Author's Note: Helllllooo! Finally gotten around to writing another Tamora Pierce oneshot – it's another songfic but only a teeny tiny one, so for those of you that aren't that keen on them I promise that this is the last one for awhile. Anyhoo, I've just read it through and it's a weeny bit on the intense side of life, and not my best writing by far but I really wanted to get another finished fic out as my updating skills are pretty shite ^o^
Disclaimer: Again, not my own, alas. Characters from TP and the song from the glorious band Paramore (if anyone hasn't heard this song before, I suggest you look it up on YouTube – it's fab and will really help set the feel). The song is We Are Broken, if you couldn't guess!
I am outside
And I've been waiting for the sun
And with my wide eyes I've seen worlds that don't belong
As the last Scanran fell, the signal for victory blared out across the valley. Soldiers, too weary to do anything else, clubbed together – checking for their friends, searching for any survivors among those on the ground – as dark clouds rolled across the bleary sky.
Out in the middle of the battlefield, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan surveyed the scene before her with a look of disbelief. Her wide eyes roamed across the ground at her feet, it was covered with blood, bodies and discarded weapons – their owners having deserted them during the fight, or unable to recover them. Surely, in a world where monarchs claimed peace and diplomats flitted between countries, there was no room for brutality such as this. It wasn't right. These were innocent men, sent to their deaths by people they'd never met, fighting for a cause not all believed in.
Turning her face up to the sky, Kel searched for a break in the clouds, waiting for the sun to burst through and proclaim their actions to be justified. As none came, it seemed that even the Gods disliked this form of politics.
My mouth is dry,
With words I cannot verbalise
Tell me why we live like this
She sensed, rather than heard, the person come up behind her, tensing momentarily as they slid strong arms around her waist. The familiar smell on his clothes, and the jolt somewhere below her stomach, made her relax and Kel leant back, ever so slightly, into the hold.
"You scared me you know, I thought we agreed you'd stay with Third Company – not go gallivanting off after axe-wielding Scanrans"; Dom breathed, dropping his head onto the Lady Knight's shoulder.
Kel stayed silent; bringing her hand up to touch his head where it lay, she stroked his black curls.
"They never taught us about this bit," her voice was hoarse and cracked, "not properly anyway. The teachers never tried to make war sound glamorous, but I don't think they ever really managed to convey just how it feels; the space in between the battles and the celebrations – the clearing up, the empty feeling, the smell. As Knights we all know it's going to happen, but it's different every time.
"Why do we do this to ourselves?" Kel asked. "Why do we willingly come out onto the field, knowing that this could possibly be the last day we live, knowing for sure that it'll be the last day for some of those around us? Surely there are better ways to deal with disagreements."
Keep me safe inside
Yours arms like towers tower over me
Yeah
Dom's arms tightened ever so slightly as he sighed heavily before breathing in the scent of her hair.
"I don't know love. All I'm sure about is that those of us who are left must never give up fighting for what's right; it won't always be easy and some of us will lose our way at some point or other, but for us – we'll always have each other to guide us back to what's right."
Kel gave a small smile as she wound her hands over Dom's encasing arms. She was glad that he had those extra few inches of height over her, for the first time in her life she felt protected and cared for. His grip was strong and the lips that were brushing feather-light kisses over her head sent tingles down her spine.
'Cause we are broken
What must we do to restore our innocence
And all the promise we adored
Give us life again, 'cause we just wanna be whole
'Yes,' she thought, 'I'll fight for what is right, but I vow never to let it become my everything. It is a means to an end, nothing more. Dom, my family and the people I love will be the reason I fight to fix this land, to mend this damaged nation and make it whole again.'
Dom sighed again before turning Kel in his arms and kissing her soundly.
'Yes, tomorrow I'll fight again, but for tonight I think I'm quite happy just where I am.'
AN: Soooo, yeah. Welp, not amazing but a small, semi-fluffy story for Kel and Dom; more of a fic-let really! Just goes to show how good huggles with people you love are – mission of the day, give someone a huggle to make them smile. Hope you liked it, especially if it's enough to leave me a little message ^o^ ... tell me about your huggles!