Disclaimer: See first page.
Chapter One: The Feast Begins
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
Mid feast, the King left the High table to converse among the cheery atmosphere. At on table then another, he stopped, laughing with some and talking softly to others, waving and staying at one place for but a moment, then ambling down to the next table, not missing a single person.
Finally, he stopped a moment at the young man's table.
"Sy- er, Li," he said quietly, "Thank you for helping old Methuselah earlier. I guess his nerves are farther along than any of us thought."
"Oh no, Sir," Li replied with a chuckle, "With his age, he's just become more... ticklish. 'Everything seems funny once you've seen and relived it all before.'"
A smile tugged at the King's lips. "Straight from the old one's lips, eh?" He said ruefully. Li nodded solemnly.
"A personal message."
The two stood facing each other, fighting against the twin bubbles of hilarity they shared.
One smiled.
The other blinked rapidly.
Both snorted and erupted into laughter, holding onto each other for support.
Few noticed the outburst added to the already noisy atmosphere, but some turned to gaze at the rare sight of their Liege doubled over and shaking with laughter - a fit not all unlike old Methuselah's before the unveiling.
The King wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his robe and straightened up, gasping hopelessly for breath. Li recovered first.
"I guess the old man still has a few years of brilliancy left in him, eh?"
"That he does." The King replied. He gazed fondly at the old, bent over figure, snoozing lightly in a corner, surrounded by young ones wondering at the length and whiteness of his hair and beard.
- A father to so many of the fatherless -
The King thought with a sigh.
-Himself included. -
The King knew as well as any that Methuselah was the true foundation of this beloved place. All would mourn greatly when he left.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, the King found his face sad.
-Now-
he told himself
-This is a good, joyous occasion, the worst time for thoughts like that! The old coot isn't leaving us tonight.-
And with that, the King bade his farewells to Li and resumed his wander of the hall.
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
Li was laughing and talking with his friends long after the remnants of food had been whisked away. The Elders had all moved nearer the fire as their belts grew tighter and the general commotion died down to idle chatter, punctuated on occasion by the snores of those closest the hearth.
Suddenly, all talk ceased at Li's table.
"What?" he asked and was about to swivel to look when someone let out a low whistle. At this, Li abruptly turned back in his seat, shaking his dark head with a groan.
He waited.
Sure enough, the whistle was followed by a murmur of,
"Check her out..." and "Where'd she -" " - d'you know who - " and the occasional awed "Wow."
Surveying the faces at this table, Li had a sudden urge to see just what - or more appropriately, who - had captured their attention so thoroughly; more than half of his table's occupant's mouths were gaping in silence at the figure behind him.
Of course, with his friends, a pretty girl always started them up; but few had ever left them speechless. He himself didn't care much either way.
Girls were pretty, sure, beautiful, maybe, but most spent all their time working to be that, only to turn green when another pampered princess took over the spotlight.
Who needed to put up with that?
Nevertheless, when he turned to look, he stared. And stared. And stared.
What he was gazing at was a petite figure with auburn hair bundled up in three tumbling knots that reached past her shoulders, looking as if they were hurriedly put up, but charming all the same. She was perfectly slim; slim shoulders, slim face, slim waist, and with every and all curves perfectly placed.
Her face looked soft in the firelight at the moment, but the way her green eyes flashed in the firelight suggested her personality to be anything but.
His own reddish-amber eyes latched onto hers for a moment and she smiled. Inadvertently, he smiled back, but someone passed between them and broke their eye contact.
Shaking himself, he realized that the room had erupted into whispers.
"Did you see that girl?"
"Gorgeous, ent she?"
"Yeah, she's new her - just came this month -"
"- gonna stay for - "
"- her guardian is pretty cute - "
"- few months, I hear - "
"- delightful child, really, simply -"
"- lovely when she holds - "
"- got a temper, that one - "
So many things were flying through the air at once, within a few snatches, Li felt he had the girl's whole life story.
Except for her name.
Silently, Li managed to slip away unnoticed - a minor feat seeing as his table was engrossed with talk of the girl. As he passed the King's table, he nearly bowled on of the Courtiers over.
"Oh jeez, I'm sorry!"
The middle age man chuckled and rubbed his stomach where Li's elbow had gotten him.
"Oh, no need to worry about me, I'm quite alright. Say," he said, peering closer at Li, "Aren't you the boy who finished the trip with the trolley? Our young enchanter is looking for you, you know. Quite anxious, really. Might be able t' catch him at the Table is you hurry 'long now."
He patted Li's arm and chuckled again, disappearing among the people drifting about the tables.
So, Eriol wanted to see him, hm? Well, whatever it was must be at least semi-important. Anyway, he - if anyone - might know who the girl was.
With a strange leap in his chest, he turned and skirted up the steps to the High Table, where his cousin was waiting.
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
"Ah, my prompt cousin arrives," Eriol drawled, "I suppose Bro Zack didn't hardly have to search and got to go after the ale after all."
He gave a grin.
"Got that right." Li said with a smirk. "Now, what's eating you?"
"Ah, well." Eriol waved his hand flippantly. "You see, dear cousin, I have a dilemma."
"Enchanters don't have dilemmas."
Eriol frowned at Li and continued,
"I'm hurt, cousin, and I'll prove you wrong on that count. You see, I know a girl at this banquet who is not allowed to go anywhere without an escort. Her current escort is, ah, being violently sick in the infirmary, and most families don't have room in their wagons for one more..."
"... so you were simply wondering if I would take the girl's escort's place?"
"Exactly. Now, here is where my number one dilemma comes in. She's a girl. Everyone here knows just how, ah, infamously you get on with girls in general."
"Uh huh, and what's your second dilemma? Cuz that isn't one, I'll take her home anyway. What's her name?"
"Her name is Kira, and now that I've got your word on you taking her, she's that one over there."
Li looked over slowly to where his cousin had pointed, expecting - dreading - another Eliza Goodwen.*
In her stead was The Girl.
"That's Kira?" He managed to croak. He cleared his throat a couple of times before glancing back at his cousin. He was grinning. Profusely. And it wasn't his ordinary grin, either. It was his Cheshire Grin.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. He had never felt this way about any girl (well, maybe 7 year old Sheer Tirin, but that was eight years ago).
Why now?
Cuz good ole Eriol had made it that way - again.
Li glared at his cousin, and his voice returned to normal.
"You're playing matchmaker again, aren't you?"
Eriol smiled guiltily.
"Well, in a way, but -"
Shaking his head, Li pinched his fingers together and drew them down like a zipper. Sure enough, all the colors around them dimmed and faded to normal, and the air didn't seem as full of excitement as before.
Picking up a drink, Li smirked at his cousin.
"I bet she doesn't even look as good as all that."
Glancing back, he nearly choked. There she was, this new girl, just as radiant as ever. Not a thing had changed. The plus side was he didn't feel all lolly just looking at her anymore, though she was still a dream.
Tearing his gaze away with less difficulty than before, her turned to stare into his cousin's anxious face.
Giving a blustery sigh he said,
"Don't worry already! I already promised didn't I?"
Eriol's face relaxed and he nodde.
"Okay..."
"When do you want me to take her home, anyway?"
"Um." Eriol looked at the broad clock on the opposite wall.
"D'you think you could be ready in five minutes?"
Li nodded and shrugged simoultaneously, causing Eriol to smile. *He never even knew he did it* Eriol thought with a smile; still it was his trademark sigh.
"Great!" He cried happily. "Now, go down and meet her."
"Hey!" Li cried indignantly, "Slow down. Just cuz you've got the entire feminine castle staff at your beck and call doesn't mean the rest of us bachelors are miserable."
"Really?" Eriol asked in surprise. "Wait, I'm just kidding! It's a joke! Joke!!"
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
Okay, that's all for now, read and review, kay? Flames are welcome, but even if ur flaming, tell me what you think. And don't worry, this will be an SS story, and a slight TE one as a subplot... be patient... ^_^
But, I will type more material with more reviews, so just click the little GO button on the bottom of the screen!!
Chapter One: The Feast Begins
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
Mid feast, the King left the High table to converse among the cheery atmosphere. At on table then another, he stopped, laughing with some and talking softly to others, waving and staying at one place for but a moment, then ambling down to the next table, not missing a single person.
Finally, he stopped a moment at the young man's table.
"Sy- er, Li," he said quietly, "Thank you for helping old Methuselah earlier. I guess his nerves are farther along than any of us thought."
"Oh no, Sir," Li replied with a chuckle, "With his age, he's just become more... ticklish. 'Everything seems funny once you've seen and relived it all before.'"
A smile tugged at the King's lips. "Straight from the old one's lips, eh?" He said ruefully. Li nodded solemnly.
"A personal message."
The two stood facing each other, fighting against the twin bubbles of hilarity they shared.
One smiled.
The other blinked rapidly.
Both snorted and erupted into laughter, holding onto each other for support.
Few noticed the outburst added to the already noisy atmosphere, but some turned to gaze at the rare sight of their Liege doubled over and shaking with laughter - a fit not all unlike old Methuselah's before the unveiling.
The King wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his robe and straightened up, gasping hopelessly for breath. Li recovered first.
"I guess the old man still has a few years of brilliancy left in him, eh?"
"That he does." The King replied. He gazed fondly at the old, bent over figure, snoozing lightly in a corner, surrounded by young ones wondering at the length and whiteness of his hair and beard.
- A father to so many of the fatherless -
The King thought with a sigh.
-Himself included. -
The King knew as well as any that Methuselah was the true foundation of this beloved place. All would mourn greatly when he left.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, the King found his face sad.
-Now-
he told himself
-This is a good, joyous occasion, the worst time for thoughts like that! The old coot isn't leaving us tonight.-
And with that, the King bade his farewells to Li and resumed his wander of the hall.
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
Li was laughing and talking with his friends long after the remnants of food had been whisked away. The Elders had all moved nearer the fire as their belts grew tighter and the general commotion died down to idle chatter, punctuated on occasion by the snores of those closest the hearth.
Suddenly, all talk ceased at Li's table.
"What?" he asked and was about to swivel to look when someone let out a low whistle. At this, Li abruptly turned back in his seat, shaking his dark head with a groan.
He waited.
Sure enough, the whistle was followed by a murmur of,
"Check her out..." and "Where'd she -" " - d'you know who - " and the occasional awed "Wow."
Surveying the faces at this table, Li had a sudden urge to see just what - or more appropriately, who - had captured their attention so thoroughly; more than half of his table's occupant's mouths were gaping in silence at the figure behind him.
Of course, with his friends, a pretty girl always started them up; but few had ever left them speechless. He himself didn't care much either way.
Girls were pretty, sure, beautiful, maybe, but most spent all their time working to be that, only to turn green when another pampered princess took over the spotlight.
Who needed to put up with that?
Nevertheless, when he turned to look, he stared. And stared. And stared.
What he was gazing at was a petite figure with auburn hair bundled up in three tumbling knots that reached past her shoulders, looking as if they were hurriedly put up, but charming all the same. She was perfectly slim; slim shoulders, slim face, slim waist, and with every and all curves perfectly placed.
Her face looked soft in the firelight at the moment, but the way her green eyes flashed in the firelight suggested her personality to be anything but.
His own reddish-amber eyes latched onto hers for a moment and she smiled. Inadvertently, he smiled back, but someone passed between them and broke their eye contact.
Shaking himself, he realized that the room had erupted into whispers.
"Did you see that girl?"
"Gorgeous, ent she?"
"Yeah, she's new her - just came this month -"
"- gonna stay for - "
"- her guardian is pretty cute - "
"- few months, I hear - "
"- delightful child, really, simply -"
"- lovely when she holds - "
"- got a temper, that one - "
So many things were flying through the air at once, within a few snatches, Li felt he had the girl's whole life story.
Except for her name.
Silently, Li managed to slip away unnoticed - a minor feat seeing as his table was engrossed with talk of the girl. As he passed the King's table, he nearly bowled on of the Courtiers over.
"Oh jeez, I'm sorry!"
The middle age man chuckled and rubbed his stomach where Li's elbow had gotten him.
"Oh, no need to worry about me, I'm quite alright. Say," he said, peering closer at Li, "Aren't you the boy who finished the trip with the trolley? Our young enchanter is looking for you, you know. Quite anxious, really. Might be able t' catch him at the Table is you hurry 'long now."
He patted Li's arm and chuckled again, disappearing among the people drifting about the tables.
So, Eriol wanted to see him, hm? Well, whatever it was must be at least semi-important. Anyway, he - if anyone - might know who the girl was.
With a strange leap in his chest, he turned and skirted up the steps to the High Table, where his cousin was waiting.
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
"Ah, my prompt cousin arrives," Eriol drawled, "I suppose Bro Zack didn't hardly have to search and got to go after the ale after all."
He gave a grin.
"Got that right." Li said with a smirk. "Now, what's eating you?"
"Ah, well." Eriol waved his hand flippantly. "You see, dear cousin, I have a dilemma."
"Enchanters don't have dilemmas."
Eriol frowned at Li and continued,
"I'm hurt, cousin, and I'll prove you wrong on that count. You see, I know a girl at this banquet who is not allowed to go anywhere without an escort. Her current escort is, ah, being violently sick in the infirmary, and most families don't have room in their wagons for one more..."
"... so you were simply wondering if I would take the girl's escort's place?"
"Exactly. Now, here is where my number one dilemma comes in. She's a girl. Everyone here knows just how, ah, infamously you get on with girls in general."
"Uh huh, and what's your second dilemma? Cuz that isn't one, I'll take her home anyway. What's her name?"
"Her name is Kira, and now that I've got your word on you taking her, she's that one over there."
Li looked over slowly to where his cousin had pointed, expecting - dreading - another Eliza Goodwen.*
In her stead was The Girl.
"That's Kira?" He managed to croak. He cleared his throat a couple of times before glancing back at his cousin. He was grinning. Profusely. And it wasn't his ordinary grin, either. It was his Cheshire Grin.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. He had never felt this way about any girl (well, maybe 7 year old Sheer Tirin, but that was eight years ago).
Why now?
Cuz good ole Eriol had made it that way - again.
Li glared at his cousin, and his voice returned to normal.
"You're playing matchmaker again, aren't you?"
Eriol smiled guiltily.
"Well, in a way, but -"
Shaking his head, Li pinched his fingers together and drew them down like a zipper. Sure enough, all the colors around them dimmed and faded to normal, and the air didn't seem as full of excitement as before.
Picking up a drink, Li smirked at his cousin.
"I bet she doesn't even look as good as all that."
Glancing back, he nearly choked. There she was, this new girl, just as radiant as ever. Not a thing had changed. The plus side was he didn't feel all lolly just looking at her anymore, though she was still a dream.
Tearing his gaze away with less difficulty than before, her turned to stare into his cousin's anxious face.
Giving a blustery sigh he said,
"Don't worry already! I already promised didn't I?"
Eriol's face relaxed and he nodde.
"Okay..."
"When do you want me to take her home, anyway?"
"Um." Eriol looked at the broad clock on the opposite wall.
"D'you think you could be ready in five minutes?"
Li nodded and shrugged simoultaneously, causing Eriol to smile. *He never even knew he did it* Eriol thought with a smile; still it was his trademark sigh.
"Great!" He cried happily. "Now, go down and meet her."
"Hey!" Li cried indignantly, "Slow down. Just cuz you've got the entire feminine castle staff at your beck and call doesn't mean the rest of us bachelors are miserable."
"Really?" Eriol asked in surprise. "Wait, I'm just kidding! It's a joke! Joke!!"
_*_~_*_~_*_~_*_~_
Okay, that's all for now, read and review, kay? Flames are welcome, but even if ur flaming, tell me what you think. And don't worry, this will be an SS story, and a slight TE one as a subplot... be patient... ^_^
But, I will type more material with more reviews, so just click the little GO button on the bottom of the screen!!