Author's Note: Drabble written for the LJ tortall100 challenge. June 27's challenge: the beginning of a friendship OR the making of an enemy; I chose the former. Though I usually try to keep these 100 words, I had enough to write that I took it to 500 (yay, me). Set during Lioness Rampant.

First Meeting

By Trisana McGraw

"Alanna, how are you?" Gary exclaimed, embracing her as she stepped into the courtyard. Laughing, she explained that she was giving Buri a tour of the city. Soon Raoul came by and pried Gary off her long enough to hug her himself. By then a crowd of pages and squires had gathered around to watch the famed older knights chattering with the even better known Sir Alanna. Buri leaned against the fence that surrounded the courtyard, not wanting to interrupt the moment.

Once seemingly everyone had greeted her, Alanna turned, her face still bright with laughter, and motioned Buri over. "This is Buriram Tourakom, Princess Thayet's guard." Buri remained silent as Alanna introduced the brown-haired and –eyed Gary, and the taller, darker Raoul.

"Looks rather young to be a guard," Raoul commented, his dark eyes studying Buri thoughtfully. She glared right back at him, and a slow grin spread over his face.

"Well, we did start knight training at ten," Gary reminded him, but Raoul went on.

"Come on, she looks like she's at least five years younger than I am."

Alanna sent Buri an apologetic look, but the K'mir was unfazed. She noticed that she and Alanna had arrived in the middle of a staff-fighting session. Grabbing a stick as long as she was tall off the wall, she held it in front of her and challenged, "Would you like to put those long-learned knight skills against K'miri training?"

Raoul's eyes flashed with more amusement. He took a staff of equal size to Buri's while Gary groaned and ushered the younger boys away. The sight of Raoul and Buri circling each other was rather comical; he was a full head and shoulders taller than she, not to mention more muscled. Buri didn't look the least bit intimidated; she hoisted her staff up and waited for him to attack.

He brought his staff forward, reminding himself not to strike too hard. She surprised him by blocking him and speedily pulling the staff away to whack him on the knee. He gave a gasp of surprise and gazed at her with renewed interest, readying himself again.

The attacks started out cautious but soon sped up, until the staffs were only pale, twirling blurs. Everyone watched intently, holding their breaths; the only sounds were the two warriors panting and the steady bang as they blocked one another. Neither seemed to be gaining the advantage, until Buri feinted to the left and caught Raoul off-guard by sweeping the staff under his legs, knocking him to the ground and pressing the staff against his throat.

He stared up into Buri's solemn face. Sounding shakily amazed, he said, "I yield." She removed the staff and helped him to his feet while the pages and squires cheered, probably at seeing the older knight landed on his rump.

Raoul grinned before pulling Buri into a crushing hug; when he released her, to everyone's amazement she was smiling too. "I see the start of something beautiful," he proclaimed.