Post by Tamari on Apr 9, 2013 6:44:38 GMT 10
Title: Through His Eyes
Rating: G
Word Count: 626
Pairing: Kaddar/Kalasin
Round/Fight: 1/A
Summary: Kaddar meets Kalasin, and is surprised in more ways than one. From the prompt “When I first saw you, I felt like I was young and careless once again.”
For once, he got to wait indoors for a delegation to arrive. The perks of being Emperor, he thought with self-deprecating amusement. All around him couriers milled, dressed in their very finest clothes, gaudiest jewelry, and richest perfumes. Kaddar had never quite embraced his uncle's ostentation, but even he grudgingly dressed for this occasion.
It wasn't every day that a royal bride arrived.
As the thought crossed his mind, drums sounded from outside the lavish ballroom. Kaddar could feel a very un-emperorly sweat bead his forehead. What if she's not...? But he didn’t know how to finish his own thought.
He wet his painted lips just as his herald's voice boomed out in Common. "Presenting the delegation from Tortall and Her Highness, the Princess Kalasin!" Kaddar’s heart pounded in his ears. It was foolish to be so nervous, he knew, over just a girl. Ozorne would have called him weak. Maybe he would have been right.
But then she walked into the ballroom.
There must have been diplomats and ladies-in-waiting with her, for they would appear later at the wedding, but Kaddar did not see them. In one instant he learned what the Tortallan court already knew: Kalasin of Conté shone.
It wasn’t the jewels she wore or the shine of her gown, because her functional dress would have paled in comparison to the splendors of Carthak were it not for the woman in them. It wasn’t the gloss of her black hair or her shining sapphire eyes. Perhaps, Kaddar thought numbly, it’s the way she walks. The way she holds herself.
She was graceful as she glided among the frozen courtiers, her slippered feet nimbly picking a path through the crowd for her entourage to follow. Kaddar felt burdened and heavy just watching her, even as he sat upon his throne.
Too soon she was standing before him, as his mind still whirred. He rose belatedly and bowed, as she sank into a curtsey to just the proper degree.
“We welcome you to Carthak and to our court, Princess Kalasin of Tortall,” Kaddar said formally. Royalty addressed each other as “cousin” in most cases, but Kaddar shied away from the thought of referring to his future wife that way.
His future wife. This glorious creature would be his wife. To his shocked eyes she seemed inhuman, ethereal. How could he ever love someone so out of reach?
“Thank you for your welcome, Emperor Kaddar,” Kalasin replied, and her voice wasn’t music, like he would have assumed. Instead it was firm and a little low-pitched.
Kaddar was now intensely aware of the people spread out behind Princess Kalasin, waiting to be greeted, and of Kalasin’s silence as she waited for him to say something. His palms sweated. You’ve been Emperor for years and greeting one delegation makes you fall apart? his mental voice scolded, sounding disturbingly like his uncle. Keep it together, boy!
“I hope you will allow me to personally show you all Carthak has to offer, Princess. Most of the planned events this week are banquets and balls in the palace proper,” Kaddar said, forgoing the royal “we.” He spoke partly out of real interest and partly as a test. From what he had heard about Kalasin, she was a different sort of woman than any he had ever known well -- except perhaps Daine.
She smiled at him, an honest, comradely smile that made his heart beat even faster. “That would be lovely, Emperor Kaddar,” she said. “I have heard Carthak has magnificent museums.”
He had to send her on after that, to greet the rest of the delegation for Tortall. But throughout the night, he couldn’t get the thought of her sincere smile out of his head, like a besotted young boy.
Rating: G
Word Count: 626
Pairing: Kaddar/Kalasin
Round/Fight: 1/A
Summary: Kaddar meets Kalasin, and is surprised in more ways than one. From the prompt “When I first saw you, I felt like I was young and careless once again.”
For once, he got to wait indoors for a delegation to arrive. The perks of being Emperor, he thought with self-deprecating amusement. All around him couriers milled, dressed in their very finest clothes, gaudiest jewelry, and richest perfumes. Kaddar had never quite embraced his uncle's ostentation, but even he grudgingly dressed for this occasion.
It wasn't every day that a royal bride arrived.
As the thought crossed his mind, drums sounded from outside the lavish ballroom. Kaddar could feel a very un-emperorly sweat bead his forehead. What if she's not...? But he didn’t know how to finish his own thought.
He wet his painted lips just as his herald's voice boomed out in Common. "Presenting the delegation from Tortall and Her Highness, the Princess Kalasin!" Kaddar’s heart pounded in his ears. It was foolish to be so nervous, he knew, over just a girl. Ozorne would have called him weak. Maybe he would have been right.
But then she walked into the ballroom.
There must have been diplomats and ladies-in-waiting with her, for they would appear later at the wedding, but Kaddar did not see them. In one instant he learned what the Tortallan court already knew: Kalasin of Conté shone.
It wasn’t the jewels she wore or the shine of her gown, because her functional dress would have paled in comparison to the splendors of Carthak were it not for the woman in them. It wasn’t the gloss of her black hair or her shining sapphire eyes. Perhaps, Kaddar thought numbly, it’s the way she walks. The way she holds herself.
She was graceful as she glided among the frozen courtiers, her slippered feet nimbly picking a path through the crowd for her entourage to follow. Kaddar felt burdened and heavy just watching her, even as he sat upon his throne.
Too soon she was standing before him, as his mind still whirred. He rose belatedly and bowed, as she sank into a curtsey to just the proper degree.
“We welcome you to Carthak and to our court, Princess Kalasin of Tortall,” Kaddar said formally. Royalty addressed each other as “cousin” in most cases, but Kaddar shied away from the thought of referring to his future wife that way.
His future wife. This glorious creature would be his wife. To his shocked eyes she seemed inhuman, ethereal. How could he ever love someone so out of reach?
“Thank you for your welcome, Emperor Kaddar,” Kalasin replied, and her voice wasn’t music, like he would have assumed. Instead it was firm and a little low-pitched.
Kaddar was now intensely aware of the people spread out behind Princess Kalasin, waiting to be greeted, and of Kalasin’s silence as she waited for him to say something. His palms sweated. You’ve been Emperor for years and greeting one delegation makes you fall apart? his mental voice scolded, sounding disturbingly like his uncle. Keep it together, boy!
“I hope you will allow me to personally show you all Carthak has to offer, Princess. Most of the planned events this week are banquets and balls in the palace proper,” Kaddar said, forgoing the royal “we.” He spoke partly out of real interest and partly as a test. From what he had heard about Kalasin, she was a different sort of woman than any he had ever known well -- except perhaps Daine.
She smiled at him, an honest, comradely smile that made his heart beat even faster. “That would be lovely, Emperor Kaddar,” she said. “I have heard Carthak has magnificent museums.”
He had to send her on after that, to greet the rest of the delegation for Tortall. But throughout the night, he couldn’t get the thought of her sincere smile out of his head, like a besotted young boy.