Chapter Two: Heralded Arrival
Caterin rode into Corus three days later, still in a state of shock. Her mare, Pearl, tried to break out of the stately walk she was out, and Cat automatically reined her in, still not paying attention. The king of Tortall and his Champion were her parents! And he still didn't know about it! She was scared, by the Goddess. She was scared out of her wits.
Coram turned in his saddle. "I'll leave you here, lass. Just go to the palace. If you can, put an illusion on those pretty eyes of yours; don't want to start gossip. Ask for the Lioness. She's there." Cat didn't get to ask how he knew before he disappeared into the crowd. Alone, she went with the flow of the crowd towards the palace.
Reaching the palace gates, she remembered what Coram had told her and turned her eyes black. Anyone who could see magic would know, but few could.
Just through the palace gates, Pearl spooked at something. She galloped, and Cat was forced to cling to her back to avoid being thrown. Pearl was picking up speed and about to gallop straight into the barn. Unfortunately, on Pearl's back, Cat couldn't fit through the door and would get scraped off. Just as Pearl was about to hit the door, a young woman stepped out of one of the stalls and Pearl slowed to a halt. The woman who had curly brown hair and blue/grey eyes walked over to the now calm horse and scratched her nose. After a minute, she looked up at Cat.
"Hello," she greeted her kindly. "You've had quite a scare I should say. I'm Veralidaine Sarrasi or Daine. And you are?" Caterin searched her stunned mind for an answer and decided on the half truth.
"Caterin of Trebond," she answered shyly. The young woman smiled at her.
"New in Corus?" Cat nodded. "Why are you here?"
"I- came looking for- the lioness," she whispered, fear setting in again.
Daine smiled. "I think she's busy for the day; Carthak's been giving trouble and the king's personal council is meeting all day. There's a ball tonight, though, and she'll be at that. You could see her then." Seeing no other solution, she nodded.
"Thanks," she murmured, dismounting. Daine smiled.
"My pleasure." Cat blushed. "Should I rent a room in the city?" Daine shook her head.
"You're a visiting noble. Trebond has some rooms. I can show you where to put Pearl and where you are to stay." Cat brightened.
"You're not too busy?"
"My teacher is on the council," Daine explained. "I don't have lessons today, so I get the day off. Come on." Daine swung her arm around the slightly younger girl's shoulders to lead her off to the noble's barn. Cat kept up easily.
Cat was in her room before she knew it. Thankfully, one of the things she'd packed was a purple dress -sleeveless with a high collar- and soft leather ankle boots, so she did have something to wear for tonight. Noticing that the sun was rather low in the sky, she yelped and pulled on the dress, before hurrying to meet Daine near the ballroom.
She was there with a tall man with black hair tied back in a horsetail, talking animatedly. When she saw Caterin, she waved.
"Hello!" she called. "Numair, this is Caterin of Trebond. Caterin, Numair Salmalin, my teacher." Numair smiled at her.
"Pleased to meet you," he assured her.
"The pleasure's all mine," she replied shyly.
"As visiting nobility, you can enter from the Queen's staircase," he informed her. "That way, we all know who you are." Cat nodded, frightened. She didn't know what to say. Daine smiled reassuringly.
"Come on. I'll show you where it is." She grabbed Cat's elbow and pulled her along. When she reached a small door, she stopped and fixed Cat's hair. "This is the waiting room. Go in and give the herald your name." Cat nodded dumbly. On an impulse, Daine gave her a hug before walking away. Cat swallowed and opened the door.
Once she was sure everyone else had gone down, she walked up to the herald. He smiled kindly at her. "Your name and title?" She swallowed.
"Caterin of- of Conte," she said quietly, dropping the illusion on her eyes. The herald saw their color and a look of comprehension dawned in his eyes. He smiled weakly.
"This'll give the court something to gossip about," he muttered before he went outside to announce her. "Lady Caterin of Conte."
A/N CLIFFIE!!!!!!!!!!! Aren't I just cruel? Review to find out what happens to Cat.
Caterin rode into Corus three days later, still in a state of shock. Her mare, Pearl, tried to break out of the stately walk she was out, and Cat automatically reined her in, still not paying attention. The king of Tortall and his Champion were her parents! And he still didn't know about it! She was scared, by the Goddess. She was scared out of her wits.
Coram turned in his saddle. "I'll leave you here, lass. Just go to the palace. If you can, put an illusion on those pretty eyes of yours; don't want to start gossip. Ask for the Lioness. She's there." Cat didn't get to ask how he knew before he disappeared into the crowd. Alone, she went with the flow of the crowd towards the palace.
Reaching the palace gates, she remembered what Coram had told her and turned her eyes black. Anyone who could see magic would know, but few could.
Just through the palace gates, Pearl spooked at something. She galloped, and Cat was forced to cling to her back to avoid being thrown. Pearl was picking up speed and about to gallop straight into the barn. Unfortunately, on Pearl's back, Cat couldn't fit through the door and would get scraped off. Just as Pearl was about to hit the door, a young woman stepped out of one of the stalls and Pearl slowed to a halt. The woman who had curly brown hair and blue/grey eyes walked over to the now calm horse and scratched her nose. After a minute, she looked up at Cat.
"Hello," she greeted her kindly. "You've had quite a scare I should say. I'm Veralidaine Sarrasi or Daine. And you are?" Caterin searched her stunned mind for an answer and decided on the half truth.
"Caterin of Trebond," she answered shyly. The young woman smiled at her.
"New in Corus?" Cat nodded. "Why are you here?"
"I- came looking for- the lioness," she whispered, fear setting in again.
Daine smiled. "I think she's busy for the day; Carthak's been giving trouble and the king's personal council is meeting all day. There's a ball tonight, though, and she'll be at that. You could see her then." Seeing no other solution, she nodded.
"Thanks," she murmured, dismounting. Daine smiled.
"My pleasure." Cat blushed. "Should I rent a room in the city?" Daine shook her head.
"You're a visiting noble. Trebond has some rooms. I can show you where to put Pearl and where you are to stay." Cat brightened.
"You're not too busy?"
"My teacher is on the council," Daine explained. "I don't have lessons today, so I get the day off. Come on." Daine swung her arm around the slightly younger girl's shoulders to lead her off to the noble's barn. Cat kept up easily.
Cat was in her room before she knew it. Thankfully, one of the things she'd packed was a purple dress -sleeveless with a high collar- and soft leather ankle boots, so she did have something to wear for tonight. Noticing that the sun was rather low in the sky, she yelped and pulled on the dress, before hurrying to meet Daine near the ballroom.
She was there with a tall man with black hair tied back in a horsetail, talking animatedly. When she saw Caterin, she waved.
"Hello!" she called. "Numair, this is Caterin of Trebond. Caterin, Numair Salmalin, my teacher." Numair smiled at her.
"Pleased to meet you," he assured her.
"The pleasure's all mine," she replied shyly.
"As visiting nobility, you can enter from the Queen's staircase," he informed her. "That way, we all know who you are." Cat nodded, frightened. She didn't know what to say. Daine smiled reassuringly.
"Come on. I'll show you where it is." She grabbed Cat's elbow and pulled her along. When she reached a small door, she stopped and fixed Cat's hair. "This is the waiting room. Go in and give the herald your name." Cat nodded dumbly. On an impulse, Daine gave her a hug before walking away. Cat swallowed and opened the door.
Once she was sure everyone else had gone down, she walked up to the herald. He smiled kindly at her. "Your name and title?" She swallowed.
"Caterin of- of Conte," she said quietly, dropping the illusion on her eyes. The herald saw their color and a look of comprehension dawned in his eyes. He smiled weakly.
"This'll give the court something to gossip about," he muttered before he went outside to announce her. "Lady Caterin of Conte."
A/N CLIFFIE!!!!!!!!!!! Aren't I just cruel? Review to find out what happens to Cat.