Chapter One
Faleron could remember the first time he had laid eyes on Kel, the girl he loved. He was still able to conjure in his mind the image of her standing in the hall that day. Determination he hadn't seen even in the new boys shone in her eyes.
Granted he was a year older than her, but there was something about Kel that was different than the other court ladies. With the occasional exception, court ladies were so boring; all they did was sit around talking and knitting.
'Like Kel would be caught dead gossiping,' Faleron thought. He had to laugh at the mere idea. She did things her own way, no matter what polite society would say. Somehow Kel had managed to put up with the boys that were un-accepting of her new position in the beginning when she only had Neal to lean on.
'Look where she is now.' Kel had a large circle of friends--friends who would die for each other. The group included the funny Cleon; the more mature, but all too sarcastic, Neal; the heir to the throne, Roald; the annoyingly jolly Owen; and numerous others.
No, she was not anyone like Faleron had ever met, and the chances of meeting anyone that came close to her ambitiousness was null. Not even the Lioness had to put up with what Kel went through.
That is why Kel caught his eyes.
-----
Kel had just passed the Ordeal two days ago and was still recovering. Yet she couldn't forget how Faleron had reacted when she had left the chamber...his worry seemed to go beyond that of simply a friend.
"Then why do you feel so nervous around him now?" asked a little voice in her head, but Kel ignored it because there were too many big voices mulling over what she was going to do now that she was a full knight.
A knock sounded on the infirmary door.
"Come in?" Kel said hoarsely, still not completely over the Ordeal, which had taken quite a toll on her physically.
"Yeah, Kel. It's us," answered Cleon. He entered the infirmary with a veritable army of friends; Fal, Roald, Neal, and the rest of their gang crowded into the room.
"Hi, how was your Ordeal, Seaver?" Kel asked, propping herself up. She was always more concered for her friends then for her own well-being.
"It was bad, but you know I can't tell you about it. Your parents have been worried about you." Seaver mentioned, none to subtly changing the subject.
"Are you feeling any better, Kel?" Fal asked, coming over to the bed.
"I'm awake, aren't I?" Kel, who had been asleep for the past day or so, answered with a sarcastic hint to her voice.
"I swear, Kel, you are hanging around me too much. I'm starting to rub off on you." Neal commented, laughing. "By the way, they are holding a ball tonight. Just thought you would like to know."
"I wonder if Lady Rene is going with anyone yet?" Neal started trailing off as he left the room. The other boys followed, chiding him, after giving their best wishes to Kel.
All but Fal.
"Kel, I need to ask you something," Fal muttered, obviously nervous.
"Yeah?"
"Um, I was wondering if, ah, youwannagotoballwitme?"
"Faleron, slow that down, please," Kel insisted.
"Would you like to go to the ball with me?" Fal said breathlessly, not as fast as before, but the words still came out in a jumble.
An amazed look crossed her face as her brain hurridly tried to absorb this new information.
-----
"Announcing Sir Keladry of Mindelan," the herald called out.
Kel looked so elegant in her dress that most of the boys didn't recognize her, until the herald had announced her. Her dress was a deep green, contrasting her brown hair, and bringing out the same hue in her hazel eyes. Lalasa had talked Kel into getting earrings, a pair of true emeralds. To put it mildly, the boys were stunned...all but one, that is.
"May I have this dance?" The tall man asked.
"Why yes Sir Faleron," Kel accepted the invitation with mock formality, seeing as no one else had asked her yet. Fal swept her around the room for the slow waltz, smiling happily. The past day the boys had noticed a strange look on Fal's face--now they knew what it was.
"Wow. Did any of you know that Kel looked so..." Neal dragged off.
"Mature?" Cleon supplied with a smirk on his face. Out of the entire group Cleon was the only one who actually saw Kel as a full Lady, rather then the tomboyish squire they had all come to love. "You should have realized by now that our favorite girl has grown up. The only difference is that Faleron and me noticed before you." Cleon looked very smug as he said the last part.
Faleron and Kel's feet were beginning to feel the strain of the many dances as they walked through the palace gardens. Fortunately, a full moon out that night distracted them.
"Kel, what are you planning on doing when you leave?" Fal asked worriedly, holding Kel's hand as they walked through the gardens. There was a look of sadness in his eyes, he wouldn't be surprised if she were to leave palace at the first chance she got.
"Go off questing, I guess. I might stay for a little bit and get a squire," Kel said, looking in his eyes.
"Oh," was all he managed to utter, face immediately dropping. He had been hoping that she would at least stay another few weeks.
Kel realized how Fal was feeling and added, "But I will need some company." That perked Fal right up.
"You mean it?"
"Of course." Kel smiled playfully.
"Thanks Kel. Plus it will be good to get out of the palace, away from Lord Wyldon and palace food and--"
"You just ruined a perfectly good moment, you realize that? Now just kiss me before it's gone." Kel leaned over and.....
Kel awoke with a start--that was the second night in a row she had been awakened by that exact same dream. "I wonder if the Gods are trying to tell me something," Kel wondered to herself in an almost sarcastic manner.
"Maybe they'll stop if I listen." Kel got off her bed, changed into a pair of breeches, and left her room. She knew it was inevitable, and the sooner it happened the better. Kel didn't notice Lalasa poke her head through the door wondering why she was leaving so early.
She knocked on a door, bouncing impatiently on the balls of her feet. A rather tired, sleep-scruffy Fal answered.
"Kel, not everyone gets up as early as you. What do you need?" Fal grumbled, kind of annoyed that someone had woken him up, but if it had been anyone else they would've had the door in their face. He yawned widely, trying to cover it unsuccessfully.
"This." Kel leaned in and her lips brushed Fal's. When she came away she was smiling. It took Fal completely by surprise.
He blinked his eyes, sleep-addled brain trying to work through what had just happened. Fal gave Kel a strange look, "What was that?"
Kel took a step back. For once she was worried she had messed everything up by being too outgoing, "A kiss." Determined not to show her worry, Kel put on her best Yamani face. She was stone. Even if she did like this man, she wouldn't let hurt show in public.
Fal raised a brow, "That's what you call a kiss?" Now that he was completely awake, he grinned. After their second kiss, initiated by Fal this time, and a long discussion in Fal's room, Kel went back to her own place. Now that Kel was a knight she no longer had to worry about Wyldon's restrictions. Years of subtle hinting about their respective feelings had finally been addressed--and neither had been disappointed.
Lalasa peered once again into her mistress's room when Kel came back, and smiled knowingly at the look on the girl's face. So that's what she had been up to...
----
One quick note on my behalf: In the 3 years since this originally came out both Squire and Lady Knight have come out. However, I am still writing this as if the only information I had was from Page and First Test. This means I am free to create a different time line to some degree. I will eventually get around to describing what has happened amongst the group and through out Tortall, most likely in the form of an addendum to Kel's Triology.
I'm trying to stay as true to the characters as possible and I trust you, my reviewers to tell me when there is something weird going on. Thank you and goodnight. Pet
Post Scriptum: Much thanks goes to Saphron for beta-reading this. She gave many ideas and corrections, without which this would still be a sub-par story. (Note to Saphron- If you see anything else that needs changing, just email me. )
Faleron could remember the first time he had laid eyes on Kel, the girl he loved. He was still able to conjure in his mind the image of her standing in the hall that day. Determination he hadn't seen even in the new boys shone in her eyes.
Granted he was a year older than her, but there was something about Kel that was different than the other court ladies. With the occasional exception, court ladies were so boring; all they did was sit around talking and knitting.
'Like Kel would be caught dead gossiping,' Faleron thought. He had to laugh at the mere idea. She did things her own way, no matter what polite society would say. Somehow Kel had managed to put up with the boys that were un-accepting of her new position in the beginning when she only had Neal to lean on.
'Look where she is now.' Kel had a large circle of friends--friends who would die for each other. The group included the funny Cleon; the more mature, but all too sarcastic, Neal; the heir to the throne, Roald; the annoyingly jolly Owen; and numerous others.
No, she was not anyone like Faleron had ever met, and the chances of meeting anyone that came close to her ambitiousness was null. Not even the Lioness had to put up with what Kel went through.
That is why Kel caught his eyes.
-----
Kel had just passed the Ordeal two days ago and was still recovering. Yet she couldn't forget how Faleron had reacted when she had left the chamber...his worry seemed to go beyond that of simply a friend.
"Then why do you feel so nervous around him now?" asked a little voice in her head, but Kel ignored it because there were too many big voices mulling over what she was going to do now that she was a full knight.
A knock sounded on the infirmary door.
"Come in?" Kel said hoarsely, still not completely over the Ordeal, which had taken quite a toll on her physically.
"Yeah, Kel. It's us," answered Cleon. He entered the infirmary with a veritable army of friends; Fal, Roald, Neal, and the rest of their gang crowded into the room.
"Hi, how was your Ordeal, Seaver?" Kel asked, propping herself up. She was always more concered for her friends then for her own well-being.
"It was bad, but you know I can't tell you about it. Your parents have been worried about you." Seaver mentioned, none to subtly changing the subject.
"Are you feeling any better, Kel?" Fal asked, coming over to the bed.
"I'm awake, aren't I?" Kel, who had been asleep for the past day or so, answered with a sarcastic hint to her voice.
"I swear, Kel, you are hanging around me too much. I'm starting to rub off on you." Neal commented, laughing. "By the way, they are holding a ball tonight. Just thought you would like to know."
"I wonder if Lady Rene is going with anyone yet?" Neal started trailing off as he left the room. The other boys followed, chiding him, after giving their best wishes to Kel.
All but Fal.
"Kel, I need to ask you something," Fal muttered, obviously nervous.
"Yeah?"
"Um, I was wondering if, ah, youwannagotoballwitme?"
"Faleron, slow that down, please," Kel insisted.
"Would you like to go to the ball with me?" Fal said breathlessly, not as fast as before, but the words still came out in a jumble.
An amazed look crossed her face as her brain hurridly tried to absorb this new information.
-----
"Announcing Sir Keladry of Mindelan," the herald called out.
Kel looked so elegant in her dress that most of the boys didn't recognize her, until the herald had announced her. Her dress was a deep green, contrasting her brown hair, and bringing out the same hue in her hazel eyes. Lalasa had talked Kel into getting earrings, a pair of true emeralds. To put it mildly, the boys were stunned...all but one, that is.
"May I have this dance?" The tall man asked.
"Why yes Sir Faleron," Kel accepted the invitation with mock formality, seeing as no one else had asked her yet. Fal swept her around the room for the slow waltz, smiling happily. The past day the boys had noticed a strange look on Fal's face--now they knew what it was.
"Wow. Did any of you know that Kel looked so..." Neal dragged off.
"Mature?" Cleon supplied with a smirk on his face. Out of the entire group Cleon was the only one who actually saw Kel as a full Lady, rather then the tomboyish squire they had all come to love. "You should have realized by now that our favorite girl has grown up. The only difference is that Faleron and me noticed before you." Cleon looked very smug as he said the last part.
Faleron and Kel's feet were beginning to feel the strain of the many dances as they walked through the palace gardens. Fortunately, a full moon out that night distracted them.
"Kel, what are you planning on doing when you leave?" Fal asked worriedly, holding Kel's hand as they walked through the gardens. There was a look of sadness in his eyes, he wouldn't be surprised if she were to leave palace at the first chance she got.
"Go off questing, I guess. I might stay for a little bit and get a squire," Kel said, looking in his eyes.
"Oh," was all he managed to utter, face immediately dropping. He had been hoping that she would at least stay another few weeks.
Kel realized how Fal was feeling and added, "But I will need some company." That perked Fal right up.
"You mean it?"
"Of course." Kel smiled playfully.
"Thanks Kel. Plus it will be good to get out of the palace, away from Lord Wyldon and palace food and--"
"You just ruined a perfectly good moment, you realize that? Now just kiss me before it's gone." Kel leaned over and.....
Kel awoke with a start--that was the second night in a row she had been awakened by that exact same dream. "I wonder if the Gods are trying to tell me something," Kel wondered to herself in an almost sarcastic manner.
"Maybe they'll stop if I listen." Kel got off her bed, changed into a pair of breeches, and left her room. She knew it was inevitable, and the sooner it happened the better. Kel didn't notice Lalasa poke her head through the door wondering why she was leaving so early.
She knocked on a door, bouncing impatiently on the balls of her feet. A rather tired, sleep-scruffy Fal answered.
"Kel, not everyone gets up as early as you. What do you need?" Fal grumbled, kind of annoyed that someone had woken him up, but if it had been anyone else they would've had the door in their face. He yawned widely, trying to cover it unsuccessfully.
"This." Kel leaned in and her lips brushed Fal's. When she came away she was smiling. It took Fal completely by surprise.
He blinked his eyes, sleep-addled brain trying to work through what had just happened. Fal gave Kel a strange look, "What was that?"
Kel took a step back. For once she was worried she had messed everything up by being too outgoing, "A kiss." Determined not to show her worry, Kel put on her best Yamani face. She was stone. Even if she did like this man, she wouldn't let hurt show in public.
Fal raised a brow, "That's what you call a kiss?" Now that he was completely awake, he grinned. After their second kiss, initiated by Fal this time, and a long discussion in Fal's room, Kel went back to her own place. Now that Kel was a knight she no longer had to worry about Wyldon's restrictions. Years of subtle hinting about their respective feelings had finally been addressed--and neither had been disappointed.
Lalasa peered once again into her mistress's room when Kel came back, and smiled knowingly at the look on the girl's face. So that's what she had been up to...
----
One quick note on my behalf: In the 3 years since this originally came out both Squire and Lady Knight have come out. However, I am still writing this as if the only information I had was from Page and First Test. This means I am free to create a different time line to some degree. I will eventually get around to describing what has happened amongst the group and through out Tortall, most likely in the form of an addendum to Kel's Triology.
I'm trying to stay as true to the characters as possible and I trust you, my reviewers to tell me when there is something weird going on. Thank you and goodnight. Pet
Post Scriptum: Much thanks goes to Saphron for beta-reading this. She gave many ideas and corrections, without which this would still be a sub-par story. (Note to Saphron- If you see anything else that needs changing, just email me. )
