Zandria Reclaim: Knight's Ball

Ikrah was still marveling over the medal while sitting in bed still dressed in the livery lent to her by Taye. She loved it as much as the sword granted to her. Its blade shone with damask steel, though it was a flat sturdy length with a balanced thickness. She tied the medal to her neck before getting up to lay a swath of leather on the bed. After measuring out the sword, she began working on the sheath to fit it properly. At once, the door was practically thrown open. Taye stepped on in with Aquine shaking his head standing off the side behind her in the hallway. They were well dressed in formal wear for the ball. Taye was in a raven and quail feather dress that wrapped around her figure. He was in a crimson long coat that was buttoned down to the waist over offwhite trousers and black boots. "What are you doing here, Ikrah? The ball is about to start!" "I'm not going." "What?! Why not?" "I don't have a dress." Aquine walked in then. "Well, here's my gift to you." He brought in a huge box wrapped in a ribbon tied with a bow. "Happy birthday, little sister. And congratulations to being promoted as Squire." "How would you know it's my birthday? I don't even know it myself." "You never celebrated one?" "No, she never even told me," Taye answered for her. "Start doing that from now on. You have the look of an autumn child." He was smiling warmly, reaching for Taye to hook an arm around her waist. "Go on, open it." She undid the bow. The lid was cast aside. With gaping mouth and a gasp, she reached in to lift the bodice of an elaborate dress. It was velvet dyed indigo. The skirt was wide to accommodate the petticoats made of white satin. There was even a corset included. The worsted embroidery threads finished the embellishment into beaded tassels to either ends of the bodice. They smiled with great pleasure seeing she was wholly impressed. "And here's my gift to you," Taye handed her a silver decanter. Ikrah accepted it with surprise that it was filled. "What is this?" "Wine. You're a Squire now, more grown than you were yesterday." "But don't open it until you need a long forgetful night or a really memorable one," Aquine advised. "That doesn't make sense." "It will," he said with a winking nod to Ikrah, "depending on the night in question. One for pain, the other pleasure. Only to your heart's desire, little sister." Ikrah blushed warmly on her face. "You make it sound like it's betrothal wine." "And what would you know of that? Ah... you've been dreaming about it." He laughed then with Taye in the tease. In which case, Ikrah only crimsoned, putting the decanter in her drawer of treasures. She grabbed them both in a loving hug, trying very hard not to cry. They embraced her back. "All right, now change, change!" Taye tapped on Aquine's back, beckoning with her head for him to stand outside. He nodded and went into the hallway closing the door behind him. With Taye's help, Ikrah was dressed for the ball where all the Knights and Dames were attending for one night of dance to show the King and Queen their abilities to appreciate music and the arts. Even her hair was done up in a half up-do pinned with teardrop pearls, leaving a cascade of her dark auburn curls down her back and shoulders. They arrived in time just as the music had started for the first dance. The columns of paired up Knights and Dames moved in sync with each other, touching at the wrists to every turn as was cued by the musical beats. Spectators stood to the sides as drinks were distributed around by maid servants and pages. No glass stayed empty for long. Taye and Aquine hopped off to the floor joining the dance. Ikrah took a glass of rose wine from a platter presented to her. She sipped from it curling her lips as she soaked up the joyous occasion. They were the Knights of Tarenne, Aquine and Taye both; and she was the Squire of all Tarenne and Zandria. Yet a sad part of her stayed in reserve while she stood there just watching how Aquine danced Taye off her feet. The dance changed into a filing line thronging through the spectators ushering them around the ballroom. Ikrah was swept off in the crowd, spilling wine on the next person. Then, the music changed again to a gentle tune. The dancers then switched moving into a spiral formation back onto the floor. That was a bit wild for her. She snuck away, backing under an archway to stay out of the way. "Why aren't you dancing, daughter?" She turned around seeing the King behind the curtain's shadow. The young Crown Prince was with him, too. She assumed the Queen was resting after all that knighting ceremony from yesterday. Shaking her head embarassedly, she tried to make a weak explanation. "I came stag, because they dragged me here." He chuckled gently. "No date for the ball? Well, it's the same for Little Phoenix here." The boy stepped out of the shadow, revealing his full garb for the Knight's Ball. To offset her indigo dress, he wore a blood red samite tunic under a jerkin with the crest of a phoenix on his chest. His sandy brown hair was corded back over a matching samite band on his forehead that ran through the rest of his hair. "Would you honor me with a dance?" "I don't dance, my Lord." The King cleared his throat as if she had given the wrong answer. She looked over through the dimness seeing that indeed he held the consternation of disapproval. He reached out and plucked the glass from her hand. She crimsoned in the face. "Are you sure about this, my Lord?" she asked the young Crown Prince. "You're the only one my height around here. And..." he stepped up close to her, "when standing under the mistletoe, tradition allows a kiss." She looked up seeing that particular item was hung over them by a thin ribbon. Awkwardly, she lowered herself to one knee, picking up his hand to put to her lips when he grabbed her by the head and planted one fully on her lips. That was shocking to say the least. When he finally released her, she was mortally humiliated beyond repair wishing the floor would just swallow her up. It was her first kiss from a boy... made public no less. Everyone was staring at the spectacle. What's more, she turned around only to see the shadow behind her was now a full panel mirror. She got up to her feet marching out of there in wide strides, except that she went in the wrong direction. The crowd parted out of the way, avoiding her path. Only one person obstructed her escape. His gold buckled boot locked on her ankle in mid-stride. She pivoted on her other foot, turning to straighten her caught foot as a counter. He moved in, grasping her by the hand, leaning back with a raised palm flourishly. She matched his footwork, spinning into a half gainer to escape. The crowd was cheering with applause. The floor was theirs alone. He slid across the floor in a pincer move, then maneuvered into a side sweeping kick. She arched back, falling on her handstanding flip, rolling like that for a couple more circles as he chased her with his next set of kicks. The crowd just roared in awe at the beautiful dance. She then spun on an axle landing with an extended leg. He went for the Archer's Stride then making his way to her. She countered with the Sword in the Sky stance, bringing down one hand that ran across her chest when their wrists touched. They circled twice before switching wrists to reverse the circle, rocking on their hips as they strode with extended steps. Again, they switched, this time with extended left arms reaching across each other's shoulders, their backs barely touching as they slid to their respective sides. Then, the music stopped. The audience surrounding them applauded lauding with whistles. They stepped back, collecting themselves into a mutual bow. "Now, that's a dance!" Aquine said to her from behind. She turned around and ran off in embarassment. The laughters rang in the ballroom with total pandemonium. Outside, the cool night air blasted on her face. She welcomed it with exhilaration. Moonlight lit the way as she rushed along the esplanade. Soon, she heard them beside her, the familiar gigglng laughs from Taye and the chuckle from Aquine. "Wait up!" Tayed hollered. "No!" Ikrah shouted back. Aquine somersaulted in her path, throwing a mock punch. She ducked and dodged. Taye tapped her on the shoulder. She spun to spar with her sister-knight then. Aquine joined in with laughters pushing Taye back. Ikrah hopped off of his knee and threw a straight punch. "Hey, no fair!" Taye yelped blocking that, toppling backwards. Aquine rescued her from touching the ground as he extended his long arms catching her. "Oh not so, my Lady. I got your back." Ikrah also had reached out grabbing hold of her hand pulling her back up. Pause. Then, they all broke into laughters together....

.... Up on the balcony overlooking them, stood the King of Tarenne and his son watching them. "Did you enjoy the dance?" "Yes, I did, Father. Very much so." "Oh, really." "The Squirey is definitely... much more interesting than the Academy." The King smiled demurely as he kept watch over the children....