Kel fought hard to keep her face Yamani Stone as she hugged her friends
good-bye.
"Promise me you'll write, Kel," Nealan of Queenscove whispered as he drew
Kel into another hug. Worry was etched into his emerald eyes.
"Promise. Someone's got to make sure you eat your vegetables," Kel teased.
Neal scowled half heartedly.
"You had better write to me too, O' pearl of my heart; fairer than the
fairest; more beautiful than-"
"Don't worry, Cleon," Kel interrupted the big red head, " I won't forget."
"Hey, what about me?" Merric asked indignantly.
"And me!" Seaver cried. Kel laughed. It was nice to know she had friends
after a rough year.
"I'll write to everyone!"She hugged them each one more time before getting
into her awaiting parents' carriage.
"We have to do something, Piers! She's been moping about for a month!"
"I know, dear, I know," Piers of Mindelan sighed, trying to soothe his
wife. "The Shang Panther will be here in a week. Maybe we can work
something outwith him, Ilane."
Truler Hiden, the Shang Panther, practiced his punches and kicks in the
dawn light of an of abandoned courtyard Mindelan. He was handsome and
young; only in his early twenties. His shoulder length hair, pulled back
into a small horse tail, was the color of a raven's wing. His face was dark
and a sensitve with dertermined chin, softened by full lips and high
cheekbones. His eyes were an unusual shade of green-blue. It was enough to
make any woman swoon.
Coming out of a graceful combat dance to catch his breath, Truler glimpsed
gold brown hair flashing in the sunlight and a pair of hazel eyes peering
at him from behind the corner. Truler grinned when he recognized Kel.
"So, I've been talking to your parents. They want me to take you in as my
student in Shang," Truler called. Remembering her manners, Kel walked out
from her vantage spot where she had been watching the Wolf's dawn practice
and bowed.
"I'd be very much obliged, sir, if you did take me in," Kel replied.
Gathering up her courage she went on hastily,"My Yamani training with the
glaive and their martial arts would help me," taking a deep breath she
continued, "also my.... page training." Fury and sorrow crossed Kel's usual
Yamani stone look.
'Poor thing, thought Truler, 'she's so young and already denied her true
destiny of knighthood. That Wyldon scum!' Outloud he said," Keladry, if I
were to take you in as my personal student in learning the art of Shang,
will you work very hard in training and upholding your honor?" Kel nodded
vigorously. "Will you never surrendor or give up?" Kel nodded fiercly. "Do
you promise to fight for good, to protect those weaker than you? Do you
promise to never neglect your duties as a Shang warrior?"
"I promise, sir," Kel said solemnly. They shook hands and Trulen went off
to tell Kel's parents he had accepted their offer.
Kel stared off into the distance. 'I'll show them- the king, Wyldon,
everyone! I'll show them all that Keladry of Mindelan doesn't need to be a
knight to be a legend!'
