Night Forest

Chapter 8

         A week later Kylara was busy helping the servants. The Lord was hosting a masked ball in honor of his son, Lord Toric, and everyone was busy getting ready. The ball would be in two days time. Kylara had just learned about it that morning, but it seemed no one else was surprised.
         That night, Fanna, Kylara, and a couple other women servants were sitting around a table talking about the ball.
          “Isn’t it wonderful! The young lord will finally pick his bride!” said one woman.
          “Oh, sure he will, to bad the young lord can’t exactly marry for love ya know,” answered her companion.
          “Ah, that is sad, but just think about the ball. All those rich women wearing those pretty gowns and jewels. Now add masks! Oh it’ll be so beautiful. I wish I was young and could sneak my way in,” the first woman said.
          “Yes, yes, the only one young enough here to even go would be Kylara,” another woman said. All eyes turned to Kylara.
         Kylara smiled, “Sorry, I don’t know a thing about balls. I don’t know how to dance, nor have anything nearly beautiful as some of the things I have seen.”
         Fanna’s face lit up, “But I do dear!” she looked at the other women, “With each of your help we could get Kylara in! I have the dress, it would just need some quick adjusting to fit her. Then with extra fabric we could easily make a mask. We could even teach her to dance! Oh doesn’t it sound like fun?”
         All of the woman grinned, but Kylara, “Fanna! I couldn’t possibly go! What’s the point? Besides, there’s no reason for all of you to work more than necessary.”
          “Oh no dear, it would be great fun!” said a woman.
          “But-” Kylara tried.
          “No buts, we’re going to teach you to dance, walk, talk, everything! You’ll be able to blend right in. Now, lets get started!”

         Over the next two days, everything went so fast. During the day Kylara was working hard to clean, cook and decorate. Then at night she took lesson’s to be a higher lady. She had yet to see the dress she was going to wear, which she was dreading wearing. At least Kylara had quick learning in her favor. She easily mastered everything that was taught to her.
         Now she was blindfolded and in Fanna’s room. She could feel the three women moving around her. They were going to surprise her with her gown by dressing her with out her seeing it till it was on.
         Fanna tied the front of Kylara’s dress, “Close your eyes dear, we’ll do your hair now, and put a little paint on your pretty face. After all that and you have the mask on, then you may see yourself.”
         Kylara felt the blindfold fall away from her face. Her eyes were closed tight as they tugged and pulled on her hair. Then she felt the coldness of the woman face paint. She had never seen it before, but then again, she grew up where there was no rich and poor, just the people of the village.
         At last she felt cool silk placed over her eyes, “Now may I see?”
          “Yes, open your eyes,” said Fanna.
         Kylara opened her eyes and stared in the mirror. She didn’t see Kylara, she saw Nalia, a lady from a far away land coming to seek Lord Toric. The gown was emerald green silk that flowed over Kylara’s body. The gown had long sleeves and was so long it brushed the ground. It had gold embroidery and a gold underskirt. Her great-great-grandmothers necklace hung delicately between the rise of her chest. Her hair was down and flowed in dark brown curls. The mask she wore was of gold silk, and her own emerald green eyes showed bright and beautiful in contrast to the gold of the mask. Her lips had been painted a luscious red.
         Kylara turned and hugged Fanna, “Its beautiful!”
         Fanna smiled, “You are beautiful. Come, the ball has already started.”

         Toric bowed to the lady he had just finished dancing with. He was really starting to hate the ball already and his feet were getting sore from being stepped on. All the women were fluttering and chatting around him and Toric couldn’t wait for it to be over. He didn’t know what he was thinking when he let his father hold the ball. No one was going to be here that he thought he should marry. Toric suppressed a shiver; he didn’t want to get married at all. Toric excused himself as politely as possible and started walking around.
         His mind kept wandering back to Kylara. He had heard a lot about her recently. It all started with the men she had killed; he had even seen that himself. Then the way she dressed in deer leather that showed so much of her body, which had many of the ladies talking. Then she had her pet hawk Talon and then the news of being Fanna’s granddaughter. Add all that to what he already knew about her. How she was kind to those that deserved it and the fact that she had lived through so many things compared to Toric’s luxurious life. Kylara was the only woman he thought he would ever consider getting closer too. He also couldn’t forget that day they spent in town.
         Suddenly everyone was looking toward the stairs with gasps and murmurs. Toric looked in that direction and stared. A woman wearing an emerald and gold gown was coming down the stairs. No wonder everyone was staring, she was beautiful beyond anything Toric had seen. He moved quickly over to the stairs. The woman and Toric both reached the bottom of the stairs at the same time. Toric bowed and took her hand in his then kissed it gently.
          “Welcome to the castle of White Wolves. My father Lord Talmore, lord of this land, also welcomes you,” Toric said repeating his welcome line he had used many times that night, but this time he meant it.
         Kylara curtsied to him and tried to smile as sweetly as possible, “Thank you, my lord.”
          “Would you like to dance, my lady?” Toric said with a smile.
         Kylara nodded and followed Toric onto the ballroom floor. Kylara slid easily into the dance. Thanking Fanna and the other women every second, and wishing that Toric would stop staring at her.
          “What is thy lady’s name?” he asked politely.
          “Nalia, my lord, and your name is Lord Toric if I am not mistaken,” Kylara answered.
          “Yes, but if you would not mind, just call me Toric. That way I may just call you Nalia, a beautiful name for a beautiful lady,” Toric said with a smiled.
         Kylara nodded and smiled back, “Thank you, but there are many beautiful ladies here.”
         Toric never took his eyes off her, “That may be, but so far as I can tell, you are sweet, which makes you even more beautiful.”
         Kylara shook her head, “You hardly know me, how can you be so sure of that?”
          “Ah, Nalia, it is in your eyes. I see it there. Not the greed I see in the other women here.”
          “Oh? And what else can you see there?”
          “Now I see nothing,” he looked impressed, “you mask them well.”
         Kylara smiled, “One has to learn to protect themselves, including how they feel.”
         Toric smiled as well, “That is true. Though a lady like you wouldn’t have to know how to protect herself, a man would always be there for you. At the moment, I am. If anything were to happen now, I would be your protector.”
         Kylara had to suppress her anger, she couldn’t blow it, “I guess that is good to know.”
          “I am sure it is,” the music ended and he bowed to her, “Would you like to go for a walk?”
         Kylara nodded and they walked out to the castle courtyard, “It’s beautiful tonight.”
         Toric smiled and put his arm around her waist and led her slowly through the garden, “Yes it is, but you are more beautiful than anything in this world.”
         Kylara shook her head, the man was starting to get annoying, “No, that is the most beautiful thing in the world,” she said as she pointed to the hawk in the sky. Her hawk.
          “Talon? Oh, he is just a servant’s hawk. Nothing important.” Toric glanced up only long enough to recognize it.
          “Oh? Who is the owner? Who ever they are, they are lucky to have such a beautiful bird.”
          “The owner? Oh, Kylara, she’s new to the castle. She’s just a servant. A bit strange too. She thinks she can do anything a man can do,” Toric stopped and put both hands around Kylara waist, “You are a perfect lady though.”
         Kylara kept her hand clasped together tightly, lucky for Toric she had enough patience, for awhile. “I am sure you could find a better woman inside, my lord. I do not have much to my name. I am sure your father would like more money and not just beauty.”
          “I don’t care about money. I want you, you are beautiful,” Toric leaned forward to kiss her.
         Kylara’s eyes lit up in flames of hate and disgust.
          “Lord Toric! Lord Toric! What do you think you are doing out here? Your future bride awaits you inside!” a male voice from behind said.
          “Father! Nalia here, she is the one, leave us alone, please!” Toric answered, annoyed that he hadn’t kissed her yet.
          “Toric, you can’t decide now, you must meet them all! Now get inside,” said Lord Talmore in a commanding tone.
         With a sigh Toric pulled away from Kylara, “I will be back for you, don’t leave.” Toric smiled and walked back inside.
         Kylara quickly masked her feelings and turned around, only to step back in surprise. Lord Talmore had come up right behind her.
          “So, you think you have what it takes to be a lord’s bride do you? I don’t think so. No money? No power? Only beauty, that’s all you have, isn’t that right?” his tone didn’t seem very nice to Kylara.
         Kylara bent her head down, “Yes my lord.”
         Lord Talmore grabbed her by the wrists and put a cloth over her mouth to muffle her scream, “I won’t have my son blinded by your beauty, which is all he’s going to get from you. I won’t let him marry you.” Lord Talmore snapped his fingers and two other men came out.
          “Take her away, and make sure she doesn’t come back,” Lord Talmore smiled evilly at Kylara, “Have a good time dear, I’ll tell Lord Toric something came up and you had to leave.”
         Kylara’s eyes widened. They were really going to get rid of her and she couldn’t do a thing! One man grabbed her around the waist and picked her up. The other walked behind and made sure no one followed.