In the Closet

Disclaimer: The characters in question belong to Diane Duane. I own only the plot.

Author's Note: Here's a nice long chapter for you. I know a lot didn't happen in the last chapter; as someone pointed out, the last chapter was mostly filler, a way to get from point A to point B. I feel like things are progressing more in this chapter and I'm really excited to hear about your feedback. A useful link for this chapter will be found in the author's note at the bottom of the chapter.

Chapter 11: An Expected Arrival

When the school day came to a close, Kit was waiting outside Nita's classroom as she came out, zipping her backpack. "Dairine's probably halfway home by now," he said, leaning against the wall. His backpack was slung over one shoulder.

"Already? The bell just rung. I've got to hit my locker."

"She practically catapulted out of here." He rolled his eyes. "I don't know why—it's not like she and Roshaun are going to leave without us."

Nita grabbed what she needed from her locker, ditching the books that had no homework this weekend, thinking maybe Dairine didn't want to be grilled by her on the way home. It was a reasonable explanation for ducking out early. "Maybe they want some time to make out before going home to his parents. I'm sure he has to behave there."

"Yeah, he's got a whole planet looking over his shoulder at what he's doing. And I thought two sisters and my parents were bad enough…"

She chuckled. "And now you've got my dad and Dairine to worry about too when it comes down to it."

They passed through the gate side by side. "You got everything you need in your tent?"

"Yeah. All set to go. You?"

She nodded affirmation.

Kit reached for her hand, only half aware he was doing so. "Has she told you anything about the place?"

Nita made a noncommittal sound. "Nng. You know Dairine. No one ever hears about anything from her. I don't know a lot of details besides what's in the manual. The political situation is really bad, and it kind of sets the tone for the wizardry. There's a lot of pressure on Roshaun's family. When things go bad, it looks like the populace takes it out on whoever's in charge, and hopes the next one in line might learn from their predecessor's mistake."

He let out a low whistle. "I don't think I'd want to be Roshaun."

She nodded grimly. "And that's where my sister would rather be than here…charming thought, isn't it?"

Kit shook his head. "She never did like, little kid puzzles as a kid did she? I bet she started out with the 500 piece one and did it without looking at the box."

Nita snickered opening the door. Dairine had a duffle bag by her feet and was impatiently pacing back and forward in front of the couch. She'd probably been staring at the door since she got home. Roshaun gave the impression of lounging, three pieces of his luggage nearby, but the intensity around his eyes told the true story. He was anxious to start for home, though whether it was a good anxious or a bad anxious, Nita couldn't tell.

Dairine's head snapped up and caught Nita and Kit with her stare. "Ready to go?"

Nita rolled her eyes at her sister. "Impatient. Did you take the trash out?"

"Yeah, Dad."

"Make your bed?"

"I did everything at lunch. I rushed home." Teleported home from the girls' bathroom really…

"Alright. Let me just grab a bottle of water and I'm all set." Nita took a few minutes to go into the kitchen, leaving a note for her dad, telling him they were taking off, and marking the time at the bottom. She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and went back to the living room. She slung her backpack back on her back. Dairine was bouncing on the balls of her feet, her backpack on her back, Spot cradled in one arm, and the duffle bag on the other shoulder. Kit had his backpack on still, and was looking amused. Roshaun's luggage was hovering behind him. "All set?"

"Just waiting on you."

Kit locked the front door, and the troop made their way down to the basement where the World Gate hung on the wall. "Where does the other end come out?"

"We will emerge in my personal chambers. Originally we had thought to set the arrival point to Dhairine's rooms, however I don't know what staff come and out of there…" He tilted his head. "This made far more sense. No one is going to stick their noses somewhere they don't belong in my personal chambers. I will depart first." He activated the gate and disappeared with his baggage.

"You have your own room there?" Nita muttered.

"Yeah. And I forgot to tell you, female wizards are kind of a big deal on Wellakh. They're rare." She stepped through the gate.

She made an irritated sound. "I wonder what else she's forgotten to tell me."

Kit grinned in that too cheerful way. "Probably something deadly serious, life or death important." He took her hand, "Let's go." They stepped through and found themselves in a lush room with carpets, couches, and wardrobes. One vanity stood out in particular with a large number of gilded hairbrushes. "Where's Roshaun?"

Dairine was sitting on a couch with Spot in her lap. She'd discarded her duffle and backpack on the floor. "He's behind the screen over there changing." She raised her voice and directed her question towards the screen. "Do we need to find something for them to wear?"

Roshaun came out from behind the screen half-dressed, scrutinizing the earthlings' appearance.

Nita assessed his upper body favorably for half a moment. Kit frowned at the king, not liking his scrutiny. "I didn't exactly bring a tie and slacks. No one told me to. All I put in my tent were things like jeans and t-shirts. This is about as good as it gets, unless you want me to go back home and bring something."

Dairine stood up. "They'll have to stay the way they are right now for the first meeting. They can change before dinner if we need them to."

"They will have to change for dinner. If my judgment is sound, my father probably invited wizards and members of his council this evening. Hurry, Dhairine."

Dairine picked up her bags and led the way to her rooms, not far from Roshaun's. As they walked in, she said, "You can set the bags down anywhere. Things never stay put for very long. Somebody always comes by to straighten the place up, whether or not it needs it. Sit anywhere, I've got to change." Nita sat down on the bed, surprised, watching Dairine rifle through a dresser drawer, pulling out something to wear. She started to say something. Aggravated, the redhead looked down at her sister. "This is my room, Nita. If it's in here…not only am I allowed to wear it, I'm supposed to wear it." She went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. It was only a matter of about a minute before she yelled, "Laugh at your own risk of bodily harm!" and opened the door. She was wearing a gauzy, off the shoulder top in sage green with matching pants that seemed almost to float around her, looking loose and comfortable. A large green emerald was at her throat on a chain made of the Speech. Nita wondered at where that had come from, but didn't ask. Had that been the bulge under her sister's shirts that she noticed some days? She sat on the couch, lacing up her sandals. She didn't look up, but informed Nita, "You'll be wearing something like this later probably."

Kit didn't bother trying to fight his grin, and Nita elbowed him for it. "What? I bet you could pull it off…"

There was a knock at the door.

"Roshaun? Come in."

Roshaun was dressed more formally than Nita or Kit had ever seen him, in his long over-tunic and jewel studded pants. Most of him was clothed in a dull orange. His boots looked soft and were a sage green matching Dairine's clothes. He wore the Sun-stone on a collar at his throat. "Are you dressed?"

Dairine rolled her eyes. "No, I'm standing here naked, as you can see. If were naked, I wouldn't have told you to come in."

Kit whispered to Nita, "If he thought she was naked, maybe he wouldn't have knocked."

Nita choked on her laughter, trying to stifle it.

"If you two are ready, we shall depart. My father does not like to be kept waiting." His voice had a tinge of ice to it.

Self-conscious of their earth clothing as they walked behind Dairine and Roshaun in their Wellakhit garb, Nit and Kit followed them to the throne room. The sheer enormity of the place was a little boggling, not to mention the décor. She wondered if maybe she and Kit should have changed into Wellakhit clothing straight off. Here they were in clothes in which they'd walked to and from school in nearly summer heat, sweaty and out of place. As wizards meeting another wizard it shouldn't have mattered, but it seemed a lot of things on Wellakh that shouldn't be, were, and things that should be, weren't. Maybe these standards of what should or shouldn't be, what was or wasn't normal, just needed to be chucked out the window. It didn't seem that anything fit properly in those categories anyway.

The man and woman at the end of the hall could only be Roshaun's parents. His dad's hair was red, close to the color of Dairine's hair. He was even taller than Roshaun, and his wife wasn't much shorter. Roshaun greeted his mother with some sort of hands to the forehead gesture, and she greeted Dairine the same way. Nita and Kit hung back a few paces, watching.

Kit slipped her a sidelong glance. Feeling out of place, Neets?

She gave the slightest nod.

Me too. No worries. We'll adjust.

"This is Nita ke Khallahan, and Kit Rodriguez. Nita is Dhairine's sister. Kit is her constant companion in wizardly endeavors. May I present Nelaid ke Seriv am Teliuyve am Meseph am Veliz am Teriaunst am Antev det Nuiiliat, the Sunlord-That-Was, and my mother Miril am Miril Dev il Nuiiliat, Sister of the Sun."

Nita and Kit looked at each other unsure of what sort of greeting was appropriate. They settled on deep nods and the customary greeting of wizards on Errantry. "We're on Errantry and we greet you."

Nelaid nodded, summoning his version of the manual in the palm of his hand. "Indeed. I have read about the entanglements with the Isolate that the Aethyrs have thrown in your paths. You've not come out of them without loss, but you have emerged through them and stand here today before us, offering your services."

Nita flushed a little, annoyed. He was acting as if this were a job interview. This was two wizards on errantry offering assistance where it was needed. She worked hard to keep the scowl off her face and managed it. "We came to help however we can—for Life's name and for Life's sake. I'm experienced at working with kernels. I think we should be able to sort this all out and make whatever adjustments need to be made."

Nelaid looked down at Kit, as if wondering what purpose he was serving here, expecting him to justify his presence on the planet. Not just any planet, but his planet. "And you?"

Kit met his gaze squarely, a good trick for being at least half ahead shorter than him. "I have experience working with Nita, as you know based on your reading. We're partners. I've also worked with Roshaun and Dairine. We'll do whatever we have to in order to make things right here."

"We know you've come a long way and there's a lot that you need to do and see," Roshaun's mother said, interrupting the men. "Roshaun, were you planning to conference in the library or the study?"

"I had thought the study would be more private, unless there's a gathering already there?" He met his father's look. "I think it best not to involve the other wizards on Wellakh until we are certain with what we are dealing. This is a delicate situation and they may not be disposed to accept the help of outsiders until they have tried all else. I fear by that point, it will be too late for outside aid."

There was a tense moment.

"We shall be meeting in my study after dinner if you care to accompany us, Father. I shall expect no one else to be there."

The Sun-King-That-Was had a face of stone. He was giving nothing away.

Lady Miril hardly moved, but seemed to flow between father and son. "Your people will be awaiting you. It won't take long before they are aware of our guests. It's best that they be introduced outright and not speculated upon and gossiped about. I think an audience after dinner would be appropriate."

"I think it should be a team effort. Three Wellakhit, three Earth residents," Dairine said, looking at Lady Miril. "A united front." Mostly because the populace might freak out if aliens from earth started showing up in increasing numbers…first just me…now me and Nita and Kit. Things were at too delicate a stage in Wellakh's problems to let unrest get out of hand.

"I shall take our guests to the observation tower," Roshaun stated. He had understood Dairine's reasoning on the united front.

As Lady Miril departed to see about proper Wellakhit clothing for Nita and Kit, Nita figured out who the woman reminded her of. She felt a pang in her chest. Kit could sense the look on her face, the one just below the surface, the look she was fighting with. He'd seen it too. He squeezed her hand. He held it all through the walk to the observation tower with Roshaun and Dairine. When they reached the top of the tower, Dairine put a strong silencing spell around them. "We're covered. That could have gone worse."

Roshaun nodded in agreement. "Hoping that my father had not set up some sort of rendezvous was useless. Evidently they will be present for the meal. Though I am hoping I have succeeded in convincing him to eliminate their presence in our work." He reached for a lollipop in his pocket and pursed his lips tersely a moment, realizing that he had changed clothes and did not have any.

Nita only half listened as Dairine and Roshaun continued to assess how the meeting had gone. I feel like we ought to be meeting the Wellakhit tonight wearing force fields, Kit.

Kit's mouth quirked up in a smile. Maybe Miss Junior Jedi over there will use the force. I bet she's got a really great light saber…

Nita chuckled. Where would she hide it in that outfit?

Kit raised an eyebrow. Nowhere I wanna know about.

Nita turned her full concentration to the task at hand. She had been half feeling around for it when they climbed the steps to the tower. Now that they were on the roof…this seemed like an ideal place to start feeling for it. No particular direction was calling out to her so she started with the obvious choice—the burned side of the planet. Not too much there to get in the way if it wasn't what she was looking for. She closed her eyes, hands on the stone balustrade. She let the flow of words come in the Speech, sending them out like little tendrils of smoke on the wind, trying to get them to catch her quarry. After a few minutes of trying, and a few more minutes leaning against the wall to rest from the effort, she asked, "Roshaun, who takes care of your planet's kernel?"

Anyone other than Roshaun probably would have asked, "It needs taking care of?" but instead Roshaun attempted to dismiss the question. "It takes care of itself. Wellakh proportionately has a low number of wizards to its overall population. There's little fear that any here might tamper with it."

She crossed her arms, leaning on the wall. "So you've never interacted with it."

He gave her a dismissive look. "Have you ever disturbed earth's kernel?"

"No, but babysitting it isn't my job. It's the Planetary Advisor's job," she said, and thought With the way wizardry is structured on this planet it should be your job, your father's… "What about your dad? Does he have dealings with the kernel?"

Roshaun's face hardened. "My father has never discussed Wellakh's kernel with me. My training focused primarily on controlling Thalis." He fingered the sun-stone at his throat. "The Guarantor sees farther than others…he sees the danger coming from beyond and strikes outward to deflect it before it can lay hands on the people." Roshaun was quoting some of the earliest doctrine he'd been taught.

Kit smiled that too sweet smile. "Meaning your job is to take care of the bad guys before they get here, and if they're already here, you're too late. The problem with that theory is that it doesn't allow for the possibility of danger coming from inside the area you're protecting." Not exactly un-ironic given the sort of civil war going on between the government and populous… Kit added to Nita silently.

She felt that same way. "I'm not immediately sensing it. I don't even have a direction here to work with. Someone should be keeping an eye on it."

Kit stepped between Roshaun and Nita as Roshaun went to open his mouth again. He cut him off. "It doesn't matter what should have been done. What matters is what was done and what we've got to work with here. We need that kernel."

Nita nodded. Kit was right. Scolding Roshaun now over this wasn't going to help matters. He was tough enough to get along with as it was. She flipped open her manual and started looking for other means of detecting the kernel. "I can go into a lucid sleep state tonight and try to find it. I can move more quickly that way—get some sense of direction."

Kit nodded. "I can backstop you, feed you power, whatever you need."

An hour before dinner, there was a knock on Nita's door and Dairine came in without waiting for her to answer. "We need to go to Roshaun's room. Now."

"Why?" Nita asked, shutting her manual. She had been reading her manual, trying to cram whatever she could about Wellakh in before meeting people.

Dairine tapped her foot, impatient. "There's not a lot of time. You might be expected to dance tonight and you won't have a clue what you're doing. We need to practice. C'mon." Without waiting, she walked out, and Nita had no choice but to follow.

Kit and Roshaun were already in Roshaun's room. "You've been kidnapped too?" Kit chuckled.

"This is not a joking matter. This is a formal banquet with a substantial number of significant guests. It is imperative that neither of you give them any reason to find fault with you." Roshaun was reclining in a lounge chair in a way that was clearly practiced to look casual and just as clearly was not casual.

Kit muttered to Nita. "They're already going to find fault, we're not Wellakhit."

"Formal dinners are frequently accompanied by music. In the event that my father has decided we should dance tonight, you will be expected to dance. Our time is limited, but I shall instruct you to the best of my abilities. The most common commencement dance involves all members of the party. Dhairine has some experience dancing in this fashion and will assist me in demonstrating."

"Hit it, Spot," Dairine called out to her computer, which was on several legs under the vanity. Spot started playing music, a slow but upbeat song, swaying a little on his legs as though he felt compelled to dance too.

Roshaun came to stand in front of Dairine and began his lecture. "At the beginning of the dance, first the man will rise and fetch the woman from her seat. He will bow, and linking arms, they will proceed to dance area and wait, facing one another as the other guests assemble. When all of the guests have assembled, both lines begin to walk towards one another. Palm to palm, you turn." Roshaun and Dairine demonstrated and proceeded to run through as much of the dance as they could.

"This isn't working. We need you guys to do it too," groaned Dairine, running her fingers through her hair.

Before she knew it, Nita was being led off with her arm linked in Roshaun's and they had started the dance. He repeated the steps verbally as they went. Even when she got the steps right, she didn't seem to have any of Dairine's natural grace. She looked a little enviously at Dairine and Kit. Kit didn't know the steps anymore than Nita, but he seemed sure-footed at least, even when he was wrong.

"Stop looking at your feet. If all of your steps are the same size you will always end up in the right place. Look at me," Roshaun instructed.

"Dairine puts up with you being this bossy?" she asked skeptically.

His lips went into a thin, displeased line. "There is work to be done here and if teaching you a few turns of a dance will aid in procuring good faith with my people and my Father, then I should think it is a little enough price to pay." His movements were sure of himself, confident. His motions had a firm grace to them. His head never turned in any way it shouldn't during the dance, but his eyes frequently strayed to Dairine.

Nita found herself entering the formal dining room with Kit on one side of her, and Roshaun towering over her on the other. After some discussion, appropriate Wellakhit clothing had been chosen and laid out for them. They'd stand out enough, as they were aliens on this planet. The best path seemed to be to show that they weren't planning on being terribly intrusive, and could adapt to their host's way of doing things. Nita couldn't help but think of the irony. Was there anything more intrusive you could do to a planet than messing with its kernel?

She looked slantways at Kit next to her. She was wearing an outfit similar to Dairine's but in a sort of sky blue color. Kit's outfit mimicked Roshaun's but with far fewer glimmering jewels on it, and in a darkish blue color that suited him. Dairine and Roshaun were dressed to do Life honor, in a burnt orange-ish gold—the green stone still hung at Dairine's throat and the Sun-Stone at Roshaun's. Nita felt that the four of them had rather been dressed as two pairs.

Lady Miril and Nelaid received them as they entered. Nita and Kit were led away to the table and shown their seats. There seemed to be a moment of struggle where Nelaid wanted Dairine to go to the table as well and Roshaun asserted his belief that her rightful place was in line with him and his parents. The tense moment lasted no more than that—a moment. Disunity could be fatal at this stage of the proceedings with Wellakh. A manservant pulled Nita's seat out for her and she sat across from Kit. He muttered to her out of the side of his mouth. "I feel like a dork in these clothes, Neets. Glad you can pull them off."

She watched as the guests arrived and the table filled. Dairine's face hinted at annoyance but she didn't say anything as she was seated at Lady Miril's right hand, away from Roshaun and Nelaid, where she was sure the conversation was going to be political. Nita noticed that her entire side of the table was females, the other side male. She couldn't help but feel that long tables like this were awkward. At least she hadn't been separated from Kit.

Nelaid stood, offering a toast. "We gather tonight in celebration of a world on the mend."

As if we've already fixed everything…Nita thought, when we've just gotten here and can't even figure out where the trouble is yet.

Dinner seemed to pass like an ice age. Lady Miril was pleasant and sweet, always seeming to know how to sense a quarrel and usually to quell it before it escalated. Nita really couldn't seem to find fault with her. Several of the women seemed to know Dairine already, though they did not necessarily like her. Nita was bombarded with questions, some of them upfront, others slipped slyly into the table talk.

"So you and the Sun Lord have known each other for a long while?"

"You've just arrived in Wellakh then?"

"You're planning to remain how long?"

"You look too young for interstellar travel, just how young might that be?"

Nita answered as best to answer them as they came up, trying to be polite. Finally there was one comment that put her over the edge. "We don't normally have much to do with outsiders, just what do you think you can do here that we haven't tried?"

Her temper was starting to wear thin. She put an end to the questions before she lost it entirely. "We're here on Errantry. I will do what I can while I am here. Beyond that, I think you should wait for R—the Sun Lord to provide the answers he sees fit to share."

Dinner lasted an eternity. Her curt response had clearly caused some ruffled feathers. The women turned their attention largely to Kit, though none of the men on his side of the table seemed particularly inclined to interact with him. He managed to turn the conversation aside from him several times by redirecting questions he received with other questions and asking Lady Miril.

Dairine was tense. Nita could tell that she was trying to keep one ear on the conversation their end of the table, and one ear on conversation at the other end—the conversation she'd rather be involved in. As musicians entered the hall, Nita heard Dairine suck in a breath and hold it.

Nelaid announced there would be dancing and it was all Nita could do to stifle her groan, thinking about her two left feet. "Now that we have dined, it seems only proper that we end the evening's celebration with a time of merriment and dance. If any guest is inclined not to do so, they are welcome to sit and watch…" His smile was friendly, but there was a challenge in it. Nita was sure she could almost feel the hair rise on the back of Kit's neck from across the table. Roshaun and Dairine exchanged looks from one end of the table to the other as Nelaid and Miril rose to their feet and moved off towards a clear space for dancing. They seemed to be of the same mind as Kit. Nita gave a mental sigh. All she could do was try her best and hope she didn't knock anyone over.

Roshaun came and collected Dairine from her side of the table. Help your sister, he told her.

Dairine shot a thought to Kit, It's your turn, go get Neets.

Kit stood slowly, walking around the table to Nita's seat. He bowed, a bit of an awkward gesture, and offered her his arm. She stood, trying not to look as nervous as she felt. She linked her arm in his and followed Dairine and Roshaun towards where Nelaid and Miril waited. So far, so good.

Nita noted with satisfaction some slight measure of surprise in Nelaid's eyes at her and Kit's participation. She didn't understand what he could possibly gain out of trying to make her and Kit look less competent, especially since they hadn't even begun their task yet and he was presenting it as finished. There were a number of words she'd like to have with him on the matter…

When all the guests were assembled in their places, the two lines began walking towards each other, right hands up at an angle as though making a right hand turn. The women and men both walked forward and ended up with their right hands palm to palm and the each individual couple turn a circle. Everyone was in a straight line now, the men facing one direction and the women the other. They all turned a half turn so that the line all faced the same direction. Nelaid and Miril led the line around and into a circle.

Dairine and Nita stepped forward into the circle in-step with the other women. She put her right arm up in the middle of the circle. As a unit, the circle began to revolve in, well, a circle, until they were in front of their original partners again. All over the circle the women turned outwards and the men and women walked toward one another, meeting in the middle in a momentary pause before the men kept walking and the women stopped. Nita was proud of herself—she was often a half-second behind everyone else, but seemed to mostly be managing. She hadn't knocked into anyone yet. The men made a pinwheel with their right elbows, forming an inner circle. Nita couldn't help thinking that the elbow pinwheel looked a little ridiculous. The women turned and walked toward the inner circle, making the outer circle not much larger than the inner. The inner circle revolved clockwise and the outer circle turned counter-clockwise. When they were at an even keel with one person before their original partners, both circles stopped. Nita stopped a half-second too late, stepping on the back of Dairine's sandal. Roshaun stepped up as though nothing had happened and took her in his arms, promenading her around in a little mini-circle the same way everyone else was doing. It's nearly over. This section repeats until you reach Kit.

The circle moved again in the same direction as before and they continued changing partners until they had been with everyone in the circle. As she was led in her final promenade by Kit, Nita glanced at Roshaun and Dairine. Dairine knew when she was being slighted but was taking it all in an unusually calm stride.

At last the partners bowed to one another and the song concluded. One couple was going to sit down. Satisfied that they had met their requirement of at least partaking in the activities, Kit and Nita joined them in watching the next two dances, which Roshaun and Dairine participated in. The dancing went on a while more before everyone thanked the musicians and took their seats.

After that, it seemed only a few more remarks from Nelaid and a short speech, and Nita found herself on her way outside to meet the people of Wellakh.

Author's Note: It's me again! Did you miss me? No? Not even a little bit? Pretend you miss me and review…please? This link is to a diagram of the dance—it's the same dance I used in A Rescue of Sorts. Don't hate me for repeating, but I thought it was only fair that at least Dairine and Roshaun should know the dance. .com/photos/56706204N02/sets/72157625539590644/