Best Enemies

A/N: This should be a very interesting fic to write. It is AU because Joren is still alive * evil grin *. Please review and give me any suggestions or advice. Also, I will probably make a lot of mistakes, so just review and tell me them all. Now you can read my story!

Disclaimer: No, I am NOT the amazingly talented Tamora Pierce, so don't sue me. Not that I have anything you could win- I own pretty much nothing. Basically, I am trying to tell you that everything belongs to her, and not me.

Oh yeah, I'll warn you that there are some spoilers in here from Lady Knight. So please don't read this and flame me that I ruined the book for you.

~*~

Keladry of Mindelan, second lady knight of Tortall and hero of the recent war with Scanra gave a yawn as she awoke. It was already well past dawn but she was still exhausted. I'm getting lazy. She thought unhappily. The fact that most of her friends also slept in this late didn't console her at all. Unfortunately for him, Toby chose that moment to walk into the room and comment, "I'm surprised you slept in this late! Everyone else has already eaten breakfast." Kel responded by throwing a pillow at his head.

"I'm getting up, okay! I never should have hired that boy!"

~*~

When she finally got to the mess hall (is that what it is called?) she thought about all that had happened since the war with Scanra. Both Neal and Cleon had been married and were enjoying it very much. In fact, Yuki was expecting a baby next spring. Dom, Merric, and even Owen had girlfriends now and were spending almost all of their time with them. Sometimes, despite her many friends and acquaintances, she felt very alone. Everyone was either busy with their wives or girlfriends or talking about how much they loved them. There's no use in sulking. You've finally achieved your life's dream- you're a knight. You shouldn't be miserable. She told herself. But she couldn't help it. There was something missing.

Giving a sigh, Kel threw away the meal she had barely touched. On her way out, a well-dressed messenger met her. "Sir Keladry, the King has requested your presence immediately."

"Tell him I will be there in a few moments." She responded. I wonder what the King wants with me.

~*~

The first thing she noticed when she walked into the council chamber was that the King's spymaster, Myles, was the only other person there. She took a seat and asked, "Am I late?"

"Actually, we are waiting for someone else to get here." King Jonathon responded. After another five minutes, the King said, "When is he going to get here? Do you think we should send anoth…" Joren entered the room and sprawled himself across a chair.

"So, what's the problem? And why is she here?"

The King looked shocked at Joren's disrespectful treatment of him, but shook it away. "Myles and I are calling you here today because we need you two to go on a mission. You see, for the last seventeen months, our spies in the Copper Isles have been disappearing. We can't say anything about any of this- after all, they are spies. As if that isn't suspicious enough, the animals Daine has spying on the Copper Isles report that they have been significantly increasing their military. So we have chosen you two- both proven knights and unmarried- to spy on them. We are very worried about a war and need people of your abilities. Will you do it?"

"I guess." Joren responded nonchalantly. Kel thought about all of the risks and her duties to Tortall carefully before saying, "Yes."

"Good. You leave in two days."

~*~

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! That part may have sounded a bit unoriginal but I have a really good, different plot. So PLEASE R&R!!! Thank you!

~ The Dark Goddess ~