DEDICATION: this chapter is dedicated to my friend Megmae, cause she's awesome and deserves a dedication. :P

Chapter 11

Eliena stood in the front of the delegation, flanked by Thayet, Duke Gareth and Lord Martin. Behind them were Numair and some other assorted officials, followed by Daine, Kitten, Gary, and the clerks. Eliena wished she could talk to someone.

"Welcome, Tortallan friends!" a herald announced. "This is His Royal Highness Kaddar Gazanoi Iliniat, Head of House Khazoi, Prince of Siraj, Duke of Yamut, Count of Amar, First Lord of the Imperium, heir apparent to His Most Serene and Imperial Majesty Emperor Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe, Emperor of Carthak." The herald was handed a parchment with the names of the Tortallan delegation on it. "Your highness, Lady Thayet of Goldenlake, Duke Gareth the Elder of Naxen, Lord Martin of Meron, and Her Royal Highness Princess Eliena of Conté, heiress to the Realm of Tortall." Duke Gareth and Lord Martin bowed and Eliena stepped forward. She looked at the prince, who had to be around her age, and almost laughed.

(EMPEROR MAGE pg. 23) The odd shape of the prince's eyes came from dark lines drawn on both lids and extended to his temples. He was a light-skinned black, with thin lips and long, thick eyelashes, dressed in a calf-length tunic of crimson silk. His jewels shimmered in the sun. He boasted three rings in his left ear, a gold bangle shaped like a many-flamed sun, and a ruby drop in the right. Another ruby served him as a nose button. He wore a collar-like necklace of gold inlaid with mother-of-pearl strips. Rings decorated fingers and thumbs; bracelets hung on both wrists. A flash drew her eyes to his feet, where she found rings on toes bared by his sandals. He was so shiny that Eliena was almost positive she was going blind.

"Welcome, cousin," Kaddar said, meeting Eliena's eyes and surprised to find them violet.

"Eliena, if you please," she corrected, curtsying just far enough. She knew Thayet would be proud. Eliena stepped back and let the herald announce the others. She grabbed Daine once the girl was finished. "His name is a story!" Eliena whispered. Daine giggled.

"And I almost went blind looking at him!" she agreed.

"I wonder if he's handsome," Eliena mused. Daine gasped and hit Eliena gently on the arm.

"Eliena!" Daine exclaimed softly.

"What?" Eliena rubbed the spot where Daine had hit her. "What?"

"Never mind," Daine replied, shaking her head.

"Daine. Eliena," Numair hissed, nudging them. "The Prince is trying to say something to you!" The girls focused on the prince.

"Your highness, Veralidaine, it is my hope that, should you have idle time on your visit, that you will allow me the honor of showing you our country," Kaddar said. Eliena and Daine curtsied.

"It would be our honor," the girls chorused, curtsying together. They boarded the boat to meet the other ambassadors. They ignored the names, neither cared, and saw Numair's face light up when he saw a man who was clearly a northerner. He wore a robe much like Numair's-a mage's robe. Numair's was black; this man's was scarlet with brown on the hems.

"Lindhall Reed," the herald said. The girls exchanged a smile. Numair often spoke of his teacher.

(EM, pg. 26)"Arram," Lindhall said, using Numair's birth name, "welcome, if that is the proper word."

Numair's eyes were overbright. "I'm surprised you remembered our arrival," he replied, voice scratchy. "I thought I'd have to root you out of your workroom."

"No, no." Reed's voice was quiet, cultured, and fast, as if he fought to breathe. "I have a good assistant, better than you were. She keeps track of everything. Unfortunately, she's about to go live with merfolk and study their culture. I hear they're moving in all along the Tortallan coast. I'd though they'd look in rookeries, like sea lions, but their nature appears to be more tribal." Eliena nudged Numair.

"Are you going to introduce us?" Eliena wanted to know, eyes glittering.

"Of course, where are my manners?" Numair replied.

"Manners? What manners?" Eliena teased.

Numair ignored her. "Lindhall, this is Veralidaine Sarrasri, my student, and Her Royal Highness Princess Eliena of Conté, who is my part-time student," he introduced. Lindhall bowed and kissed Eliena's hand.

"An honor, your highness," he said.

"Please," Eliena replied. "Numair talks about you all the time. I'm Eli to my friends, or Eliena. Whichever you please." Lindhall smiled.

"Thank you," he said. "And, what am I to call you?" He turned to Daine.

"Just Daine," she replied.

"You're the one with wild magic, aren't you?" Lindhall asked, and Daine nodded. "Numair's written about you. Both of you."

"I hope it was good," Eliena said, smiling at Numair.

"Everything about you is good, Eli," Numair replied with a sickly sweet smile.

"Liar," she retorted. "What has he told you, Master Lindhall? I'd like to clear up and… false reports." Lindhall chuckled.

"I hear about your exploits often, Princess Eliena. From what I've read, you aren't the typical princess," Lindhall replied.

"Eliena," she corrected. "And, with a mother like mine, I can hardly be expected to be normal."

"She's normal in Tortall," Daine explained. "But, elsewhere? Nothing in Tortall is normal to most."

"And Daine would know," Eliena said. "She's from Galla. Coming to Tortall was a culture shock for her."

"All right, girls. That's enough bothering of Master Lindhall," Thayet called. "Come over here, you two!"

"We're not bothering him!" They retorted as Lindhall insisted, "Oh, no, Lady Thayet, they aren't bothering me at all."

"Lindhall, I have some questions that need answering. You girls go on ahead," Numair said.

"Fine," Eliena huffed. "Come on, Daine."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

That evening, there was a ball to welcome them and to meet the emperor. They were in a grand room with magical globes that shone brighter as the sky darkened. The doors opened, beckoning the Tortallans forward. Again, they resumed the same order in which they had been introduced to Kaddar in. Daine wore a twilight-blue silk gown and smiled at the glances she received from some of the young men. They usually came after the men had taken an eyeful of the princess, but that they noticed her was an honor.

Eliena had to look flawless. She wore a brand-new ball gown. The bodice was fitted, with a look that most women only achieved with the help of a corset. Her waist was tiny and curved easily into her hips. The straps of the gown rested just off her shoulders, showing her tanned skin, and the curves of her breasts were exposed to the maximum acceptability. The skirt was loose and flowing, swishing when she walked and flying out when she spun. Her black curls cascaded down her back, a lovely contrast to the pale blue-violet silk of the gown, which also set off her tan. Though she disliked it, a delicate silver crown of vines dotted with sapphires rested on top of her hair. Had they been in Tortall, she would've worn a grander crown.

"Welcome, daughter of my royal cousins, King Jonathan IV of Conté and his bride, Queen Alanna the Lioness of Olau and Conté," Ozorne greeted. Eliena smiled and curtsied, again, just enough. Ozorne kissed Eliena's hand. "Such a beautiful young woman would be a jewel in any Court." She blushed slightly.

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty," she said. "I am honored to have been permitted to come to your glorious country."

"Ah, and the manners of an angel," Ozorne remarked. "How could we ever have ill relations with a country which has produced such a gem as this fine young lady?" Eliena smiled and curtsied again.

"Thank you," she said. "I am honored." She stepped away and Numair smiled at her. "Has he always been so… flattering?" Numair chuckled.

"He always was a flirt," he replied. Eliena made a gagging motion at the thought of the Emperor Mage- as old as Numair, who was almost thirty- flirting with her. "Now, Eliena. Manners." Eliena rolled her eyes.

"Was he flirting?" Eliena asked.

"No," Numair replied. "He was simply flattering you. He's charming, though, isn't he?"

"Yeah, and so was Roger," Eliena muttered, recalling the tales of her cousin once removed, Duke Roger of Conté.

Once the introductions and formalities were finished, the ball began. Eliena sat in one of the alcoves, on the bench. Daine and Thayet were on either side of her, with Numair leaning against the wall. He spotted someone he knew, lit up, and left not five minutes after claiming his spot.

"I hate this," Eliena muttered.

"We know," Thayet and Daine chorused. An elegant, dark-haired man came over to them and bowed.

"Your Royal Highness, would you do me the honor of this dance?" he asked. Eliena gave Thayet a withering look. Thayet nodded discreetly.

"It would be a pleasure," Eliena replied, taking his hand.

This is going to be a long night.

Author's Note- OK, what did you think? And don't forget to check out "Happily Ever After?" by Megmae, which I'm collaborating on. Read it. REVIEW! (This AND that!)