Anya shuffled through the Tower as she floated by the main room and heard a knock at the door. She waited for a moment before realizing that no one was going to get it. She could hear soft sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, she grasped the handle of the door and opened it slowly. "Welcome to Comyn Tower," she murmured, lifting her amber eyes from the floor and trying as hard as she could to make her feet touch the ground. "Is there a way I can help you?"
Melissa smiled warmly. She recognized the girl from seeing her around the castle, and at Comyn events, but she couldn't recall her name.
"Good day Damisela, we are hoping that Domna Katie is available - is it possible to see if she could speak with us for a moment? If you could, could you send word that her -" Melissa hesitated, for she wasn't sure how to say it without giving away more information than was public at the moment... "...kinswoman Melissa Ridenow is here to see her?". She settled on the most vague term that she could think of to imply a family relationship, but not necessarily a close one.
Anya nodded. "Of course, Domna Ridenow. I think Domna Katie was in training after breakfast, but I can find her for you." She led Domna Melissa and her companion to the Visitor's Room, trying her best to appear as if she was actually walking on the ground. Her foot touched the floor once in the short walk, which was better than she had achieved in practice with Domna Merelda or Cousin Linnea lately. "Are you kin of Dom Dyan? He is a good friend of my couin Linnea Di Asturian's." He was also very handsome, but Anya was sure his kinswoman didn't need to hear that. Domna Katie didn't had much of the look of the Ridenows as Dyan and his cousin Jake did. Someone said that Domna Katie came from far away Terra, with her dark animal eyes. But that wasn't any reason to hold it against the woman, especially if she was almost kin.
Melissa nodded. "yes, we are cousins, of some sort!" She laughed lightly. "it's become too difficult to work out just how any longer."
After Anya showed the two to the visitor's room, she headed for the stairs. Leaning up against the wall, she opened her thoughts to see if she could quickly locate Domna Katie. She had never worked with the older woman or trained with her, but she had passed the woman in the hallway. There was a familiar presence in the Tower, but it felt more like Leonie Hastur. If her friend Leonie was here ... but she wasn't here (not YET anyways).
Finally, Anya located a slightly foreign-feeling presence in the room of Mestra Birte Anderson, another Terranan. She floated up to the door and knocked hesitantly, hearing only the sound of a low voice within.
"Domna Katie," she called softly through the door, trying to project her thoughts mentally as well. "Your kinswoman Melissa Ridenow is downstairs in the Visitor's Room to see you."
Just as she was about to give Birte a little bit of a firmer shake, Katie heard the knock at the door, and *felt* the shy girl's reach for her.
Sighing, she openend the door, surprised to see Anya standing - no definitely wasn't standing - floating?! in the corridor. Slipping out quietly and closing the door behind her again, Katie smiled at Anya. "Hello - is it Anya? I don't think anyone has ever formally introduced us. Thank you for coming to find me. I'll just try to wake up Birte one more time - I have to tell her how the healing circle did today, with Darren. Do you mind just asking Melissa to wait one second? I don't want to use you as a messenger girl!"
Anya nodded, blushing slightly. "Yes, Domna Katie. And it's okay about using me as a messenger. I know you and the others in the circle are busy." She bobbed away, hurrying as fast as she could down the hallway.
Meanwhile, Melissa paced back and forth in the visitors room, feeling more and more unsure of herself as time passed.
She talked at Dani, more for her own comfort, than anything else.
"I wonder what's keeping her - I hope she's not too busy to come with us, I don't know who else to ask. I wish I knew more about - " she hesitated and fixed Dani with a curious eye.
"Lanart-Aldaran, did you say? I'm surprised Kay stood still long enough for you to even get a look at her. She's pretty wary around Comyn. How did you meet her?"
When Anya reached the visitor's room, she found Melissa Ridenow pacing. "Domna Katie will be here in a moment, Domna Ridenow. She is with a sick friend right now."
Melissa smiled gratefully. "Thank you. I appreciate your help. We'll just wait here until she comes down then." Realizing that her pacing was a bit rude, she sat down on one of the chairs, her foot tapping restlessly.
Dani smiled. "I grew up on Terra, so she may have seen my talents as a by product of Goddess worship. I met her one afternoon when I was looking for my nephew", she said.
Melissa nodded, chuckling to herself. What would Kay do if she realized that so many of the Terran people around here were swimming in laran...?
She was about to ask another question, when she heard footsteps in the corridor. Danette heard the footsteps too and waited.
Seconds later, Katie popped her head into the room. "Melissa? Oh, there you are." Katie stepped into the room, and gave Melissa an awkward embrace, as she had seen other do with relatives and family members. It felt strange, but certainly something she was going to have to get used to. "What can I do for you?"
Melissa returned the embrace warmly. "I'm sorry to bother you, Katie, but soemthing rather important has come up - oh, sorry Danette. Katie, this is Danette Lanart-Aldaran. Danette, this is um, a cousin, of mine,-" here Melissa broke off, not sure what Katie would want her full name to be.
Katie jumped in quickly. "Hi, Danette, I'm Katherine Rider, but most people just call me Katie. I'm pleased to meet you". Dani smiled at Katie. "Pleased to meet you, Katie." Dani was hit by the feeling that she knew her from somewhere, but coudn't put her finger on it.
Turning to Melissa, Katie then asked "What's up? Is everyone OK?" Melissa nodded. "Yes, the family is fine - I have...a friend...and she is in a bit of trouble though, and needs my help - she asked me to bring someone who was good with birds, as well, and I could only think of you, now that the Veterinarian - MacDonnell was it? - is gone."
Katie nodded, forcing the pang of regret that struck her at the mention of Gavin, into the background. "I've worked with birds a little bit in the past -I'm no expert, but unless there's a falconer around, I'm probably all you've got at the moment." She could tell Melissa was more anxious than she was letting on.
"I'll just grab my cloak, and a few things from my room - 2 seconds." She ran upstairs, got her things, and was back down in minutes, Gabriel trotting behind her. "OK, lead on, I'm ready to go."
Melissa looked at Danette. "Oh, can we stop by the guard house? I want to leave a message there for someone."
Danette nodded and said "Not a problem."
[to be continued ...]