-1He paced. He couldn't sit down. He had to get away from Kennan, away from the looks of pity, the constant nagging from his mother about finding a new wife. "Meet this girl, that girl…" His wife only a month in her grave. His daughter constantly asking where her mother was, when was she coming back?
"Go talk to your grandmother," he snapped at her and walked out the door. His daughter stood there with her mouth hanging open. Her father NEVER yelled at her…
Cleon of Kennan made his way down to the stables. He needed to leave, get away, let his mother and sister handle Rosary. He just wanted to get posted on the border somewhere, and chop down as many enemies as he could. Not sit around grieving for a woman he had loved, though maybe not as much as he should have…
"Argh! I can't believe this!" the knight yelled, standing up from her desk, her chair falling back. She threw the letter she had been reading over on the floor and stormed out the door. She couldn't wait to tell Merric, he was going to be ropable. And unlike the King, SHE would have to deal with the drama.
Merric saw her coming, the look on her face and knew exactly what she was going to say. They'd said "no". She stood there and looked at him. He raised his eyebrows. She twisted her lips. Merric turned around and stabbed a arrow into the wood. The guards looking on knew what she was saying as well. They looked at Merric and he nodded, and they went off to ready their mounts. He was going on a hunting trip.It wasn't that they needed food, though with the Crown still sending people in left right and centre he wouldn't be surprised.
Kel sighed and walked back to her office. She knew she had obviously been working with Merric to long when all they needed to communicate with each other was facial expressions…
"All due respect, My Lord, but I need to get away from home. I need to be out there, doing something, not sitting at home, mopping about, listening to people apologize for something they didn't do," Cleon told Lord Wyldon.
"Would you work in a refugee camp?" Wyldon asked Cleon. Cleon thought it over for a moment. He would rather be on border duty…but then again, work was work…
"Anything, I just need to do something."
"New Hope, a camp just behind the border is requiring more knights, as the load has become to much for the three there. It is in the process of becoming a fief, with their commander taking charge. They need help both defending and building. It will keep you busy, Owen of Jesslaw is going there in a few days with a squad of the king's Own headed by Lord Raoul. You may go with them then, and take a letter with you. I trust you canwork under the commands of a woman?" Wyldon asked, raising his eyebrows.
"A woman, Sir?" Cleon asked, his heart's beat slowly going faster, and faster
"Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan is in command, and beggin for people at the moment. It takes a lot to turn a fort town into a normal village…" he said, starting a letter to her that he knew she, Neal and Merric would rejoice in. "They are also taking supplies for Nealan of Queenscove, their Healer, as it appears he has some young ones he wishes to train…" he told the night in front of him. "Your daughter will more than likely be welcomed to go along with you. From what I have experienced with Keladry she is extremely protective of the children there now, and you daughter would be taught to fight if needed, though I would rather discourage that. We have more than enough female pages, running circles around their poor training master…" he sighed, thinking of the letter he had received in regards to how to dicipline the girl pages. He had said the same way as the boys. But the training master declined that idea as they were still young ladies. Wyldon shook his head. That was the only problem with having a conservative as Training Master…
Everyone looked towards the commanders office as a squeal emmited from it. The door flew open and Lady Kel, as she was known, came racing up to Merric and threw her arms around his neck. "They're sending help!" she yelled in his face. "We are getting Owen and Cleon to help with most of the warrior things, Neal is getting his supplies to teach, and they are sending a couple of squads to help with the building, isn't that great?" she asked. Merric was smiling. 'About time too,' he thought.
"All right lads and ladies, it's time to start chopping!" he yelled to everyone. "We start building tonight!" he called and a cheer went up from everyone…
Cleon and Owen rode at the front chatting away and catching up. For the first time Cleon heard the true story of what had happened that first year of Kel's, Neal and Merric's knighthood. Like most people no-one really knew what had stopped the killing devices. It was a well-kept secret, though there had been rumors going about that they had a powerful mage on their side, who was working closely with Numair. But no one could confirm, or deny the reports. Only people very close to the Crown and the Mindelan family knew the truth. And no one was going to say anything for fear that the conservatives would use it against her. As New Hope came into view they saw large banners hanging on the walls with childish taunting jokes, directed at the Scanran's no doubt, in childish writing. And a large banner saying "Welcome, new slaves" with a big smile face next to it. The men of the own smiled and chuckled and Owen laughed. Cleon was to busy trying to hold down his lunch from that day, due to his nervousness about seeing Kel and Neal and Merric. He hadn't seen either in six years and was slightly worried that they wouldn't receive him too well. He was, after all, the outsider of them. Owen had a family, it was true, but Merric didn't and Kel didn't and he understood Neal's lived there, while he was in residence. He did manage a small smile when he saw the New Hope banner. Lot's of little hands encircling a griffin in with a mixture of Queenscove, Hollyrose and Mindelan colors on a bright yellow background. And looking at it flapping in the wind he did admit to feeling hopeful…