Disclaimer: All characters, and anything you recognize from Tamora Pierce's writings, obviously all belong to her, blah, blah, blah your know the drill.
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Chapter I -
Rain steadily drummed against the oiled hats and cloaks of three weary riders. A woman with shoulder length, mouse brown colored hair, with piercing hazel eyes was riding atop of a brown mare that sported a black mane and tail. She moved her gaze sideways as she tucked a dripping lock of wet hair behind her ear and turned her attention to the small rider next to her. "How are you doing Tobe?" she asked in a kind voice.
Tobe smiled up at her, "I'm doing just fine, Kel. Its only the horses I'm worried for they seem to be tiring."
Kel nodded miserably, "We all are. Neal said we're very close, and I can't deny him the happiness of arriving at Steadfast early, his heart is set on seeing Yuki." Just then Neal rode up next them, he was smiling happily. Tobe saw the smile and went on ahead from fear that Neal would start up with his terrible poetry reciting. Kel wasn't as lucky and Neal had already begun to talk, she sighed as Neal went on about Yuki's eyebrows.
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An hour later Kel was slapping her hand against her forehead, trying to empty Neal's useless poetry from her mind. Just then a view of buildings, shops, and bustling carts came into view and Kel let her hand drop to her side.
"Thank the Goddess we're nearly there!" she heard Tobe yell. Soon after covering the last stretch of road before they reached the fort's gate.
Neal and Kel held up they're shields and were immediately let in. As they neared the stables they saw a familiar blue-eyed sergeant, waving to them from the entrance of the stable.
Kel suddenly more attentive smiled and waved back, but Neal pretended not to notice his cousin and quickly dismounted his horse and handed Tobe the reins. Soon he was running in the direction of the sleeping quarters of the Yamani's. Kel shook her head at Neal's bad manners, then got off her own horse and led it to the waiting Sergeant.
"So how's our country's Protector of the Small fairing," asked the sergeant, his eyes dancing with amusement.
"Oh hush Dom, if you won't greet me properly then neither will I," with that she walked her horse around him, a grinning Tobe followed her. Kel started to brush her horse Hoshi down and smiled inwardly, Dom's sense of humor had rubbed off on Kel and now it was his turn to suffer. Dom sauntered over to Hoshi's stable and leaned against the gate and started to pout.
"Common Kel don't be mad," pleaded Dom. Kel simply went on brushing Hoshi as though she had never heard him. Dom sighed, "I swear on Neal's life, that I shall never call you Protector of the Small ever again, am I forgiven?"
Kel finally looked up at him and grinned slyly, "Seeing has how you've been trying to rid yourself of Neal ever since you were children, I don't think you mean it." With that she stood up dusted off her tunic and started walking to the exit of the stables.
Dom followed and grabbed her hand before she could make it out of the stables, "Well I'm not going to let you go anywhere until you say I'm forgiven."
Kel looked up at him suddenly needing to suppress the heat that threatened to rise in her cheeks and sighed, "Fine, fine, you win sir but only because I'm about to faint from hunger. So now, if you would so kindly let go."
Kel saw a faint shade of pink play across his cheeks as he glanced down at his firm hold of her hand and she smiled covertly. Dom let go of her and they started off towards to the mess hall. "Dom, what were you doing in the stables anyway?"
"Ah, well it was punishment work, from my wonderful Lord Raoul," grumbled Dom as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.
Kel laughed mockingly and added in a sarcastic tone much similar to Neal's own taunting manner, "Serves you right, Sir."
A/N: As I'm sure many of you have noticed this story was published a long while ago. SO you're probably wondering why it's still listed as having only one Chapter. Well it's summer again and being on the verge of my senior year I figured I'd revisit FanFic. I really have missed reading everyone's unique stories. I also thought I really needed to make good on word of continuing this story.
So I've tweaked this chapter and already have Chapter 2 underway, mainly thanks to the reviews I received encouraging me onward, however long ago that was.
As always I welcome your comments, critiques, corrections, and everything else whole heartedly.
Special thanks to the following for their kind words: Evilstrawberry, LauraCynthia, Pinky, Mademoiselle Parfait, Nadireth, Britt, Poisonmoon, Tris the weatherwitch, PsychoLioness, alyios, dreamerdoll, Becca the Great, dancer4eva, jesusfreak30, and anonymous.5.