Author: Crimson
Genre: General/Romance/Action/Adventure
Rating: PG, but it might be raised for later chapters.
Started: 1/25/03
Ended: Still in Process
Shippings: You'll see!
Hello all, and welcome to my first actual fanfic. *grins sheepishly* Forget I said that, and just skim this if you want and read. I actually wrote this first chapter quite a bit ago, but never really updated it. So here we are, at the start of a new story. ^_^ Yay! Just for the record: reviews are greatly appriciated. I'd really like to become a better writer...and you all'd help me out a bit, right? ^_^
Anyway, I don't own any of the characters or places. Heck, I don't even own Freckle the sparrow. Besides the plot, it's all Mrs. Tamora Pierce's. Hail her greatness. :) And for those who are wondering--this is sort of the epilogue to the series with a new plot twist. It'll get more interesting as it goes on...but the prologue is just the opening for the later action.
On to the story!
~Crimson
p r o l o g u e
Music filled the large dinner room, singing softly under the silken murmurs of conversation. All was going perfectly normal, that is except for the drone of Keladry of Mindelan's dinner partner.
"Forgive my maladroit speaking, my lady, but don't you think the spectacular classic summary of the book is wonderful, accentuating…" he drawled on, waving his fingers in the emphasis his voice lacked.
Keladry, Kel as her friends called her, barely understood a word. She played with her fan—a present from her close friend Princess Shinkokami—under the table, the only thing that showed her disinterest of whatever subject the mage was talking about. Fortunately, the Yamani training she had when she was younger was to thank for her emotionless face.
'His maladroit speaking,' she thought irritably, 'Of course, he would mean his foolish speaking on only a subject Mithros himself knows.' She brushed out the folds on her fan—the deadly shukusen as the Yamani called it—and thought about other things. No, a bad idea that was, she always brought herself to think of the refugees at her camp she commanded. 'New Hope's doing well enough,' she assured herself, and even though she only half-believed herself as it was, she snapped her fan shut and silently vowed to keep her emotions to herself. Just playing with the fan made it seem as though she was bored—true as it was.
"…The main characters ploy…"
Kel politely covered her mouth, hoping the mage didn't realize she almost sighed with boredom. She smoothed her crimson skirts out and propped her head up with one hand, hoping it seemed like she was hanging on every word. She fidgeted, an unusual thing, and sat back up straight and smoothed her skirts out again. For all that knew Kel, seeing her in a dress was quite unusual, unless she had the time. During the past year, the war had been so fast-paced that Kel didn't have the need to wear one. It looked nice though, with Kel's right above shoulder-length mouse brown hair, and hazel eyes under long eyelashes. And opposite of what she would have thought, it didn't make her masculine frame—her thanks for nine years of service to the crown—look too strong, just right for the dress. Even the freckles—which were a small annoyance—sprinkled across her delicate nose didn't bother her. It was just that mage talking about who-knows-what!
A strand of brown hair fell into her face, courtesy of Lalasa, her former maid and now dress-shop owner, who insisted she curl it a bit and wear it down. Kel stopped herself from growling under her breath. 'If it wasn't this horrible tight dress…or the fact of my hair falling into my face every cursed minute…!'
Kel, obviously, was not having a good day.
But most to say, the beginning had been fun at Raoul and Buri's wedding, and that was mostly the only reason she was here and letting herself listen to that…that…mage that kept plaguing her thoughts! He kept going on and going on about only…only…books! How many things can you say about one little book! Personally, she thought that Raoul didn't like large parties, but this was overdoing it.
"And there was a sequel, a marvelously well done read…"
'Well. That answers it. All the time I'm sitting here thinking that this must be one long book, but all the while he's most likely been going from book to book in a matter of—what? Hours? Or so it feels… I can see why Raoul hates these things.'
As he went on, Kel looked around. Her best friend since pagedom, Nealan of Queenscove, got up after talking to his father. She also secretly looked around (to look at others while someone else is talking would be rude in her eyes) to spot Cleon of Kennan at a dinner table talking to some girl—'His future wife?' wondered Kel—and Domitan of Masbolle talking to Raoul and Buri. She caught them when Dom said something with a wide-grin, and then Buri and Raoul laughed. She turned to also see Princess Shinkokami and Prince Roald in deep conversation.
To her pleasure, Nealan of Queenscove, called Neal, was headed over to her. 'Thank you Mithros, Great Mother Goddess, Sakuyo, Yama—all of you!' she prayed in her mind happily. "…It was truly wonderful," her dinner partner finished.
'Thank you!' she repeated, nodding her head in false agreement.
Neal approached the table and bowed to the mage and turned to Kel with one for her also, a hint of mockery in his wry smile. "My lady Keladry, my lord Kevian, how are you on this fine evening?"
The mage, Kevian, nodded his head and replied, "Good Sir Nealan, thank you." He turned to Kel and stood and bowed. "Thank you for gracing me with your presence, my lady. But I fear I must be paying my regards to other guests in fear of them tracking me out in the end." He turned and walked away.
"Thank you," whispered Kel.
He waved his hand at her. "It was nothing. Anyone could see that he was terrorizing you with that book talk. That's my job," he retorted, putting a hand daintily on his chest.
"Who is he?"
"Some mage from Scanra. Kevian Isbornea. I haven't heard much, although rumor has it that he's tied in with Rathhausak. He could be some threat—"
"The war's over, Neal. I don't think he's much of a threat," she pointed out, interrupting. "Besides, how horrifying can he be when all he can talk about are those wretched books?"
"He's already gave that book conversation to my father," Neal remarked.
"What conversation?" she scoffed. "It's too one-sided to be considered conversing."
"Look on the bright side dear, it's almost over and Sir Raoul and Commander Buri are finally married."
"She's not commander anymore, remember? She dropped out. It's sad too. I wonder what Raoul's going to do with the Kings Own though. Surely he won't keep that non-marriage rule when he walked down the isle himself."
Neal shrugged. "I don't know."
Before Kel could say anything else, her Yamani friend Yukimi noh Daiomoru walked up to them, her kimono swishing with her graceful and practiced steps. "Did you see the harvest moon tonight?" she asked, a gleam of mischief in her almond-shaped eyes. "Lady Kel, Sir Meathead, come with me."
"When did you hear about the Meathe—" Neal started, his face flushing a bright red.
Yukimi's eyes crinkled, the Yamani equivalent of laughing aloud. "I've heard around." She took his hand and nodded Kel over to them. Together they walked out onto a balcony overlooking the palace courtyard, a huge harvest moon in the distance.
Yuki sighed romantically. "Tsuki no hikari wa ai no message!" she spoke in Yamani, a dreamy look coming over her normally blank face.
"The ancient proverb," replied Kel with a large grin. Neal regarded them with a confused expression.
"The moonlight carries the message of love," Yuki said.
Kel took her queue, knowing the two would possibly want to be alone at a time like this. She hid a grin, and bowed. "I forgot, I left something in my room upstairs. Excuse me for a moment please?"
She slid out of the balcony, smiling to herself as she noticed Neal's hand sliding around Yuki's waist. 'They really are perfect for each other,' she thought, quite content with the way things turned out between him. She really wasn't sad either that she didn't have a love of her own. There were other things to worry about. Most of all, they would happen sooner than she thought.
---
Loud poundings on Kel's palace room door woke her from her sleep. She sat up, rubbing her eyes groggily. Getting out of bed—careful not to wake her faithful dog Jump or any of the sparrows perched around her room—she clambered over to the door. Opening it wide open, she saw a pale-faced Merric of Hollyrose standing before her. His hair stuck out at odd angles and his freckles stood out on his white face.
"…Attacked!" he gasped, leaning on the side of the door for support. "Last night—don't know if they held out…"
"Calm down, and start from the beginning. Who got attacked?"
"The war isn't over! New Hope—"
Kel's stomach lurched.
"What?"
"New Hope was attack—"
"Oh, stop your blundering Merric," came Neal's voice. He peeked his head from behind him. "They're fine, we just got the word that they held off. Daine's animal messengers are doing well." His voice was steady, but his face was just as pale as Merric's.
"What about Tobe? Injuries to anyone? Any fatalities?" Kel croaked, realizing that she was unable to trust her voice after Merric giving her such a fright.
"A few injuries," he said with a grimace. "Some nasty ones I've heard. But nothing that the healer up there can't heal, and we'll be back up there in a few days, right?"
Merric shook his head. "Wrong," he corrected him, his face bleak. "What do you think happened to King Maggot, huh? Think as soon as Kel—" he stopped to search for a word, then chose one with a weak grin, "mutilated Blayce, you think he's going to step down just because he lost the killing machines? We'll be needed elsewhere."
Neal was quiet, unremarkable for him. Kel rubbed her eyes, staying up late last night with Buri and Raoul at their after-party really wasn't a good idea.
"I don't know," she said at last.
"That's why I'm here. King Jonathon wants all of us as soon as possible. He'll call us in one by one, probably giving us new missions and the such-like."
Kel nodded grimly. "It was stupid to think this was all over after the killing machines were defeated. Really now, he still has all the Scanran's assembled?"
Merric shrugged. "I'm only the messenger, I don't know much about it." He looked down the hall, as if wanting to make sure there weren't any bystanders. "Personally though, I think he's just as assembled as he was before. He'll attack when he's ready, though I think loosing the machines set them back a bit."
Before Kel could reply, they heard footsteps pounding down the hall. Owen skidded to a stop in front of him. Still a squire—he'd take his ordeal this midwinter—he was a round-faced boy who tended to jump into battle without thinking. Now though, his usually broad grin was turned upside-down.
"Merric, Neal, come with me please?" he asked glumly.
"Is the King wanting them?" Kel inquired.
"Yes. You're next Kel, all the other one's have been in already."
'Am I always last?' she thought miserably, starting to feel in the same glum mood Owen was apparently in.
Merric and Neal nodded solemnly, and looked over their shoulders as Kel still stood in the doorway. "Have fun," she called hazily from behind them.
---
New Hope was in shatters. Rain splattered down on the remainders, turning the upturned dirt around it into mud puddles. Dead bodies littered the ground; Kel leaned down to a small child who was slumped next to the pastime of a wall. 'But how?' Kel wondered. Her body was unmarked, except for little—circles, was it?—dotted all over her body. Each one cut into her porcelain-like skin. Tears, something that didn't come often, gathered in the corners of her eyes, no longer with their dreamy cast but now with something that looked quite like anger. The rain got harder, and Kel mounted Peachblossom, rubbing the tears away. Crying wouldn't solve anything. Suddenly, she noticed something. The rain was changing color, changing shape. It went from a clear blue color to a darkened red. The raindrops fell, scorching Kel's body wherever it touched her bare skin. With a loud whinny, Peachblossom reared and trotted Kel over to the safety of the trees, which didn't help the pain building. It was too much.
--Kel sat bolt up right, panting deeply. She put a hand to her forehead. 'What was that?!' she asked herself, over and over as if she'd reveal the question. A knock on her door brought her back to reality, and found that she only had one boot on.
"Lady Kel, his majesty wishes to speak with you now!" came Owen's voice. Kel pulled on her last boot and opened her door.
"Alright." She followed him down the hall, him being quite, which was most unusual for him. She regarded him strangely. "Why are you so quiet?" she said with a small chuckle.
"Nothing."
"Oh, come on Owen. I've known you much too long for this."
He looked up at her, frowning. "You know how everything's happening where we're going back to war so quickly?"
She nodded.
"They might have to move back all the squire's ordeals."
"They can't do that!"
"Oh, I'm sure the mages'll find a way to persuade the chamber." He stopped walking abruptly and shook his head, realizing what he just said. "Persuade a chamber? What are they thinking?!" Kel grinned to herself.
They kept walking, the silence creeping back up again. They stopped at a long winding staircase, going up to a tower.
"Just up there," he said, pointing up. Kel noticed, sadly at that, that it was quite a ways. "All the way up there?" she asked, marveling at its height. Not that the heights bothered her or anything, she conquered that fear years ago. Although, that didn't mean she had to like it. He nodded. "You'd better get going, it'll take you a while."
She sighed and started, only looking back to give Owen a brief "Thanks."
And he was right.
The winding staircase wove around timelessly, and Kel found herself feeling as though she was walking in circles and wondering what sort of dolt would climb this just to get to a desk room? 'Me, obviously,' she thought tiredly. After the grueling task, she came upon a door, slightly open. Stern voices were discussing something inside.
"There's no possible way. They don't have the equipment or the spells to make any more…"
Kel knew she shouldn't be listening. She rapped her knuckles on the door.
"Come in!" the voice boomed from inside.
Kel opened the door and peeked her head inside. "Your majesty, you wanted me?"
King Jonathan nodded his head. Kel stepped inside, revealing to herself a large study room where the King and her former training master, Lord Wyldon of Cavall, waited. Jonathan sat behind the desk, Wyldon at a chair by his side.
The king cleared his throat. "Go ahead and have a seat, Lady Knight." He inclined his head towards a seat placed opposite him. Kel sat, her face in the usual Yamani calm.
"I trust you were informed of what happened at New Hope?" inquired Wyldon.
"Yes my lord."
"I don't think you've been informed of the other half of the story though," remarked King Jonathan. "Two killing machine's attacked your camp."
Kel's eyes widened as she struggled to keep her face blank. "Your Majesty? I don't understand."
"Also," he continued, "there were strange reports of unusual weather; things like acid rain. We're not sure about it just yet, it may be a hoax."
Kel nodded, not sure of what to say. Best be keeping quiet, as she usually did.
"Everyone else has been given their orders, you're the last one."
"What is that you wish of me, Your Majesty?" she asked quietly.
It was Wyldon who spoke next, disappointment open in his usually collected voice. "The King wishes to see you at the border."
"The border, my lord?"
"Lady Knight, there's no point denying it, but we need all that we can. The Scanrans are no longer a bunch of ragtag—" Kel would have laughed to hear her former training master use that word if it wasn't such a serious time, "—raiding parties anymore. They have an army. And a formidable one at that." He paused. "New Hope is getting along well enough. I'd rather put another second-in-command there than have one who's been trained in war fighting to stay."
Kel could've sworn she saw a grin almost form on the King's lips.
"Wyldon seems to think that you're doing so well at New Hope that you should stay. I disagreed. Raoul trained you himself, and you deserve to be involved in the fighting."
Wyldon frowned. "And we're not just fighting Scanra anymore. The Copper Isles have joined their fight."
"Pardon me, my lord? Copper Isles?"
"You've heard me correctly. Now to add to the united Scanrans, we have enemies across the ocean. Some of your year-mates will be fighting there as well." He paused. "The King's Own will be going up to the border, you and a few others will be traveling with them. They will be leaving tomorrow at midday."
Kel inhaled deeply.
The king shook his head. "There's nothing else I can mention. You may go now Keladry." She stood, and bowed deeply. "Gods all bless."
"Thank you Majesty. Gods bless."
And she set off to pack.