Kay grinned happily at Gwenn. This was all so new. Just as Melissa had told her, she found herself starting to actually ENJOY being here. "I'm still a bit unsettled ... there are so many important strangers here ... and it bothers me to see that sorcery-stone of Dolo's out in the open ... she must be a very powerful sorceress indeed ... those things are DANGEROUS ...", she explained in a low tone, not wanting anyone else to overhear (and perhaps be amused by her nervousness).
"'Tis a ball, breda!" Gwenn grinned. "If ye see someone wi' red hair, an' ye're nae certain if they're Comyn or not--'tis nae considered polite among the lowlanders to call them Hali'imyn--then address them as dom or domna and, above all, have fun!
A tiny giggle slipped out. "So it's like the difference between saying Amazon and saying Renunciate ?". Kay's eyes lit up with mischief. "And here I was thinking that you were polite to EVERYONE", she teased. But it was a good thing that he had mentioned that BEFORE she had unknowingly insulted someone.
"Aye, I suppose," Gwenn said. "I had to learn the hard way, because I'd only heard them called Hali-imyn. One took exception to it and punched me in the nose before he explained my mistake!" Gwenn grinned, turning his head to the side and asking, "It doesna' look worse for the wear, does it?"
With a mischievous grin, Kay pretended to closely study Gwenn's nose from both sides, before teasing "The lasses will still find it cute enough, I'm sure. But you could always ask for a second opinion from that adorable little Moira at the weaver's shop ...".
Kay's teasing words struck home hard! Gwenn blushed and almost missed a step. He considered responding, but he had to pay particular attention to talking Kay through the next few steps, and after that, it seemed more important to reassure her about Dolo's stone.
Gwenn continued "As for Dolo, I've nae seen one uncovered except when 'twas being used. I dinnae why she shows it now; I dinnae think she intends to use it, and I dinnae ken how fey she is, but we are kin, and shouldnae be in any danger."
"Och, but I dinna like it ... nae at all ... 'tis the stuff of nightmares ... and accidents may happen, kin or nae", came a soft uneasy whisper in Gwenn's ear. Kay didn't want to go into further details, just in case others might overhear. But hopefully, this would be enough to remind Gwenn of what she'd told him about the time she'd gotten sick and dreamed (?) of sharing a particularly nasty one of her Ma's nightmares. She tried to un-tense herself again. Worrying wouldn't solve any problem. And people might start to notice, and perhaps wonder.
"Aye, accidents happen, breda, but 'tis nae use worrying about them until they do." Gwenn smiled but he was worried. What was it with Kay and the starstones? There had been tales of sorcery-gone-bad in the past--those on MonFiern still shuddered when they spoke of the Sharra Awakening that had occurred two centuries earlier--but nothing had happened since then that he knew of.
Though she was trying to distract herself with trying to figure out the steps, Kay noticed someone watching them. The young lad seemed to recognize her brother. "Isn't that one of your friends over there ?", she asked, indicating direction with a slight nod of her head. "You're a better dancer than I, and if I step on one of your feet now, you'll likely be hearing jokes about it for months", she giggled. Now that she was just another anonymous dancer (and out of line-of-sight of that blue stone), she was starting to feel a little bit better. Her stomach wasn't churning as badly, and the ache in her head had faded to a dim echo of itself..
"Och, ye do well for one who nae kens the dance," Gwenn laughed. A small blush returned to colour Kay's cheeks. She grinned "I doubt I could have found a better teacher anywhere. Did you teach this to your sisters at home too ?". It was so pleasant to dance (for a change) with someone she was CERTAIN wouldn't have any lustful thoughts towards her. As much as she had had enjoyed dancing back home
"Aye, an' m'brothers, too," Gwenn said enthusiastically. "I like dancing e'en more than huntin', and can dance both the male and female parts, since I had to learn it to teach it."
Gwenn didn't have to wait long before the steps allowed him to glance quickly in the direction Kay had previously indicated. "Aye, 'tis Jake--Cadet Jacob Ridenow. After we greet the dom an' domna, I'll introduce ye to him, an' if ye wish, ye can dance wi' him, also."
That idea percolated through her brain. She was stll somewhat hesitant about dancing with a stranger. But on the other hand, she didn't want to be thought rude -- and anyways, this would give her a chance to check out if he had THOSE things that her Ma had told her about. Kay hadn't noticed any on the young Dom they'd just met. But one person wasn't enough to be sure -- perhaps he was the exception rather than the rule. "Since he's a friend of yours, that might be a good place to start. He looks friendly enough...".
"Aye," Gwenn said. "He was the first person I met when I came to Thendara, an' he is verra kind, friendly, and honorable. 'Tis one of the reasons I wouldna' mind ye dancin' wi' him. Remy--Cadet Moray--is also kind, but I dinna' see him here; perhaps he had duty.
"Perhaps", suggested Kay, "might I be able to ask my question of one of your friends ?", referring to why she'd been earlier been looking so closely at the first Dom she'd met. A friend of her brother's might be more tolerant if the subject matter DID turn out to be impolite afterall.
"My ma didn't warn me specifically about either the Ridenows or the Morays; only of lowland Comyn men in general -- and the Hasturs, Elhalyns and Altons in particular", she added, dropping her voice to a low whisper. Then she continued in a more normal volume, explaining "Before I dare approach our host Dom Elhalyn, I would feel comforted to know the truth behind certain tales I've heard".
"I suppose," Gwenn replied thoughtfully. "What question would that be? According to the tales I heard as a child, the Elhalyns, Hasturs, and especially the Altons could be fearsome, formidable foes. However, the Commander seems to be an honorable enou' man--he's an Alton," Gwenn explained.
Kay glanced across the hall to where Jake was talking to someone. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she wondered whether Gwenn might be able to catch his friend's eye and beckon him over. If she could get her question answered, then she'd be far less likely to get caught staring again. Last time, good fortune had smiled upon her. But what if she'd been caught staring by someone less tolerant than Dom Raineach-Lindir ? Being a source of amusement was embarassing enough -- unintentionally getting into a quarrel would be worse.
"Now take two sidesteps to the right, turn to a count o' four, an' come back t'me." Gwenn mirrored the moves he had just told Kay to take. This sort of dancing was starting to feel more natural. "This is indeed rather fun now that I'm trying it", Kay exclaimed happily, "I could dance like this for hours". The long, full skirts of her dress swirled like molten bronze and copper as the light passed across the silks. And if she concentrated enough on the dance itself, then she could almost forget (for a while) that this place made her uneasy.
"Aye! Pavannes were intended to be breathers and something that almost everyone could dance, no matter how infirmed or how cumbersome their dress. Now a good fling or jig, that takes the air out o' your lungs!" Gwenn broke step to demonstrate a quick jig, then smoothly moved back into the pavanne.
The jig steps reminded her of the oldest sort of dances back on Skye - - the ones that she'd always wished to learn but never had. As a child brought to the kaylies, she'd been too small to do anything but watch the adults dance. When she'd grown tall enough to take part, the memory of her gran's passing of old age made it too painful for her to feel comfortable there anymore, and she'd gone halfway across the planet, to a school in the OTHER northern continent. "My grand-da Malcolm used to dance like that wi' me in his arms when I was but a wee lass", Kay said softly, "and I always promised myself that someday I would learn the steps -- to honor his memory and those of the ancestors I never knew".
The dance moved into the final reverance. "Now curtsy and I will bow at the same time," Gwenn instructed. As he bowed, he said, "'Tis nae so difficult to learn; I can teach you in time for Midwinter Festival, I think."
The festivities seemed polite enough on the suface, but Kay couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on here than she could tell. Back home on Skye, a kaylie did NOT involve armed guards (both in and out of uniform) prowling watchfully around the room. And even when she'd gone to large public parties at university, there had been no more than a token pair of doorkeepers to restrict admittance. The fact that these Comyn considered such a thing neccessary, was disturbing in itself. What kind of people were they felt they must be protected from each other ?
As they continued to dance, Kay thought again about Gwenn's earlier inquiry that she had pretended to have been too distracted to have heard. Unsure what to say, she had simply said nothing. She didn't know any Comyn men (and had met only one very briefly), so she should not speak specifically about anyone she didn't know.
So far, the ones she'd seen didn't appear to fit with what she'd heard about them. But she'd seen them only with her eyes, and not closely enough to satisfy her doubts either. If the rumours turned out to be true, then she could be treading on very dangerous ground to speak of such things. And if they were false, it might be worse --- for then people would surely think her a superstitious fool for having half-believed them, and might take major offense. Gwenn might not appreciate if she started a brawl by unintentionally offending someone.
"If I tell you what I've heard of the Hasturs, Elhalyns and Altons... no matter how ridiculous or scandalous it may be ... will you promise .... NOT to laugh ?" Kay said cautiously, "Which of your friends would know what these Comyn folk are REALLY like, and would keep a closed lip about my asking questions that might be foolish or dangerous ?". It wouldn't do to forget caution. Right now, there were too many strangers around them for her to feel comfortable speaking freely -- even at a tone so low as to almost be a whisper. If they could perhaps take a break from dancing, and find a small out- of-the-way table just big enough for three or four, that would be perfect.
Gwenn laughed. "Breda, I don't know if I'll laugh or not, but I promise to take you seriously, and I will try not to laugh. Is that good enough?" Gwenn thought for a moment. "The only real friend I have here tonight is Jake, and he is Comyn, so I suppose he would know what they are like," he finished with a smile.
ARGH! Men could be so frustrating sometimes. It would NOT at all amuse her if he laughed. What if she'd been afraid of fictional tales all these years ? But if it were all just rumours, drunken hallucinations and urban legends, could she REALLY have missed seeing any clues that it was so ? Most likely, there was a little of both. But which was which, and how could she distinguish them without getting into more trouble than she could handle ?
"I wouldn't care for it if either of ye laughed", Kay pouted, "I just want to avoid making a big mistake. If I dinna know whether 'tis true or false, then I wouldst either be giving gross insult unintentionally or be like a rabbithorn walking blindly into the jaws of a half-starved banshee".
She deliberately didn't mention that she DID actually have a way of determining who was dangerous (but didn't dare use it for fear of being identified as having it). There were already almost a handful of people who either knew (or suspected) what she was -- and that was already enough to make her uneasy.
Gwenn frowned and bit his lower lip while considering her words. "Breda, if 'tis that serious, an' I cannae answer the question, perhaps we should rely on kinship an' ask Dolo. Is't nae something ye can ask me?"
A puzzled look came in reply. "But", said Kay hesitantly,"I thought ye said ye knew these folks nae well, being newly come to Thendara ... some of what I've heard, seems the very stuff of what we would call fairy-tales and scary-tales back home ... full of violence and unnatural destructive powers and often madness as well ... and 'tis said that such things can hide within an ordinary human- seeming until ready to seize their prey".
Her voice stayed low. It was far easier to find the right words when she didn't have to concentrate on hiding the accent of her cahuenga. Casta was less of a problem that way, though she had to put a medium degree of effort into the translation. And she worried that Gwenn might have trouble understanding her if she spoke Standard instead.
"I'd feel nae so skittish around some of these folks if I kenned whether they were indeed ... ", Kay's voice trailed off, and she shrugged as if to shake off something unseen.
"Oh, well, maybe 'tis nae something I can answer," Gwenn replied with a shrug. "I dinnae know them well, but I thought it mayhap had to do wi' their necks, and I've seen Jake's neck."
A small nervous giggle slipped out. "Not necks in particular ... that was just a convenient place to look", admitted Kay. She shivered, then added "My ma once told me of a human-seeming thing who 'twas dangerous to look in the eye ...
Uncertain of whether to continue (and if so, how), Kay paused for a moment. "Let us grab a glass of something afore I say aught more. My throat is feeling rather dry, and I could quite fancy a bit of scotch or firi", she suggested, changing the subject.
"Aye, I feel a bit thirsty meself." Gwenn changed direction and headed to the refreshments table. Once there, he got two glasses of firi and noticed Jake standing nearby. Handing a glass to Kay, he used it to point out Jake and said, "There's Jake. Do ye want to meet him now?"
Kay tossed back her drink the way she'd seen her mother do all these years, draining it in a single swallow. It burned slightly as it went down, warming her from the inside out. Past experience had taught her that one drink was exactly the right amount to make her feel less smothered in a crowd of strangers. She didn't dare have any more, as it might then impair her caution. And she still couldn't shake off those nagging doubts that some of the party guests had hostile intentions towards others.
Absentmindedly, she brushed a hand across the sheath on her thigh for reassurance, then snatched it away when she realized what she was doing. At least, Gwenn's friend wasn't the source of her doubts. Kay was fairly sure of THAT much. "Aye", she said softly, "Since he is worthy to be called your friend, bredu, I would indeed be interested in meeting him".