Delivery! [Hollow Bastion - Open]
Several days passed since the escapades with Kefka in the infirmary. Kairi had wasted her time since then between walks and strolls around the castle grounds and the little settlements that surrounded the main walls. There was a stuble tension in the streets and shops, a sudden bolstering of guards, a bit more alertness to their patrols. Ever since Belle's world had been attacked, the Council had been in a tense, high-wired mood, something that was starting to filter down the ranks.
Some noticed, some did not, but it didnt disuade the feel of everyone looking behind their backs, watching the shadows a bit more closely. Rumors, from what she had overheard Jasmine talking about, circulated that Heartless had been seen on the streets outside the castle and had attacked people. Of course, it was only an isolated situation and the small riot died down fast. It was being investigated quietly, to avoid triggering the rumor mill further.
She hadnt heard from Sora or Riku lately. Last she had known, Sora had jumped from Belle's world after the Heartless had been driven away straight to the other Princesses' worlds to seal them as well. He had sent word after each success and one by one, each member of the Council relaxed as her fears for her home world eased. But there was a bit of a question hanging in the air at each informal meeting that she sat in on. They were ready to start getting back to business, yet, there was just one little problem...
Why hadn't Sora sealed Destiny Islands yet?
They had tried to politely pry an answer out of her once or twice, but she had merely dodged and ducked by saying "I dont know" and refused to say more. After a while, they had decided to leave the question until Sora came back.
So, now she was sitting at her desk, parchment and quill out, tracing a diagram out of one of her many borrowed magic books from Kefka. It was all she had been doing as of late, between her walks and meals and meetings. She was starting to see them when she closed her eyes, she had been doing them so much. It was practically all she could do, with her lessons stagnated due to the problems with Kefka. Which reminded her...
Picking up the journal, she flipped through the pages a bit, staring at the blank ones, mind already crafting the words that she would add to them. She needed to get into touch with Riku, at the very least, talk about this trust issue that had developed between them. Just ignoring the journal would not fix the cleft in their relationship, or magically remove that "affliction" from Kefka so that she could start new lessons with him. It rested with her to start fixing things.
So, she picked up her pen (a little gift from one of the castle's clerics, who had dispaired at seeing her weild a quill to write a note once) and opened her journal to the next blank page.
Then someone knocked at her door.
Checking the time, which was midafternoon, Kairi puzzled as to who would be calling on her at this time. It wasnt dinner yet, the Princesses were off taking a personal day today with their husbands. Something about a holiday today or whatever. Walking to the door, she opened it a little way to peek out, only to have the door nearly flung open and an opulently dressed Tanis stepped into the room.
"My good lady, the time you have been anticipating hath arrived! I have arrived to deliver you fr--oof!"
Sandra, fuddling with a long, wide white box wrapped in pink ribbon, expertly reached over and knocked the designer on the back of the head.
"Kill it, Tanis, 'm not in the mood for your theatrics," she gruffed. Hauling the box onto Kairi's bed, she turned around and made a brief curtsy. "Your dress is done, ma'am."
Her dress? Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, she hadnt thought about the dress commissioned for her since they hauled a piecemeal pile of fabric filled with pins and drawn lines and measurements out of her room when Sora and Riku had come to visit.
Walking over to the bed, she slipped the ribbon around the corners and paused with her hands on the box lid. Tanis and Sandra hovered over her shoulders, the designer practically hopping around. "Open it, open it!" he goaded.
She peeled the lid off and smiled.
Some noticed, some did not, but it didnt disuade the feel of everyone looking behind their backs, watching the shadows a bit more closely. Rumors, from what she had overheard Jasmine talking about, circulated that Heartless had been seen on the streets outside the castle and had attacked people. Of course, it was only an isolated situation and the small riot died down fast. It was being investigated quietly, to avoid triggering the rumor mill further.
She hadnt heard from Sora or Riku lately. Last she had known, Sora had jumped from Belle's world after the Heartless had been driven away straight to the other Princesses' worlds to seal them as well. He had sent word after each success and one by one, each member of the Council relaxed as her fears for her home world eased. But there was a bit of a question hanging in the air at each informal meeting that she sat in on. They were ready to start getting back to business, yet, there was just one little problem...
Why hadn't Sora sealed Destiny Islands yet?
They had tried to politely pry an answer out of her once or twice, but she had merely dodged and ducked by saying "I dont know" and refused to say more. After a while, they had decided to leave the question until Sora came back.
So, now she was sitting at her desk, parchment and quill out, tracing a diagram out of one of her many borrowed magic books from Kefka. It was all she had been doing as of late, between her walks and meals and meetings. She was starting to see them when she closed her eyes, she had been doing them so much. It was practically all she could do, with her lessons stagnated due to the problems with Kefka. Which reminded her...
Picking up the journal, she flipped through the pages a bit, staring at the blank ones, mind already crafting the words that she would add to them. She needed to get into touch with Riku, at the very least, talk about this trust issue that had developed between them. Just ignoring the journal would not fix the cleft in their relationship, or magically remove that "affliction" from Kefka so that she could start new lessons with him. It rested with her to start fixing things.
So, she picked up her pen (a little gift from one of the castle's clerics, who had dispaired at seeing her weild a quill to write a note once) and opened her journal to the next blank page.
Then someone knocked at her door.
Checking the time, which was midafternoon, Kairi puzzled as to who would be calling on her at this time. It wasnt dinner yet, the Princesses were off taking a personal day today with their husbands. Something about a holiday today or whatever. Walking to the door, she opened it a little way to peek out, only to have the door nearly flung open and an opulently dressed Tanis stepped into the room.
"My good lady, the time you have been anticipating hath arrived! I have arrived to deliver you fr--oof!"
Sandra, fuddling with a long, wide white box wrapped in pink ribbon, expertly reached over and knocked the designer on the back of the head.
"Kill it, Tanis, 'm not in the mood for your theatrics," she gruffed. Hauling the box onto Kairi's bed, she turned around and made a brief curtsy. "Your dress is done, ma'am."
Her dress? Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, she hadnt thought about the dress commissioned for her since they hauled a piecemeal pile of fabric filled with pins and drawn lines and measurements out of her room when Sora and Riku had come to visit.
Walking over to the bed, she slipped the ribbon around the corners and paused with her hands on the box lid. Tanis and Sandra hovered over her shoulders, the designer practically hopping around. "Open it, open it!" he goaded.
She peeled the lid off and smiled.