"Oh, Keladry," he heard General Vanget call. "Just a moment, Keladry. There's someone I want to introduce you to." The woman who was being addressed turned around and made her way over to them. "Lady Knight Commander Keladry, I'd like you to meet Sir Cleon of Kennan."
Cleon had gone rigid at the first mention of her name. The woman standing in front of him was a vision. Her fine brown hair was chopped at her earlobes. She was taller and slimmer than he remembered. He could see curves that he didn't think she had had before. Her delicate nose remained unbroken and the freckles that dusted her cheeks were the same as ever. Her dreamy hazel eyes went wide with surprise before her Yamani mask of indifference slipped into place.
He heaved an internal sigh. Their last meeting hadn't been a happy one. She had been on her way to the Scanran border when he had sought her out. His fief had been ravaged by floods and he needed to marry quickly so his people wouldn't suffer. They would have to end their romance.
His heart was broken. He was being forced into a marriage to save his fief. He had always had the hope that he could talk his mother into letting him break the engagement that had been forged years before, but they had run out of time. His fiance was nice enough, pretty enough, but she wasn't Kel.
It was now years later and awkwardness still weighed on them like a winter cloak. He still loved her, but was married to another woman. She refused to become a mistress. Their conversations usually remained painfully polite. Letters had stopped being sent and news was no longer exchanged between the two. Word of the other only came through mutual friends now.
Cleon blamed himself for the loss of her friendship. If only he could have talked his mother around. If only he could have found the money to repair his fief some other way. If he was honest with himself, he hated himself for breaking her heart. If he knew that she could move on and be happy with someone else, he was sure he could do the same in time.
"I imagine you probably met in page training, but I just wanted to reintroduce you to each other before you're sent back to New Hope," Vanget informed him. His voice drew him out from his thoughts. "Cleon is to be Merric's replacement when he leaves for the eastern border."
Kel smiled. "Is that so? New Hope will be glad to have you join us Cleon."
Well, this should be fun, he thought to himself then internally shook his head. Sarcasm was the lowest form of wit.