A/N: Hey all, I'm back with Chapter 2! I hope you like this one as much as you like the last chapter!
Disclaimer: The characters you don't reconize belong to me, and everyone else belongs to Tamora Pierce. This is her world, I'm just borrowing it.
Silence and Shadows: Chapter 2
Kei sighed and fidgeted, uncomfortable in her ball gown. Her blue dress was beautiful, but she despised it. The dress fell to her feet, with white embroidery along the sides and waist, drawing attention to her slim figure. Her blue-gray eyes stared moodily into space, and her black hair was caught up in a pale blue net at the back her head.
Kei fidgeted again, waiting for the rest of the embassy for the Copper Isles to be introduced. The ambassadors had been introduced already, but there were three nobles that still had to be introduced. Beside her, Alec gave her a sympathetic smile and squeezed her hand, a warning to be patient. Kei glanced at her brother quizzically, and he nodded in the direction of their mother. Kei rolled her eyes at her brother before glancing at her mother.
Komala of Cavas Hill was a tall lady, with golden hair and blue eyes. She was stern, demanding of her children what all noblewomen expected: That her daughters become court ladies and have good marriages, and that her only son become a knight. Her oldest two children had done as she had instructed, but Keianna had balked at becoming a lady. She and her mother rarely saw eye to eye, and Komala was always trying to find Kei a suitor, which she didn't want anymore than she wanted a life at court. Komala watched Kei for a moment, but after Keianna returned her gaze, she nodded, satisfied, and turned back to watching the rest of the embassy descend the grand staircase.
Kaelyn waited just out of sight of the grand ballroom, fidgeting nervously. She stood beside her brother, who was splendid in dark brown velvet, while little Ani was perfect in a gold dress. She checked her dress once more, only too well aware that they were next.
She was wearing a beautiful, pale green dress, with gold embroidery trailing from the waist to the hem, showing off her delicate figure. Her black hair was done in an elaborate braid that was twisted into a tight knot at the back of her head and studded with small emerald pins.
Her green eyes showed her nervousness, but she tried to hide it as Jamal offered his arm to her and his other arm to Anielka as the herald beckoned them forward before calling out, "Lady Kaelyn of the Copper Isles, Lord Jamal of the Copper Isles, and Lady Anielka of the Copper Isles."
Kaelyn took a deep breath and stepped out onto the staircase. The sight before her took her breath away. Her eyes swept over the crowd as she descended, taking in the crowd of brightly clad Tortallian nobles. She took in the great ballroom itself, with its candles and polished floors. She had no memory of getting to the bottom of the stairs, but suddenly, Jamal was guiding her towards the monarchs. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, and walked forward.
Alec stared as the rest of the embassy descended the staircase. His eyes swept over the younger girl, who was about thirteen, to whom he assumed was her older brother, a handsome young man about his age. His gaze came to rest on the other girl, and his breath caught. The young woman was beautiful, but it was not her beauty that took his breath away. The young woman reminded him strongly of someone, but he didn't know who. It was the way she carried herself, her black hair, and her features that made her so familiar, and he was determined to find out who she resembled.
Kei watched, slightly interested as the rest of the embassy walked forward to greet the monarchs. The two girls she dismissed as just two other court ladies that had come to find husbands, the young man, about Alec's age, intrigued her. She studied him for a moment, and then left her studying for later, as the monarchs signaled for the dancing to begin.
"Excuse me, my lady, but might I have this dance?" Kaelyn looked up from where she sat, surprised. A young man stood in front of her, waiting expectantly. She had seen this man before, Kaelyn was sure of it, but where? She studied the man carefully, taking in his blue eyes and brown hair, and his ready smile. Memory rushed back and she realized that this was Alec, the young man who had gone to talk to the young woman, Kei, at the practice courts the day before.
"Milady?" Alec asked, bowing. Kaelyn took his outstretched hand, letting him lead her out onto the dance floor. The musicians struck up a slow waltz, and Kaelyn followed Alec's steps as they talked quietly.
"Sir Alec of Cavas Hill, milady," Alec had introduced himself. Kaelyn nodded back, murmuring, "Kaelyn of the Copper Isles," before the music took a faster pace and the dancers sped up.
"You remind me of someone," Alec said softly as they made their way around the dance floor.
"Really?" Kaelyn questioned, glancing up with curious green eyes.
"Really," Alec assured her, smiling. "But I can't place who." He shook his head, as if to rid himself of some thought, and then asked, "How do you like court life?"
Kaelyn gave him a shy smile, commenting, "I have yet to get used to the strange ways of the Tortallian court, milord."
Alec seemed surprised at this answer. "You don't mind coming to a strange land by yourself?"
"I'm not by myself," Kaelyn told him, frowning slightly. "My older brother and younger sister came with me."
Alec nodded his head, slight worry showing in his blue eyes. "I'm sorry, milady, I meant no offense."
Kaelyn gave him a slight smile, reassuring him, "I did not take any, milord."
The two lapsed into silence for awhile as they waltzed around the floor, but suddenly Alec let out a soft chuckle.
"What?" Kaelyn wanted to know, fixing him with bright, curious green eyes.
"It surprises me that you like court life so much," Alec told her, and at Kaelyn's curious look, he elaborated, "I keep forgetting all the ladies of the court are not like my sister."
"Your sister, milord?" Kaelyn asked, confused. How could Alec's sister have anything to do with her?
"My sister, Keianna," Alec told her, "is not the average court lady. She would rather fight than spend time at any ball in a dress. She was training to be Shang, but our mother stopped the lessons, fearing Keianna would not find a husband if she knew fighting arts."
Kaelyn looked at him, green eyes curious. "But what harm could that do? In the Copper Isles, noble ladies are taught to defend themselves."
Alec sighed. "My mother and Kei rarely see eye to eye. In fact…" But what exactly he was about to say would go unknown, for at that moment Adrienne approached them.
Alec turned to his sister in time to hear her tell him, "You need to get Kei. If Mother finds out where she's gone, then we'll all pay for it!"
Alec sighed, and tried to sooth his older sister. For all she seemed concerned about Kei, he knew that she only wanted to save her reputation. "Adrienne, where is she?" He asked, just to keep Adrienne from ridiculing Kei herself.
"She sequestered herself in that oak tree out in the gardens, by the patio." Reassured by Alec's firm nod, indicating he would take care of it, Adrienne swept off into the crowd of nobles and knights.
Kei's brother turned to Kaelyn, worry in his blue eyes. Kaelyn was staring after Adrienne, as if the older girl was a dangerous snake. Kaelyn's green eyes met Alec's blue ones as he said apologetically, "I'm sorry milady, but I must take care of this."
Kaelyn nodded her acceptance, and watched him walk towards the patio to the gardens. As if reminded of something, Alec turned back and crossed to her side. "Next time we meet, milady," he told her softly, "you must call me Alec. Milord is such a heavy title." Before she could even blink, or react to his comment, he was gone, striding towards the gardens.
Kei heard her brother coming. How could you not? His grunts and breathing could be heard a mile away, even by Kei, perched precariously in the treetops, still in her ball gown. When he finally reached her, she gave him a hand up, and he pulled himself onto the large branch beside her.
He tipped his face up to the starry night sky and stared up at the sky in wonder, his face bathed silver by the moonlight. "I can see why you come up here," he commented, "it's beautiful."
"Like Lady Kaelyn?" Kei quipped, watching with growing amusement as her brother blushed in the light of the moon.
"Keianna," he warned her sternly, but he couldn't keep the stern mask for long, and he laughed softly. "Fine," he admitted, "you win. She is beautiful." He saw Kei's smirk and quickly changed the subject.
"So," he said calmly, "what sent you racing up here to get away from the festivities?"
Kei gave an unladylike snort. "I'm tired of these balls," she ranted, blue-gray eyes fierce, "where Mother just parades me around to all the potential suitors, and I'm supposed to pretend to like these men that want nothing more than a wife!"
"Potential suitors?" Alec questioned, "Like Lord Jamal?"
A soft, shy smile crept onto Kei's face, and her blue-gray eyes softened. "No," she admitted softly, sounding slightly disappointed, "Mother did not introduce me to--" She broke off her sentence and frowned for a moment, seeming to consider what she had been saying, and then glared at her brother, eyes flashing. "Where did you get that idea?" She demanded sharply.
It was Alec's turn to smirk and Kei's turn to blush as he replied, "I saw you staring at him when he was announced." Kei cursed softly under her breath, startling a soft laugh from Alec, and then brother and sister lapsed into silence, only broken by Kei's next sentence, spoken into the quiet of the night.
"I'm leaving," she told her brother abruptly, who looked up, shock and surprise evident on his face. "I'm tired of these balls and the entire court, and I want to be Shang! So I've made up my mind to leave the palace," she said, gesturing to the glittering structure. Alec made to protest, but she waved it aside.
"Hush," she ordered, "I've made up my mind, and no one, not even you, is going to stop me." Her eyes were grave, and flashed with determination. Alec knew he didn't have a chance to stop her, not when she was this set in her decision. Kei saw the worry and sadness in his eyes as he looked at her, and she smiled sadly.
"Don't worry," she told him, "I'll disguise myself, and I'll have Tacy and Whisper with me." Alec started to protest again, but Kei cut him off.
"Enough," she told him, voice breaking slightly with emotion. She leaned forward, glowing in the moonlight. "Don't come after me," she warned her brother, "I aim to become a Shang warrior, and I will, by whatever means I can." Alec nodded slowly, accepting her decision. She gave him a final sad, sweet smile, and kissed his cheek.
"Good-bye," she whispered softly, and just a softly and silently she slid down the tree, with only the rustling of the leaves to mark that she had been there.
Alec watched the silent figure head for the stables, and before she disappeared into the shadows, a lithe, cat-like shape streaked out of the bushes and leapt into her arms. Alec blinked back the sudden tears at his sister's departure, and when he looked again, she was gone.
A/N: So, that was chapter 2. Good, bad? Tell me what you think by pushing that little purple button down there! Review please, and no flames!
Purple Eyed Cat