"This is fun." Kel said, laughing, as Myanh turned cartwheels down the lane, her skirt falling to show her thighs. Men stopped and stared, as the women turned away. Kel was laughing so hard Miliko thought she might die of it.
"Where are our tents? I think we'd better get changed, so people stop staring at us so much," Miliko suggested.
"Okay. Follow me. And you're not in tents. You're in proper rooms." She laughed even harder at the relieved expressions and Myanh and Miliko's faces. Myanh had returned from her cart wheeling, and was giggling delightedly.
"Did you see the looks on their faces?" She asked. As much as she liked being popular, she liked having fun more.
"Yes," Kel replied, still unable to stop laughing. "Here," she said suddenly, pointing to a temporary building.
"How did this get here?" Miliko asked, having not noticed it on her way in.
"Numair just made it," Kel said, finally controlling herself.
"Oh. Not small magic," Miliko said, shutting up, and walking in. There were three plain bedrooms, and a small lounge. She saw that their bags were already there. The beds were large, and were already made up.
"Did Numair do all of this?" Miliko asked, and Kel nodded.
"Okay. This is so neat." Myanh had just seen it. There was total privacy, and the three girls got changed while Kel waited. When they came back, there were seven people surrounding Kel. Myanh was wearing a blue dress, which looked great next to her hair; the pattern was simple, but effective. The bodice hugged tight, and the skirt flared out, just lightly brushing the floor. The sleeves were loose, flowing down to her wrists. Both Miliko and Shadi were dressed simply in plain tan breeches and white shirts. Miliko was wearing a dark blue tunic, and Shadi a green one. The effect was amazing. Kel turned, to see what the boys were staring at. Yuki was also staring.
"Um, why are you staring?" Miliko asked, ice dripping from her voice again.
"You're beautiful," Neal breathed, and Miliko blushed delicately.
"Thank you." She purred.
"Kel, where did these ladies come from?" Yuki asked, voice betraying nothing, face betraying nothing, about her feelings. "They come from a country away from here. This is Lady Miliko of Nyujiirando, Lady Shadi of Venice, and Lady Myanh of Hawaiiki," Kel introduced them. Myanh curtseyed, Miliko and Shadi bowed.
"This is Merric, Owen, Neal, Faleron, Roald, Cleon and Yuki." Kel introduced her the new girls to her friends.
"Welcome. And Kel, I do believe they already know me," Cleon reminded Kel, who almost imperceptibly blushed. None of the boys noticed it, anyway.
"Thank you. Where's Dom?" Shadi looked around, and Dom came running up.
"Hello, Lady Shadi," Dom greeted, not even glancing at anyone else. The others left, leaving Shadi alone.
"Well, that's interesting," Neal commented, looking closely at Kel and Cleon. Kel was growing slightly redder, and Cleon was edging away from her. Kel's hands were shaking.
"What is?" Her voice was shaking too.
"Nothing, Kel," Neal said quickly, looking at Miliko. Miliko nodded, and Neal smiled, and opened his mouth, but Miliko elbowed him, and he shut it again with a snap.
"Well, if you say so. Come on, I want to see the knights joust," Kel said, and they hurried to the arena sort of place. As soon as they got there, however, Kel decided to go somewhere else, and left the group. Now there was only Miliko, Myanh, Neal, Faleron, Merric, Owen, Roald, Cleon and Yuki left.
"Aren't you the prince?" Myanh asked Roald, who nodded, seeming very stiff and formal.
"We just talked to your father." Miliko said, staring at Neal's hair.
"Did you?" Roald wasn't very formal in asking that.
"Yeah. He didn't get a chance to talk much, though. But he did learn that we had magic, and where we came from, and what else?" Miliko turned to Myanh, who shook her head, staring at Owen.
"Jolly," Owen said, in a rather gloomy voice. Nobody took any notice.
"Hey, where's Kel actually gone?" Cleon asked, and then wandered off.
"I'm bored," Myanh said, in a whiny sort of tone, so they walked of to find Kel. But Cleon, of course had found her first.