Take all my vicious words
And turn them into something good
Take all my preconceptions
And let the truth be understood
Take all my prized possessions
Leave only what I need
Take all my pieces of doubt
And let me be what's underneath
Keladry felt stripped, naked. Without her shield on her arm, without Peachblossom underneath her, steadying her, she felt alone, and open. Open to the world in a way she was uncomfortable with. She didn't have a mask to wear, a Yamani face to place upon her own. She was bare; she was a fruit without its outer skin. Her soul was exposed.
Courage is when you're afraid,
But you keep on moving anyway
Courage is when you're in pain,
But you keep on living anyway
This wasn't a battle she could win with her muscle; it had to be won with her heart. She was terrified of what would happen. OF what was going to be the outcome. Would she be a knight? Would she be Lady Keladry? She was absolutely terrified of what would happen if the Chamber killed her, or wouldn't let her pass. She saw it as a gate. An old rusted gate, that creaked in the wind, but wouldn't budge for all the strength in the world. She didn't know if it would open for her or not.
We all have excuses why
Living in fear something in us dies
Like a bird with broken win
It's not how high he flies,
But the song he sings
She had to make it through. She felt determination surge through her as she clenched her fists, hoping for an answer. She had been through so much, with Neal, and with Raoul. There were so many people who believed in her, who wanted her to succeed. She couldn't let them down. Kel thought to herself, "I have worked so damn hard. So hard. And I need this. I need this for my mom, for Alanna. I need this for Neal and for Owen. I need this for me. This is what will decide my fate, will choose my destiny. Let the outcome be good."
Courage is when you're afraid,
But you keep on moving anyway
The ancient door creaked open. Keladry sat up, squared her shoulders, and let her feet carry her to the gate of destiny.
Courage is when you're in pain,
But you keep on living anyway
You keep on living anyway
As she walked through, into the darkness she thought about everything that had happened. She thought of the spidren, at Mindelan, that she had thrown the rocks at. She thought of her brothers, and about how much they had changed her, for good or for bad. Her mother, and how she had first encouraged Kel to go for her dreams, he father who would help her through the end of the world.
It's not how many times you've been knocked down
It's how many times you get back up
Courage is when you've lost your way,
But you find your strength anyway
Kel thought of Neal. Of Owen and of Lalasa. How much she loved each of them. She thought of Alanna, of her hero.
Courage is when you're afraid
Courage is when it all seems grey
Courage is when you make a change,
And you keep on living anyway
As the door closed behind her, Keladry finally thought of herself. And of how she was ready to take anything that the chamber dolled out. She was ready. She was ready to face her destiny.
You keep on moving anyway
You keep on giving anyway
You keep on loving anyway