OHHH! I love this chapter. I hope you guys do too! Don't forget to review! Oh, and before I forget, Torah's full titles are: Queen Toralina the Heartbreaker of Lightning, Conte, and Olau. Goddess of Winter. So, yes she still gets to keep her favorite title of Heartbreaker! Ha ha!
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It was Saturday, much to Torah's relief. The young woman quickly dressed in a corset and a summer green gown. She ran out of door, unaware that she had no shoes on. She ran back into her room a minute later to grab a pair of slippers. She swore loudly when she stubbed her toe while attempting to hop down the hall, trying to get her shoes on her feet. She heard a giggle behind her. She turned and glared at Lila.
"Stop scowling, Torah. It's going to give you wrinkles." Lila said trying, and failing to keep her face straight. Torah rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out. Lila caught up to her, and the two girls made their way down to breakfast.
"Why are you all dressed up?" Torah asked, raising an eyebrow at Lila's pink gown. Lila smiled brightly.
"I'm going down to the palace to see Jakkin today. He is so handsome!" Lila fluttered her eyelashes. Torah rolled her eyes, unaware that that's what she used to act like. Lila stopped daydreaming to look at Torah. "Why are you dressed so fancy?"
Torah smiled and posed like one of the Players would. "I like looking beautiful, although I would look gorgeous in anything." Lila giggled. Torah sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Fine, if you must know, I'm going to the palace to go on a picnic with Jakkin. He invited me to go with you guys."
Lila stopped. "He did not!" Torah tried to cover her smirk, but was too late. Before she could stop laughing, Lila had drawn her fan and was now attempting to smack Torah with it. Torah wiped her tears of mirth away and reached into her own sash to grab hers.
When the two girls entered the mess hall, they were all disheveled. Everyone turned to look at them. Lila stuck her tongue out at the table of gaping young men and went to grab two trays as Torah fixed their appearances with magic. After sitting down, Lila took a piece of bread and dipped it in her porridge. Torah, who wasn't very hungry, rolled her eyes and pulled her bread apart into several small pieces. Lila raised an eyebrow. Torah grinned back.
She flicked the first one up towards where Thom sat. Instead of hitting him, it fell short and hit Gemelle of Kennan in the head. Lila opened her mouth in shock as the girl turned around and glared at the surrounding tables. Torah elbowed Lila in the ribs and glared at her. Lila nodded.
The rest of breakfast was spent by flicking bread crumbs at an agitated Gemelle. Torah and Lila were just about to flick their last ones, when a voice whispered in their ears, "Having fun?" Lila yelped, and Torah jumped up, knocking over the table in the process. Gemelle's friend Felcia of Mae's Mountain stood there glaring. She was soaked in the porridge that Torah had knocked over. Lila grabbed Torah by the hand and pulled her out of the room. Torah threw a napkin to Felcia, shouting, "Dry yourself off, dear." She mocked Gemelle's voice.
Torah ran into her rooms to grab the book about weather queens. She was going to show it to her mother. She wanted to know why she had been named Toralina. Could it just be a mistake?
She found her parents in the first place she looked; the practice courts. She ignored the boys' whistles and cries of, "Heartbreaker!" It seemed a long time ago that she would have encouraged them to whistle at her. Torah smiled slightly; it seemed that she was growing up.
"Ma!" She yelled. Three figures came out of the practice courts. Torah gave her mother and father a hug. She groaned as Jakkin hugged her tightly. "I do need to breathe, you know!" She yelled at him. Jakkin let her go at once.
"That's all well and good, fair lady, but could you please tell me where my lovely Lila is? It seems that she has not come. I wonder-" He broke off as Lila rammed into him. Before he could protest the hard blow, Lila's lips had met his own. Torah grinned and turned away.
A dark-haired boy of around fourteen yelled, "Get a room!" He turned to Torah and grinned. Torah smiled back at her friend, Prince Jassikam. Before Jassikam could say anything to her, Liano came into the courts followed by Lani and Ani. Liano nodded curtly to Torah and winked. Ani and Lani waved and started to practice.
Torah turned back to her mother. "Ma, I need to talk to you."
Kali grinned. "You've been needing to talk to me a lot lately."
Torah giggled. "I think my life's been getting more complicated lately. Can we talk in your rooms, please?"
Kali nodded and turned to whisper something in her husband's ear. He nodded back to her, and Kali took Torah's arm and pulled her up to her rooms. The two women sat down on the bed. Torah wordlessly handed the weather queen book to her mother.
"You can read it later. Just look at the names of the queens and goddesses. Look at the pictures." Torah explained as her mother opened it.
Kali turned to the last chapter. She glanced at the pictures in the back of four girls. The first girl wore a lavender dress and had tight golden curls that fell just past her shoulders. That was the Cloud Queen and Spring Goddess Ankita. The second girl in the picture was a red-head. The Thunder Queen and Summer Goddess, Paelinne wore a green dress, well, not much of a dress. She wore a lime green breast band with golden embroidery. She wore a long, soft skirt in the same color. The next girl was seated. She had brown hair that fell to her hips in straight locks. She was the only girl who looked serious. Her dress was red and covered most of her body, unlike her sisters. That could only be Zerana, the third eldest. Kali's gaze, however, fell on the last girl. She was standing behind her sisters. She wore a blue-white gown and was grinning. She had bright purple eyes and long curly black hair. It was the exact picture of Torah.
Kali smiled sadly. She put her arms around her daughter. Torah looked up at her, shocked. "You aren't even surprised. Why not?"
Kali sighed. "I knew."
Torah stood up. "What?!"
Kali sighed. "Sit down, Toralina." Torah winced at the sound of her full name, but she knew that Kali wasn't mad, but sad. She obeyed. "Torah, it's time that I tell you about your birth."
Torah raised an eyebrow, but didn't interrupt. Kali continued. "A year after Liam and I had been married, I was out riding. It was after dark. I was sitting by my fire, eating, when I heard a noise. The Goddess and four little girls came into view. Three of the little girls looked very bored. One looked very excited. The Goddess asked me if I would give birth to her daughter. I agreed. It would be a folly to refuse the Goddess. The excited little girl stood in front of her mother. The Goddess did some sort of magic, and she was gone, and I was pregnant. I was pregnant for nine months, as you know. One day in the middle of April, I was sitting in my room reading. The Goddess came in and asked me to name my little girl Toralina. I agreed. I had you the next day."
Torah wiped a tear off of her cheek. "So you aren't my mother?"
Kali glared. "Of course I am! I'm the one who gave birth to you! I think that that makes you my daughter!"
Torah grinned. "I was hoping that you agreed with me! Thanks for always being there for me!"
Kali was also crying now. "Thanks for letting me!" She whispered back. "Will you remember you're mother when you're a goddess? You'd better come and visit me in the Peaceful Realms every so often, or I'll become an old restless soul!"
Torah laughed. "Of course I will! You could come live in my ice palace!"
"I'd like that!" Kali said. "But for now, why don't you get ready for next week? You should look like a beauty for the balls."
Torah rolled her eyes. She wasn't looking forward to Midwinter this year. She hoped that she'd be able to escape early.
A week later, Torah was dressed in a royal blue gown. She wore blue paint over her eyes, which were violet, as it was winter. She groaned when she saw that was one of the 'lucky' ladies who got to be escorted down the stairs by handsome young knights. She rolled her eyes when she saw who her escort was. Jassikam must have asked her parents if he could escort her.
The herald from downstairs yelled, "Prince Jassikam of Conte, Squire to the Realm of Tortall and Lady Toralina of Conte and Olau."
The two of them walked down the stairs talking, even though they weren't supposed to. Jassikam was complaining how much he hated balls. Torah snorted, louder than she had intended to. The king glanced up at them, frowning slightly. Queen Shinko's eyes crinkled. Torah and Jassikam couldn't even talk, they were laughing so loud.
Roald smiled at the laughing pair. "Lady Toralina, maybe next time you should refrain from laughing. Jassikam, do not encourage her."
Torah gave her curtsy and Jassikam gave a bow. They seated themselves in seats near the front. Torah was still laughing when the herald introduced the last man and lady presented at Court. Both doors were opened, indicating visiting royalty. Torah stopped laughing as soon as she heard the herald's voice say, "Prince Zamar of Carthak, and Princess Faziah of Carthak."
Roald stood up to embrace his niece and nephew. "Welcome my Niece and Nephew. We hope that you enjoy your visit in Tortall. Please, have a seat. May you always grace our halls, Princess Faziah."
The sister and brother gave a curtsy and bow. Roald nodded to two chair by Liano's. Liano stood and kissed her cousins' on each cheek. "Cousins." She greeted them. "Welcome to Tortall. It has been too long." Torah ducked down as Zamar's eyes searched for her.
Torah winced and left the room. She couldn't think about Zamar. He wasn't supposed to be there! She didn't want to talk to him! Why couldn't he understand that Torah didn't love him? Why couldn't he understand that she didn't want to hurt him?
Torah made her way to a balcony. She sat down on a bench. She closed her eyes and breathed in the smells of the sweet roses and lilies. They looked beautiful by the moonlight. She shook her head, ridding herself of thoughts.
She climbed and stood on the railing of the balcony, ready to jump. A tear trickled down her face. She bent down…
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Wow, am I mean! I'm sorry, but if you review the next chapter will be up faster than ASAP! That doesn't even make sense. Oh well, just review!!! Oh, and last time…Who should Torah end up with??? Rikash or Zamar? I am pretty sure that it's going to be Rikash, but it's going to be hard for him and Torah. What should Zamar's reaction be? Or should it be the other way???