DISCLAIMER: I don't anything by Tamora Pierce, but wouldn't it be grand to be her? imagines being quite intelligent and a brilliant writer What am I kidding? I could never be her! So, that means, all the things that aren't hers, are mine! Muahahahaha!
The girl sighed and stared at the reflection in the mirror. Keladry of Mindelan, Kel, didn't like the dress Lalasa, her once maid, had made for her to wear at the royal wedding. It was an emerald green which was a little low cut and showed much of her back. The dress fell in cascading ruffles and had small gold flares here and there.
"You can't make me wear this!" Kel said indignantly as Lalasa smiled. If anyone knew Kel, they would know that she rarely showed her feelings, always keeping a 'Yamani mask' on. The girl had grown up in the Isles.
It was just an hour before the wedding and Lalasa had planned to give the dress to her just then. She didn't want her Lady Knight friend to deny the dress. "Well, I guess you could just not go then. That's the only dress you got." Lalasa said giggling.
"You planned this the whole time, didn't you? Oh, Goddess. What am I going to do with you Lalasa?" Kel knew that there was no other dress for her to wear. She stepped away from the mirror and went to sit at the desk that held various containers of face paint and pins for her hair.
"Well, nothing!" Lalasa came over and started to deal with her hair. Ever since Kel had worked at the refugee camps she hadn't the time to crop her hair. It fell just beyond her shoulders and would be easy to style.
After finishing Kel's hair, Lalasa took the face paints and started on her face. It took only moments and she smiled at the result. Kel looked wondrous, though the Yamani mask kept her face blank and impassive.
Kel rose and returned to the mirror and could stifle the gasp that came. She had curled hair and there was green rouge around her eyes, and red on her lips. There was slight pink rouge marks on her cheeks. Just enough to give them color.
A nock on the door startled both and Lalasa went to answer it. Kel had just gone to her bed and grabbed gold gloves off the bed when she heard many voices talking with Lalasa. Rolling her eyes she went to greet her friends.
Neal, Merric, Yuki, Dom, Owen, Cleon and wife were standing in the hallway. They had open mouths as she approached. Yuki was the first to recover.
"We must be going." Yuki grabbed Kel's hand and they led the group of men to the Great Hall to witness their best friend's wedding. All week Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami had been nervous and fretful as their friends tried to keep them calm.
The wedding was more than a celebration of an alliance between the Yamani Isles, but also signified the end of the Scanran war. Kel had been assigned to work at Haven, then New Hope and had been a commander to refugees for those two years. Many stayed at New Hope after the war and they elected a mayor for their new city.
Tobe, Kel's servant boy, had gone ahead to the wedding and reserved their seats, though he didn't know that Cleon had brought his wife and was embarrassed.
"That's alright. I will go and sit next to Lord Raoul and Buri." Kel said before they could speak, made her way over to the married couple. She looked at both and smiled. Buri was content and laid a hand over her swollen belly. They were expecting a baby next month. Raoul rose as she approached and kissed her on the cheek.
"Kel, you look beautiful." Buri said from her seat.
"May I sit with you two, sir?"
"As long as you stop calling me 'sir.'" Raoul said as he led her to a seat next to Buri. Kel smiled and kissed her on the cheek.
"Alright, sir." Kel said as Buri laughed. The herald at the back of the room announced the beginning of the wedding.
Afterwards at the reception, the talk was about how beautiful the princess had been and how handsome the prince was. All that mattered to Kel was the look on the couple's faces. It made her grin at their smiles and the brightness in their faces. They were going to have a wonderful life.
Approaching them, Kel gave them her best curtsy. When she had risen the princess rose and pulled her into a firm hug.
"Oh Kel, I am so happy." The princess, Shinko to Kel, was radiating in her happiness. The prince had also risen and came up to them.
"Your highnesses, may the Goddess and bright Mithros bless you." Kel said as she curtsied once again and a mob of nobles enveloped them. The look on Shinko's face would make anyone want to get married.
Kel went to find Raoul and Buri once again. They were sitting at a table near the doorway to the terrace. The sun was setting and the stars were begging to shine. When she sat, she could see Tobe out of the corner of her eye. He was carrying a glass of a red substance.
"My Lady. I thought you would like some fruit drink." Tobe smiled as Kel took the glass.
"Thank you very much Tobe." She took a drink and it tasted much like cherries and something else she couldn't quite pin point. "Tobe, why don't you find something fun to do? Go ahead." Kel said as she noticed his slight hesitation.
"Thank you, my Lady." Tobe grinned and escaped through the servants' door near the tables which held various foods.
Once again looking around the room, she noticed that the royal couple was dancing along with their Majesties, the King and Queen.
"What?" Kel hadn't been listening, but answered when she had heard her name. She looked over to see the Lioness, Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau sitting with them; along with her husband, Baron George, Nealan of Queenscove, Yukimi no Daimoru and Domitan of Masbolle.
"I was just asking if you were having fun." The Lioness said as she smiled.
"Of course." Kel smiled and stood. "I think I am going to retire for the night. I had to keep Shinko calm all morning and I am very exhausted." When she made her way to leave, she felt a hand on her arm. Dom had risen and followed her.
"I will walk you there." They left the reception hall and left through the terrace door. They slowly went down the stairs into the gardens and made their way across to the other side. They didn't speak until they were in the middle of garden, Dom broke the silence.
"So, do you know where you are going to be posted?" The question was asked in an even tone. Kel looked at him to see if there was anything behind the question, but his face was hidden in shadows.
"No, I don't. The King sent a note saying to report to him tomorrow morning." Kel said as she tried to hide her fast breathing. Ever since she had met him, Kel had a crush on him. Even when she was with Cleon. Her heart fluttered and her stomach did flip-flops. She couldn't figure out why she felt that way, but she also couldn't stop the feelings from coming.
"The Own are to be stationed near Tusaine. It seems like they are once again getting restless. The last time they did that, the Lioness was still a squire to the King." Kel raised her eyebrows. They had been quiet for a long time. "Raoul says they have no idea what is going on over there. Everyone sent to find out has never come back."
"That isn't good. We just got done with a war." Kel said before she could stop herself. "I mean, do they think they are going to get us while we are still vulnerable. Our troops have just started to move south, many are still up north just in case."
"It looks that way." They both whipped around to see Sir Myles of Olau, Alanna's adopted father and their old teacher.
"Sir Myles!" Kel approached him and the old man's cheek. Kel had missed everyone dearly while she was gone, especially her old teacher.
"Well, Kel, it seems that you have done quite well as a Knight." Kel managed her hide her blush. He looked over to Dom and smiled. "Who might this be?"
"Sir, my name is Domitan of Masbolle." Dom came over and extended his hand. When Sir Myles took it, Dom looked at Kel. "I guess I will see you later. Don't get into any trouble now." Before she could retort that she didn't get into trouble, he sauntered back to the reception.
"I will never understand him." Kel said ruefully as she looked back to Sir Myles.
"I have a question to ask you Kel. Now," before Kel could open her mouth he forestalled her, "the King has given his permission already. I just want you to know that it would be up to you and you only." Kel raised her eyebrows as he lowered his voice to a whisper.
"Alright, I am listening." Kel said she knew that he needed her to say something. Sir Myles led them to the entrance of the Royal Maze. When they were well enough in its tangled mass he spoke again.
"As you have heard, Tusaine is once again riled up. None of my spies have been able to go in and come back. I need a cool headed person, someone that will know how to keep her head down and listen without being noticed. Someone who can hide what they feel and hold their tongue." As he spoke Kel figured out exactly what she was going to do.
"Someone who also has the training of a warrior." Kel said as Sir Myles nodded. "I will think on it."
"Kel." She turned to Sir Myles as she headed back to the exit of the maze. "I know what we are asking and how hard it may be for you. But, we need you. If you could, tomorrow when you see the King, give him your answer. And there's no discussing this with anyone else." The pleading in Sir Myles' voice was almost like a scream for help.
"I know."
Kel rose at dawn and slowly lifted her covers; sparrows and her dog Jump were asleep. Ever since Daine, the wildmage, had come to the palace, the animals had been different and friendlier.
She stood and stretched her muscles a bit. It was just beginning autumn and the air turned colder every morning. She went to her shutters and opened them. She still had her quarters with the King's Own, since her squire years with Raoul she had stayed there.
Quietly, as to not wake Tobe, she changed into breeches, shirt and leather tunic. Looking over to her connecting door she could see light on the other side. She rapped softly on the door and it opened. Raoul smiled and gesture her into this office. She knew that she would have to change rooms soon.
"Sir, what are you doing up and about? I thought that you hated to get up early." Kel asked her former knight master.
"Ah, the point of my tiredness." Was all Raoul would say as he sat down and motioned her to a chair on the other side of his desk. She picked up the work she had left undone two days before. She worked quietly and heard the bell ring to wake everyone up.
Kel put the finished work down on his desk and rose. "I have to go, I will be back later." Raoul waived as she left. Returning to her room she found Tobe feeding the sparrows.
"I will be gone for awhile." Was all she said to Tobe and he looked at her and nodded. "Go do something? I don't want you to stay in here all day. At your age you should be out and about." This was her constant argument with the boy.
"Well, I guess." Kel looked at Tobe, eyebrows raised. She didn't say a thing but left the room.
When Kel arrived at the King's office she rapped on the door. Someone inside opened the door and she stepped into the room. It was large and had many shelves with books on them. When the door closed behind her, the soldier had left the room. Kel bowed to the King.
"Lady Knight, I am glad you made it." The King looked up from a scroll and motioned for her to sit in a chair. Kel obeyed and sat down, still thinking about how she would answer.
"Your Majesty, I have decided to take the mission Sir Myles asked of me." The King looked at her and nodded.
"I am glad to hear it. We really need someone in there. I hope you know that I respect you and believe you are completely capable of doing this." At Kel's wide-eyed expression he smiled. "I have heard of how well you worked with the refugees, and your-matter-in Scanra." Kel looked at her hands to hide her blush.
"I am going to assign you to Myles and Baron George of Pirate's Swoop for training. You leave next week. They will give you the specifics later. There will be a great reward for this." The King rose and Kel followed suit. He grabbed her hand. "I hope that I will have the honor of you to be my guest at dinner. My son and his new wife have high regard of you and would love it if you came. My champion Alanna will also be there with her husband."
"Thank you, your Majesty. It would be an honor." Kel bowed and left the office. I can't do this! I don't even like him. Even after all these years, being on probation is still fresh! Kel sighed and went to find the clerk who would assign her a new room near the Baron's. She would probably have to move into the palace and be easier to get a hold of. Rubbing her temples she climbed the stairs in the palace.
Sighing again, she remebered Tobe. What am I going to do with him? I can't bring him along. Maybe Neal could use him? Or maybe I could set him free?
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