*****To my reviewers: Thank you all very dearly for your feedback. It was very much appreciated. I re-read my other chapters and saw the flaws in them. I contemplated reworking them, but chapter 3 was just ready to be written. I hope that this chapter explains things a little better. Please enjoy and again, my many thanks to you for taking the time to write a review of my story. This is my first fanfiction and your words of encouragement inspired me to continue writing. I apologize for any grammar problems. It is quite later here and I wanted to get the chapter posted for your enjoyment.******
Disclaimer: Sadly I am not near the genius that Tamora Pierce is, thus I do not own any of these characters.
Chapter 3 – A fierce friend
Kel was in that in between state of waking and sleeping. Where everything is still fuzzy and you do not really understand what is going on around you. Voices. She could hear voices. Her pillow smelled of lavender and tantalized her to sleep more. But those voices would not quieten down. Kel identified the deep baritone to be Raoul. The other masculine voice sounded like Dom. But why in the name of the Gods were they in her room talking why she was still asleep. Suddenly, reality came crashing down onto Kel. The struggle with Cleon. Emotion washed over the young woman. Cleon had changed to the point of unrecognizable. While he used to be a caring, honourable man Cleon had now developed into a cold hearted ambitious individual that aspired to reach the upper levels of court by any means possible. The man's change had begun two years ago and was witnessed firsthand by Neal. Neal attributed this to Cleon's equally ambitious wife. Ermelian of Kennan (formerly of Aminar) was deemed a lesser daughter of greater mothers. Her grandmother had been held in high esteem by royal family for her forward thinking and pleasant mannerisms. Ermelian's mother, however, had not gained these qualities. She fell out of favour with the court for her malicious words towards the Kings Champion and the Knight's decision to go against societal norms. Alanna did not take kindly to having her honour insulted. It was the beginning of Lady Amy of Aminar's downward spiral as more of her intrigues were uncovered. Ermelian was truly her mother's daughter but had to cope with living in the shadow of her mother's mistakes. This just accentuated her more undesirable qualities.
Kel had only one encounter with Ermelian of Kennan. She was a petite woman, with mousy brown hair, a small face typical of the court beauties and ice blue eyes. It had been right after Cleon and Ermelian were married and the pair still attended some court functions. Ermelian had surveyed Kel with extreme disdain in her cold eyes. The look Kel had received sent shivers up her spine. It was not until later that Kel learned of Ermelian unfaithfulness to Cleon (her harlot attitude was part of her plan to rise to societal power) and her abusive tendencies. Neal and Yuki's rooms were located in close proximity to Cleon's and Ermelian's. Neal had confided in Kel that on some occasions himself and Yuki had heard Ermelian screaming at Cleon and throwing furniture around the room. Neal had taken Cleon aside after the third time he has heard the arguing. Cleon told Neal that a blubbering idiot of mage such as himself should stay out of other, proper nobles businesses. Cleon appeared to have adopted the same idea that Ermelian had concerning Yuki. Nobles of the Book of Silver such of Neal were no longer to be considered nobility after being wedded to barbarians such as the Yamani's . The next day Cleon and Ermelian moved back to Kennan. Their move occurred two years ago and Kel had not seen Cleon since.
Such was the fate of her one time friend. Cleon's mind had retreated to a dark place with the only spot of happiness being associated with his time spent with Kel. This was his reasoning for following her from Corus. Cleon's wife believed that he was on patrol in the area, she never complained about the hours her Knight husband kept as it meant her intrigues with other nobles were more numerous. Cleon was now used to taking what he wanted, when he wanted it. As far as Kel could tell, Cleon's wife had driven him to the brink of madness.
"He was smart to get out of here as fast as he did. I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of Kel's anger." Raoul stated.
As Kel laid there pretending to sleep and listening to Dom and Raoul discuss what they were going to do about Cleon she searched her soul for how she felt regarding the young man. While she was hurt that Cleon had...'approached' her in such a manner she was not angry with him. Instead she felt a deep sorrow for the loss of her friend as well as the changes that he underwent due to his wife's unpleasant attitude. She prayed to the Gods that the old Cleon was still there, just buried under a very hurt, very angry man. If such was the case then surely he could still be saved.
"What I do not understand about the whole situation is how he got the upper hand. Cleon is a strapping bloke but Kel is not someone to be taken lightly in a struggle.." Dom voice sounded slightly gravely, as if he was holding back some unknown emotion.
"Yes, that is a little strange isn't it. The only thing I can think of is the hot bath she had right before dinner. I find that when I have just had a piping hot bath my muscles do not respond in the same manner as before. Also, he was her friend at some point in her life. I am sure Kel was taken unaware of his reaction to her." Raoul responded to Dom's inquiry.
Both men lapsed into silence. They had been keeping vigil over Kel since she had cried herself to sleep. Dom had immediately summoned Raoul after Kel had drifted off. Neither man had ever seen Kel cry, thus her reaction scared them witless. This was Kel, she was known for her uncanny ability to keep her emotions under control.
Kel wished they would leave. Everything seemed so surreal to her in the room. The scent of lavender on her pillows, the sounds of birds chirping outside, the smell of the horrific sludge like coffee newly favoured by Raoul. None of it seemed real to her anymore, all she could think about was Cleon and his 180 in personality.
"What time is it?"
"Gods its noon. I need to eat. I will be as fragile as a flower if I do not feed myself." Raoul's chair scrapped against the wood floor as the big man stood.
"Stay here, I will bring us up some food." The door shut quietly behind Raoul.
Silence. Kel had longed for it. Perhaps now she could just drift back to sleep and hope the dream world would take her away from such unhappiness.
"I know your awake Keladry, its rude to pretend otherwise." Dom suddenly spoke out, breaking the silence.
Kel's eyes flew open at the sudden speech. Her first glimpse of was two chairs sitting at the small table within her chamber. One was occupied by Dom who was looking at her with a concerned face. Kel eyed the sergeant before sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hair was a tangled mess, which she attributed to her tossing and turning throughout her troubled sleep. She looked back at Dom. He wore a pair of midnight blue breeches coupled with a lighter blue tunic. The color suited his eyes and accentuated the darkness of his hair nicely. His tunic was a little rumpled and his hair stuck out at different angles as if he had been running his hands through it continuously. He still wore the same concerned look, and she prayed to the Gods that he would stop looking at her with such pity. She didn't deserve pity. Cleon did.
"Kel are you...?" Dom began but before he could finish, Kel cut him off
"Dom I am perfectly fine. I do not wish to come across as rude but I really would prefer not to discuss the happenings of last night." Kel stated, her Yamani mask not failing to reveal the inner turmoil she experienced.
As if right on cue, the door opened and Raoul stepped inside with a small basket filled with what smelled to be lunch from the kitchen downstairs in the house they were staying in.
"Ahhh, it is good to see your awake Kel. I was beginning to think you would sleep for ages. How are you..." Raoul received the same treatment as Dom
"Sir, I realize that you are both concerned but I do not wish to talk about what happened with Cleon last night. I also must ask you to swear to secrecy. The man was deranged. The friend I once knew is buried somewhere under an extremely hurt and brainwashed individual. The last I saw of Cleon, he was fully under the reign of his terrible wife and it would appear that he has changed under such circumstances into a shadow of the person we used to know." Kel kept all emotion from her voice. She did not want this subject breeched further.
"But Kel he just about..." Dom protested his eyes sparkling with anger as he recalled what he heard on his way to dinner. Yes, it had been one of those right place right time incidents, but thank the gods for that. What would have happened had he not fallen asleep before dinner, prompting him to be late.
"No Dom. Cleon's sanity may only be holding on by a thread. A public embarrassment such as this would due him no good. I will tell Neal and no one else. We are his friends and we will help him out of this situation if we can" Kel had made up her mind. She would take the higher path. Cleon needed his friends to come after him. They had all been so preoccupied with the marauding bands of evil Immortals and bandits that had come to plague Tortall since the end of the war that they had all lost touch with Cleon. Kel and Neal had attempted numerous times to write the man, but never received any response back. Perhaps this was the whiles of his wife yet again. Isolating her husband from his friends, making him feel so alone and beating him down would have made the road to Cleon's near madness even shorter. From what Kel had understood the King had given Cleon some leeway in his services due to the sudden death of the young man's father. He was only required to do solo patrols until he was able to comfortably manage Kennan and the typical duties of the Knight. Thus his wife and those of Kennan became his only contact.
Dom and Raoul bowed their heads, admitting too defeat. Raoul looked down at his former squire, pride in his eyes. Kel was doing the right thing, she was setting aside whatever feelings she had towards the situation to help an old friend. The large man began setting out the lunch which consisted of rolls filled with sausage and cheese, more of the dreadful coffee, fruit and rolls filled with a delicious custard.
Kel swing her legs over the bed. From under the thin gauze of the sleeves of the tunic she wore she could see little bruises on her arms...bruises from hands that grabbed fast and hard. She shuddered. She stood and stretched, her body joints crackling like logs in a fire as they grew accustomed to being used again after sleep. Kel pulled up a chair and tried to choke down some lunch. She was not hungry despite missing both dinner the previous night and breakfast in the morning. No one spoke during their brief lunch.
Dom continued to observe Kel. Her damned mask was firmly in place so he could not see her feelings. He never ceased to be amazed by Kel and her phenomenal personality. There it was again, that same stirring inside of him. It made him feel warm inside and out. No! He didn't have feelings for Kel besides the typical brotherly ones. He sighed inwardly and continued to eat, feelings could be sorted out later.
While Kel and Raoul had finished what they had set out to do in Pearlsmouth with the purchase of Ironside they had planned on staying a little longer. Rest and relaxation were hard to come by these days. After the meal had finished, Kel looked up at both men and merely stated
"I need to leave for Corus. Now."
