"Never mind", she said firmly, starting to wonder if there was a chance that she'd been wrong about what she'd originally thought about Lord Elhalyn. The lady he was with, seemed to enjoy his company. But then again, the stories had said that the dom had a way of convincing people to do as he wished. "Let things go as they will", she continued to Gwenn, "it matters not to me which we greet first".
Gwenn decided to let it go--he had pressed Kay earlier and it had gotten him nowhere. Just another question to add to the list of questions when they had a spare moment together in relative privacy, where Kay would feel more comfortable. Not knowing how to answer Gwenn's curiousity, she said simply "Thank you for being understanding, bredu. I'll explain later, when there aren't so many ears to maybe overhear. I'm starting to wonder if I might have been mistaken about it anyways".
Gwenn walked up to Dolo and said, "I see we just missed The Elhalyn. I am sorry, sister. I stopped to introduce Kay to Cadet Jake Ridenow." Kay wished that she dared ask if there was any polite way of requesting that Dolo put away that stone of hers, or at least cover it up. But since nobody else seemed to be bothered by it, perhaps such a request would draw unelcome attention
Dolo smiled at the two, and opened her mouth to respond, when a wave of grief washed over her from Auster's direction. Her face twisted, and she gasped. "I-"
Kay's face went suddenly chalk-white with shock. What sorcery was THIS ? Who had dared harm HER oath-sister ? One of her hands reached out to steady herself, settling upon Gwenn's shoulder and clenched like a banshee gripping its dinner. With the other one (and a wee tendril of talent), she instinctively reached out to Dolo, then abruptly drew back with a sharp cry as if burnt. The incoming flood was too much, and Kay's barriers slammed shut full-strength in self-defense.
Gwenn saw both sisters' faces abruptly change and he let out a quickly-cut-off startled cry as Kay's hand clenched his shoulder. He whirled and drew his knife, eyes scanning the crowd, ready to protect his newly-gained sisters from any danger.
Dolo struggled to gain control and block Auster off for the moment. They'd been close long ago, so it was difficult. Finally she succeeded, and said to Gwenn and Kay, "Something's wrong... I need to go see Auster. Don't worry about introductions... you won't need them now. It looks like everything is about to sort of fall apart. Most people have left anyway... you two can feel free to go ahead or stay, but if you stay just be careful to stay out of the guards' way." She gestured towards the rapidly expanding group of guards around Auster's group.
Gwenn sheathed his sword--apparently the danger was not immediate--but kept his hand on the hilt and followed Dolo over to the group surrounding Auster. He did his best to stay near her.
"What can we could do to help ?", Kay asked softly, wondering if such an offer was appropriate on this world. It was difficult to resist the urge to run-not-walk straight back to the Terran Zone, but honor demanded that she remain for as long as Dolo might be in danger. "At the very least, I could watch your back", Kay suggested, pretending alot more courage than she felt. Using Gwenn for support, she bent down and used the billowing folds of one sleeve to hide the fact that she was shifting her grandfather's knife from her thigh hoster to a more easily-reachable location in her sleeve. Even if it wouldn't be of much use against sorcery, she felt more secure with it close at hand.
"'Tis my job, breda," Gwenn said softly to Kay as they followed Dolo. He gently moved Kay in front of him, "Keep as close to Dolo as possible, breda. 'Twill make it easier in the crowd." He scanned the area ahead for threats.
Gwenn sighed with relief when he saw the young man slipping back to stand with Dolo and put a comforting arm around her. She buried her face in his shoulder and sniffled. The man held her closer ... and sighed, then readjusted his arm around Dolo's waist and led her towards the door. Catching Gwenn's eye, he indicated that he was taking Dolo home, and that the lad had best take his lady home and get to the barracks. There might well be a call for him and his fellows in the morning. Gwenn nodded in acknowledgement. Ruyven Castamir could be trusted to take care of Dolo. And anyways, Kay looked none too steady herself, and 'twas almost time for curfew.
"But .... but ... this was suppossed to be a PARTY ...a festive occassion ... wasn't it ?", Kay protested softly, as Gwenn put a gentle hand to her elbow and lightly tugged her towards the exit. Turning to him wide- eyed with hurt and confusion, tears ran down her face as she protested "there's isn't suppossed to be any evil, and people aren't supposed to get hurt, or die ... not at a party .... I don't understand ... ". She was still deathly-pale, and shivered as if a cold wind blew around her. Unsure as to what to say, Gwenn simply offered a warm brotherly hug.
Even after being wrapped her in her warm cloak, she continued to shiver. And except for insisting on walking back to the Base, Kay said nothing further. She just tightly clutched Gwenn's hand as they walked, and didn't let go until they reached the Spaceport gates. After a warm hug for him, she very stiffly turned to the staring Spaceforce man guarding the gate and defiantly answered his challenge (in perfect Terran Standard) with a loud and viciously-snarled statement full of shockingly-foul obscenities before pushing past and hurrying towards her quarters.
The two men looked at each other for a moment, then the Terran looked away with a bored shrug. It had been a long night, far too long and tiring for his tastes. There was no point in getting into a fight. "I've no quarrel with ye, young mestru", he said kindly (in caheunga) to the worrried-looking younger man, "Sometimes women just need to be left alone for awhile. And right now, that one looks ready to kill someone ... for a moment there, I thought she'd try to slice me to ribbons with more than just words ... how I would have explained THAT to my wife and daughter, I don't know ...".
The man seemed friendly enough, and time was indeed short. If he ran all the way back, there should be just barely enought time to avoid breaking curfew. And so, Gwenn nodded to the older man, and set out at a jog back towards the barracks. Considering the looks he'd seen on the faces of hs superior officiers, tonight would be a VERY bad time to be caught breaking curfew.
Gwenn made it back just before curfew. He realized he was still in his dress kilt when the cadet at the gate stared at him for a few seconds before recognition set in. Gwenn colored slightly as he realized that his uniform, including boots, were at the Ridenow Townhouse. He sighed as he entered the barracks-room. He would simply have to wake up early enough to retrieve them before his duty began. He was actually in bed before he realized that only the other recruits were in the barracks with him. Whatever had been going on at the Ball was apparently serious enough to require the junior officers.