Neko Shorts - 11. Prompt #340: The Nuptial Dinner

Prompt # 340--First Line: "There's no way that I'm going in there!"

Nuptial Dinner

"There's no way that I'm going in there!" Kayden hissed, backing up into Ysmenia.

"Yes, you are," she insisted. "You know that Lord Damien would want you with him."

Kayden stared at the group of people gathered in the parlor. There were several people he didn't know, like the vicar and some musicians that were apparently supposed to play at the wedding and reception. Damien was standing with the vicar and Harrison and Penelope's father, deep in conversation, while Miss Penelope stood with her sister and best friend (another person Kayden didn't know) laughing as they sipped sherry from small goblets. The others were milling around in small groups. Everyone was smiling and laughing, but they were also standing and moving around a lot, and Kayden wasn't so sure about that. Anyone of those people that he didn't know could slip in behind him.

"You were fine at dinner," Ysmenia insisted, trying to allay the young neko's fears of the new crowd.

"And everyone was sitting down then," Kayden whimpered. "They're all standing and moving. I can't keep track of everyone."

"And you don't have to," the motherly servant admonished. "You know no one in there will bother you. And both masters would punish anyone who did, you know that."

"But I'm just a slave, I don't belong--"

The harsh tisk and the frown from Ysmenia startled him. "No, you're not a slave anymore. You know that. You are Lord Damien's companion. And he would want you with him."

Kayden fingered the silver chain at his throat. The silver disk had Damien's mark on it. Often when he was feeling unsettled, he would focus on the weight of the elegant chain and pendant, and he would find solace in knowing he was loved, that his master wanted him because he cared for him, not because he was property.

"And where is your gift for Miss Penelope?" Ysmenia asked, glancing at the credenza at the side of the room where several gifts waited, along with the chest Damien had had made sitting on the floor next to it. "Did you not bring it down?"

Kayden flushed with embarrassment, his black ears drooping. "I only had the box and a scrap of fabric to put over it to wrap it. It looked ugly with the other gifts there."

Ysmenia huffed. "It would be fine. No one cares how it's wrapped. It's a beautiful gift, and you are going to go get it right now."

Kayden's green eyes glanced at the floor. "It's already in there," he admitted. "I put it in the chest master had made for them."

Ysmenia didn't looked terribly pleased with that, but she accepted that it would probably cause a bit of a scene and embarrass the kit more if they were to go digging it out of the chest right now.

"Look, your master is looking for you," she stated as she watched the duke's dark blue eyes scanning the room with a frown.

When their lord's eyes fell on the young neko hovering at the doorway, a glimmer of happiness lit the man's eyes, a smile instantly forming on the man's sensuous lips. Kayden felt his breath catch in his throat at the heated gaze from his master. The man's dark hair fell across his brow as he stared back at the feline hybrid.

Kayden felt a flutter in his stomach, and his fears of the crowd melted under the kindling of desire in his master's eyes. The man loved him. He would be safe with him, protected and cherished.

"Go, sweetheart," Ysmenia whispered in his ear, tickling the fur and causing it to twitch.

But Kayden was already stepping forward, forcing himself to ignore the others in the room who paid little attention to him. While he was smaller than almost everyone in the room, he straightened his shoulders and walked over to Damien with as much confidence as he could muster.

Kayden's heart thudded in his chest as he skirted around a group of musicians who smiled and nodded a polite greeting to him. Miss Penelope waved at him as he passed by her group, and the smile she gave him eased his fears even more. It was funny that he felt more afraid of this crowd than he'd felt when attacking the assassin who had been sent to kill his master. Of course, then he was protecting someone he loved. Maybe if one of these men looked like they were going to be a threat to Damien, then he wouldn't feel so uneasy. The thought brought a slight smirk to his face as he came up next to the broad figure of the duke.

A warm arm wrapped around him protectively, obviously sensing his discomfort and silently anchoring Kayden in the man's warmth. When Damien pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head, Kayden glanced warily at the other men. Harrison, of course, didn't care as he'd observed his brother and Kayden in more compromising situations. It was the vicar and Penelope's father that had him feeling anxious. He had met the bride's father a couple times, and the man had never seemed concerned by Damien's affection for him, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. And the vicar he'd never met before, until dinner tonight, so he didn't have clue how he felt.

But both men only eyed him with curiosity, taking in the duke's affection for him easily. He was actually surprised by the smile that the vicar gave him that seemed genuinely auspicious.

"So this is the young man you've told me about," the vicar stated.

Kayden glanced up at Damien, who smiled down at him.

"Yes, Reverend Marshall, this is Kayden, my companion," his master introduced him.

"Nice to meet you, Kayden," the vicar stated.

"Nice to meet you too, sir," Kayden replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Damien placed his glass down on the tray of a passing servant and turned to Harrison. "I think maybe it's time for the bride and groom to open their gifts."

Penelope's father clapped his son-in-law on the shoulder. "Right so," he grinned. "I wonder..." he mused with a smirk, "...did you get my daughter a bracelet to match that necklace you gave her? What was it called again?"

Harrison's cheeks flushed bright red, having been embarrassed by a slip of the tongue when he'd presented his betrothed with the necklace in front of her father. "It was a cockelshell, sir," he said tightly, knowing neither his new father-in-law nor his brother would never let him live the mistake down. "And no, I did not get her a matching bracelet."

Both Damien and his future father-in-law laughed jovially as his embarrassment. Damien moved toward the side credenza holding the gifts as he easily commanded the attention of the crowd. Kayden slinked back against the wall away from his master, as he and the bride and groom became the center of attention.

Damien cleared his throat. "Thank you all for being here as we prepare to share this special day for Harrison and Penelope. I am honored to be able to congratulate these two wonderful young people as they begin their lives together. We are here to wish them well as they start their journey in wedded matrimony. Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate as well. Always treat each other well and cherish one another. Congratulations to the bride and groom!"

"Here, here!" chorused the crowd around them.

Kayden smiled as Lady Penelope blushed slightly from being the center of attention. She was radiant in her light green gown that set off her thick auburn hair and gray eyes. She squeezed Harrison's arm as she clung to it, and Kayden noticed the tremble in Harrison's hand as he laid his hand over hers. The poor groom was so nervous. Damien had spent the better part of the week trying to calm his brother's nerves.

Damien picked up a small box wrapped in red silk. He presented the box to Penelope. "My dearest Penelope, I want to welcome you to our family with this gift that was our mother's. If our father and mother could be here to witness this joyous occasion, they would want to bless this union with a token of our family's heritage."

Lady Penelope took the gift, carefully untying the ribbons holding the silk around the box. She smiled graciously at the sight of the elegant pearl necklace. "Thank you, my lord. I will cherish them always."

Harrison smiled and took another small box from the side table. "And this, my darling, will complement them."

She opened Harrison's gift to reveal a matching pair of pearl earrings. She leaned over and gently kissed her fiance's cheek, thanking him softly.

As the bride and groom opened several more presents from various other extended family members, Kayden became increasingly agitated at the elegant and expensive gifts gathering on the credenza. He suddenly wished he hadn't put his gift in with the others, even if it was hidden in the chest. Maybe they wouldn't open the chest right now, and wouldn't discover the peacock feather fan that he had made for Miss Penelope.

But then, Damien was running his hand over the chest. "My dearest brother and future sister-in-law, I want to present you this chest to store all of your blessed treasures."

Harrison stepped forward, clasping his brother's hand tightly, and Kayden could tell by the brightness of his eyes that he was nearly overcome with emotion. This was one step closer to being out on his own. To becoming a man, a husband, and eventually a father.

Harrison didn't trust himself to speak so he just nodded, as Penelope stepped into Damien's arms for a hug and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, my lord," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

She knelt down, and Kayden closed his eyes, praying she wouldn't open it. But he heard the clasp and the thunk of the lid opening.

There was a moment of silence and he looked up to see Penelope glance up at Damien. "And there's more," she smiled.

Kayden saw Damien frown as Penelope pulled off the scrap of fabric that he had draped over the box holding his gift. He had been afraid to wrap it any other way because he didn't want the feathers to get damaged.

He heard the lady gasp, and his eyes darted to her lifting the feather fan from its nest in the box. "Oh, Damien, it's so beautiful," she whispered as she gently brushed her fingers over it.

Damien had glanced back to his manservant, John Drystan, looking for an explanation as to where the gift had come from, but John only shrugged and shook his head.

"It is beautiful," Damien finally said. "And I wish I could claim I was responsible for such a beautiful gift, but I don't know where it came from."

Harrison and Penelope frowned at him in confusion, and everyone started looking around to see who would claim responsibility for the gift. But no one did.

"Well, I'll figure--" Damien started, but one of his servants stepped forward.

"My lord," Ysmenia curtsied from the doorway.

"Yes?"

Her eyes darted to the neko trying to melt into the wall of the room. "I think maybe you should ask Master Kayden if he knows where it came from."

Kayden's emerald eyes pierced her with a fearful gaze, before he turned to see his master's eyes widen in surprise.

"Kayden?" Damien asked gently. "Do you know where the fan came from?"

Shyly, Kayden nodded, hands knotting in the loose fitting trousers. When Damien waved him closer, Kayden made his way over.

"Do you want to tell us?" Damien coaxed.

Kayden almost shook his head stubbornly, but when he looked up into Miss Penelope's wide pleading eyes, he sighed. "I made it," he finally admitted.

There was a breath of silence that fell over the crowd, and Kayden rushed to apologize for the modest gift. "I'm sorry, it's not jewelry or embroidered linens or carved--"

A soft hand on his cheek stopped him. He looked up to see Miss Penelope's gray eyes wet with tears.

"Kayden, this is the best gift of all," she whispered, clasping the colorful fan gently to her chest. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You are such a sweetheart. This is so beautiful, and even more special because you made it. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured softly, shifting uneasily on his feet under the surprised and shocked stares of the gathered crowd.

"It's amazing," Harrison finally said. "Thank you, Kayden."

Kayden glanced over his shoulder at his master, who was also strangely emotional. He felt Damien's strong hand snake up and clasp his neck firmly.

"You made that?" Damien finally asked, apparently finally having found his voice again.

He nodded. "I wanted to give something too. You said that family gave gifts tonight. And... aren't I family?"

Damien suddenly gripped him in a tight embrace, his lips pressing against Kayden's silky black hair. "Most definitely, Kitten. You never cease to amaze me. I love you."

Kayden pressed his face against his master's chest, taking in the sandalwood scent of the man. "I love you, too."