(A/N) Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith! People are actually reading this story! Squeeee! I really didn't think anyone would be interested so I thank everyone who's reading this for motivating me to write.
Midwinter
Joren laid low for the next day, seeing that if he pushed too hard, any cement that he'd put into building friendship would crack. Not to mention that the tongues of Kel's friends kept him at bay, waiting for a chance to show them that he had changed.
The blonde squire served his Knight Master and his friends with a sigh. "What's wrong, Joren?" Sir Paxton asked, his voice low so only he could hear.
"Nothing," he whispered, refilling the Knight's cup.
"Well put a smile on your face, it'll make you look more handsome," Sir Paxton said. "And my guests might think I treat you badly if you put on a long face," he added after a moment's thought. Joren quickly masked disappointment and put a smile on for his Knight Master and the people at the table.
"Just look at him," Neal whispered to Kel. "He's obviously planning something devious."
Kel sighed and rolled her eyes as she accepted a plate with fish and vegetables on it. "If he has planned something devious, then it would've gotten both of us behind those doors and passing plates on by now."
"He's just waiting for the right time," Neal said, glaring at the boy serving water and wine across the room. Neal picked up a plate and the two best friends went their separate ways to serve separate tables.
That night, Kel was serving Lord Raoul, Gareth the younger along with his wife, Cythera, and a girl who looked to be Gareth's daughter. Boredom was evident in her eyes as she looked around the room. The poor girl was probably dragged to this event like Lord Raoul. Kel tried to make the evening a bit more fun for the girl by drawing a happy face on the condensation of her cup. The girl smiled at the picture and wondered where it came from when her eyes went to Kel's. The girl blinked at Kel.
"Mama! Look!" she said, shaking Lady Cythera's shoulder. The little girl's mother turned her attention to the page serving. Her blue eyes registered that the one serving their table was The Girl. But she wasn't angered, she was more like surprised. Lady Cythera was glistening with face paint around her blue eyes and her ash blonde hair pinned up in ringlets. Thayet the peerless almost had a peer. Although Lady Cythera wasn't as gorgeous as Queen Thayet, she came at a close second.
Kel smiled sheepishly at the attention.
"Keladry, isn't it?" Cythera inquired. Kel nodded.
"The second lady page." Duke Gareth the younger smiled. He was, after all, very close friends with the first lady page, even if he wasn't aware of it at the time.
"Lovely to meet you dear," Cythera said with a smile. "I trust that your teachers have taught you well in etiquette. Master Oakbridge is a distant cousin of mine."
"My father wrote the book," Kel said, beaming with pride of her father.
"How do you do it?" the little girl asked, eyes wide. She had blue eyes like her mother but her chestnut hair was from her dad.
"A lot of hard work," she answered. Laying the last plate on the table, she excused herself from the table. The last thing she heard was the little girl begging her parents to let her be like Kel.
"You've got a fan," a voice said from her side. Joren had fallen into step with Kel on his way back to the kitchen. Kel, startled, turned to face her companion.
"Oh," she sighed. "I guess so." Kel made a small smile. I have a fan!
"Her name's miss Geraldine." Joren and Kel had made it to the line up.
"How do you know?" Kel asked. She kicked herself mentally. Of course he knows. Everyone knows about Duke Gareth and his family.
"Word gets around fast," Joren said mildly. Why hadn't he taken the chance to call her stupid, ignorant, uneducated?
Kel continued serving the table and noticed how it seemed to fill with unmarried ladies and their mothers. Trying to get Sir Raoul to marry their daughters, no doubt, she thought. Listening to their conversation, Kel overheard that Geraldine was to leave for the convent in four years time, which meant that she was six. Despite her pleads, her mother seemed to have her mind made up. "She'll change her mind in a few years," Lady Cythera said.
"And if she doesn't?" Gary argued. "We already have two daughters from the convent, dear. Why not let Geraldine train as a knight?"
After that, lady Cythera had changed the subject to the coming war in whispers, making sure her daughter couldn't hear. "They say something's brewing up there in Scanra," she told her husband.
"Those barbarians?" Gary said. "What about them? They're too busy fighting each other to start war against us." He took a sip from his wine. "And even if they do, our knights are the best in the world. They don't even have training!"
Kel stored this information in her mind. A war was expected and soon. Kel thought of all the lives that would be lost in the process. Even if they won, the Scanrans are still capable of killing, especially villagers who don't even know how to defend themselves.
The courses came and went without any mishaps and soon it was the pages' turn to eat. She ate with her usual group: Merric, Neal, Owen, Seaver, Esmond, and Faleron. Cleon and Roald were not there since they were squires. Kel poked at her food, worried about something that was years away. "Hey," Neal said. "Are you okay?"
Kel nodded absently. Neal touched her hand. "Well, you're not sick," he confirmed.
"What's wrong, Kel? Tonight was great! None of us got smothered in sauce or drenched in wine," Owen said, jolly as ever.
"It's nothing," Kel reassured them. "Besides, even if it was something, it'll probably be in years to come."
"The Ordeal?" Esmond asked. "I hear you, Kel. I'm already worrying about it."
"No it's not that," Kel said.
Esmond looked at her oddly. "Then what is it?"
Kel shook her head and dug into her food, avoiding the question. She didn't understand why she was worrying about the unconfirmed war. Maybe some discussion with Neal would help her nerves.
"Lady Cythera says that a war is coming," Kel blurted out. She was sitting in Neal's room just before the last bell.
"Speaking of Lady Cythera," Neal said, dreamy-eyed. "She's a beauty, isn't she?"
Kel sighed inwardly. Neal had found someone else to fawn over. "Neal," she snapped. "She also mentioned war."
"Against who?" Neal said, suddenly serious.
"Scanra."
His seriousness faded away. "Those barbarians can't possibly stop fighting each other to get under one banner," he drawled. "Now, about lady Cythera..." Neal rambled on about his newest interest, asking Kel for some suggestions on his poetry. Kel helped her best friend as always. The distraction also eased her mind. Even if the war is coming, they'll never stand a chance against Tortall, she thought.
The next night, Master Oakbridge saw that Kel hadn't been sent back because of her status as The Girl and therefore stayed with the same table for the shortest day and the longest night.
Winter Solstice was a wonderful time for everyone. Proposals, love, luck, and kisses filled the air as the party went on through the night.
Kel, experienced with children from babysitting her nieces and nephews, entertained Geraldine with stories until she got sleepy and had to go to bed.
"But I want to listen to Kel's stories," the little girl yawned as her mother pulled her out of her chair. With a kiss to her husband, Lady Cythera left with a very sleepy Geraldine.
Kel sat on a chair by the wall as the other pages cleared away the tables so there would be space for the dancing. As the music started to play, Master Oakbridge called the fourth-year pages for an announcement. They were to exercise their skills in dancing and courting ladies for an hour. After that, they would be free to do whatever they wanted whilst the younger pages served.
"Whoever I catch sitting down or absent will get two hours of polishing silver with the maids on Sunday afternoon," Master Oakbridge said sternly to the youths and Keladry. "Dismissed."
"What about me?" Kel peeped up. He couldn't possibly expect Kel to dance with another woman, let alone court one.
"What about- " Oakbridge started in an annoyed tone. "Oh, that's correct..." he said, noticing her predicament. "Well, Keladry, you may dance with the males."
"Must I wear a dress?" she asked, hoping that she didn't.
"You can wear a bear skin for all I care. As long as I don't see you sitting down or absent for this hour. Now shoo."
Kel left and looked around. What was she supposed to do here for an hour? Neal tapped Kel on the shoulder. "Lady Cythera is back," he said gleefully. "Should I ask her to dance? Do I look good?" he smoothed hit tunic. "Oh you're right Kel!" Neal said, letting his shoulders droop. "She'll never agree to dance with me. Thanks, Kel. That was probably about to be one of the greatest mistakes of my life. You are a life saver." Neal grasped Kel on the shoulder and left, looking for a dance partner. Kel shook her head. She hadn't even said anything.
Soon after Neal had abandoned kel, a certain red-headed squire offered his hand to the lady page.
"May I have this dance, oh Mirage of delight, Pearl of my heart, dew of my soul, captive of my mind?" Cleon's warm grey eyes met Kel's hazel. He was wearing Mindelan colours and Kel was almost surprised to see him in them. Then it hit her (again): he was Inness' squire! Kel looked him over. Her family colours suited him. Or maybe it was him who suited the colours. He had really grown to be a handsome young man. Kel swatted those thoughts away. Cleon was a friend, nothing more and nothing less.
"I'd be honoured, Cleon of Kennan," Kel said, playing along. She let herself be whisked away to the dance floor as the song changed to a waltz. Cleon took the lead, holding her as close as the dance allowed.
"Why does the waltz follow the three, four beat" she wondered aloud.
"Do you want to try it in the four, four beat?" Cleon joked.
Kel smiled crookedly, eyes bright.
"You can't be serious," Cleon said, grinning.
"Well then, I'll take the lead," Kel laughed. And so she did just that, Cleon following. They laughed and apologized to the couples they bumped into as they fell out of beat.
"Ow!" Kel wiped her eyes. "My feet!"
"That, darling, is why the waltz is in a three, four beat." Cleon was hysterical by the time the song changed to a fox trot.
"Ready for another dance?' Cleon asked.
"If I stop laughing!" Kel said with a wide grin. But of course she got her emotions under control. The Yamanis trained her well in the art of masking emotions. It was odd that her emotions got through at all. Outbursts like that were very rare for Kel.
This time, at the end of the song, they bowed and decided to search for new partners.
No sooner than Cleon had left did another man come to take his place. "May I have this dance, fair lady?" The squire bowed as he offered her his hand, his pale blue eyes never leaving Kel's face.
"Why, of course, Joren of Stone Mountain," Kel replied, taking his hand. The people on the dance floor started a Sellanger's round and the pair followed suit.
"How's your night so far, Lady Keladry?" he asked as they danced in a circle.
"Hard but fine," Kel answered. "It's wonderful that there were no mishaps," she added.
Joren looked at her attire and frowned. "You would've looked prettier in a dress," Joren commented in a disappointed voice.
"Do you mean to tell me that I need a dress to look pretty?" Kel snapped.
"Mithros, no," Joren said quickly. "You're beautiful just the way you are it's just that a dress would flatter you more than these men's clothes."
Kel blushed at her friend's comment. He was a friend, right? She had to stifle a giggle as she looked him over. He was only taller than her by one inch!
"What's so funny?" he asked, taking her hand as the circle of people compressed.
"Nothing," she said hastily. The dance finished and Kel found that Joren was actually a good dancer. However his clothes didn't suit him either. Green and yellow didn't really match his features. He'd look better in blue and white, like Cleon.
A ronda later, they bowed to each other and Joren invited her to a walk through the palace.
"I can't," Kel said. "Master Oakbridge has made us stay here to court and dance with the opposite sex for an hour."
"Then tell me when your hour is up." Joren kissed her knuckles. "I'll be waiting for you." And with that, he left to get a drink from a page.
On her way over to Neal, Kel bumped into someone big.
"Oh, Keldary. My apologies," he said quickly. "I'm trying to escape those monsthers."Lord Raoul crooked a thumb to the old women who were warily looking for something- or someone- who disappeared.
"You mean mothers?" Kel corrected.
"Why?" Raoul asked, panicked. "What did I say?"
"Monsthers," Kel said, trying not to giggle.
"Right. Mothers," he corrected himself. "I'd love to chat, Kel but I really must go. Gods all bless." Lord Raoul weaved through the crowd and stalked out of the room.
Before she could reach Neal, he was asking someone to dance and Seaver was asking her to dance.
Two dance partners later, Oakbridge let them all enjoy the night freely.
When Cleon asked if she wanted him to escort her back to her rooms, she refused.
"I'd love that, Cleon, but I'm actually waiting for someone."
Cleon nodded and bid her good night. When he went to join Neal, Kel could've sworn that she heard him say "Why didn't you make your move?"
She ignored the words, not trusting her ears at that moment and sought out Joren through the crowd.
Kel spots Joren dancing with a haughty looking green-eyed blonde. She made her way across the room and politely waited for the song to finish. When the girl asked for one more dance, she cut in. "Would you mind," she said, politely. The girl stuck her nose up in the air and held on to Joren's hands.
"I don't mind," Joren said, shaking the girl's gloved hands off. The blonde gasped.
"joren, you do know who she is, right?" she said in a high-pitched voice.
"She's Lady Keladry of Mindelan," he said firmly. "Nothing more nothing less."
"Well fine!" she said. "Why don't you just marry her?" She stomped over to a page, grabbed a goblet and gulped its contents.
"Please excuse Narissa," Joren said. "She's a distant cousin."
He offered her his arm and Kel accepted it. "Just tell me when you want to go back to your room," he said, leading her through the hallways. Joren told her stories about his travels with his Knight Master as they walked at a steady pace.
When they reached the palace gardens, Kel looked around worriedly. This was a place for lovers...
With the blizzard gone, a light snow fell and the moon shone, letting indigo light bath the landscape beautifully. The magic kept the flowers from freezing but that didn't stop the temperature from being cold. Kel wove her arm around Joren's, feeling the cold bit into her skin through her tunic and breeches.
"Are you cold?" he asked.
"Sort of," Kel said. "But I can handle it," she added.
Joren shook his head disapprovingly and placed his Paxton jacket around her shoulders. "You don't always need to keep everything inside, you know," he said, putting an arm around her. Although she didn't want the help, no one liked being cold.
"Thank you," she said timidly. What was this? She could feel her heart beat ever so faster and she definitely feel heat go to her cheeks. Trying to get her thoughts off this odd feeling, she blurted out the first thing that entered her mind.
"There are lots of mice around in the palace nowadays. I hope my sparrows don't eat them."
Joren laughed. "If you feed your sparrows, then the mice should be safe." Kel slapped herself mentally. Why did she just say that?
"Lady Cythera says that war might come from Scanra." That was the second thing on her mind. "But no one thinks they can do it. Everyone thinks they're just barbarians full of blood lust."
Joren's grip on Kel tightened. "Scanrans are not barbarians," he said through clenched teeth. "They're a very strong and independent people."
"I never said that they were barbarians," Kel reminded him. His grip loosened. What's wrong with him? She asked herself.
"My father was Scanran," he said, answering Kel's unvoiced question. Kel noted that he said 'was' and not 'is'.
"I'm certain that he was a wonderful man," Kel said, looking down.
"He was the best swordsman I knew," he said with pride. The topic of swordsmen led to Kel's admiration of Alanna the Lioness who was the best swordswoman of the realm. That topic led to Alanna's husband who was rumoured to be a commoner before he got married and her step dad who is said to be the spy master of the Realm.
Kel told Joren about her years at the Yamani Islands and how the Islands worked. They exchanged stories and secrets like Kel's fear of heights and Joren's loathe of lions. By the time they had walked all the bricks of the garden, Kel had found out that Joren was Scanran by birth, he hates lions because of a lion attack from when he was little, he loves swimming and eating sweets, and that his elder sisters used to dress him up in girl's clothes. Even after all those stories, Kel didn't find out how he came to be what he was today: a nice guy. What had happened that could've changed his character in only a year?
When the snowing stopped, Joren found himself yawning.
"Are you sleepy?" she asked.
"No, of course not. That's precisely why I yawned," he said sarcastically. Kel cuffed him in the shoulder.
"Well since you're not sleepy, I'll escort you to your rooms," Kel said.
"That's not right," Joren said. "I'll drop you off first and I'll escort myself to my rooms."
They set off to the pages' wing, Kel debating that no one can 'escort themselves' to their rooms.
"Well I can because I'm miraculous like that," Joren joked.
Once they got to Kel's rooms, Kel returned his jacket. "Thank you for your company," she said, smiling. "I had a nice time."
"As did I," Joren said, nodding in recognition. He looked in both directions as if paranoid. Slowly, cautiously, he cupped Kel's cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. Oh, no, Kel thought. It felt like electricity shot through her body and Kel scolded herself for enjoying the kiss. Never the less, she was disappointed when it ended all too soon. "Midwinter luck, Kel." His voice cracked.
Joren darted in one direction only to realize that his rooms were elsewhere and turn around.
When Kel got into her room, she dressed hastily, thinking. Mithros, Mynoss and Shakith! What in the Goddess' name just happened. She plopped herself onto the bed and wrapped herself in her blankets, trying to make her heartbeat slow down.
(A/N) How was that? I'd love feedback! I've only just started writing fanfics so any critique is welcome By the way, this is probably going to be my longest chapter so don't expect any more chapters like this. Review, please! They really get me into the writing mood even if I have a lot to do or I'm feeling lazy.