Mission: Undercover
by an anonymous geek
Chapter One
[420 H.E., 21st year of the reign of King Jonathan IV and Thayet, his queen]
Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan woke up late one sunny morning. Birds chirped outside her window, and she got up to open the shutters to let them in. As she looked outside, she saw a courtyard and a stable where the men of the King's Own kept their horses. A few people walked through the courtyard. Two young lovers kissed below her on a small bench. A confident young man walked briskly to the stables. One old man hobbled across the courtyard on a cane.
Keladry, known as Kel to all her friends, turned away from her window to change out of her nightclothes into plain brown breeches and a white shirt. As she pulled on soft brown boots, slightly worn from much use, she heard a loud knock on the door, and immediately the door opened to reveal a tall muscular brown haired man with laughing emerald eyes.
"Queenscove! You can't just come in here like that! I could've been changing."
"Mindelan, my knock was warning enough."
Nealan of Queenscove, known as Neal, walked into Kel's room after closing the door. Kel grinned and stood up just as Neal plopped down on a chair. She shook her head in mirth and started tidying up her room.
"So, do you know your orders yet?" Neal asked.
Kel looked up and replied, "Not yet. I'm supposed to meet with the king and Sir Myles this afternoon, though. What did you come here for?"
"What are you doing tonight?"
"I don't have any plans."
"Do you want to come with me to a party at the Dancing Dove? It's some rogue celebration, and I was invited and have no one to go with."
"What about Yuki?"
"You haven't heard? She returned to the Yamani Islands a few days ago." Neal's face was solemn as he said this.
Kel was shocked. "Why didn't she tell me?"
Neal shrugged. "Anyway, are you coming?"
The girl sighed. "I guess I will."
Neal walked over to her, hugged her tightly, and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you later." Then he left the room.
~ * ~
Kel walked into Sir Myles's study, where she was supposed to meet the king and Sir Myles, and was surprised to see Neal there, too. He smiled as she sat down next to him at the table where he, King Jonathan IV, and Sir Myles of Olau sat. They all greeted each other, and then got down to business.
The king told them about the mission. "Sir Myles had some spies in the Copper Isles, but we haven't heard any report from them in a few months. We need you two to figure out what happened to them, while trying to get the information that these spies were attempting to find.
"There is some suspicion that the king of the Copper Isles is planning an attack on Tortall. You two will go undercover and pretend to be married nobles." Neal's eyebrows rose immediately, but he did not say anything. "Sir Myles will give you the details later. Do you have any questions?"
They both shook their heads and were dismissed. They walked out of Myles's study thinking about their mission.