Disclaimer: You know what goes here. You fill it in.
Muse responsible: Krathnae.
Hope you all liked the latest chappie of Bright Feather! -grin-
I'm listening to "half-fling" while I'm writing this. At least, the first part of this, because I wrote it over several days. It's a really strange song written by Viggo, Elijah Wood, and Dom during the filming of LOTR. Viggo plays the harmonica, and Elijah and Dom squeak all the way through...it's really strange. Go to shadow-lover dot com and look for sporks. Somewhere in there is the song.
I'd like to thank everyone muchly for bearing through my amateurness as this story and my skills have developed! Kudos to my favorite people, my reviewers! -cheers-
Did you know that in France, you have to have a license to shoot mistletoe out of trees? I really don't know why I remembered that, but I did.
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Midwinter dawned, and Kamaria awoke with a six-year-old jumping on the foot of her bed. "Kamawia! Kamawia! I have a present for you!" says Aysel, looking annoyingly cheerful as Kamaria rubbed sleep from her eyes.
"Oh. Presents. Right," said Kamaria, trying to remember what it was like to be awake.
She stumbled out of bed and found a dressing-robe somewhere. Yawning and splashing her face with cold water, Kamaria managed to become somewhat alert. A touch of her mind on Sitara's showed the Companion was still sound asleep. Running a brush through her hair, Kamaria managed to look somewhat neat before Aysel bounded into her room again and dragged her out.
Amaya, Garethe, and the brothers were already in the family common-room, along with several cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course Grandmother and Grandfather, looking sleepy save for the ones around Aysel's age. "Kamaria, where are your guests?" yawned Garethe, covering his hand with his mouth. "Alain at least should be here."
Kamaria thought of Aysel jumping onto her bed at dawn and smiled. "I'll call him," she said, sitting down near the fire.
:Alain!: she called into his mind. No response.
:Alain!: Kamaria called again, Projecting loud and clear.
:'m not taking foal-watch till next week,: mumbled Alain through Mindspeech.
:It's Kamaria,: retorted his lifebonded, :And it's time to get up. Aysel has us in the family common-room, and I said I'd call you, so show up or I'll look stupid!:
:Oh. Right,: said Alain, becoming slightly more awake. :Want Lirite? Never mind, I'll get her anyway.:
"He's coming, said Kamaria as she broke the connection. "With Lirite."
A few minutes later, Alain and Lirite showed up, Lirite looking annoyingly awake and Alain still sleepy-eyed.
"Pwesents!" shouted Aysel, wriggling off her father's lap. "Did I get any?" she said, after a moment of thought.
Amaya, smiling at her youngest child, reached into a sack at the side of her chair and pulled out a doll clad in a red dress. "Happy Midwinter," she said, as Aysel accepted the doll with a thank-you.
The first gift given, the rest of the room turned into a rather confused muddle as they exchanged presents. Kamaria managed to give all the presents she had bought for her relatives within a few minutes, leaving her free to receive them and not get confused.
Lirite managed to maneuver through the happily confused muddle to Garethe and Amaya, bowing formally to them, somehow impressive in spite of the dressing-robe she wore. "I brought a guest-gift to my hosts, as is the custom of my people," the Bard said, and handed Amaya a subtly patterned silk scarf and Garethe an intricately worked belt buckle. Both adults looked rather startled at the unexpected gifts as Lirite politely faded into the crowd.
To Alain's surprise, he received gifts from several people. Mandel presented him with a folding knife, and received the customary groat in return. Alain examined the gift carefully, opening and closing the one-edged blade. At last, he folded it again and smiled at Mandel, thanking him over the cheerful din.
Soon enough, it was time for breakfast, and the various relatives retreated to their rooms to dress. Alain walked with Kamaria to where the paths split and stopped her with a hand on her arm.
Alain reached into his pocket and withdrew a necklace, a shining crystal caught in a fine net of silver wire on a thin chain. At Kamaria's look of surprise, he explained, "My Clan sent it to me when they replied to my letter telling them about you."
"Thank you," whispered Kamaria, holding out a hand. Alain shook his head and stepped behind Kamaria, fastening the clasp at the back of her neck before returning.
"Uh-I have a gift for you, but I left it in my room," said Kamaria, touching the generous gift gently with a fingertip.
"Then I shall see you at breakfast," said Alain, smiling. "Incidentally-what did Mandel want to talk to you about?..."
"Oh-that," said Kamaria, blinking at the sudden change of topic. "His Healing Gift was breaking out and he wanted me to tell him what it was."
"Did you teach him to shield?" queried Alain. Kamaria blushed.
Alain shook a finger at his lifebonded, mock-scolding her. "Now, now, that's always the first thing you teach any Gifted student," he said, sternly, giving the lie to his broad smile. "I'll take care of it. You still need work on your shields."
Kamaria glared at Alain. "I can too shield!" she said, and blocked him out of their light contact.
"Ah, now, is that nice?" teased Alain, not at all discomfited. "See you at breakfast." He fluttered his fingers at her in a parody of a noblewoman's delicate wave and turned to go back to his room.
Kamaria found herself staring after him, blushing.
At least until Favian tapped her on the shoulder. "Not even dressed yet?" said her youngest brother, "Worse than 'ti." He gave his twin the nickname only Favian could utter.
"Indeed," chimed in Feleti, "Especially since I don't moon after my lifebonded's bo-"
The boy never got to finish his sentence, since Kamaria whacked him over the head and jumped on him.
"You're messing up my clothes!" yelped Feleti, trying to escape as Kamaria pinned him to the ground, "Mother will kill me!"
Kamaria casually examined her fingernails and said, thoughtfully, "That's true. And it wouldn't be very Herald-like of me to kill you anyway." She let him up.
Feleti lost no time in bolting as Favian doubled over laughing. Kamaria turned and wandered into her room, triumphant as she pulled on her Formal Grays.
Breakfast was a buffet affair, with everyone taking a plate and grabbing what they wanted to eat before sitting wherever they wished. Kamaria opted to sit with some of her cousins, leaving a few seats empty. Her cousins lost no time in pestering the Trainee with questions about training, her Companion, classes, and so on.
Mandel and Alain soon came to sit near her, though they were engaged in a conversation of their own. Kamaria caught the words "shield" and "ground" before she retorted to a cousin's sally about her "drab" Formal Grays.
The morning passed in cheerful banter, ending outside in a snowball fight. Clothes could always be dried off, and no one was wearing anything that fancy for the morning.
After a hurried lunch and a run to change clothes came the afternoon games, a tradition at the Chantrea estate for as long as Kamaria could remember. For the artistically inclined, there was snow-sculpture. For those who wanted to run off energy, there was skating on the wide, shallow ornamental lake in the orchard, which always froze through at this time of the month.
Kamaria decided to leave skating for a while and went to watch the most popular game-the snowball fights from horseback.
The point of this game was not to knock a person from the saddle, but rather to turn them white with snowballs. Brushing yourself off was illegal, and getting hit in the face automatically disqualified you for the round. Kamaria cheered Favian and Feleti on, as the twins displayed extraordinary teamwork. The devils were mounted on their respective horses-Favian on a rangy gray mare, Feleti on a nimble bay gelding. The twins strategy was fairly simple, but wickedly effective-one of them would throw a snowball at the horse's rump-the only legal target for the mounts-and while the horse was startled, the other would barrage the rider with snowballs.
A nose nudged Kamaria in the back, and Sitara said, :What say we give those two a little lesson?:
Kamaria turned to her Companion and grinned at her. :They deserve it,: she replied via Mindspeech as her brothers turned a helplessly laughing Mandel into something resembling a snow beast. Sitara turned for Kamaria to mount-she wasn't saddled, but that didn't matter.
Kamaria sank into her best bareback seat, gripping with her thighs as she had been taught, preparing several snowballs. At last, she nudged Sitara, and the game began.
Favian didn't even realize what had happened as his horse started, stung by a snowball from Kamaria. He turned the mare, and was hit in the leg, shoulder, and face respectively. Spluttering through the mask of snow on his face, Favian accepted his disqualification.
This left Feleti, who was more of a problem. His gelding was uncannily clever and agile, matching his rider's devilishness. Feleti lost no time in throwing a snowball at Kamaria, but he wasn't counting on Sitara, who lunged out of the way just in time.
Kamaria scooped up some snow and packed it feverishly, turning on Sitara to throw it at Feleti's back. It missed.
Her brother's snowball impacted her on the hip, earning a yelp and a snowball to the stomach. The horses stopped as the riders threw snowballs one after the other at each other, usually missing. Sitara was stung by a snowball after a few moments, causing her to nicker in surprise and sidle a little.
Kamaria hit Feleti in the face and whooped in triumph, raising her fists in the air in victory.
Next was the horse-races through the snow. All of the cousins Kamaria's age were participating, not to mention her brothers. Even Garethe was entering, his enormous dun stallion pawing the snow a little in eagerness. "Come on, Kamaria!" yelled her cousin Kaiya, controlling her roan as the gelding tried to prance, "Join the race!"
Kamaria shook her head and tried to demur, but her cousins were having none of it. They broke the starting-line to herd Sitara into place, the various horses tailgating the Companion until she stepped forward. There was nowhere to turn; Kaiya and Mandel were on either side of her. "But I'm bareback!" protested Kamaria.
"So?" retorted half the cousins at once.
Kamaria gave in and nudged Sitara to the outside. Garethe was beside her. "Apparently they don't care you're going to leave them in the dust," he said, grinning at his daughter.
"We'll see," said Kamaria, "One of them-actually, I am going to leave them in the dust, aren't I?"
The referee yelled for silence. "Across the field, then through the forest. Follow the red scarves!" he bellowed, and Kamaria recognized the head man-at-arms. "Then back over the jumping course we've set up. Ready-set-go!"
Kamaria leaned over Sitara's neck, winding her fingers through the Companion's mane. Sitara refused to move faster than a canter at the start and instead kept pace with Garethe's stallion.
"What are you doing?" called Kamaria's father over the pounding of hooves. "Go!"
At the same time, he leaned in the saddle and slapped Sitara on the rump. Sitara gave Garethe an offended glance and surged forward.
Kamaria had never gone this fast on Sitara before, who was clearly caught up in the race. There were several horses ahead of the pair-Kaiya on her blue roan, Favian on his mare, and Mandel in the lead on his small black mare.
Sitara breezed by Kaiya and Favian almost leisurely, as if taunting the riders. :What is that Mandel is riding?: inquired the Companion as she came up on Kamaria's brother.
:Her name is Firestar, but we all call her Twinkle,: said Kamaria, :Supposedly she's bred from a line of Ceejay skirmishers crossed with Shi'na'in scout-horses. Father brought her granddam and a string of three others from when he was campaigning for Rethwellan. I've never seen a faster horse.:
:You're about to, though I'm not a horse,: replied Sitara, tossing her head before changing her gait to a gallop.
The Companion now led the race, dodging trees and stumps in the forest with nearly supernatural ease. Kamaria stuck on like a burr, though she hardly needed to as the Companion followed the scarves tied over the trail.
Sitara was clearly reveling in the joy of the run as she jumped a log. Kamaria chanced a glance behind her. Mandel and Kaiya were barely in view and vying for the lead.
Without warning, they burst into open ground again, in one of the cleared fields normally used in farming. Cleared for winter, the field displayed an impressive jumping-course, set with logs, barrels, freshly-dug ditches-all placed in the morning.
"Let's go!" shouted Kamaria as Sitara cantered for a moment. The mare agreed, coming at the first jump in a calculated lope.
It felt like a small hop, but Kamaria found herself soaring over the first jump. Sitara landed lightly as a feather and charged around the barrels before gliding over the next.
Hop, hop, a few fast turns, hop...
:Here's the biggest,: said Sitara, casually, eyeing a wide, shallow ditch with a very high jump in the middle, a smaller jump beside it for those who weren't confident they could take the big one. :Hold on, dearheart.:
Kamaria complied as Sitara broke into a full gallop.
The jump was less a jump, and more a short flight, or so it seemed to Kamaria as Sitara pushed off. They floated over the top log and landed on the other side of the ditch.
Sitara took off at a gallop again as Kamaria yelled in exhilaration.
Alain watched from the sidelines, leaning on Ramya's shoulder, as the racers took the jumps. Ramya stared at Sitara in amazement as the small mare took the largest jump with apparently no more effort than breathing. :Did you see that?: Ramya clamored in Alain's mind. :She-Sitara's tiny, and she just leapt as if she'd learned to fly! The jump is twice as big as she is and she just...just jumped!:
:You're exaggerating, love,: said Alain, :It's only half as big as she is. And weren't you telling me when we were showing you off to the boys how each Companion makes up for what they don't have in extraordinary ways? The smaller ones with less firepower are faster, and jump much higher. The bulkier Companions have an inbuilt instinct for fighting.:
:True...: said Ramya, :Very true. But still!:
"Shh, I want to watch this," replied Alain, speaking aloud.
Mandel and his small mare, to his surprise, took the big jump, barely clearing it, but landing well. Kamaria's cousin on the blue roan-Kaiya, was it? took the smaller one, clearing it with no trouble and recovering faster than Mandel.
Next came another cousin and Favian. The cousin took the big jump, and Favian followed close behind.
Then came Garethe, his war-stallion thundering to the large jump and taking off. His black mane and tail streamed behind him as he landed and launched into the last stretch of the race.
Alain mounted Ramya, and they loped the short way to the finish line. Sitara and Kamaria were rounding the bend, in the lead, as expected.
Mandel and Kaiya were neck-and-neck, the blue roan and black mare frantically trying to pass the other and not succeeding. Favian and the other cousin were in similar straits.
Garethe's war-stallion came pounding past Favian, closing on Mandel and Kaiya. The three horses were suddenly galloping alongside each other-
Until-
Mandel's tiny mare burst into a fresh gallop, giving her last explosion of speed. She was a length-two lengths-three lengths ahead now, leaving the others far behind.
Sitara crossed the finish line first, to much cheering, but Kamaria disclaimed winning and turned to watch the others pointedly.
Mandel came in first, Kaiya in second, Garethe in third, and the cousin Alain didn't know the name of in fourth. Fifth and behind took their losses well, slowing their horses to a walk to cool them.
:That looked fun,: remarked Alain to Sitara and Kamaria, :How was the run?:
Sitara tossed her head and said, :I'd like another go.:
"Without me, then!" said Kamaria, laughing. "That was both terrifying and the funnest thing I have ever done!"
:Erm..."funnest" isn't a word, Chosen,: said Sitara, giving Kamaria an odd look.
Kamaria shrugged and dismounted. "Thank you," she said, scratching Sitara's crest. The Companion sighed happily.
:What now?: said Ramya, brightly. :An exhibition of how superior Companions are to horses in every way? Games? What?:
"Actually," said Kamaria, glancing up at the sky, "There's about another candlemark of games, then we go in for dinner. This year it shouldn't take more than two and a half candlemarks. After that, we go torch-skating."
"What?" said Alain, curiously.
"You'll see," said Kamaria, smiling mysteriously. "Speaking of skating, would you like to try?"
Alain blinked. "I don't know if I'll be any good-"
Kamaria grinned wickedly. "Repayment for you being better at the sword than I am. Let's go."
The curious Companions wandered after their Chosen as Kamaria towed Alain towards the lake. There was a box of strap-on skates near the edge, and Kamaria put hers on before helping Alain with his. Alain protested as Kamaria helped him stand.
"Shh," said Kamaria, smacking Alain on the back of the head, "I can't teach you if you're whining."
"Whining? That was complaining!" protested her lifebonded as she drew him to the lake.
:Why is this lake here?: said Sitara, curiously.
"Ornamentation," said Kamaria, "Put in about thirty years ago, give or take a few years. It's something of a castle tradition for everyone to go skating on it every year."
She released Alain. "One moment," she said, "I need a minute to remember how to use these."
Kamaria turned and skated a few feet, unsure at first, then growing firmer as she remembered how. "I'm no good at fancy skating," said Kamaria, as she turned and skated back to Alain, "Sivan and Mandel are best at that among my sibs, but I can skate around the lake without falling, and I'll be able to teach you."
Alain swallowed, and a flash of red bore down on him from nowhere. "Hello!" chirped Lirite as she turned and came to a stop, "I just had to see this."
"Who taught you?" said Alain, staring at his sister. Lirite shrugged. "One of Kamaria's cousins showed me, and it turned out to be really easy," said the Bard, skating a circle around her younger brother, "But then, maybe I'm just a natural." Lirite made a stuck-up face until Kamaria, rolling her eyes, punched her lightly in the arm.
"If you can do it, so can I," said Alain, trying to skate forwards. He fell on his face. Kamaria helped him up, hiding her laughter behind her best impassive Court face. "You're doing it wrong," she said, taking his hands in hers and skating backwards, pulling him, "Angle your foot and push, put it down, other foot-good. Left, right, left, right."
An amusing half-candlemark or so passed as Kamaria and Lirite taught Alain to skate. Soon he was able to skate forwards, slowly, and even turn shakily.
Kamaria was attempting to show him how to skate backwards, holding one of his hands to keep him upright, when the end of a snake grabbed her by the hand. Kamaria, Alain, and Lirite were dragged along at the end of a line winding around the pond, recovering themselves enough to skate at last.
The snake grew longer, until it stretched almost all the way around the lake. Then the leader decided to get creative. Shouting for everyone to drop hands and follow the one in front, the leader traced patterns through the center of the lake, wound around-and passed through the line again.
The skaters were going fast, and no few were dropping out. Alain dodged out of the line, falling onto his side, but getting back up again and skating to the edge of the lake. He sat heavily on the snow, watching the game of follow-the-leader.
Most of the Chantrea household seemed to be participating. By now, all the lesser-skilled skaters had left the line, and the other skaters formed intricate figures in the center of the lake.
Lirite spun out of the line and thudded into a snowbank not far from Alain. Alain, forgetting he was wearing skates, shot to his feet, tried to run to his sister, and fell on his nose. Lirite started laughing. "I'm fine!" she chuckled, "But you have snow on your eyebrows!" The woman collapsed in a fit of hilarity as Alain brushed his face off and shook his head at the eternal good humor of Bards.
He turned to watch the skaters again. The line wove in and out of each other, and the leader was clearly trying to create a specific pattern. It was fascinating to watch-cloaks of all colors fluttered in the wind of their passing, and if Alain unfocused his eyes just so, it looked rather like a living rainbow.
At last, the leader fell into the end of the line, and the skaters wove an intricate loop. Applause rang out from people seated on the highest point of the bank-apparently, they could see the pattern where those on the level of the skaters could not.
:What is it?: asked Alain, curiously, to Ramya, who was on the bluff, watching.
She let him slip into her mind and look through her eyes, and Alain stared.
Three loops wove through each other, creating what Alain thought was the worshipers of Kernos of the Northern Lights' symbol for eternity. Whatever it actually was, it was fascinating to watch.
Another leader broke the pattern, and straightened the skaters to form a new pattern. The line wove into a figure eight, then a double-eight, and then...
Well, even through Ramya's eyes, Alain couldn't make sense of what they were doing. They seemed to be practicing a round-dance.
The bell clanged the hour, and the highborn skaters broke away from the line and streaked towards various banks. Alain questioned Kamaria, and she said, :Most of us need to bathe and change before dinner. Hurry up!:
Suiting her words, the pale girl grabbed Alain, pulling him up, and towed him towards the opposite bank.
Skates off, they went to the castle.
It took a much shorter time for Kamaria to bathe than her cousins and the other girls in the bathing rooms; probably because there were enough students at the Collegium that they had to bathe in fast shifts most of the time. She was out and back to her rooms within a half-candlemark, anyway, and found a young man standing beside a dressmaker's form. The man, who was wearing Chantrea livery, bowed.
"I am Yeleri," he said, his voice faintly accented, "I have come to make sure your fit of the dress is correct."
"I've been looking forward to meeting you!" said Kamaria, smiling at the tailor. "And if my ear for accents is correct, you are from...Jkatha?"
"You are correct, my lady," said Yeleri, bowing again.
A maidservant helped Kamaria into the dressing-room and fussed with the dress until Kamaria managed to escape into the main room again. She looked down at herself.
"Oh..." she managed to say, drawing in a breath.
The dress was mostly silk, layered, like the one several nights before. This one, like the other, was pale blue, though darker than the last, but it had an overgown of sheer ivory silk. Yeleri clapped his hands together in satisfaction and said something in his native language before, looking slightly embarrassed, returning to his excellent command of Valdemaran, with only the occasional odd turn of phrase. "It is better than I imagined it," he said, "Your mother an excellent description gave me. The fit is perfect! And with your permission, Lady Kamaria, I will attend to your mother."
Before Kamaria had gotten in a word edgewise, the tailor had bowed himself out. The maidservant, who had been hovering anxiously, came forward to help Kamaria with her hair.
Kamaria waited patiently at the dressing-table, watching herself absently in the mirror as the maid arranged it. The necklace Alain had given her matched the dress well-of course, iridescent crystal tended to work with anything. At last, the maid had finished Kamaria's hair to her satisfaction and turned to the little pots of creams and powders to apply to Kamaria's face. "No, no, no!" said Kamaria, laughingly, holding up her hands to defend herself. "Mother may be determined to turn this into a Court feast, but-"
"You look lovely as it is," finished the maid, bowing her head. "Very well, Lady Kamaria. Happy Midwinter," she added as she left the room.
[It seems Father broke most of them of the habit of being completely formal with us,] thought Kamaria, [She was nice. When she talked, at least.]
Something reminded her that she had not given Alain his gift yet. She went and took it from a box in her saddle-bags, holding it in her hand for lack of anywhere else to put it.
Kamaria, fully outfitted, went to the fire to warm herself. The Great Hall was surprisingly warm for a fortress like this, which was why the females of the family could get away with wearing silk at Midwinter, but the halls...
The halls were bloody freezing!
The bell tolled for dinner, and Kamaria went into the halls.
There was a confused gathering of Kamaria's family at the doors to the Great Hall, which were closed. Kamaria craned her neck to find Alain, but, being several inches shorter than most people her age, was unable to see him. Mandel wriggled his way through the crowd to stand beside his sister and said, "Mother had this idea that we should process in. Father hasn't got wind of it yet-he's always late for these-"
The siblings paused to raise identical silver eyes skyward in slight exasperation, then dropped to meet each other again. "Anyway, Mother has the doors closed and will not let anyone in. You look stunning, by the way."
Kamaria smiled at Mandel. "I know," she said, putting on her "lofty Ladyship" air. Mandel glared at her and whacked her shoulder. "Have you seen Alain?" added Kamaria, after a moment. "I have to give him his gift."
Mandel shook his head and said, "Oh, look. There's Father."
Garethe was looking exceptionally confused as he edged through the crowd. "Why aren't we in there yet?" he said, pitching his voice to carry above the confused chatter, which died. Even when he wasn't on the battlefield, something about Lord Garethe commanded attention.
"We're going to process in," said Amaya, smiling at her husband. "I've worked it all out. With Kamaria's little friend Lirite here, the females and males are at an equal number."
Garethe tried to protest, but Amaya pinned him with the glare all wives seemed to be able to use on command. Kamaria tried not to laugh.
:What's going on?: said a familiar voice in her mind. Alain had apparently just arrived, with his sister.
:We're going to process in,: said Kamaria, turning, :Where are you?:
:Back of the muddle-: said Alain, as his fellow Trainee turned to edge through the crowd.
Kamaria, upon seeing Alain, opened her mouth, and shut it. She tried to say something, but no words came out.
Alain grinned at her. "Lirite matches," he said, holding out his arms slightly and turning. "We decided to get into our Clan finery for such an occasion. Except hers is mostly red, in deference to her profession."
Kamaria stared at him. Alain was wearing some sort of jacket with fringe on it, of all things, with colorful patterns worked into the leather. The leather itself was somehow dyed blue, and there were red and gold abstract swirls patterned over it. The fringe was along the edge of the outer arm, and shifted from red to gold and back up the arm. There was a white shirt beneath it, and blue breeches tucked into soft leather boots worked with the same pattern as the jacket.
On the back, Kamaria found as Alain turned, the swirls turned into an owl with its wings spread. "'Firara' means Owl," said Alain, turning, "'La' is jus a prefix meaning 'the' or 'one of'. Clan-tongue is rather complicated."
"Incredible," said Kamaria, blinking. "You look...wow."
Alain grinned wickedly at Kamaria, bluish-green eyes dancing with amusement. Kamaria cleared her throat, aware that she was blushing. "I forgot to give you your Midwinter gift," she said, taking one of Alain's hands and setting her present into it. Alain looked down at his hand.
Settled into his palm was a necklace, silver, with a star charm on it. "Make a wish," said Kamaria, smiling at him. Alain clasped the chain behind his neck so the star lay on his shirt. "I think I'll save the wish," he replied, kissing Kamaria's forehead.
At that moment, Garethe, who had apparently lost the argument between his wife and himself, turned and called, "Everyone find a partner and line up according to age! Men on the left! My children behind me, Selene's behind her, and so on!"
Alain glanced at Kamaria and offered his arm. She took it, and they fell into line directly behind Garethe and Amaya. Kamaria and her father exchanged a glance and a sigh, before the doors opened and the procession began.
Dinner was boring beyond belief. The courses were served with all due precision, but they went on and on as people ate...
Kamaria's mind settled into a haze of boredom as courses four and five passed. Alain was wearing a rather glazed expression as he spoke to Mandel about shielding. Kamaria glanced up at the head table-for tonight, they were seated by age instead of technical rank-and felt a pang of sympathy for her father. Garethe had his impassive mask on, but Kamaria remembered how he hated Court meals.
At last, dessert came and went. Garethe stood, and said, with unmistakable relief in his voice, "We shall dance for a candlemark, then go torch-skating!"
There were cheers from those in Kamaria's age group and younger, and the men-at-arms who had entered early for the dancing whooped in approval. Everyone helped lift the tables away, leaving a large space in the middle as Lirite and the Chantrea minstrel tuned their instruments-Lirite on her harp, and the minstrel on a lute, though both had several other instruments behind them.
The first dance was a round-dance, an easy one that everyone participated in. The cheery mood was infectious, and Kamaria soon found herself grinning and laughing as the circle spun.
Next a slower dance, involving much switching of partners and some intricate figures. Kamaria found herself handed from Alain to Mandel to several of her cousins to Favian and Feleti and at last to Garethe. By the time she was dancing with her father, the couples had separated for the moment and would spend several bars with the same partner. Kamaria spared a few moments of amusement for Feleti, partnered with his aunt Selene, who was a foot taller than he was. Poor Feleti had a devil of a time trying to spin her.
Garethe caught her attention and said, "Happy Midwinter. Give the other one to Alain," and set something in her hand. Kamaria didn't get a chance to thank him or even ask what it was before they switched partners again.
More switches, and Kamaria again ended up with Alain. "Father gave us these," she said, holding up her still-closed hand. Alain glanced at Garethe, who was currently dancing with Aysel. Or, rather, he was dancing while holding Aysel up, as the little girl giggled with delight. Kamaria opened her hand.
Two rings, the bands of silver, wrought so it looked like it had been braided together. And where the gem would normally be...
Two hands, clasping each other, the traditional Herald's ring for friendship-or love.
Alain and Kamaria stopped dancing to stare at them. Luckily, they were on the edge of the floor, so the dancing continued without them. And in stopping, they noticed another detail...
The hands were superimposed over a crowned heart. "This isn't the Herald's ring," said Alain, looking at them, "Or, rather, not the typical one. I don't know what it is."
"It's..." said Kamaria, "Well...there's a legend in...Rethwellan, I think, Father told me once. A man, a silversmith, was kidnapped by bandits, on the eve of his wedding. They forced him to force their loot into better-quality jewelry, so they could sell it for more money. In secret, remembering his love, he forged two rings-a ring for himself and one for his beloved-in the pattern here. The hands were for his friendship, the crown for loyalty, and the heart for his love. He escaped and returned to the village, seven years later, and married his lost love with these as their rings."
"Oh," said Alain, "I've...never heard that."
Kamaria shrugged. "There's another custom from somewhere. If you wear it with the heart's point towards the end of your finger, your heart is open. But if you wear the point towards your hand, your heart is given. If it is on the left ring finger with the point in, you are married."
Alain looked back up at Kamaria, then, slowly, took the smaller ring. Taking Kamaria's right hand, he slid the ring over her middle finger, the point in towards her palm. Before he took the other ring, Kamaria placed it on his right middle finger, the same as hers.
They looked back up at each other. Alain opened his mouth to say something, but just then Mandel and Kaiya, thinking they were still dancing, swept by and took up the partner of their opposite sex. Kaiya whirled Alain one direction, and Mandel took Kamaria back to the heart of the dancing.
"What were you doing, anyway?" said Mandel as he spun his older sister around.
"Nothing," Kamaria replied, automatically, but Mandel's eye caught the ring Garethe had given her.
"Ah," he said, winking a silver eye at his sister. "Say no more."
Kamaria gave up and continued the dance.
After the candlemark, the women and some of the men went back to their quarters to change into skating clothes. Alain followed Kamaria, mystified by the custom, and stood outside her door as she changed into Formal Grays-just because they were going outside was no reason to forsake formality.
"What are we going to do?" said Alain, plaintively, as they began the walk to the lake.
"Torch-skating," said Kamaria with a smile, "You'll want to watch. Generally only the experienced skaters take part."
Alain continued to question her, all the way to the lake and as Kamaria strapped on some skates and put on a cloak someone handed her. The Companions came up behind him as Kamaria gave a last, "You'll see," and skated out onto the lake.
Alain gave up and mounted Ramya, where it was warmer. She bent her neck around to look at him. :You're in Clan finery,: she observed, as Sitara looked him up and down. :Very handsome. Let's go.:
They came to the bluff overlooking the lake and watched the skaters warming up. The littles were in bed by now, but Amaya and her ladies were up here, bundled into cloaks. Alain bowed from his seat on Ramya-not an easy thing to do, Companion-back. "Good evening, ladies," he said, politely, "What is about to happen? Kamaria would not enlighten me by any means."
The ladies exchanged a look. At last, one of them Alain remembered as Lady Selene, said, "If she didn't tell you, it's because it's better to watch it than hear about it. Ooh, look, they're getting the torches!" she added, turning her attention back to the lake.
It was eerily silent, under the stars and frozen crescent moon, glimmering off the ice and snow. "It's best when there's a new moon," whispered a lady Alain didn't recognize under her cloak, "But the full moon last year was beautiful as well."
Torches flickered into being on the lake, and the skaters became visible as shadowy shapes in the moonlight. Alain thought he recognized a face, here and there, but always the torch flickered just as he looked closely at someone. You couldn't even tell who was male or female-all wore breeches and cloaks with the hoods up.
Lirite touched Alain's ankle, gently, and leaned against Ramya, not saying anything.
On some unspoken signal, the skaters formed a line, which circled the lake. They separated into three groups, forming circles on the ice, and Alain recognized a round-dance. It was extraordinarily quiet, however, and the faintly torchlit figures seemed to be wraiths dancing to music they alone could hear...
The circles contracted, and opened, and two skaters came into the center of each circle. The torches remained still for a moment, then began to skate, weaving around each other in tight turns and shapes. The outer circles began to move, wheeling one way, then reversing, as the central skaters continued their silent dance.
On another signal, the points of light separated, into two lines. The lines faced each other and began a Court dance Alain vaguely recognized, but from above...it was incredibly different.
Lines closer, then out...points of light all down the lines into the middle, sets of four points between each line, two lines again...
It was the most incredible thing Alain had ever seen.
The torch-flames suddenly turned blue-green, and the skaters quickened. A drumbeat echoed across the lake, startling the Companions, Alain, and Lirite, setting a fast tempo. The skaters divided into several lines and began to skate faster, in more intricate figures, passing through and behind and around each other...
The beat changed, and the patterns changed, and the torches burned more bluely than before.
The drumbeat slowed after a long while, and halted. The skaters took up their silent round-dances again, but this time...
Soft Midwinter songs echoed across the lake, harmonies blending and entwining. The torch-flames turned white, now, and the figures beneath them seemed to be ethereal ghosts, carrying their flames to the afterlife...
Alain found himself softly singing with the skaters, no doubt as the other spectators were doing. The round-dances separated and moved into other formations, making circles within circles, turning opposite ways, gliding in and out of each other.
It was magical, almost, like a dream, as the lights wound into and through each other, and as the torches burned down, moving more slowly.
At last, the skaters moved into a neverending-knot formation, similar to the religious symbol of Kernos created in the afternoon, and skated until the torches went out.
No one cheered, no one clapped, but the awed hush was just as effective. No one seemed willing to move...
The skaters headed to the edge of the lake as more torches were kindled, doffing their skates and cloaks. Ramya took Alain down to Kamaria, Sitara and Lirite wandering behind, and Alain dismounted.
Kamaria was wobbly, but smiling. Not wanting to break the hush, she said, :So...did you like it?:
:That was...amazing,: said Alain, slipping an arm around her waist to steady her as the Companions turned back to the stables, :Beautiful skating.:
:We do some more, normally, for the days after Midwinter,: said Kamaria, :But that one...that was the big display. It's about a candlemark long. The groups are never as big as the one on Midwinter night. Sometimes they have an instrument other than a drummer, or more singing than we had, but I always think the Midwinter one is the most beautiful.:
The two paused on the way to the castle, looking up at the stars. Kamaria slid her own arm around Alain's waist. :Did you make a Midwinter wish,: she said, lightly teasing him on their own meaning of "wish," but mostly serious.
:I did, and I got it,: said Alain, stopping his gaze heavenward at the stars and moon to look into Kamaria's eyes.
:I see,: said Kamaria, :Well...I'll make a wish, then.:
Silence, even between their minds, as they looked into each other's eyes. Then again, they didn't need words for that timeless moment.
The moment didn't end, but only continued as they shared a Midwinter kiss.
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Awww! That took me two hours to write, so enjoy!
And about the rings-I just got a Claddagh ring, and I just had to put it in somewhere. Though this pattern is slightly different-instead of two hands holding a heart, they are clasping in front of a heart. You know, sort of a take-off of a Herald's friendship ring. Meloves my Claddagh.
Reviews make me very, very happy indeed!
-Fireblade K'Chona
Muse responsible: Krathnae.
Hope you all liked the latest chappie of Bright Feather! -grin-
I'm listening to "half-fling" while I'm writing this. At least, the first part of this, because I wrote it over several days. It's a really strange song written by Viggo, Elijah Wood, and Dom during the filming of LOTR. Viggo plays the harmonica, and Elijah and Dom squeak all the way through...it's really strange. Go to shadow-lover dot com and look for sporks. Somewhere in there is the song.
I'd like to thank everyone muchly for bearing through my amateurness as this story and my skills have developed! Kudos to my favorite people, my reviewers! -cheers-
Did you know that in France, you have to have a license to shoot mistletoe out of trees? I really don't know why I remembered that, but I did.
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Midwinter dawned, and Kamaria awoke with a six-year-old jumping on the foot of her bed. "Kamawia! Kamawia! I have a present for you!" says Aysel, looking annoyingly cheerful as Kamaria rubbed sleep from her eyes.
"Oh. Presents. Right," said Kamaria, trying to remember what it was like to be awake.
She stumbled out of bed and found a dressing-robe somewhere. Yawning and splashing her face with cold water, Kamaria managed to become somewhat alert. A touch of her mind on Sitara's showed the Companion was still sound asleep. Running a brush through her hair, Kamaria managed to look somewhat neat before Aysel bounded into her room again and dragged her out.
Amaya, Garethe, and the brothers were already in the family common-room, along with several cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course Grandmother and Grandfather, looking sleepy save for the ones around Aysel's age. "Kamaria, where are your guests?" yawned Garethe, covering his hand with his mouth. "Alain at least should be here."
Kamaria thought of Aysel jumping onto her bed at dawn and smiled. "I'll call him," she said, sitting down near the fire.
:Alain!: she called into his mind. No response.
:Alain!: Kamaria called again, Projecting loud and clear.
:'m not taking foal-watch till next week,: mumbled Alain through Mindspeech.
:It's Kamaria,: retorted his lifebonded, :And it's time to get up. Aysel has us in the family common-room, and I said I'd call you, so show up or I'll look stupid!:
:Oh. Right,: said Alain, becoming slightly more awake. :Want Lirite? Never mind, I'll get her anyway.:
"He's coming, said Kamaria as she broke the connection. "With Lirite."
A few minutes later, Alain and Lirite showed up, Lirite looking annoyingly awake and Alain still sleepy-eyed.
"Pwesents!" shouted Aysel, wriggling off her father's lap. "Did I get any?" she said, after a moment of thought.
Amaya, smiling at her youngest child, reached into a sack at the side of her chair and pulled out a doll clad in a red dress. "Happy Midwinter," she said, as Aysel accepted the doll with a thank-you.
The first gift given, the rest of the room turned into a rather confused muddle as they exchanged presents. Kamaria managed to give all the presents she had bought for her relatives within a few minutes, leaving her free to receive them and not get confused.
Lirite managed to maneuver through the happily confused muddle to Garethe and Amaya, bowing formally to them, somehow impressive in spite of the dressing-robe she wore. "I brought a guest-gift to my hosts, as is the custom of my people," the Bard said, and handed Amaya a subtly patterned silk scarf and Garethe an intricately worked belt buckle. Both adults looked rather startled at the unexpected gifts as Lirite politely faded into the crowd.
To Alain's surprise, he received gifts from several people. Mandel presented him with a folding knife, and received the customary groat in return. Alain examined the gift carefully, opening and closing the one-edged blade. At last, he folded it again and smiled at Mandel, thanking him over the cheerful din.
Soon enough, it was time for breakfast, and the various relatives retreated to their rooms to dress. Alain walked with Kamaria to where the paths split and stopped her with a hand on her arm.
Alain reached into his pocket and withdrew a necklace, a shining crystal caught in a fine net of silver wire on a thin chain. At Kamaria's look of surprise, he explained, "My Clan sent it to me when they replied to my letter telling them about you."
"Thank you," whispered Kamaria, holding out a hand. Alain shook his head and stepped behind Kamaria, fastening the clasp at the back of her neck before returning.
"Uh-I have a gift for you, but I left it in my room," said Kamaria, touching the generous gift gently with a fingertip.
"Then I shall see you at breakfast," said Alain, smiling. "Incidentally-what did Mandel want to talk to you about?..."
"Oh-that," said Kamaria, blinking at the sudden change of topic. "His Healing Gift was breaking out and he wanted me to tell him what it was."
"Did you teach him to shield?" queried Alain. Kamaria blushed.
Alain shook a finger at his lifebonded, mock-scolding her. "Now, now, that's always the first thing you teach any Gifted student," he said, sternly, giving the lie to his broad smile. "I'll take care of it. You still need work on your shields."
Kamaria glared at Alain. "I can too shield!" she said, and blocked him out of their light contact.
"Ah, now, is that nice?" teased Alain, not at all discomfited. "See you at breakfast." He fluttered his fingers at her in a parody of a noblewoman's delicate wave and turned to go back to his room.
Kamaria found herself staring after him, blushing.
At least until Favian tapped her on the shoulder. "Not even dressed yet?" said her youngest brother, "Worse than 'ti." He gave his twin the nickname only Favian could utter.
"Indeed," chimed in Feleti, "Especially since I don't moon after my lifebonded's bo-"
The boy never got to finish his sentence, since Kamaria whacked him over the head and jumped on him.
"You're messing up my clothes!" yelped Feleti, trying to escape as Kamaria pinned him to the ground, "Mother will kill me!"
Kamaria casually examined her fingernails and said, thoughtfully, "That's true. And it wouldn't be very Herald-like of me to kill you anyway." She let him up.
Feleti lost no time in bolting as Favian doubled over laughing. Kamaria turned and wandered into her room, triumphant as she pulled on her Formal Grays.
Breakfast was a buffet affair, with everyone taking a plate and grabbing what they wanted to eat before sitting wherever they wished. Kamaria opted to sit with some of her cousins, leaving a few seats empty. Her cousins lost no time in pestering the Trainee with questions about training, her Companion, classes, and so on.
Mandel and Alain soon came to sit near her, though they were engaged in a conversation of their own. Kamaria caught the words "shield" and "ground" before she retorted to a cousin's sally about her "drab" Formal Grays.
The morning passed in cheerful banter, ending outside in a snowball fight. Clothes could always be dried off, and no one was wearing anything that fancy for the morning.
After a hurried lunch and a run to change clothes came the afternoon games, a tradition at the Chantrea estate for as long as Kamaria could remember. For the artistically inclined, there was snow-sculpture. For those who wanted to run off energy, there was skating on the wide, shallow ornamental lake in the orchard, which always froze through at this time of the month.
Kamaria decided to leave skating for a while and went to watch the most popular game-the snowball fights from horseback.
The point of this game was not to knock a person from the saddle, but rather to turn them white with snowballs. Brushing yourself off was illegal, and getting hit in the face automatically disqualified you for the round. Kamaria cheered Favian and Feleti on, as the twins displayed extraordinary teamwork. The devils were mounted on their respective horses-Favian on a rangy gray mare, Feleti on a nimble bay gelding. The twins strategy was fairly simple, but wickedly effective-one of them would throw a snowball at the horse's rump-the only legal target for the mounts-and while the horse was startled, the other would barrage the rider with snowballs.
A nose nudged Kamaria in the back, and Sitara said, :What say we give those two a little lesson?:
Kamaria turned to her Companion and grinned at her. :They deserve it,: she replied via Mindspeech as her brothers turned a helplessly laughing Mandel into something resembling a snow beast. Sitara turned for Kamaria to mount-she wasn't saddled, but that didn't matter.
Kamaria sank into her best bareback seat, gripping with her thighs as she had been taught, preparing several snowballs. At last, she nudged Sitara, and the game began.
Favian didn't even realize what had happened as his horse started, stung by a snowball from Kamaria. He turned the mare, and was hit in the leg, shoulder, and face respectively. Spluttering through the mask of snow on his face, Favian accepted his disqualification.
This left Feleti, who was more of a problem. His gelding was uncannily clever and agile, matching his rider's devilishness. Feleti lost no time in throwing a snowball at Kamaria, but he wasn't counting on Sitara, who lunged out of the way just in time.
Kamaria scooped up some snow and packed it feverishly, turning on Sitara to throw it at Feleti's back. It missed.
Her brother's snowball impacted her on the hip, earning a yelp and a snowball to the stomach. The horses stopped as the riders threw snowballs one after the other at each other, usually missing. Sitara was stung by a snowball after a few moments, causing her to nicker in surprise and sidle a little.
Kamaria hit Feleti in the face and whooped in triumph, raising her fists in the air in victory.
Next was the horse-races through the snow. All of the cousins Kamaria's age were participating, not to mention her brothers. Even Garethe was entering, his enormous dun stallion pawing the snow a little in eagerness. "Come on, Kamaria!" yelled her cousin Kaiya, controlling her roan as the gelding tried to prance, "Join the race!"
Kamaria shook her head and tried to demur, but her cousins were having none of it. They broke the starting-line to herd Sitara into place, the various horses tailgating the Companion until she stepped forward. There was nowhere to turn; Kaiya and Mandel were on either side of her. "But I'm bareback!" protested Kamaria.
"So?" retorted half the cousins at once.
Kamaria gave in and nudged Sitara to the outside. Garethe was beside her. "Apparently they don't care you're going to leave them in the dust," he said, grinning at his daughter.
"We'll see," said Kamaria, "One of them-actually, I am going to leave them in the dust, aren't I?"
The referee yelled for silence. "Across the field, then through the forest. Follow the red scarves!" he bellowed, and Kamaria recognized the head man-at-arms. "Then back over the jumping course we've set up. Ready-set-go!"
Kamaria leaned over Sitara's neck, winding her fingers through the Companion's mane. Sitara refused to move faster than a canter at the start and instead kept pace with Garethe's stallion.
"What are you doing?" called Kamaria's father over the pounding of hooves. "Go!"
At the same time, he leaned in the saddle and slapped Sitara on the rump. Sitara gave Garethe an offended glance and surged forward.
Kamaria had never gone this fast on Sitara before, who was clearly caught up in the race. There were several horses ahead of the pair-Kaiya on her blue roan, Favian on his mare, and Mandel in the lead on his small black mare.
Sitara breezed by Kaiya and Favian almost leisurely, as if taunting the riders. :What is that Mandel is riding?: inquired the Companion as she came up on Kamaria's brother.
:Her name is Firestar, but we all call her Twinkle,: said Kamaria, :Supposedly she's bred from a line of Ceejay skirmishers crossed with Shi'na'in scout-horses. Father brought her granddam and a string of three others from when he was campaigning for Rethwellan. I've never seen a faster horse.:
:You're about to, though I'm not a horse,: replied Sitara, tossing her head before changing her gait to a gallop.
The Companion now led the race, dodging trees and stumps in the forest with nearly supernatural ease. Kamaria stuck on like a burr, though she hardly needed to as the Companion followed the scarves tied over the trail.
Sitara was clearly reveling in the joy of the run as she jumped a log. Kamaria chanced a glance behind her. Mandel and Kaiya were barely in view and vying for the lead.
Without warning, they burst into open ground again, in one of the cleared fields normally used in farming. Cleared for winter, the field displayed an impressive jumping-course, set with logs, barrels, freshly-dug ditches-all placed in the morning.
"Let's go!" shouted Kamaria as Sitara cantered for a moment. The mare agreed, coming at the first jump in a calculated lope.
It felt like a small hop, but Kamaria found herself soaring over the first jump. Sitara landed lightly as a feather and charged around the barrels before gliding over the next.
Hop, hop, a few fast turns, hop...
:Here's the biggest,: said Sitara, casually, eyeing a wide, shallow ditch with a very high jump in the middle, a smaller jump beside it for those who weren't confident they could take the big one. :Hold on, dearheart.:
Kamaria complied as Sitara broke into a full gallop.
The jump was less a jump, and more a short flight, or so it seemed to Kamaria as Sitara pushed off. They floated over the top log and landed on the other side of the ditch.
Sitara took off at a gallop again as Kamaria yelled in exhilaration.
Alain watched from the sidelines, leaning on Ramya's shoulder, as the racers took the jumps. Ramya stared at Sitara in amazement as the small mare took the largest jump with apparently no more effort than breathing. :Did you see that?: Ramya clamored in Alain's mind. :She-Sitara's tiny, and she just leapt as if she'd learned to fly! The jump is twice as big as she is and she just...just jumped!:
:You're exaggerating, love,: said Alain, :It's only half as big as she is. And weren't you telling me when we were showing you off to the boys how each Companion makes up for what they don't have in extraordinary ways? The smaller ones with less firepower are faster, and jump much higher. The bulkier Companions have an inbuilt instinct for fighting.:
:True...: said Ramya, :Very true. But still!:
"Shh, I want to watch this," replied Alain, speaking aloud.
Mandel and his small mare, to his surprise, took the big jump, barely clearing it, but landing well. Kamaria's cousin on the blue roan-Kaiya, was it? took the smaller one, clearing it with no trouble and recovering faster than Mandel.
Next came another cousin and Favian. The cousin took the big jump, and Favian followed close behind.
Then came Garethe, his war-stallion thundering to the large jump and taking off. His black mane and tail streamed behind him as he landed and launched into the last stretch of the race.
Alain mounted Ramya, and they loped the short way to the finish line. Sitara and Kamaria were rounding the bend, in the lead, as expected.
Mandel and Kaiya were neck-and-neck, the blue roan and black mare frantically trying to pass the other and not succeeding. Favian and the other cousin were in similar straits.
Garethe's war-stallion came pounding past Favian, closing on Mandel and Kaiya. The three horses were suddenly galloping alongside each other-
Until-
Mandel's tiny mare burst into a fresh gallop, giving her last explosion of speed. She was a length-two lengths-three lengths ahead now, leaving the others far behind.
Sitara crossed the finish line first, to much cheering, but Kamaria disclaimed winning and turned to watch the others pointedly.
Mandel came in first, Kaiya in second, Garethe in third, and the cousin Alain didn't know the name of in fourth. Fifth and behind took their losses well, slowing their horses to a walk to cool them.
:That looked fun,: remarked Alain to Sitara and Kamaria, :How was the run?:
Sitara tossed her head and said, :I'd like another go.:
"Without me, then!" said Kamaria, laughing. "That was both terrifying and the funnest thing I have ever done!"
:Erm..."funnest" isn't a word, Chosen,: said Sitara, giving Kamaria an odd look.
Kamaria shrugged and dismounted. "Thank you," she said, scratching Sitara's crest. The Companion sighed happily.
:What now?: said Ramya, brightly. :An exhibition of how superior Companions are to horses in every way? Games? What?:
"Actually," said Kamaria, glancing up at the sky, "There's about another candlemark of games, then we go in for dinner. This year it shouldn't take more than two and a half candlemarks. After that, we go torch-skating."
"What?" said Alain, curiously.
"You'll see," said Kamaria, smiling mysteriously. "Speaking of skating, would you like to try?"
Alain blinked. "I don't know if I'll be any good-"
Kamaria grinned wickedly. "Repayment for you being better at the sword than I am. Let's go."
The curious Companions wandered after their Chosen as Kamaria towed Alain towards the lake. There was a box of strap-on skates near the edge, and Kamaria put hers on before helping Alain with his. Alain protested as Kamaria helped him stand.
"Shh," said Kamaria, smacking Alain on the back of the head, "I can't teach you if you're whining."
"Whining? That was complaining!" protested her lifebonded as she drew him to the lake.
:Why is this lake here?: said Sitara, curiously.
"Ornamentation," said Kamaria, "Put in about thirty years ago, give or take a few years. It's something of a castle tradition for everyone to go skating on it every year."
She released Alain. "One moment," she said, "I need a minute to remember how to use these."
Kamaria turned and skated a few feet, unsure at first, then growing firmer as she remembered how. "I'm no good at fancy skating," said Kamaria, as she turned and skated back to Alain, "Sivan and Mandel are best at that among my sibs, but I can skate around the lake without falling, and I'll be able to teach you."
Alain swallowed, and a flash of red bore down on him from nowhere. "Hello!" chirped Lirite as she turned and came to a stop, "I just had to see this."
"Who taught you?" said Alain, staring at his sister. Lirite shrugged. "One of Kamaria's cousins showed me, and it turned out to be really easy," said the Bard, skating a circle around her younger brother, "But then, maybe I'm just a natural." Lirite made a stuck-up face until Kamaria, rolling her eyes, punched her lightly in the arm.
"If you can do it, so can I," said Alain, trying to skate forwards. He fell on his face. Kamaria helped him up, hiding her laughter behind her best impassive Court face. "You're doing it wrong," she said, taking his hands in hers and skating backwards, pulling him, "Angle your foot and push, put it down, other foot-good. Left, right, left, right."
An amusing half-candlemark or so passed as Kamaria and Lirite taught Alain to skate. Soon he was able to skate forwards, slowly, and even turn shakily.
Kamaria was attempting to show him how to skate backwards, holding one of his hands to keep him upright, when the end of a snake grabbed her by the hand. Kamaria, Alain, and Lirite were dragged along at the end of a line winding around the pond, recovering themselves enough to skate at last.
The snake grew longer, until it stretched almost all the way around the lake. Then the leader decided to get creative. Shouting for everyone to drop hands and follow the one in front, the leader traced patterns through the center of the lake, wound around-and passed through the line again.
The skaters were going fast, and no few were dropping out. Alain dodged out of the line, falling onto his side, but getting back up again and skating to the edge of the lake. He sat heavily on the snow, watching the game of follow-the-leader.
Most of the Chantrea household seemed to be participating. By now, all the lesser-skilled skaters had left the line, and the other skaters formed intricate figures in the center of the lake.
Lirite spun out of the line and thudded into a snowbank not far from Alain. Alain, forgetting he was wearing skates, shot to his feet, tried to run to his sister, and fell on his nose. Lirite started laughing. "I'm fine!" she chuckled, "But you have snow on your eyebrows!" The woman collapsed in a fit of hilarity as Alain brushed his face off and shook his head at the eternal good humor of Bards.
He turned to watch the skaters again. The line wove in and out of each other, and the leader was clearly trying to create a specific pattern. It was fascinating to watch-cloaks of all colors fluttered in the wind of their passing, and if Alain unfocused his eyes just so, it looked rather like a living rainbow.
At last, the leader fell into the end of the line, and the skaters wove an intricate loop. Applause rang out from people seated on the highest point of the bank-apparently, they could see the pattern where those on the level of the skaters could not.
:What is it?: asked Alain, curiously, to Ramya, who was on the bluff, watching.
She let him slip into her mind and look through her eyes, and Alain stared.
Three loops wove through each other, creating what Alain thought was the worshipers of Kernos of the Northern Lights' symbol for eternity. Whatever it actually was, it was fascinating to watch.
Another leader broke the pattern, and straightened the skaters to form a new pattern. The line wove into a figure eight, then a double-eight, and then...
Well, even through Ramya's eyes, Alain couldn't make sense of what they were doing. They seemed to be practicing a round-dance.
The bell clanged the hour, and the highborn skaters broke away from the line and streaked towards various banks. Alain questioned Kamaria, and she said, :Most of us need to bathe and change before dinner. Hurry up!:
Suiting her words, the pale girl grabbed Alain, pulling him up, and towed him towards the opposite bank.
Skates off, they went to the castle.
It took a much shorter time for Kamaria to bathe than her cousins and the other girls in the bathing rooms; probably because there were enough students at the Collegium that they had to bathe in fast shifts most of the time. She was out and back to her rooms within a half-candlemark, anyway, and found a young man standing beside a dressmaker's form. The man, who was wearing Chantrea livery, bowed.
"I am Yeleri," he said, his voice faintly accented, "I have come to make sure your fit of the dress is correct."
"I've been looking forward to meeting you!" said Kamaria, smiling at the tailor. "And if my ear for accents is correct, you are from...Jkatha?"
"You are correct, my lady," said Yeleri, bowing again.
A maidservant helped Kamaria into the dressing-room and fussed with the dress until Kamaria managed to escape into the main room again. She looked down at herself.
"Oh..." she managed to say, drawing in a breath.
The dress was mostly silk, layered, like the one several nights before. This one, like the other, was pale blue, though darker than the last, but it had an overgown of sheer ivory silk. Yeleri clapped his hands together in satisfaction and said something in his native language before, looking slightly embarrassed, returning to his excellent command of Valdemaran, with only the occasional odd turn of phrase. "It is better than I imagined it," he said, "Your mother an excellent description gave me. The fit is perfect! And with your permission, Lady Kamaria, I will attend to your mother."
Before Kamaria had gotten in a word edgewise, the tailor had bowed himself out. The maidservant, who had been hovering anxiously, came forward to help Kamaria with her hair.
Kamaria waited patiently at the dressing-table, watching herself absently in the mirror as the maid arranged it. The necklace Alain had given her matched the dress well-of course, iridescent crystal tended to work with anything. At last, the maid had finished Kamaria's hair to her satisfaction and turned to the little pots of creams and powders to apply to Kamaria's face. "No, no, no!" said Kamaria, laughingly, holding up her hands to defend herself. "Mother may be determined to turn this into a Court feast, but-"
"You look lovely as it is," finished the maid, bowing her head. "Very well, Lady Kamaria. Happy Midwinter," she added as she left the room.
[It seems Father broke most of them of the habit of being completely formal with us,] thought Kamaria, [She was nice. When she talked, at least.]
Something reminded her that she had not given Alain his gift yet. She went and took it from a box in her saddle-bags, holding it in her hand for lack of anywhere else to put it.
Kamaria, fully outfitted, went to the fire to warm herself. The Great Hall was surprisingly warm for a fortress like this, which was why the females of the family could get away with wearing silk at Midwinter, but the halls...
The halls were bloody freezing!
The bell tolled for dinner, and Kamaria went into the halls.
There was a confused gathering of Kamaria's family at the doors to the Great Hall, which were closed. Kamaria craned her neck to find Alain, but, being several inches shorter than most people her age, was unable to see him. Mandel wriggled his way through the crowd to stand beside his sister and said, "Mother had this idea that we should process in. Father hasn't got wind of it yet-he's always late for these-"
The siblings paused to raise identical silver eyes skyward in slight exasperation, then dropped to meet each other again. "Anyway, Mother has the doors closed and will not let anyone in. You look stunning, by the way."
Kamaria smiled at Mandel. "I know," she said, putting on her "lofty Ladyship" air. Mandel glared at her and whacked her shoulder. "Have you seen Alain?" added Kamaria, after a moment. "I have to give him his gift."
Mandel shook his head and said, "Oh, look. There's Father."
Garethe was looking exceptionally confused as he edged through the crowd. "Why aren't we in there yet?" he said, pitching his voice to carry above the confused chatter, which died. Even when he wasn't on the battlefield, something about Lord Garethe commanded attention.
"We're going to process in," said Amaya, smiling at her husband. "I've worked it all out. With Kamaria's little friend Lirite here, the females and males are at an equal number."
Garethe tried to protest, but Amaya pinned him with the glare all wives seemed to be able to use on command. Kamaria tried not to laugh.
:What's going on?: said a familiar voice in her mind. Alain had apparently just arrived, with his sister.
:We're going to process in,: said Kamaria, turning, :Where are you?:
:Back of the muddle-: said Alain, as his fellow Trainee turned to edge through the crowd.
Kamaria, upon seeing Alain, opened her mouth, and shut it. She tried to say something, but no words came out.
Alain grinned at her. "Lirite matches," he said, holding out his arms slightly and turning. "We decided to get into our Clan finery for such an occasion. Except hers is mostly red, in deference to her profession."
Kamaria stared at him. Alain was wearing some sort of jacket with fringe on it, of all things, with colorful patterns worked into the leather. The leather itself was somehow dyed blue, and there were red and gold abstract swirls patterned over it. The fringe was along the edge of the outer arm, and shifted from red to gold and back up the arm. There was a white shirt beneath it, and blue breeches tucked into soft leather boots worked with the same pattern as the jacket.
On the back, Kamaria found as Alain turned, the swirls turned into an owl with its wings spread. "'Firara' means Owl," said Alain, turning, "'La' is jus a prefix meaning 'the' or 'one of'. Clan-tongue is rather complicated."
"Incredible," said Kamaria, blinking. "You look...wow."
Alain grinned wickedly at Kamaria, bluish-green eyes dancing with amusement. Kamaria cleared her throat, aware that she was blushing. "I forgot to give you your Midwinter gift," she said, taking one of Alain's hands and setting her present into it. Alain looked down at his hand.
Settled into his palm was a necklace, silver, with a star charm on it. "Make a wish," said Kamaria, smiling at him. Alain clasped the chain behind his neck so the star lay on his shirt. "I think I'll save the wish," he replied, kissing Kamaria's forehead.
At that moment, Garethe, who had apparently lost the argument between his wife and himself, turned and called, "Everyone find a partner and line up according to age! Men on the left! My children behind me, Selene's behind her, and so on!"
Alain glanced at Kamaria and offered his arm. She took it, and they fell into line directly behind Garethe and Amaya. Kamaria and her father exchanged a glance and a sigh, before the doors opened and the procession began.
Dinner was boring beyond belief. The courses were served with all due precision, but they went on and on as people ate...
Kamaria's mind settled into a haze of boredom as courses four and five passed. Alain was wearing a rather glazed expression as he spoke to Mandel about shielding. Kamaria glanced up at the head table-for tonight, they were seated by age instead of technical rank-and felt a pang of sympathy for her father. Garethe had his impassive mask on, but Kamaria remembered how he hated Court meals.
At last, dessert came and went. Garethe stood, and said, with unmistakable relief in his voice, "We shall dance for a candlemark, then go torch-skating!"
There were cheers from those in Kamaria's age group and younger, and the men-at-arms who had entered early for the dancing whooped in approval. Everyone helped lift the tables away, leaving a large space in the middle as Lirite and the Chantrea minstrel tuned their instruments-Lirite on her harp, and the minstrel on a lute, though both had several other instruments behind them.
The first dance was a round-dance, an easy one that everyone participated in. The cheery mood was infectious, and Kamaria soon found herself grinning and laughing as the circle spun.
Next a slower dance, involving much switching of partners and some intricate figures. Kamaria found herself handed from Alain to Mandel to several of her cousins to Favian and Feleti and at last to Garethe. By the time she was dancing with her father, the couples had separated for the moment and would spend several bars with the same partner. Kamaria spared a few moments of amusement for Feleti, partnered with his aunt Selene, who was a foot taller than he was. Poor Feleti had a devil of a time trying to spin her.
Garethe caught her attention and said, "Happy Midwinter. Give the other one to Alain," and set something in her hand. Kamaria didn't get a chance to thank him or even ask what it was before they switched partners again.
More switches, and Kamaria again ended up with Alain. "Father gave us these," she said, holding up her still-closed hand. Alain glanced at Garethe, who was currently dancing with Aysel. Or, rather, he was dancing while holding Aysel up, as the little girl giggled with delight. Kamaria opened her hand.
Two rings, the bands of silver, wrought so it looked like it had been braided together. And where the gem would normally be...
Two hands, clasping each other, the traditional Herald's ring for friendship-or love.
Alain and Kamaria stopped dancing to stare at them. Luckily, they were on the edge of the floor, so the dancing continued without them. And in stopping, they noticed another detail...
The hands were superimposed over a crowned heart. "This isn't the Herald's ring," said Alain, looking at them, "Or, rather, not the typical one. I don't know what it is."
"It's..." said Kamaria, "Well...there's a legend in...Rethwellan, I think, Father told me once. A man, a silversmith, was kidnapped by bandits, on the eve of his wedding. They forced him to force their loot into better-quality jewelry, so they could sell it for more money. In secret, remembering his love, he forged two rings-a ring for himself and one for his beloved-in the pattern here. The hands were for his friendship, the crown for loyalty, and the heart for his love. He escaped and returned to the village, seven years later, and married his lost love with these as their rings."
"Oh," said Alain, "I've...never heard that."
Kamaria shrugged. "There's another custom from somewhere. If you wear it with the heart's point towards the end of your finger, your heart is open. But if you wear the point towards your hand, your heart is given. If it is on the left ring finger with the point in, you are married."
Alain looked back up at Kamaria, then, slowly, took the smaller ring. Taking Kamaria's right hand, he slid the ring over her middle finger, the point in towards her palm. Before he took the other ring, Kamaria placed it on his right middle finger, the same as hers.
They looked back up at each other. Alain opened his mouth to say something, but just then Mandel and Kaiya, thinking they were still dancing, swept by and took up the partner of their opposite sex. Kaiya whirled Alain one direction, and Mandel took Kamaria back to the heart of the dancing.
"What were you doing, anyway?" said Mandel as he spun his older sister around.
"Nothing," Kamaria replied, automatically, but Mandel's eye caught the ring Garethe had given her.
"Ah," he said, winking a silver eye at his sister. "Say no more."
Kamaria gave up and continued the dance.
After the candlemark, the women and some of the men went back to their quarters to change into skating clothes. Alain followed Kamaria, mystified by the custom, and stood outside her door as she changed into Formal Grays-just because they were going outside was no reason to forsake formality.
"What are we going to do?" said Alain, plaintively, as they began the walk to the lake.
"Torch-skating," said Kamaria with a smile, "You'll want to watch. Generally only the experienced skaters take part."
Alain continued to question her, all the way to the lake and as Kamaria strapped on some skates and put on a cloak someone handed her. The Companions came up behind him as Kamaria gave a last, "You'll see," and skated out onto the lake.
Alain gave up and mounted Ramya, where it was warmer. She bent her neck around to look at him. :You're in Clan finery,: she observed, as Sitara looked him up and down. :Very handsome. Let's go.:
They came to the bluff overlooking the lake and watched the skaters warming up. The littles were in bed by now, but Amaya and her ladies were up here, bundled into cloaks. Alain bowed from his seat on Ramya-not an easy thing to do, Companion-back. "Good evening, ladies," he said, politely, "What is about to happen? Kamaria would not enlighten me by any means."
The ladies exchanged a look. At last, one of them Alain remembered as Lady Selene, said, "If she didn't tell you, it's because it's better to watch it than hear about it. Ooh, look, they're getting the torches!" she added, turning her attention back to the lake.
It was eerily silent, under the stars and frozen crescent moon, glimmering off the ice and snow. "It's best when there's a new moon," whispered a lady Alain didn't recognize under her cloak, "But the full moon last year was beautiful as well."
Torches flickered into being on the lake, and the skaters became visible as shadowy shapes in the moonlight. Alain thought he recognized a face, here and there, but always the torch flickered just as he looked closely at someone. You couldn't even tell who was male or female-all wore breeches and cloaks with the hoods up.
Lirite touched Alain's ankle, gently, and leaned against Ramya, not saying anything.
On some unspoken signal, the skaters formed a line, which circled the lake. They separated into three groups, forming circles on the ice, and Alain recognized a round-dance. It was extraordinarily quiet, however, and the faintly torchlit figures seemed to be wraiths dancing to music they alone could hear...
The circles contracted, and opened, and two skaters came into the center of each circle. The torches remained still for a moment, then began to skate, weaving around each other in tight turns and shapes. The outer circles began to move, wheeling one way, then reversing, as the central skaters continued their silent dance.
On another signal, the points of light separated, into two lines. The lines faced each other and began a Court dance Alain vaguely recognized, but from above...it was incredibly different.
Lines closer, then out...points of light all down the lines into the middle, sets of four points between each line, two lines again...
It was the most incredible thing Alain had ever seen.
The torch-flames suddenly turned blue-green, and the skaters quickened. A drumbeat echoed across the lake, startling the Companions, Alain, and Lirite, setting a fast tempo. The skaters divided into several lines and began to skate faster, in more intricate figures, passing through and behind and around each other...
The beat changed, and the patterns changed, and the torches burned more bluely than before.
The drumbeat slowed after a long while, and halted. The skaters took up their silent round-dances again, but this time...
Soft Midwinter songs echoed across the lake, harmonies blending and entwining. The torch-flames turned white, now, and the figures beneath them seemed to be ethereal ghosts, carrying their flames to the afterlife...
Alain found himself softly singing with the skaters, no doubt as the other spectators were doing. The round-dances separated and moved into other formations, making circles within circles, turning opposite ways, gliding in and out of each other.
It was magical, almost, like a dream, as the lights wound into and through each other, and as the torches burned down, moving more slowly.
At last, the skaters moved into a neverending-knot formation, similar to the religious symbol of Kernos created in the afternoon, and skated until the torches went out.
No one cheered, no one clapped, but the awed hush was just as effective. No one seemed willing to move...
The skaters headed to the edge of the lake as more torches were kindled, doffing their skates and cloaks. Ramya took Alain down to Kamaria, Sitara and Lirite wandering behind, and Alain dismounted.
Kamaria was wobbly, but smiling. Not wanting to break the hush, she said, :So...did you like it?:
:That was...amazing,: said Alain, slipping an arm around her waist to steady her as the Companions turned back to the stables, :Beautiful skating.:
:We do some more, normally, for the days after Midwinter,: said Kamaria, :But that one...that was the big display. It's about a candlemark long. The groups are never as big as the one on Midwinter night. Sometimes they have an instrument other than a drummer, or more singing than we had, but I always think the Midwinter one is the most beautiful.:
The two paused on the way to the castle, looking up at the stars. Kamaria slid her own arm around Alain's waist. :Did you make a Midwinter wish,: she said, lightly teasing him on their own meaning of "wish," but mostly serious.
:I did, and I got it,: said Alain, stopping his gaze heavenward at the stars and moon to look into Kamaria's eyes.
:I see,: said Kamaria, :Well...I'll make a wish, then.:
Silence, even between their minds, as they looked into each other's eyes. Then again, they didn't need words for that timeless moment.
The moment didn't end, but only continued as they shared a Midwinter kiss.
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Awww! That took me two hours to write, so enjoy!
And about the rings-I just got a Claddagh ring, and I just had to put it in somewhere. Though this pattern is slightly different-instead of two hands holding a heart, they are clasping in front of a heart. You know, sort of a take-off of a Herald's friendship ring. Meloves my Claddagh.
Reviews make me very, very happy indeed!
-Fireblade K'Chona