Stone, a protector of the small quartet fanfic

Stone

My old friend, this song's for you

Cause a few simple verses

Was the least that I could do

To tell the world that you were here

Cause the love and the laughter

Will live on long after

All of the sadness and the tears

We'll meet again, my old friend

On my way to the King's Own's mess hall, I traveled through a sea of whispers. Everyone, even the chore-burdened pages, was excited about the upcoming Midwinter festivities. I had already made plans to be far from Corus before snow closed the passes.

When I walked through the mess doors, I instinctively glanced at the table where I used to sit. Domitan, my former best friend, ate breakfast there along with his new posse. His group of followers was composed of his fellow sergeants and a select few of their corporals.

I found an empty table on the outer fringe of the room and began to devour my breakfast, hoping to disappear as quickly as I could. The less time spent in the proximity of him, the better.

A little more than five years ago, pirates called Third Company away. My sisters' weddings prevented me from tagging along as I used to. When my former knight-master led them back, I could tell immediately that events had taken a turn for the worse. Dom began calling himself Domitan and refused to acknowledge his cousin and I. Nothing Raoul said compelled Domitan to talk to us and eventually Neal and I stopped seeking him out. Dom doesn't exist anymore; only Domitan.

When Dom became Domitan, it broke my heart; Neal's too, I imagine. We leaned on each other more than ever that year. Gradually, we both began to heal, but never completely.

Yuki, Neal's betrothed, helped my friend a great deal. They are to be married this Midwinter and I am happy for them. I dread the formality that their wedding is sure to bring. Domitan has also been invited and I dread the inevitable encounter. Ever the ladies' man, he is sure to bring a product of the convent. My bet is on Lady Laureli of Papilla, the buffle-brained bimbo he is currently courting.

I stumbled clumsily in my rush to leave the room and my tray clattered to the floor. Keeping my face smooth as stone, I bent to pick up the tray. To my embarrassment, someone else beat me to it. I mumbled my thanks as I grabbed the tray. Then I ran to the archery yard with my tail between my legs.

The recurve bow was slowly becoming popular, but I had yet to try it. Perhaps mastering the new style would help me collect myself. To my displeasure, Domitan and his friends entered the yard talking loudly. I am stone, nothing but unmoving stone. Stones, I found, do not make good archers. In fact, stones are lousy archers.

When my quiver was empty, I slowly collected the standard goose-feather arrows and trudged my way back to my starting place. Inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale….

"Hey Mindelan," interjected one of Domitan's worshippers. "Are you going to be presented at the Midwinter balls? Surely your archery is poor enough to make even you realize that women are meant to bear heirs, not arms. If you quit this foolishness now, the convent sisters might be able to teach you a few things before the celebrations begin."

"Nah, she's here because she's pretending to be a warrior in a pathetic attempt to find a husband. I bet she's hoping that Domitan would be willing to give her a few private lessons," called another. I did my best to ignore them

Carefully, I adjusted my aim. Just as I loosed my arrow, someone thought it would be helpful to shove me from behind. Calm as stone, I invited that someone to joust against me later that day. Someone was a coward.

To add to my cheery mood, four of the most coquettish court ladies I have ever had the displeasure of meeting came; they simpered to the men, which made me nauseous. I have trouble telling them apart, but I think that Lady Laureli of Papilla was the one who attached herself to Domitan's arm. How in Mithros' Shield he was supposed to be able to shoot, I don't know. If Neal was here, we would have plotted to prank them (I think my comrades among Third Company and their love of pranks are rubbing off on me). But Neal was probably sleeping in, reading some dusty volume on philosophy, writing bad poetry, or helping Yuki plan the wedding.

After emptying my quiver a second time, I admitted defeat and left the yard. Thank the Goddess that Domitan and his followers did not follow me to the stables. I suppose they took my threat seriously.

Peachblossom came to the front of the stall when I entered the barn, his muzzle searching my pockets for hidden treats. My loyal ill-tempered nag, as Neal calls him, is getting on in age. At twenty or so years old, he should be retired from a knight's work. As ornery as ever, he has become a spare horse for me, should anything happen to Hoshi.

Tomodachi and I have been working together for almost six years now. As I tacked him up, my mind wandered back to the day we met.

"Oh come on, Kel! It's your birthday and you will celebrate it," Neal called through her closed door.

"Don't make us accidentally tell Yuki and Shinko that today is your birthday!" It was Dom's turn to coax Kel from her sanctuary.

"Yeah, they would probably announce a ball in your name. Everyone would come. And as the glorious birthday girl, you would have to attend."

"And we will be sure to set you up with every eligible bachelor and their fathers. With any luck, you might have a marriage contract or two. Doesn't that sound like so much fun, dear Protect—" Dom never finished his sentence, because I ran from my room and into my best friends.

"You had better not call me by that silly name again!"

"Aww, our lovely Lady Knight is angwy! Look at her!" drawled Neal as if I was a toddler. I sighed.

"Let's just get this over with."

"That's the spirit!" I punched Dom lightly on the arm.

"You wound me, fair lady!" he cried.

"I'll wound you again if you don't knock it off," I said mock-seriously, a big smile upon my face. I like abandoning my mask and showing my emotions. People aren't stone, nor do they have the emotions of such.

Neal and Dom teased me as they led me in the vague direction of the stables. The stall next to Hoshi boasted a large red bow. A placard on the door read, "Happy Birthday Kel!". I felt my face turning red and I stuttered as I tried to speak.

"Reprimand us after you look at your new horse. Peachblossom is on stall rest with another bout of laminitis and Hoshi isn't a warhorse anymore than you are a malicious court lady."

"Besides, how will you tilt with Meathead?" Dom asked innocently.

"Hey!"

"You can't ride palace horses forever." Hesitantly, I entered the stall and examined my new mount. The gelding was roughly seventeen hands tall at the withers, had sound legs, and appeared to be four years old and was much friendlier than Peachblossom. He was liver chestnut in color with a white snip on his muzzle. When I withdrew from the stall, Neal slung a friendly arm around my shoulders.

"So what will you call the fearsome beast?" he asked. I thought for a moment before smiling in victory.

"Tomidachi."

"Tomodachi it is then. Maybe you should saddle up and joust against Meathead for telling lady-friend about your birthday."

"Dom! I thought I could trust you! Kel, you know that I can't keep anything from Yuki!" I growled at Neal. My friend yelped before running off.

"At least you won't be paired with anygreedy matchmakers tonight!" Dom called as his cousin and I disappeared around a corner.

Domitan was a great friend indeed, I thought as I grabbed a lead-weighted lance from an equipment shed. I led Tomodachi towards the nearest quintain and assembled a willow-ring target with practiced movements. I slid neatly into the tall saddle and trotted to the end of the pitch. We flew down the lane at our target. My lance plunged into the center of the ring. With a quick flick of the wrist, the cord broke and we continued our flight.

After several perfect rounds, my thoughts determinedly returned to Domitan. I needed to find a purposeful task of some kind. I could either help Neal and Yuki plan the wedding or assist Lord Padraig with the pages. The second option appealed to me far more than the first, so I departed for the pages' practice yards.

I watched as the older pages struggled with new sword maneuvers while the first-years practiced staff-work in pairs. Fondly, I remembered my first days with a wooden sword. It had been completely new to me and I found it gratifying to learn the sword from scratch. I moved closer, my hand outstretched in a friendly greeting when I noticed a stranger in the yard. Upon closer inspection, I found that Lord Paidraig's helper was none other than Domitan. I stood frozen for a few moments as I watched. Dom had always been a kind teacher, but I had assumed that that too had been completely eradicated by Domitan's new persona. Even more striking was the absence of his usual hangers-on. I left quickly before I could be noticed.

I managed to steal my best friend away from his betrothed and the upcoming wedding for the afternoon. As we strolled down to the portrait gallery, we passed his cousin in the hall. Instinctively, I waved at my former best friend. It seems that all of the years that I have spent yearning for Dom's friendship have not cured me of my fond memories. To my surprise, Domitan waved back.

I spent the remainder of the walk in stunned silence. Was his wave a mere reflex? Did he still hate me? What happened? Neal's wedding would be within the month. I would demand my answers from Domitan then; only he knew the truth.

News of a surprise centaur attack stole my opportunity.

Five villagers had been killed by a less-than-friendly herd of centaurs and three women were missing. I was part of the rescue party, along with Esmond, Domitan, his squad, and Rufert's squad. Luckily, the ruined village was no more than a two days' ride from Corus. If we finished our work quickly, we would be back in time to attend Neal's wedding. Esmond and I swapped stories from our involvement in the war after our return from Scanra.

We were all rusty. Sure, we had been keeping physically fit in the practice courts, but it had been far too long since any of us had fought in a real skirmish. We assumed that the centaurs would be holed up somewhere near their victims. When the arrows flew at us even though we were still a half-day's ride from the village, we were slow to respond. No one had anticipated an ambush, and it cost us dearly. In the chaos that ensued, I lost track of Esmond; Mithros, I even lost track of Domitan, something I have been dying to do since his betrayal.

As suddenly as they had come, the centaurs were gone. Bile rose in my throat, but I fought it down. There would be plenty of time to throw up once the dead and wounded were tended to. For now, I would be stone.

I dismounted and led Tomodachi to the nearest blood-soaked body. A centaur gasped for breath and I knew that he wouldn't get up anytime soon. Numbly, I gave him a merciful death. The next body belonged to a human, one of Domitan's regular foot-kissers. He was dead, an arrow lodged in his throat. Another man had taken three armor-piercing arrows to the chest and somehow he was still alive, if only just. Through the blood and grim on his face, I recognized Domitan. My heart stopped.

Domitan was dying. My old friend was dying. Dom would never come back.

"Kel…." Pain made his voice rough.

"I'm here, Domitan." He grimaced.

"Don't call me that, dear Protector." Then he passed into the Black God's hands.

Stones don't cry. I did.