Disclaimer: I don't own Mercedes Lackey's ideas. OK? But if you steal my characters, you will shortly thereafter wish you had never been born.
Thoughts and :Mindspeech:
And this takes place in...hmmm...about 150 years before Lavan, which is also 250 years after Vanyel dies. Only one disadvantage about this nice empty space on the timeline: I have to make up every character unless they're in a legend!
Muse responsible: Krathnae
Oh, and welcome to Big!Fat!Revamp! number two!
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The events of the morning left Kamaria at somewhat less than her normally-functioning level. Luckily, the Court's stiff formality allowed her to keep her well-practiced mask firmly in place, for no further interaction was truly required beyond the polite-well, at least at these types of functions, which happened to bore Kamaria nearly beyond what was bearable. Today, however, the distraction of the previous candlemark or so allowed her to drift through the day as if in a dream, slightly dazed by the encounter. Two things kept her anchored to reality, however-one, the careful consideration of the normal jockeying for favor, and two, the sheer weight of the ridiculous dress Lady Amaya had insisted Kamaria wear.
She felt ridiculous. It had fluffs and flounces, not to mention an enormous hoop skirt, which was the fashion now-and Amaya would never hear of her family dressed in anything less than the finest-but it was incredibly uncomfortable, and Kamaria envied the boys their breeches. At least her mother had allowed her to stay in pale blue, instead of the bright colors she looked so ridiculous in!
The one aspect of this getup Kamaria did like was the slim sliver chain with an opal pendant. It was braided into her hair so the stone rested on her forehead-another current style, and one that was rather beautiful, at that.
Kamaria stifled a sigh as one of her "friends", or rather, someone Amaya had told her to be friends with, said something that could possibly be interpreted as funny, but mostly was interpreted, at least in Kamaria's mind, as "bloody stupid." This afternoon-for this socializing had gone on all day! could not possibly be more boring.
Kamaria
let her gaze wander over the afternoon Court, and blinked as she
spotted several gray-clad figures moved among the nobles, serving
drinks and food. Where were the pages? Unless Kamaria was much
mistaken, Valdemar's colors were still silver and
blue…
Enlightenment dawned as her eye found a familiar face,
currently in profile to her, as Alain nodded politely to a noble
Kamaria didn't know. They're Trainees, she thought, But
why are they here?
Just then, Alain looked up-and upon seeing her, smiled and winked.Kamaria blinked in surprise as Alain then jerked his head towards her peers and rolled his eyes, shrugging sympathetically.
Clearly, he found this as boring as she did.
Kamaria flicked her eyes upwards and shrugged slightly in answer, and, stifling the envy she felt, turned back to her "friends."
Of course, the fact that she could barely stand them merely aggravated her boredom. Not to mention that pain was still twisting at her heart insistently…she tried to keep her Court mask in place, but it began to slip, slightly, and some of Kamaria's emotion showed on her face.
Luckily, Vanessah, whose name meant "butterfly" and whose personality was identically fluttery, was telling what was probably meant to be a sad story about how one of her beaus had "betrayed her," so it was appropriate to look slightly sad at the moment. Kamaria actually couldn't care less-Vanessah was known to be unfaithful herself, and so she felt more sympathy for the young man, but…well, Vanessah's mother was a friend of Kamaria's mother, and she would never hear the end of it if somehow she offended the twit.
"Would you prefer the wine or the fruit juice, Lady Kamaria Aysel Selena Chantrea?" asked a perfectly polite male voice from her elbow, though there was an undertone of teasing beneath the title. Startled-she hadn't heard anyone beside her-Kamaria glanced to the side, and at last truly smiled, for Alain's own grin was infectious.
"Fruit juice, thank you," she said, somehow keeping from a chuckle. For some inexplicable reason, just seeing the Heraldic Trainee made Kamaria feel better. Alain handed her a goblet with a slight bow, and Kamaria accepted with a nod.
Instead of leaving to circle the gathering again, however, Alain remained at Kamaria's elbow, looking rather out-of-place among the ornately designed dresses in his gray uniform. Kamaria sipped at the goblet of juice, wondering why he was staying-
She soon had her answer. Alain murmured quietly, under cover of offering his tray to the girl next to Kamaria, "This is part of our training so we can learn about politics. Frankly, I've never been so bored in my life."
Kamaria nodded fervently, forgetting the others in the group she was speaking to for the moment. Well, at least until Vanessah sniffed haughtily and said, "Why are you talking to him, Kami? He's just a Heraldic Trainee-why bother?"
A look of hurt flashed over Alain's face, and Kamaria felt a sudden surge of emotion-more than her usual defense of the Heralds. The girl was almost dizzy for a moment with the pure strength of the anger at the insult, and she rose instantly to Alain's defense, as if compelled-drawing herself up in fury. Kamaria considered several options of retaliation, none of them diplomatic, but all of them surely satisfying. She didn't even spare a thought as to why she was impelled to defend Alain as her inner tension snapped and Kamaria threw her drink into Vanessah's stunned face.
Drawing herself to her full height-which, admittedly, was barely taller than the short Vanessah, her eyes chill silver, Kamaria hissed, "How dare you insult a Heraldic Trainee? They are the ones who guard Valdemar, dispense justice, and hold them together, and yet you have the nerve to call him 'just' a Trainee? When you have done as much as they for Valdemar, then you can insult the Heralds to your hearts content, but until you do, leave them alone!"
Kamaria glared venomously at Vanessah, still bristling with the insult, and still not even wondering why she had reacted so strongly. The other noble stared slack-jawed at Kamaria, as did-she belatedly realized-just about everyone else in the room, including Alain, who looked mystified-and yet, grateful.
Slowly, the realization of what she had just done sunk into Kamaria's mind, and her own jaw dropped in surprise. Before anyone could respond, Kamaria closed her mouth, gathered what dignity she had left, and fled the room at a pace just short of a sprint.
In the corridors, Kamaria slowed her pace to a smooth glide as she replayed the event in her mind. She managed to make it to her rooms before collapsing on a chair, staring blankly into space.
What on earth was that back there? Why did I-I mean, she insulted the Heralds, but normally I would have just-
Why did I do that
One of her dress's flounces, which had a button in the center, was digging into Kamaria's ribs. She stood, went into her rooms, and took off the dress, putting on the breeches and shirt of the morning. Kamaria wasn't going anywhere, anyway-and she might as well be comfortable as she waited for the repercussions of her actions.
Comfortable at last, she sat on her windowsill and dangled a leg out, still trying to puzzle out her actions. Why had she defended Alain with such an extreme reaction? Why had she felt so strongly, when Kamaria hadn't even suspected that depth of emotion? Moreover, why these feelings for someone she had barely even met?
The sun slid down in the west, but as the darkness settled over the gardens, there was no untangling of Kamaria's thoughts.
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There is Big!Fat!Rewrite! chapter two! I hope you're appreciating and enjoying this, because it's harder than it looks! I still think it's a bit simplistic, but hey, that's just me! I'm just going to leave the reviewer-notes as they are.
Senashenta: Mmmm...interesting theory, but incorrect. (
Etcetera-cat: So far, the random Companions have only made it to Companion's Field. They're indignant about being booted. And what would Kamaria do with so many? I like angst festivals.
Midnight.Star: Here's your update! And are you calling my muses sane? That would be nice. Unfortunately, they're not sane, you just haven't seen them at their most deranged. -gets kicked in stomach by Scheherezade-
Cat: Thank you!
Ola: Alain...would be who? I'm not telling you anything more, you just have to, as Robert Jordan says, RAFO! (Read And Find Out)
Aristel: I'm not promising one way or the other. I have to see which direction my muses boot me.
-Fireblade K'Chona