Title: A Change of Fate CH1
Pairing: Keladry/ OC
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Tamora Pierce's worlds, but I do find it fun to play in them from time to time.
Rating: T but could change in later chapters.
Summary: Keladry feels betrayed by her King which leads to a new fate for her and her children, a fate even greater than she would have had if she had stayed in Tortall. This is femslash so don't read further if you don't like that sort of story.
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CHAPTER 1
The monarch sat behind a huge ornate desk looking out over Ameurlien, the capital city of the great nation of Chyitohk, and out towards the fields and woods beyond. Sighing the monarch turned their chair to peer up at the large map of the realm, it was a vast diverse nation. The largest land in the world. The recent mass migration of Immortals into the country was taxing on humans and animals throughout the realm. Communication had been attempted and was minimally successful, but it seemed the Immortals were gathering for a reason or waiting for something. However, none of the few creatures the monarch was able to speak with would share what their reasons for gathering were or what they were waiting for.
At 25 years of age the monarch had earned a reputation as an extremely powerful mage whose power often swirled in their blazing blue eyes and caused their curly raven black hair to dance about their head. A fine boned hand ran through the dark locks as memories of a happy childhood flowed through a weary mind. The monarch was not the birth child of the former King and Queen, but was adopted as a toddler and the rite of heart magic was performed making the child part of the Royal family. The King and Queen had also given birth to a baby girl ten years after the adoption took place. It was known from a very early age that the youngest royal child would not be the future High Monarch, but a powerful healer for the realm. The Royal clan chamber had chosen the adopted child as Heir to the throne, but not the Monarch on High. Someday the monarch's mate would arrive and they would become the High Monarch and the current monarch would gladly co-rule. Chyitohk needed a great warrior and commander. A cunning diplomat. A brave and noble leader. Turning back to the wall of windows thoughts and dreams churned as wonderings of when their mate would come filled the Royal's mind. They held hope not only for the good of the country, but also for the love of a lifetime.
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Lady Knight Commander Keladry of Mindelan stood upon the great wall near the gatehouse looking over New Hope, the more fortified fort that had been built across the valley from the remains of Haven. She was proud of what she had helped build. New Hope wasn't a refugee camp any longer, but a fief. Kel knew she could have become the Baroness of the fiefdom, but didn't feel it was the right task for her. It simply didn't feel like the right fit. She had only been a Knight for a little over a year and wasn't even 20 yet. The young commander had spoken with Fanche, the headwoman of New Hope and a good friend. Fanche had told Kel that although they would miss her, that Kel should follow her heart and her destiny. The older woman said the Protector of the Small had more in store for her than the care of a small border fief and the knight was too young to settle just yet, Kel should enjoy her adventures and see where they took her.
Keladry had been ordered by Fanche to write and let her and Kel's New Hope family know she was okay. The knight had easily promised to do so. Domitan of Masbolle had been given the Baronship of New Hope. He was a younger son and wouldn't inherit any other titles and the soldier had also played a part in the building and protecting of Haven and New Hope.
It had been four months since the final battle against Maggur. The battle took place not too long after Blayce and Stenmun had been killed and the killing machines had fallen dead. Not long after that the rest of Scanra found out that Maggur had been killing Scanran children to make the war devices using the vile magic of necromancy. A few of the coerced leaders had kidnapped and broken one of Maggur's loyal soldiers and found out where their families were being held. The clan chiefs united saving their families before turning against Maggur. Maggur and a little over 1000 of his loyalists attacked the newly built New Hope in retaliation for Keladry bringing his reign of terror to an end. Keladry along with 100 of the King's Own, 100 convict soldiers, and the refugees of New Hope fought together under the Lady Knight's leadership. Kel kept chipping away at the larger army until Maggur was down to only 200 soldiers and he challenged the Lady Knight Commander to personal one on one combat and swore a blood oath that win or lose the current battle would end. Kel didn't want any more of her people to die and wanted the fight to end. Her reinforcements were still too far away from New Hope to be able to truly help her and her people in time. Keladry also knew that if she could kill the former King that not only would the battle be over, but so would the war.
Maggur had been confident he could beat the younger, smaller, and less experienced female warrior. Maggur fought with axe and sword, Kel with glaive and sword. The fight had been fierce with both warriors sustaining several wounds, but Kel won the day beheading King Maggot with Griffin the sword gifted to her by Alanna. After Maggar's defeat the remaining enemy soldiers fled not even bothering to retrieve their dead leader.
Now Kel smiled as she looked out at the homes and other buildings being built outside of the fort walls. The border between Scanra and Tortall was now safer than it had been in many generations and with the peace treaty signed along with trade being opened up between the two countries it looked to stay that way for a good long time. Northern Tortall looked to one day be as prosperous as the southern part of the country.
Unfortunately, Dom had been injured in the final battle in such a way that it would keep him out of the King's Own, however not so badly that he could not ride with and command the convict soldiers who would remain at New Hope to help protect the area from raiders displaced by the war.
Sir Merric would also be leaving with Kel the following morning along with the last squad of the King's Own led by the newly promoted Sargent Wolset. Merric and Wolset both came up to stand with the Lady Knight as they watched as things were readied for their parties early morning departure the following day.
"You ready for your hero's welcome in Corus Kel? That bard who was part of the group we rescued and was also here when you killed Maggur has made quite a name for himself as well as a tidy sum with his first hand stories of the heroics of the Protector of the Small." Merric teased.
"Everyone across Tortall knows you was the one to kill Blayce and Stenmun Kinslayer stopping the killin' devices. They also know who fought off a thousand Scanran soldiers with only 300 people and only 100 of them trained King's men and that you fought a death duel with King Maggot himself severing his ugly head from his body. You're the big hero of the war, the People's Champion. We get perks cause we are your soldiers." Wolset lifted his eyebrows up and down at that. "I plan on lettin' plenty of women know I was under your command. The ladies will be all over my fine self."
Kel groaned. "I dread it and if I run into our bard friend I will toss him off the Palace walls."
Merric clapped her on the shoulder. "It won't help. The tales of the Protector of the Small have now taken on a life of their own."
The female warrior groaned again, she knew her friend spoke truth. If she was going to become a famous knight how come she was stuck with the title Protector of the Small? Why not something mighty like The Lioness or The Giantkiller. Kel also wasn't all that comfortable with the attention, but the tales of her deeds should prove to the conservatives of Tortall that women could become just as powerful Knights and warriors as men could.
Tobe and Irnai could be seen in the distance enjoying their remaining time with the friends they had made at New Hope. Kel had taken to the young seer girl just as she had to Tobe and the two children got on together very well. Tobe was around eleven now and Irnai was eight so their age difference wasn't so far apart that they wouldn't be able to play together well. Kel's little family group had also grown by a kitten. A few weeks earlier the marmalade cat that had helped her defeat Stenmun had brought her a scruffy little short haired kitten that looked to have a bit of fur the color of just about every shade cats usually came in. The kitten was only about five weeks old when the older cat brought it to her and its tail was already crooked. Kel had found out from Fanche that the kitten was the runt of a litter from a cat that had wandered off into the woods and hadn't returned. The other four kittens in the litter were much larger, solid in color, and more even tempered. They had been snatched up right away by a few of the families who had recently built homes outside the walls near the village that was rapidly growing up around the former fort. The runt had stuck close to the marmalade cat and would hiss at anyone who tried to pick it up. Kel thought the little thing adorable and when she had bent to pick it up from where the large cat had placed it at her feet the little scamp began to purr, securing its place in her little family. The kitten was named Mingle by Tobe and Irnai and got on famously with the two children as well as Jump, Hoshi, the sparrows, and especially Peachblossom. The kitten loved to give Neal as hard a time as the stubborn horse did. Kel, the two children, and her animals would all be traveling back to Corus together where Kel would find out what next the King of Tortall needed of her.
PS/PS/PS/PS/PS
This is my first attempt at writing for this fandom. I hope you like. This story will eventually be femslash so if that offends you then don't continue reading further chapters. I love feedback, but not flames so please keep those to yourselves. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Please drop me a review in the box below and let me know what you think. Until Next Time…Holly