Author's note: Hey everyone! Here is the sequel to Truth be Told. First of
all I would like to thank my dear friend Kristen for listening to me babble
about the plot, and for helping me sort out the babble. I also thank Kellie
for her enthusiasm, and all the reviewers for theirs, too. Okay, that felt
like an award speech. On to the story!
Against the Odds By: Mandi-girl
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dozens of eyes were fixed on the couple walking into the Lesser library. The air was filled with quiet whispers as Squires Keladry and Joren walked in, side by side, trailed by Kel's friends. By now the entire Palace, pages and squires alike, knew exactly what was going on. Vinson had made sure of that when he finally came to after Neal's clever blow to the head. He had hoped the other boys would be outraged, but now that it became clear that they weren't, it occurred to Vinson that he needed to take more drastic measures.
Joren and Kel ignored the stares and murmurs and walked to the group's usual table in the library. Joren, who felt awkward even being near the table, stood and watched as each of Kel's friends took their respected seats. Kel sat between Neal and Roald, as always. Suddenly Neal rose from his seat, took a chair from a vacant table, and placed it at theirs – across from Kel. This meant some of the boys had to move over to make room for Joren, but they did so gladly. It was a sign of acceptance Joren hadn't known he'd be granted. As he sat down, Kel smiled warmly at him, then returned to her books.
As the group worked on, Joren felt more and more like he belonged. He had trouble recognizing the feeling at first, since his only knowledge of belonging was false.
"Joren."
All his life Joren changed who he was so he could better fit in.
"Joren."
Now he knew what it felt like to be accepted for who he was.
"Joren!" Joren snapped out of his daze and realized that Roald had been calling him for a while.
"Sorry." Joren replied, shaking his head. "What do you need?"
Roald looked at Kel, then back at Joren. "She says you're good with history. Can you help me?"
Joren took the paper Roald handed to him. "And you call yourself the Crown Prince. You don't even know your own kingdom's history." Joren teased. The other squires looked at each other, and for a second he thought he had said something wrong. That is, until the others broke into laughter.
"I told you, your highness, I told you!" Neal said between laughs. Roald sighed and rolled his eyes and Neal nodded. "Joren, you and I finally agree, our prince has no appreciation for his own kingdom or it's history!"
"It's boring! I'm sure I'll need it someday, but for now I find myself so uninterested that I fall asleep during class and need help later!" Roald cried out. "Now, about this paper I have to do…"
The remainder of the evening was spent helping Roald with his history paper. The bell for bed rang far too soon, and history discussions had to be held off till the next day. As the group of friends gathered their things, Joren leaded over the table and took Kel's books with his. He and Kel said their goodnights and proceeded to her room. They walked in total silence most of the way, until Kel spoke.
"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" She said mockingly.
"You know, I spent all my years here at the Palace developing utter hatred for you and your group." He sighed and looked up to see they had reached their destination. "All to try and fit in." He looked at Kel now. "Now from that same group I find true acceptance. And true love."
Kel smiled. He can teach Neal a few things about poetry, she thought. "Well, I'm still not sure how they feel about 'us' but they're all willing to give it a try." She looked into his blue eyes, no longer cold, but filled with warmth. "And if they see what I see in you, you'll win them over. Like you did me."
Joren took this as his cue, and bent to kiss her gently on the lips. "Sweet dreams, my love." He said as she opened the door.
"You, too." The door closed and Joren walked back to his room for a night's rest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vinson of Genlith walked up to the tall wooden door, and with a clenched fist, he knocked rapidly. He waited for what seemed like forever and a day, then the door opened. Vinson walked in with his head held high and full of confidence.
Lord Wyldon of Cavall stood at the end of the room, which served as his office, with his back facing Vinson. In his right hand he held a letter. Vinson recognized it as his letter asking to see the training master privately.
"Squire Vinson, I know why you're here so don't waste my time." Wyldon turned and faced Vinson, whose eyes widened with excitement.
" So then you know about Joren and Kel?"
"Yes, and I'm not any happier with the situation than you are, but-"
Then, you'll do something about it all? Make it right again." Vinson rudely interrupted. Finally some action would be taken, he thought happily.
Vinson's thoughts were shattered as Wyldon shook his head. " Young man, I said I didn't approve of the situation, not that I could do anything about it."
Now Vinson was utterly confused. "But you have authority, you'll be listened to."
Vinson, I didn't approve of her coming in the first place, but my protests weren't answered. Therefore I must treat her as any other squire or page." He chuckled. "You should know that young people fall in love all the time."
"Yes, but sir," Vinson practically wined, "It's Joren and The Girl. You must be able to do something! Anything!"
"I can't do anything. Vinson, the most I could do would be to inform their parents, but they'll just dismiss it as puppy love."
Vinson thanked Wyldon for his time and walked out the door. Yeah, thanks for nothing old man, he thought harshly. As he walked on, he saw Joren and Kel strolling through the gardens. Kissing. Arms linked, eyes unable to gaze at anything other than the other pair of eyes. It made Vinson sick inside.
"The most I could do would be to inform their parents." Vinson quoted. Maybe he should have been more sincere about that thank-you. As he thought further, a smile began to from on his face. Of course, he thought, why didn't I see it before?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Joren stopped walking and leaned up against a tree. He directed his eyes to the blue sky, and they remained there for quite some time. Kel turned and looked at his face, then at the sky, and back again.
"What's the matter? You look so serious." She asked.
"My ordeal is coming up. Just about a month left, now." He replied, eyes still fixed on the blue sky.
"So," Kel began, "You're nervous about the chamber?"
Joren looked at her. He couldn't tell her the real reason he was nervous, that even though he had changed, he still wasn't sure it was enough. "Yeah, but it's a normal feeling. I'm sure it'll pass." He smiled and wrapped an arm around Kel, drawing her into the cool shade of the tree.
They remained in that peaceful position under the tree for a while. Then, as if a wall had been dropped between them, the separated. That wall was Vinson.
Joren stood straight; ready to face his old friend, and new enemy. "Vinson."
"Joren." Vinson glanced at Kel and nodded acknowledgement. "Kel. Nice weather we've been having, eh?"
Kel stared at him through narrowed eyes. "I guess."
Vinson looked p at the sky, "You'd better enjoy it now," He began to walk off, but he did so slow enough so that the couple could hear what he had to say next. "The weather can change very rapidly. One day it can be sunny and warm, the next… cold. Dark. And stormy." And he was gone as fast as he came, leaving Kel and Joren alone with that final statement.
Kel wrapped her arms around herself. "Well, that was a threat if I ever heard one."
Joren shook his head. "Vinson's all talk, no action. He always tries to intimidate, and when he can't, he'll back down. Let's not worry ourselves with him. There's really nothing he can do."
Kel shrugged. "Maybe you're right."
Joren took her hand and they started walking back to the Palace. "I know I am."
Against the Odds By: Mandi-girl
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dozens of eyes were fixed on the couple walking into the Lesser library. The air was filled with quiet whispers as Squires Keladry and Joren walked in, side by side, trailed by Kel's friends. By now the entire Palace, pages and squires alike, knew exactly what was going on. Vinson had made sure of that when he finally came to after Neal's clever blow to the head. He had hoped the other boys would be outraged, but now that it became clear that they weren't, it occurred to Vinson that he needed to take more drastic measures.
Joren and Kel ignored the stares and murmurs and walked to the group's usual table in the library. Joren, who felt awkward even being near the table, stood and watched as each of Kel's friends took their respected seats. Kel sat between Neal and Roald, as always. Suddenly Neal rose from his seat, took a chair from a vacant table, and placed it at theirs – across from Kel. This meant some of the boys had to move over to make room for Joren, but they did so gladly. It was a sign of acceptance Joren hadn't known he'd be granted. As he sat down, Kel smiled warmly at him, then returned to her books.
As the group worked on, Joren felt more and more like he belonged. He had trouble recognizing the feeling at first, since his only knowledge of belonging was false.
"Joren."
All his life Joren changed who he was so he could better fit in.
"Joren."
Now he knew what it felt like to be accepted for who he was.
"Joren!" Joren snapped out of his daze and realized that Roald had been calling him for a while.
"Sorry." Joren replied, shaking his head. "What do you need?"
Roald looked at Kel, then back at Joren. "She says you're good with history. Can you help me?"
Joren took the paper Roald handed to him. "And you call yourself the Crown Prince. You don't even know your own kingdom's history." Joren teased. The other squires looked at each other, and for a second he thought he had said something wrong. That is, until the others broke into laughter.
"I told you, your highness, I told you!" Neal said between laughs. Roald sighed and rolled his eyes and Neal nodded. "Joren, you and I finally agree, our prince has no appreciation for his own kingdom or it's history!"
"It's boring! I'm sure I'll need it someday, but for now I find myself so uninterested that I fall asleep during class and need help later!" Roald cried out. "Now, about this paper I have to do…"
The remainder of the evening was spent helping Roald with his history paper. The bell for bed rang far too soon, and history discussions had to be held off till the next day. As the group of friends gathered their things, Joren leaded over the table and took Kel's books with his. He and Kel said their goodnights and proceeded to her room. They walked in total silence most of the way, until Kel spoke.
"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" She said mockingly.
"You know, I spent all my years here at the Palace developing utter hatred for you and your group." He sighed and looked up to see they had reached their destination. "All to try and fit in." He looked at Kel now. "Now from that same group I find true acceptance. And true love."
Kel smiled. He can teach Neal a few things about poetry, she thought. "Well, I'm still not sure how they feel about 'us' but they're all willing to give it a try." She looked into his blue eyes, no longer cold, but filled with warmth. "And if they see what I see in you, you'll win them over. Like you did me."
Joren took this as his cue, and bent to kiss her gently on the lips. "Sweet dreams, my love." He said as she opened the door.
"You, too." The door closed and Joren walked back to his room for a night's rest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vinson of Genlith walked up to the tall wooden door, and with a clenched fist, he knocked rapidly. He waited for what seemed like forever and a day, then the door opened. Vinson walked in with his head held high and full of confidence.
Lord Wyldon of Cavall stood at the end of the room, which served as his office, with his back facing Vinson. In his right hand he held a letter. Vinson recognized it as his letter asking to see the training master privately.
"Squire Vinson, I know why you're here so don't waste my time." Wyldon turned and faced Vinson, whose eyes widened with excitement.
" So then you know about Joren and Kel?"
"Yes, and I'm not any happier with the situation than you are, but-"
Then, you'll do something about it all? Make it right again." Vinson rudely interrupted. Finally some action would be taken, he thought happily.
Vinson's thoughts were shattered as Wyldon shook his head. " Young man, I said I didn't approve of the situation, not that I could do anything about it."
Now Vinson was utterly confused. "But you have authority, you'll be listened to."
Vinson, I didn't approve of her coming in the first place, but my protests weren't answered. Therefore I must treat her as any other squire or page." He chuckled. "You should know that young people fall in love all the time."
"Yes, but sir," Vinson practically wined, "It's Joren and The Girl. You must be able to do something! Anything!"
"I can't do anything. Vinson, the most I could do would be to inform their parents, but they'll just dismiss it as puppy love."
Vinson thanked Wyldon for his time and walked out the door. Yeah, thanks for nothing old man, he thought harshly. As he walked on, he saw Joren and Kel strolling through the gardens. Kissing. Arms linked, eyes unable to gaze at anything other than the other pair of eyes. It made Vinson sick inside.
"The most I could do would be to inform their parents." Vinson quoted. Maybe he should have been more sincere about that thank-you. As he thought further, a smile began to from on his face. Of course, he thought, why didn't I see it before?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Joren stopped walking and leaned up against a tree. He directed his eyes to the blue sky, and they remained there for quite some time. Kel turned and looked at his face, then at the sky, and back again.
"What's the matter? You look so serious." She asked.
"My ordeal is coming up. Just about a month left, now." He replied, eyes still fixed on the blue sky.
"So," Kel began, "You're nervous about the chamber?"
Joren looked at her. He couldn't tell her the real reason he was nervous, that even though he had changed, he still wasn't sure it was enough. "Yeah, but it's a normal feeling. I'm sure it'll pass." He smiled and wrapped an arm around Kel, drawing her into the cool shade of the tree.
They remained in that peaceful position under the tree for a while. Then, as if a wall had been dropped between them, the separated. That wall was Vinson.
Joren stood straight; ready to face his old friend, and new enemy. "Vinson."
"Joren." Vinson glanced at Kel and nodded acknowledgement. "Kel. Nice weather we've been having, eh?"
Kel stared at him through narrowed eyes. "I guess."
Vinson looked p at the sky, "You'd better enjoy it now," He began to walk off, but he did so slow enough so that the couple could hear what he had to say next. "The weather can change very rapidly. One day it can be sunny and warm, the next… cold. Dark. And stormy." And he was gone as fast as he came, leaving Kel and Joren alone with that final statement.
Kel wrapped her arms around herself. "Well, that was a threat if I ever heard one."
Joren shook his head. "Vinson's all talk, no action. He always tries to intimidate, and when he can't, he'll back down. Let's not worry ourselves with him. There's really nothing he can do."
Kel shrugged. "Maybe you're right."
Joren took her hand and they started walking back to the Palace. "I know I am."