Infiltrating the Palace: Contracting Sandrine

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

The door to the carriage opened wide, revealing the driver who peered in, an eyebrow raised as though he had witnessed or heard something he ought not to have heard. I glared at him side long as I tried to settle myself poste haste. I could feel a warm flush all over my body as I fixed my dress and stepped out of the carriage in the most lady like fashion I could muster, although I stumbled, the driver's hand quickly coming to my elbow as I tried to find my footing on the ground. I straightened myself and smiled at him apologetically, while he smiled back at me with a knowing look and turned back to the carriage, offering Sandrine his hand.

I watched as she stepped out, my hands moving down my body, smoothing out my dress, and then going to my hair. I looked at her, dressed in the garb of her homeland, as she stepped daintilly out of the carriage. She was a good actor, that much was for sure. I smiled up at her as I reached into my purse, paying the driver for his assistance, and giving him an ample tip, which I am sure he thought was to buy his silence.

As he pulled away, I went to grab Sandrine's hand, but thought better of it. I steeled myself with one last look into her eyes, pouring as much emotion into them as I could before letting my face go completely blank, as though I were about to go into battle. I looked away as I started toward the Palace gate. From what I could see there were two men sitting in the post, and two men in each guard tower, totalling six. I was certain I could outrun them if I needed to, but I didn't think that would be necessary. They eyed us before we even made it to the gate, sizing us up, probably thinking all sorts of dirty thoughts before we reached the front and were accosted by our first trial.

"And who approaches the Palace Gate? State your name and your business," one guard demanded, stepping from his post to face me, a hand coming to his hilt. It was rather unnecessary, but I did not let my ire show.

"I am Faolan mab Ceallach, and have been staying on the palace grounds in a wing here for a couple weeks now. I doubt you do not know who I am as the guard should all have been notified by now." I answered, my face stern, my chin high as I stood proud and commanding in front of him. I angled slightly toward Sandrine, both to protect as well as give the man a good look at my woad markings, letting him know I was not some little girl he could scare off with big soldier words.

A second one came from the opposite post. "Yes, yes we know you," he said, laying eyes on Sandrine and giving her the once over. "But we do not know of your companion, that is for sure," he continued, raising an eyebrow as he too, put his hand on the hilt. I knew this one well, he was a trouble maker and cared little for station, at least when it came to me, and tried relentlessly to rile me everytime I tried to re-enter the palace. His hair was a dark brown and his eyes were the colour of honey. I glared at him.

"You had better learn your place, man, and learn to humble yourself before royalty," I answered through my teeth, my eyes flashing angrilly up at him.

"Royalty?" he said with a smile and a chuckle. "You cannot mean you, Lady Ceallach. You're no part of a royal family." I looked around and noticed all the guards were on the ground now, all six of them, watching. One went to place a warning hand on the brown haired man's shoulder, as if warning him to step down.

"You obviously are as stupid as you look to make such terrible assumptions," I answered, my voice low but strong. "I am sure your more intelligent comrades understand far better. And yes, you are defiling yourself in front of royalty. This is Princess Adannaya of Jebe Barkal. Her letter of introduction came earlier today and I asked to be the one to meet her. It took quite some time for her letter ot get here, and she arrived shortly after, as you can see. I was granted permission, as I figured it would be nice to have someone who is also new to the City for her to relate to." The brown haired man stepped back a step, unsure of whether he should bow to Sandrine or call our bluff.

"Really," another piped up. "Maybe we should hear this from the Princess's mouth?" This one was a blond with bright blue eyes. He stepped forward, joining in the game, testing Sandrine, wanting to hear the words straight from her mouth.

I smiled slyly, knowing full well that Sandrine's acting abilities were above par.

"Princess," I said slowly in D'Angeline to her, "the guards wish to hear your name and the station you hold in Jebe Barkal from your lips, not mine. Can you indulge them just this once? I promise their insolence will be put to rest."

Just make something up, come on, you can do it Sandrine, I willed her silently, peering into her eyes.

[Sandrine nó Orchis]

The look she gave me before we reached the guards was full of courage and...something else I couldn't place. Of course I knew she was brave--the woad markings on her beautiful neck spoke to that--and her strength redoubled my own resolve. As we reached the gate, my mind ran through what might happen if we were caught. I had never heard of anyone executed before in Terre d'Ange, but it could possibly happen, if the Queen deemed this transgression too serious. Hopefully they would just think it was the game of two silly girls. I would have trembled, but not after the look Faolan gave me. If she could be brave, so could I.

Faolan had been on guard almost as soon as she stepped out of the carriage, and she faced all of the guards down like a lioness among wolves. I would have laughed, if the situation was not so serious. It was rather difficult to reconcile with the way she had moaned my name not ten minutes before. That mirth turned to white-hot rage as the brown-haired man mocked Faolan. I bit my lip to still my tongue, then concentrated on looking slightly confused, as if I couldn't understand what was being said.

When Faolan looked at me, her eyes pleading for me to continue the ruse, I raised my eyes skyward, as if I was trying to remember how to speak this strange language of Terre d'Ange. The guards seemed impatient, the rude one shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"When I was a child," I said, imitating my father's thick accent as best I could, my speech slow and deliberate, "my father often told me of the beauty of the lands he visited on his many travels. He spoke of the canals of La Serenissima, the green fields of Alba and Eire, and the port of Illyria. But he talked of no place more fondly than the land of Terre d'Ange. He said the beauty of the people, both inside and out, far outmatched any place he had ever been."

I made my breath catch in my throat, and I looked up again as if to stop tears from falling. But, of course, two escaped and slid in perfect trails down my cheeks.

"My father died two years ago. He was the greatest consort Jebe-Barkal has ever known, and the people mourned their loss for three months. His final dying wish was for me to see what he had experienced." My voice was thick with tears. I was even making myself sad.

"The first place I wanted to visit..." I said, pausing for effect, as if it was almost too difficult to go on, "...was Terre d'Ange. I wanted to see this beauty for myself. And now, when I try to enter the palace, in an attempt to fulfill my dead father's request..." My voice trailed off, and I dissolved into heavy sobbing.

The guards all looked at each other, chagrined. I had learned very quickly in life that nothing makes a man melt faster than a crying woman. Especially if she looked even prettier when she was crying. I had practiced that technique for hours.

Finally the blond man reached forward to awkwardly pat me on the shoulder. I grabbed him, burying my face in his chest, as sobs wracked my body. "There, there," he said, murmuring into my hair in what he thought was a soothing voice, patting my back. "Please forgive us, Princess...Daniaya?" I had purposefully picked a name that would sound strange to d'Angeline ears, so that it would be difficult to remember. I didn't have the heart to correct him, he sounded so earnest. "Of course we will let you in."

I pulled back and looked into his blue eyes. "Thank you, kind sir. In Jebe-Barkal we will sing your praises for generations." I quickly kissed him on the cheek, then stepped back to join Faolan. I noted with amusement the man's blush of embarrassment, and the absolutely poisonous look that the brown haired man shot him.

The guards stepped aside as I absently wiped away tears. I chanced a look at my hand--I hadn't even smeared my makeup. I didn't want to look at Faolan's face for fear I would burst out laughing. "Please, lead the way, Lady Ceallach."

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

I watched as she raised her eyes to the sky, sensing the unrest among the guards, the sound of shifting among them and one clearing his throat. I thought better on shooting them an angry glance and waited as Sandrine levelled her eyes to the soldiers and began her story.

I listened as she poured her soul, every ounce of emotion into her story, tears making their way silently down her cheeks as she moved to wipe them away. This was no trick of lighting on a stage, nor well placed drops of water. Those were real tears, this was real emotion. My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught in my throat as I listened to her continue on, her story flowing seemlessly from her lips as I chanced a glance to the guards. They were enraptured, it seemed, taken my her story. Some had tears brimming their eyes though they didn't let them break as they silently attempted to clear the lumps in their throats. I felt the tears welling in my own eyes, but refrained. This was her story, this was her time to shine, and I watched as every ounce of trust I had put into her was brought forth and redoubled in payment.

Her story was perfect. She was perfect, as I said earlier and still held as truth. I remembered something I had read about Jebe Barkal, the women and their ability to weave stories that could capture an audience and have them believing against all odds, and wondered if she knew about that part of her heritage, and if that was what gave her the strength now, or if this was something she did naturally, without that knowledge. I breathed slowly, thinking on how little I knew of this perfect little creature. So beautiful, so talented yes, but there was naught else I knew, and I wanted to know more, to know her story, about her family, her mother and father, and wondered if there were any parts in this story that rang true to her life.

As she came to an end, I watched as the blond guard stepped forward. I was instantly on my guard, moving towards Sandrine, ready to defend if need be. But it was not necessary. I watched as he placed a hand on her shoulder, attempting to comfort her, to make right their wrongs, and I watched also as she crumpled into his arms, crying her heart out and his hands and words made an atempt to sooth. I ruffled at this mildly, wanting to be the one to hold her, the one she cried on, the one to shush her and touch her hair, but I let it pass through me, knowing it was silly to be jealous. Afterall, it was all for show, wasn't it?

The brown haired man rolled his eyes, obviously not swayed, and obviously as heartless as I had thought him to be. But this was not important. The others believed as their ranks parted, making way for us to pass. The gate was opened and I looked to Sandrine, who looked straight ahead.

"Yes, Princess, this way," I offered, my voice low and deep from the emotion that had passed, ebbing from her and washing overe me. I walked past the guards, giving them looks of admonishment as I did, and walked past the gate. As they closed it behind us, I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sandrine?" I asked softly, in low tones, too low for the guards to hear as we moved out of earshot.

[Sandrine nó Orchis]

I kept my eyes down as I walked past the men, as if I was overwhelmed with emotion. As soon as I heard my name on her sweet lips, I looked up at her and grinned from ear to ear.

"I can only hope that Elua will forgive me for saying my father was dead," I whispered, holding back my laughter. "Though somehow I think he wouldn't mind overmuch. He likes a good trick as much as anyone."

I was surprised to see concern in her face. I placed my hand over hers on my shoulder, lifting it and kissing her hand, holding it in mine. "Don't worry, Faolan, everything's fine. Sometimes I...get a little carried away." I stopped talking as I looked around. I had never been in the palace, and it was every bit as splendid as I imagined. I was rarely speechless, but the glory of the palace took my breath away.

"So...should we go to the library first?" I asked, my voice soft. "I think if we go to your room first, I doubt we'll leave for many, many hours." To emphasis my point, I gently pinched her nipple through her dress, my grin mischievous. Now that the danger had passed, my mind again turned to more simple needs. Even though her face was creased with worry for me, her full lips and blushing cheeks still made my blood run hot.

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

Her face went from downcast to mirthful in the flash of an eye. I knit my brows together, rather confused by it. Was any of that emotion true... at all? I shook my head lightly. This was her training, so I shouldn't feel disheartened. This was what we needed to get past the guards. Her words worked to reassure me, and I felt my heart lighten as her demeanor changed back to the Sandrine I had met, bubbling and fun. I smiled, still a mite sadly, though the mood was quickly washing over me.

Then her voice changed tone as she moved, promising things that made me blush, and the feel of her fingers pinching my sensitive nipples made me catch my breath. I flashed an angry glance at her, her teasing was no fair at all!

"Yes," I whispered, schooling my emotions I cleared my throat. "Yes, the library first. We came in at the north entrance and so the library is in this wing." I walked towards the palace. "So you have never been within the Palace walls?" I asked, making conversation as I tried to stop myself from thinking of all the things I would learn of her, from her, and feel when our search in the name of academia was through.

[Sandrine nó Orchis]

Something was wrong. I had caught her look of confusion and sadness, and though she quickly started smiling again, something had disturbed her. Luckily my flirting seemed to dissipate the issue. Again I wondered what had happened in her life to make her so mercurial. Sure, my emotions could change quickly, but that was by choice.

Her reaction at my teasing made me laugh. Little did she know it was one of my favorite things to do. I doubted she could really be angry at me. Just in case I gave her my most winning smile.

"No, I've never been," I said, squeezing her hand. "It's quite lovely, though. I could get used to a place like this..." I trailed off as I stopped, hearing footfalls.

"Alright, listen," I said quietly, dropping her hand and standing up straight, "the key to surviving in places you're not supposed to be is to look like you belong there." A couple rounded a corner, walking toward us, and I looked at them down my nose--quite a feat as the man was much taller than me. The woman gave me a strange look, and we sized each other up in the time honored way of the fairer sex. She blinked first, looking away as they walked past us.

"See?" I whispered as they were out of earshot. "I have quite a bit of practice."

I looked down the hallway. "You're going to have to lead, Lady Ceallach." I was eager to look at the books, but I was more excited for what was to come.

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

I heard as the footsteps approached us and her hand was off of mine quicker than I thought possible. I listened to her low tones and followed her stance, she stared down the woman, while I stared down the man. He seemed rather unwilling to play the game, raising an eyebrow and looking away non-chalantly. I guess I just didnt really gather looks like others did. I shrugged as they past, continuing on their way, and looked over at Sandrine, catching a remnant of the look she had given them, nearly bursting out in laughter. I laughed silently, my shoulders shaking as I moved behind a column, using it for support as I tried hard not to let the laughter become audible. I caught my breath and cleared my throat.

"Hmm," I mused, "yes yes, I can see that," I said with a smile, taking up her hand again. It was dangerous, but that added to the fun. "Now we just have to get past the librarian!" I said with a look of remorse and warning, wondering if I could fool her as well as she fooled others, including me.

[Sandrine nó Orchis]

I loved to make people laugh, especially ones as cute as Faolan. But hopefully she could control herself just a little bit longer. I wasn't sure if everyone would buy my act a second time.

I took a step back, pretending that her admonishing look frightened me. "If looks could kill..." I said with a smile, brushing her warm cheek with my hand. "I'd be dead by now."

"After facing you down, I have no fear of any such librarian. Plus, isn't anyone who is in the palace available to look in the library at any time? The hard part is past, Faolan, never you fear." I winked at her. "Lead on!"