The Meeting
As Gabi turned and faced Thea, Thea wondered if this was a cruel dream. Her one time friend could not really be alive and well, standing there in front of her. Could she? Finally after what seem like forever Gabi was facing Thea. They both just stood there staring, Thea's eyes were gray with surprise and wonder because she had not woken up disappointed in her bed. Gabi looked much the same as Thea remembered. She had very blond almost white hair; she had vivid blue eyes, and a stubborn jaw. She had grown up to be a classic beauty, and a tough one at that. Gabi was taller than most girls and had a strong but graceful build.
"You're alive," they both whispered at the same time. When they heard each other they smiled.
"So it really is you," Gabi said in awe. "Yep, me here, in the flesh, same as you I suppose" Thea replied. Gabi nodded silently
"I remember how you hate to be hugged or I would uh... well hug you" Gabi said uncertainly to Thea. "You remember correctly, but I think I can make a quick expectation for you." Quickly Thea threw her arm around Gabi's much taller shoulder, in a one armed hug (Thea had been against human contact since she was 4, unless she was fighting).
When Thea stepped back there were tears in both their eyes. They both laughed at their folly, and sat down on a big boulder. Gabi was the first to break the comfortable silence. "We won't have long to talk, Lance, my knight-master will be looking for me, and I can never seem to hide from him. And he'll probably bring Jason along to."
"Your on first name bases with the Prince?"
"Sure we hang out with the same group of friends. He became a knight the same year as Lance, we were all friends when I was a page and they were squires", Gabi said with a shrug.
"I never really though of you as a knight, but it fits cause I definitely can't picture you at court as a lady" Thea said this with a laugh remembering Gabi as an energetic eight year old who climbed on (and fell off of) everything.
Gabi replied "I didn't decide to become a knight until I was nine and in Corus after... well you know what it was after" Gabi went silent and Thea swallowed a lump in her throat, yes she remembered the attack.
"So we both thought the other was dead all these years, it's so, so weird." Thea said to break the uncomfortable silence. Thea needn't have bothered though cause there was a shout behind them just at that moment. "GABI!!! Where the hell are you?"
As footsteps pounded the ground near by, Thea heard Gabi mumble something that sounded a bit like "damn boys can't leave me alone for one second" Thea laughed and said "They can't be that bad".
"Oh yes, they can", Gabi sighed and started to stand but Thea pulled her back down. "Their going to find us anyway so lets just wait here for them, besides I don't feel like getting up". At that moment Gabi remembered something Thea had once said a very long time ago- "I'll never bow to anyone not a king or even a very handsome prince" Gabi started laughing and between gasps she told Thea what she had remembered. Thea's only reply was "And I stand firm at that" then started laughing too.
When Lance, the Prince and the princes squire Dylan walked into the clearing in forest that surrounds the manor, that's how they were. They laughed even harder when the men entered the clearing. Dylan whispered to the other two, "we definitely missed something here".
The men kept walking towards them, and they finally got under control. When the men reached the rock, which Thea and Gabi were sitting upon all was quiet. Finally Lance cleared his throat and Gabi got the message. "Oh right introductions are in order." She continued formally "Thea this is Sir Lance of Greenish, Dylan of Dunlath, and Prince Jason of Conte. Guys this is Thea of, of well of here, I guess." Gabi looked at Thea with confusion.
"Its just Thea" she said with an uncomfortable smile.
Dylan noticed they were still sitting and piped up "It's polite you know, to bow to the Prince"
This threw Gabi and Thea into a fit of laughter. When they got under control, Gabi said with a mischievous smile "Thea bows to no one". Thea whacked her on the back off the head. "Shhhh you giving away my secrets" Thea said with a similar smile.
Before anyone could say anything else Thea's stomach growled. "I guess that's my stomachs way of saying I need food," Thea said getting to her feet. She started walking towards the village. "I guess we are to follow" Gabi replied with a sigh because she had to get up. They caught up with Thea, who had started singing the song she had made up that morning.
When they broke through the clearing everyone but Thea gasped. Butterflies were everywhere, all sizes and colors. Thea just smiled (she was used to this kind of thing happening after she sang) and reached out a hand to let a pretty blue and purple butterfly on her land on her palm.
As Gabi turned and faced Thea, Thea wondered if this was a cruel dream. Her one time friend could not really be alive and well, standing there in front of her. Could she? Finally after what seem like forever Gabi was facing Thea. They both just stood there staring, Thea's eyes were gray with surprise and wonder because she had not woken up disappointed in her bed. Gabi looked much the same as Thea remembered. She had very blond almost white hair; she had vivid blue eyes, and a stubborn jaw. She had grown up to be a classic beauty, and a tough one at that. Gabi was taller than most girls and had a strong but graceful build.
"You're alive," they both whispered at the same time. When they heard each other they smiled.
"So it really is you," Gabi said in awe. "Yep, me here, in the flesh, same as you I suppose" Thea replied. Gabi nodded silently
"I remember how you hate to be hugged or I would uh... well hug you" Gabi said uncertainly to Thea. "You remember correctly, but I think I can make a quick expectation for you." Quickly Thea threw her arm around Gabi's much taller shoulder, in a one armed hug (Thea had been against human contact since she was 4, unless she was fighting).
When Thea stepped back there were tears in both their eyes. They both laughed at their folly, and sat down on a big boulder. Gabi was the first to break the comfortable silence. "We won't have long to talk, Lance, my knight-master will be looking for me, and I can never seem to hide from him. And he'll probably bring Jason along to."
"Your on first name bases with the Prince?"
"Sure we hang out with the same group of friends. He became a knight the same year as Lance, we were all friends when I was a page and they were squires", Gabi said with a shrug.
"I never really though of you as a knight, but it fits cause I definitely can't picture you at court as a lady" Thea said this with a laugh remembering Gabi as an energetic eight year old who climbed on (and fell off of) everything.
Gabi replied "I didn't decide to become a knight until I was nine and in Corus after... well you know what it was after" Gabi went silent and Thea swallowed a lump in her throat, yes she remembered the attack.
"So we both thought the other was dead all these years, it's so, so weird." Thea said to break the uncomfortable silence. Thea needn't have bothered though cause there was a shout behind them just at that moment. "GABI!!! Where the hell are you?"
As footsteps pounded the ground near by, Thea heard Gabi mumble something that sounded a bit like "damn boys can't leave me alone for one second" Thea laughed and said "They can't be that bad".
"Oh yes, they can", Gabi sighed and started to stand but Thea pulled her back down. "Their going to find us anyway so lets just wait here for them, besides I don't feel like getting up". At that moment Gabi remembered something Thea had once said a very long time ago- "I'll never bow to anyone not a king or even a very handsome prince" Gabi started laughing and between gasps she told Thea what she had remembered. Thea's only reply was "And I stand firm at that" then started laughing too.
When Lance, the Prince and the princes squire Dylan walked into the clearing in forest that surrounds the manor, that's how they were. They laughed even harder when the men entered the clearing. Dylan whispered to the other two, "we definitely missed something here".
The men kept walking towards them, and they finally got under control. When the men reached the rock, which Thea and Gabi were sitting upon all was quiet. Finally Lance cleared his throat and Gabi got the message. "Oh right introductions are in order." She continued formally "Thea this is Sir Lance of Greenish, Dylan of Dunlath, and Prince Jason of Conte. Guys this is Thea of, of well of here, I guess." Gabi looked at Thea with confusion.
"Its just Thea" she said with an uncomfortable smile.
Dylan noticed they were still sitting and piped up "It's polite you know, to bow to the Prince"
This threw Gabi and Thea into a fit of laughter. When they got under control, Gabi said with a mischievous smile "Thea bows to no one". Thea whacked her on the back off the head. "Shhhh you giving away my secrets" Thea said with a similar smile.
Before anyone could say anything else Thea's stomach growled. "I guess that's my stomachs way of saying I need food," Thea said getting to her feet. She started walking towards the village. "I guess we are to follow" Gabi replied with a sigh because she had to get up. They caught up with Thea, who had started singing the song she had made up that morning.
When they broke through the clearing everyone but Thea gasped. Butterflies were everywhere, all sizes and colors. Thea just smiled (she was used to this kind of thing happening after she sang) and reached out a hand to let a pretty blue and purple butterfly on her land on her palm.