Fanfic

Kel took the offered arm and they made their way to the great hall where the banquet would be held. Realizing how large this �small gathering� really was Kel hesitated. Sensing her nerves, Nealan stopped. �Would you like to wait here until the herald calls for us?� he said, motioning to a fountain outside the hall.
Silently thanking him, Kel agreed and sat at the fountain, trying to calm her nerves.
With what Kel was realizing was his characteristic directness, Nealan asked, �Have you ever been to one of these before?�
Kel blushed a little darker and looked down, shaking her head.
�Why?� He asked, again blunt. �I mean, you�re the daughter of a noble house.�
Kel sighed. �I�ve lived with the Shang or the Yamani�s since I was three, I�ve never been in Tortall or near Corus long enough to be involved with the social scene.�
Understanding dawned on Nealan�s face. �Oh, well� stay close to me, I�ll introduce you to people,� looking over at her with a smile, �Don�t worry about it.�
Kel looked up then, relieved. �Thanks, Nealan.�
He blushed slightly, wincing when she said his name. �Please, call me Neal,� he pleaded, �Everyone does. Well, except my least favourite aunt.�
�Okay then� Neal,� she said.
�Much better,� he replied happily. A herald in royal blue stepped through into the courtyard, looked across and gestured to them. �That would be us,� Neal sighed. Standing, he offered Kel a hand and then an arm.
�Shall we?�

Sir Domitan of Masbolle was silent as he escorted the delicate Yamani lady to the ball. Dressed in two kimonos, one over the other. The outer was cream-coloured silk
With orange and yellow maple leaves, the inner was orange. The entire ensemble was held together by a wide, stiff obi of bronze silk.
She was beautiful. Dom knew there were a lot of jealous young nobles looking at them, Dom in a light blue tunic and deep blue hose, his eyes flashing bright blue when he smiled, accentuating his dark brown hair.
Engaging Yukimi in conversation was proving more difficult, however until Dom started speaking about the Yamani glaive, the naginata. However, that too was soon exhausted. Both were relieved when the herald called.
Entering the area behind the stairs, Dom heard a familiar laugh. As did Yukimi.
�Meathead?� �Keladry?� they both said at the same time. Looking at each other, Dom smiled and saw the corners of her eyes crinkle slightly.
Dom spotted his cousin, who was currently flirting with a very attractive, make that stunning, young lady whom Dom recognized as the mysterious Shang Lady. �Interested�? he thought wryly.
Walking over with Yukimi on his arm, he saw the spark of recognition in Keladry when Yukimi stood beside him. �Meathead? What are you doing here?� Dom asked the cousin he thought of as a younger � less impressive, of course � brother.
Neal looked despairingly to the ceiling as though seeking help from the gods. Looking to Keladry, Neal said sadly in answer to her inquiring glance, �A patient I could not save, and is now terminally afflicted with a terrible disease.� Yukimi looked from Dom to Neal, confused. Kel decided to rescue her. < �They look related,�> she said in Yamani, looking at the similarity between the noses of the two boys, now engaged in a furious match of insults. < �They must just be teasing.�>
Yukimi, or Yuki as she used to be known answered with a sly smile, <�It would be such a shame if it were true. But I�m more partial to green than blue, myself.�>
Kel laughed and switched to common, relieved that Yuki hadn�t lost her lively sense of humour in the years since Kel had been in the Isles. �Nice to see you again, Yuki.�
�You too, Kel. It�s been too long,� the Yamani replied warmly.
�Two years can seem a lifetime,� Kel agreed. �Do you still practice the glaive?�
�Of course, every morning. You�re welcome to join us,� Yuki offered.
Dom seemed shocked at this. They had discussed the theory of weapons and pole arms, but by the calm way the two girls spoke of it, Dom began to reconsider his idea that Yukimi was delicate.
Kel simply nodded, again thinking of a homeland now an ocean away. �What exactly is his disease? Maybe I can brew some herbs for it,� Kel said, turning to Neal and Dom, who had paused in their conversation to listen to the girl�s. �I�m afraid not, Lady Shang, for it is a terrible malady �� Neal began.
�Excuse my cousin, my Ladies, he has a passion for drama in the most inappropriate places,� Dom interrupted. To Kel, he said, �Sir Domitan of Masbolle,� he bowed.
�Keladry of Mindelan,� Kel replied, dipping into a polite and graceful curtsy, and ignoring Yuki�s wink.
As the couples were almost out the door, Neal whispered, �Dom�s disease��
�Yes?�
�Stupidity.�

Lady Ilane of Mindelan and Baron Piers waited in the audience of the great hall, where all eyes were on the doors to the great stair. The two doors opened and a herald stood on the landing. Silence reigned in the hall.
�Sir Domitan of Masbolle and Lady Yukimi noh Daiomuro,� the herald called. When their entrance was over, Kel and Neal made their way to the top of the stairs, Kel shaking slightly. She calmed very slightly when Neal offered her a reassuring smile.
�Healer Nealan of Queenscove and Lady Shang Keladry of Mindelan.� As they descended the stairs, Ilane was shocked by her daughter�s appearance, looking for all the world like an experienced hand at court. Calm and composed, Ilane then saw her daughter�s dress, and smiled softly. Piers took her hand and looked at their daughter with pride. Ilane could not help but glance at her other daughters, Adalia and Oranie, who were watching with their husbands, looked like a cats with the cream, obviously proud of their younger � and more controversial � sister. Ilane knew they had been questioned on Kel, and not kindly, by some of the other ladies.
Adie couldn�t help it, the grin she felt on her face when her sister entered nearly split it. Looking at Orie, she saw a matching grin of pride and triumph. Leaning over, Orie whispered, �Looks like little Kel�s all grown up,� indicating the vapid expressions on many young men�s faces.
Adie giggled and looked over Orie�s shoulder. �Oh, look at them! Their faces are so green they�re almost pickled!� this time pointing out Lady Florzile of Nond, her mother in law, and Lady Doanna of Fenrigh � someone neither sister had ever liked.
Neal, at that moment, was completely aware of the effect Keladry was having. Many of the nobles had been curious as to what the mysterious and well travelled Shang Lady was like, court gossip had been abound with rumours for months. After hearing many rumours that she was either deformed or oxen � the only possible reasons she had fled the nobility to the uncivilised Shangs - many of the young court ladies had been preparing to be as nasty as possible, to her sisters and to Keladry herself.
Her entrance was a blunt slap in the face to the conservatives, something Neal always enjoyed watching happen. Keladry glided along at his side, the picture of serenity, apparently unaware of the impact she had made.

Politely smiling at yet another curious young noble, Kel fought to hide her frustration.
The only reason Kel had not lost her temper and knocked manners into some of them was Neal � his sly comments about each person kept her laughing. What she really wanted to do was find her family, but this cloister of fluff-brained butterflies had hemmed her in. Just then, a rescuer appeared.
A beautiful noblewoman and her husband cut through the chatter. Lady Uline of haMinch and her husband, Keiran, simply walked through the throng. �Excuse me, Lady Keladry, but her Majesty requests your presence.�
�As her Majesty wishes,� Kel murmured, struggling to keep glee from her voice, and with a mock apologetic glance to the others.
As soon as Neal and Kel had made their way out of hearing distance, however�
�Thank you, I am forever in your debt,� Kel said to the elder woman who now walked beside her with feeling, astonished to discover they were the same height.
�Your mother thought you were getting desperate and asked the queen to have mercy,� she replied with a smile.
�How are the royal ladies?� Neal inquired. Kel was a little surprised. Only one group of handmaidens were known as the �royal ladies,� young women of noble birth who could keep up with the queen anywhere, be it a function or a fight.
�All are healthy again, with only minor numbers of injuries, nothing a healer needs to look at, thankfully,� the lady answered with a relaxed twinkle in her eye. �Many were inquiring over the handsome healer with green eyes, and whether he was betrothed.�
Neal blushed and vaguely murmured something about �too young,� as they reached a door into a small study.
Seeing the array of legends inside, Kel almost turned and ran before Neal pulled her forwards. The King and Queen, the Knight commander of the Kings Own, the commander of the Queens Riders, the Lioness, the Wildmage and Numair Samalin all sat relaxed in easy chairs around the room, joined by Domitan, Yuki, Prince Roald and a striking Yamani who was so familiar Kel simply stopped to stare, all knowledge of the company arrayed around her vanished. The Yamani stood forward with an open smile.
�Cricket?� Kel whispered.
A moment later, she was swept into a tight hug by the princess she had fought raiders, killed bandits and played children�s games with, had spent many a night laughing with and trying evil-smelling concoctions they were sure would make them beautiful.
Someone Kel had almost died with, who had saved her life and whom Kel had soon had to return the favour.
The two foster sisters held on to each other for a very long moment, recalling the tense moments when the black god almost claimed them both, alone and kidnapped by pirates onto a ship - which then sunk. Both girls clung to each other for two tense nights, until, weakened by cold, hunger and fear, they were rescued.
After that experience, Kel and Shinko had dropped all Yamani manners with each other, and a firm friendship had been solidified.
They pulled back to look at each other. �Memories?� Princess Shinkokami remarked with a shiver.
Kel nodded wordlessly. Turning to face the others, Kel curtseyed and ignored the curious gazes.
In his quiet, deep voice, Jonathan remarked, �I gather we are witnessing a reunion of old friends?�
Kel laughed and took the offered seat. �I must say,� he continued, �Your arrival has been the subject of gossip all over the palace. We were all simply curious as to who you were. Especially considering my future daughter-in-law �forgot� to mention she knew you.�
Shinko blushed and looked away. Kel was realizing that the Eastern ways were rubbing off on her. Her mask was in tatters. Kel didn�t think it was a bad thing.
After answering many curious questions about her time abroad, Queen Thayet asked Kel about her friends in the Isles. This caused Kel, Yuki and Shinko to laugh. Shinko answered, �Myself, Kel, Yuki and Pip were the scourge of the Imperial palace. We enjoyed all sorts of adventures, most of which the servants looked upon with horror.�
�Pip?� Commander Buriram Tourakom inquired with a smile.
�Princess Jodanyai (pronounced: jhoh-dan-yay) of the Copper Isles,� Yuki filled in for the mystified audience. �She�s one of our closest friends.�
Silence filled the room until Neal, with distinctive directness spoke up. �That�s an unusual group; a Yamani princess, a Copper princess, a Yamani noblewoman and a Totallan noblewoman.�
�Not really,� Numair disagreed. �I�ve heard of this girl, the youngest black mage to ever reach the rank and survive. She achieved it at the age of 16, I believe, through her healing magic. Also very good at illusions, supposedly. Why was she in the islands?�
�Her father thought she was too powerful and tried to have her assassinated, repeatedly. He came a little too close and she decided to leave,� Kel explained. �Pip�s always said she was never much of a battle mage, but we saw her in action during a Scanran pirate raid.�
Shinko, Yuki and Kel all shuddered at the memory, the day their quiet, shy friend was not so shy, and also at many old memories none wanted to recall.
After a few minutes of polite conversation, Kel began to get frustrated. Eventually she turned to Queen Thayet, �Excuse me, your Majesty, but have you seen my mother? I believe I saw her in the audience earlier.�
Thayet took a few moments to think. �Oh, goddess, I�m sorry, my curiosity got the better of me, I�m afraid. When was the last time you saw your family?�
�Over a year ago, your Majesty,� Kel replied.
�I�m sure Lady Alanna would take you to them, she�s been containing her questions so far, but I�m sure she would like a chance to grill you,� Thayet said, indicating the sheepish champion.
As Kel and Alanna walked out of the door, to the groans of the others, Shinko called out to her. �Kel? Would you like to join us for glaive practice in the morning?�
Kel laughed and smiled. �Of course!�

After pelting Kel with questions, ordering her to call her Alanna, more questions and a few of Kel�s own, Alanna delivered Kel to her family in a small side room.
Adie, Orie, Conal, Inness, Anders and her parents gave her a deafening round of applause as she entered the chamber. After dipping into a small curtsey with a laugh, Kel was swept into a tight hug by Anders and then both her sisters.
Laughing helplessly, Kel fell into the arms of her parents, thinking she was home.

Neal, Dom, Yuki, Roald and Shinko left the room the King was holding court in when the conversation turned to matters of state. When Dom noted Keladry�s absence in the main hall, they heard a bubble of noise and applause. Looking across through an open door, they saw the Mindelan family welcoming Keladry back into their arms. �She seems happy,� Dom remarked softly, watching the grinning Keladry hug a tall knight, Sir Anders, is and then two young ladies at the same time.
Shinko also watched with a smile. �She hasn�t seen them in a while. I know she missed them in the Isles.�
As the young people discussed other things, Dom couldn�t help but watch Keladry. This view of her as a laughing, happy young woman showed him a side he didn�t think she had, and one he liked better than a fearsome warrior or a remote � gorgeous, granted � goddess, with the candlelight glinting softly in her hair and a charming pink touch in her cheeks as her brother gestured to her dress.
Neal, however, couldn�t help but watch Dom with interest. A wicked glint was in his eyes as he turned to Yukimi, now seemingly his escort. The two talked about healing and herbs � a subject Yukimi was surprisingly well acquainted with. He found himself feeling a pang of disappointment when Yukimi and Princess Shinkokami were called away.