I dont own TP's characters, only Collun. And dont kill me, because nothing here is accurate. Also, feedback would be very nice! please?!

-Last Battle-

*******

Daine stood on the battlements, breathing the fresh air. The view showed a war ravaged plain still being cleared of debris. She shivered, not from fear, but from a hatred of killing.

A long hand patted her shoulder. Daine turned and smiled up into the kind eyes of Numair. She took his hand. Together, they stood against the low stone wall and surveyed the gruesome scene before them.

"Some things are terrible, aren't they?" Numair said softly.

Daine, silent for a moment, squeezed his palm. "Tis a great shame that so many had to die." She winced, remembering the rancid touch of the Queen of Chaos. "But not for simple reasons, at least. Anyway, back to work!"

~~~~~


Six months after the Immortals War, they were still cleaning up the area and the hiding rebels around the Legann Fort. Fourteen-year-old Princess Kalasin climbed down from the staircase leading to the storage room, relieved of a full tray of stew, bread, juice, and sweetcakes for the workers there. All she had now, Kally thought with a sigh, was a large and bulky skin of unneeded water than Onua had given her from the top floor! She turned the corner and nearly whacked her best friend Collun down the flight of stairs.

"Easy now!" he cried. He brushed spiders and their webs out of his straight brown hair. Balancing the load with one arm, a blushing Kally gave him a hand up from the dusty stone steps. As their hands touched, Collun felt his face slowly heat up, and Kally had to catch her breath suddenly.

Heart pounding, he said "Here, let me help you with that thing." Once standing, the tall second-year squire took the heavy burden from her. Grateful for his help, she took the pile of clean sheets he carried in return. They trudged down the steps silently, each trying not to trip on the other.

At the bottom of the steps, Collun announced, "Well, our paths split here." He fidgited with the waterskin, and finally placed it in her waiting arms. Hesitating, an odd look in his hazel eyes, he then leaned over and kissed her softly.
Surprised but absolutely happy, Kally's mind suddenly flashed back to before the war, when Collun had to go to fight with his knight-master.

Awkwardly, he approached her. "Kally?" He swallowed, extremely nervous. "Next week, we're leaving and...can you...please...could I have a token? I need all the luck I can get..." he trailed off.

Surprised, Kally stood up from combing her horse and went dirt-streaked to her rooms. Digging through her drawer, filled with leather boots, gloves, and other un-princessy items (while an amused Collun) until she produced a gauzy blue scarf. She tied it traditionally above his elbow.

"Silly boy, there you go! With my love," she had added teasingly.
But when he left four days later, laden with weapons, she had wandered around with a tightness in her throat for days. And every day he was away from her, Collun gained courage from her simple token.

All that went by in a few seconds. Then she was back on the staircase in his arms, still holding that dratted waterskin. He stepped back, squeezed her hand, and fled with his sheets.

Taking the water to the kitchens, Kally blinked back tears. After all, she was a Princess, and couldn't rightly do what she wanted to at all. Even now her father was deliberating who to marry her off too. With a sob, she ran to her rooms.

An hour later, she and her father returned to the King's fort, a few miles away.

Collun watched her go from the window. As the group of riders moved away, he could see her upturned face looking at him on the rock wall.

I love you, she mouthed.

I love you too, and always have, and always will, he whispered back.


~~~~~

Collun hid in his room the rest of the day. Staring out the window at twilight, he tried unsucessfully to restrain the tears of sorrow. Kal was a princess, he had no hope or chance. True, his family held a large Holding, but that could in no way compete with a crown Prince.

Finally, his knight master Landeon dragged him out of the room and deposited him on the walls. "Get some fresh air, it will help you." Smiling sympathetically, his master patted him on the shoulder.

So because of his forced location, the bird that was Daine the Wildmage flew directly to him and said humanly, "The King's Fort is under rebel attack! We have to help!"

Weak kneed, Collun ran into the Hall where the people were feasting to deliver the news.


~~~~~

Five minutes later, both Collun and Daine were on horseback among the avaliable soldiers. In the distance, the hazy glow of enemy fires shone against the twilight. Sarge, who led the small makeshift army, bellowed a command and they charged their mounts towards the stone structure. Archers aided them from above the wall, but the meager amount of arrows did not leave a mark in the pulsing tide of enemies. With a clash of metal and amid furious shouts, the small army met battle on the ground for the first time since the Immortal's War.

The reek of hot blood was in his nose, and his pulse throbbed in Collun's ears. He struck automatically like a machine over and over again with the fear tightening his chest. His horse's gasping breath echoed his own as the skirmish wore on...and on... The emptiness in his mind even blocked out the thoughts of pain as his mind screamed his beloved's name over and over.

A shriek split the air. Stormwings, unnoticed, had swept into a castle tower and dragged Princess Kalasin aloft over the sea of bodies. The girl's white shift glowed against the darkening twilight sky, dotted with stars. She twisted and screamed, but the Stormwing's grip was strong. WIth this turn of events, the enemy swiftly flowed away into the dark woods.

~~~~~

Collun stared up at the sky. He could feel his blood racing, aching to jump into action again. He couldn't even cry out her name, his throat was so dry. Wheeling his tired horse around, he watched and measured which direction they took Kal and where. He loved her with all his heart, and although he knew he would never be able to marry her, at least he could help save her now.

~~~~~

As soon as the gates were cleared enough to be opened, the king charged out on a black mare with a golden mane. He glared at the sky, as if it would tell him answers.

A squire shouted "They went over the woods!" The king turned and gave a tense nod of thanks to the boy with the brown hair.

The galloped to the head of the army, and raised his sword aloft. Tears streamed down Jonathan's face as he faced his army. Slowly, as if in a shocked stupor, they raised a great cheer until the roaring echoed from the mountains and the hills of Tortall.

Crashing through the woods, Daine warned all her forest-dwelling friends (who fought in the sky and ground) to clear the way. With a triumphant shout, Sarge burst into the clearing, the others close on his heels. The surprised enemy jumped up to the challenge.

With a cry of Kalasin the army surged forward.

~~~~~

Then they were retreating into the forest. Exhaustedly, Collun realized it was deep night, and they had been fighting for hours. The mass of bodies and burnt area of land was so vast, yet the small army had fought through and defeated the rebels.

"This way!" Sarge bellowed, riding hard towards the wooden fort. It creaked open slowly and a few soldiers stumbled out, their hands raised in submission. They were surrounded with soldiers as Jonathan and Numair surrounded the leaders. Sarge remained outside to torment the prisoners, and Collun could hear him bellowing even from her position.

Collun vaulted from his horse, and ran directly into the fort. Lifting a shaky hand, he called up his deep emerald Gift and Searched for Kally. Fear enveloped him until he located her in a storage shed near the center of the fort. Running there, he cut down her drunken guard and broke open the wooden door.

In the center of the room was Kalasin. Bound tightly to a huge barrel, she had valiently managed to drag herself and it halfway to the door. When she heard his footsteps run into the room, she looked up joyfully.

"Collun!" she cried. He ran to cut her bonds, taking care not to jostle her slashed arms where Stormwing talons had scored her skin. She tumbled into his arms and he held her tightly until the others found them.

~~~~~


Jonathan of Conte looked up, clearly shaken but calmer already. Sarge dismounted from his huge horse and Jonathan suddenly and thankfully hugged his old friend.

Daine gazed on, Numair at her side, and felt a deep pride for her home. Many others around her wiped watery eyes and cursed the "dust" as the king buried his face into Sarge's shoulder as the kindhearted Trainer comforted him.

Kalasin and Collun emerged from the wrecked fort, their hands clasped together. As they approached the riding party, Kally ran to her father. Collun stood nervously nearby while she embraced the King, until Jonathan gratefully gripped his hand in thanks. Jonathan then released his girl and gestured, smiling, for Collun to assist her. He threw her into the saddle and mounted his horse behind her. The shaken Kally leaned back gratefully on Collun. He tightened his hold on her white-clad waist, his lips against her long, sleek black hair which always seemed to escape its bonds.

Slowly and carefully, the tired group rode home.

~~~~~

Days later, Daine relaxed in a clearing, enjoying the simple forest sounds of scurrying creatures and wind through leaves. Seated on a fallen tree, soft with moss, she rested after the long week. Numair approached the area, she could hear his footsteps crunching through the autumn leaves.

Numair sat down heavily. "Well, what did Jon say about Collun and Kally? They already took the kingdom by storm."

"Well, thats quite interesting," Daine answered. "He was very...surprised...but he, with all of our help, realized that Kally was very very much in love, so he said that she was old enough to make her own choices. After all, they were best friends for years, ever since she fell in love with horses and she and Collun curried their mounts together."

"Also," Daine grinned, "the soft-hearted man 'claimed' that there was no country with a suitable match anyway."




~~~~~~~~~~~
i dont know people, should i write a sequel to this, or did it suck a lot? feedback?
i just got a bit tired of neal/kel stuff, although i usually love those!