Karigan felt rather pulled about over the next few days. On top of her rider duties she also had to find time to attend to her clan duties. That is, to find something to wear to the ball that would not disgrace her father. Unfortunately for her she had left it rather late and with permission from Mara, spent an afternoon madly visiting various dressmakers in an attempt to find someone who would be willing to conjure a miracle in the short time allotted. One week was not long enough to make a gown by hand; she knew this, but she certainly knew it after the fourth dressmaker turned her away.
Karigan sighed. She shouldn't be surprised really; her family, after all, traded in cloth, plus nearly every other noble had ordered an outfit, if the frantic shops were anything to go by. She had known the answer to her quest before she had even started. An idea struck her. Perhaps she could mend the blue dress that was, she thought with a grin, memorably redesigned by Drent's training session all those years ago? Yes, that could work. Her smile faded and she groaned. She hated mending.
Karigan was relieved to see that the dress wasn't as badly damaged as she remembered. After the laundry returned it the next morning, she and Mara spent several evenings around the rider commons fire stitching as quickly as they could. Karigan was surprised to find she was actually enjoying herself. She hated mending and her work was clumsy, but she liked that her friends would drop by, some happy to amuse themselves watching whilst others pitched in for a while. It was cosy. Which was important, as her connection to Mornhaven was slowly gaining strength and it was becoming more difficult to keep him at bay although as a frequent visitor to the meadow, she was doing the best she could.
The dress was finished and both women stopped to admire their collective handiwork. "It's a beautiful dress," said Mara with a sigh. Karigan looked at the hem and bit her lip. "Hmmm, it's not the best work but I don't think anyone will notice. Besides…" she trailed off, staring into the fire thoughtfully.
"…..besides?" hinted Mara, after a long pause.
"Hmmm?" Karigan said, turning her attention back to the dress.
"Gods, you're annoying sometimes," Mara muttered, yawning and stretching."Night!" Karigan was left to her thoughts after farewelling her friend, putting the fire to bed before doing the exact same thing herself.
The day of the ball dawned clear and bright. The castle was palpable with excitement. Laren and Karigan spent the morning reviewing their plan over and over before Laren excused her for the day. She headed to the baths for a long, hot soak in an attempt to loosen up her back before the nights' activities commenced. The pressure in her head grew steadily and she felt more and more nervous as afternoon gave way to dusk, her stomach in revolt. She could feel – no, smell – the magic on the air. It thrummed through her. Rider humans and horses alike were edgy, although no one really seemed to notice.
"Karigan?" Mara called down the hall.
"What's up?" she replied, her foot over the threshold of the door.
"Are you ready for me to help you get ready?"
Karigan thought quickly, calculating what she would need to put on first before she could let her friend in to help her dress. Mara would not be looking at her back tonight if she could help it. "Give me a few minutes to put my….things… on," she finished lamely as Fergal walked blithely by. Mara giggled.
Karigan entered her room and as quickly as she could, stripped off her clothes and painstakingly dressed in her smalls and the silk shift that was to fall underneath her backless dress. She was relieved again to have thought of ripping off the back of the corset and replacing it with silk. It looked strange but there was no way she could wear a corset. She would just have to leave her cloak on. With not a moment to spare Mara barged her way in and set about dressing Karigan, chatting as she did her hair and makeup. Karigan was distracted but tried hard to gossip with her friend.
Mara was very pleased with the final result and laughed when she saw the additions Karigan had made to her outfit; a pair of throwing knives hid between her thighs. Mara cocked her eyebrow. "Well, if you don't want to take a man home all you need to do is say thank you for a lovely evening but no thank you." Karigan snorted before dropping her skirts to the floor, adjusting her eye patch and gathering her invitation from the dresser. She was strangely relieved to hear the oooohs and aaaaahhhhs of the female riders as she passed in the common room and curtseyed; at least the dress had patched up ok.
She was dressed early and Mara escorted her to the guest suites where her father had arrived the day before. Karigan had not been happy to see her father. Well, she was glad to see him of course; but she did not want her father anywhere near what could end up being a mass funeral. And to complicate matters, she had not spoken to him about her recent injuries so it was difficult to act unfazed in front of him, especially when he touched her, which he was wont to do after their long absences. Her back was still sore from the big hug he had given her yesterday. At least she had taken her dress to show him; after a bit of complaining over the creases he was making, he had let go of her quick enough. Her lips turned up at the memory of his big smile and hearty laugh.
A thud on the door and a few seconds later Stevic opened it to admit Karigan. "Karigan" he breathed, "You look as beautiful as your mother ever did". Karigan blushed. "Thanks," she murmured with pleasure.
"Your daughter sure knows how to scrub up when she wants to," chimed in Mara, drawling out the last words.
Stevic winked at her, "she learned from the best!" They all laughed.
"Well, now I have done my duty I better head back to barracks. Fergal is supplying ale tonight and I volunteered for quality control! I know, I know, I can't help being the selfless soul I am," Mara lamented, her hand thrown dramatically across her forehead. Karigan's smile faulted and she hugged her friend around the neck tightly. Mara looked at Karigan quizzically. "Don't worry I won't drink that much. I'll see you after the ball, have fun!" She waved at them both and left.
Stevic, musing on the strange ways of women, gathered his daughter under his arm. "Ready?" he asked. She took in a deep breath. "Ready," she nodded firmly.
They made their way to the ballroom and her nerves started to war with panic. Karigan gulped. Hard. What if she couldn't do this? What if…. She shook her head and smiled grimly. If she could deal with Nyssa, she could deal with Mornhaven.
Neff announced their arrival and she felt a little relieved when firstly, no one paid too much attention to them and secondly, she saw that the king had not yet arrived. She spent a few minutes on her father's arm as he met old friends. Seeing men and women who had smiled at her countless times since her childhood only further served to knot her stomach with anxiety as she was faced with yet another reminder of what they had to lose if Mornhaven won.
Fending off a rather indelicate question with regards to her lineage plans, Karigan excused herself the moment she spotted Alton. He brightened as she walked towards him. "Karigan, it is wonderful to see you!" Karigan smiled. "How did you convince the Colonel to release you from the wall?!" Alton laughed nervously. "Well, Estral pulled rank and arrived with minstrels and their various scrolls so I can't do much there at the moment. She is hoping to spend more time on the song. My father pulled rank on behalf of the clan. So here I am!" He tugged on his collar unconsciously, unused to formal dress after years at the wall base camp. Karigan made a split decision and grabbed his hand. "Come with me", she muttered and they made their way towards the balcony that had been such a memorable part of every ball experience Karigan had ever had at the castle. She turned to face him, her expression serious.
"Do you feel it?" she demanded. Alton blanched before replying without hesitation, "I feel like my body is on fire, like every nerve is on edge. What's happening?" Karigan stared at him hard. "Alton, I think tonight might be the night that Mornhaven comes." She gazed out at the blank night. "No, I don't think it. I know it; he's coming, Alton". Alton paled, matching Karigan's countenance. Her back was aching with tension. "What do we do?" Karigan thought for a moment; Laren may have insisted on secrecy but Alton's ability was to shield, which may prove useful. Plus it couldn't hurt to have extra allies tonight, right? "I don't know Alton but I think…I think I am going to need your help". She told him her plan. Hah, plan was the wrong word. A very wrong word. Since it implied that she knew what she was doing. Brief outline might be better.
At that moment the trumpets sounded. The main event. Karigan gripped Alton's arm again as he moved towards the ballroom. "Be ready," she whispered. He gripped her hand tightly and nodded, lingering for a moment before making his way through the doors to stand with the crowd. The king and queen entered with their Weapons and the ballroom fell to its knees as one. As the queen bowed her head to the crowd on her right, the king used these precious seconds to scan the room. He could not see her. His heart fell slightly when he realised what he was doing and moved his gaze straight to the balcony doors. Of course she was there. And of course she was breathtaking. Her beauty never ceased to move him, and he suspected it never would. Love and longing made her attractive to him in a way no other ever woman would; despite being a man of the world and temperate in his opinions on fate and fortune, he was quite firmly sure that she was the only woman he could ever love.
Karigan rose with the crowd and caught the king staring straight at her. She held his gaze for a moment before dipping her head in respect. When she rose her head the couple had begun greeting their guests. Karigan released a trembling sigh; so much was at stake tonight.
The banquet hall burst with merriment and music as the ball officially began. Karigan checked in on her father every so often but tried mainly to keep to the edges of the room, prepared at any moment. She saw Alton mingle with guests close to the king and the Weapons were as ever on guard. The king was in the centre of the ballroom whirling his partner to a spirited song whilst onlookers cried with delight and the other couples energetically matched his pace. Karigan's watchful eye did not falter.