Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places or anything else from Tamora Pierce's books. they all belong to Tamora Pierce
This is set when Kel is in her fourth year
Chapter 1
Midwinter is coming soon, Joren thought as he absentmindly packed stuff into his saddlebags. I'll be seeing Kel there. Why have I've been thinking about her so much? Of course I know why. I'm stupid to ask myself such questions. I've fallen in love with her. I've fallen in love with the the person I hated most. I'm such a--
"JOREN!" Joren of Stone Mountian snapped out of his thoughts to find his knight master, Sir Paxton of Nond looking at him. "Quit daydreaming boy and get packed. We have to be in Corus in two days!"
"Sorry, Sir," Joren said and stuffed his last pair of breeches into his saddlebags. "I'm finshed."
"Let's go then." Sir Paxon mounted up on his horse waiting for Joren to do the same. Joren mounted up on his gelding wondering what had caused his heart to make such a awful choose. What will Vinson and Garvey say if I tell them, he thought. What will her friends say. What will she say?! I don't have to tell anybody, a cool part of his mind said. No one needs to know. But I want her to know.
"You know Joren," Sir Paxton said a while later, breaking Joren's train of thought. "You've been awfully weird lately. And quiet to boot. What's on your mind?"
"Oh, it's nothing Sir," Joren replied.
"You sure?" Sir Paxton turned to stare at his squire."You're always daydreaming now and days. You have a girl on your mind or something?"
"Um..." Joren blushed. "Kind of."
"Kind of?" Sir Paxton repeated. "Who is she?"
"Oh, you know...just someone I, kind of meet..." Joren's voice trailed off and Sir Paxton decided not to question him anymore.
* * * * *
Joren and his knight master arrived at Corus two days before the Midwinter parties would start. Joren was just brushing down his horse when he saw her. He had tried to make amends awhile ago. Saying he wanted to her friend. He was telling the truth of course but he knew she didn't believe him. Now she was coming his way.
Keladry of Mindelan walked calmly into the stables planing to take Peachblossom for a run. She was surprised to see Joren there. Why she was surprised she did not know. It was almost Midwinter, of course he would have returned with his knight master by know. Trying to ignor him she went to Peachblossom's stall.
"Hi Kel," Joren said before he could stop himself. Kel stopped what she was doing and returned his hi with a polite nod. She raised a eyebrow at the expression he wore. It almost looked like longing. But longing to do what, she thought as she tightened buckles. Longing to beat my ass again? She finished saddleing Peachblossom and left, not once glancing in Joren's direction.
* * * * *
"I wonder why Joren's been acting so nice lately," Kel thought outloud, as she helped Neal with his math one night. Joren had justed passed by smiling at her in a way that made her pulse speed up.
"Who cares," Neal said, writing down sums. "He's probably thinking of a new way to get you kicked out. You know Joren." Kel shruged. Neal was probably right anyways.
* * * * *
I'm going to tell her today, Joren convinced himself as he pulled on his tunic. I don't care if she doesn't believe me. She's going to find out today. Joren brushed his hair and pulled his tunic straight before stepping into the hall. Quietly he went down to the pages wing and up to Kel's bedroom door. About to knock, he changed his mind and fled to the staircase. I'm such a coward, he thought, sitting down on the steps. But how can I even face her when she's in her room. I trashed her room when she first came. I dumped her belonging on the floor and wrote on her walls. No wonder she hates me. Footsteps made him look up. There she was, about to walk pass the staircase. She's going to find out now, Joren thought and got up.
Kel walked quietly down the hall. It was still pretty early and she didn't want to wake anyone. Her fellow pages would be mad if she woke them on a Saturday morning. She was just walking pass the staircase when rough hands grabbed her and pulled her onto the stairs. She pushed the hand away and turned to stare into icy blue eyes.
"What do you want?" Kel asked crossed. Joren could not think of a way to tell her without sounding stupid so he grabbed her sholders and, pulling her close, kissed her warmly.
Kel gasped and struggled but Joren held her too tightly. Her mind raced thinking of what to do. Her body reacted before her mind did and before she knew it she was kissing him back and to her horror, she was enjoying it. Finally Joren released her.
"What the hell was that?!" Kel demanded, wiping her mouth. Joren shruged and bowed to her as he would to any lady before saying, "I just want you to know how I feel" and walking away. Kel stood there wide eyed. It must be a joke, she thought. He's just playing with my feelings. Wiping her mouth again she ran back to her room.
* * * * *
"Why are you so pale?" Neal asked. It was the same morning and the pages were eating breakfast.
"What? Oh, it's nothing," Kel said. Casually she looked around until she spotted Joren. His blue eyes were on her. Quickly she turned back to her meal.
"Are sick or something." Cleon of Kennan sat in the seat across from and he looked worried. "You can't get sick now. Midwinter parties today. We all got our duties."
Kel shook her head and sipped some orange juice. Neal pressed his hand on her head and pretended to be serious. "Well she doesn't feel hot. Perhaps we should bring you down to Duke Baird. Just to make sure. We can't have have you getting all our guest sick tonight, now can we."
"Leave her alone Neal," Cleon said. Neal took his hand away and looked at Cleon with raised eyebrows. Cleon blushed and looked away. Everybody knew Cleon like Kel. Everyone that is, except Kel herself of course. Kel raised her eyebrows too and turned in her tray.
Joren saw her and followed her turning in his tray too. He followed her down to the stables where she was brushing Peachblossom.
"What do you want?" Kel asked softly, trying to look anywhere but those bright blue eyes. Joren stared at her and said, "I want to talk about what happened."
"There's nothing to talk about," Kel muttered turning red. Why do I feel so giddy inside? she asked herself. It's not like I want to be with him or anything. He was my worst enemy!
"Kel," Joren started, but was interupted by someone coming into the stables.
"What are you doing here?" Cleon asked Joren in a gruff voice. Joren sighed and said, "Nothing." He looked at Kel once more before leaving the stables.
"What was he doing here?" Cleon asked as he brushed his gelding. "He wasn't bothering you was he?"
"No," Kel mumbled. "He just wanted to...He just wanted to talk. That's all."
Cleon looked at her confused. "About what?"
"Oh, stuff..." Kel replied. "Nothing really..." Cleon raised a eyebrow and looked at her with a expression on his face she couldn't read. Finally he said, "Well as long as he wasn't bothering you."
A/N: oooo! Cleon a bit suspisous now isn't he?! hehe REVIEW PLEASE!!!
This is set when Kel is in her fourth year
Chapter 1
Midwinter is coming soon, Joren thought as he absentmindly packed stuff into his saddlebags. I'll be seeing Kel there. Why have I've been thinking about her so much? Of course I know why. I'm stupid to ask myself such questions. I've fallen in love with her. I've fallen in love with the the person I hated most. I'm such a--
"JOREN!" Joren of Stone Mountian snapped out of his thoughts to find his knight master, Sir Paxton of Nond looking at him. "Quit daydreaming boy and get packed. We have to be in Corus in two days!"
"Sorry, Sir," Joren said and stuffed his last pair of breeches into his saddlebags. "I'm finshed."
"Let's go then." Sir Paxon mounted up on his horse waiting for Joren to do the same. Joren mounted up on his gelding wondering what had caused his heart to make such a awful choose. What will Vinson and Garvey say if I tell them, he thought. What will her friends say. What will she say?! I don't have to tell anybody, a cool part of his mind said. No one needs to know. But I want her to know.
"You know Joren," Sir Paxton said a while later, breaking Joren's train of thought. "You've been awfully weird lately. And quiet to boot. What's on your mind?"
"Oh, it's nothing Sir," Joren replied.
"You sure?" Sir Paxton turned to stare at his squire."You're always daydreaming now and days. You have a girl on your mind or something?"
"Um..." Joren blushed. "Kind of."
"Kind of?" Sir Paxton repeated. "Who is she?"
"Oh, you know...just someone I, kind of meet..." Joren's voice trailed off and Sir Paxton decided not to question him anymore.
* * * * *
Joren and his knight master arrived at Corus two days before the Midwinter parties would start. Joren was just brushing down his horse when he saw her. He had tried to make amends awhile ago. Saying he wanted to her friend. He was telling the truth of course but he knew she didn't believe him. Now she was coming his way.
Keladry of Mindelan walked calmly into the stables planing to take Peachblossom for a run. She was surprised to see Joren there. Why she was surprised she did not know. It was almost Midwinter, of course he would have returned with his knight master by know. Trying to ignor him she went to Peachblossom's stall.
"Hi Kel," Joren said before he could stop himself. Kel stopped what she was doing and returned his hi with a polite nod. She raised a eyebrow at the expression he wore. It almost looked like longing. But longing to do what, she thought as she tightened buckles. Longing to beat my ass again? She finished saddleing Peachblossom and left, not once glancing in Joren's direction.
* * * * *
"I wonder why Joren's been acting so nice lately," Kel thought outloud, as she helped Neal with his math one night. Joren had justed passed by smiling at her in a way that made her pulse speed up.
"Who cares," Neal said, writing down sums. "He's probably thinking of a new way to get you kicked out. You know Joren." Kel shruged. Neal was probably right anyways.
* * * * *
I'm going to tell her today, Joren convinced himself as he pulled on his tunic. I don't care if she doesn't believe me. She's going to find out today. Joren brushed his hair and pulled his tunic straight before stepping into the hall. Quietly he went down to the pages wing and up to Kel's bedroom door. About to knock, he changed his mind and fled to the staircase. I'm such a coward, he thought, sitting down on the steps. But how can I even face her when she's in her room. I trashed her room when she first came. I dumped her belonging on the floor and wrote on her walls. No wonder she hates me. Footsteps made him look up. There she was, about to walk pass the staircase. She's going to find out now, Joren thought and got up.
Kel walked quietly down the hall. It was still pretty early and she didn't want to wake anyone. Her fellow pages would be mad if she woke them on a Saturday morning. She was just walking pass the staircase when rough hands grabbed her and pulled her onto the stairs. She pushed the hand away and turned to stare into icy blue eyes.
"What do you want?" Kel asked crossed. Joren could not think of a way to tell her without sounding stupid so he grabbed her sholders and, pulling her close, kissed her warmly.
Kel gasped and struggled but Joren held her too tightly. Her mind raced thinking of what to do. Her body reacted before her mind did and before she knew it she was kissing him back and to her horror, she was enjoying it. Finally Joren released her.
"What the hell was that?!" Kel demanded, wiping her mouth. Joren shruged and bowed to her as he would to any lady before saying, "I just want you to know how I feel" and walking away. Kel stood there wide eyed. It must be a joke, she thought. He's just playing with my feelings. Wiping her mouth again she ran back to her room.
* * * * *
"Why are you so pale?" Neal asked. It was the same morning and the pages were eating breakfast.
"What? Oh, it's nothing," Kel said. Casually she looked around until she spotted Joren. His blue eyes were on her. Quickly she turned back to her meal.
"Are sick or something." Cleon of Kennan sat in the seat across from and he looked worried. "You can't get sick now. Midwinter parties today. We all got our duties."
Kel shook her head and sipped some orange juice. Neal pressed his hand on her head and pretended to be serious. "Well she doesn't feel hot. Perhaps we should bring you down to Duke Baird. Just to make sure. We can't have have you getting all our guest sick tonight, now can we."
"Leave her alone Neal," Cleon said. Neal took his hand away and looked at Cleon with raised eyebrows. Cleon blushed and looked away. Everybody knew Cleon like Kel. Everyone that is, except Kel herself of course. Kel raised her eyebrows too and turned in her tray.
Joren saw her and followed her turning in his tray too. He followed her down to the stables where she was brushing Peachblossom.
"What do you want?" Kel asked softly, trying to look anywhere but those bright blue eyes. Joren stared at her and said, "I want to talk about what happened."
"There's nothing to talk about," Kel muttered turning red. Why do I feel so giddy inside? she asked herself. It's not like I want to be with him or anything. He was my worst enemy!
"Kel," Joren started, but was interupted by someone coming into the stables.
"What are you doing here?" Cleon asked Joren in a gruff voice. Joren sighed and said, "Nothing." He looked at Kel once more before leaving the stables.
"What was he doing here?" Cleon asked as he brushed his gelding. "He wasn't bothering you was he?"
"No," Kel mumbled. "He just wanted to...He just wanted to talk. That's all."
Cleon looked at her confused. "About what?"
"Oh, stuff..." Kel replied. "Nothing really..." Cleon raised a eyebrow and looked at her with a expression on his face she couldn't read. Finally he said, "Well as long as he wasn't bothering you."
A/N: oooo! Cleon a bit suspisous now isn't he?! hehe REVIEW PLEASE!!!