Disclaimer: I don't feel like giving one. See previous 11 chapters.
:colons: are Mindspeech, [brackets] are Kamaria's thoughts, and Alain thinks in Mindspeech. Which has the unfortunate downside that Ramya knows all. *looks at what she just wrote* Gah! That sounded wrong! Stuffing it.
Muse responsible: Krathnae
---------------------------------------------
A few days later, Alain's leg was fully healed. Kamaria was again cooped up in her room.
Alain, busy with classes, couldn't come see her until late at night.
Kamaria looked out the window much of the time, worrying about the trial to come.
A knock came at Kamaria's door. Kamaria closed her eyes and waited a moment. It wasn't Alain.
She opened the door. A Herald stood there, a grim expression on his face. "The Earl's been brought to Haven. You need to testify at the trial."
Kamaria's insides went cold with dread, but she masked it and said, "I-I'll need to get ready. I can't go in this."
The Herald nodded. "I'll escort you," he said.
Kamaria and the Herald went through the corridors. Kamaria's head was buzzing. [He's here. The Earl. I-I-gods help me.]
She went into her rooms. The Herald stood guard at the door as Kamaria closed the door in her bedroom.
Kamaria opened her wardrobe. [I'm representing the Chantreas, but I'm also representing me. I am NOT wearing one of those...fluffballs that Mother adores.]
At last, Kamaria chose a royal blue gown, cut simply, with no fluffs or flounces.
It had silver embroidery on the hem and cuffs, but that would bring out Kamaria's eyes. [I forgot I had this dress.]
Kamaria climbed into it and buttoned it, then pondered her hair. [No maid, but I can pull it back and get one of the gemstone-thingies.]
She looked through her jewelry box and chose out a deep blue gem set in silver, shaped like a teardrop.
[Um. I need to represent my House somehow-this'll be worse than being presented to the Queen.]
Kamaria looked through her box again. [No necklaces, no bracelets-the dress is high-necked and long-sleeved anyway. But a ring...]
At last, at the very bottom of her box, she found the Chantrea signet, a crescent moon (AN: heehee. More moon references.) behind a slender rearing cat.
Kamaria slipped it onto her left middle finger and looked in the mirror.
A pale, frightened girl stared back.
Kamaria straightened her shoulders and lifted her head. She could almost hear her father instructing her on how to move through the Court. ["Never let them know you are afraid, even if you are scared to your bones. They will turn to you in times of trouble, because they will know you are unshakable. You will gather more allies by being strong than in showing your weakness-and weaknesses are opportunities for the enemy to strike."]
Kamaria's father had been a great military leader, retiring after his firstborn son turned five.
Kamaria walked deliberately out to her sitting room. "I am ready," she said to the Herald, her voice steady.
Alain, too, was preparing himself. :Kamaria-she'll need me. I don't know how long she can hold out. Besides, I need to testify.:
:I'm right behind you,: said Ramya grimly. :No one harms my Chosen and gets away with it.
Alain straightened his Formal Grays, then marched from his room to the trial.
Kamaria stood at her plinth, looking out at the audience. To her surprise, her father had arrived in the night and was sitting up front, watching her.
Kamaria looked up at the Herald acting as judge. She seemed to be waiting-
And Alain came through the door. Relief that she wouldn't have to go through this alone rushed through Kamaria like a flood, and she smiled at Alain.
Alain was looking back at her. :That dress does flatter her-she's a wonder at the Court games. The color-ah, wise, she chose Valdemar's colors-silver and blue.:
:Wise indeed,: agreed Ramya, :Now pay attention!:
Alain shot a look at the Earl Domanda Frethatsa. The Earl was in his House colors of yellow and green, looking arrogant and utterly sure of himself.
:Not for long,: said Ramya.
Alain walked up the steps and joined Kamaria at her plinth.
[Those Formal Grays-they really look good on him,] thought Kamaria, then turned her full attention to the task at hand.
"We are gathered here today-" began the Herald.
Alain only half-listened. Instead, he was scanning the crowd.
His face landed on a man watching Kamaria in the first row. :Wait. I remember him-isn't he General Garethe?: he asked Ramya.
:Now he's Lord Garethe Chantrea-Kamaria's father. He's ridden for three straight days to make it here in time.: answered Ramya.
"Earl Frethatsa and Lady Chantrea, you stand guilty of arranging a marriage for Lady Kamaria Chantrea against her will."
The Earl gave the impression of lounging on his plinth. "I am guilty as charged," he said, somehow sneering as he respectfully addressed the Herald.
Lady Amaya, sitting on her chair where she had been having vapors, blew her nose delicately and said, "But Kamaria is so-so firebrained, and she had to be settled down. The Earl has such a high standing, and is on the Council, too!"
Kamaria flinched. Alain felt a strong sympathy for her. That her own mother would betray her like this!
He took her left hand in a strong grip, sending reassurance down the lifebond. Kamaria squeezed back, gently.
In the front row, Lord Garethe grinned. His daughter was holding her own.
He didn't mind the lifebond at all-Alain looked a nice enough boy, and he was going to be a Herald, to boot.
Silently, he cheered Kamaria on. He was going to have to talk to his wife.
"Lady Amaya, you will answer the question!" barked the Herald. "Did you or did you not arrange a marriage without your daughter's knowledge or consent?"
Lady Amaya Chantrea fluttered a bit more, then conceded sullenly. "I did."
The Herald now turned to Kamaria and Alain.
Kamaria's stomach was fluttering as though in a high wind, but she managed to keep her calm façade. With Alain beside her, she would be fine.
"Lady Kamaria," said the Herald, more gently, "did you have any knowledge of this marriage, or your lifebond to Trainee Alain?"
Kamaria took a breath, then began, "I didn't know anything about the marriage until my mother told me at breakfast two weeks ago. I didn't learn about the lifebond until we were kidnapped and Alain wrote it in a note."
"A note?" questioned the Herald. "Would you elaborate?"
Alain said, "In the tower, there was an ornamental bow on the wall. I know it sounds cliché, but I decided to use the old tie-a-note-to-an-arrow gambit. I used the arrow-code, the colors for treachery, danger, and to send another Herald. Then I wrote a note and tied it to the arrow. It couldn't hurt."
The Herald nodded. "Do you still possess the arrow?"
One of the witnesses stepped forth-the Herald which had rescued them. "I've got it. It is as he said."
She laid the arrow before the judge, then went back to her seat. The Herald-judge picked it up, looked it over, and set it down.
The Earl's face was going through an interesting transformation. He hissed, "Tel, you nitwit, I told you to remove that bow!"
"You will be silent, Earl Frethatsa," said the Herald, coldly.
"Were either of you wounded in the escape?" she asked.
Alain answered, "Well, the rope was cut, so I broke my leg, a knife wedged itself into my boot, so my ankle was bleeding, and an arrow got me in the same leg. Other than that, we both had rope burns, but they've healed."
The Herald turned to the Earl. "Earl Domanda Frethatsa, you have formerly been charged with adultery against your own wife, inducing her to commit suicide. You are further charged of arranging a marriage to one of a lifebonded couple against her will, kidnap of a noble and a Heraldic Trainee, and the wounding of the aforementioned Heraldic Trainee."
The Earl's sneer was wiped off his face. Kamaria squeezed Alain's hand.
"Earl Frethatsa, with the power of the Heraldic Court, I strip you of your Council position. For your punishment..."
The Herald thought for a moment. "Well, as there's never been a case like this before, you, Earl Frethatsa, will be a stable hand for four years. You begin today."
(AN: Herald Mistylenna, here ya go!)
The Earl's face went whiter than Kamaria's.
"And for you, Lady Amaya-" the judge began.
Lord Garethe stood in the front row. "Herald, I would like to make a request."
The Herald nodded. "Since Lady Amaya is my wife, I would like to take her home and let her live quietly on the Chantrea estate. This happened entirely without my knowledge, and I am extremely displeased."
The judge nodded, then slapped her gavel on her desk. "Case dismissed!"
Kamaria's knees sagged. It was over. Over.
The Earl recovered himself and stalked over to Kamaria's plinth, hands balled into fists. "You've made me a stablehand, girl!" he spat at Kamaria.
Kamaria drew herself up and somehow looked down on him. "If you had not manipulated my mother, it would never have happened in the first place."
The Earl glared at her. Kamaria began wavering, though on the outside, she appeared calm.
The Earl said, "(censored cause I wanna keep this outta the R range) girl!"
Kamaria's face went white. That is, whiter than usual.
Alain was shocked. Even when he had traveled in his father's caravan, there had been only one wagon driver who used such words.
The strain was beginning to show on Kamaria's face, though she tried valiantly to keep her impassive expression.
:Go on, Alain. She'll break if you don't.: said Ramya.
Clearly, he was supposed to swear back at the Earl.
But-he was going to be a Herald, and Heralds had to be neutral.
Alain smiled to himself, then did the completely unexpected.
He slid an arm around Kamaria's waist, turned her so he was blocking her from the Earl, and kissed her thoroughly.
Even Ramya didn't say anything.
The Earl's face went purple, but what could he do?
In the fast-dwindling audience, Lord Garethe grinned so widely his face seemed to be split in two.
--------------------------------------
Heeheehee! No, it's NOT going to end there!
Aren't they sweet?
Who gets chocolate Dutch tart today? (It's sorta like chocolate pie.)
WolfChild: Yell softly, we don't wanna interrupt them...:P
Cassie-bear01: Exactly. Masks, masks, masks. Fun.
Herald-Mage Brianna: Right. *clears throat* You'd have to go against four extremely annoyed (and violent) muses, Kamaria and Alain, (cause I've gotta finish writing this,) Senashenta, RonethDragon Tiamat and her various dragon muses, etcetera-cat and her alter-egos, (This is if she tried to kill me cause of my annoying not-revealing-about-Choosing-Kamaria gambit), Gravity Girl, (aka Iceshadow,) Nutella, (don't ask) Spiritdance, Windsong, Earthcall, and Starshadow (my friends), several of Iceshadow's characters, and Asta, who's in another fic, has sworn to do no violence, but can drive people stark raving mad by talking about ethics!
Fergiaj: Glad to know you approve!
Herald Susie: He thanks you.
Kyalia: Heehee, no promises...*ducks sporks*
Wyntyr: Aww, thanks! *huggles*
As always, review!
Thankees!
~Fireblade and muses
:colons: are Mindspeech, [brackets] are Kamaria's thoughts, and Alain thinks in Mindspeech. Which has the unfortunate downside that Ramya knows all. *looks at what she just wrote* Gah! That sounded wrong! Stuffing it.
Muse responsible: Krathnae
---------------------------------------------
A few days later, Alain's leg was fully healed. Kamaria was again cooped up in her room.
Alain, busy with classes, couldn't come see her until late at night.
Kamaria looked out the window much of the time, worrying about the trial to come.
A knock came at Kamaria's door. Kamaria closed her eyes and waited a moment. It wasn't Alain.
She opened the door. A Herald stood there, a grim expression on his face. "The Earl's been brought to Haven. You need to testify at the trial."
Kamaria's insides went cold with dread, but she masked it and said, "I-I'll need to get ready. I can't go in this."
The Herald nodded. "I'll escort you," he said.
Kamaria and the Herald went through the corridors. Kamaria's head was buzzing. [He's here. The Earl. I-I-gods help me.]
She went into her rooms. The Herald stood guard at the door as Kamaria closed the door in her bedroom.
Kamaria opened her wardrobe. [I'm representing the Chantreas, but I'm also representing me. I am NOT wearing one of those...fluffballs that Mother adores.]
At last, Kamaria chose a royal blue gown, cut simply, with no fluffs or flounces.
It had silver embroidery on the hem and cuffs, but that would bring out Kamaria's eyes. [I forgot I had this dress.]
Kamaria climbed into it and buttoned it, then pondered her hair. [No maid, but I can pull it back and get one of the gemstone-thingies.]
She looked through her jewelry box and chose out a deep blue gem set in silver, shaped like a teardrop.
[Um. I need to represent my House somehow-this'll be worse than being presented to the Queen.]
Kamaria looked through her box again. [No necklaces, no bracelets-the dress is high-necked and long-sleeved anyway. But a ring...]
At last, at the very bottom of her box, she found the Chantrea signet, a crescent moon (AN: heehee. More moon references.) behind a slender rearing cat.
Kamaria slipped it onto her left middle finger and looked in the mirror.
A pale, frightened girl stared back.
Kamaria straightened her shoulders and lifted her head. She could almost hear her father instructing her on how to move through the Court. ["Never let them know you are afraid, even if you are scared to your bones. They will turn to you in times of trouble, because they will know you are unshakable. You will gather more allies by being strong than in showing your weakness-and weaknesses are opportunities for the enemy to strike."]
Kamaria's father had been a great military leader, retiring after his firstborn son turned five.
Kamaria walked deliberately out to her sitting room. "I am ready," she said to the Herald, her voice steady.
Alain, too, was preparing himself. :Kamaria-she'll need me. I don't know how long she can hold out. Besides, I need to testify.:
:I'm right behind you,: said Ramya grimly. :No one harms my Chosen and gets away with it.
Alain straightened his Formal Grays, then marched from his room to the trial.
Kamaria stood at her plinth, looking out at the audience. To her surprise, her father had arrived in the night and was sitting up front, watching her.
Kamaria looked up at the Herald acting as judge. She seemed to be waiting-
And Alain came through the door. Relief that she wouldn't have to go through this alone rushed through Kamaria like a flood, and she smiled at Alain.
Alain was looking back at her. :That dress does flatter her-she's a wonder at the Court games. The color-ah, wise, she chose Valdemar's colors-silver and blue.:
:Wise indeed,: agreed Ramya, :Now pay attention!:
Alain shot a look at the Earl Domanda Frethatsa. The Earl was in his House colors of yellow and green, looking arrogant and utterly sure of himself.
:Not for long,: said Ramya.
Alain walked up the steps and joined Kamaria at her plinth.
[Those Formal Grays-they really look good on him,] thought Kamaria, then turned her full attention to the task at hand.
"We are gathered here today-" began the Herald.
Alain only half-listened. Instead, he was scanning the crowd.
His face landed on a man watching Kamaria in the first row. :Wait. I remember him-isn't he General Garethe?: he asked Ramya.
:Now he's Lord Garethe Chantrea-Kamaria's father. He's ridden for three straight days to make it here in time.: answered Ramya.
"Earl Frethatsa and Lady Chantrea, you stand guilty of arranging a marriage for Lady Kamaria Chantrea against her will."
The Earl gave the impression of lounging on his plinth. "I am guilty as charged," he said, somehow sneering as he respectfully addressed the Herald.
Lady Amaya, sitting on her chair where she had been having vapors, blew her nose delicately and said, "But Kamaria is so-so firebrained, and she had to be settled down. The Earl has such a high standing, and is on the Council, too!"
Kamaria flinched. Alain felt a strong sympathy for her. That her own mother would betray her like this!
He took her left hand in a strong grip, sending reassurance down the lifebond. Kamaria squeezed back, gently.
In the front row, Lord Garethe grinned. His daughter was holding her own.
He didn't mind the lifebond at all-Alain looked a nice enough boy, and he was going to be a Herald, to boot.
Silently, he cheered Kamaria on. He was going to have to talk to his wife.
"Lady Amaya, you will answer the question!" barked the Herald. "Did you or did you not arrange a marriage without your daughter's knowledge or consent?"
Lady Amaya Chantrea fluttered a bit more, then conceded sullenly. "I did."
The Herald now turned to Kamaria and Alain.
Kamaria's stomach was fluttering as though in a high wind, but she managed to keep her calm façade. With Alain beside her, she would be fine.
"Lady Kamaria," said the Herald, more gently, "did you have any knowledge of this marriage, or your lifebond to Trainee Alain?"
Kamaria took a breath, then began, "I didn't know anything about the marriage until my mother told me at breakfast two weeks ago. I didn't learn about the lifebond until we were kidnapped and Alain wrote it in a note."
"A note?" questioned the Herald. "Would you elaborate?"
Alain said, "In the tower, there was an ornamental bow on the wall. I know it sounds cliché, but I decided to use the old tie-a-note-to-an-arrow gambit. I used the arrow-code, the colors for treachery, danger, and to send another Herald. Then I wrote a note and tied it to the arrow. It couldn't hurt."
The Herald nodded. "Do you still possess the arrow?"
One of the witnesses stepped forth-the Herald which had rescued them. "I've got it. It is as he said."
She laid the arrow before the judge, then went back to her seat. The Herald-judge picked it up, looked it over, and set it down.
The Earl's face was going through an interesting transformation. He hissed, "Tel, you nitwit, I told you to remove that bow!"
"You will be silent, Earl Frethatsa," said the Herald, coldly.
"Were either of you wounded in the escape?" she asked.
Alain answered, "Well, the rope was cut, so I broke my leg, a knife wedged itself into my boot, so my ankle was bleeding, and an arrow got me in the same leg. Other than that, we both had rope burns, but they've healed."
The Herald turned to the Earl. "Earl Domanda Frethatsa, you have formerly been charged with adultery against your own wife, inducing her to commit suicide. You are further charged of arranging a marriage to one of a lifebonded couple against her will, kidnap of a noble and a Heraldic Trainee, and the wounding of the aforementioned Heraldic Trainee."
The Earl's sneer was wiped off his face. Kamaria squeezed Alain's hand.
"Earl Frethatsa, with the power of the Heraldic Court, I strip you of your Council position. For your punishment..."
The Herald thought for a moment. "Well, as there's never been a case like this before, you, Earl Frethatsa, will be a stable hand for four years. You begin today."
(AN: Herald Mistylenna, here ya go!)
The Earl's face went whiter than Kamaria's.
"And for you, Lady Amaya-" the judge began.
Lord Garethe stood in the front row. "Herald, I would like to make a request."
The Herald nodded. "Since Lady Amaya is my wife, I would like to take her home and let her live quietly on the Chantrea estate. This happened entirely without my knowledge, and I am extremely displeased."
The judge nodded, then slapped her gavel on her desk. "Case dismissed!"
Kamaria's knees sagged. It was over. Over.
The Earl recovered himself and stalked over to Kamaria's plinth, hands balled into fists. "You've made me a stablehand, girl!" he spat at Kamaria.
Kamaria drew herself up and somehow looked down on him. "If you had not manipulated my mother, it would never have happened in the first place."
The Earl glared at her. Kamaria began wavering, though on the outside, she appeared calm.
The Earl said, "(censored cause I wanna keep this outta the R range) girl!"
Kamaria's face went white. That is, whiter than usual.
Alain was shocked. Even when he had traveled in his father's caravan, there had been only one wagon driver who used such words.
The strain was beginning to show on Kamaria's face, though she tried valiantly to keep her impassive expression.
:Go on, Alain. She'll break if you don't.: said Ramya.
Clearly, he was supposed to swear back at the Earl.
But-he was going to be a Herald, and Heralds had to be neutral.
Alain smiled to himself, then did the completely unexpected.
He slid an arm around Kamaria's waist, turned her so he was blocking her from the Earl, and kissed her thoroughly.
Even Ramya didn't say anything.
The Earl's face went purple, but what could he do?
In the fast-dwindling audience, Lord Garethe grinned so widely his face seemed to be split in two.
--------------------------------------
Heeheehee! No, it's NOT going to end there!
Aren't they sweet?
Who gets chocolate Dutch tart today? (It's sorta like chocolate pie.)
WolfChild: Yell softly, we don't wanna interrupt them...:P
Cassie-bear01: Exactly. Masks, masks, masks. Fun.
Herald-Mage Brianna: Right. *clears throat* You'd have to go against four extremely annoyed (and violent) muses, Kamaria and Alain, (cause I've gotta finish writing this,) Senashenta, RonethDragon Tiamat and her various dragon muses, etcetera-cat and her alter-egos, (This is if she tried to kill me cause of my annoying not-revealing-about-Choosing-Kamaria gambit), Gravity Girl, (aka Iceshadow,) Nutella, (don't ask) Spiritdance, Windsong, Earthcall, and Starshadow (my friends), several of Iceshadow's characters, and Asta, who's in another fic, has sworn to do no violence, but can drive people stark raving mad by talking about ethics!
Fergiaj: Glad to know you approve!
Herald Susie: He thanks you.
Kyalia: Heehee, no promises...*ducks sporks*
Wyntyr: Aww, thanks! *huggles*
As always, review!
Thankees!
~Fireblade and muses