Tally Results: Read the story and find out...hahah, evil aren't I? Well, not really, because you will find out what the results are in this chapter...well, the result is actually spilling over into two chapters


Chapter Two

(LATER THAT NIGHT-at New Hope)

This couldn't be New Hope. 15 years of hard labor and the fact it is really late at night had messed with his sense of direction, surely! Dylan couldn't believe what he saw. There was now the peak of a castle showing over the fence. The walls extended out farther than he remembered. Rather than the log fence it was before, the camp was surrounded by stone, and had well made lanterns posted at intervals. The gate, which he was staring at, showed much more time and skill put into it than the old one ever did.

"Can I help you sir? You seem lost" Dylan jumped at the voice, and then saw a guard standing nearby, a lantern in his hand.

"I must be lost" Dylan said "I'm looking for the refugee camp, New Hope. Can you point me in the right direction?"

"Of course sir" the guard said.

"Thanks."

The guard pointed through the open gate "It's not a refugee camp anymore. It was made a fiefdom with a surrounding town almost 15 years ago."

"Really? Does Lady Keledry still run it?"

"She's Baroness, and her husband is Baron, as well as a Captain of the Third Company of the King's Own."

"What about girls? Is there a set of triplets that live here?" Dylan asked "They have gray-blue eyes, they'd be a little over fifteen?"

"You must be talking about Kaiya, Carly, and Kirsten."

"Yes! Are they here?"

"Yes sir, but not for too much longer" the guard said "The whole family is heading up to the capital soon. Kaiya and Tobe had to get back to training with the Riders, The Baroness and Baron have two daughters in page training and they have to leave soon to get the girls there on time, and both Kirsten and Carly had to get back to training with their knight-masters."

"Who are their knight masters?"

"Kirsten is training with Lady Alanna" the guard said "Carly is being trained by Lord Raoul."

"Can I see them? Do I have to talk to lady Keledry first, or-"

"You can just walk up to the castle and knock on the door. A servant will find the Baron or Baroness and bring them to talk to you. But Baroness Keledry, Baron Domitan, their son Tobe, and their daughter Kaiya, who you have apparently heard about, just got back from Mastiff about three hours ago, so I would suggest you wait until morning. There are a few Inns that let you have your first night and breakfast for free. My shift is almost over, if you want to wait just inside the gate for me, I'd be happy to show you one."

"Thanks."

As Dylan walked trough the gate and on to streets made of stone, he couldn't help but think


The girls were the last ones to leave their room the next morning. Right before they walked downstairs, they could peer into the dinning hall. Kel and Anders seemed to be arguing about something-Anders was frowning, and had his arms crossed while looking at his sister, Kel was violently shaking her head.

"I wonder what Kel is saying no to?" Kirsten said quietly.

"How can you hear her this far away?"

"I can't."

"Then how do you know what they are saying?"

Kirsten answered Kaiya's question without even looking at her "I can read lips."

"Since when?"

"Since George taught me while Alanna was off yelling at Jon for something he did last Midwinter...I can't remember what it was."

"He was making her go to the first ball." Kaiya and Kirsten stared at Carly.

"How-" Kaiya began.

"He made Raoul go too, and he mentioned it-some would say he complained-to me."

"Come on, let's get down to breakfast, I'm starving" Kaiya said.

"Your always starving" Carly said as they headed down the stairs.

When they arrived, Kel and Dom's two daughters, 13-year old Ilane and 10-year old Lalasa, were talking...well, Ilane was talking, Lalasa looked nervous. Dom was lecturing their seven-ear old son, Cleon, while their 3-year old son, Piers, was in tears. Tobe and Loey were catching up over breakfast. Baby Treyvan was wiggling around in Tobe's arms, and Tobe was feeding him.

"Bonding with your son Tobe?"

Kel and Anders stopped arguing. Dom look up at the girls as they walked in.

"Dad, you're actually lecturing someone other than us?" Carly asked

"Funny, very funny" Dom said.

"What did you do Cleon?" Kirsten said, her hands found their way to her hips.

"Nothing"

"He-he-he hit m-me" Piers wailed.

Kirsten walked over and picked him up, trying to comfort him. She turned back to Piers "Hitting Piers is nothing huh? Don't you remember when we were nine and you were two, when Kaiya use to pick on you?"

"Hey! Carly did it too!"

"But you always started it" Carly said.

"So? What's your point?" Kaiya asked.

Carly rolled her eyes, Kirsten turned back to Cleon "Did you like it when Kaiya and Carly picked on you?"

"No."

"I didn't think so. Now apologize to Piers, then sit down and eat your breakfast."

Cleon mumbled an apology, then went to the table and sat down

"I thought I was their mother" Kel said.

"You are, but you looked like you were having an important conversation with Uncle Anders, so I helped out."

Anders and Kel shared a glance "It wasn't anything important" Kel said.

"Hey Kel, how was the Stump...I mean Lord the Stump" Carly asked.

"I told you that you are spending too much time with Neal."

"Hey, at least my nickname is respectful" Carly said "I added a 'Lord' to it."

Kel rolled her eyes "That makes it so much better."

"Yes, yes it does."

"On to a topic besides Carly's logic that is...interesting yet completely twisted beyond comprehension-" Kaiya said.

"Hey! What is that suppose to mean?"

"It means she thinks you are insane, but she is the only one"

"You don't think I'm insane? Thanks!"

"I have known you were insane since we were five"

"Hey!"

Kaiya ignored her sisters argument "What are you doing today mom?"

"One of the guards told me there were some complaints from multiple Inns and Taverns late last night, saying that they saw some teenage boys running through the streets, and a few complained about damage done" Kel said.

"Oh right" Kaiya said "The ones who managed to get away from the guards right?"

Kel nodded "I want to try to figure out who it was, and if I can, I plan to have a word with the boys. So, I'm going to be going around to all the Inns and Taverns, trying to get information."

"I'll join you" Anders said "Then we can continue our conversation"

"What about you dad?" Kirsten asked.

"I have a lot of paperwork to do for the Own, but I'm going to stall on that. I think I'll join your mother and uncle in the town"

"Wait, Loey and I wanted to have our traditional day together that we have every time I come home from a job with the Riders. We were hoping one of you would watch Treyvan."

"Dom and I were hoping you would watch Ilane, Lalasa, Cleon, and Piers today, Tobe" Kel said "We both have a lot of paperwork to do, and it would be easier if we didn't have to keep dealing with the kids"

"Mama, I'm thirteen, not only am I way above the age of needing a baby-sitter, I'm old enough to be one. Let me watch them."

"I don't know Ilane."

"Why not? You don't trust me?"

"Of course we trust you" Dom said "But you never had any experience baby-sitting before, and we didn't let the triplets baby-sit you without Tobe around to help them if they need it. It wouldn't be fair if they had to do it that way, and your first job was by yourself"

"What about the three of us?" Carly asked "We have nothing to do. We can stay around the house and if Ilane needs help, we can be here to help her out, but she will still be the technical baby-sitter."

Dom looked at Kel "What do you think?"

"I think it could work" Kel said.

"So do I" Ilane said "By the way, if I have to watch Lalasa, Piers, Cleon, and Treyvan, I am charging a grand total one noble per hour"

"You are doing it for free" Dom said.

"Aw...come on dad!"

"This job is your sister, your brothers, and your nephew. Family baby-sitting is free."

"But dad!"

"You do it for free, or you be bay-sat, those are your options."

"Fine, I'll take what I can get in the way of experience."

"Good choice" Kaiya said "Because Dad is serious about making you be baby-sat."

"Believe us, we know from experience."


(One hour later)

Kel, Dom, and Anders walked into an Inn called the Griffin's Eye.

"Baroness Keledry, Baron Domitan. It is wonderful to see you" a plump, cheery woman came over to greet them.

"Good morning Hannah" Kel said.

The woman curtsied.

"Hannah, this is my older brother, Anders. Anders, this is Hannah Summers, she and her husband own this tavern."

"What brings you here Baroness Keledry?" Hannah asked after curtsying to Anders.

"There were complaints last night about a few trouble-making teenagers, do you know anything about it?"

"Yes, I do" Hannah said "The boys ran in here not long after dark."

"Did you recognize any of them?"

"No, they all wore cloaks, and I never saw their faces. Frank ran them off quickly enough, but they gave poor Alice and Augusta a good scare."

"Can we talk to your daughters?"

"Of course" Hannah went to the kitchen, and returned with two younger girls. Kel knew they were 13 and 11.

"Hello girls" Kel said "I was hoping you wouldn't mid telling us what happened last night when the teenagers were running around."

The girls agreed, and sat down at a nearby table.


Dylan watched Kel, Dom, and a man he didn't know sit down with two girls he had learned were the innkeeper's daughters. A serving girl placed a plate in front of Dylan, and he thanked her before turning back to look at Kel. When the serving girl came back from the kitchen with a plate of food for another customer, he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Excuse me miss, but does the Baroness always come down to the local Inns?"

"She's here 'cause a complaint was made 'bout some trouble makers yesterday" the girl said "Some teenage prank that got out o' control. If you ask me, the prank should be ignored, but that's the Baroness for you. She takes them complaints seriously."

"Can you ask if she could come over here when she is done? I have met her, before she was a baroness, and I would love to catch up with her."

"I see if she can spare a few moment sir" the girl said. Dylan let her arm go, and after delivering the plate, she went over to Kel.


"Are you sure you two weren't hurt?" Kel asked.

"Yes ma'am, just scared" the oldest, Alice, said.

"And neither of you saw any faces?" Dom asked.

"No sir" Augusta said "Like mama said, they was all wearing cloaks and kept their faces hidden."

"I'm sorry to disturb you miss" a servant girl interrupted.

"Yes Vera?"

"There is a man who wants to see you. He says that he knew you before you were a Baroness, and he wants to catch up with you?"

"Who is he?"

"I don't know ma'am, he is sitting right there" Vera pointed to a man sitting a few tables away, by himself.

I'd know that hair anywhere. I have three girls at home with different shades of that hair.

"Tell him I'll be with him shortly" Kel said.

Vera bobbed a curtsy and left.


Kel, Dom, and Anders made it over to where Dylan was sitting.

"So, I hear it's Baroness Keledry now" Dylan said.

"I have you and your wife to thank for that. I heard Kaitlyn died, and for that, I am sorry."

"Thanks."

"You know Dom already, this is my oldest brother, Sir Anders."

Dylan looked at Kel's brother, then looked at his cane "What happened to your leg?"

"I was injured in the Immortals War" Anders said.

"Permanent injury?"

"Unfortunately."

"At least you left because you helped your country."

"What brings you to New Hope, Mr. Burns?" Kel asked.

"My daughters, what else? Where are they?"

"At the castle" Kel said "They are helping our oldest with her first baby-sitting job."

"When can I take them home?"

"As far as they are concerned, they are home."

"Your home is temporary, and you know it. You knew I would want them when I was released."

"The plan was that you wouldn't be released for another year."

"As my wife said on her death bed, plans change."

"The kings hasn't approved you worthy of having your children back. The law states that if a child or children are put in protective custody, it is up to the monarchy, in this case, King Jonathan and Queen Thayet, to decide if the birth parents are suitable for custody of their children."

"I have a home for them" Dylan snarled.

"But no income" Kel said "You have no way to support the girls, and with two in knight training and one as a Rider, you need money."

"They are my children!" Dylan yelled.

Several customers looked around at the sound of the noise.

Stone, I am an emotionless stone Kel thought. Dom rested a hand on her shoulder "Let's find somewhere private to talk."

Hannah led them to a small room back behind the kitchen. It was the cook's bedroom, but he allowed them to use it.

"Now where were we?" Kel asked "Right, you were yelling."

"Those girls belong to me."

"We adopted them" Kel said "We madde the adoption legal when they were two."

"I'll fight the damn adoption if I must. I swore to Kaitlyn before she died that I would have the girls with me. I am just trying to grant my wife's dying wish that her family would be together."

"The girls don't even know you exist" Dom said.

"And whose fault is that?" Dylan demanded "Not mine."

"If you and your wife hadn't committed treason, you would have never had been arrested, and you could have raised the girls yourselves" Dom said "Those girls are as much our daughters as our own girls are. We will not just hand them over to you."

"Ok, lets be reasonable about this" Kel said.

"How?" Dom and Dylan were too busy glaring at each other to look at Kel.

"Dylan, if you just go up to the girls and say you are their father, they will think you are crazy, because they believe Dom is their real father."

"So?"

"So give us a little while to get around to telling the girls about you, to explain things to them. Then, you can meet them-not take them away from us, but meet them."

"When will I get my daughters back?" Dylan demanded.

"When King Jonathan and Queen Thayet believe you have earned it" Kel said in a cold tone she didn't know she had.


(Back at the castle)

The triplets were in their room, packing. In two weeks, they would be heading to Tortall.

"So, after we are done here, do we want to go for a ride?" Carly asked

"Sounds like a good idea" Kirsten said

"I'm not sure" Kaiya said

"Why?" the two other girls asked

"I can't stop thinking about the letter Tobe and Kel were talking about. I want to find out about it, but I don't want to invade Kel's privacy and read her mail"

"Well, then there is nothing you can do"

"We can always eavesdrop" Kaiya said "One on Kel, one on Dom, and one on Tobe"

"I thought you didn't want to invade Kel's privacy" Kirsten said

"Not by reading her mail...eavesdropping is different" Kaiya said

"You and Carly have a sense of logic that amazes me" Kirsten said

"Thanks" Kaiya said "Now, who will watch who?"

"Whoever spies on Kel is going to be very sneaky. Remember last time we eavesdropped?"

Flashback 1

"Shush! do you want us to get caught?" Kaiya asked as the 9-year old triplets snuck up on Kel's study, where she was talking to Dom.

The three girls turned a corner and saw the door to Kel's office. It was slightly ajar, and they crawled over

"...worries me sometimes Dom. He isn't as young as he once was, and-what wih the heart-attack he had two months ago, he should be resting"

"Kel, your father is a strong, smart man, and he knows his limits" Dom said "Besides, do you think your mother would let him risk his health? Do you think he would risk his health? He promised the girls he would be their when they get knighted"

"But Dom, what if..."

"Uncle Baird is with him, as a favor to your mother. He is in good hands. If you want to worry, worry about the poor people at the palace who are stuck with Meathead as a temporary Chief Healer"

Kel smiled "You're right, he is in god hands"

"And your mother said he is doing better" Dom said "Relax, Kel, will you?"

Kel took a deep breath "OK, I'll just take a deep breath, and...Kaiya, Carly, Kirsten, come in here"

The triplets shared quiet looks

"I mean now girls" Kel said

The girls walked into the office. Kel had her arms crossed, and Dom had a look of surprise on his face

"How did you know we were there?" Kirsten said

"The door was open enough, I could see Kaiya's shadow, and you three are never apart" Kel said "Now, didn't we talk about eavesdropping recently?"

End Flashback

"Yeah, same with Tobe, remember the time when he caught us eavesdropping on him?" Carly asked

Flashback 2

Carly and Kirsten were leaving for training in two weeks for their third year of page training. The 13-year old triplets were going down to the stables, when they heard Tobe

"I love her, everyone who knows us knows that. Why else would I have dated he for the past seven years? But what if she doesn't love me?"

Their was silence, and they realized he was talking to one of the horses. Kaiya peered into the stable, and saw Tobe grooming Peachblossom

"Hey!" Tobe said "Thank you for crushing my spirits...very funny, but I'm being serious. Her birthday is tonight, and what could make a better present than this"

Carly peered in and saw a small ring with a small diamond in it. She mouthed "It's an engagement ring!"

Carly turned back to do some more spying, and ran into Tobe's chest

"I could tell mother you three were eavesdropping again, in fact, Peachblossom is saying I should" Tobe said. The girls got ready to bolt. Kel had not been happy when they had last been caught

"You wouldn't...would you?" Kaiya asked "I mean, she knows I'd be the mastermind, and she can actually ground me, I don't start training for two more years"

"I said I could...but I won't" Tobe said "At least, I won't if you can help me make Loey's birthday tonight unforgettable"

End Flashback

"So we just need to make sure horses aren't around when we spy on Tobe" Kirsten said

"Ok, so here is the plan...since Mom and Tobe need careful, sneaky people, Carly and I will take care of them" Kaiya said "Kirsten, you spy on Dad."

Kirsten, who was not good at spying, nodded. Dom never checked to see if anyone was listening, so he'd be easy to spy on.

"Carly, do you want mom or Tobe?"

"I think I'll watch Tobe" Carly said

"That leaves me with mom" Kaiya said "I've got my work cut out for me"

"Good luck" Carly said

"You'll need it" Kirsten said

"Your probably right" Kaiya said "OK, so we'll spy on them for a week, then meet up and compare notes this time next week. Deal?"

Kirsten and Carly nodded.


Author's Note: Ha! This is only part one of the result of the voting! I need reviews for the second half of the result to be posted.