Lela accordingly tied her hair back with a dark purple velvet ribbon. She put on close fitting tan breeches for riding, and a yellow blouse with purple daisies splashed across the front finished the outfit.
As they went down into the breakfast room, Lela struck up a chatty conversation, sensing the girl behind her would like the company. She was correct. The two laughed through corridors and passages, until Ermelian stopped. "Lela, can I ask you something? This Fief is beautiful, and the house is very large. Why doesn't Lady Mila furnish it well?" Lela looked sad. "It's our old master. Lord Kennan, he was, and he was an awful man. He spent all th' money on th' drink. He niver paid no attention to us.
He spent the last o' his money on himself, cause he took real sick. Bought every medicine and Healer in the Realm here. After those bills, and putting Cleon through training, we was left with selling furniture to pay off debt. Lady Mila does the best she can, but it is an uphill battle. Ah, here we are."
They walked into a room furnished much like the Rose room, but large windows looked out at the lake and fields around it. Ermelian could see men working. Lady Mila was sitting in a chair, embroidering. After a quick breakfast Ermelian rode her horse, Windstar into the village. Two girls and seven boys were practicing shooting at different dots of paint on trees. When she jumped lightly off the horse and brought down her bow, they stared in surprise.
"Hello. Lady Mila said I might find you practicing here. Is it alright if I practice with you?" The youths stared at her. "Are- are you Cleon's betrothed?" Ventured a raven-haired maiden with one blue eye and one brown. "Yes." Murmured Ermelian, blushing. "My name's Ermelian. But you can call me Mel." After an awkward silence, the two girls introduced themselves. The brunette was Britannia, the other Anoushka. The boys eventually introduced themselves, and soon all of them were practicing together.
I know this chapter was short but I just had to post. Please review!
A/N: Whoa I feel like I haven't written in such a long time but EXAMS ARE IN THREE WEEKS! Sorry to all my fans. If I have them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*
Lady Mila noted that Ermelian's face was completely devoid of colour. Her maternal instincts told her that the girl was scared and lonely. This was not a time for formalities. With an inward sigh she got up and hugged the delicate girl. "Hello, my dear. Welcome to Kennan. I hope you like your room?" Ermelian nodded, wincing as Lady Mila touched her aching back. "What's wrong, dear?" Ermelian shook her head.
"Oh, homesickness is such a curse. Come now and have some tea, and I'll tell you how everything will go." Ermelian sipped the hot liquid gratefully. It thawed her, a little. "I've arranged for Tatiana to come home in a week. She'll be staying with us for a while. Cleon is off fighting in the north. I've sent him a letter telling him how pleased I am with our arrangement. Now, I understand you like archery?" Ermelian found her voice. "Yes I do, very much, but Mamma always said-" Lady Mila's lips tightened. Ermelian fell silent. "Well your mamma isn't here, and you shall practice with the villagers down there."
Ermelian felt her face light up. "Are there girls my age, are they allowed up here, are they-" Question after question bubbled to her formerly withdrawn lips. Mila smiled, finding something to get the girl out of her shell. They spent a pleasant couple of hours talking, and Ermelian and Mila found themselves more and more drawn to each other. Finally Lela came to the door. "Ma'am? It's after nine." Mila smiled. "Is it now? Ermelian, breakfast is at eight o' clock tomorrow. Lela will wake you. Lela, please take her to her room."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ermelian stretched luxuriously in her bed. The feather mattress was warm, and a small fire burning in the grate welcomed a sunshiney day ahead. Hearing a knock on the door, she called out 'come in!" Lela entered, her impish smile growing wide when she saw Ermelian at the window. "Hello there, miss. I've got th' wash water for ye. It'll be a gorgeous day!"
Ermelian nodded, looking with appreciative eyes at the alluringly blue lake and rose gardens below. "My thanks, Lela. Would you help me with my hair, please?" Lela had been hoping for such an invitation. After Ermelian had washed, Lela brushed the silky locks until putting them up in a coil. Ermelian stopped her. "No, thank you Lela, I don't want to be too noble today, I'm going to archery practice! Just a braid, or something simple!" Lela accordingly tied her hair back with a dark purple velvet ribbon. She put on close fitting tan breeches for riding, and a yellow blouse with purple daisies splashed across the front finished the outfit.
As they went down into the breakfast room, Lela struck up a chatty conversation, sensing the girl behind her would like the company. She was correct. The two laughed through corridors and passages, until Ermelian stopped. "Lela, can I ask you something? This Fief is beautiful, and the house is very large. Why doesn't Lady Mila furnish it well?" Lela looked sad. "It's our old master. Lord Kennan, he was, and he was an awful man. He spent all th' money on th' drink. He niver paid no attention to us.
He spent the last o' his money on himself, cause he took real sick. Bought every medicine and Healer in the Realm here. After those bills, and putting Cleon through training, we was left with selling furniture to pay off debt. Lady Mila does the best she can, but it is an uphill battle. Ah, here we are."
They walked into a room furnished much like the Rose room, but large windows looked out at the lake and fields around it. Ermelian could see men working. Lady Mila was sitting in a chair, embroidering. After a quick breakfast Ermelian rode her horse, Windstar into the village. Two girls and seven boys were practicing shooting at different dots of paint on trees. When she jumped lightly off the horse and brought down her bow, they stared in surprise.
"Hello. Lady Mila said I might find you practicing here. Is it alright if I practice with you?" The youths stared at her. "Are- are you Cleon's betrothed?" Ventured a raven-haired maiden with one blue eye and one brown. "Yes." Murmured Ermelian, blushing. "My name's Ermelian. But you can call me Mel." After an awkward silence, the two girls introduced themselves. The brunette was Britannia, the other Anoushka. The boys eventually introduced themselves, and soon all of them were practicing together.
I know this chapter was short but I just had to post. Please review!