15min fic #108
Sep. 19th, 2005 02:04 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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yrae
Title~ Unexpected Arrival
Author~ Annarti
Disclaimer~ Still all mine
Notes~ 15 minute fic, word 108. 'bout a week before Nol's hrai-dani.
~ ~ ~
“Two palace brews.”
Nimay grinned appreciatively as she took her glass from the servant, then rested back in her deck chair to take in the view from the balcony.
It had been a warm day, the first signs of another hot Summer, and neither she nor Nolryn could be bothered heading for the ‘Thrai that evening, though the setting sun had begun to drop the temperature just slightly by now. Its golden glow turned the rusty red desert to fire.
Nimay’s gaze lazily scanned the horizon as she sipped on her beer, then froze on a spot on the eastern horizon, just behind Nol’s head. It was barely a smudge of black against the blazing red-orange desert, shimmering in the waves of heat that still arose from it, even this late in the day. She frowned at the spot in curiosity, nodding at it to grab the prince’s attention.
Nol turned around to look at the smudge in the eastern desert. “Is that people?”
The swordswoman stood to move to the balcony’s edge, leaning against the railing and squinting against the heat waves. After a few moments of staring, the smudge resolved itself to indeed be a large procession of people moving closer to Ni-Yana.
“Oh, no,” Nol said dramatically, leaning against the railing beside her, “They’re Llayans, aren’t they?” He pointed at the group of desert travellers. “Look, you can see those ridiculous umbrellas they cart around with them.”
Nimay half-raised her eyebrows and took another swig of her beer. After she’d studied the procession a little more, she held up five fingers and batted her eyelids, gazing sweetly up at the sky—'Five gold pieces say it’s Lynnlita.'
The prince’s eyes widened in horror and realisation, first at Nimay, then at the approaching Llayans. “For the love of the goddesses, it had better not be,” he said, shaking his head slowly, but he held up his glass to accept the challenge nevertheless.
Five silent minutes later, Nolryn fished into his pocket and slapped five gold coins on the railing in front of Nimay, then turned and slouched back into his deck chair, his back to the Llayan princess’ procession.
Nimay grinned slyly and slipped the coins into her pocket, returning to her own deck chair.
“Why in Lin’s name is she here?” Nol muttered. “My hrai-dani is supposed to be my day. She’s going to turn it into hers, just watch. She’ll try and drop the least subtle of hints to both me and Majesty as to why she should be the next queen of Raykin, butt in on every conversation and somehow turn it into being one about her, and make everyone there feel guilty about being Raykinian.”
Nimay sipped her beer absently, watching an eagle as it circled effortlessly above the cliffs overlooking the city.
“Quiet, you,” Nol told her, “You haven’t met her yet.”
Nimay gave a half-shrug and pursed her lips again. 'Fair enough.'
“Just you wait.” He was more relaxed now, though the annoyance that the Llayan princess had decided to rain on his parade still bubbled under the surface. “Five coins say that when you first meet her, she’ll try and nick your sword.”
The swordswoman grinned, then raised her glass. Somehow, she doubted she’d be holding those coins for much longer.
Author~ Annarti
Disclaimer~ Still all mine
Notes~ 15 minute fic, word 108. 'bout a week before Nol's hrai-dani.
“Two palace brews.”
Nimay grinned appreciatively as she took her glass from the servant, then rested back in her deck chair to take in the view from the balcony.
It had been a warm day, the first signs of another hot Summer, and neither she nor Nolryn could be bothered heading for the ‘Thrai that evening, though the setting sun had begun to drop the temperature just slightly by now. Its golden glow turned the rusty red desert to fire.
Nimay’s gaze lazily scanned the horizon as she sipped on her beer, then froze on a spot on the eastern horizon, just behind Nol’s head. It was barely a smudge of black against the blazing red-orange desert, shimmering in the waves of heat that still arose from it, even this late in the day. She frowned at the spot in curiosity, nodding at it to grab the prince’s attention.
Nol turned around to look at the smudge in the eastern desert. “Is that people?”
The swordswoman stood to move to the balcony’s edge, leaning against the railing and squinting against the heat waves. After a few moments of staring, the smudge resolved itself to indeed be a large procession of people moving closer to Ni-Yana.
“Oh, no,” Nol said dramatically, leaning against the railing beside her, “They’re Llayans, aren’t they?” He pointed at the group of desert travellers. “Look, you can see those ridiculous umbrellas they cart around with them.”
Nimay half-raised her eyebrows and took another swig of her beer. After she’d studied the procession a little more, she held up five fingers and batted her eyelids, gazing sweetly up at the sky—'Five gold pieces say it’s Lynnlita.'
The prince’s eyes widened in horror and realisation, first at Nimay, then at the approaching Llayans. “For the love of the goddesses, it had better not be,” he said, shaking his head slowly, but he held up his glass to accept the challenge nevertheless.
Five silent minutes later, Nolryn fished into his pocket and slapped five gold coins on the railing in front of Nimay, then turned and slouched back into his deck chair, his back to the Llayan princess’ procession.
Nimay grinned slyly and slipped the coins into her pocket, returning to her own deck chair.
“Why in Lin’s name is she here?” Nol muttered. “My hrai-dani is supposed to be my day. She’s going to turn it into hers, just watch. She’ll try and drop the least subtle of hints to both me and Majesty as to why she should be the next queen of Raykin, butt in on every conversation and somehow turn it into being one about her, and make everyone there feel guilty about being Raykinian.”
Nimay sipped her beer absently, watching an eagle as it circled effortlessly above the cliffs overlooking the city.
“Quiet, you,” Nol told her, “You haven’t met her yet.”
Nimay gave a half-shrug and pursed her lips again. 'Fair enough.'
“Just you wait.” He was more relaxed now, though the annoyance that the Llayan princess had decided to rain on his parade still bubbled under the surface. “Five coins say that when you first meet her, she’ll try and nick your sword.”
The swordswoman grinned, then raised her glass. Somehow, she doubted she’d be holding those coins for much longer.