Telgar-Igen Wedding (all are welcome)

((I don’t do so well with British Humour. I hear them and I know that what they said was supposed to be a joke but to my ears it is just a sentence.))


“Of course I am.” Galaeanyss’s face once again took on its expression of amusement intermixed with arrogance. It had not taken much to get her out of the mother-daughter moment that Lady Naryssa had been intending for them to share. Those could be so dull. They were generally pointless as well. Or perhaps they did have a point but Nyssa just blanked out before her mother ever reached it. Regardless, she was not going to have to deal with it now and that was a boon unto itself. “Forgetting your proper courtesies like that. Mother you shame us all.”

With the little Lady distracted, Tlina’s attention returned to N’kyr. Clearly he was unphased by her melodrama. And in such a public setting no less. “Cold,” she told N’kyr as if he were not already aware of it. “You truly are your sister’s brother.”

Galaeanyss shifted her stance to put the majority of her weight on her left leg. Her right leg extended out to a more restful position off to the side. She placed a hand on her left hip; her now bowed arm caused her blue see-through cloak to billow out on that side while clinging more tightly to the other. She took in the crowd, spending much of her focus on the dance floor. She had lost track of the newly wed couple. She spotted some people that knew, but none were the pair that she was looking for. “Now where did they get off to?”

((Heh that's okay. A lot of crude humor strikes me that way, too lol))

Taking a deep breath so she'd be able to outwardly ignore Galaeanyss' words-- she hadn't forgotten at all, she'd just been more concerned with her daughter's behavior than their current situation--, Naryssa straightened her posture and took her husband's offered arm. She glanced around as well, trying to spot their host and hostess in the throng of people. Surely the bride and groom would be easy to spot, given their attire?

N'kyr's gray eyes narrowed down at Tlina. He most certainly did not appreciate the comparison to his sister. In his own mind, he wasn't anything like her (even if others could easily see the similarities.) "I will not be manipulated to serve your purpose," the young bronzerider murmured low enough for the handmaiden alone to hear. He knew her interest in him and the Weyr wasn't genuine. She was only paying attention to him so she could use him to get back at Galaeanyss. Perhaps also to show off her association with a bronzerider. But nothing else-- girls like her were all the same, and could not be trusted.

((I stick to more sophisticated humor. Um, if such a thing exists.))


Galaeanyss took her mother’s silence as a sign of personal victory. How could she not? Clearly her logic had been infallible. Plus, she had gotten what she wanted which was literally nothing, as the case happened to be. “We shan’t hold it against you,” she assured her mother. “At your age, these things must expected.”

Tlina lounged back in her borrowed seat. She stretched her legs out, sliding them beneath the chair in front of her. She offered N’kyr a bland grin. “And here I thought that you needed all of the volunteers that you could get, what with the understaffed Weyrs and all.” The handmaiden folded her arms behind her head, cupping the back and sides of her with crisscrossed hands. “How many of them sit vacant these days?”

The trader was smiling then, in regards to her insightful observation. He was never a braggart about his abilities. In fact, Jungi was rather genuinely humble, regardless of any rumours that might suggest otherwise.

“Oh and I suppose and I. O. U. won’t cut it.” She thought about what she might give him but then decided to let the imp have whatever he wanted. “Two questions. If you could have anything in the world what would it be? And two, what would you like as payback because you and I both know my marks are quite limited…”

As the two of them meandered off into the crowds of festive-wedding-goers, Jungi shoved both hands into their pockets, walking at an easier pace than earlier. He'd been shaking his head at her comment about I.O.U.'s and been about to say something when she piped up again with her two questions. The first one caught him a bit off guard, because right off the top of his head, he wasn't sure what he would answer to it; the second however, might turn out a little easier to figure out. So, he started there.

"Well, quite limited marks are quite unnecessary, lucky for you," An ever charming, rogueish smile caught his lips up at their corners again. And after quietly considering it for a moment, replied easily, "Do you think you could be my date against sometime? Captain Toshiro and I were going to meet for a drink over dinner in a few days, but food always tastes better with good company. Maybe you have a friend who you could ask to come with, and we could make it a double date?"

Pausing in his speech long enough to consider an answer to the first question, when Jungi looked back over at her, his expression had altered, though the traces of that smile remained somewhat. Somehow he seemed a bit more serious. "Do you think it would be too presumptuous to ask for the World itself? The longer I live in it, the more I feel as though I'd like to experience everything it has to offer." He went on to ask, "What about Ari? Is there something in this world you desire above all else?"



(lol sorry Kate. The opportunity was too perfect >D you have to ask Lyria now to go with them ..if she says yes. And Ari and Shiro are stuck again, having to be separated. hahaha. poor things > )

Ariadne saw the look on his face and wondered what he might ask for? Suddenly thinking maybe she should have been more specific. However his answer relieved her a little, he wanted her company again. And he wanted her company in the presence of Captain Toshiro. Oh dear. They had no parted well the other day but perhaps she could bring someone with her who was rather chatty and liked the Captain so that he wouldn’t have time to be too upset on seeing her. She doubted he would care over-much if she came with Jungi in the first place.

Smiling, she answered, “Oh that would be nice. I do know someone in the infirmary. She is very amiable, youthful and pretty.” Actually not too different from Ariadne herself if a bit less sensitive to other people’s emotions. Still the other girl was like a sister to her in the short time they had known eachother and she actually liked Toshiro which would surely distract him from mentioning anything about their fight. She really didn’t want Jungi to know that Toshiro was the reason she had been crying.

“The world huh?” She laughed, “I suppose being a Trader and having connections with a Lord, it might be possible for you to see the world but I don’t know that the entire planet is up for grabs.” She thought about how she would answer, losing some of the smile that had crept into her eyes. In fact her face grew quite somber as she thought about how to word what she wanted to say.

She could easily have said she wanted Evander back but seeing as that was an impossible request she settled for what not having him around had made her into. She didn’t want to feel broken anymore. “I want to be whole again.” And while he had meant this to be a fun question, for his answer was in fact fun and amusing, she found herself making the mood much too somber.

"Look at me, making things so serious." She smiled again. "We're here to have fun." She paused then got an idea of what they shoudl do next, "Do you like to dance Jungi?"

Jungi

Upon hearing Ariadne's answer, Jungi began to feel even more an attraction to her. Ariadne was such a sweet spirit and yet she'd been made to suffer so much in her life due to the loss of her husband.

So, he decided to take it onto himself to help her heal, just as he'd wanted her to be able to cheer up when she was sat the other day.

"Look at me, making things so serious." She smiled again. "We're here to have fun." She paused then got an idea of what they shoudl do next, "Do you like to dance Jungi?"

He couldn't help but smile for her, understanding it took some effort for her own smile to return. Somehow, he wanted that he could always be there for her to help her find her courage and good cheer. Or at least be a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. More than that...he was beginning to feel as though he wanted to be the one that could make her smile again, but with real happiness.

"I do like to dance. Is that an invitation?" HOping so, they headed back in the direction of the dance square.

((Hah I think there is, but it depends who you're asking just what it means! lol))

"Are you implying you genuinely wish to go to the Weyr?" N'kyr didn't believe it for a minute. Sick of his sister Tlina may be, but it was unlikely she'd want to cast off the advantages of being handmaiden to the daughter of a Lord Holder in favor of becoming a drudge. Or possibly a candidate if she was actually Searched.

The bronzerider didn't bother to answer her question-- she knew full well just how many Weyrs were currently empty, and was simply trying to bait him. She'd done it often enough as they were growing up, so there was no reason to stop now.

>>>>>>>

Elsewhere, the Lord and Lady of Fort were also enjoying the festivities, wandering amid the crowd with their only son. Kier knew all of the pomp and circumstance would one day be expected of him, but was thankful that day was still off in the future. He had no desire to rush into the marriage that had already been laid out for him-- he and his fiancee were young enough yet that there was no need to do so. His parents, though they had no other children, were also in good health, and there was no reason to believe that would change any time soon. So why should he worry?

He'd much rather be playing a game of strategy against his father or their steward, anyway.

(( It doesn't take much to impress me; I am easily amused. ^_~ ))


Tlina dipped her back allowing it to rest atop the curve of the seat. The clouds in the sky above were few in number. The ones that were there were bulbous, appearing fat and puffy, almost happy in their meanderings. She watched one as it drifted lazily overhead. It had an appearance not unlike a small animal with one over-exaggerated ear a single hide leg to match.

She did not know why it would be so hard to believe that she may desire to run away to a Weyr. N’kyr had done it, after all. He ought to understand the urge to get away from a select few people.

Tlina’s head rolled to the side so that she may once against look to the Bronzerider. “Soar through the clouds or do your sister’s chores? What a choice. Oh, how ever could I ever leave all of this luxury behind? Why I would not have the slightest clue as to how to occupy my time were I not waiting on someone through ever waking moment of my life.”

Galaeanyss barked a laugh that more scoff than actual laughter. “Then rejoice for you shall never need to make that choice.” She turned her back to the handmaiden. She flicked a hand dismissively over her shoulder as if to say that she were done with that conversation. “Now, if you shall excuse me, I see people that are actually worthy of my attention.”

Nyssa did not wait to see if she were actually to be excused or not. She simply sauntered off. She walked slowly between the rows of chairs as her dress could be temperamental. She needed to stay on its good side, lest she cause more of a scandal than she had been intending to. “Lady Yuranni, Lady Seirura! How marvelous it to see you again!” She greeted as she joined a cluster of her peers near the snack table.


(( And there you, two more charries named. You may now add them to the list of known royals. ))

N'kyr couldn't fault the logic there, even though it was layered with sarcasm. When he'd been Searched, the thought of escaping the cruelty of his siblings had been at the forefront of his mind. However, the thought of leaving his mother had held him back. She'd relied on him to manage the inventories and logistics-- before he'd started helping her, things had been a mess. His efforts made things much more efficient and helped the kitchens run more smoothly. Or so he told himself.

In the end, the thought of remaining close to those, like Nyssa, who had dubbed him their personal source of amusement, and the knowledge that his father would never see him as the capable son of a Lord Holder that he was, drove him to accept the Searchrider's offer and leave Crom behind. Naryssa insisted he would surely Impress a bronze, and he'd believed her words up until the day of the Hatching. When her prediction proved true, he'd known that here was his calling-- he would show his father and his siblings just what he was capable of. He didn't need to be Lord Holder-- he could be Weyrleader.

So, of course, he understood where Tlina was trying to say she was coming from. Even if he'd not been a servant to begin with.

But, given their past, he still couldn't be sure it wasn't all a ploy. "You would leave the chance for this--" and he waved a hand to indicate the opportunity to marry into some level of holdership herself-- "for the small possibility of Impressing a dragon. When there is no guarantee one would choose you, and you have not been Searched."

Tlina watched Galaeanyss as she consorted with a pair of other Junior Ladies. There were bright smiles and giggles galore. She knew them to be false, probably for all parties involved. It was a game they played. They would all laugh and play nice while undermining those peers that were not present. It was the way that politics worked. There were only so many Major Holds available. It was a number that shrank with each of these unions like the one that were at today. In truth, all of the little Ladies were political rivals. Any edge that they could get one another was just one more point in their favor. They could not come outright and say so, of course. They had to keep up appearances as who would win at the end of the day was anybody’s guess. A misstep now could cost them dearly later. And so they danced their little dance, ever mindful of the shrouded future.

At the question of whether or not she would actually give all of this up, Tlina bounced a silent laugh filled her chest. “Would you?” she asked. It was a rhetorical question; N’kyr had answered that one Turns ago, when she was still just a child. He had run off to the Weyr. He had been in a much better position then than she was today.

“Do you really think I could have any of this?” she asked, suddenly serious. “Lady Galaeanyss will never allow me to be anything more than I am now. We both know that.”

The handmaiden wasn't quite the type to let his sister walk all over her if she could help it. So it didn't make any sense that she would defer to Galaeanyss in terms of running her own life.

Then again, he knew well the hell his sister could make of each day if she was crossed or displeased. Or just bored.

There were other options, though, besides the Weyr. If Tlina found some male that would offer for her, especially if Nyssa was already betrothed. Surely that wouldn't be that far off-- especially given his sister's attire for the day. She'd likely turn up pregnant and be betrothed to the father. (Which could very well be her plan, depending on who she was intending to snare.)

Or Tlina could talk to his mother. Naryssa would surely listen if the handmaiden truly wanted to make something else of herself. She wasn't selfish and controlling like his sister, and would try to help find a place for Tlina if she asked, wouldn't she?

Or... there was... Just why was he even contemplating this? Tlina's relationship with his sister wasn't his problem. Nor was the handmaiden, herself. It didn't matter to him that she was stuck in the position she was in. Right?

"If you truly wish to be free, you could just leave," the young bronzerider finally shrugged, folding his arms across his chest. "She is not physically chaining you to her side."

Tlina leaned forward in her seat. Her hand raised to near her shoulder’s height. Her fingers twitch at the empty air. “Chains word and vice forever bind me to the monster of lore. Oh freedom, how you taunt me so! Ever just beyond my fingertips, fluttering upon effervescence wings.” A heavy sigh poured from her lips. Tlina slumped back against the chair. Her shoulders bobbed in a lazy shrug. “Or something along those lines.”

Tlina thought better of her lounging and practically hopped to her feet. She reached out to snatch N’kyr’s hand. “Come on; let’s go exploring.” She had not yet had a chance to nose around the Hold. There was bound to be some form of mischief that she get in to. And what better time than when everyone was otherwise distracted?


********


Galaeanyss excused herself from the pair of Junior Ladies that had been holding her attention. She had to make the rounds. It would be a waste to spend the entire day with those of little to no consequence. She was here for the boys, after all. And speaking of, there was one now. Nyssa took a moment to wad her hair up in to a bun. She stabbed her ruby spike through the center to keep it held in place. She once again smoothed out the encroaching wrinkles on her gown. Holding her head up high, Galaeanyss sauntered over to the Lordling.

“Good day, Lord Kier.” Nyssa greeted in her ‘I am meek and friendly’ voice. She made a partial curtsy. It was the best that she could manage in her much-too-short skirt. “It was a lovely ceremony, would you not agree?”


((I waited to give others an opportunity to reply that section, but no one did. So I decided that I shan’t leave you hanging.))

A frown crossed the young bronzerider's features at Tlina's words. Such poetry went right along with the previous melodrama, though it was at least preferable to the faux swoon. N'kyr was still searching for some response when she jumped up from the chair she'd dropped into.

Like the child he still was inside at times, the bronzerider would have snatched his hand away were they not in public. As it was, his fingers were rather stiff in her grasp.

He did have to consider that he had not yet greeted their host and hostess, and his mother would surely disapprove. "I haven't yet congratulated the bride and groom. It would only be proper to speak with them first before we head off." And in doing so, surely he could politely break away from the handmaiden before she managed to drag him off to 'explore.'

>>>>>>>>>>>

The young heir of Fort bowed politely to Galaeanyss, taking in her appearance with mild interest. "Good day, my lady. It was, indeed, quite pleasant." As far as weddings went, anyway. "The weather was favorable, and the event itself seemed to go smoothly. I'm certain the new bride and groom are happy with the way it turned out." He hadn't put much thought into it-- weddings were nice, though he had yet to have any real interest in them. He was introduced to many young women, but so far, his books still held his attention better than they did. "Do you know either of them well?"

((Haha, thanks, assuming Kate doesn't mind that he hasn't been officially written yet He's supposed to be there, though, so I just tossed in that little blurb!))

Tlina could feel the rigid hand in her grip. Boys got older but did they ever truly grow-up? Somehow she doubted the answer would grant her piece of mind in any form. She suppressed the exasperation that threatened to slip breathily from her lips. Instead, she turned a mischievous smile upon that young man. “Then it is our solemn duty to seek them out wherever they may have hidden themselves away,” she announced. “Come! I bet they went thissa way!” Tlina tugged encouragingly on N’kyr’s hand. She had not seen the newlywed couple make their escape. There were only so many directions that they could have gone. By her reckoning she had a twenty-five percent chance of picking the right one.


**************************


“It was lovely,” the Junior Lady of Crom agreed with the boy. She altered her stance, adding more of a curve to her body. She hoped that it worked with her gown to accentuate girlish figure. Girlish. That annoyed her. At her age it ought to be womanish. It was her mother’s fault. Somehow. Naryssa should have given her more to work with. If she had been Nykyr, their mother would have probably been all too willing to give up the goods. But her? She had hardly changed at all in the last four Turns. How was she supposed to keep up with the other Ladies? It wasn’t fair. “It went by so quickly. I hardly had time to take note of it at all.” Where ~had~ the wedding gone? Come to think of it, she could barely remember it having even taken place. Hm.

“Indeed I do know them. Tumbleweed, anyway,” Galaeanyss confirmed. “We junior Ladies are small in number. It makes for a close-knit peer group.” Perhaps ‘close-knit’ was not exactly on the mark. They all did know each other though most were quite willing to stab the others in the back if it meant a step toward personal ascension. On that note...

“Why I was just speaking with Lady Seirura,” Nyssa waved toward the Bendon girl who stood across the way gossiping amongst her friends. Her voice drop to a conspiratory whisper. “She told me that her sister, Jeinuran, had to have another pregnancy terminated. Apparently, this time it was with one of the assistant chefs. Can you believe that?”


((She might not have noticed if you hadn't said anything. Also: one more Junior Lady named.))

Much to his disappointment, N'kyr could come up with no real excuse to refuse Tlina's lead-- although he was of the belief she would have just dragged him off if he'd truly tried. Or she might have a made a huge dramatic scene, which would have likely drawn his mother's (and sister's) attention. And that he'd truly prefer to avoid.

Why the handmaiden wanted him to come with her in the first place, he had no idea. Was she just lonely? Or bored? Or wanting to find some new reason to make fun of him? Or possibly some combination of the three?

Likely the latter, if he was any judge.

The thought didn't exactly cast her in more favorable light. But going with her would at least get him away from his siblings for the time being, which was actually a plus. It gave him the option of one potential source of ridicule versus many, and he much preferred the former if those were his only choices.

With a mental sigh, the young bronzerider managed to free his fingers from her grasp. But he didn't move away. Instead, he stepped forward and offered her his arm like the gentleman he'd been raised to be.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Keir blinked at Galaeanyss, fairly nonplussed by the gossip she'd just imparted. "I hope she is in good health after such an event," he responded politely, not bothering to keep the volume of his voice as low as the young woman did.

Of course, he heard a fair amount of gossip about the other Holders from the drudges and kitchen staff, but usually paid it no mind. What the other Holders did in their personal lives was really no business of his. If politics or new methods for producing or distributing goods were involved, he'd be far more interested in the information.

Tlina looked at N’kyr’s offered arm with a tinge of surprise. That had not been what she had expected. If anything, she had thought to be on the receiving end of another beratement. This was much better. It was almost encouraging. She would take it as either a compliment or a submission, whichever happened to be more suitable to the situation. She had yet to decide which, choosing to reserve that right until more information presented itself.

Tlina interlocked her own with N’kyr’s. She offered him a wide, closed-mouth grin and a single nod. “To the kitchens, my dear Bronzerider.”


******************


“Oh, I am sure that is just fine,” Nyssa said by way of dismissal. Lady Jeinuran’s health had not been the point that she had been trying to convey. In fact, she did not care one iota whether the girl was doing well or not. Were she to die that would only serve to improve Nyssa’s chances of landing an heir. Not by much, of course. One would need to be on the less intelligent side to accept the rival Junior Lady in to such a public position of power. That or perhaps be blackmailed for some such failing or another. “She has them regularly enough. Some people simply have thirsts that they can not quite quench. I tell you: should Bendon choose to export pillowcrafters we would all be impoverished.”

The kitchens? Just what business would they have there? This wasn't their home hold-- or Weyr-- and there was food in gather stalls and on buffet tables spread out for the guests. "We are looking for the bride and groom, aren't we?" N'kyr asked, wondering if the handmaiden had somehow already forgotten. "If you're hungry, there is plenty of food here. We don't need to disturb those working in the kitchens." They'd have enough to do without guests poking their noses around where they hadn't necessarily been invited.

>>>>>>>>>

"Not necessarily so," Kier disagreed. "Purely from an economic standpoint, if there are truly that many ladies who prefer many lovers in Benden, they would eventually run out because all women of eligible age would have left the Hold, or the other Holds would become so saturated that they would not need any more such Benden women. Humans cannot be produced as quickly as food or wine or other goods, after all. And what is to say that other Holds would not follow suit and begin competing with Benden?" With a shrug, the young heir of Fort added, "Of course, this is all assuming anyone would purchase such exports in the first place."

The grin that Tlina turned upon N’kyr was both subtly amused and more than a tad mischievous. “Why the answer is quite simple, my dear Nyky’,” she told him in slow, measured tones. She nudged N’kyr around to face the food tables. There were a few people collecting snacks. Most of the people there were huddled in their own little groups, chatting amongst themselves about who knew what. “It was has been a big day. The new couple is sure to be exhausted. There will undoubtedly be much eating going on. As you can see,” she made a show of curling her free arm to the point where her fingertips brushed her shoulder and then unraveling her arm in an extravagant wave toward the food-stuffs. “They are not over at the refreshment stands. Therefore,” and this time Tlina turned them back around toward the neared Hold entrance. “They must be indoors.”


*************************


Galaeanyss stammered a series of nonsensical sounds. She had been taken aback by Kier’s reply. That had not at all been what she had been expecting. It was not even close. She had been intending to covertly badmouth a Hold’s worth of potential mates when the end goal of removing them from play. This whole new direction that the conversation was turning was completely out of bounds with her intentions.

“Well, that may be,” Nyssa agreed. Her now clear words came slowly to give her a bit more time to draw up with a functional reply. “Wine can take decades to mature.” She had to make a conscious effort not to have to eyes droop at her own stupidity. No, that was not the proper answer. While it was true it did not help to shift her motives in to position. Why did Kier have to make this so complicated?

Irritated that Tlina would feel she was familiar enough to come up with a shortened version of his name, and dare to use it, N'kyr held his ground when the handmaiden made to move towards the Hold. "There are other places besides the food tables where they could be, such as out visiting with their guests, or wandering somewhere amid the gather stalls." Or their hosts could be on the dance floor. But he wasn't going to speak of that one-- he was almost afraid of what sort of suggestion she would take it as if he mentioned it. "And even were they inside, I doubt the kitchens is where they would be. Were they as exhausted as you say, I assume they would head to their quarters." To freshen up, or to rest, among other things. The kitchens just made no sense.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kier nodded, not in the least bit perturbed by Nyssa's reaction. "It can. Are you suggesting the supply and demand would be held in check by allowing for the women to age properly, and only 'exporting' those who had properly 'matured'?" Whatever that could mean-- he wasn't analyzing the term at this point, merely the economics of the whole endeavor.

Tlina tilted her head away from N’kyr. Her left eye fell half closed. She watched him in such a pose for several seconds as she gave his words a once-over. Upon completion of her inspection, the handmaiden Rocked on the balls on her feet, a cheerful expression returning her face. “A valid point,” she conceded without malice. Tlina turned back toward the Hold. “To their quarters!”


****************************


Nyssa blinked rapidly at Kier’s words, or rather at their underlining suggestion. She knew that she ought not to be surprised by such a statement; she had heard enough rumors in her lifetime that she was generally unperturbed by them. As it turned out, one could always be surprised regardless of how jaded they had become. This was a revelation, though the less hearty of the pair that had just come to light.

“I should think so,” Nyssa said, not quite fully regained of her senses. “I would not expect there to be much market for four and five Turn old pillowcrafters.”

Galaeanyss stepped closer to Kier. Perhaps her girlish figure would not be such a drawback after all, at least not when dealing with this particular lordling. “We all have our quirks,” she said in a near-whisper. She ran her fingertips gingerly down his arm. “I shan’t hold your unique desires against you.”

"That's not necessarily any better," N'kyr responded immediately, locking his muscles so she couldn't drag him off. "It would be highly inappropriate to visit their quarters uninvited. Surely they are still here among their guests." He certainly wasn't going to be part of such an invasion of privacy. He didn't need to see their host and hostess that badly.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kier frowned, blinking at Nyssa in a bit of confusion. "Where do my desires come into it? We were discussing the potential economic results of Benden exporting pillowcrafters." At least that's what he had been discussing. Had Galaeanyss not wanted him to consider her words seriously?

And just what was she meaning by his 'unique desires?' That he was somehow interested in things that were different from others? Where would she have gotten that idea? Sure, he might be more interested in studying than other things, but that did not make him--

Wait... surely she didn't think he was saying he was interested in four and five...? Surely not!

Tlina start toward the Hold proper only to find herself unable to complete the first step. She jerked to a halt under constraint of N’kyr’s uncooperative stance. The handmaiden tugged again, testing to see if the rider had just had a false start. When he did not move the second time, she twirled about to him. The hem of her still-spinning blue dress slapped against N’kyr’s calves.

“Perhaps-perhaps,” she said to his excuse, bobbing her head to the left and to the right in time with each word. Then suddenly she went rigid. Her voice switched the tones that one may use when explaining something to a small child. “Buuut since we can’t find them ~here~ then we may as well go ~there~. They are guaranteed to show up at the quarters eventually. They may be there right now. It makes perfect sense. And it was all ~your~ idea.” She nodded to add emphasis to her logic.


*********************


Galaeanyss shook her head. “Um, no. We were discussing Lady Jeinuran’s exuberant appetites,” she reminded the boy. Why she was having to refresh Kier’s memory of the past two minutes, she could not say. He must have been one of those people that were easily sidetracked. How anyone got anything done when they could not concentrate on the matter at hand, she had no idea. It must be exhausting to be so wherry-brained. She could not live without a constant set of goals to strive for. She relished having that kind of structure in her life. “To which I compared to a pillowcrafter’s. That lead us to the topic of the import-export opportunities of such goods. That, in turn, prompted you to mention that you did not require your pillowcrafters to be properly matured before use.”

N'kyr's gray eyes narrowed at Tlina's tone. He was the son of a Lord Holder and a bronzerider, and this handmaiden was going to speak to him as if he were an idiot? "It most certainly was not my idea," he retorted sharply, "to barge into someone else's quarters uninvited. You may go around doing such things, but I do not." He'd been the victim of such rudeness often enough that he had no desire to shift the burden to someone else. Plus it wasn't proper or polite to just explore every private aspect of someone else's home at any time if one was inclined to do so.

Of course, there was also the idea that if they were alone in their quarters, there was probably a good reason they wanted to be alone, and he wasn't going to touch that one.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I said no such thing," Kier quickly corrected, a faint blush creeping up over his cheeks. "I do not require the services of pillowcrafters. And if I did, I certainly would have no interest in those that weren't... weren't old enough."

It was preposterous, that she would think he-- or anyone, for that matter!-- would desire mere children for such services as pillowcrafters were supposedly trained to perform. "I mentioned maturity in the context of supply and demand, nothing more. If the pillowcrafters would only consist of those women of a certain age group, supply would be limited and demand would be such that there would be a line waiting for more, " he quickly tried to explain what he really meant by his statement about maturity. "Again, assuming anyone would actually purchase such exports."

Tlina rolled her eyes. This boy was being obstinate for no reason. No reason that she could discern at any rate. He was being obstinate for the sake of being obstinate, no doubt. It reminded her of someone else that she knew.

The handmaiden drooped her shoulders. She gave a slight tilt of her head. “We should go look for them. They are at the food tables,” she said in a deep, droning voice that was meant to be an imitation of N’kyr even though in truth it sounded nothing like him. “Or the stalls. Or in their quarters. But they are not going to be in the kitchens.”

Tlina fixed her posture. “That’s you,” she said, poking the rider in the chest. She nodded at the man as if that would add weight to her words. “You said that. So don’t acting like I’m forcing you to do anything that you don’t want to. It was ~your~ suggestion.”


**************************


There was so much back talk and stance-shifting that Nyssa was beginning to have difficulty following along. And that was after she had made a fresh review of the conversation. She found herself having to mentally recheck what was what and what had changed from its previous incarnation. After a moment’s reflection, she decided to drop the review altogether. It was a pointless topic. She could not care less for pillowcrafters nor the preferences of those that enjoyed their services. The only thing that she was truly concerned with was herself.

“I believe you,” the little Lady said soothingly. She went back to lightly brushing Kier’s arm. “A handsome young man like you would have no need of such ....tarnished women. I can understand that. I feel the same way.”

"I may have suggested our hosts would be in one of those places, but looking for them in the privacy of their quarters was your idea," N'kyr retorted lowly, growing more irritated at her clearly deliberate misunderstanding of his words, as well as the mockery, no matter how accurate. "The logical place to begin looking would have been the food tables or the dance floor. Not the kitchens, or their quarters." She wasn't going to pin the whole thing on him.

Why was she so adamant about moving inside and invading their hosts' privacy, anyway? He couldn't imagine what need she'd have to visit there, and definitely saw no reason to drag him along, save for trying to court trouble and then direct the blame onto him. He'd had enough of his classmate's and bronze's looking for trouble and dragging him right along into the fray to last him a lifetime-- he wasn't going to allow the handmaiden to do the same.

>>>>>>>

Kier cleared his throat with a little nod of agreement. "Of course." Unlike some others, it didn't occur to him to latch on to what might have been an obvious jiba and say something about her not needing tarnished women, either. He wasn't the teasing sort, at least not with people he did not know that well.

Wanting to change the subject, and searching for some other polite topic, the young heir of Fort said, "It would be remiss of me to not inquire about your family, my lady. They are well-- your mother, your father? Your siblings?"