Day of Surprises:
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.
Getting up early, I did some stretches before going to a basin and washing my face. Getting dressed in some simple breeches and tunic, I sat on the bed and looked about me. Being within Shinko's court, each lady had been given her own room to stay in until a few weeks after the marriage when everyone will go back home. A few would even stay behind if they had found a suitable marriage.
I, on the other hand, will just return to Heathercoves or just stay at court with the few selected by Shinko, but it'll most likely be the latter although, I might just go between the two. Going to my trunk, I sift through it until I felt the familiar staff of cool wood. Taking out my glaive, I rifled through my trunk again for my metal fan. Finding it, I tucked it into the belt at my waist and went to the vanity. Gathering a bunch of pins and ties, I put my hair into a bun before quietly leaving for Yuki's room.
"I thought you'd be awake," Shinko replied as I stepped out of my room. Jumping slightly, I swore before placing the familiar mask on.
"I thought you were waiting for me," Yuki replied a bit irritably coming from behind.
"Just wanted to surprise her," Shinko said nodding in my direction.
"Let's go see if Kel's awake," Yuki conceded.
Both Shinko and Yuki wore the same expression and even carried their staffs with them. Going around many corridors, we finally arrived at the practice court, where Kel was dancing with her glaive. On one side, there were many tiny sparrows perched on Jump watching Kel with rapt attention.
"You really are Protector of the Small," I commented loudly.
Hearing me, she slowed down and came over to us. Getting down, she gave Jump and belly rub before standing up again.
"I'd thought you guys would never wake up," Kel stated coming over to us.
"Yes well we were waiting for sleepyhead here," Yuki said pointing towards me.
"Hey! I was too awake. It just took awhile to find my glaive," I said stiffly.
"Don't bunch up or anything, Kiki was just joking," Shinko said using our nickname for Yuki.
"So who's against who?" I asked wiping my blade.
"Hm... Shin and Riko can go over there and I'll take Keri," Yuki decided.
"I can't believe we actually still use those names," Shinko said.
"You know it's just a habit when we're together," Kel replied.
"Besides, you just called her Kiki," I reasoned.
Taking our positions, our blades met and soon all of us were in a whirlwind of blue steel and dance. It was only fifteen minutes into the practice and already I had knocked Shinko to the ground.
"I knew I should've gone with Yuki," I heard her grumble.
Smiling, I helped her up and together we turned to Yuki and Kel who were still fighting. After another ten minutes, both Kel and Yuki call a draw.
"We haven't been together like this for a long time," Kel commented while wiping her blade.
"Too long," Shinko agreed.
"I know why don't we meet one night," Yuki suggested.
"Why?" I asked sitting down next to Kel.
"So we can catch up, what else?" Yuki stated.
"But where?" Shinko inquired.
"We could meet in my room," Kel offered.
"We can't. It's all the way in the knights' quarters, while we're in the visitors' wing," Yuki said.
"How about my room?" I asked.
"It is the closest in Kel's direction," Shinko said.
"And it's also close to us," Yuki added.
"It's perfect," Kel concluded.
"So it's settled then. When we all meet, let's meet around...does two hours after dinner sound good?" I suggested.
"It'll be good and we can spend the night in your room too, like we used back at the Islands."
"So that means we'll have to bring spare clothes,"
"And blankets."
"Do you think anyone will notice?" I brought up.
"I'm sure they won't mind," Yuki said.
"I'm feeling hungry, anyone else?" Kel commented as our stomach rumbled slightly.
Laughing we played with our shukusens before parting ways back to our rooms, promising to meet three nights from now.
Stumbling, Merric made his way to the Mess Hall for breakfast. Walking down the line and gathering food, everything not within 3 feet of his vision became a blur of activities. It wasn't until his fourth attempt that someone steered him in the right direction. Turning around to his helper, he vaguely mumbled a 'thanks' before snapping his eyes wide at Eri.
"You looked like you've seen a ghost," she said.
"No...It's just that I didn't expect you to help me," Merric said lamely.
"I'm not that mean you know."
"I didn't mean it like that."
"I know, just eat your breakfast," she said before flashing him a smile.
Feeling the heat creep onto his face, he faced his tray and started to eat. He was almost done when someone started to shovel fruits onto his tray.
"It's good for you and will keep you awake," Kel said in a voice that left no arguments.
Glaring at her, he speared each fruit with a vengeance.
"You know that tray did nothing to you and that goes for the fruits too," Eri commented nonchalantly before leaving the table.
Merric felt ashamed for offending her, so he got up and followed her outside leaving Kel, Neal, Yuki, and Eric behind.
"Hey wait!" he called out for Eri.
"Yes?"
"I'msorryformakingyouleave. Ididn'tmeantohonest," he said quickly while looking at his feet.
Daring himself, he scanned her face for anything but after being friends with Kel for so long, he knew a Yamani mask when he saw it.
"I'm sorry but what?" Eri asked.
"I'm sorry if I offended you in any-"
"Stop right there," Eri said cutting him off, "What makes you think that you offended me?"
"Oh... well... you got up... and I don't know?" Merric managed to stumble.
"I got up because I was looking for my lovely brothers," she said with a bit of a bite at 'lovely'.
"Oh but why?"
"They promised to race me last night but they didn't," she said coolly.
At this point they were walking out to the stables, no longer standing in the corridors.
"I take it that you like to race."
"One of my favorite things to do."
"But can you really race like that?" Merric asked looking at her.
Eri wasn't exactly dressed in a normal dress but was instead wearing a cream colored blouse with a brown skirt, much like the commoners.
"Of course," she replied as if daring him to contradict her.
"I doubt racing side saddle against your brothers or any men would be appealing."
"You'd be surprise at how we learn to, although it is a pity that Kel never was one to do so."
"She can race side-saddle?" Merric asked with awe.
"She's not very good at it but she'll give you a run for your money, just like the rest of us."
"Just who is this 'us'?"
"Shinko, Yuki, and I."
"I'd like to see how that turns out."
"Is that a wager I hear?"
"What! No! I mean no. Wager?" Merric was confused as he stared at her. Even if emotion won't break through, he could tell that she was joking. Wasn't she?
"Yes a wager," she spoke calmly.
Okay so she wasn't kidding, Merric thought.
"Um... well you see..."
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Eri said going into her horse's stall.
"It's not that I don't want to..."
"Chickening out now Merric."
Looking behind him, Merric took in the amused faces of Faleron, Kel, Eric, Yuki, and Owen.
"What?" Merric asked.
"You heard me," Faleron said.
"So how long did you plan to stay quiet?" Eri asked flickering her gaze over to them.
"Oh as long as possible," Owen stated.
"But knucklehead here couldn't keep his mouth shut," Kel said indicating Faleron.
"I believe I heard something about a wager. Care to elaborate imp?" Eric asked Eri.
"It's nothing much. Just that Merric would like to see us try to race side-saddle."
"I didn't say that!"
Raising an eyebrow, "Is that so?" Eri asked challenge written in her eyes as they flashed amusingly.
"I...I just said I'd like to see how it turned out..." Merric explained.
Looking at the other girls, he could see the same challenge in their eyes as they let their masks slip but not without also missing their glint.
"I say we show him girls," Yuki said mischievously.
"This I have gotta see," Faleron said laughing with Owen, while Merric looked like he was going to die.
"Oh he's not doing this alone," Kel emphasized turning to Owen and Faleron.
"This all your fault big mouth!"
"My fault! If Owen hadn't said that they'd be afraid to break-"
"Don't you pin this on me! Merric was the one who started it all!"
Faleron, Owen, and Merric continued to argue amongst themselves while Kel went to change her clothes. Soon Kel was seen coming to the stables with more audience in tow; as in Neal, Seaver (who I met this morning), Shinko, Roald, and Dom. I only raised an eyebrow towards Kel as she shrugged her shoulders.
"What is this all about us not being able to race?" Shinko asked, straight to the point.
"Nothing much, except that Merric thinks we can't do it," I said as I took out a sidesaddle.
Looking over a Kel, I could see her and Eric both in a deep discussion before coming over to Yuki, Shinko, and I.
"So girls, what's the wager?" Eric asked.
Yuki, Kel, and I started to talk it over when Shinko joined us. With just a nod of her head, we knew that she was in. Breaking, we let slip a giggle before controlling ourselves. When we had all gathered in a big circle, Kel nodded at me to begin.
"Alright, here's the deal. It's a four on four race-"
"Wait four?" Dom asked.
"Yes four!" I snapped before continuing.
"It's a four on four race with us riding side-saddle while you boys ride like normal. Just to clarify things it's going to be me, Kel, Yuki, and Shinko against Merric, Faleron, and Owen. You boys will have to find another person but NO trading."
"Aw!" Faleron and Owen moaned.
"We'll ride in the practice fields they have behind the stables. There will be no cheating; otherwise you lose it for the whole group. There will be someone at the end of the line who you have to tap hands with before riding back for the next person or it's disqualification. We will have the wagers written by hand and handed to someone who'll keep it until the winner is announced. First group to finish wins. Any questions?"
"Who's keeping the wagers?" Faleron asked.
"I'll do it!" Neal volunteered.
"And I'll be the marker at the end," Eric added.
"Alright then. You boys have a fourth rider?" I asked them.
"Seaver," Owen and Merric announced.
"What! I'm not racing," Seaver retorted.
"We're making you!" Faleron snapped.
"No that's not fair," Shinko stated simply.
"Shinko's right. One of you boys has to voluntarily do it," Yuki commented.
"You didn't ask if we wanted to," Faleron sniffed.
"Because you and Owen insulted us," Kel said cuffing him on the head, who then looked ashamed.
"I'll ride then," Dom volunteered.
"Much better then," I confirmed.
Twenty minutes later, we were all lined up and everyone was waiting for Eric to get down there on his gelding. Since Kel wasn't that good, we told her that she could go first against Owen, then it was Yuki and Dom, Shinko and Faleron, and finally me and Merric, who at the moment was looking very smug.
"What are you so happy about?" I asked coolly.
"Just confident that's all."
"Are you sure that's not cockiness I hear."
"I'd like you to meet my horse Flash," introducing me to his honey brown horse.
"It's nice to meet you Flash. This is Dust," I said patting my coal colored horse.
"Dust?" Merric asked.
Dust turned his head slightly to nuzzle my open palm. He was a coal colored horse with white socks and chocolate colored eyes flecked with silver.
"He likes to race very much and then leave the opponents in his dust," I replied when Seaver shouted 'Go!'
While the boys cheered on each other, we placidly sat on our horses and whispered calm words of encouragement. Kel had lagged behind Owen by a few inches but it didn't deter her as she came back and Yuki took off.
Dom was serious when racing and bolted ahead of Yuki keeping her at least half a feet away but in the end, Yuki came back with a lead and Shinko shoot off. Literally.
Not losing her composure, Shinko only widened the gap even further leaving Faleron behind by a feet. As she came back, I whispered my last words to Dust before I took off towards Eric. Merric was faster than I thought when I saw him closing the gap out of the corner of my eyes.
Catching up with her horse, Merric was soon head to head when they both tapped Eric's outstretched hand but as soon as they rounded to go back, he noticed how much she was starting to lag behind. In front of him, Merric could hear Faleron cheer him on the loudest and wildly at that. Taking a risk, he glanced behind him for only a second but it was enough to tell him that he had lost, as a grey and brown blur flew pass him to cross the finishing line.
"Ah dammit!"
"Shit!" was just a few choice phrases said aloud by Dom and Faleron before they started to quietly swear, while clapping and congratulations were thrown around.
Dismounting, Merric started to bang his head against the saddle as Owen stood by him patting him on the back sympathetically.
"What did the poor horse ever do to you?"
Looking up, Merric could only scowl at Eri as she petted his horse, who didn't mind the attention.
"Telling you that the race was brilliant would probably be an understatement."
Glancing up, I saw two very purple eyes staring back at me standing next to Owen.
"Lady Alanna," I said curtsied.
"Please Alanna is fine. So I've had the pleasure to meet your friends but have yet to meet you."
"Eriko but Eri is fine," I said smiling placidly.
"Well then it's nice to meet you Eri. I've never seen anyone ride that fast sidesaddle before. Where did all of you learn to do that?"
"My mother taught us," I replied.
"Why?"
"You never know when you're caught by bandits riding in a dress."
"So you might as well learn how to race side-saddle. That's clever of her to think that."
I was about to say more when Kel tapped me on the shoulder and pointed behind Alanna.
"Excuse us, Lady Alanna," Yuki spoke. Nodding her head we walked around Merric and his horse and behind him.
"It's a shame that you can't be men," Shinko started. Caught, Faleron and Dom turned around to face us.
"Yes such as pity that your knighthood was wasted," Yuki said, which only further anger the two knights.
"I believe we had a wager boys," Kel stated.
"Fine," Faleron said bitterly.
"What was the wager?" Dom inquired.
"How manly are you?" Yuki asked. This only caused Owen, Merric, Faleron, and Dom to look at us confusedly before I continued.
"Rather how wo-manly are you?" I said emphasizing womanly.
Paling, Dom rushed to Neal and asked him for the piece of paper that Neal had coincidentally misplaced.
"Don't worry boys,"
"It won't be a group project,"
"Rather an individual project."
"We'll come get you when it's time."
Waving good-bye, we mounted our horse and rode back to the stables, leaving behind loud roars of laughter and anguish cries of horror.
