A sevenday after Emarian's arrival, he and Kirati were an official item. Everyone from the lowliest drudge to the Lord and Lady themselves knew about Kirati's latest boy-toy.

Her parents were suprisingly accepting, thanks to a nice little rumor going around the Emarian was, in some distant way, related to a Lord Holder, who would, of course, deny it if asked, seeing as the relationship was not legitimate.

"So, you'll make time to dance with me tonight at the Gather, right?" Kirati asked after greeting Emarian with a kiss when he returned from rehersal with the other harpers. "Will Tainoll let you sneak away for a dance or two?"

"I think I can get him to let me," Emarain assured her. "It's no small honor to be seen with the Lord Holder's daughter. So do I get a sign or something to carry around."

"You've got something better," she told him and gave him a breif peck of a kiss on the neck, "me."

"So I suppose you'll be coordinating our outfits for tonight, huh?" Emarian sighed.

Kirati gave him an innocent look. "Of course not. But I have picked out the perfect outfit for you. It matches mine completely. You'll make a nice accesorie."

Emarian pretended to be offended. "Kirati, if that's all I am to you, a handsome man to have hanging on your arm then I'm afraid..." he planted a kiss on her forehead, "we're perfect for eachother."

"Would you two get a room?" Siemma complained as she walked up with an armful of tableclothes. "Kirati, we're supposed to have all these on the tables looking perfect or else Cook is going to serve us for dinner."

"Sorry Siemma, I'm kind of busy at the moment," Kirati told her. "Just give them to one of the drudges."

Siemma dumped half the tableclothes in her arms. "Don't try to play high and mighty Lord Holder's Daughter with me. You are going to help me with these and we are going to get it done fast."

Emarian gave a low whistle. "Strict."

"And you," Siemma rounded on the harper, "are one great big distraction. Get your impossibly cute hind end out of here before I help it."

"Fine, I know when I'm not wanted," Emarian scoffed and, gathering up his gitar, strutted away, leaving the two girls to the tableclothes.

The tableclothes went suprisingly fast, leaving Kirati and Siemma time to sit at one of the newly covered tables and enjoy cold red fruit juice for their troubles. "Sometimes, I think Emarian's too good to be true," Siemma said.

"You're just jealous," Kirati replied after taking a long sip of her juice. Gorgeous appeared and, knocking the glass over, quickly finished the rest of the juice. Kirati called for another and gave Siemma a dirty look for laughing.

"I am not jealous," Siemma continued, still giggling from the juice, "I'm just saying he's a bit too... you know. I mean, he had like five girls around him, but he chose you. And he's barely so much as looked at another girl while you two have been a thing."

"So? What's wrong with a guy who commits?" Kirati challenged.

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong," Siemma told her. "I just get this wierd feeling about him, like he's not what he seems."

' "Stop being so paranoid," Kirati scolded her friend. "Emarian is just a normal guy. One who happens to be handsome and extremely funny."

Siemma sighed. "I know, I know. He's just... I don't know. Well, it's your skin, not mine. I just wouldn't be risking it, if I were you."

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