The days passed quickly and the night of the Midwinter ball came around. Servants were bustling around putting up the final decorations and putting on the final touches for the evening.
A maid helped Midori by filling a tub with warm water and placing soap, bottles of hair lotion, and towels nearby, Midori quickly lowered into the steaming tub and sighed as her tired muscles relaxed. She ducked under the water and wet her hair then rubbed the hair lotions into lather and rinsed, with the soap she cleaned the dirt from her skin and washed. She stepped from the tub, dripping wet, and dried herself.
The maid later helped her into a long dark green kimono with a gold satin sash, a custom of her mother's, and gathered her silky black hair into a bun, tucking green hair ornaments into the bun. A little face paint and lip rouge was added to accent her eyes and mouth. Midori turned to the mirror and gasped, she simply didn't recognize even herself.
A soft knock at her door made her smooth the unseen wrinkles in the kimono and turn to the entrance as the maid answered. Handsome in black breeches and tunic lined with silver, offset by a white cotton shirt, Kalen bowed slightly as she curtsied, "You look spectacular" he remarked, smiling as she lowered her head in embarrassment and replied, "It was apparently my mother's"
Kalen nodded and held out his arm, "Shall we go 'Green-eyes'?"
"Am I to receive a title like the Protector of the Small or the Lioness? I could never be that great!" Midori insisted.
"Don't talk nonsense, you'll be a great warrior maiden, known for years and years, doing great deeds for King Jonathan and his successor, and you'll die old and grey. I'll promise you if I have to--"
"Promise what?"
"I'll promise to—to stick by your side in the field" he finished.
Midori took his arm and he led her to the grand staircase.
The herald called their names to the crowd, "Squire Midori of Queenscove and Squire Kalen Haimaid of the Bloody Hawk"
Neal looked up as Midori descended the stairs with Kalen and smiled at his daughter, she looked so much like Yuki, dressed as she was. After the two bowed to the monarchs they joined Amyl and the rest of their friends in the crowd.
Neal watched her go, thinking, if Kel hadn't convinced him, she wouldn't have been this happy as she was now. Neal's gaze turned to his daughter and Kalen dancing. Someone poked him in the arm and he turned to glare at Owen, "What was that for?" he whispered.
"Looks like Midori's got a sweetheart" Owen remarked and ducked as Neal swiped to cuff his friend on the back of the head.
"Caught you that time, Neal" Owen chuckled and went to sit by Merric.
"Sweetheart indeed" Neal rolled his eyes, "Like you don't have one, Owen" he mumbled under his breath. He saw Dom ask Kel for a dance and he sighed as she was whisked off, "It's been too long since I've been in love, since Yuki died, I've forgotten what it feels like…Fifteen years I've been a widower" Neal glanced at his gold wedding band, he had never taken it off, and raised up his cup of cider to his lips and sipped it. He would have rather had a steaming cup of green tea, but cider was fine.
A voice interrupted his thoughts: "Father?"
Neal faced his daughter as she continued, "You're thinking of ma, I can tell, you have that look again…what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Midori, I was just thinking, why don't you go take a walk?" How many times had he said that to her? Many. But why? Because she reminded him so much of his wife!
"Because she's Yuki's daughter too, not just yours!" hissed his mind. Nealan of Queenscove had looked many times in the mirror, often late at night, and saw a broken man, supported only by the fact that his daughter would achieve her dream. Was that the only reason or was there another reason?
Had he hoped that Midori would live the life she wanted? Or stayed close by, to learn the ways of a proper woman?
He had wished, since she was born and since Yuki's death, that Midori would never have to taste death as cruelly as her mother had. Never have to die in childbirth, or lose anyone if at all. Age would claim them warm in bed, not cold steel in the horrors of battle.
Neal glanced at the king and queen, he could tell that they were aging, and so were many others like Lord Raoul and even his former knight mistress, Alanna was growing old. He wondered if he would ever become a grandfather or live long enough to be a great-grandfather. His own father had become sick just a day ago but assured Neal that he wouldn't yet be confined to a bed or pass into the Peaceful Realms. With that reassurance, Neal had attended the ball and didn't worry about his father.
Meanwhile Kalen and Midori had snuck off to the gardens for a walk, the crisp breeze rustled the dead bushes and flowers, sleeping until spring. A long silence ensued for both did not know what to say. Kalen glanced at her hand and risked his friendship by sliding his hand into her own Midori hid a blush under her mask and gripped his calloused hand in kindliness. As they walked down the stone paths dimly lit by mage lights, Kalen looked into the sky and grinned. A full moon had risen, bathing them in a soft light, and soft music from the ballroom was playing in the background. It was picture perfect.
Slowly, Kalen turned Midori to face him, the sorfds nearly catching in his throat: "Midori, when you asked me if I had ever been in love, I wondered if…if was in love with…" Kalen trailed off and kissed Midori hesitantly and lightly, he broke the kiss and finished his sentence: "you"
Midori felt tears coming to her eyes at how naive he sounded, so unsure if she would approve. But had she loved him ever since she was ten? Had she waited five years to let her Yamani mask fall and for him to read her like an unopened book?
In a sense, she had waited for someone to open her gloomy heart and read her emotions clear, bring light into the darkness. And Kalen had brought her that awareness, the feel of his hand in her own, his lips caressing hers for that one brief moment, had kindled a fire that had quickly been snuffed by other suitors who only wanted her body for their own degraded purposes. But Kalen had told her, in the full five years they had been friends, that he didn't just want her body, he wanted her full self. He did not pretend to love her like others had, but loved to protect her from the threats of rape and abuse; she had seen it in his eyes. He had made that promise, she knew somehow.
"You think I'm silly for this display, don't you?" Kalen whispered sounding hurt.
"No, I have been silly for not realizing it earlier" she replied, kissing him, this time passionately, sealing her word. Sparks of passion-fire danced at her fingertips as she touched his face and memorized the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips, the high cheekbones and his soft black hair, closely cropped.
"Well, well, well whom do we have here?" a cool voice cut like a knife through the silence. Midori and Kalen sprang apart as they recognized that voice.
Jarvis stepped from the shadow, a smirk plastered on his face. "No, do continue your exchange of spit, though I doubt I'll linger." Jarvis raised an eyebrow, "Queenscove's with you Hawk-boy? Mithros, Mynoss and Shakith I faltered to recognize Queenscove beneath her mother's mask, though I suppose your mother's death, Queenscove, was for the best"
Midori, in a fit of rage, clouted Jarvis hard across his cheek; "My mother's death was not for the best at all, you snake!" she spat through clenched teeth.
Jarvis grabbed her wrist as she was going to slap him again and chewed lightly and sucked on the inside of her palm. Realizing his intentions, she wrenched her wrist from his grip and spat on him. She turned and stormed back to the ballroom with Kalen at her heel, glaring back at Jarvis before he left.
Wiping the spittle from his cheek, Jarvis of Stone Mountain vowed to get rid of Midori of Queenscove once and for all. He would make sure she did not pass the Ordeal and died in the Chamber, like his mother's brother, Joren, had done almost thirty-five years ago. He would get revenge and the spawn would get what she deserved. All he needed to do was to wait three more years and the Ordeal would be upon them…
A/N: I'm not sure what Midori should face in the Chamber. Any ideas?
- AW1