Changes


This is just new. I know where I wanna go but I'm not sure how to get there. Hehe, some of the parts I sorta copied from a favourite book. Please don't tell. Of course, I'll edit it. And there's some swearing and if you don't know about the 'birds and the bees' you shouldn't read this. So well, let's just try. * smiles *

For the 1st two years of her being a squire things were fine. Her feelings for Neal didn't grow any stronger or weaker. They just stood there like a lump. Pretty lifeless.

Her 1st year went by pretty slow. Classes went by. New teachers, new kids. More 'The Girl's.' Numair's long lectures and Lindhall's creatures. Lord Wyldon and his jousting skills. Pushing her around like the quintain she jabbed everyday.

That was until she met Keevan. A handsome 15 year old. Who moved from Scanra because of 'stuff' he'd say. Black hair, lucious green eyes and darn handsome tanned skin.

She did like him. She knew that the first time she tripped and he helped her up. He was sort of the popular yet I-keep-to-myself kinda guy. And she got attracted to him.

So they started getting together. She skipped her little meetings with her 'they're just friends' and started going to the Dancing Dove. They'd gamble and drink. Of course flirt with each other too. I mean a beautiful brunette and a black haired guy. Who wouldn't be attracted?

They went as far kissing until he started forcing himself onto her. A little bit at a time of course. Kiss here, then there. Until she'd get uncomfortable. She'd tell him but then he started abusing her. He'd start hitting her in the back. Below her stomach where it would hurt real bad. On her arm where it wouldn't show any black or blue bruises. He never raped her though. A little surprising.

And all Kel could do was watch his fist go into her body. Her Yamani skills had been forgotten since she had been drinking lately. As well as smoking tobacco. Yes, tobacco. Keevan introduced it to her.

A few more things she found out about him as their relationship grew. She did a little research and from a friend of Keevan's found out that Keevan left Scanra because he had killed somebody. Murder! She thought to herself. He dealed and did drugs. A couple of pages, squires and knights actually did buy them.

" To get a little tension, off chick! " Keevan would say.

The tension of what though, she always wondered. At least none of her friends, who had lately been bothered by her not showing up to classes on time, didn't take any.

Then one day she finally said she didn't want to stay with him anymore. It would hurt of course but at least not hurt her, physically or emotionally anymore.

Although it ended up pretty badly. He did rape her. And she just pinched her eyes as to not feel anything. Then he hit her in the stomach and punched her jaw. Which later on was diagnosed as broken but then cured. Her arms were nothingness after he had stabbed them with a knife. Then forced her to kiss him.

Eventually of course, and after alot of pleading and crying on Kel's part, he finally hit her one last time and dropped her on the side of the road. No clothes, no weapons. Nothing. A bare, tall, pretty girl who was vulnerable to anyone and anything to pass.

Somehow she got into the palace without anyone noticing her. Maybe Peg and Crown, though. And possibly even Jump. She shed the tears. Long, salty, hot tears. Streaming unwantedly down her face, while she sat in bed hugging her blanket as close to her body as if it were skin. Replaying what had just happened over and over again.

Crown peeped and cheeped, asking what was wrong. But Kel was too sad and still gulping down tears to answer. And Jump was too sleepy at that time to care.


Things to Think About

Chapter 2
" You're bleeding, Kel! "

She sat up immediately. The blood had soaked through her comforter. Somehow, she didn't feel the blood loss. Her hands under the blanket pullling it up to her neck, while she tried to hide her face.

" Kel! It's me, Neal. " He shook her for more emphasis.

She still closed her eyes. Last night she had gotten no sleep at all. Just nightmares about Keevan and those tears that had practically made her eyes that red that it could have looked like blood.

" Leave me alone, Neal. " she whispered. " Just freakin' leave me alone. "

" What the hell happened to you? " he demanded. His grasp on her shoulders tightening.

" Let go of me! " she warned. This was a little reminder of Keevan. Her voice shook of not laughter but fright. And her jaw hurt so much. It was still broken. " Don't touch me! Don't call me! Just... "

Neal grabbed her face and made her look up. " Open your eyes! " he ordered. She refused. " I'll use my magic. "

That would make her even more embarassed. Maybe he should heal me now and get it over with. At least I won't have to show this to Duke Baird or Lord Wyldon. Except she didn't do it. So he probed her with his magic.

Neal put his hands over her hot face. His callused hands feeling her tremble vigorously. The magic flowed out and into her veins. There was nothing wrong. Just some black and blue bruises on her back, stomach. Her jaw was broken. Her eyes were as red as a rose. An ugly rose.

He pulled back. He stared at his hands then his gaze worked it's way up her shivering body, eyes still closed tight.

" Keevan? " he asked gently.

She didn't want to answer. It hurt so damn hard to reply anyway. And it wasn't Keevan. It was her. Too stupid to realize that he was trouble. She just sat there dumbly and accidentally fell asleep as Neal picked her up and brought her to Duke Baird.

* * * * *
Keevan's green eyes smiled sleepily at her. This was the day it happened. She turned to get her food but he grabbed her and whisked her onto Peachblossom.

" Keevan, we can't go now. I'll get into trouble. And Lord Wyldon might do something. "

" Just come on, Kel! "

He was high. Probably took one of those drugs. She had to tell him today.

As I said, she told him and he raped her. Her mind reviewed what she could have done. And could not have done. His last hit before leaving her on the road was telling her: " If you tell anyone, you're dead. "

Threats. He never made them to her, though. And she thought he loved her. For who she was. When all along he was just using her.

* * * * *
" What happened, Your Grace? " Roald asked.

Kel was just faking that she was asleep. Her eyes were still hurting. Well, at least he's worried for me. Probably back from his mission.

" I really have no idea, Roald. " Duke Baird shifted uneasily in his chair. He yawned. The operation on Kel was harder than he thought. He had stayed up all last night. " She's lost alot of blood, Your Highness. Stab wounds in her upper arm. Both. "

Roald gasped and came in, folding both his arms across his chest. He looked at Duke Baird, then glanced at Kel as she shifted.

Go ahead and talk about me. It's not as if I'm not here. I'm only faking my sleep so I can rest my eyes.

" How did it happen, Your Grace? "

Was Roald always this polite, she wondered. I mean does he ever think normal things like us? I mean does he ever throw temper tamtrums? Or even raise his voice? She almost giggled.

" I think-"

" I was mugged. " she said quickly. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to hear him or even his name. And she didn't even want to know what would happen if her parents, Lord Wyldon and the others found out.

" Oh, you're awake, Kel. "

She turned over so he could only see her back. Duh, I'm awake. Her fingers were so cold but her skin was so hot.

He went over to her side to see what was up. She turned to the other side, her back hunched over. Duke Baird raised an eyebrow at her.

Roald pulled himself onto the sick bed. Kel tried to pull the blanket up more but her bandaged arms were too stiff. " Well, " he began casually. " Duke Baird, I'd like to talk to Kel alone. "

He hesitated but an order was an order. Only because it was from Prince Roald.


Interrogations


" So... How was your mission? " she asked.

" It went as planned. I hear there's a new squire in training. "

She tried to shrug but it hurt again. " Yeah, there's a new squire. " Her voice was choppy and small.

" I hear he likes girls. "

She gasped. " He likes girls? " she almost screamed. " What do you mean by that? Is that - that - an insult or something? " she stuttered.

He smiled. " Nooo... I was just saying that. " Silence. For a looooonggg, awkwarddddddd, time. " So, " he started again.

Unexpectedly someone burst in. Duke Baird and a couple of guards tried to keep the boy outside the room.

" I told you, Keevan. " warned Duke Baird. " His Highness was in here and wanted to speak alone with Keladry. "

Keevan stood up and brushed his clothes off. For a moment Kel could see his eyes glint as he saw Roald. As if he thought something was going on. Then, he remembered his manners, bowed and smiled. " You're Highness? "

Roald got up and bowed back. He would have left had he not seen Kel tremble.

Keevan looked back at her, still smiling although more masculinely now. As if posessed by a demon, she thought to herself. " I was just worried about you. "

Kel sniffed. He had said it so innocently that anyone would have thought that Kel was lying if she told the truth. But she had experience. Even if it was only one time. It was still experienced. She tried to stop her trembling but it would stop.

His smile widened as if saying, " I'm glad you remember my threat. Keep in mind I'll be watching you. "

She swallowed. Was Roald going to leave? Was Duke Baird going to let Keevan stay? Wouldn't Lord Wyldon be coming any second now, because it was time for classes to start?

Her breathing was that erratic, fast and loud that everyone including the guards looked at her.

" Keladry, are you alright? "

She looked at Duke Baird, his usually expression now concerned. She was that scared that she had to answer with the truth.

" Will you all leave now? " announced Duke Baird, loudly. " I'd like to check her thoroughly now. " he explained.

Would Keevan leave? she wondered. She hoped he would. Because if he wouldn't her lungs would soon be out of breath. But they all left, with the exception of Duke Baird and Roald.

" I think it's best if you leave, Your Highness. "

Hesistantly Roald looked towards the door. " I'll be back, Kel. By your leave? "

He nodded and then checked Kel's temperature.

Like number 3? I hope so. I've started ch. 4 but I only have 1 or 2 paragraphs. Short paragraphs. So review please! Thanks.