A/N: Hi all, sorry it's been a while. I was struck with a minor version of writers block and finals for college. I will (hopefully) be updating more frequently now that I don't have any classes to worry about. This is pretty thrown together, and it came to me in the torrential downpour that hit my house last night at about 2am. The only thing that belongs to me from this is my little plot bunny.

I feel like I may be neglecting many of the plot points in the original squire, but this is more about what other people discover about Kel, rather than what a lot of people already know about her from the books. I'll probably focus less on her duties as a squire than I should, but I will mention them. I'm trying to stay close to what Kel and everyone else's personalities would be, but not the original story line of the books. ~


Kel liked the rain.

It was soothing to her. Calming. Cleansing. Whenever she had a chance, she would listen to the rain. If it was cold out, she would look for the University greenhouses, or the stable lofts of the palace. If it was summer, she would seek shelter in the forest, or in her rooms with the window open.

Sometimes, though, she wouldn't seek shelter at all. If it was warm out, she might decide to take to the pastures, or the stables, or simply lay on top of the curtain wall and feel the rain falling. Common lore said the rains came down when the Great Mother was weeping, but she thought differently. Personally, Kel believed that rain was a cleansing gift from the the Mother. It was a chance to forget, forgive, and grow. For nature to blossom it needed a blessing of rain. For a slate to be washed clean, it needed rain.

Unknown to Kel though, all of her friends were under the impression that Kel hated the rain, or was afraid of storms. It wasn't a ridiculous assumption. She would always disappear during the storms and reappear much later after they were finished without saying a word. Popular among her Page friends was the suggestion that she went somewhere concealed and noisy like the loom-houses or indoor practice courts. They had all left off mentioning it because it was something Kel herself never brought up.

During their rides as pages, whenever it would rain, the Yamani mask would come up. They thought it was to hide her dislike of the conditions, but she really just didn't want to be singled out for being the only happy one in the middle of a storm. She had learned that lesson early on in the Isles. Nobody else liked the rain, and if you were happy when they were miserable, they would attempt to make you just as unhappy as they were. Yuki had hated being out in the rain as a child, Kel remembered fondly.

When not on duty though, Kel had a tendency to forget where she was when it started to rain. If the fancy struck, she would go to the nearest bit of open air, and just let it fall on her. Raoul had though she was a madwoman when she had switched someone for sentry duty in the rain when the King's Own was out helping the mudslide victims. When he asked her about it, she simply smiled at him.

"It's really not bad, milord."

"If you're a glutton for punishment, I'm not going to stop you from sitting miserably in the rain if you want to."

"No sir, thank you sir. If I can't do carpentry, which is all that is left now, I have to do something other than weapons practice, milord. I need to run now, my shift starts in ten minutes."

"Please don't drown squire, I'd hate to have to train up another one so soon," he called at her retreating back.

"Yes, milord," She called over her shoulder. Raoul wandered over to the nearest group of men to see what they were working on. As he inspected their carpentry work, he commented to Dom,

"That girl is plan starkers. Do you know that she actually volunteered for sentry duty out in this rain?"

"Kel? I though she didn't like the rain."

"Where on earth did you hear that? She looked positively gleeful. Well... gleeful for Kel at least. I tell you. Crazy."

"Neal mentioned it in a few of his letters."

"How on earth did he come to that conclusion?"

"I'm not sure milord, but I think it may have to do with Duke Baird dropping him on his head as a child, and the healing addling his brains." Raoul just laughed as he moved on to look at other's work.


Today as Kel was on her way down into the lower city, she could tell that there was a torrential downpour on the way to Corus. It was visible in the western sky as a massive thunderhead with rain obscuring the view of everything beyond. She could see the occasional distant lightning strike, and hear the mutterings of all those around her who were not looking forward to when that finally reached Corus. It was inching ever closer, and a storm in Corus seemed inevitable.

The lower city was disgusting the day after a hard rain. All of the normally dusty streets transformed into pure mud, and a wet, rotting odor pervaded the streets the next day. Trash gathered in the water washing through the gutters and sewers. It was like taking a walking tour through the coat of a dog who rolled in last week's lunch. Needless to say, not many of the city folks were happy about the potential drenching, though they were all quite used to it. Spring was a rainy season.

It was the middle of April by now, and Kel was out in the yards behind the Guardhouse once again. Through the winter she had continued to come to the guards when she was in Corus. There, she would look for occasional sparring and the general escape from her mad life. Starting about 3 weeks after she started coming down, Kel had begged and begged to learn the heavy baton.

They kept saying no, until about a month ago Doran, the house captain, finally relented and let her join the recruiting class in their baton lessons. He would grumble and call it a 'future investment,' though Kel had assured him she wouldn't join the guards when she was old enough.

Doran had asked if she would join when Kel first inquired about the lessons. Then he had taken to bothering her about it. Kel just laughed and always answered, "No sir, I don't think its a good option for me right now."

The first time she told him that, he had cocked his head in the manner of a curious bird. Kel just gave a wry smile and said, "Well, I've gotten my family into enough trouble with my learning to fight in the first place. My latest 'scandal' hasn't yet left the lips of my still aggrieved Great-Aunt Marea, and I would rather prefer not to anger her any more. She rules the clan with an iron fist, and can make my life plenty miserable. I may yet go for the riders, but I believe the "Guarding-Common-Street-Folk-From-Those-Who-Pick-Pockets-And-Start-Brawls" title would simply lead to my humiliation, disownment, and subsequent hazing from everyone I call family. My learning to fight is enough." Kel added a muttered "for now," but she wasn't sure Doran picked up on it.

He just grinned at her, and replied, "When you agree to join the guard as you come of age, I will teach you how to use our signature baton. Until then, you are just going to have to find something to change my mind. Can't have a new rogue out there with baton skills." He grinned as he said it, and Kel had though he was joking at the time. The idea of her as a rogue was quite laughable. She wasn't aware that she cut a rather fearsome figure to those at the guardhouse.

Kel had grown to about 5 feet 9 inches, and her 15th birthday was rapidly approaching. She was slender and muscled, with a few interesting scars across her body. Her face rarely gave away her feelings. Her hair, once only earlobe length had grown long enough for a small tail. Nobody really knew where she was from or who she was. They had gotten a sense that she had seen true fighting from her style.

A younger daughter of a traveling merchant family was the biggest contender in her origins, but that left a few questions unanswered, like where she had seen true combat. Daughter of the current rogue Calum the Ear was under consideration, but that was also under question because she seemed so innocent about the ways of Corus a lot of the time.

Kel hadn't explained who she was, liking the temporary anonymity. She knew it would come to an end eventually, but she would enjoy herself for now. If anyone asked, she would throw them a ridiculous lie. She ranged them from the daughter of the Lioness, a runaway Shang, child of players, the girl squire, and Protector of the Small. She didn't know where that last ridiculous name had come from, but it certainly wasn't her doing.

All she had done was help some local girls out. Teach them self defense, find them jobs and that sort of thing. She now realized that Doran hadn't entirely been joking when he made that rogue comment, and she wondered what had made him change his mind about the baton lessons.


Flash to a month ago, Guardhouse

Doran, out of sheer curiosity, and a little wariness, followed Kel one day after she left the watch-house. He didn't think she was dangerous, and was close to caving on the baton lessons. However, he just wanted assurance that she really wasn't a hidden daughter of the Rogue, or someone equally dangerous.

It would be something the wily rogue would get up to. He hadn't been named The Ear for nothing. He heard things he had no business hearing, and as of yet, the law still had no clue how it happened. Even in rooms warded by magic, the news often got out to him quickly. Curiously, he dogged her steps to a well-known dress shop in Midtown, one of the nice shopping district not far from his guardhouse.

He watched from the antiques and knick-knack shop across the street as Kel talked animatedly with a woman and girl in the shop for about 5 minutes before giving them both a hug, and the older woman a kiss on the cheek. She headed out the door and towards the main market.

Doran wandered to the keeper of the shop he was in, a stout older woman who looked as though she had been working in a dust factory. She had smudges up and down her face, but otherwise was put together. Her shop was tidy, though extremely dusty. He did know however that she was a gossip of the highest caliber.

"Mistress Curian, what do you know about the girl who works across the street in the dress shop?"

"That would be Lalasa Isran. It's actually her shop over there. She's a new dressmaker in the district. Very young too. Only about 19 I'd guess. I think she worked at the palace before coming down here, but I'm not sure about that. Some kindly noble lady was her benefactor, and gave her the money to start her shop. I do know that recently a lot more noble ladies have been coming down here for dresses though. Her work is beautiful."

"My thanks," Doran said, passing over a couple silver crescents, "Is there anything else you can think of?"

"Well, " she thought for a moment, glancing at her counter, "Oh!" She exclaimed, handing doran a small card from a stack, "In her spare time though, she teaches a class for young ladies about how to defend yourself from unwanted advances. It's quite popular, bless her heart. And very much needed. I think some of the priestesses for the Goddess have talked to her about it as well. Because of that also, she's become quite well known to many of the young ladies of the city, bless her heart."

Glancing down, Doran read the card:

Ladies' Self Defense

Weekday Evenings, 5-6

34 Canal Street Park

All welcome, free of charge.

Lalasa Isran, Instructor

"Thank you milday, you've been a great help." And with that, he walked out of the shop he was in and across the street.

"Good day to you, young lady." Straightening up, he began formally, clearing his throat. "Ms. Isran, may I ask you a few blunt questions? I'm an old man with not much time for dancing around the subject."

"Of course, Guardsman. I'll do what I can to help you with anything you need."

"What do you know about Keladry, the girl who was just here?"

"Milday is wonderful. Hard on clothes, but you'll never find a better soul. She helped to set me up with my shop you know. And she helped little Leifa here. And she taught me how to defend myself against a man I didn't want. I owe her everything I have, and I won't forget it for a day. She isn't in trouble, is she? Is there anything I can do to help? She hasn't done anything you know. Why are you ask-"

"Calm yourself, mistress," Doran said gently, "Keladry is not in any trouble. Do you know where she learned to fight like that?"

"Oh, please sir, Lalasa is fine." Straightening up, now that she knew Kel wasn't in trouble she continued, "She told me that she learned most of it in the Yamani Isles, when she stayed there as a child, Master Guardsman. Sir."

"The Isles? That would explain a lot, I guess." Thoughtfully, he turned to her once more, and watched her face intently as he asked, "She isn't involved with the Rogue that you know of? She asked if she could participate in the baton lessons, and I don't really have a good reason not to, other than she may be a spy for the Rogue. It wouldn't be the last time they tried to infiltrate my guardhouse."

Lalasa gaped at him for a moment before beginning to giggle. She had a minute of full blown laughter, before she responded breathlessly, "Sir, I think milday would be the last person you could expect to be attached to any rogue, let alone The Rogue. She has saved me more than once, and this little one," she said pointing at Leifa, who was working busily in the corner, "was a pickpocket before lady Kel stepped in and dragged her, quite literally, out out of that life."

"Thank you, mistress. I know my sources in the court of the rogue hadn't even seen her before, but it doesn't hurt to be sure. What do you think she'll do with those lessons if given them?"

"Lady Kel? She probably just wants to know out of curiosity. I'm guessing it's a weapon she hasn't really used before, and probably one of the only ones she doesn't own herself. I know she's capable of defending herself without it." Doran smiled at that, knowing how true it was. Kel pestered him relentlessly about learning, and he knew she sometimes watched the lessons even if she didn't take part. He turned to look around the shop, but one more thing came to mind and he turned back to Lalasa.

"Would you do me a favor mistress? Could you not tell her I stopped by. I quite like her, and I don't think she would be too happy with me if she knew I followed her here. I haven't said a word of this to Keladry, but if you didn't either I would be much obliged."

"Perhaps. I owe everything I have here to her. She even took my case up with the magistrate and gave me the money won to start a shop here. But if you think it would make her unhappy, I'll think about it."

"My thanks, Lalasa. Now, onto other matters, how much would it cost to commission a dress for each of my granddaughters? I have four of them, and birthdays are calling my name. I hear you're one of the best in the city."

Only later did he realize how little he had learned from Lalasa.


Real Time, for Kel

Nearing the middle of March, Doran unexpectedly gave in to her about lessons, and she gratefully (and immediately) accepted. Finally, Kel was learning to use the heavy batons of the guard. Unsure of what convinced him to change his mind, she just gave him a smile, a bow, and her thanks.

Now, out training with the recruits, Kel found her mind wandering. Even with only attending about a quarter of the lessons, she could still keep up with most of the trainees without a problem.

She was, however unaccustomed to the odd weight of the weapon. Kel supposed it was rather like fighting with a cudgel or yamani bamboo sticks. It was more of a brute force weapon, but would hold up against almost anything someone would have on the streets of Corus. However, when she and her practice partner Camara, a trainee of the guard, heard the telltale rumblings of a distant thunder, the trainer began to wrap up the practice.

"Everybody in. I won't have my kiddies catching pneumonia in this downpour. We're doing memory work for the rest of the afternoon."

As the trainees took all of the Batons back to the shed to put away, Kel sat on the back fence and lost herself in thought.

She was eventually tossed in with the recruits once Doran relented. Kel was quickly catching on, though she wasn't able to practice with the baton nearly as much as the actual recruits. All of the guards were at least two years older than Kel since the minimum age for a trainee was 15. However, she had quickly earned their respect when she had displayed fighting knowledge beyond many of the younger guards, if not those seasoned on the streets. Kel was certain the older ones could take her out with those batons as fast as she could unseat them in a joust.

Idly, Kel wondered if she could convince any of them to teach her more than self defense with the knives she had spied on nearly every guard. They had some basic knife defense training because that was one of the weapons of choice on the street, but Kel's overwhelming curiosity was (once again) getting the best of her. That was one thing she had given up almost completely from the Isles, and she knew one day it may see her gutted if she didn't at least refresh herself on the basics. She had taken to carrying a few on her at all times, since she was spending a lot more time in the lower city now. Openly wearing a sword wasn't her best option, so she opted for knives.

As she lost herself in thought, the first raindrop struck her cheek. She glanced around her, and noted that all but one of the trainees were inside. Kel hastily put up her own baton, and followed them inside. She watched the setup for all of the indoors lessons, and grimaced at the thought. If she had to choose between lessons and the rain there was no contest.

She waved at Doran and Camara and then wandered out onto the streets of Corus just as the rain was becoming more than a drizzle. Thankfully it was a warmer day in April, or Kel would be vying with pneumonia herself until Neal got his hands on her. If that happened there would be hell to pay for being outside though. He was becoming more of a tyrant-healer than he used to be, after traveling with The Lioness for nearly a year.

Now that she was thinking about it, Kel realized that she had never been in Corus during rain. The city was usually a hurlyburly mess this time of day. It definitely had been crowded on the streets as she was walking down here. During the storm though, there was peace.

There were only a few people in the streets, and they were hurrying to get where they needed to be. For nearly an hour, Kel wandered about the lower city just reveling in the rain on her skin. It was when a gust came in with the rain that she started to get cold. Orienting herself, Kel picked up the pace to warm up and made for the palace. She idly thought 'At least I'm starting to learn my way around the city. I'm rarely lost anymore which is wonderful.'

As she entered the area for the kitchens, she ran into an unexpected body that came hurtling around a blind corner.

Quite literally ran into.

Blushing and steadying herself on the wall, she glanced up into the very familiar face of Neal.

"Neal! You're back," Kel practically flew over to him and gave him a hug. A dripping hug, but one he returned enthusiastically. Until he realized that the cold he felt wasn't just in his head, and was actually a product of her dripping clothes turning him into a human-sized towel.

"Great Mithros and the Bright Lady! Are you all right Kel?" asked Neal, as he pulled back and looked at her in distress. He took in her appearance which was rather akin to a drowned rat with a beaming smile.

"Of course I'm fine, Neal. What's gotten into you?" Kel asked, puzzled. He just looked at her like she was a moron and Kel remembered her state of dress.

"Right. I'm soaked. Sorry about that." She blushed harder as she realized her clothes were far from presentable.

"What do you mean you're fine?" He asked, now bordering on hysteria, "You're soaked to the bone and just got in from a torrential downpour? Even I wouldn't be fine in this!" His vibrant green gift streaked from his fingers, as he assured himself that she was all right. Kel scowled at him as he worked and said,

"Neal, I'm perfectly fine. It's lovely out. I just walked up from the lower city. I love the rain."

"You love the rain?" Neal squeaked, "When did this happen?"

"Where do you think I go whenever it's storming? I'm certainly not hiding out with you ladies. I've always loved the rain." She just grinned at him and with that, she wandered off, leaving a stupefied Neal in her wake. She called back to him that she would find him after a hot bath.

He was now very glad the group had never mentioned their suspicions to Kel. Feeling the fool, he walked off in the direction he came from.

Kel nearly smacked herself after walking away. "He must think I'm a complete idiot now. I'm drenched. And I threw myself at him." She continued ranting in her head. 'And I still have that blasted crust. At least I'm able to talk to him now. Mithros. He must be almost 20 by now.'


The next day, it was still raining and Kel was headed up to the curtain wall to lay out for a while on her back. On the way up, she ran into Neal.

"Kel! Just the girl I was looking for. Where are you headed?"

"The curtain wall."

"Kel, you are aware that once again, there is a downpour?"

"That is the point, Meathead." Neal grimaced, as his childhood nickname was brought up. "They do have lightning rods for a reason. The mages made it perfectly safe. The guards have to be up there in all conditions. They're not about to let them get struck by lightning. Though the needle does get hit quite often. You couldn't get me up there again for love or money. Not even on the inside." She shuddered, and Neal quickly changed the subject.

"I'm never going to be free of that blasted name am I?"

"Kel just grinned at him. Nope. Think of it as a term of endearment."

"Are you sure about that? I'm not sure I'd want my wife calling me that," He joked. Kel's stomach flipped once again as he mentioned a wife, but she just laughed it off and said, "Then it's a good think we aren't married isn't it, meathead." With that, she flounced off toward the curtain wall. He quickly caught up with her, and they walked in a happy silence the rest of the way up to the wall.

As they neared the door onto the wall, the noise of rain drumming was becoming more and more pronounced. Pausing at the open door, Neal glanced back at Kel.

"Are you certain this is a good idea? I don't know what kind of wind we're talking about here. And if you fall, nobody will ever forgive me. Especially your mother. And the queen. And your sisters. And my sisters. And Buri too I bet. And Raoul would furious. And so would my lovely Knight-mistress. You have a lot of people who love you. You know that right? I'm not sure I want all of them angry at me. Just one of them angry would be bad enough. And our year mates wou- oof what was that for?"

Kel had shoved him through the open doorway and out onto the wall. They were both approaching the soaked point. Ignoring all of this, Kel gave Neal another shove and said,

"Just walk, you ninny. Haven't you done this before?"

"Nope. I wasn't really ever going to either."

"Well then, let's go," Kel said, and dragged him after her by the hand. She ignored the tingling sensation that went up to her elbows. Blessing of the Goddess indeed.


A/N: Once again, I hope you like it. ~Kaia