Sorry for the late post, here you go! - Huginn

Lianne of Conte couldn't help but look at her reflection in the mirror as she smoothed out her dress one more time. The workmanship was exquisite with hand embroidered knot work lining the edge of her sleeve, hem and bodice. The color was a stunning shade of deep sea blue to match her eyes while her jet black hair had been braided and pulled up with a delicate golden net picked with pearls. It was after all, not every day you were to meet your future husband.

Snarling she turned away from the mirror and stomped across her room to her bed. Future husband, just the sound of that in her mind never mind off her tongue disgusted her. The sour taste still in her mouth she fought for the classic composure she should have as a lady. This arrangement would benefit her people, as her father often reminded her. A princess's roll is to help the people, and more often than not it meant arranged marriages to certain families or foreign dignitaries to strengthen the bond between nations. Pacing a bit she couldn't help it as she brought her hand to her lips and started to bite at her nails. This man had no title such as prince, duke, or even king; no he was simply a warlord. A warlord over a dozen or more clans in the cold north and she was to be his wife, she wouldn't even have a title such as duchess or queen. Cursing herself she grabbed a golden bracelet and slit it upon her wrist.

"Might as well be a pig farmer's wife." She cursed under her breath just as the door opened. Her handmaidens rushed over to tweak and iron out small details such as a stray hair or some invisible dirt along the bottom of her dress. "Stop fussing already, were to go riding and have a picnic I highly doubt he expects me to end up spotless after that!" Throwing her hands up she strolled out of her room and marched her way down to the stables where undoubting he along with her parents and a parade of guard and court members would be waiting. Sending a silent prayer to both Mithros and the goddess for strength she ducked out and into the sunlight.

He was certainly handsome for his age; she'd give him that at the very least. Blonde hair fell halfway down his back and was neatly pulled back and held tight by leather wrappings. His eyes were not a rich sapphire blue like her own but rather a soft blue, cornflower blue in fact. High cheekbones gave him a fierce look when paired with his thin lips. Despite the smile there was something cold about him as he bowed in the saddle, his mount dark black and as thick as a draft. He had exotic pelts covering his saddle though wore none of his own. Then again in this summer heat she did not blame him. Curtsying before him she didn't raise her eyes till she heard him dismount and she knew that slow walk as any woman would. The man was eying her like chattle taking notes of her features, perhaps those that would aid in bringing his sons into this world.

"Dear Princess Lianne, please do not do so in my honor." He spoke then and whatever she saw cold about him melted away. He had a charming smile, and his eyes had softened as if what he was saying was true as he offered her his hand. She took it as he held her hand till she rose and gained her own footing. "We are here as equals, in my lands a woman does not look down at a man simple because he is a man. In fact women run most of the households, though don't tell them that it goes to their heads." He laughed then as his men joined in and left some of the single court ladies giggling. He wasted no time in taking the reins of her horse from a holster before pausing as if he realized he could not help her mount in a gown and hold the horse at the same time.
"I can ride, my mother taught us young about good horsemanship." She said gently as he flashed her one of those charming smiles again and held her palfrey steady. Sliding up into the saddle much to her handmaidens scowls as her dress was now wrinkled she did her best to settle in before taking the reins from him.

"Shall we?"

He was certainly a charmer, the ride lead them through the woods where more than once he pointed out scrapped tree's where young bucks had rubbed the bark off and she often overheard him speak about coming hunting and providing for their own betrothal feast. Something about providing for his future wife is something he as her future husband should do, the more he talked the more she felt that sour taste rise in her mouth. Men like that were always rubbing noses and trying to step up, not that he could as there was only her and her little sister to wed off but perhaps he thought he could get a bigger dowry from her father if he proved to be a good man. Letting out a audible sigh she nudged her mount forward as the nimble mare instantly burst into a trot then canter toward the clearing where lunch had been set up.

"Lianne!" Her father called after her but she didn't want to stop and listen, just run as far as her mare could carry her and forget her 'duty'.

Keladry couldn't help but look up at the mother matron, every expression showed on her face just then from pure rage to fear. From the small missive they had received word that the warlord had already paid a visit to the young princess and they were eagerly awaiting planning their wedding for next fall. She wouldn't be ready by next fall that much was certain. Pacing the room she ran her fingers franticly through her hair and found herself even more unnerved at the fact that they didn't stop short just behind her ears but rather down past her shoulders now.

"So how do we fix this, I could write King Jon see if he could find excuses!" She turned suddenly on the Mother Matron who just stood there watching her like a hawk. The woman's eyes missed nothing from how much Kel had changed, including the dropping of her yamani mask, to just how nervous she was with the outcome.

"We do not. After summer training we will be sending one of our best agents to work beside the princess. If your king procrastinates he might think something is wrong and simply take what he wants, this we want to avoid. So we will work something up with the young princess, only she can hold of such a marriage and provide safety for her people."

"Who then?" Kel asked as the Mother simple smiled and turned to stare into the fireplace as the door was opened for Kel. She never got her answer as she was escorted out of the room and back to the stables.

The summer training grounds were not what Kel had expected in the slightest. She had barely started to question the Mother before she was shown out and frost ordered her to saddle up both Peachblossom and Zeph. The two were not getting along as well as she hoped and with any luck once they reached the ground and Horse Mistress would be around to talk some sense into them. Thankfully the few day trek north to the seaside had left them both too tired to try and bite or kick each other.
"Welcome to summer training grounds." Frost exclaimed with a longing gasp as if she missed the smell of the sea. Bellow in the fields bordering the sandy beach lay dozens of brightly colored tents, some small while others were large enough to fit all the maidens in training. She could see the make shift paddocks and stables to the side as well as quintains and that truly made her heart jump. Finally something she'd exceled at, and then the sinking knot in her stomach as she remember she would have to teach Zeph how to joust properly. There were other small circle fields obviously used to work on hand to hand and weapons combat. The closer they got the more she could hear the laughter and music that rang through the camp ground.

"I thought …." Kel said as a stable hand took their mounts and let them dismount. Reaching for her packs the hand shook her head gently and smiled.

"We'll send your belongings to your tent; if you hurry you can catch supper." Those words were enough to send the small late arriving group rushing to the tent that music and laughter seemed to spill out from.

Inside she found something she least expected. Long tables circled a large open area where a few sat with fiddles , flutes and drums making way to their own music as women danced and jumped around. Food had been served though extra sat in large trays in the middle of the tables so one could help themselves to as much or little as they wished to eat.

"What is this?" Ashely asked wide eyed as she and Kel wandered to take a seat and began to serve themselves from the mount of what probably was fresh game and seafood.

"Summer training, you learn a bit more about being a woman to mesh with the warrior in you." Frost laughed as she slurped something out of what seemed to be a rock. Tossing it aside she pointed out to the dancing circle before taking another. "See, dancing is an ancient art. You build stamina oddly enough, and you can learn many things from joining in a dance like who is hiding weapons how quick they slow down, if there is a weak spot on the body like knee's ankles, hips or shoulders." Everything she mentioned seemed to open Kel's eyes a bit, she had never honestly thought of a dance like that. Then again she never saw dances like this, most of the ones in court were very prim and proper. "See that woman there." She pointed to a fiery red head that moved through the crowd with ease, unlike the other maidens she moved as if she was made of water or had no bones in her body. "That is Victoria, she's one of the world's fiercest privateers."

"Wait.. Victoria the Red Wolf?" Kel nearly choked on her drink then, she had heard story's on the isles of a fleet lead by the red wolf and just how merciless they were. But having never seen the banner she thought it to be merely child's tails.

"One and only, though she's a privateer, hired by Baltasar and Aubyre. Does not help she is Aubyre's older sister as well." Frost grinned as Ashely had to cover her mouth to keep from coughing up the food she had just swallowed.

"Come again?"

"Aubyre and Victoria are the daughters of the Mother Matron. Aubrye excelled at combat and she started training with the order but met this one man that swept her away. It wasn't till after they were to wed did he tell her he was 'the' Baltasar. Victoria however is a different breed and loves the sea, she excels with matters of the mind of things that require… a delicate quiet hand. She's here to teach you how to be efficient killers while being ladies." Frost teased as she made a pointed glance at Ashely who was ripping into a turkey leg as if it had been the only thing she'd eaten in days. Taking note of this she quickly wiped her mouth clean and sat up prim and proper only to get a handful of giggles from both Kel and frost .

"So then, what is our first class Frost?" Kel followed Ashely's example though the look of the two of them in perfect posture and looking down their nose must have been hysterical because Frost could barely stop laughing as she looked at them.

"To... tomorrow is Archery, dance, and etiquette." She finally managed to say as an older maiden found them sitting and dragged the three into the dance circle. Kel didn't protest as she took a final swig of her cider before being rushed out onto the dance floor. It was quite easy to pick up as they moved clock wise in a four step with flair, though some added their own spin to the dance. Ashely spun around on the fourth step while some bent their bodies as if they had no bones to them. The music shifted as a elder maiden would step into the center and move showing off what exactly she could. It was when the red headed woman stepped in people watched intently, the woman moved slowly almost more like a serpent than a human. Occasionally her knee's or arms would lock before she moved again in ways kel never thought possible as her hips, chest, arms, and shoulders moved in perfect isolation. It was Kara who had made her way to Ashely and Kel's side and threw a arm around them.

"Where...Where did she learn that! I've never seen someone move like that."

"She travels the world, see's lands your people don't even have names for. The fact that she's home after five years is enough of a sign something big is going on." Kara explained as the woman had pulled other maidens and trainee's in to dance with her showing them how she moved like that. "You'll be learning this by summers end." She patted Kel and Ashely before slipping between them to join the others at the center of the circle. Kel couldn't help but swallow her fear as she knew she had two left feet. This, this was going to be a very long summer.