The Lady and The Shang

Chapter 1

"I think I found her!" Rhaoul looked up as a fiery red head walked across the training courtyard of the King's Own. Alanna the Lioness held out a piece of parchment for him to examine. "One of George's contacts in southern Maren, sent this 3 days ago. I don't want to get my hopes up, it could be another false lead, but the woman described was with a man teaching locals self defense." Rhaoul smiled slightly and shook his head, certainly sounds like something Kel would do. He handed the missive back to Alanna,

"So, let's go check it out. I can leave at first light and" He stopped and looked at Alanna's expression, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Your wife is 8 months pregnant, or have you forgotten?" She laughed knowing his wife was the reason he was hiding out in the courtyard. Rhaoul winced a little thinking of the vase Buri had thrown at him that morning. She was on bed rest and going a little stir crazy. "You won't be going anywhere for at least the next 2 months. I'll go and check it out. If it turns out to be something I'll send word." Rhaoul knew she was right, but he wasn't happy about it. Kel had been missing for over 2 years.

"KEL!" The woman barely had time to turn around before a small body barreled into her legs.

"Whoa, there little one slow down!" she steadied the boy and bent over to his level. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Mistress Tayna said she would hang me up by my toe nails! Don't let her Kel! Don't let her" He began frantically trying to climb her as she straightened up.

"Ok Danni, ok I won't let her hang you up by your toe nails, but you really should stay out of her kitchen." She looked at him in reproach and ruffled his hair.

"Will you tell me a story Kel? The one about the giant flying lessons? Pleeaassee?!"

"Maybe another time, I'm headed to teach a class. Would you like to come watch?" He nodded excitedly. "Ok then, lets go" Kel turned the corner around a small barn and found her students already there warming up with staffs. She smiled as she caught sight of the tall man leaning against a wagon, calling out encouragement to the small group. Kel walked over and sat Danni on the wagon beside him. "Starting without me again?" The man glanced over at her with a small smile.

"No, I just thought I would get them warmed up a little. Ok everyone, now that the Lady is here the real fun can begin." The young people groaned, picked up their staffs and separated into their practice pairs.

"You know Kane, for a Shang Dragon, you are very bossy!"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that before." Kane kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked back towards the Inn. Kel finished up with her lesson and congratulated the group on how well they were catching on. She watched them all walk away and thought about the flashback she had experienced that morning. It was one of many that she had been having for the past two months, and though slightly unsettling she was slowly starting to get all of her memories back. The one from that morning was of a Chamber that wouldn't leave her alone. She walked into the Inn and sat down beside Kane in the dining room.

"Headache again?"

"Yes, it isn't as bad as the other ones though, so I'm thinking it will go away."

"Have you thought any more about what we talked about this morning" Kane took a sip from his drink and stared at Kel. He knew she was thinking about her life before they met, but he wasn't sure if she had made any decisions yet.

"I have given it quite a bit of thought actually and I still don't know. I know I am from Tortall and I was a knight there. But I don't know if I would even be welcome back or if everyone thinks I'm dead or missing or what happened to make me forget. I am just not sure yet. I remember all of my training and most of my friends but other than that it's all fuzzy." She put her head in her hands, extremely frustrated with everything. "I feel as tho they will all come back eventually but I am not a patient woman. I want to know what happened to me!" Kane rubbed her arm trying to comfort her.

"Kel, I still think you should consider contacting someone. So they will at least know you are alive. From what you have told me, you had a lot of friends who loved you and would want to know you are okay. Not to mention your family."

"Kane I like my life here. What if I don't like who I was or I don't remember someone…" she stopped not sure what to say or how to say what she was feeling. She knew she needed to at least contact her parents and maybe her brothers, but what about her friends at the palace? She wasn't sure what they believed about her or what had happened. Until she remembered exactly what had happened to her, they would have questions that she didn't have the answers to and that wasn't something she could face right now.

"Okay." Kane knew her well enough to know when she was done talking. "Just know that no matter what, we can handle it. I'm not going anywhere, not without you."

"Be careful Dragon, you may be accused of going a little soft"

"Me?" he cocked his head at Kel, "Never!" She loved that he could go from serious to teasing in no time flat. Kane pushed away from the table and stood up, "How about a sparing match? I haven't gotten a good workout in weeks."

"Oh really, because I seem to remember seeing a nice sized bruise on your collarbone from our last 'workout'." She looked up at him and smiled.

"That doesn't count. You used your wiles and that, my dear, is cheating"

"Ahh I see." Kel finished off her drink and pushed away from the table. "A rematch then?"

"As you wish Protector"

"You know I'm starting to wish I had not told you about that particular memory"

"But 'Protector of the Small', it just fits you so well." He bowed her out of the room with a dramatic sweep of his arm.