Due to some really bad typing on my part a few days ago I will have to fix a few things. 1.) Kel's hair is brown with blond sun streaks in it. 2.)All the Yamani's have black hair not brown 3.)The king of Tortallan took such a large portion of the court with him because they each threated him that if they didn't come they would hurt him...or something like that. 4.)The Yamani's were speaking Tortallan because the Tortallans are their guest and they want to make them happy. 5.)I can't write Yamani's without showing emotion it so hard ARUG 6.)Rehaem's name has been changed to...Caden

flashback

Kel had be given two weeks after she spent several years in Highpoint, Kel thoughts went right to, home. She had not seen her family in forever and she missed them. So Kel packed a bag and was on the first boat over to Tortall in a heartbeat. Once she got to her fief what she saw was horrible. Many of the peoples houses had been burned down and she could see people running about her house. She ran up the steps to the front door drawing her sword. She looked inside since the door was already opened. Once the coast was clear she ran inside and went straight for the family room. It was the biggest room in the house and perfect for keeping hostages. She nearly burst out crying looked in to the room. Her whole family was there most of them dead, all except Anders. There was one man standing in the room with a bloody sword. She ran and charged him pulling her sword from its sheath but the man just smiled at her and jumped out the window. The man had bleach blond hair and bright red eyes.

Present time

Kel stared in to the red eyes of the man before her, this was the man that had killed her family she thought, So I will kill him. Without even thinking of the people around her she pulled her other sword out in a blind furry. She ran towards the man stopping just a foot in front of him and throwing one of her hidden knives. The man reached up with his good arm and pulled her sword out of his shoulder deflecting her knife.

"So you remember me do you?" he mocked her as he got down in a fighting stance. "I must say I hope you scream when you die like your sister. To bad your mother didn't say a word."

Kel didn't say anything back, she was too angered to even hear the yells of her friends beside her. She thought of different ways to take this man down. She wanted it to be slow and painful, like all the pain she felt because of what he did. She finally decided. She lunged right but at the last second pulled another knife from her belt. She in a circle swinging her sword across her the mans chest following up with the knife across his face. The man was surprised and had no time to block, he was impressed with her fighting ability.

"You killed my family," Kel said in a cold deadly voice getting ready to strike again "so I will kill you." The man lunged attacking her right side but Kel easily parried his attack but received a small cut. The battle seemed to last forever, Kel slowly tiring him and giving him multiple cuts all across his body and the man giving Kel cuts across her stomach in the end they both looked like they were about to collapse from exhaustion but Kel sliced across his leg one more time and he finally fell.

"Mithros," the man swore "You are much better at fighting than the rest of your family even the knights." Kel kicked him "I thought you would be as easy to kill as them maybe even weaker since you were a girl and the youngest, but I was clearly wrong."

"Why did you kill them," Kel asked the man in a deadly tone "Why?" It was clear she was close to crying.

"I love to watch people suffer and they were the nearest rich people to me. I figured after I killed them I could take there money."he replied smiling up at her "You are suffering now" the man laughed

"Take him away," Kel said to the guards that had been standing by "He is charged with the killings of two Tortallan diplomats." She took her sword from the man sheathed it and walked out of her room to take a bath.

Inside the room the Emperor sighed "Kelly's going to be a mess later." he turned to the teens next to him "None of you piss Kelly off before dinner and keep an eye on her during dinner. She will be in a really testy mood for the rest of the day.

At dinner

Kel was the last one to arrive to dinner as usual. She walked in with her head held up she was wearing a red shirt with a black tunic and black breeches. She went and took her seat on the left side of the Emperor, since the Tortallan Court was on the right side, and looked at the Emperor.

"Now that we all have arrived let us say a prayer and dig in." The prayer was quickly said and everyone started to eat. The room was silent except for the clattering of silverware on the plates. Kel noticed that every five seconds someone looked up at her. After a few minutes of this she was about to get up to leave when a messenger entered the room. He bowed to the Emperor then to the King. He handed the sheet of paper he had been holding to the Emperor then left. The Emperor looked at the paper for a second then handed it off to Kel and continued to eat. Kel opened the letter.

Dear Keladry,

I know that life had been tough ever since our parents have died and that money has been tight for the fief. I know that you have been sending you earning over to us whenever possible but you know that it is not enough. I need you to come home Kel. You can marry into a richer family and then our fief will be set for a while. Please Kel I know that you know want to marry but Mindelan is in trouble.

Your loving brother,

Anders of Mindelan

As Kel read the letter she felt her friends from the Yamani court try to read what it said. She sighed and passed it to Shinko who was sitting right next to her. She heard Shinko's and Yuki's gasp come at the same time and knew that Yuki must have been looking on. She heard the letter being passed down the table and heard each of her friends gasp when they read it.

"What is it?" The Emperor asked annoyed that he didn't know what was happening "What have you done this time?" He asked Kel

"I didn't do anything" Kel replied putting her elbow on the table and leaning on it. "Its more of a matter of how do I get out of it," She put on her thinking expression as Caden who had received the letter last brought it up to the Emperor.

The Emperor read it and glared at Kel "And why did I not know that Mindelan was having money problems?" he demanded "I could have found some way t-"

"No" Kel interrupted "I don't need help I have already figured most of it out." She took out the book she had brought to supper, and turned to the end. "I have been keeping track of all out expenses and all of the things that need to be repaired. I have decided to sell some of my weapons for the bridge repair so that is taken care of, then for the repair of the town, if we cut down on this and this" she said pointing to two of the numbers in the book then that should cover half of it. Plus if we trade some of our cattle for seed then it will bring back our crops and then we can sell the crops for more money and for food. The only problem in all my figurings is that we will be very short this winter and that doesn't count for any storms that might damage anything though out the winter." Kel sat silent for a moment "If I send all of my savings it should be enough to get them through winter."

"Kel!" Pender called out "You have been saving for two years where will you get your food and clothes. You will have no money."

"Yeah Kel," Carleigh said "You should take what Anders said. Just marry a second son of a wealthy family and you will not have to suffer."

"What makes you think I will suffer," Kel said outraged "I am happy to give my savings to Midelan if they need it. They are my family and my friends. You forget I have many ways of getting money and many people throughout several countries owe me," The room was silent.

" Kel I will be happy to pay for-" the Emperor started but was cut off again as Kel raised a hand.

"In all the years you have known me have I ever asked for financial help or accepted it in any way?" when the Emperor shook his head she continued "then what makes you think I will accept it now?"

The Emperor sighed "We should switch the conversation to a topic that our guest would be interested in."

The Tortallan King shook his head "No no I am quite interested in this. The Mindelan fief is in trouble you say? I was not informed of this."

Kel swung her head to face him, "Thats because we are not you majesty, my brother worries to much so I take care of all the financial doings, and I didn't feel that we were in dire enough of a situation to involve the government." Kel replied politely.

"It seems like you were in a dire situation," Kel heard someone mummer down the table.

Kel frowned "I have everything taken care of so it is no one else's problem. I would prefer if we switched to a more supper friendly topic that does not involve me in away way." Everyone was silent for a moment.

"How is Tortall's army coming?" The Emperor asked "I know you once has the greatest army in all of the kingdoms."

"Our army is very good the Kings Own is still growing but I fear some of our knights are not as strong as they could be. Its like they have given up." King Jon replied watching Kel out of the corner of her eye. "How is your army?"

The Emperor replied smiling "Our army is prospering. With two great commanders I don't think it can get any better."

"You only have two commanders?" Alanna ventured from down the table a little.

"No, no we have many commanders but they all look up to Kelly and Pender and if you ask me even Pender looks up to Kelly."

"Hey," Pender called out "I am not ashamed to look up to her. She is the best in a battle with keeping calm, her fighting skills, and the fact that she can win a battle when your men are out numbered seven to one. It makes sense."

Kel sighed again 'does it ever end' she thought to herself.

After dinner everyone went to one of the lounges where they were free to talk amongst themselves. Kel knew that this would be the time she would have to face all of her old friends and the rest of the court of Tortall. She went and sat down in her favorite chair that was right next to the fire. She saw Neal, Merric come right towards her. They just stood there looking at her as she sat there. Kel sighed again and leaned her elbow against the chair and rested her head in her hand. "Are you going to sit or just stand there like idiots.

"I'll sit thank-you" Alanna said coming but from behind the two boys and sat on the couch right beside Kel. "So what did you do right after you left the castle. I want to hear everything so that I can gloat to Jonathan later about how I was right about you."

Kel smiled as the rest of the Tortallan court crowded around and started to talk.