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All This...and Heaven Too - Chapter Five: After the Ball
I confess.
I’ve been very negligent (ask Team Guy), and it’s about time I posted chapter 5 in my story. And in case you’ve missed anything or want to review what has come before, I am including the permalinks for what I hope will make for easier access.
Chapter Six is being prepped for Tumblr so I hope to get it up in the next week or two.
Introduction and Brief History - https://rockleefangirl987.tumblr.com/post/159618388822/all-thisand-heaven-too-introduction-and-a
And as always, this is dedicated to @sausage-fist @ten-all-over @nejicanspin @samlovesmaitogai @morganknightos @fruitysmellz @teacher-monica @asplendidninja - and to anyone who has helped me inspire me along the way.
After the ball is over,
After the break of morn –
After the dancers' leaving;
After the stars are gone;
Many a heart is aching,
If you could read them all;
Many the hopes that have vanished
After the ball.
-- After The Ball, Charles K. Harris (1891)
The aide-de-camp stood at the entrance to her commander’s tent, waiting for Kathryn Marshall to complete her prayers. Despite it being almost four in the morning, the Captain tried never to go one night without saying them. Although she was exhausted and ready to crawl into bed, she requested a few minutes to say her private devotions before the sergeant finished her duties.
She prayed for those in her company, then the health and protection of her Queen, the Prince-Consort, their infant daughter, as well as those of her family not with her. Upon completion, Kathryn crossed herself, rose from her prie-deux, and returned her prayer beads to their velvet container.
“So what do you think, Alanna? It’s been a long day.” Kicking off her slippers, she sat on the edge of the enhanced cot, intended to give her as much comfort as possible over the next weeks.
“Yes ma’am, quite a long one, but I trust we’ve been able to accomplish a good beginning.”
Kathryn thought back over everything and smiled. “I actually believe we have. Tomorrow, we’ll send a communication to Her Majesty as far as our progress, as well as whatever happens at tomorrow's...well, today's conference.”
“Very good, My Lady. So will you try to sleep in, or should I return in a couple of hours? There’s nothing on your agenda for the morning, and your afternoon is clear until late. The meetings between you and the Leaf Village representatives will not be until three.”
“I think...I’d like to sleep in. I don’t get to be lazy all that often, and I feel like I have cobwebs forming in my...” She was interrupted by tapping on the tent door. Both she and the sergeant went into defensive postures as neither could imagine who might be outside at that time of the morning.
Alanna firmly called out: “Who goes there?”
“Alanna,” came a whisper, “it’s Tessa. Has my sister retired yet?”
The Captain was not surprised to hear the voice. “Tessa? Come in.” The younger girl hesitantly stepped inside, bowing her head to Alanna Collier after she did, and Kathryn saw her sister had not yet changed out of her party outfit. “Why are you still up?”
“I can’t sleep.”
“Oh, Tessa! You need to relax.” Both she and her sister had always been restless.
“I’ve tried. I still can’t. Are you tired? Really tired? Can we talk a little?”
Kathryn saw Alanna roll her eyes as the aide knew what she would say. “Well, I was...Sure, we can talk.”
“Thank you!” Tessa flopped next to Kathryn, causing the thick mattress to bounce.
“Alanna please go ahead and turn in. I’ll see you around one-ish.”
“One-ish. Very good, My Lady. Good night then. Good night, Lady Tessa.”
“Good night Alanna.”
“Now…” Kathryn sighed once her assistant had gone, “what in the world couldn’t wait until later?”
“I know, I know, I should have waited, but I was in my tent and I was going to change, but it was driving me crazy not knowing what happened.”
“Not knowing what...Oh!” Kathryn laid her head against the pillows at the top of the cot, resting one arm above her head and the other across her chest.
“Oh? Is that all you can say? Oh?” She waved a hand as if intending to slap her older sister. “Come on Kathryn! Tell me what happened with you and Neji Hyuga. What’s he like? Is he a snob? Harry said he was. Did he smile at all? It’s hard to tell if he's smiling or not! Does he have any type of personality? What about those eyes? Michael introduced me to the Hyuga patriarchs and I have never seen such a bunch of sticks in the mud in my life.”
“Tessa!”
“So what about him?”
“He’s…” Kathryn shrugged as she considered the time spent with the chunin. “I detect there was a time when he was quite arrogant.”
“Eww. Sorry,” Tessa apologized. “You know me. I can’t take arrogance. That’s why I didn’t much care for their family patriarchs. But you feel Master Neji's different?”
“Well, in the time I spent with him, I think he’s loosened up a great deal. That probably has a lot to do with his Sensei.”
“His Sensei? Which one was he?”
Kathryn smiled. “You couldn’t miss him. Might Guy. The great big man in the green jumpsuit.”
“Oh! And the bushy eyebrows and yes, that jumpsuit!”
“That’s him. That was Might Guy. You weren’t at court when he and Kakashi Hatake came there to meet Cousin Lilibet.”
“Kakashi Hatake? Oh, the shinobi with the mask?” Tessa sighed. “Oh my God. We were trying to imagine what he looks like behind that mask. We all had such glorious fantasies. But sorry again. I keep interrupting. Neji Hyuga. You think he’s loosened up because of being with Might Guy?”
“I think so. Or he had a lot to do with how Master Hyuga has changed over time. You know the influence a teacher can have over a student. And…”
“And?”
“Well, he’s aristocratic and brilliant. We had a number of wonderful conversations throughout the evening. Did you know...No, no, you wouldn’t, but he’s fluent in Gaulish.”
“Really! That's impressive. How in the world did he learn that? Do you think he knows you’re fluent in it too?”
“I thought that at first, yes.”
“Oh! And he learned as a way to flatter you.”
“Right, exactly, but now I’m not sure. I have a feeling his education has been well-rounded. I could see him studying it because he knew we Britons were coming. It is a court language after all.”
“True, true.”
“We spoke Gaulish and Japanese throughout the evening.”
“Nice! So you felt comfortable being alone with him?”
“Oh very much so. In fact, we had several moments alone.”
Tessa sat forward. “And...?”
“No Tessa, nothing happened.”
The girl looked disappointed. “Too bad. I was hoping he at least kissed you. I think you can tell a lot about a man by the way he kisses.” She paused, giving Kathryn a look indicating her own secrets.
Kathryn cocked her head to one side. “Tessa, by any chance, did you kiss that young man you were with this evening? You did!”
“Only on the cheek, Kathryn. And...he kissed me on the cheek too...eventually.” Blushing she added, “Choji’s...Choji is...Look, I’ll tell you later. I want to hear more about this Neji Hyuga. Alright, he never kissed you. That’s fine. You just met and some people are like that; cautious I mean. I know you very much are when you’re meeting a man who…” She weighed her next words, shook her head, and her comment was adjusted to a question. “But in the grand scheme, how did you honestly feel about him?”
Kathryn sat up, drawing her knees towards her chest. “In the grand scheme...I...liked him.”
“Only liked?”
“I just met him.”
“Well answer me this then,” Tessa whispered. “Between sisters. Would you put him out of your bed if he was in it?”
“Tessa!” Kathryn turned the color of rhubarb. She was not a prude, but the question startled her.
“Well?” Tessa was not the least bit perturbed.
“That was...Tessa...I can’t believe that question crossed your lips. What would Mama say? What would our Grandmamas say?”
“They’d laugh, roll their eyes and wag a finger, and say ‘Tessa, really’ and that would be that. You already know that’s what would happen.”
“Oh, Tessa...I don’t know what we’re going to do with you,” Kathryn sighed, collapsing back onto the mattress. It and the duvet felt soft, comfortable, welcoming, and her body settled in, her head sinking into the softness of the pillows she stacked and staggered one up on top of the other as part of her normal habit. What had she tried to say earlier to Alanna, something about cobwebs? Oh, that she felt cobwebs were forming over her eyes, each one threading through her pupils, tightening so she could no longer see. “I’m sorry, Kitten. I have to shut my eyes.” She did, her facial muscles relaxing. “Keep talking though. I can still hear you,” she was able to say, fighting the urge to yawn.
“So you don’t think you’ll mind him courting you then?”
“Courting me?”
“Yes, as a prospective, well, I guess a prospective bridegroom?”
“I...suppose.”
Kathryn remembered her walks and conversations with Neji Hyuga during the times they were able to escape his relations, her relations, and every other individual who claimed some sort of stake in this all turning out as intended. Those were the moments when she felt the most comfortable with him, supposing he reasoned along the same lines.
Their words became less stilted; they became less formal. Neither felt the need to extol their virtues as if citing from non-existent résumés. In fact, Neji spent more time talking about Might Guy and his teammates than he did his own accomplishments until Kathryn pressed him to speak about himself so she might learn more. He could be open when he desired, so she felt there were many private matters he did not wish to speak of - at least not yet, so she would be patient and wait.
As the evening progressed, her initial resistance subsided to the idea of meeting Neji. They danced together a few more times; enjoyed sampling the many foods offered. They moved from tent to tent, not just to find something new to eat, but to bewilder the ones they often observed following them. Throwing off the prying eyes of the Briton peerage and the Hyuga hierarchy became a game the couple took great pleasure in.
Both she and Neji conversed with ease in either Gaulish or Japanese. The wall of uncertainty lowered enough that on one occasion, as they relaxed outdoors, Kathryn allowed him to touch the back of one hand as he pointed out something or other he thought might interest her. She listened to his voice, realizing something in his life had made him more approachable, warmer, more understanding. An internal pain still held onto him, although not as intense as it might once have been. In the end, it made her curious to know him better.
The evening had been full of people and things which left her curious.
“I’m thankful they didn’t get it into their heads to try to marry me off while we’re here.”
Kathryn started, her eyes opening. “I’m...I’m sorry. What?”
Tessa grinned. “I said I’m glad they didn’t decide to add me to the marriage block while they were at it.”
“You’re fifteen!”
“So? Isn’t Neji Hyuga seventeen or thereabouts? Isn’t Lady Hinata around sixteen? You’re only twenty and Harry’s seventeen! All of you are way too young for such commitments. It’s stupid. You’d think we were back in the old, old, olden days or something. Trying to marry you off to someone you met tonight. It’s absurd, Kathryn, absolutely absurd.”
“I know,” Kathryn agreed, her eyes closing again.
“I realize Cousin Lilibet asked this of you and Harry, but even she married for love, didn't she?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Both times. She married for love both times. How fortunate is that?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“But I still think you're too young to take such a huge step. And it’s true Mama was twenty when she married, but she and Papa had been in love with each other since they were children. That’s different.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Kathryn drifted again as Tessa continued:
“And then I told Choji...He can dance quite well, considering his size...It was so cute how you fed that boy’s doggie...Now is Kiba the boy or is that the dog?...Then Lady Tsunade said ‘And if I was married to you I’d drink it!’ I almost busted a spleen when she told him that!...I said ‘How can you resist chocolate covered strawberries,’ and he said ‘I can’t.’...I mean how disgusting is that - ugh...Then you and Neji Hyuga reappeared...I swear some people can be so ignorant…I didn’t realize there were still sexist men around - in this day and age! I’d knot my bow string around his scrawny neck, that’s what I’d do to that piece of...His hair is so long, isn’t it?...Then Charlotte said ‘Oh my God! What if he looks like the Phantom of the Opera under that mask’ and we laughed our...”
Tessa’s voice became more distant as Kathryn’s sleep changed stages. Although she could still hear her sister, the sentences and words made even less sense, until she stopped trying to sort it out or put meaning to any of it.
“Well, I’m thankful he’s not...I have never...So Might Guy...I would think Neji Hyuga...his best student...So did you...Byakugan...Did you imagine what it’d be like to touch his hair?...I told Choji...team...Might Guy’s team...his...mate...I think Michael...so pretty...I wonder if Michael...Neji Hyuga...team...I told Choji...poor plain...good time...mate...sweetest, most kind-hearted person...Briton...What did you think...deserved an award...poor plain teammate…”
“Huh?” Kathryn muttered, shifting to one side. “What?”
“...poor plain teammate.”
“Poor...What poor...? Who has…? He doesn’t…” Kathryn’s heart rate slowed as her body temperature began to drop. Funny, how could she be dreaming already?
She was gazing into Neji’s eyes. They were dancing again...
Had she already entered REM? How much time had passed? She thought Tessa was still talking...
It was their wedding night. Neji carried her to bed. Their clothing was removed. He touched her, listened to her reaction, growing more excited as she moaned her pleasure…
She wondered what appearance their children might have…
Neji was finally selected as Hokage, and she was so proud, fully accepting that the sacrifice of her old life had been worth this; to have fought by his side - physically and emotionally to help them both achieve this moment.
The shinobi were swearing allegiance to the new Hokage while she watched with great pride, but one, in particular, caught her eye as she looked over this first group of jonin and chunin to enter the chamber. It had been years and years since the alliance was restored...She could not recall how much time had passed since she last laid eyes on him...He was much older. She was as well, but there were still familiar things about him which had never changed and made him prominent among everyone. She never understood why he accepted more missions than any other shinobi...Why he felt the need to be away from the Village so often...
It suddenly struck her how much she missed his smile and the fire in his dark eyes. She couldn’t help it. She stepped before him. He gave a courtly, respectful bow, keeping his eyes down. But she needed to see them again: those eyes that made her feel alive when she was younger; those eyes which swept her away when they danced all those years before. And the smile - it always warmed her heart. Using one finger, she lifted his head by the chin...
“...how he looks.”
“Huh?” The images stopped. Partially awake, Kathryn was uncertain how long she dreamed or what more Tessa said.
“Oh, Kathryn. Here I am rambling away and you’re fast asleep, aren’t you?” Tessa giggled, then kissed her sister on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you later. Have a good night, okay?”
“Hmm? Oh, okay. Good night, Tessa.” Kathryn rolled over, burying her face deeper into her pillows.
Whatever other dreams she had that night, she never remembered.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
