Disclaimer: Velgarth is to me what Frodo Baggins is to my friend Megan. I don't own Velgarth, she doesn't own Frodo. (She hasn't even read/seen LOTR.)
Muse responsible: Krathnae.
Well, we are back to Like the Moon! Welcome back!
Lessee...on the journey from Haven to the Chantrea Estate, nothing much happened...Lirite teased Alain and Kamaria until they started ignoring her, each night at a Waystation Ramya and Sitara asked if they weren't sure they wanted to sleep on separate cots, and Lirite mysteriously found her saddlebags and instruments hanging from a tree one day. innocence She stopped teasing after that.
That's about it...
And I have discovered QuickEdit. I will use it sometime. But that sometime is not now. When I have a long day ahead of me and nothing to do, I'll go through everything and edit. I am also planning a rewrite of Hindsight and Clans, and I have done a minor rewrite of Wings. Yup.
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The two Companions and single horse paused on a rise in the road. The Chantrea fortress had a small river at its back, and a moat along the front. Sprawling fields and orchards covered the rest of the grounds, as well as a village not far from the fortress itself. Kamaria smiled at her old home.
At the moment it was snowing lightly, so Chantrea castle looked like it was made of silver rather than dark stone. Even at this distance, they could see some of the carvings that adorned the walls of the fortress- defensibility combined with beauty.
"Welcome to Chantrea castle," said Kamaria, at last. Lirite said, "Let's get moving. I'm freezing."
As the roan moved forward, Alain and Kamaria exchanged a glance. :She feels the cold,: said Alain at last through Mindspeech. Kamaria shrugged and lightly touched her heels to Sitara's sides.
They were at the gate shortly, and the three Trainees sat straight in their saddles as they passed under the portcullis. Both Kamaria and Alain had donned Formal Grays for the last leg of their journey, though Kamaria looked rather odd with the blue cloak, and Lirite was in her Journeyman Scarlets.
Two stablemen came towards them. One held Suarna for Lirite as the Bard dismounted, the other bowed to Kamaria and Alain and waited. "If you'll follow me, ladies," he said to Ramya and Sitara, "I have a mash heated up nice."
Sitara's ears perked and her head swiveled towards the groom. Kamaria sighed. "Give Sitara plenty," she said to the groom, glancing heavenward, "And be prepared for her to eat you out of the stables."
The groom chuckled as Kamaria gently smacked her Companion. Sitara gave Kamaria a dignified look, not deigning to speak to her Chosen, and minced after the groom.
:Show-off,: said Ramya, plainly audible to both Trainees. Sitara bumped her deliberately with her shoulder and looked innocent.
"Here's the welcoming committee," said Alain, staring behind Kamaria. Kamaria turned.
Lord Garethe was there, smiling at his daughter, as well as Amaya and Kamaria's younger siblings-three brothers and a sister. Aysel-Kamaria's only sister, and the youngest-ran towards Kamaria, laughing. "Kamawia!" the six-year-old shouted happily as Kamaria scooped her up. "Missed you," Aysel said, sternly, looking at Kamaria before wrapping her arms around Kamaria's neck.
Kamaria set her down after a moment and turned to her younger brothers, Favian and Feleti, the twins, and Mandel, only a year younger than Kamaria. All three greeted their older sister with broad grins and hugs, sandwiching her between the three until she begged for mercy.
"Is Sivan still on the border?" Kamaria asked, naming the last sibling- Garethe's firstborn and Kamaria's elder brother.
Garethe came forward for his embrace now. "He is," said Garethe, squeezing Kamaria gently, then releasing her, "And he's doing a fine job of command."
"He takes after you, then," replied Kamaria, grinning. Garethe smiled. "I taught him well," was his response.
"Who're they?" asked Aysel, pointing at Alain and Lirite, who had been hanging back. Kamaria waved them forward. "This is Alain LaFiara, my lifebonded and a fellow Herald-Trainee, and this is his older sister, Lirite, who is a Journeyman Bard," said Kamaria, pointing to each in turn. Aysel looked from Alain to Kamaria and back.
"Lifebonded?" the six-year-old asked. Kamaria nodded. Aysel frowned. "Not sposed to lifebond until you're older," stated Aysel, disapprovingly.
Kamaria and Alain glanced at each other. Kamaria, with her Court-training, held the laughter back, and Lirite did as well, but Alain's lips twitched, and he burst out laughing. This was a cue for everyone else to laugh. Kamaria released her control and laughed unrestrainedly.
Aysel frowned more deeply and said, "You're not being nice! I'm going to go play with my new doll."
"No, wait, Aysel," said Alain, crouching down to her level. "If you stay and tell me who your brothers are, I'll give you a ride on my Companion!"
Aysel's eyes, a vibrant hazel to match her father's, widened. "Companion?" she said, awed. "What's her name?"
:We should have introduced the ladies,: said Alain, regretfully as he told the rest of the fascinated children. Kamaria laughed inwardly. :Not a chance of introducing Sitara with the prospect of hot mash,: she retorted.
Alain shrugged as Aysel began introducing her brothers. "These are Favian and Feleti. They're twins. They're ten," said the little girl, pointing to her brothers. "That's Mandel. He's fourteen," she added, pointing to Mandel. Mandel shook hands with Alain, his silver eyes-matching Kamaria's- meeting Alain's blue-green measuringly. "And there's Sivan too, but he's gone. He's eighteen," finished Aysel, proudly. "And I'm Aysel. I'm six."
Alain nodded gravely.
"Why are we all standing in the cold?" asked Amaya. "Let's get you inside."
Kamaria paused to greet her mother with a tentative embrace. Amaya stood disapprovingly for a moment, then returned a small hug before turning and going into the fortress.
Lirite, Alain, and Kamaria followed, picking up their saddlebags and slinging them over their shoulders. "Your mother's not very nice," murmured Lirite to Kamaria, "I'll see if I can make her happier over Break. Happy Midwinter."
The Bard was striding after Garethe and the others before Kamaria could reply. She and Alain picked up the pace a little, dropping into an easy mindlink. :Lirite's nice,: said Kamaria.
Alain chuckled. :She likes to be seen as utterly devoted to her profession. But she is nice. Wait till you get to know her better, and ignore the teasing.:
Kamaria filed this advice away. A servant claimed their cloaks and saddlebags in the Great Hall, whisking them away as the three travelers made a beeline for the fire.
Kamaria took a seat near the fire, sitting crosslegged in her Formal Grays.
Alain joined her, standing behind her, warming his hands at the fire.
"I'm sure you'd all like a bath after your journey," said Amaya, dropping into her "gracious hostess" mode. "Kamaria, you are in your old room. Lirite and Alain are in the guest-rooms three doors down the corridor, across from each other."
Kamaria stood. "Thank you, mother." Turning, she beckoned to Lirite and Alain and led them up some stairs, through a secret passage, and into their corridor. "These are your rooms," she said, "The bathing rooms are down the stairs and to the right. Boys take the left, girls go to the right."
Lirite waved Kamaria away. Kamaria took the hint and wandered down her own hall, turning into her room.
It wasn't a small room. Kamaria looked around and sighed. [Just like I left it...Mother should never decorate anything. Ever.]
At least Kamaria's theme was blue, not pink as poor Aysel's was. Kamaria went over to the bed, shoving aside the frilled bedcurtains, and picked up her saddlebags. Taking out a pair of ordinary Grays, she changed from her Formals into the Grays and headed to the baths.
Lirite was there, ignoring everything as she scrubbed. Kamaria slid into a tub and ran the water, soaping herself and washing the sweat of the road off. As she scrubbed, Kamaria felt down her bond with Sitara. :You all right?: Kamaria asked Sitara.
:Your grooms are nice,: said Sitara, :They gave me a hot mash. It's gone, now. It was very good mash. And now they're grooming me.: This was followed by a sort of "mindsigh" of contentment.
Kamaria left the link in place and, after bathing, went to lunch.
It was a light lunch. Amaya chattered happily on about the festivities that would be held that night-even though Midwinter was still two days away, there was going to be a week of celebration. Kamaria glanced at her father, who shrugged and rolled his eyes.
"And I have a new dress for you, Kamaria!" said Amaya, capturing her daughter's attention.
Kamaria, if it was possible with her skin, went pale.
"It will highlight your fair hair so beautifully," said Amaya, "You haven't grown at all, have you? No matter-it can be let out."
"Mother..." said Kamaria, weakly. She tried again. "What color is it?"
[Please, please, please, not pink,] Kamaria prayed in her mind. Alain stifled a slight chuckle, picking the thought up down the link.
"Oh, it's a pale shade of blue," said Amaya, "Silver-trimmed. Aysel has a matching one. And so do I."
Kamaria sighed in relief. Alain audibly snorted at the picture of Kamaria, Aysel, and Amaya in matching dresses.
:Shut up,: said Kamaria, :Aysel will look fine with it-light brown hair and hazel eyes go well with blue. And Mother looks dazzling in anything, butterfly-brain though she is.:
:You've inherited her beauty,: said Alain, :And your father's strength.:
Kamaria blushed, the stain flowing over her cheeks like red paint. Garethe stared at his daughter, pausing mid-swallow of his wine. But when Kamaria turned in her chair and smacked her lifebonded, he glanced heavenwards and accepted it as the Heralds "thinking at each other" again.
After lunch, Feleti, Favian, and Mandel claimed the three for a snowball fight. The two Heraldic Trainees and Lirite accepted eagerly, grabbing cloaks and gloves and heading outside.
The first order of business was to build snow forts. Some of the other children in the castle came to join, Kamaria's cousins, mainly, and some servant children released from their light duties. Lirite became head of a team, easily noticeable in her Scarlets, and Mandel took charge of the other as they built snow forts in a field, using the drifts that were piled against the stable walls and fences. The battle began as the snow came down, snowballs flying back and forth. As it became clear Mandel's team was losing, Kamaria mutinied against Lirite and Alain to join her brothers.
Within moments, she had an organized fighting force at her command. Standing on a "podium" of snow, Kamaria yelled orders, which were followed as it became apparent they would give victory.
Kamaria was taken down as she was yelling for the twins to do something with a snowball in the mouth. She choked, spat it out, and yelled- pointlessly-"This means war!"
By then, the snow was relenting, though it was inches deep by now. The fight turned into a melee, anyone throwing snowballs at anything that moved.
It was so intense, no one immediately noticed when two Companions joined the fray, kicking up snow and gently shouldering aside the teens and children involved.
Gradually, the fight stopped as everyone stared at the Companions. "This is Sitara," said Kamaria, "And this is Ramya," she finished, pointing to the respective Companions.
:Ask if they want rides...I'm in the mood for a run,: said Sitara, gleefully.
"Does anyone want a ride?" asked Kamaria, grinning. Alain relayed the same request from Ramya.
Shyly, Mandel came forward. Kamaria boosted him onto Sitara. Sitara tossed her head and looked at Mandel, her blue eyes watching the brother of her Chosen.
"Just ride her bareback as you would a horse," said Kamaria, "But don't kick her. Just holler when you want to come back."
Mandel's face broke into a huge grin. Winding his gloved fingers in Sitara's mane, he nudged her lightly in the sides.
Sitara took off at a smooth gallop as Alain helped a child Kamaria didn't know onto Ramya.
The afternoon wore on slowly as the Companions returned to give more rides. The snow forts became more elaborate as the youths waited for their turns.
At last, all of them had had a turn on the Companions. Both Sitara and Ramya were being treated to scratches and treats, luxuriating in the attention.
:So that was your motive,: thought Kamaria at the pair, :Giving rides to get scratches and treats!:
:Yes,: said Sitara, unashamedly.
A servant came to the battlefield, looking at the Companions surrounded by children. "Lady, your mother wants you," said the servant to Kamaria.
"It's Kamaria," said Kamaria, but headed obediently to the castle. "It's half a candlemark to dinner!" shouted the manservant after her, "Best get ready!"
Kamaria broke into a run.
She found her dress in her room and stopped dead. There was a maid standing beside the dress-form the creation was on.
Kamaria stared at it, then slowly walked around it. "Mother designed this?" she asked the maid, disbelievingly.
The maid smiled. "With a lot of help from the new tailor. He told her that flounces were out of style at Court now and that dresses like these were highly popular."
"Who is this tailor?" asked Kamaria, eagerly. "He shows far better taste than Mother ever did."
The maid laughed outright. "His name is Yeleri, and he's from some southern country. Apparently he has tailored exclusively for the Council for three or four years, and has been at Court recently enough to know the styles there. He joined us just under a month ago-said he wanted to meet Lord-General Garethe Chantrea."
Kamaria nodded, taking this in. "I hope he stays," she replied, touching the sleeve of the dress. "This is beautiful."
The maid helped her into it and continued talking, adding, "Wait till you see what he's made you for Midwinter. He says he saw you at Court a few times. This is pretty, but the Midwinter dress is stunning."
Kamaria had to agree as she stepped into the corridor and walked in a measured glide to the Great Hall.
Alain looked up as his lifebonded took her seat and stared. Her hair was free, resting on the shoulders of a pale blue dress, made of silk. The sleeves hugged her arms-not puffed as so many dresses were these days-and the neck swooped in a V, revealing a blue stone on a fine silver chain. The gown itself was...
Well, Alain couldn't really describe it. It wasn't flounced and fluffed, like the gowns at Court that were thankfully going out of style...but there seemed to be layers there, layers on layers of silk, yet the fabric was thin and seemed...weightless.
Kamaria took her seat and glanced down at her lifebonded, seated four chairs away-with Mandel, the twins, and Aysel between her and him on Kamaria's right. Garethe was on her left, her seat closest to her father's as eldest child in residence. Others along the table were Kamaria's uncle Shain, who had been managing the Chantrea estate in Garethe's absence, his wife, his children, and other cousins of Kamaria's.
:You look...stunning,: managed Alain, giving a light Mindtouch.
:Thank you. This Yeleri, who designed it, is a genius. I must speak to him sometime,: replied Kamaria. :You look handsome, yourself.:
Alain chuckled, to the odd glances of Kamaria's younger siblings. :It's only Formal Grays. They cannot compare to you, my dear.:
Kamaria blushed and kept her eyes resolutely forward.
As the rest of the household took their seats at the lower tables, a few servants absent to serve the feast, Garethe rose. "Welcome to our first night of Midwinter feasting," he said in a specially-pitched voice that cut through the shifting and the chatter like a knife. "I would like to re- introduce to you my daughter, Kamaria, who is now a Herald-Trainee-"
Kamaria rose and curtsied to the applause. "-her lifebonded Alain LaFiara," continued Garethe.
More applause as Alain rose, bowed, and sat again.
"And Alain's sister Lirite LaFiara, a Journeyman Bard who will be entertaining us after dinner," finished Garethe. Lirite got an enthusiastic round of clapping as she stood and bowed as well.
"And now we shall eat," finished Garethe, to a storm of applause and whooping-the Lord was obviously popular, getting right to the point without any long speeches. The men-at-arms bearing the Chantrea sigil on their right sleeves were particularly enthusiastic, every one of them having followed him in battle before-either against Karse or against bandits.
The first course began. Kamaria sighed inwardly as she was served, mentally calculating the number of courses her mother was sure to have insisted upon.
"Don't worry, my dear," said Garethe, catching his daughter's look of chagrin and leaning to whisper in her ear, "There's only four tonight and every night until Midwinter. On Midwinter there are eleven, but that's better than the original twenty I had to whittle your mother down from."
Kamaria smiled at her father. "How did you ever get down to four courses?" she murmured back.
One of Garethe's hazel eyes closed in a quick wink. "I have my ways," he said, and would disclose no more information.
The courses, though there were only four, were long. Kamaria was bored stiff at the second course, but kept a façade of polite interest on her face as she had at Court. Mandel, beside her, made little effort to hide his absolute disinterest.
"Mandel," said Kamaria, quietly, looking at him, "Try to be kind to our mother, at least."
Silver eyes met silver eyes as Mandel looked back at his sister. "The courses are boring," he said, "I don't see why we have to have so many. There's no point."
Kamaria looked disapprovingly at her younger sibling. "I agree with you, but Mother has so little to occupy her days now," she replied, quietly, "At least talk to me. I'm not boring, am I?"
Mandel sighed, then nodded. Placing a smile on his face, he said, "She really hasn't had much to do since you foiled her plans for the Earl and lifebonded."
Kamaria, who had taken a sip from her goblet, choked. Swallowing the cider back down, she wiped her lips with her napkin and replied, "It wasn't my decision. Nor was getting kidnapped, standing trial, or getting Chosen."
Kamaria smiled softly at the last. [Ah, Sitara...] she thought, to no one in particular.
:When you are bored, you do not think of me? I'm hurt,: teased Alain, gently.
Kamaria held back another smile. :I'm discussing our lifebond with Mandel,: she replied sweetly, and was gratified to see Alain choke. Lirite pounded him on the back, and he swatted his sister's hand aside.
"So...what's he like?" Mandel wanted to know, looking at Alain. Kamaria allowed herself a true smile, telling herself to relax-this wasn't Court, for all that her mother tried to make it that way, and there was no real need to keep up her façade.
"Alain?" she asked, rhetorically. "He's...he's all I've ever dreamed of. He's resourceful and funny, and is bringing me out of being shy. I guess you could say we balance each other, his friendliness to my shyness..."
Mandel began to look sorry he'd asked as Kamaria continued in this vein. "Um...Kamaria?" he said, "That's enough."
Kamaria stopped, blushing. She hardly dared glance at Alain, hoping that he hadn't Mindheard as she had babbled on. However, he seemed oblivious, talking to Aysel and keeping her occupied.
Someone else had, though. :Euch. Lifebonded. Enough to put me off sugar,: said Sitara disgustedly, :Almost as bad as when Alain tried to write poetry.:
Kamaria stared into empty space, astonished. :Alain...wrote poetry?:
:Bad poetry,: replied Sitara, :Ramya told me it was enough to put me off sugar forever.:
Kamaria thought for a moment, then replied, :I suppose it's better not to speculate, then.:
:Don't. Or I may have to repudiate you,: said Sitara.
"Kamaria?"
The sound of her name, aloud, jolted Kamaria back to herself. "What?" she asked, turning to Mandel.
"You started staring into space," said Mandel.
"I was talking to Sitara," explained Kamaria, "Through Mindspeech."
Mandel nodded politely, and about then, Lirite rose. Saying something to Alain in the trader's language and rolling her eyes, she picked up her harp case and took it to the hearth.
:What did she say?: asked Kamaria, glancing at Alain.
:She said she couldn't take this any longer...: said Alain, :Shh. I want to listen.:
"I am Journeyman Bard Lirite!" called Lirite into the Hall. "Any requests?"
Smiling, Kamaria settled in her seat to listen to the Bard. Garethe nudged Kamaria's arm and said, under his breath, "She has it timed to perfection. We will not die of boredom now."
Mandel, who had not heard his father's comment, stared at Kamaria as she choked with laughter.
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Long, long chapter! And it's late at night. Well, here's your new post, and I hope you like, and sorry for the delay!
Don't expect updates this week. I graduate soon, I have dancing rehearsals all week, and the big shows are on Saturday and Sunday. It's craaaazy! I won't have time to sleep, let alone write!
In the meantime...review!
I'm not going to be doing very many personal responses anymore, unless there's a question I need to answer, or a comment I have to retort to. Be assured that all are appreciated!
Thanks and pie to Cerulean Sky, Hawk, PrettyKittyOreo, (keep writing, you'll get better) Lurks in Shadows, Lost and Confused, Shahanna, (sure, if you want molasses), JoeyStar, and Senashenta. (replied. Will get to it...sometime...when I've got more than three minutes on the computer...)
Myuu Foxgirl: Yeah. Dirk and Talia...(rolls eyes) Wow. Inu-yasha in Whites?...interesting picture. Please try to keep your drool off the story. It makes Lirite mad when it gets on her harp.
Broken Skye: No reason. Just felt like it.
Songwind: Thank you. I may actually write a fic about Garethe. He interests me. And for some reason, when I type in your name, I keep putting Songwing...
Well...thank you!
Fireblade K'Chona
Blarg! They're not letting me do my stars! Or tildes! Yarg.