[Orual]

"I find it amazing how slowly women can move when they're in a hurry," came the grumpy shout from outside the powder room door. Talmérië only grinned as she pinned up her red hair in an elaborate twist at the nape of her neck. Her twin brother, Talômi, was crabby because he had just spent ten minutes helping her fasten the ridiculously small pearl buttons that ran all the way up her forest-green dress. She thought it was worth it; the dress was beautiful. It had a long, full skirt that, to her delight, flared out when she spun; the sleeves came to points on her hand, looping around her third finger; the neckline was square-cut, just low enough to show off her necklace, a red stone hanging on a leather cord; the bodice was elaborately decorated with gold trim. She had finished with her hair, now, and was only tarrying to irritate her brother.

Finally he began to bang on the door. "I'm not on speaking terms with you now so that you can ignore everything I say!" he shouted. Rie frowned.

"And I'm not on speaking terms with you so that you can yell at me all the time!" she snapped back. She flung the door open, and Talômi nearly toppled over before he caught himself on the doorframe.

As irritated as she was with him, she had to admit that he did look nice. He wore black slacks, fitting him well for once, and a matching vest over an earthy-green shirt with full sleeves. He had even cleaned his boots. She could tell that he had tried to do something with his hair, but it hadn't worked. It never worked. Talômi's hair was the same dark red as Rie's, and never stayed where he tried to put it. It didn't help that he was always running his fingers through it.

His handsome face, grumpy just a moment before, broke into a proud smile when Rie stepped out of the powder room. "You look dazzling, sister," he said, taking her by the hand and twirling her. "But you forgot one thing."

Rie checked herself all over, from patting her hair to lifting her skirts to her ankles for a look at her shoes. "I don't think I did," she said, anxiety creeping into her voice. Her brows lowered over her green eyes in consternation. "I can't imagine what you're talking about."

Talômi pulled a small bag out of his pocket, and untied the strings that held it closed. "Mother said to give this to you at an 'appropriate time,'" he said, sounding apologetic for his not finding an earlier 'appropriate time'. He stuck his hand into the bag and produced a ring, silver with an oval emerald set in it.

Rie's eyes widened, and she was speechless as she extended her hand for Talômi to put it on her finger. "Talômi, it's beautiful," she said breathlessly.

"It was Mother's," Talômi said. "And Grandmother's, and her mother's, and I think it might have even belonged to Grandmother's grandmother."

"I'd never seen it before now," Rie said. She looked outside, and jumped with a little squeak. "We're going to be late! Come on!"

They arrived at the party quickly, to flashing bulbs and journalists sticking microphones in their faces, and commentators praising or criticizing minute aspects of their clothes, and Rie's jewelry and hair. Rie smiled shyly and said a few words to the reporters asking her questions, but Talômi just waved them aside and pulled his sister through the front doors.

Rie brushed off her dress as they got in and checked her hair. Talômi grinned and flicked something off of her sleeve. "Don't worry about it, and have fun," he said, waving to a few people. He did not know many of the guests, but he was friendly enough not to care. His cheerful greetings were returned, and the party seemed to be going along splendidly.

"Let's go get something to drink," Rie suggested, pulling on Talômi's arm. He grinned at her and nodded, and together they went over to the bar, scanning the crowd for someone they knew.