Kel could barely get to sleep that night. She had never gone to a ball with
a date before, and it had been almost seven years since she had worn a
dress at all. It felt strange, the next day, when Lalasa helped her get
into her dress. "Are you excited, Lady Kel?" Lalasa asked.
Kel smiled. "Of course." She said. "It's been such a long time."
In the middle of getting Kel's dress on, there was a knock on the door. Lalasa answered it, since Kel was still standing on a stool.
"Good afternoon, Lalasa, is Keladry here?" A voice said.
Lalasa said yes, and admitted a fair skinned, plump young Yamani woman. Neal's (still) betrothed, Yukimi.
"Yuki!" Kel almost screamed. Ignoring the dress, Kel stepped off the stool and attempted to hobble over and give Yuki a hug. "Goddess, it's been such a long time! You have to tell me everything that you have done!" Kel was genuinely interested. She knew that Yuki had been in the Yamani islands for four years, having arrived back only weeks before Kel.
Yuki smiled. "I had a wonderful time back home. I spoke to my parents, and they agreed to come to Tortall when the war is over for my wedding."
Kel smiled. "That's true, are they coming soon?"
Yuki nodded as Lalasa ushered Kel back onto the stool. "They agreed to come as soon as they received word that the war was over. They should be here in a month or two." She giggled. "I am so excited!"
Kel saw Lalasa smile behind her dress. Yuki still acted like a little child when it came to her betrothal.
"Kel, you have some explaining to do." Yuki said. Kel looked up at her Yamani friend questioningly. "Why on earth are you putting so much effort into a dress?"
Lalasa poked her head out from behind Kel. "Excuse me, but I believe I was the one who put the effort in." She said coldly. Yuki looked slightly shocked until Lalasa smiled. "I was kidding."
Yuki, after great assurance that Lalasa was, indeed, kidding, insisted on setting Kel's hair for her.
"There really is not that much to do to it." Kel protested.
Yuki smiled as she ran her hands through Kel's cropped, mousy brown hair. It was just below her chin, cut straight. Yuki spent what felt like hours pulling and prodding at Kel's head, but she deemed the final product worthwhile.
Kel looked in the mirror. It was true; it was worth it. She had decided to wear the smaller dress, since Lalasa had insisted on giving her two ball dresses, the one with fewer petticoats. It took up less space, and Kel felt beautiful in it. She twirled in front of the mirror. Her dress went all the way to the floor, dragging at the bag, but only slightly. It was green, Kel's favourite colour. A sea green, almost, with thin straps that seemed to come out from underneath her arms, wrapping forward and backward, ending with a clasp behind her neck. Yuki had pulled back the hair from the front of her face, securing it at the back with a large pink flower pin.
"It's perfect." She said. "I love it." She turned back to her friends. "I really have to start doing this myself. I can't rely on you two every time I have to go to a ball."
Yuki grinned. "It's all right. Otherwise I have to spend the afternoon assuring Neal that he looks fine for a ball."
Kel laughed and gave Yuki a hug goodbye. "Will you be at the ball?" She asked.
Yuki nodded. "Of course." She said, leaving with a little wave.
Lalasa gave Kel a quick hug and departed as well.
Kel was left alone in her room to wait for dinner. At seven o'clock, Kel made her way down to the grand hall to meet Dom. He was there when she got there, but although his eyes passed directly over her, he barely hesitated as he passed her. Kel smiled. He didn't recognize her!
He was looking on the other side of the hall when Kel walked up behind him. She quietly snuck up to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
"Gods!" He said, jumping away from her. "Who- Kel?" He stared at her. Kel felt slightly uncomfortable with it, the fact that he didn't recognize her. He smiled. "Kel, you look beautiful." He said.
Kel smiled and gave him a hug. "Thank you." She said. Dom held out his arm for her and led her in to the grand hall.
"Kel, I would like to apologize." He said. She looked up at him. "I am sorry I did not recognize you. It's just, you look so different, and I haven't seen very much of you in such a long time that I got confused. You just look so beautiful." He finished, but realized what he had said and kept stuttering. "I mean, you look beautiful all the time, it's just- I- I mean-"
Kel put her hand on his arm. She could feel the hard muscle underneath. She smiled. "I understand. You did not recognize me because I looked even more beautiful than my normally radiant self." She laughed. "Is that it?"
Dom grinned. "Exactly." He said, as they sat down at the table.
A few minutes later, the table was filled with other nobles, all friends of theirs. Kel didn't speak much to them, spending most of the meal talking with Dom.
"So why didn't you decide to become a knight?" Kel asked at one point.
Dom shrugged. "I didn't really have much initiative when I was younger. I didn't think I wanted to do it, but by the time I wanted to, it was too late."
Kel sighed. 'That's horrible. But you can do it late. Neal did!"
He smiled a crooked smile. "I was almost eighteen when I realized I wanted to. It's not so bad, really. I'm happy in the King's Own, even if I can't really move up any more."
Kel nodded. "I can understand that, I guess. The feeling that it's too late for something."
"So how did you decide you wanted to be a knight?" Dom asked.
Kel smiled and told her story.
* * * * *
After the dinner, they proceeded to the ballroom to dance. "I hate this." Kel mumbled.
Dom glanced at her. "Pardon?"
Kel looked up at him. "What? Oh, I was just saying I hate dancing."
Dom smiled. "No you don't. you just don't know how."
Kel sighed. "Maybe, but that does not mean I am going to let you teach me." She laughed.
Dom smiled as they walked in. Before Kel could do anything, Dom had placed his hand on her waist and held her other hand in his, and swept her onto the floor.
"Stop it!" Kel said, pushing on his shoulder with her hand.
He smiled and took a hold of that hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Don't push," he said, "just follow me. I know it's hard for you to do."
Kel glared at him. "I need a new date."
Dom laughed. "Maybe so. But then you would never learn how to dance." He led her around the room. "Loosen up," he said. "don't be so stiff. Let your body move with it, and let your feet guide you."
Kel sighed with frustration. "It's not working!" She said, stepping on Dom's feet.
He winced. "Pretend it's a glaive dance. Following me is part of the routine."
Kel took a deep breath and tried it. They went once around the room without Kel stepping on Dom's feet. "There you go." He said. "that's perfect." He said when they got to the corner.
Just as he did, Kel stepped on his feet and he tripped. "Ah!" He fell backwards into the wall. Kel laughed as he fell. He pushed against the wall and sprang back up at Kel. She almost fell over herself, but grabbed onto Dom's tunic, laughing.
"I am so sorry!" She said, leaning on him, laughing. "I did not mean..." she gave up and just laughed. Dom glared at her for a moment, but gave up and laughed with her.
They walked back to their friends, both out of breath from laughing, leaning on each other.
Neal gave them both an appraising look. "What did you two do?"
Kel and Dom glanced at each other, trying not to laugh. "Dom taught me how to dance." Kel said, bursting.
Neal leaned forward. "Why is that funny? I don't get it!"
Yuki leaned forward as well and put her hand on him, pulling him back. "Shh," she said. "they're fine, love."
Kel laughed again. "I'm sorry." She said finally. "It was just really funny. I stepped on his feet and knocked him over, and then he knocked me over."
Kel sat down beside Neal. "I think I need to go to sleep soon." She said.
Neal rolled his eyes. "Can you not learn to relax?" He said. he touched her forehead. Instantly, Kel felt awake. "You'll still get tired, it just will take an hour or two extra."
Kel smiled. "Thanks Neal." She said. She stood up. "Except that now I have energy. I can't just sit here any more!"
Yuki frowned and hit Neal in the back of the head. "Good job, meathead." She said.
Dom laughed. "Neal, you know it's a bad sign when your fiancée calls you that."
Dom tried again to teach Kel how to dance. She was still miserable at it. Dom walked her back to her room afterward, both of them close to falling over from sleepiness and painful feet.
Kel let Dom into her room and he collapsed on a chair next to her. "Gods, I think I had a bit too much to drink."
Kel smiled. "I didn't even have that much. I don't even like spirits, you know. I hate that light-headed feeling. You know," she said, "the one I have right now." She laughed. "And I hate vomiting."
Dom laughed. "You need to build up an immunity, Keladry! There's really nothing to it. I for one, am a tank. I can drink as much as I want, and I'm fine."
Kel smirked. "Whatever you say. I'm going to sleep." She pushed herself up and stumbled over to her bed. "Goodnight." She said, falling asleep immediately.
She woke up the next morning incredibly uncomfortable and feeling very sick. She sat up quickly- not a good idea. Her head spun, and she felt like she would vomit. She stood up to get changed and noticed something that was not right.
Dom was still asleep in her chair. She rolled her eyes and walked over to him. She was about to shake him awake when she looked at him; he looked so serene. He was beautiful, really; his dark curls falling into his face, his mouth in a perfect straight line, surrounded by perfect skin covered in soft stubble.
Kel sighed. "To perfect to touch, then." She muttered, walking behind her screen to change.
She emerged a few minutes later in simple breeches and shirt. Dom was still asleep. Kel decided that it was time he woke up. She walked over to him and touched his face. "Dom." She whispered. "Dom, wake up."
Dom jerked up. "I'm awake, what's wrong?" He smiled when he saw Kel. "Morning." he said, putting his head back down.
Kel shook her head. "Oh no you don't, you have to get up and go to your own rooms." She said. "Come on." She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up. "You are not sleeping in here all day!" She led him into her bathroom to wash his face and wake up a bit. "Actually clean yourself up, will you?"
He nodded, and a few minutes later, he came out. "Wonderful." Kel said. "Now off you go. You can't turn up to breakfast in your ball clothes. You need to get changed."
He nodded and opened the door. He turned back to her, still standing in the door. He took her hand and lifted it up. "I had fun last night." He said.
"So did I." Kel smiled. "But less alcohol next time."
Dom laughed. "Deal."
Kel gave him a hug. "Let's keep it simple." She said. "I liked that."
Dom grinned and walked away. The thing Kel did not see was a fellow knight, one who did not appreciate the female knight working for the Crown, watching Dom leave her room first thing in the morning, still in his ball clothes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, it has been a while! Sorry it's been so long.
Morsus: glad you like it...I don't normally like doing other people points of view because so little is known about all of the oter characters- Pierce did not go into too much detail, and I just would not know how to write them.
Wake-Robin: Cute indeed!
Terriah: thanks!
Rubber Duck: well, he is a wimp. It's fair.
Abbie54: there is nothing that says Dom was near 30. nothing at all. I am a firm believer that he is only a few years older than her. I talked about it in my other story. Check it out there.
ShadowPirate: glad you think so!
Rootless Californian: basically thank you and I agree. That's basically it.
PsychoLioness13: I do that all the time. I know what you mean.
Russetwolf713: sweet...and I'm your first one! Glad you like it! (and no French- I hate French.)
Anonymous: w/e, I don't mind. Shh. Stop making me feel bad about my spelling mistakes. I have, like, three per story, at most. w/e.
AJ 4EVA: of course!
Legofiance: it sounds like a song. I don't remember what they were apologizing about. I personally don't remember.
Pinky: sweet
Kore Yan: of course!
Dream Wall: yeah...that took me a while. sorry.
Terriah: lol... snog indeed.
Horsecrzy: sure they do. Read any good book, the chapter always ends with a cliff hanger.
Can't think of a quote...oh well.
-unolimbo
Kel smiled. "Of course." She said. "It's been such a long time."
In the middle of getting Kel's dress on, there was a knock on the door. Lalasa answered it, since Kel was still standing on a stool.
"Good afternoon, Lalasa, is Keladry here?" A voice said.
Lalasa said yes, and admitted a fair skinned, plump young Yamani woman. Neal's (still) betrothed, Yukimi.
"Yuki!" Kel almost screamed. Ignoring the dress, Kel stepped off the stool and attempted to hobble over and give Yuki a hug. "Goddess, it's been such a long time! You have to tell me everything that you have done!" Kel was genuinely interested. She knew that Yuki had been in the Yamani islands for four years, having arrived back only weeks before Kel.
Yuki smiled. "I had a wonderful time back home. I spoke to my parents, and they agreed to come to Tortall when the war is over for my wedding."
Kel smiled. "That's true, are they coming soon?"
Yuki nodded as Lalasa ushered Kel back onto the stool. "They agreed to come as soon as they received word that the war was over. They should be here in a month or two." She giggled. "I am so excited!"
Kel saw Lalasa smile behind her dress. Yuki still acted like a little child when it came to her betrothal.
"Kel, you have some explaining to do." Yuki said. Kel looked up at her Yamani friend questioningly. "Why on earth are you putting so much effort into a dress?"
Lalasa poked her head out from behind Kel. "Excuse me, but I believe I was the one who put the effort in." She said coldly. Yuki looked slightly shocked until Lalasa smiled. "I was kidding."
Yuki, after great assurance that Lalasa was, indeed, kidding, insisted on setting Kel's hair for her.
"There really is not that much to do to it." Kel protested.
Yuki smiled as she ran her hands through Kel's cropped, mousy brown hair. It was just below her chin, cut straight. Yuki spent what felt like hours pulling and prodding at Kel's head, but she deemed the final product worthwhile.
Kel looked in the mirror. It was true; it was worth it. She had decided to wear the smaller dress, since Lalasa had insisted on giving her two ball dresses, the one with fewer petticoats. It took up less space, and Kel felt beautiful in it. She twirled in front of the mirror. Her dress went all the way to the floor, dragging at the bag, but only slightly. It was green, Kel's favourite colour. A sea green, almost, with thin straps that seemed to come out from underneath her arms, wrapping forward and backward, ending with a clasp behind her neck. Yuki had pulled back the hair from the front of her face, securing it at the back with a large pink flower pin.
"It's perfect." She said. "I love it." She turned back to her friends. "I really have to start doing this myself. I can't rely on you two every time I have to go to a ball."
Yuki grinned. "It's all right. Otherwise I have to spend the afternoon assuring Neal that he looks fine for a ball."
Kel laughed and gave Yuki a hug goodbye. "Will you be at the ball?" She asked.
Yuki nodded. "Of course." She said, leaving with a little wave.
Lalasa gave Kel a quick hug and departed as well.
Kel was left alone in her room to wait for dinner. At seven o'clock, Kel made her way down to the grand hall to meet Dom. He was there when she got there, but although his eyes passed directly over her, he barely hesitated as he passed her. Kel smiled. He didn't recognize her!
He was looking on the other side of the hall when Kel walked up behind him. She quietly snuck up to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
"Gods!" He said, jumping away from her. "Who- Kel?" He stared at her. Kel felt slightly uncomfortable with it, the fact that he didn't recognize her. He smiled. "Kel, you look beautiful." He said.
Kel smiled and gave him a hug. "Thank you." She said. Dom held out his arm for her and led her in to the grand hall.
"Kel, I would like to apologize." He said. She looked up at him. "I am sorry I did not recognize you. It's just, you look so different, and I haven't seen very much of you in such a long time that I got confused. You just look so beautiful." He finished, but realized what he had said and kept stuttering. "I mean, you look beautiful all the time, it's just- I- I mean-"
Kel put her hand on his arm. She could feel the hard muscle underneath. She smiled. "I understand. You did not recognize me because I looked even more beautiful than my normally radiant self." She laughed. "Is that it?"
Dom grinned. "Exactly." He said, as they sat down at the table.
A few minutes later, the table was filled with other nobles, all friends of theirs. Kel didn't speak much to them, spending most of the meal talking with Dom.
"So why didn't you decide to become a knight?" Kel asked at one point.
Dom shrugged. "I didn't really have much initiative when I was younger. I didn't think I wanted to do it, but by the time I wanted to, it was too late."
Kel sighed. 'That's horrible. But you can do it late. Neal did!"
He smiled a crooked smile. "I was almost eighteen when I realized I wanted to. It's not so bad, really. I'm happy in the King's Own, even if I can't really move up any more."
Kel nodded. "I can understand that, I guess. The feeling that it's too late for something."
"So how did you decide you wanted to be a knight?" Dom asked.
Kel smiled and told her story.
* * * * *
After the dinner, they proceeded to the ballroom to dance. "I hate this." Kel mumbled.
Dom glanced at her. "Pardon?"
Kel looked up at him. "What? Oh, I was just saying I hate dancing."
Dom smiled. "No you don't. you just don't know how."
Kel sighed. "Maybe, but that does not mean I am going to let you teach me." She laughed.
Dom smiled as they walked in. Before Kel could do anything, Dom had placed his hand on her waist and held her other hand in his, and swept her onto the floor.
"Stop it!" Kel said, pushing on his shoulder with her hand.
He smiled and took a hold of that hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Don't push," he said, "just follow me. I know it's hard for you to do."
Kel glared at him. "I need a new date."
Dom laughed. "Maybe so. But then you would never learn how to dance." He led her around the room. "Loosen up," he said. "don't be so stiff. Let your body move with it, and let your feet guide you."
Kel sighed with frustration. "It's not working!" She said, stepping on Dom's feet.
He winced. "Pretend it's a glaive dance. Following me is part of the routine."
Kel took a deep breath and tried it. They went once around the room without Kel stepping on Dom's feet. "There you go." He said. "that's perfect." He said when they got to the corner.
Just as he did, Kel stepped on his feet and he tripped. "Ah!" He fell backwards into the wall. Kel laughed as he fell. He pushed against the wall and sprang back up at Kel. She almost fell over herself, but grabbed onto Dom's tunic, laughing.
"I am so sorry!" She said, leaning on him, laughing. "I did not mean..." she gave up and just laughed. Dom glared at her for a moment, but gave up and laughed with her.
They walked back to their friends, both out of breath from laughing, leaning on each other.
Neal gave them both an appraising look. "What did you two do?"
Kel and Dom glanced at each other, trying not to laugh. "Dom taught me how to dance." Kel said, bursting.
Neal leaned forward. "Why is that funny? I don't get it!"
Yuki leaned forward as well and put her hand on him, pulling him back. "Shh," she said. "they're fine, love."
Kel laughed again. "I'm sorry." She said finally. "It was just really funny. I stepped on his feet and knocked him over, and then he knocked me over."
Kel sat down beside Neal. "I think I need to go to sleep soon." She said.
Neal rolled his eyes. "Can you not learn to relax?" He said. he touched her forehead. Instantly, Kel felt awake. "You'll still get tired, it just will take an hour or two extra."
Kel smiled. "Thanks Neal." She said. She stood up. "Except that now I have energy. I can't just sit here any more!"
Yuki frowned and hit Neal in the back of the head. "Good job, meathead." She said.
Dom laughed. "Neal, you know it's a bad sign when your fiancée calls you that."
Dom tried again to teach Kel how to dance. She was still miserable at it. Dom walked her back to her room afterward, both of them close to falling over from sleepiness and painful feet.
Kel let Dom into her room and he collapsed on a chair next to her. "Gods, I think I had a bit too much to drink."
Kel smiled. "I didn't even have that much. I don't even like spirits, you know. I hate that light-headed feeling. You know," she said, "the one I have right now." She laughed. "And I hate vomiting."
Dom laughed. "You need to build up an immunity, Keladry! There's really nothing to it. I for one, am a tank. I can drink as much as I want, and I'm fine."
Kel smirked. "Whatever you say. I'm going to sleep." She pushed herself up and stumbled over to her bed. "Goodnight." She said, falling asleep immediately.
She woke up the next morning incredibly uncomfortable and feeling very sick. She sat up quickly- not a good idea. Her head spun, and she felt like she would vomit. She stood up to get changed and noticed something that was not right.
Dom was still asleep in her chair. She rolled her eyes and walked over to him. She was about to shake him awake when she looked at him; he looked so serene. He was beautiful, really; his dark curls falling into his face, his mouth in a perfect straight line, surrounded by perfect skin covered in soft stubble.
Kel sighed. "To perfect to touch, then." She muttered, walking behind her screen to change.
She emerged a few minutes later in simple breeches and shirt. Dom was still asleep. Kel decided that it was time he woke up. She walked over to him and touched his face. "Dom." She whispered. "Dom, wake up."
Dom jerked up. "I'm awake, what's wrong?" He smiled when he saw Kel. "Morning." he said, putting his head back down.
Kel shook her head. "Oh no you don't, you have to get up and go to your own rooms." She said. "Come on." She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up. "You are not sleeping in here all day!" She led him into her bathroom to wash his face and wake up a bit. "Actually clean yourself up, will you?"
He nodded, and a few minutes later, he came out. "Wonderful." Kel said. "Now off you go. You can't turn up to breakfast in your ball clothes. You need to get changed."
He nodded and opened the door. He turned back to her, still standing in the door. He took her hand and lifted it up. "I had fun last night." He said.
"So did I." Kel smiled. "But less alcohol next time."
Dom laughed. "Deal."
Kel gave him a hug. "Let's keep it simple." She said. "I liked that."
Dom grinned and walked away. The thing Kel did not see was a fellow knight, one who did not appreciate the female knight working for the Crown, watching Dom leave her room first thing in the morning, still in his ball clothes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, it has been a while! Sorry it's been so long.
Morsus: glad you like it...I don't normally like doing other people points of view because so little is known about all of the oter characters- Pierce did not go into too much detail, and I just would not know how to write them.
Wake-Robin: Cute indeed!
Terriah: thanks!
Rubber Duck: well, he is a wimp. It's fair.
Abbie54: there is nothing that says Dom was near 30. nothing at all. I am a firm believer that he is only a few years older than her. I talked about it in my other story. Check it out there.
ShadowPirate: glad you think so!
Rootless Californian: basically thank you and I agree. That's basically it.
PsychoLioness13: I do that all the time. I know what you mean.
Russetwolf713: sweet...and I'm your first one! Glad you like it! (and no French- I hate French.)
Anonymous: w/e, I don't mind. Shh. Stop making me feel bad about my spelling mistakes. I have, like, three per story, at most. w/e.
AJ 4EVA: of course!
Legofiance: it sounds like a song. I don't remember what they were apologizing about. I personally don't remember.
Pinky: sweet
Kore Yan: of course!
Dream Wall: yeah...that took me a while. sorry.
Terriah: lol... snog indeed.
Horsecrzy: sure they do. Read any good book, the chapter always ends with a cliff hanger.
Can't think of a quote...oh well.
-unolimbo