Dinner

Disclaimer: I own Sierra, Sam, Aelia, Kevin and random people that you don't recognize. Tamora Pierce owns all else, including Kel and Dom, ETC.

Authors Note: I know I'm updating a little fast but I don't know when I'll next be able to update (hopefully soon) so I decided to get this chapter out of my way. REVIEW!

To My Reviewers:

Drop Your Oboe: That's OK...I don't care. Thanks for reviewing.

klutzyspaz: Thanks for the points! Hope I updated soon enough!

Guardian of the Small: I know, weird dialogue.

nicolerena: Thanks! And lol, your story is good too :)

Neith4Weiss: Thanks for reviewing!

If I missed anybody, so sorry

A clear sheet of glass showed an unusually pale girl staring into its' depths. She had her long blond hair curled and hanging loosely down her back. Her blue/green eyes read of nervousness and excitement. She wore a long pale purple gown, and a pair of pearl eardrops clung to her ears. A golden chain that had been a gift from Sarrah clung to her neck.

Sierra turned from the mirror and sat clumsily on her bed. She really shouldn't be nervous...but she was. What was she supposed to talk about with this woman - her mother! She had never had a talent for speaking with others but still...

Bang. Bang.

Sierra jumped, surprised at the knock at her door. Remembering that Sam was supposed to pick her up at 5:30, which was the time, Sierra hurried to the door and opened it. Sam stood there, dressed in casual breeches and tunic, and smiled appreciately at Sierra.

"Hello Lady." Came his southern accent.

"It's Sierra! And hi." Responded Sierra confortable, as if she had known Sam her whole life. "I'm ready."

"Really? 'Cuz most nobles have a habit of taking at least ten extra minutes to dress and..."

"I'm ready. Let's go." Sierra smiled and slipped past Sam to the open halls.

Sam lead Sierra down the previous maze of corridors, although took a few different turns on the way. Sierra followed silently, her nerves disappearing at the small talk she spoke of with him. It was when they reached an opened door that Sam stopped her.

"I know I'm not helping much, but you should know that the first fork is for dinner, the second for desert. Same with the spoons." With a wave and a smile, Sam ran off, leaving Sierra to wonder what he was speaking of.

As soon as she entered the small dining room, Sierra understood. A placing had been set with double knives, forks, and spoons then Sierra was accustimed to. Her mother sat at the edge of the table, along with two unknown nobles looking to be about Sierra's age. Kel smiled as Sierra entered, and showed her to a vacant seat beside herself.

"Hello Sierra."

"Hi." Responded Sierra and then realizing the un-lady likeness of the second interrupted, "I mean, hello." A red blush crawled to her pale cheeks.

Kel smiled and shook her head in an uncaring motion. "Hi's fine. It is only in front of high Nobles that it is absolutely neceassairy to say hello...but never mind that."

Sierra forced a small smile to her thin lips and sat, looking over the other two occupants of the table. I thin girl with long, curled black hair and blue eyes smiled thinly to Sierra. The other occupant was a boy, at least a head taller then Sierra, sporting carefully cut dark brown hair and blue eyes. It was strange to Sierra for so many people in one room to have blue eyes, for in Wilmné blue eyes were almost as rare as gold.

Seeing Sierra uncomfortable looking over the boy and girl, Kel added, "Sierra, to my right is Aelia and beside Aelia is Kevin. I thought to find a few people your age so that you would have some people to speak too and 'hang out' with."

Aelia smiled slightly and replied, "Hello. I'm Aelia - obviously! Kevin and I are both sixteen, and since Lady Kel has told as that you are the same age, we shall be seeing alot of each other."

Sierra smiled weakly and said hello back, wondering why Aelia's speech had sounded so... planned out. Was this the way nobles acted?

At that uncomfortable moment of silence, a seperate pair of doors swung open and two chefs gracefully swept into the dining area, bringing soups, turkeys, and other delightful foods. Delighted, Sierra put a small portion of everything on her plate, as she had not eaten all day, and then encountered a problem...the utensils. What had Sam said? Something abotu large fork desert...no supper...appetizer?

Helplessly, Sierra glanced towards Kel who was eating slowly. Noticing Sierra's gaze, Kel glanced up from her food to Sierra's untouched plate. As if she understood the dilema, Kel moved closer and whispered into Sierra's ear, "Use the large fork to the right now...and the large spoon."

Sierra looked up and smiled gratefully, then began to eat as gracefully and quickly as humanly possible. Looking up when she was done, Sierra noticed a small pile of food still heaped on Aelia's plate, yet Kevin's large pile of food had disappeared. Seeing that Sierra was done, Kevin nodded to her and said, "Don't mind Aelia, she hasn't eaten much since Ethan... one of the guys, broke up with her."

Sierra nodded unconfortable, wondering if Aelia had heard the comment.

"That's not true you lousy..." Aelia ceased as Kel glanced up curiously from her dinner.

Apparently she had heard.

Silence reentered the room, even as desert came, except for Kel's advice at how to use the small spoon to eat her pudding. It was later that Aelia and Kevin left, leaving Kel and Sierra alone.

"So how did you like Aelia and Kevin?" Asked Kel, her voice not proving the track this conversation was following.

"They were nice." Murmered Sierra, truly not sure what she thought about the two young nobles.

"That's good. I suppose that you had to leave behind alot of friends when you left?"

What was with these planned out conversations? Thought Sierra as she truthfully answered. "Not really."

Kel shot Sierra a quizzical look but decided the subject had better stay untouched for the time being.

"So, I have organized for Aelia and Kevin to visit you tomorrow and maybe you guys can go out for the time being." Kel swiftly changed the sunject.

"Okay." And then, "Sounds fun." Added Sierra so that she seemed to have at least some gratitude to her long lost mother who took her from a place that she didn't belong to another place that she didn't belong.

Conversation drifted, and Kel was able to relieve some information from Sierra's childhood, and the fact that she had been too shy for friends was unmistakeable. Almost an hour afterwards, Sam willingly came to take Sierra to her rooms. Not to long after Kel herself left, a different conflict forming in her mind.

Authors Note: A longer chapter - well at least a little longer. I know most readers like short or average chapter sizes (like this one) but if you guys would like longer chapters, just tell me. Once again, please review and give me your comments, concerns, complements, or whatever else you can possibly think of.

Fire of the Elements