The huge windows along the far wall glittered in the light of the setting sun.  It was so bright that Kari wondered if it was some property of the type of glass or if it was the work of some enchantment.  It could possibly have been both.  Starting about halfway up, the windows were open, letting in the gentle sea breeze.  The hu’um near the ceiling swayed along with the breeze rather than in their usual patterns.  All in all, it made for a very dramatic lighting of the ballroom.  All along the sidewalls were round tables that could hold up to six people.  The center of the room was left clear for dancing couples swaying and twirling about in circles along with the music.  The band (or at least what Kari thought was the band, as most of the instruments looked and sounded like nothing she had ever seen before) was stationed near the dais, to make sure that the hosts could hear the music perfectly.  The farther away you sat from the dais, the less important you were.  So, it didn’t really matter if you had to strain a little to hear the music.  But, the room was built with this in mind, so the sound carried easily.  

 

A slight pressure on her arm from Yunho reminded Kari to close .  She glanced up at him sheepishly; she had practically been gawking.  He gave her a stern look along with an encouraging smile.  She could practically hear what he was saying, “Remember, you are the queen here.  You’re not supposed to look unprepared.  You can do this.”  He was right, of course.  It didn’t matter that she was surprised by the look of the room; she was supposed to stay calm and collected no matter what.  Unflappable.  Ready for anything.  She took a steadying breath and held her head high, trying her best to look in control and confident.  Yunho’s nod helped calm her nerves.  A little.  

 

One of the nobles walked over to where they were standing and bowed.  “Your Majesties, the representatives from Equatha have sent word that they will be arriving shortly.  Until then, you have no royal duties.  Just enjoy yourselves.”  He bowed again and walked back to his friends.  Yunho let go of Kari’s arm and turned to her.

 

“Well, since we have nothing to do, do you feel up to dancing?”

 

Dancing?  With Yunho?  What girl wouldn’t?  Or rather, what girl would?  Yunho was such an amazing dancer, and even knowing that he wouldn’t be judging her, how could she possibly put herself up for comparison by others?  His smile decided it for her.  Who cared what the others thought of her dancing?  

 

“Okay.  Let’s do it.”  He took her hand and led her out into the parting crowd of couples.  The music faded out, then back in as the musicians changed songs for them.  After the first few (rather awkwardly done) steps, Kari began to relax.  They had both been taught several of the court dances, and while they had never actually danced them together, the partnership came naturally.  After a few moments, Kari even forgot she was in a ballroom full of people.  She and Yunho simply danced.

Several songs passed, and neither of them wanted to stop.  They twirled along with the other couples and were completely alone, enjoying this one moment of normalcy.  There were no expectations, no duties, no thrones, no crowns, no kingdom.  Nothing else mattered.  This was the first time Kari had felt truly at peace since she was taken from her school. 

The peacefulness didn’t last long.  The next thing Kari knew, the music had quieted to a dull hum in the background and a servant had come up to them.  Yunho and Kari slowed to a stop in the middle of a twirl.  

 

“Forgive me, Majesties, for the interruption, but the Equathian ambassador is ready to be announced.”

Kari gave Yunho an excited glance.  As nervous as she was, the excitement of finally meeting people from a different planet (other than Filarin) was the most prominent emotion raging in her.  Yunho chuckled at her giddy expression and she tried to glare at him.  It didn’t really work.  Oh well.  She’d get mad at him for laughing at her later.  

 

Everyone took their assigned places, including Yunho and Kari.  They were positioned so that they could welcome the ambassador and his entourage as soon as they came in the doors.  

 

The doors swung open, and Kari had to remind herself that it was rude to gawk.  They were the strangest people she had ever seen.  About twenty Equathians strode into the room led by five scantily dressed and obviously in charge people.  The one male (and he was obviously male) stepped forward and bowed to them.

 

“It is an honor to finally meet you, Rulers of Our Sister Planet.  I do so hope to get to know you well.”  He gave them a smile that looked rather creepy (although, that was probably because of the way his face looked in general).  Luckily, Yunho was unfazed.  He gave a small bow that shocked everyone else in the room.  They had been told that the rulers of Filarin didn’t bow to anyone.

“We are the ones who are honored.  Please, make yourselves comfortable and enjoy the ball.”  The man’s smile widened.  It made looking at him for longer than a brief glance disconcerting.  Instead of skin, the Equathians had tiny fish scales.  The ones in front, the ones who were in charge, had rainbow swirling patterns completely covering their elongated bodies.  At least, they covered what Kari could see of their bodies, which was quite a bit.  The three females wore white bits of cloth that barely covered the essential parts, as did the two males.  The others, wore long, thick robes that looked to have been made from the same white material the first five wore.  Their heads were uncovered, revealing gray scales with only a few rainbow swirls twisting in intricate patterns all along their scalps and faces.  Their eyes were the most unsettling, though.  They were pure gold, no whites at all.   

Of course, those weren't the only strange features these Equathians possessed.  They had no discernible ears, but there were gill-like flaps running down their necks.  The ones wearing the robes seemed very subservient.  They kept their webbed hands folded in front of them and their golden eyes fixed at the ground in front of their feet.  All except for one, that is.  The very last Equathian to enter the room had the hood of his robe pulled forward so that his face was completely covered.  Even though his head was bowed, Kari could've sworn he had his eyes on her.  She felt his eyes on her face and blushed.  Why was he staring at her?  The robe completely covered him, from head to (webbed, she was sure) toe, but she was absolutely sure he was male.  He gave off this aura of magic that had a very masculine feel to it.   Though how she knew his aura was male was beyond her.  All she knew was that she wanted that man far away from her.

 

_________________________________________________________

 

After getting over his initial shock of seeing people who looked so...different from himself, Yunho got along quite nicely with the Equathian ambassador.  The man had named himself (there was no way Yunho would ever be able to pronounce the man's name correctly) and then told them to call him Puita.  It was supposedly the easiest to pronounce of his various nicknames.  The rainbow-patterned, scantily-clad women with Puita were supposedly his wives (they obviously didn't hold monogamy in high standard), and the robed men and women, his various servants.  Yunho noticed the man in the back of the group with his face completely covered and asked about him, since he was never specifically mentioned.  Puita told him that the man was a very special kind of servant who was only to show his face to his master.  If his face was ever shown to another, it was only with the master's approval and only at great need.  What that need might be, he failed to say.  

 

They retired to the long table set on the dais just as the first few dishes were being brought out.  With Kari seated at his left and Puita to his right, he proceeded to hound the ambassador with questions about Equatha.

"So, they've really told you nothing about us, Majesty?  I should have expected no less.  These Filarini only ever think about us when they need something or we invite ourselves over."  He paused for a moment, then continued in a rather bored voice.  "Equatha is in a slightly closer orbit to our sun than is Filarin, and, unlike Filarin, has no moons.  Since there are no moons to help stabilize the tilt of our planet, the climate varies wildly every few thousand years as the tilt changes.  At the moment, and for a little while yet, our tropics our at our magnetic poles, whilst the region referred to as the Equatorial region is experiencing a sort of ice age.  It's rather remarkable actually.  I could have my second wife explain it to you in more detail if you like.  She is the one interested in physics."  Yunho shook his head and glanced at Kari to see if she was listening.  She was actually in a deep conversation with aforementioned second wife about physics that went far over his head.  Well, at least she was making a friend.  He was beginning to think that she'd never find anyone other than Reina to talk to who saw her as a person rather than a queen.  While he had been thinking, Puita had continued with his explanation of Equatha.

 

"...as I was saying, there is no landmass on Equatha.  The crust of the planet is covered with a single vast ocean (extremely deep in parts, mind you).  Some places are so deep, that the water turns solid from the pressure."

 

That got Yunho's attention.  "What, like, ice?"

 

"Yes, but this ice is so hot, it causes the surrounding liquid water to boil."

 

"No way"

 

"It's true."

 

"How?"

 

"hmmm...I don't know exactly, but I could have my second wife explain it to you."

 

"No thanks."  Yunho had a feeling that Kari was already in the middle of a detailed explanation, and if he was still curious later, he would ask her then.  Thankfully, all talking ceased as the main course was brought out.  The food, unlike anything he had ever seen before, looked absolutely delicious.  Servants also brought out glasses full of some strange purple liquid that he was scared to try.  He took a cautious sip, and was rewarded with a very strong fruity taste that he decided was a little too strong for him.  Kari seemed to like it, though.  She had her cup refilled twice.  As dessert was served, she stood up and strode towards the side hall where the bathrooms for the ball were.  He shook his head and smiled at her retreated figure.  She shouldn't have had so much of the purple drink.  He was so busy watching her that he didn't notice the hooded Equathian slip quietly away from the table.

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Kari glided more than walked towards the bathrooms.  Other than having a really full bladder, she felt great, giddy actually.  It was a wonderful experience.  Her head felt light as a feather, and all the problems that had plagued her for the last two months or so they had been there seemed to have vanished.  So, when the hooded Equathian stepped out the the hallway in front of her, she merely waved to him and smiled, far too happy to let him ruin her good feeling.

 

He blocked her path, forcing her to come to a halt.

 

"I'm sorry."  She tried to go around him, thinking that she had somehow gotten in his way, but blocked her again.  They were completely out of view of the ballroom, now and there was no one in the hallway with them.  Kari became a little nervous.  What was going on?

 

The man reached up and pulled his hood back from his face.  There were so many rainbow patterns across his face, she couldn't even see the base gray color at all.  His piercing golden eyes fixed on hers and held her there, unable to look away.  

 

"You must be careful, Majesty.  You are far too vulnerable in your current state."

 

Kari didn't know how to respond to that, much less if she was even able to; so she stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

"I have a message for you, Kari."  She gave a start at her name, breaking some of the spell he had on her.  No one other than Yunho had called her by her name since the coronation.  "Be very wary of the Elanari's need for you to have a child.  You do not have all the knowledge you need.  There is something coming.  Something that will rip the Elanari's precious empire to shreds and threaten all that you hold dear.  You and your beloved husband are the only ones who stand between them and total annihilation.  You must - "

 

"What do you think you are doing?"  An angry Yazin came around the corner and the man quickly pulled his hood back over his face.  "You do not belong here.  Leave at once, and pray that I don't mention this to your master."  The man gave a deep bow to Kari and a slight nod of his head to Yazin before silently returning to the ballroom.  Kari sighed, frustrated that she didn't get to hear all of what the man had to say.  It had seemed rather important and he couldn't hurting her by talking, could he?

 

Yazin watched the man walk away with an odd look and turned to Kari.  "Majesty, you mustn't pay any heed to what the man was saying.  These Equathians place a lot of stock in prophecy and believe those with the gift to be special.  I've done a lot of research on the matter and I, along with the entire magical community (including most of the Elanari) agree that prophecy is chancy business at best.  Most predictions never come true, and those that do, usually only come about because the prophecy was told, making it self-fulfilling.  Please promise me you'll forget about this little incident."

 

Kari nodded, unsure as to why he was making such a big deal out of the man's ranting, and turned towards the bathroom.  Her bladder was really uncomfortable, now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N:  Sorry for taking so long with this chapter....but, I probably won't post again until next week.  I'm out of town currently and don't wanna fight with my iPad on formatting.  And remember, everybody wants imaginary bonus points!  So somebody comment if you thinkyou know what real planet I based Equatha on!!!!  :D