A/n I am not Tamora Pierce and sadly I don't own any of her characters but all other characters and the plot are mine! :) I hope you like it.

Lady Knight.. Or maybe not so Lady like?

Chapter 1

September 10, 460

Keladry of Mindelan, a girl – actually woman – warrior of 18 was sitting cooking dinner at a fire pit glaring at the boy who was pacing with his arms thrown up in the air dramatically. "Kel I know your commander, but why couldn't we just continue on to Fort Steadfast?", Nealen of Queenscove whined.

Kel sighed, saying exasperated because of being asked this at least 20 times, "Simple. Because you boys took to long to get ready this morning, and the horses can get hurt riding in the dark." With that said he stalked off to go find someone else to bother or to wright some lovely cough not cough poetry to his betrothed Yukimi Noh Daiomoru, known to her friends as Yuki. Keladry – known as Kel to her friends and Protector of the Small to many – sighed thinking about all of her friends and their loves, making a mental list.

1. Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak and Buri – whose wedding was their reason for going to Fort Steadfast

2. Neal and Yuki – who she set up and only regretted when Neal needed help with his poetry.

3. Owen of Jesslaw and Margary of Cavall - his betrothed and one of Lord Wyldon of Cavall daughters

4. Merric of Hollyrose and Lalasa – Kel's old maid, now a wonderful dress maker

in Corus.

5. Ronald of Conte and princess Shinkokami – who were to be married once the borders were secure.

She tried reasoning with herself, saying she was being jealous of her friends and their loved ones because she was just tired when the truth was while she used to not even think of relationships or setting down because she was so interested in her shield, but how that she had it she didn't know what to do, could she possibly have a real relationship?

"Lady Kel!" Tobe, Kel's servant called, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Huh, what?.. Oh hi Tobe, and how many times have I asked you not to call me lady." It was more of a statement then a question however.

"Well lady you look like you were 'sleep sittin' up there." Despite Kel and her friends teaching Tobe, when he got nervous or worried he went back to uneducated talk.

"Humph..." was all Kel could say before going back to her thoughts, but this time of a certain blue-eyed sergeant of the Kings Own. She soon fell asleep dreaming of her days as a squire when her knight commander was Raoul and how she go to spend a lot of time with his men, including that blue-eyed sergeant she fell asleep thinking about.

Neal saw her sleeping by the fire and picked her up then putting her in bed he kissed her forehead in a brotherly way before saying, "Goodnight Mother"

Chuckling he went to go get his dinner for once not having to eat vegetables seeing as Kel always made him eat them which is one of the ways she got the nickname mother in the first place.