Commander
Her people are now safe, but is the Lady Knight?
Disclaimer: The Protector of the Small, Keladry of Mindelan and all other characters and locations from the realm of Tortall are the intellectual property of Tamora Pierce.
Chapter 1 - Homecoming
It had been a beautiful wedding. Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan still felt as though she was floating as she road through the forest surrounding the fortified town of New Hope at the head of the column of men and supplies she brought back with her from Fort Mastiff. She was not usually a romantic kind of girl. She had a dreamer's eyes, but an unusually down to earth outlook on life. Add to that her decision some nine years earlier to forgo the traditional duties of a lady and train for her knighthood, and it was easy to see why the soldiers found her current mood entertaining. Of course they hid the larger part of their amusement from her, only allowing the broad grins on their faces to show they had noticed the change in their usually calm and balanced commander.
Normally Kel preferred to avoid large social events. She was naturally shy, preferring small gatherings and the company of her close friends. Of course, whenever duty required it she presented herself immaculately, tucking uncertainty behind the calm face learnt during her childhood in the Yamani Islands. This wedding had been an exception. She had not been reluctant in the slightest to attend this particular gathering; in fact, she had been almost as eager to arrive as her best friend Nealan, who was to meet up with his betrothed, Lady Yukimi, for the first time in months. It helped that this was no court wedding, though it was to celebrate the union of one of the realm's most wealthy, eligible and respected noblemen to the commander of the Queen's Riders. Lord Sir Raoul of Golden Lake and Malorie's Peak had been Kel's knight master during her squire years and was like a father to her. His happiness would have been reason enough to celebrate. Added to that, his betrothed, Commander Buriram, was one of a handful of women warriors that Kel had to look up to. The K'miri woman was a fierce fighter and a skillful horsewoman. It had been Kel's suggestion that had brought the two together as more than friends. Though they had known each other for many years as comrades, neither had considered the possibility of a deeper relationship until Kel brought them together one midwinter. Their decision to wed had caused her much satisfaction, though she knew the Riders would mourn the loss of their last founding commander from duty. She had resigned to keep company with her husband-to-be in his role as Knight Commander of the King's Own.
A disgruntled snort followed by an abrupt stop startled Kel from her daydream. Her gelding Peachblossom tossed his head with consternation at her lack of attention. She had nearly ridden him off the trail and herself into a tree branch. He turned one accusing eye towards her scolding her without needing a word. Tobeis Boon, Kel's servant and a gifted horse mage, new better than to translate Peachblossom's thoughts at that moment. It wasn't necessary. Kel loosened the reigns she had not even know she had been pulling tight and allowed the gelding to turn her back onto the right path. As he did so, Kel observed that the lines of men who had been following her were now halfway past and trying not to laugh openly at their commander's current predicament. She allowed the remainder of them to pass by her and slid in between the last of the soldiers and the supply wagons with their guard at the rear.
She blushed slightly, knowing that the men were keenly aware of the giddy smile on her face and preoccupation with the events of the last week. She shook herself slightly and refocused her mind. While King Maggur and the Scanran army had taken a severe blow, it was not yet safe to ride through the open areas of the north of Tortall in less than a state of complete preparedness. She was a commander; these men were her responsibility and she owed it to them to lead them rather than relying on her horse and their familiarity with the terrain so close to home to take her the rest of the way home. None of them would comment on her distraction; though she would not acknowledge it herself, they had too much respect for their Lady to pick at her over such little matters. Still, they were soldiers and took their amusement where they could find it.
Nealan and his riding companion, Lady Yukimi, had no such qualms. Nealan guided his horse up to Kel's left hand side, with Yuki taking her right.
"Mind not on the job, Lady Knight?" Nealan teased gently. He was her best friend since their first year of page training. Despite a five year age gap, they had understood each other in a way the other pages had not. Still, friendship aside, Kel sometimes wished she could gag him for his endless sarcasm. "Perhaps mother believes that the children will have burned down our new home during her absence." He grinned at her wickedly. "Or maybe the atmosphere of romance has made even her giddy." Kel fought the urge to scowl at him. He was one to talk about the distractions of romance. After arriving at Fort Mastiff, it had been impossible to get any sense out of him for three days. Only now after spending all week with his lady was he able to continue any form of civil conversation with the rest of his friends.
"I believe that our most esteemed Commander always has her mind on the job," Yuki commented blandly. "It was only a momentary distraction I am sure. Of course, she does seem somewhat dazed this morning. Is there anything in particular that worries you Keladry? Or perhaps," she added in an undertone, "someone?"
Kel glanced sideways at the plump Yamani lady, Nealan's fiance and her childhood friend. She had a knowing look in her eyes. Kel prayed that Yuki would not mention anything to Nealan. If there was one thing that Neal had never been able to do it was keep his mouth shut. If he got wind of the other reason that Kel had been so willing to attend a three day wedding celebration, and the main reason for her distant smile since their departure, she would never hear the end of it.
"Of course there is," piped up Tobe behind the three nobles not having heard Yuki's aside. "King Maggot hasn't been defeated yet. The last time my lady left our people she had a horrible time bringing them home again. What if he's done something to New Hope?" He sounded horrified at the thought. Kel wondered how long the idea had been plaguing her young assistant.
"If King Maggur had approached New Hope we would have received word of it by now," Kel soothed him. "No, I was simply thinking how nice it will be to get home. The Own didn't leave off the stunts all week. You'd think they'd give a man a break for his wedding." She shook her won head as she remembered the antics her ex-comrades had gotten up to in preparing for their commander's marriage. "I'm looking forward to a nice restful time."
"I'm sorry," Neal interrupted her, "are we thinking about the same refugees? The town of New Hope, where every man, woman and child is hanging off you from dawn till dusk. Arguments, rosters, reports and disputes – every single one of them making it to you eventually no matter how much you delegate." He shuddered at the very thought of it. "I thought we left so you could have a break."
"And I've had one Meathead," she laughed. "Now I am ready to face it all again. I like my home; besides, these people are our duty." As she said it, she reflected on how true that now was. These were her people. When Lord Wyldon had first assigned her to protect the refugees of the Scanran war, she had chaffed at the post. It had seemed like they were trying to keep her from the battle. Time had cured her of that notion and she now knew that the protection detail was far from safe duty. In addition to that, she had come to know the people she served here and she knew that they needed her. More than anything, Kel knew that having saved these people from King Maggur's pet necromancer, Blayce the Gallan, she was responsible for their welfare. Until she knew that they would be safe, it would be hard for her to leave New Hope.
Horns sounded in the near distance. They gave a familiar call that filled Kel with a sense of relief. If the sentries on the gate were able to sound their approach, then everything was well at home. She turned back to the road ahead of her as she broke through the last of the trees and into the cleared ground before her command. The tattered Scanran banners, trophies from a hard fought battle at their old home of Haven hung from the wall on either side of the gate, a clear declaration to the world at large how tough Kel's people were. As she watched her own dusty blue pennant was raised within the compound to flutter over the town. She smiled and clicked Peachblossom into a trot. She was home.