Obligations
Kassi of Pirate's Swoop
Disclaimer: Look, if I owned these characters, I wouldn't be Kassi, I'd be Tamora Pierce, 'kay? No suing, please, unless you're interested in the lint from my empty pockets.
A/N: -groaning- I have been reading waaaay too many K/J fics lately. -pokes Nolee of Stone Mountain- So here it is, folks, the pairing you either love or you hate, another Kel/Joren fic.
Let's just say that Joren had survived his Ordeal. Let's say that once Kel comes back from fighting Blayce, she sees a different man than the cold- hearted page she used to know. -glares at skeptical readers- Live with it! My fic, my rules! Muahahahahahaha! –coughcough- Anyways, on with the story!
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Keladry of Mindelan walked swiftly toward one of King Jonathan's meeting rooms. The second lady knight in centuries had returned from Scanra only weeks ago, tired and confused. At first she wasn't comfortable with the consequences to her actions; she knew that for many, what she did would have resulted in a permanent life on Traitor's Hill.
She tried to make sense of what was happening. The king and several of his colleagues had summoned her to an important meeting, but no one had explained what was happening. The call to arms hadn't be sent out, so there was nothing as horrible as a war was beginning, of that she was sure.
The heavy oak door creaked as she hesitantly pushed it open. Inside, King Jonathan III of Conté and Sir Myles of Olau were seated at a large table. Looking around, Kel noted with surprise that there were no others in the room.
Keladry quickly crossed the room to bow before her sovereign. Jonathan bade her rise, and she seated herself. "Your Majesty, why am I here?"
King Jonathan glanced at Myles. "If you will wait a moment, Keladry, we are expecting another. He – "
There was another squeak as a familiar blonde entered. "My liege, I am truly sorry. There was an emergency in the stables." His eyes rested on Keladry in distaste for a moment before the man bowed quickly to Jon.
The king indicated the chair next to Kel. "Please sit, Joren." Joren of Stone Mountain ignored the specified chair and selected another across the table from Kel. The king cleared his throat and glanced at his spymaster. "Would you like to continue, Sir Myles?"
The older man coughed slightly before leaning forward on his table and looking both green knights in the eye. "His Majesty and I have be looking for two people, both trained in weapons, to handle a job in Galla," he stated bluntly. "We would like you both to accept a post that is very unlike any other that has ever been presented to you."
Kel frowned. "Sir, aren't you ordering us to go?"
Myles shook his head grimly. "No. We need complete assent from both partners before we can begin to organize such a mission. I know there have been – " Here Myles paused. "– rivalries, between the two of you in the past, but you are the prime candidates."
"What's the job?" Joren drawled softly. Kel glanced at him. He seemed perfectly at ease.
The king's spymaster shot a look of disapproval at Joren before he replied. "There is a band of thieves working in Galla. There are twenty or so men, all heavily armed with well-concealed weapons. They've been selling Tortallan secrets to the Gallan authorities, and we have reason to suspect that Galla will use this information to attack Tortall." Noticing the surprise and worry on their faces, he added, "We believe that the Gallan queen is plotting to force Jonathan from the throne and rule both countries. This one band of thieves has the power to destroy Tortall easily, but they have not given her as much information as she wants. They are waiting to get a higher price for their troubles. It is essential that they do not continue to do this."
"Why us, sir?"
Myles glanced at Jon. "My own agents don't have enough training in the art of weaponry, seeing as my top agents all died recently in a shipwreck. There are others, such as Alianne of Pirate's Swoop, but she is currently occupied in the Copper Isles."
Joren of Stone Mountain leaned back in his chair, frowning. "What are we supposed to do?"
"You would adopt new names, to start with," Myles said promptly. "We can't have anyone recognizing you and scaring the Queen into working earlier rather than later. Ideally you would capture the leader of this thief band and in turn catch the rest of them, then bring them back to Tortall for their fate."
A look of confusion ran across Kel's face. "So we're creating new identities for ourselves," she said slowly. "We'd go undercover and try to get close to these thieves, win their trust, and then betray them to the Crown."
Myles shifted uncomfortably. "My dear, I would never go as far as to say you would betray them. After all, they are a threat to our country."
Keladry glanced at Joren. His usual cool, impassive face was set, but she thought she saw a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "Do you know where these thieves are operating from?"
"It's a small town a ways east from Cría," the spymaster replied. "Galesden. They're infamous for their thief and assassin population, but there are a fair amount of decent folks mixed in there as well."
King Jonathan leaned forward, his eyes intent on the young knights. "I refuse to order you to do this. You have never been trained for anything like this, and it is far more dangerous that mere border patrols. We have selected you because of your accomplishments; Keladry's success over the killing monsters in Scanra and Joren's accomplishments in aiding the end of the war." He took a deep breath, and Kel realized he was afraid they would refuse. "You would both be given high honors by the Crown, naturally, and all expenses will be paid for in full. Will you do this for your king?"
Kel absently wrinkled her nose and fingered the strong bridge across it, thinking wryly, the very man who never thought I could succeed is begging for my help. I s'pose I do owe him my allegiance, but I don't trust him. I never will. "Yes, your majesty. I will assist you."
The air was tense as Joren continued to scowl and stare at a knot in the table. Kel wasn't sure what he was thinking until he asked, "Are there any ideas about how long this will take?" Of course he wouldn't want to be stuck with the Lump for any longer than possible.
"Several months at the very least," Myles said soberly. "Once you manage to work your way into the thieves circle, you will need to obtain the queen's good graces as well."
Joren snorted and stood. "Very well. My lord, your majesty." The knight bowed jerkily and strode out of the room, letting the door slam behind him.
Kel politely excused herself as well. Hearing the dinner bell ring, she hurried to the mess hall and waited in the long line to get her stew and bread from the servers.
Once she was done, the Lady Knight absently slid into a seat between Neal and Owen. "Have you ever seen a band of thieves at work?" she asked.
Neal shook his head. "Never really associated with the common folk 'til I met you." Owen shook his head as well. Kel sighed, wondering what she would do.
She continued to stare moodily into her bowl until she noticed Neal was carefully piling the vegetables in his stew onto a napkin. "Neal, eat your vegetables. They're good for you," she and Owen chorused, grinning. It was inevitable for Kel to argue with Neal about his vegetables whenever they ate together, and their friends well knew it.
Neal made a face. "But they're all soggy," he complained. "I can't eat – "
"Oh, yes you can," Kel interrupted. "Besides, if you would have eaten them in the first place they wouldn't be soggy now!"
She managed to convince him to place the food back into his bowl, but Neal did nothing but stab at the vegetables and push them around his bowl. A moment later, when he thought Kel wasn't looking, he quickly slipped them under that table to Jump. When Kel turned back around, his plate was empty and he was wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Well, I'm off to bed. 'Night, everyone."
Kel rose as well. "Me too. I need to get up earlier than usual tomorrow." She handed her empty tray to the servers and silently followed Neal back to the knight's wing. Outside his door, she paused. "Hey, Neal? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
He opened the door with a sweeping gesture and bowed her through. Cuffing his head as she went past, she sank into a chair. "Neal, I'm leaving soon. I won't be back for several months, maybe even half a year. I won't be able to write to you, either. I'm sorry. It's another one of those things that I'm not allowed to talk about." Kel sighed and rubbed her head tiredly.
Neal watched his friend with concern. He knew how much she hated going away and severing all contact with her home. "I'm so sorry, Kel. Is there anything I can do?"
She shrugged. "Not really, I just wanted you to know. Tell the others, would you?" At his nod, she gave him a quick hug and walked to the door. With her hand on the doorknob, she added, "Actually, there is something you can do for me."
"What is it, Mother?" he asked teasingly.
Kel shook her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Don't you ever try to get rid of your vegetables by giving them to Jump again, you hear me? He'll get fat and besides, they're good for you." She grinned at him and closed the door, leaving Neal alone. As he prepared for bed he wondered, How in Mithros' name did she know that?
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A/N: Aww... that was shorter than I would have liked, but I had the choice of posting this now or waiting a few days. And I don't care if the entire thing with Neal and his vegetables is a major cliché, I love it!
I really need reviews here, people. I have practically no plot planned out, so I'm kinda winging it. Wish me luck... I'll need it! Oh, and did anyone think Joren or Kel or anyone else was OOC??? Please tell me if you did!
Wow! There's a little purple-ish blue-ish periwinkle-ish button down there! I have an idea... let's see what happens when you click it! You know you want too...
Kassi of Pirate's Swoop
Disclaimer: Look, if I owned these characters, I wouldn't be Kassi, I'd be Tamora Pierce, 'kay? No suing, please, unless you're interested in the lint from my empty pockets.
A/N: -groaning- I have been reading waaaay too many K/J fics lately. -pokes Nolee of Stone Mountain- So here it is, folks, the pairing you either love or you hate, another Kel/Joren fic.
Let's just say that Joren had survived his Ordeal. Let's say that once Kel comes back from fighting Blayce, she sees a different man than the cold- hearted page she used to know. -glares at skeptical readers- Live with it! My fic, my rules! Muahahahahahaha! –coughcough- Anyways, on with the story!
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Keladry of Mindelan walked swiftly toward one of King Jonathan's meeting rooms. The second lady knight in centuries had returned from Scanra only weeks ago, tired and confused. At first she wasn't comfortable with the consequences to her actions; she knew that for many, what she did would have resulted in a permanent life on Traitor's Hill.
She tried to make sense of what was happening. The king and several of his colleagues had summoned her to an important meeting, but no one had explained what was happening. The call to arms hadn't be sent out, so there was nothing as horrible as a war was beginning, of that she was sure.
The heavy oak door creaked as she hesitantly pushed it open. Inside, King Jonathan III of Conté and Sir Myles of Olau were seated at a large table. Looking around, Kel noted with surprise that there were no others in the room.
Keladry quickly crossed the room to bow before her sovereign. Jonathan bade her rise, and she seated herself. "Your Majesty, why am I here?"
King Jonathan glanced at Myles. "If you will wait a moment, Keladry, we are expecting another. He – "
There was another squeak as a familiar blonde entered. "My liege, I am truly sorry. There was an emergency in the stables." His eyes rested on Keladry in distaste for a moment before the man bowed quickly to Jon.
The king indicated the chair next to Kel. "Please sit, Joren." Joren of Stone Mountain ignored the specified chair and selected another across the table from Kel. The king cleared his throat and glanced at his spymaster. "Would you like to continue, Sir Myles?"
The older man coughed slightly before leaning forward on his table and looking both green knights in the eye. "His Majesty and I have be looking for two people, both trained in weapons, to handle a job in Galla," he stated bluntly. "We would like you both to accept a post that is very unlike any other that has ever been presented to you."
Kel frowned. "Sir, aren't you ordering us to go?"
Myles shook his head grimly. "No. We need complete assent from both partners before we can begin to organize such a mission. I know there have been – " Here Myles paused. "– rivalries, between the two of you in the past, but you are the prime candidates."
"What's the job?" Joren drawled softly. Kel glanced at him. He seemed perfectly at ease.
The king's spymaster shot a look of disapproval at Joren before he replied. "There is a band of thieves working in Galla. There are twenty or so men, all heavily armed with well-concealed weapons. They've been selling Tortallan secrets to the Gallan authorities, and we have reason to suspect that Galla will use this information to attack Tortall." Noticing the surprise and worry on their faces, he added, "We believe that the Gallan queen is plotting to force Jonathan from the throne and rule both countries. This one band of thieves has the power to destroy Tortall easily, but they have not given her as much information as she wants. They are waiting to get a higher price for their troubles. It is essential that they do not continue to do this."
"Why us, sir?"
Myles glanced at Jon. "My own agents don't have enough training in the art of weaponry, seeing as my top agents all died recently in a shipwreck. There are others, such as Alianne of Pirate's Swoop, but she is currently occupied in the Copper Isles."
Joren of Stone Mountain leaned back in his chair, frowning. "What are we supposed to do?"
"You would adopt new names, to start with," Myles said promptly. "We can't have anyone recognizing you and scaring the Queen into working earlier rather than later. Ideally you would capture the leader of this thief band and in turn catch the rest of them, then bring them back to Tortall for their fate."
A look of confusion ran across Kel's face. "So we're creating new identities for ourselves," she said slowly. "We'd go undercover and try to get close to these thieves, win their trust, and then betray them to the Crown."
Myles shifted uncomfortably. "My dear, I would never go as far as to say you would betray them. After all, they are a threat to our country."
Keladry glanced at Joren. His usual cool, impassive face was set, but she thought she saw a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "Do you know where these thieves are operating from?"
"It's a small town a ways east from Cría," the spymaster replied. "Galesden. They're infamous for their thief and assassin population, but there are a fair amount of decent folks mixed in there as well."
King Jonathan leaned forward, his eyes intent on the young knights. "I refuse to order you to do this. You have never been trained for anything like this, and it is far more dangerous that mere border patrols. We have selected you because of your accomplishments; Keladry's success over the killing monsters in Scanra and Joren's accomplishments in aiding the end of the war." He took a deep breath, and Kel realized he was afraid they would refuse. "You would both be given high honors by the Crown, naturally, and all expenses will be paid for in full. Will you do this for your king?"
Kel absently wrinkled her nose and fingered the strong bridge across it, thinking wryly, the very man who never thought I could succeed is begging for my help. I s'pose I do owe him my allegiance, but I don't trust him. I never will. "Yes, your majesty. I will assist you."
The air was tense as Joren continued to scowl and stare at a knot in the table. Kel wasn't sure what he was thinking until he asked, "Are there any ideas about how long this will take?" Of course he wouldn't want to be stuck with the Lump for any longer than possible.
"Several months at the very least," Myles said soberly. "Once you manage to work your way into the thieves circle, you will need to obtain the queen's good graces as well."
Joren snorted and stood. "Very well. My lord, your majesty." The knight bowed jerkily and strode out of the room, letting the door slam behind him.
Kel politely excused herself as well. Hearing the dinner bell ring, she hurried to the mess hall and waited in the long line to get her stew and bread from the servers.
Once she was done, the Lady Knight absently slid into a seat between Neal and Owen. "Have you ever seen a band of thieves at work?" she asked.
Neal shook his head. "Never really associated with the common folk 'til I met you." Owen shook his head as well. Kel sighed, wondering what she would do.
She continued to stare moodily into her bowl until she noticed Neal was carefully piling the vegetables in his stew onto a napkin. "Neal, eat your vegetables. They're good for you," she and Owen chorused, grinning. It was inevitable for Kel to argue with Neal about his vegetables whenever they ate together, and their friends well knew it.
Neal made a face. "But they're all soggy," he complained. "I can't eat – "
"Oh, yes you can," Kel interrupted. "Besides, if you would have eaten them in the first place they wouldn't be soggy now!"
She managed to convince him to place the food back into his bowl, but Neal did nothing but stab at the vegetables and push them around his bowl. A moment later, when he thought Kel wasn't looking, he quickly slipped them under that table to Jump. When Kel turned back around, his plate was empty and he was wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Well, I'm off to bed. 'Night, everyone."
Kel rose as well. "Me too. I need to get up earlier than usual tomorrow." She handed her empty tray to the servers and silently followed Neal back to the knight's wing. Outside his door, she paused. "Hey, Neal? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
He opened the door with a sweeping gesture and bowed her through. Cuffing his head as she went past, she sank into a chair. "Neal, I'm leaving soon. I won't be back for several months, maybe even half a year. I won't be able to write to you, either. I'm sorry. It's another one of those things that I'm not allowed to talk about." Kel sighed and rubbed her head tiredly.
Neal watched his friend with concern. He knew how much she hated going away and severing all contact with her home. "I'm so sorry, Kel. Is there anything I can do?"
She shrugged. "Not really, I just wanted you to know. Tell the others, would you?" At his nod, she gave him a quick hug and walked to the door. With her hand on the doorknob, she added, "Actually, there is something you can do for me."
"What is it, Mother?" he asked teasingly.
Kel shook her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Don't you ever try to get rid of your vegetables by giving them to Jump again, you hear me? He'll get fat and besides, they're good for you." She grinned at him and closed the door, leaving Neal alone. As he prepared for bed he wondered, How in Mithros' name did she know that?
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A/N: Aww... that was shorter than I would have liked, but I had the choice of posting this now or waiting a few days. And I don't care if the entire thing with Neal and his vegetables is a major cliché, I love it!
I really need reviews here, people. I have practically no plot planned out, so I'm kinda winging it. Wish me luck... I'll need it! Oh, and did anyone think Joren or Kel or anyone else was OOC??? Please tell me if you did!
Wow! There's a little purple-ish blue-ish periwinkle-ish button down there! I have an idea... let's see what happens when you click it! You know you want too...