Many Introductions:
Disclaimer: It's amazing how my name isn't Tamora Pierce and yet I like to play with her characters. Too bad that I only own Eriko and her family but what are you going to do when all you have is an overactive imagination and proudly make no money from this.
Down a long corridor, two voices could be heard arguing amongst themselves. While one was scolding the other was more carefree and light. As they came closer to the end, one was clearly a young woman of 19 years wearing a kimono typical of her Yamani heritage and culture. Her pale pink kimono covered a tall yet light figure where her black hair was set in a bun of a simple style. Her dark eyes and light skin made her look soft and beautiful. The other was wearing beige breeches and a light blue tunic, while the person's hair was covered by a shawl, the person's voice was feminine and light as were her features.
"Oh for Mitros' sake," the girl said taking off her friend's shawl.
"Well you try riding with your brothers while they pull at your hair," the other girl spat.
"Now see here Eriko. You're already late so you might as well try and look presentable," she told the girl in breeches.
Eriko only snorted lightly before brushing off her friend.
Eriko or Eri was 18 years old, soon to be 19, had long dark wavy brown hair that fell almost halfway her back. Her dark cerulean eyes usually sparkled but under the circumstances her eyes were tired. Her body was light and her height only fell an inch or two short of her friend.
"Yuki, stop it!" Eri said as she swatted Yuki's hand away.
"I'm only trying to smooth down your hair," Yuki said as they continued down the corridor.
Reaching the door at the end of the hall, Eri and Yuki knocked before being allowed in by a servant. The room was small yet cozy as a library should be. Walking to the front of the room, both girls curtsied before the Crowned Price Roald and his betrothed Princess Shinkokami.
As I straightened myself, I saw the Princess looking at me with critical eyes. I only raised an eyebrow before she spoke.
"What'd they do this time?" the Princess asked me, amusement clearly written in her tone.
"The question is what they didn't do," I said exasperatedly.
"Well cousin, I always told you those brothers of yours were tiresome."
"Like I didn't know that Shin. Honestly," I retorted using her nickname.
Smiling brightly, she stepped away from the Prince before embracing me, her light lavender scent evident. Holding me at arm's length, she looked me over once more before trying to smooth down my hair.
"Hey stop that!"
"What did you do to your hair?" Shinko asked ignoring my request.
"You should ask her brothers that," Yuki said before joining Shinko in fixing my hair.
With both of them attacking my hair, it wasn't long until we heard someone cough for attention. Turning back to the front, all of us started to giggle at the Prince's confused expression.
"Roald, I'd like you to meet my favorite cousin, Lady Eriko," Shinko introduced.
"It's nice to meet you Lady Eriko," the Prince said lightly kissing my hand.
"Please Your Highness, call me Eri, Lady Eriko makes me sound so stuffy," I said wrinkling my nose in disgust.
"Ok then but only if you call me Roald, Your Highness makes me sound snobby," he replied wrinkling his nose in disgust like me. We all laughed for a few seconds before a squire came to tell us that dinner would be ready soon. Linking my arm with Yuki's, we followed the betroth couple outside to the Mess Hall while getting to know each other.
"So have all of you known each other for long?" Roald asked us.
"Besides being cousins, Eri and I met Yuki when we were younger," Shinko informed him.
"But it was from Shinko and Eri that I met Kel," Yuki added.
"So all of you know Kel?" Roald inquired.
"Of course," we answered.
"How is Kel by the way? Last time I heard, Eric told me that she was still up north."
"Do they not tell you anything anymore?" Yuki asked me.
"You've met my brothers. They have a tendency to keep me in the dark."
"What about Kai? I thought he keeps you up to date with these things," Shinko said.
"He's been worried about Lana since she's expecting and all."
"Kai? As in Kaiden of Heathercoves, one of the Palace Guards?" Roald asked in small astonishment.
Nodding my head, "Yep. He's my oldest brother although, he and my other brothers look more like my mother."
"No wonder I don't see the resemblance," Roald said after glancing at me.
"It's alright. I look like my father if anything," I said shrugging my shoulders.
"Anyways, I thought he was your favorite," Yuki stated steering the conversation back.
"Kai? He's my second favorite. Eric's my favorite."
"Well I'm glad to hear that."
Stopping, I looked up to see Eric smiling at me. Like the rest of my brothers, Eric had dark black hair that fell straight as a pin needle on his head, with a few strands getting into his black expressive eyes that currently held mirth. He wasn't as tall as my older brothers but he still topped me by about five inches and like the others, he too left home to become a knight of Tortall.
"Good evening Your Highness, Princess Shinkokami," Eric said bowing to Roald and Shinko.
"Good evening Sergeant Eric," they replied. Hearing the dinner bell, Roald and Shinko bid us farewell before turning right.
"Lady Yukimi, always a pleasure to see," Eric greeted.
"Nice to see you too but it's Yuki."
Going left, we walked down another long hallway to the Mess Hall.
"Yes, well if I called you that, I'm afraid your fiancée might kill me," Eric mocked.
"Oh how is...what was his name...Nealan. It's Nealan right?" I wondered. Yuki smiled but nodded her head to confirm my guess.
"He's been wonderful but we're still waiting till Shinko and Roald get married but he says that if it takes too long, we'll get married first."
Entering the Mess Hall, the sound was almost overwhelming. Everywhere I look there were pages, squires, knights, and some Queen's Riders chatting idly together while enjoying their meal. There were even some nobles, both men and women, from Court here talking to either family or friends. Although I'm pretty sure most of the girls here were just looking for attention.
Getting in line, Yuki and I followed Eric as we got our meals and searched for a table. It didn't take long though when someone called Yuki's name. Walking towards the back of the Hall, I saw a young man with dark brown hair and green eyes standing up and waving his arms for Yuki. He seemed so excited that I could probably knock him over and he probably wouldn't care as long as he got to see Yuki. When we got close enough, the guy ran over to Yuki and led her by the arm to a seat next to him. It took me a few seconds before I realize that Eric had left me and took a seat next to someone with short brown hair. Standing there, I looked like an idiot until someone called my name.
"Eri?" The one Eric was sitting next to, soon stood up to greet me with her kind brown eyes.
"Hi Kel," I greeted. I hadn't been able to see Kel since she returned home when she was a squire so seeing her now towering over me like Eric, I was shocked.
"It's been so long," she said losing a tiny bit of her mask.
Setting my tray down, I gave her a hug that she also returned. Sitting down, she patted the seat between her and a red head knight. It wasn't until a few people cleared their throats that I realized the table was filled with a few other knights. They were all staring expectantly at Kel except for Yuki and Eric.
"Oh right. Everyone this is Lady Eriko of Heathercoves, one of my friends from the Yamani Islands. Eriko, that's Owen of Jesslaw, Domitan of Masbolle, Faleron of King's Reach, Nealan of Queenscove, and the one next to you is Merric of Hollyrose," Kel introduced formally.
"It's NEAL!" Neal emphasized, to which I only giggled as he was banging his head onto the table.
"Heathercoves? I thought Kel just said you were from the Yamani Islands?" asked Owen.
"Well it's both. My father is from Tortall and my mother is from the Yamani Islands," I explained.
"That's nice and all but who's this guy?" Dom asked directing his question at Kel but she wasn't listening since she was talking to Eric.
"He's Sergeant Eric of Heathercoves of the Second Company, also known as my brother," I answered. This seems to have caught most of their attention as the guys stared at Eric then at me and back again.
"I don't see it," Neal declared.
"I do," Merric stated, which surprised me for a bit because we don't look similar.
"You do?" I asked.
"Yeah. Both of you seem to have the same face structure, light complexion, and there's a few freckles over the bridge of both your noses," Merric said as he finished his inspection.
"I've got freckles?" I questioned quietly. Looking over at Eric, I squinted a bit trying to find the so-called freckles when something knocked into me... well more like two certain people.
"Eri! How lovely to see you again."
"By the way, Kai is looking for you."
Glancing behind me, I caught my brothers' grin and amusement before I turned around and told myself, "I'm just hallucinating. I'm just hallucinating." That didn't work as I heard both brothers interrupted Eric and Kel's conversation with greetings.
"Ah... are you alright?" Merric asked me tentatively.
"Are they gone yet?" I whispered.
Merric only looked at me confused before he got whom I was talking about but he didn't have a chance to answer as someone else did.
"They're over there," said a slightly deep voice on the other side of Merric.
Startled, Merric whipped around to his other side only to knock a squire behind him down, which only made Merric turn around even farther to the point where he fell out of his seat and onto the squire beneath him. Trying very hard not to laugh, I turned around far enough to help him up.
"Paranoid much, Hollyrose?" I asked.
Getting up and back into his seat, Merric turned to the girl beside him.
"Go ahead," he said red in the face.
"Go ahead and what?" Eri asked.
"Laugh. I know you want to," Merric answered rubbing his shoulders.
Instead of hearing her, he heard Neal and Faleron laughing at him like he had perform the biggest comedic act in all of Tortall. Turning an even darker shade of red, Merric started to bang his head onto the table when he felt a comforting hand on his back, patting him.
"It's alright. I know it's rude to laugh when one's paranoid, right Kai?" Eri directed at the man on his right. Lifting up, he couldn't help but notice something on the man's face, which was quickly replaced with amusement as he answered.
"Nice to know that my lessons haven't been infected by the twins yet," Kai said grinning at her. Merric almost scowled at him but caught himself in time to wonder, Wait...was I about to scowl?
"Hey we heard that!" the twins said from the other side of Eric.
"Are you two done laughing yet?" Yuki scolded. Controlling themselves, Faleron and Neal looked at Merric before chuckling again.
"And before anyone ask, I'd like all of you to meet Matthew, Makoto, and Kaiden of Heathercoves, my brothers," Eri announced with pride just like she did before. For some reason, Merric felt relieved when she introduced them as her brothers.
"I'm going to guess that Matthew and Makoto are twins."
"Thank you for stating the obvious Meathead."
"It's Sir Meathead to you... oh wait," Neal retorted realizing what he just said. The whole table started laughing again; even Yuki was giggling but tried to hide it behind her hand. Taking the chance, Merric noticed that unlike the others, Kai had on a Palace Guard's uniform.
As if reading his mind, "Kai used to be a knight before he asked for a change of post," Eri answered.
"Really?"
"Uh huh. After he got married, Kai wanted to stay somewhere close so that Lana could call on him if there was any trouble."
"Ah, sorry for making you answer," Merric said awkwardly.
"It's okay. People seem to ask him that a lot so usually either Mako or I explain. Sometimes Matt and Eric will but rarely."
Merric wanted to respond but was cut off when Kai stood up behind Eri. As if sending messages with just eye contact, the twins also stood up behind her.
"Want to go riding?" Kai asked her.
"We'll even let you race us," Mako and Matt supplied. Glancing at her, he could see how her face lit up at the prospect. Getting up, she brushed past them and towards the kitchen.
"Well... what are we waiting for?" she asked stopping to look back at them. She seemed to skip out of the Mess Hall but not without the rest of them. Leaving Neal's side, he saw Yuki catching up with Eri, whispering something to her.
Once out by the stables, Kai, Mako, and Matt slowed down considerably to let everyone else go past them.
"So brother dear, what's wrong this time?" Matt mocked.
"I don't like that guy," Kai said a bit coldly.
"Which one?" Mako asked scanning the small group.
"Freckles."
"Now now, Kai. Be nice, you mean Merric don't you?"
"I don't care. I don't like how he looks at Eri."
"My, my. Paranoid much?"
"No, Kai's right. I don't like how the kid is being friendly," Matt concluded.
Looking at the group, they could see how carefree their sister was, not caring for court rules or regulations. But even from their distance, they could see the kid blush slightly under her gaze even if she didn't mean it that way.
"She's too young," all three voiced aloud, which set them off laughing but not deaf to the shouting behind them.
"Thanks for leaving us behind guys. Some family you are," Eric grumbled as he came up to them with Kel. Going past them, Kel walked up the group and joined them.
"Well both of you were in such a deep conversation,"
"That we couldn't bother your love fest," Matt and Mako alternated.
This only caused to Eric blush furiously while quietly swearing at them.
"Come on guys! We don't have all day!" Eri shouted from the group, waving her arms.
"So it's agreed?" Kai asked nonchalantly.
"Of course," the twins agreed. Eric, who had started to walk ahead of them, froze and turned a suspicious eye on them.
"What are you guys up to?" he asked warily.
"Nothing," Mako replied walking past him with Matt.
"Don't worry about it," Kai answered brushing by him.
"Probably something stupid," Eric mumbled to himself before following them.
A/N: This is my second fanfiction but first that's archived here. I'm still trying to figure out how to use MS Word so that the breaks and stuff will show up on the site. If anyone can help I'd be forever grateful. But aside from that….
What do you think? Constructive criticism is welcomed and flames will be used to warm me up.
