NOTE: Hey guys! I'm happy to be back to ! I used to write a lot of TP fanfictions under a different username. I won't say which because my stories are still floating around here somewhere and they make my English degree quietly weep in its frame on the wall. They also make me weep a little. This time around I'm hoping to be better than ever! (Maybe)

I'm using these fictions as a form of practice to sharpen my writing skills. I'll try not to make too many mistakes and keep you entertained as well. J

-SaltySeilde

Disclaimer: I don't own anything blah blah blah.

Title: Fears

Stage: This fic takes place directly after Lady Knight. Like four months tops.

Chapter One: Ink

She gazed out the window from her desk. The sun, bright, pulled out gold and green flecks from her hazel eyes. The breeze took threads of her neatly cropped hair and tickled her nose. She sighed.

Keladry of Mindelan was bored. New Hope was moving like a well-oiled machine; it was almost like they didn't really need her for much. There wasn't much instruction she had to deliver anymore. If she tried her people looked at her with humor. Her window faced into the main area of the new fort. She could see her people greeting one another. One man helped lift the other end of a heavy log. Everything was peachy. Children were laughing and women were gossiping.

The fighting had rapidly died down following the destruction of the Killing Machines. However, there was still a lot of unrest in Scanra. Small forces continued to attack even if it wasn't in much earnest. Talk of peace had begun. She wasn't sure how long it would all continue but at least they had seen no major fighting for weeks. That gave New Hope time to become very well built and fortified. It was functioning more like a town than a refugee camp. People had begun to sell their skills and trade. A small economy was budding. It was a wonder to watch unfold.

She gazed back down at the papers she was working on and sighed. Supply orders were a bore. Sure, she loved math but writing numbers and orders for hours made her eyes cross. She didn't have clerks for this yet. Clerks, she thought wistfully, they were certainly something she regretted taking for granted. She really needed to get more. At least now New Hope didn't need to ask for many supplies. The majority of their food was grown on site and any goods they needed were mostly addressed by the skilled workers who had sought Haven in New Hope's walls.

At her next sigh she set down her quill. This much sighing meant she needed to do something else. She looked at her hands; stained with ink. She pushed away with disgust and crossed to her cleaning basin. Thrusting her hands into the water she scrubbed the ink away until the stains were only a faint discoloration. As the water splashed and the faintly scented soap foamed she reflected back.

Lord Raoul's wedding was small but lovely. There were flowers everywhere and not a dry eye in the whole chapel. Before Raoul kissed his lovely bride he had turned very red. He really did never like being the center of attention. The kiss was sweet and Buri looked so happy. Kel's heart had floated into her throat as she held back tears. She may have been a little bit of a romantic but she certainly didn't want anyone knowing.

Dom had danced with her that night at the party afterward. He was a very smooth dancer and being that close to him made her heart lodge in her throat for a completely different reason this time. It wasn't fair. It really wasn't. He was nice, smart, funny, a great warrior, and completely beautiful.

Kel removed her hands from the water abruptly and grumbled. Ever since the wedding she had been battling herself over her feelings for Domitan of Masbolle. They were friends, having become close while she was squire to Lord Raoul, Knight Commander of the King's Own and closer still during their soiree in Scanra to hunt down the kidnapped people of Haven. He seemed to value their friendship but Kel had developed feelings that had transformed from girlish attraction to a woman's love. It was unrequited, surely, and that was the most madding of it all.

Her lamenting over the pointlessness of love and all things romantic was cut off by a brisk knock at the door. Pulling it open she was greeted by her friend, perhaps the best of them all, Nealan of Queenscove, lounging against the frame of the door like he owned the place.

"Hello, dear Protector. I feel like perhaps you're not getting enough sun. That's bad for you, you know. You're too fair to pull off milky skin. Come outside. I'll let you hit me with a stick, even." His voice, when he was deep in his Player's persona, was like warm oil. He gave her a smile. It faded a little.

"Are you okay? Getting enough sleep?" Her stopped lounging and stood straight. His cool hand snaked out and grabbed her chin. His face went from aloof to worry. This was the Neal that most never really saw. The generous, vulnerable man who picked apples only because the children of New Hope loved them.

Kel pulled away, "I'm fine. Really. I just I'm just in a funk." She eyed him, "You'll let me hit you with a stick, huh?"

"Perhaps. Only if you come out into the warm sun under the lovely blue sky the Goddess has blessed us with," he threw his arms theatrically out.

Laughing Kel put on her boots.

Outside the sun was indeed warm and the sky was a happy shade of blue. She saw all of three small fluffy clouds. Neal and Kel were moving toward the practice yard making small talk. The young couple just had their first baby, an injured man was doing very well on his road to recovery, Neal's sister had landed a good marriage; small talk. Kel was about to ask the name of the man his sister was to marry when she heard the blow of the sentry's trumpet. Turning she walked fast to the wall and climbed onto the catwalk. She greeted the sentry, Mikus, as he passed her a spyglass. She viewed through it. Suddenly she was a very happy lady knight. The banner of the King's Own was displayed clearly.

Here was the fun she needed, the break from monotony was on its way.

End Note: I really don't know where I'm going with this. I dry wrote the whole thing. Just started typing. Hoping it doesn't suck too badly. There isn't too much content here to enjoy but hopefully it's a good beginning to something I can continue for a while.

Give me your feedback: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Perhaps even ideas for where I should go with this.

Also, would love a Beta reader. Any volunteers?