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Kel stood on her balcony looking into the main courtyard. Across the courtyard were the massive glass windows that adorned the palace's massive banquet hall. The windows were normally dark and revealed nothing but closed curtains. Today the curtains were thrown open giving Kel a view of the large banquet hall as it was being cleaned and readied for the wedding by the palace servants. Kel let out a long and exasperated sigh. While she wouldn't be waiting tables for once, she had no idea whom she was going to be stuck sitting with. She hoped that Master Oakbridge had decided not to seat her with a conservative this time. Last midwinter someone had decided that she should have to sit with a conservative at every meal just to prove that she wasn't magiced by anyone. While a few had eventually warmed up to her, most had spent the entire meal ignoring her or finding new ways to insult her virginity. Kel turned away from the window and picked up her glaive. She'd already done one pattern dance that morning, but one more couldn't hurt, especially if it helped her work out some of the frustration over the nights pending activities....
About 2 swift turns into her pattern dance there were several loud knocks on her door followed by shouts from Kel's former maid Lalasa. "Milady you had better let me in so that we can get you ready for tonight!"
"What on earth" Kel began as she opened the door. "Milady you are to stand next to Princess Shinkokami tonight. You must get ready now in order to help her prepare later." Kel had known that this was going to happen. Although the wedding was going to follow Tortallian tradition, Princess Shinko was going to have her Yamani attendants, Kel and her mother Ilaine dress her according to Yamani tradition. It was both an honor to be asked and a pain because it meant playing the part of a "bridesmaid."
"But I thought I had another hour before I even had to..." began Kel.
"Not if you want me to make your hair look more feminine than that chin- length rats nest you call a hair do." Rather than argue Kel sat down and allowed her former maid to begin. Several hours later Keladry of Mindelan emerged from her quarters looking more like a lady than a seasoned knight. She hurried to Princess Shinko's rooms only to find Lady Haname, her mother and Yukimi already there. "You're late" Lady Haname replied. "So you are alive" her mother replied. "Sorry," replied Kel. "I've never had to 'do' my hair or put on so much make-up before. I had no idea that it could take two hours." Princess Shinkokami looked beautiful in a long, Tortallian-style wedding dress. Over a long, beaded white gown she wore a lace kimono-style robe, tied around the waist. Princess Shinko pulled at the back of the robe revealing a long train. Her hair was pinned up in a mixture of massive curls and ornate Yamani tortis shell combs. In the ties of her robe, she wore red beads, to symbolize the Yamani color of happiness and luck. "You must all wear red beads for me today" the Princess replied as she handed Kel a string of the beads. "We must wish for luck."
"Are you still nervous even now that you love Prince Roald? Or has the Queen decided to make you her slave?" replied Kel.
"No, but the war has only just ended this summer. Is it not unlucky to be married right after such a terrible event?"
"Only in the Yamani Islands" replied Kel. Not long after Kel and the ladies prepared to head to the Chapel room where a Priestess would marry the Prince and Princess.
Kel had never been as nervous in her life as she was now. She stood next to Yuki as they waited for the Princess the walk down the aisle to the altar. While she knew that everyone's eyes were searching for the Princess, she couldn't help but feel a few eyes on her. Some of the conservatives eyed both her and her dress. While Kel normally wore slightly plain dresses (when she did wear dresses) she had had no choice in what she was wearing today. The Princess had insisted both she and Yuki wear real bridesmaid dresses. Shinko had ordered a dress for each of them through Lalasa with strict orders that they be "red and reflect the height of Tortallian fashion." Lalasa had done the job all right. The "lucky" red color of her dress glowed brazenly against the gold of her summer tan. In all the years that had passed since her chest had grown, this was the first time that Kel had ever exposed them as much as they were now. Silently, she wondered how the ladies at court prevented the mishaps of spilling out when they wore dresses cut like this every day. The trumpets sounded and the bridal march began. Princess Shinko appeared at the doors and began her walk down the aisle. The guests stood as Prince Roald leaned against both Neal and the King for support. Shinko was breathtaking. As she and Yuki stood next to Shinko during the ceremony Kel began to wonder if she would ever walk down the aisle. She didn't want to marry and give up her shield. Still, every time she saw Dom she went all girly inside. Kel lifted her eyes and searched the room for the Sergeant. He sat next to Duke Baird and Buri towards the end of one of the aisles. Lord Roaul was on his right, both adorned in the dress uniform of the King's Own. Dom must have felt her stare because he looked up and smiled at her. Ashamed of being caught staring like a little school girl Kel lowered her eyes and concentrated on the remaining moments of the ceremony. "Just a few more minutes, and maybe I can sneak out of the reception early" thought Kel....still she couldn't resist stealing a second glance at Dom.
Kel stood on her balcony looking into the main courtyard. Across the courtyard were the massive glass windows that adorned the palace's massive banquet hall. The windows were normally dark and revealed nothing but closed curtains. Today the curtains were thrown open giving Kel a view of the large banquet hall as it was being cleaned and readied for the wedding by the palace servants. Kel let out a long and exasperated sigh. While she wouldn't be waiting tables for once, she had no idea whom she was going to be stuck sitting with. She hoped that Master Oakbridge had decided not to seat her with a conservative this time. Last midwinter someone had decided that she should have to sit with a conservative at every meal just to prove that she wasn't magiced by anyone. While a few had eventually warmed up to her, most had spent the entire meal ignoring her or finding new ways to insult her virginity. Kel turned away from the window and picked up her glaive. She'd already done one pattern dance that morning, but one more couldn't hurt, especially if it helped her work out some of the frustration over the nights pending activities....
About 2 swift turns into her pattern dance there were several loud knocks on her door followed by shouts from Kel's former maid Lalasa. "Milady you had better let me in so that we can get you ready for tonight!"
"What on earth" Kel began as she opened the door. "Milady you are to stand next to Princess Shinkokami tonight. You must get ready now in order to help her prepare later." Kel had known that this was going to happen. Although the wedding was going to follow Tortallian tradition, Princess Shinko was going to have her Yamani attendants, Kel and her mother Ilaine dress her according to Yamani tradition. It was both an honor to be asked and a pain because it meant playing the part of a "bridesmaid."
"But I thought I had another hour before I even had to..." began Kel.
"Not if you want me to make your hair look more feminine than that chin- length rats nest you call a hair do." Rather than argue Kel sat down and allowed her former maid to begin. Several hours later Keladry of Mindelan emerged from her quarters looking more like a lady than a seasoned knight. She hurried to Princess Shinko's rooms only to find Lady Haname, her mother and Yukimi already there. "You're late" Lady Haname replied. "So you are alive" her mother replied. "Sorry," replied Kel. "I've never had to 'do' my hair or put on so much make-up before. I had no idea that it could take two hours." Princess Shinkokami looked beautiful in a long, Tortallian-style wedding dress. Over a long, beaded white gown she wore a lace kimono-style robe, tied around the waist. Princess Shinko pulled at the back of the robe revealing a long train. Her hair was pinned up in a mixture of massive curls and ornate Yamani tortis shell combs. In the ties of her robe, she wore red beads, to symbolize the Yamani color of happiness and luck. "You must all wear red beads for me today" the Princess replied as she handed Kel a string of the beads. "We must wish for luck."
"Are you still nervous even now that you love Prince Roald? Or has the Queen decided to make you her slave?" replied Kel.
"No, but the war has only just ended this summer. Is it not unlucky to be married right after such a terrible event?"
"Only in the Yamani Islands" replied Kel. Not long after Kel and the ladies prepared to head to the Chapel room where a Priestess would marry the Prince and Princess.
Kel had never been as nervous in her life as she was now. She stood next to Yuki as they waited for the Princess the walk down the aisle to the altar. While she knew that everyone's eyes were searching for the Princess, she couldn't help but feel a few eyes on her. Some of the conservatives eyed both her and her dress. While Kel normally wore slightly plain dresses (when she did wear dresses) she had had no choice in what she was wearing today. The Princess had insisted both she and Yuki wear real bridesmaid dresses. Shinko had ordered a dress for each of them through Lalasa with strict orders that they be "red and reflect the height of Tortallian fashion." Lalasa had done the job all right. The "lucky" red color of her dress glowed brazenly against the gold of her summer tan. In all the years that had passed since her chest had grown, this was the first time that Kel had ever exposed them as much as they were now. Silently, she wondered how the ladies at court prevented the mishaps of spilling out when they wore dresses cut like this every day. The trumpets sounded and the bridal march began. Princess Shinko appeared at the doors and began her walk down the aisle. The guests stood as Prince Roald leaned against both Neal and the King for support. Shinko was breathtaking. As she and Yuki stood next to Shinko during the ceremony Kel began to wonder if she would ever walk down the aisle. She didn't want to marry and give up her shield. Still, every time she saw Dom she went all girly inside. Kel lifted her eyes and searched the room for the Sergeant. He sat next to Duke Baird and Buri towards the end of one of the aisles. Lord Roaul was on his right, both adorned in the dress uniform of the King's Own. Dom must have felt her stare because he looked up and smiled at her. Ashamed of being caught staring like a little school girl Kel lowered her eyes and concentrated on the remaining moments of the ceremony. "Just a few more minutes, and maybe I can sneak out of the reception early" thought Kel....still she couldn't resist stealing a second glance at Dom.