Finding the tavern Kari had named wasn't hard. Getting in… that was difficult.
It was crowded with young Othánas, so much so that there was a line to get in. After waiting at least two hours, Randel was weighing the option of pulling rank when he was recognized by the door attendant and waved in.
He scanned the interior with a critical eye. It was a pretty fair imitation of an Aboveground bar. There was a wooden dance floor in the center, filled at the moment with a score of couples as well as some Ughlánas. The lights around the bar pulsated with different colors in time with the music. Curious, he drew closer to one of the lights, only to discover that it was actually an enchanted crystal. Scrying it with a practiced eye, he could tell that these crystals were bespelled to flash a single particular color to the beat of the music, different crystals spelled with different colors. The amount of magic it took to do this was on the extravagant side, and likely had to be refreshed nightly, but the effect was reminiscent of the lights he'd seen at some of the clubs that Sarah had taken them to back in the day.
He moved over to the bar and was delighted to find that it had a selection of Aboveground liquors and mixers. Sipping his Jack and Coke happily, he turned to survey the room, hoping to find Kari.
He didn't have to look for long. She was seated at a table with a group of young people, no one that he recognized. He felt again that curious rush as when he'd seen her last. Almost as if sensing his presence, he saw her eyes snap up and look around, finally meeting his gaze. She gave him a slow smile.
It was a battle of wills, now. She clearly wanted him to come to the table. He wanted her to come to the bar. Just as he was about to give in and walk over to her, she rose from the table. Ambling around the room as if she had no destination, she eventually found her way to the space beside him.
"Well, hello again, Randel."
Why it should thrill him that she remembered his name, he couldn't say. But it did. "Hello to you, Kari." He looked her up and down. She was wearing an ankle-length sleeveless overgown with a tight-fitting bodice, under which was a thin peasant blouse with elbow length sleeves. Her effect on him was just as strong as it was in her sporting clothes. Although she stood a respectable distance from him, he could pick up her perfume of fresh snow, honeysuckle, and a hint of mint. It was almost as intoxicating as his Jack Daniels.
She'd turned to the bartender, ordering herself a light ale. He raised a brow at her choice of such a mild drink, "You do not indulge, my lady?"
She laughed, "Oh, I have long since learned that the better part of valor is to know my own limitations. I'm not a fun drunk."
"Somehow, I doubt that."
She gave him a cheeky grin. "Well, I could order something stronger, if you don't mind having to toss your boots away after I throw up on them."
They stood companionably as she watched the group up on the stage. They were singing what he imagined was an Aboveground song, but not from a genre that he was familiar with. When they'd finished and another group took their place, she took his arm.
"These guys are pretty good. Dance with me?" she beamed at him.
He set down his drink and followed her out to the dance floor. She was right, this group was pretty good. Karina was a graceful dancer; her every move was… magical.
Somehow, they'd danced to several songs until they found themselves pressed together; a slow, romantic tune being performed. He nuzzled her neck, that scent she was wearing an almost unbearable attractant. "Kari," he breathed.
She pulled back a little to look at him. Her eyes were a little dazed, as if she were just as lost in the moment as he was. He bent his head and kissed her.
It was the most soul-shattering kiss he'd ever experienced.
When he'd finally pulled away, her eyes fluttered open. She met his gaze as if almost hypnotized. "Kari," he whispered again. "Come back to my rooms with me…"
The spellbound expression she had cleared quickly. She gave him a smile that he could only call ironic. "Ah, did you want to court me then?"
Blinking in surprise, he stammered, "Uh… no… that's not…"
Her smile got wider. "Didn't think so. Randel, if all I wanted was a tumble, I could have that. I could have it ten times over. I'm not interested in someone for a night. I'm interested in someone that will give me forever." She pulled away from him, still smiling. "And apparently that won't be you… more's the pity."
She turned and walked back to the table containing her friends. After what looked like a few words, she walked toward the rear of the tavern. Before he'd even realized what she was about, she'd gone through the door and left.
Karina giggled to herself on the walk back to the castle. He had a good game; she'd give him that much.
And that kiss… oh sweet Goddess… that kiss.
She knew he was going to proposition her. And she knew she would turn it down. What was astounding wasn't that he tried to get her back to his rooms, it was that she was able to pick up his emotional scent. Sandalwood, leather, and spice. If she'd had any doubts before, this night swept them all away.
They were well and truly heart-bonded.
Randel rushed to the back door, trying to see which way Kari went. It was fruitless. She could have gone in any direction.
Faintly annoyed, he replayed the events as he walked back to the castle. He thought he'd had her. But no, she slipped out of his arms like smoke.
So, she wanted a life-bond, did she? Well, that wasn't going to happen. Still, he had to admit he'd felt a bit of disquiet when she'd told him that it wouldn't be him in any case.
Truth be told, it hurt a little. Though why it hurt, he didn't rightly know.
His morning was spent with Jareth and Garthan catching up on kingdom events. Thankfully, aside from some reported bandit activity, things were relatively peaceful. As he took his leave, he found himself thinking of Kari again. It was only the tenth time since he'd woken up.
It bothered him a little that he had no idea who she really was. Obviously, she had some connections, as she was playing in the sporting compound of the castle. That meant she either lived in the castle or one of the manors around it. Her dress last night, while simple, was of the highest quality material. She had the air of someone who was slightly spoiled, though not bratty. Her manners were those of a lady, for all her flirtatious attitude. If he had to guess, she was a nobleman's daughter, just by the way she carried herself.
He didn't have much more time to ponder it before he'd found himself in the South Garden. Unlike the flower gardens or the sporting area, this one was mostly grass and trees. And lo and behold… there she was. Seated on a stone bench, a book in her hand. This time, she was dressed in what he'd come to see as standard Court attire, a black velvet and satin gown trimmed with gold braid. He felt himself sigh at the sight of her.
She must have felt his gaze, because she looked up from her book and scanned the area. When her eyes fell upon him, she smiled a little. Taking that for encouragement, he walked over to her.
"We meet again, Kari."
"Hello, Randel. What brings you here?"
He shrugged, "My workday ended early, so I thought I'd enjoy the Spring air. And you?"
Her gaze flickered a bit. "The same." She'd closed her book and set it in her lap. He took the seat beside her.
"You left so quickly… did I offend you with my suggestion?"
She laughed delightedly, "Oh, no. I wasn't offended. I was amused, if you must know."
His brows raised, "Amused?"
She leaned toward him and whispered conspiratorially, "I had a bet with myself that if you showed up at the Bleeding Goblin, you'd proposition me in some way. I won the bet."
For some reason, he wasn't sure how to feel about that. He was relieved that she wasn't offended, but at the same time, her flippancy showed that she didn't really take him all that seriously. "Ah, but that was an easy bet. It doesn't take a scrying spell to discover that I want you."
Why that came out of his mouth, he would never know. He felt like a newly adult lad, all of his usual finesse flying out the window the moment he was in her presence.
She gave him a smile that dazzled, "Oh, I want you too. But you don't want what I want, and therefore, we are at an impasse."
"Perhaps I can change your mind," he said silkily.
"Perhaps I can change yours," she said softly.
"I wouldn't bet on that," he said, still smiling.
"I would. In fact, I will." She gave him a mischievous look. "I bet you that you'll give me a courting token someday."
Before he could stop himself, he heard his own voice, "And I bet that I can bed you without one."
Her chin came up in what could only have been determination. "A gold crown?"
"Done."
She smiled. Then she rose gracefully. "Much as it would amuse me to see you begin trying to win that bet this minute, I have another engagement this afternoon."
The sudden swell of jealousy that rose within him was startling. Even more startling was that she seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not off to work my wiles on another man. In truth, a friend of mine is going to make her bonding wish next week, and all of us girls are throwing her a party."
"I didn't say…"
"You didn't have to. Your face is marvelously expressive, Randel Amorrian." She leaned forward, kissing his cheek lightly. "Until we meet again."
And with that, she walked out of the garden.
That was close. I didn't think he'd finish up with Dad and Garthan so early.
Karina headed back to her chambers after making sure Randel wasn't following her. While she was confident in the power of the heart-bond, she knew that she couldn't let him know who she was just yet. She had to get him firmly on her hook.
Ordinarily, she taught in the Creche, leading the youngest students in their lessons. She enjoyed working with children and had inherited her mother's love of reading and storytelling, making her a perfect teacher to introduce the young to the joys of the written word. She alternated her days between the Ughlánas creche and the one for castle courtiers, trading places with Arthor, who taught numbers and introductory mathematics. Because her students learned at different paces, part of her job was to ensure that every child learned in a way that was comfortable and enjoyable for them.
Due to the ongoing festivities, lessons had been suspended for two weeks, thus she had an abundance of free time. She'd gone to the garden to read after she'd finished helping Mom and Lily with preparations for the Spring Ball, not realizing that Randel might well find her there. When he did indeed come upon her in the garden, she was anxious that the game would be up the moment someone called her name. Thankfully, for whatever reason, Danu was smiling on her today and no one wandered by to call out to her. She would definitely have to remain on her toes from here on out. In a way, it was a mistake to allow that kiss. Now that she knew what kissing Randel was like, she wanted it more and more.
And if kissing him was this nice… just imagine how nice the rest will be.
For the next week, Randel would come upon Kari in various parts of the castle. Sometimes the garden, sometimes watching a game on the sporting grounds (although she didn't wear that fetching breeches outfit again). Their encounters were… interesting. Sometimes brief, but memorable. At least to him. She had a way of keeping him on his toes, going from flirty to sarcastic and back at a neck-snapping speed. Oddly… he liked both. His usual tricks to seduce a woman failed spectacularly with her. No… not failed exactly, she made no denial that she found him attractive, she just… wouldn't give in to those feelings and let him carry her off to his rooms. And every time he thought he'd had her close to surrendering… she eluded him.
The really strange thing was that he could almost sense her presence when she was near. No matter what he was doing, he'd get this odd, almost tingling sensation all the way to his fingertips. Every time this happened, he'd look around and sure enough… she was nearby. And if that wasn't strange enough, the effect her scent had on him was just as maddening.
One encounter in particular stood out as… odd. She had gone to the market with him (in truth, he had seen her leaving the castle and followed her to the market) and he had convinced her to share a table at a small eatery. After some lighthearted banter and a lot of flirting, he'd finally brought up the subject that had been weighing on his mind.
"You never told me your family name, Kari. Why?"
She looked at him gravely. "Do you have a courting token in your pocket for me?"
He stammered, "N-no… you know that I don't."
She nodded, her smile a little sad, "There's only one reason that you would need to know it… if you intended to bond with me. As you don't have those intentions, my name won't matter much to you, will it?"
He retreated from the question quickly, but it still ate at him. Why was she so hesitant to disclose her family?
After a week of this, he was still no closer to knowing anything about her, nor was he any closer to getting her into his chamber.
Sometimes he'd see her from a distance, walking with friends, bustling about the castle. Once, he'd seen her in the South Garden, playing with a dog and a group of Ughlánas. He found himself just watching her, letting his eyes caress her as he wanted his hands to. He'd shake himself and move on, annoyed that he'd started acting like a lovesick boy.
At night, when he lay in his bed alone, he tried to understand just why he was so invested in this girl. While his charm was legendary, or at least he used to think it was, he wasn't always successful in his romantic ventures. Usually, if the lady wasn't receptive, he moved on to the next without a thought. This time however, Kari's resistance only served to fan the flames. Maybe it was his pride that kept him so invested. She was a challenge.
Yes, that had to be it. She was a challenge and once he had her, he could move on.
Or so he told himself.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Although Karina and Helena are princesses, they are expected to do something constructive with their lives. Karina is a teacher. Helena has plans too, but she's only about 12 at this point, so she's still in school.
Now, it's pretty clear that Randel is in quite a bit of denial about what's happening to him. On the one hand, he never expected these kinds of feelings to overtake him, so he never really paid attention to what the signs of heart-bonding were. As far as him not catching on to who Karina really is… well… yeah, he's a little dense in that respect. I think it's because he pictures 'Karina' as a child still and can't see that child in the woman he knows as 'Kari'. It's been over a hundred years since he'd seen her after all.
Again… yes, I know… it's farfetched. But it makes for a cute story, so I'm rolling with it.
