Holiday Gift for Lady Ava by Mystic Knight

For Lady Ava, who requested something with the Conte children

~*~*~*~

Princess Kalasin stared into the crackling fire. It sent warmth throughout the room, and yet she shivered. She heard the door creak open behind her, but she kept her eyes fixed on the fire.

            Someone gently touched her shoulder. She turned her head from her kneeling position on the floor to look up into the sapphire eyes of her older brother Roald. Those eyes were kind, just like always.

"Are you all right, Kally?" he asked, crouching down beside her.

            She nodded, forcing a smile. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be? Today is just the day Father and Mother announce my betrothal to Emperor Kaddar. Why wouldn't I be all right?"

            Roald smiled back. "Because I was more nervous than I'd ever been in my life when my betrothal to Shinkokami was announced. And I assumed you'd be the same."

            Kally toyed with the pendant at her throat. She sighed. "Of course you're right. Of course I'm nervous. Kaddar seemed very kind and generous when I met him, and Daine speaks highly of him, but… I just don't know." She stood and began to pace the room, her finely made breeches swishing as she moved. "And once the betrothal is announced, I have to go to Carthak. I have to—" Her throat choked up. "I have to leave, Roald! I have to go be the empress of a country I've grown up hating with someone I barely know and don't love. I don't want to!"

            Roald stood and firmly held his sister's shoulders before she could break something. "Kally," he said gently. "You grew up knowing this would happen. Why are you suddenly fretting over it? You're a princess. You know this is your duty. You knew you'd never get to marry for love. I didn't. But I have grown to love Shinko very much. I know you can do the same with Kaddar."

            "You didn't have to leave your home! You didn't have to leave everyone you loved!" She was sobbing now, the tears ruining her perfectly rouged cheeks. "You're right, I did know this would happen. But that doesn't mean I ever accepted it! This is part of the reason I wanted to be a knight! Then they wouldn't be able to just marry me off!"

            The door opened, and their younger sister Lianne poked her head in. "What's all the…" Her eyes grew wide when she saw Kally's tears. She rushed into the room, making cooing sounds, and stroked Kally's ink black hair. "What's wrong?" She looked at Roald. "I know you didn't do this."

            "I don't want to go," Kally said through her tears. "You're so lucky to not have to go through this yet."

            Lianne gasped softly. "Oh, so that's what this is about."

            "Kally, have you spoken about this with Shinko?" Roald asked. "She also had to leave her home to come marry me and be the future queen of Tortall. I'm sure talking with her would help."

            Kally backed away from both her siblings. "Maybe I will, but not now. I just… I have to be alone." She strode quickly from the room and into the corridor, where she stopped to run a sleeve over her face before anyone saw her. Then she walked purposefully down two flights of stairs and out into one of the courtyards. Everyone knew to leave her alone when she wore that determined expression. So she made it to the most secluded area of the courtyard without any trouble. She sat down, hard, on a bench and breathed deeply.

            "I can do this," she said aloud to herself. "I just need to calm down."

            "You're right," came a voice from behind a rosebush. Out stepped Aly, Kally's younger "cousin", her reddish blonde hair gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. "Do you always come here, or is it just coincidence that I happen to be passing through at the same time you come talking to yourself?"

            Kally couldn't help but smile. Aly always spoke her crazy mind. She was good to talk to when one wanted the truth. "Coincidence," Kally said. "I just needed some time alone."

            Aly sat next to Kally, smoothing her skirts. "Well, time's up. Now you get to talk to me. So what's this thing that you need to calm down to do?" Kally opened her mouth to reply, but Aly held up a hand, silencing her. "No, let me guess. The betrothal. You're nervous."

            Kally sighed. "I had no idea everyone could read me so well."

            "No, it's just that it's pretty obvious," Aly said. She patted Kally's shoulder. "I suppose this is one of those reasons it's not fun to be a princess."

            A grin spread slowly across Kally's face. She poked her "cousin" in the side. "Like you should talk. You're as close as anyone can get to being a princess without actually being one."

            Aly sighed dramatically. "Your childish ways bore me." She stood and moved away. "I have my own, more important things to do just now. But you know," she said, turning back, "if you want to talk, just come find me."

            Kally nodded. "Of course. Be on the lookout."

            The younger girl glided away. Kally sat a while longer, listening to the sounds of the bustling castle preparing for the grand announcement. Kally would need to begin preparing soon herself. She was to be the center of attention tonight. That wouldn't exactly be so bad. It's not like she wasn't used to it. But it was the reason that she wasn't looking forward to. How could anyone celebrate marrying her off? As if they wanted to get rid of her.

            She sniffed quietly and stood. There would be more time later to wallow in self-pity.

            She went back to her original room, only to find Roald and Lianne still there. They turned as she entered and Lianne embraced her.

            "Mother just came by for you," she said. "We told her you were a bit upset, so now she's gone off looking for you again. Would you like me to tell her you're here?"

            Kally nodded. "I don't want her running in circles trying to find me."

            Lianne kissed her cheek and left. Kally sighed and looked at her brother. "Are you going to lecture me now as Father would? 'You need to start acting more like the mature young lady you are,' he'd say."

            Roald smiled. "Have I ever done that?"

Kally admitted he hadn't. She kneeled again by the flickering fire. "I'm sorry. I'm fine now. I should start getting ready."

            Roald sat in a chair. "You know, if you're still upset, you shouldn't bottle it up inside. Just… try to save it for tomorrow. Today is a very important day. You need to put on a brave face and make the conservatives happy. Because you know they're happy you're marrying like a good little princess, and not becoming a knight like you wanted."

            "Of course, which is just another reason Father wouldn't let me try for my knighthood."

            The door opened and Queen Thayet of Tortall came in, stunningly beautiful as always. Her coal black hair was braided and pinned back. When her green hazel eyes saw her daughter, she dropped her regality and rushed to embrace her. "I'm so glad I found you," she said. "Are you all right?"

            Kally nodded, blinking back tears. Being with her mother could so easily make her emotional. "I'm fine," she said quietly. "Do you want me to get ready now?"

            Her mother scanned her face. "If you're willing."

            Kally laughed suddenly. "Mother, you should know by now I'm not some delicate flower. I won't break if you just tell me yes, I should get ready."

            Thayet smiled. "Then yes, you should get ready. I'll help, of course." She turned to her son. "I think Shinkokami wants you, Roald."

            Roald stood. He nodded to his sister and left the room. Thayet turned back to Kally and pulled the girl up from the floor. "The conservatives would just die if you wore those breeches tonight."

            "Then maybe I will. It's not like we'd be losing anyone important," Kally said matter-of-factly.

            Thayet laughed and hooked arms with her daughter. "Emperor Kaddar will love you, sweetie. I'm not sure how anyone couldn't."

            Kally's blue eyes glittered with mirth. "And if he doesn't, I can always run away and come back here. I'm sure you'd welcome me with open arms."

            "Of course," Thayet replied, pulling Kally out of the room. "You'll always be welcome here. Never forget, this is your home."