Chapter 6

I don't own Protector Of the Small

That night Kel had a bad night. Every time she fell asleep she would see Joren attack her, and everyone she loved be the ones HE killed when they fought for her honor. She was frozen in shock the whole time.

"NO, DON'T KILL HIM!" She screamed as she woke up. "NO!" Lalasa was shaking her trying to wake the hysterical girl. Kel bolted upright and ran out of the room rushing down the hallway and pounded on Wyldon's door. He opened the door thinking something was wrong. His mind didn't register that it was Kel, she had launched herself into his arms. Her maid was following close behind her knowing that her mistress might need her. Seeing her in the arms of her betrothed, the older girl nodded to the training master and returned to her mistress's rooms. Kel was sobbing into Wyldon's chest, and he drew her closer wanting to comfort the teenager. Kel looked up and seeing his face so close she drew in a breath and leaned up towards him. He was shocked into full awareness by the feel of her lips against his own. When she pulled back, blushing, he gave her a soft smile.

"It's okay, Kel. Your safe." He promised the one he was to marry. "I won't allow anyone to harm you again." He informed her, wanting nothing more than to wrap her up and keep her safe.

"Thank you, sorry for disturbing you tonight." She whispered looking down in shock when he kissed her on the lips. Her face practically glowing from her blush. "I should probably get back to bed." She told him embarrassment showing in her red cheeks. She turned to leave when he sighed at her.

"Just stay here." He invited moving aside so she could enter his room. She followed him in not wanting to be alone again.

When he offered her the bed she balked at the idea of taking his bed from him. "I can't take your bed. I wouldn't feel right about it." She complained to him. He shook his head at her stubbornness.

"Stop complaining, you are getting the bed, if it makes you feel better we can share it. I sleep in pants anyway." Wyldon answered not expecting her to take him up on idea without a fight, so when she climbed into the bed and patted the space beside her, he was stunned. "I am surprised that you would take my offer." He told her as he climbed in beside her. She turned away from him before she fell asleep not knowing that it was the first time he had shared his bed with anyone in over 7 years. "Goodnight Kel." He whispered to the sleeping girl.

Kel woke to the dawn bell and noticed right away that she wasn't in her room at the palace, feeling the weight of Wyldon's arm across her waist. She was snuggled into his chest and giggled when he shifted towards her. She froze when she felt his lower half pressed against her, remembering what Joren did to her. She remained still when he began to show signs of waking up. When he opened his eyes he saw her cuddling against him and gave a slow, sweet smile. "Good Morning Wyldon." Kel whispered not meeting his eyes.

"Morning Kel." He answered her gently before kissing her hair. "I have to get up soon." He reminded her.

"I know, I want to go back to training." She told him knowing he would protest as it had been so soon since the attack. "I can't let this ruin my chances of happiness because of bad influences." She told him with a light grin when he growled but nodded his accent for her to return to training, on the condition that he stay close should she need him.

"Very well." He answered her gently. "Sit out if you feel you can't do the work without hurting yourself."

"As you wish." She responded quietly.

"Now return to you room and get ready." He ordered her lightly. She smiled and left his room going back to her own, luckily no one was awake or out of their rooms yet. She dressed and raced to breakfast sitting with Wyldon and smiling at his look of shock. "That was fast." He commented to her as she sat beside him.

"I don't take long to change my clothes. I will have to grab my glaive on the way to the courts. Lady Alanna wished to see it in practice." She reminded him with a smile at his low growl. "She is helping with training, surely she isn't likely to attempt to actually mess with anything." She reminded him snickering at his glare.

"Hush." He ordered playfully, causing her to giggle.

"Sir, yes, sir." She answered just as playfully. His booming laughter filled the mess hall.

"Were you always this obnoxious?" He demanded with a smile at her.

"Yes, she is, just a ball of sunshine." Neal said as he walked past them with his empty tray. Kel turned towards him and stuck out her tongue. "Oh, how mature." He said to his best friend. "So where were you this morning?" He asked having knocked on her door 15 minutes before she got back in to the room.

"I had a nightmare and went out to calm down." She explained.

"That isn't what Lalasa told me." Neal teased her, getting her to blush. "Are you blushing?" He asked shocked.

"Yes, I am. Leave me alone." She hissed under her breath.

"Sorry." The Heir of Queenscove said with a light laugh at her. "So what happened?" He asked obnoxiously.

"She said to leave her alone, Queenscove, I suggest you do it." Wyldon growled, not a morning person.

"Sir, yes, Sir." He answered copying his best friend.

"Queenscove!" The training master snarled. Neal beat a quick retreat as he quickly walked back to his table. "I will never understand how you can tolerate him."

"Some days I don't know how I do either." She confided to him. "He just grows on you, kind of like mold." She teased knowing that her friend was listening. Sure enough Neal responded with a loud 'HEY!'. Her smile was not a nice one and she looked entirely too pleased with her friend's reaction. Soon enough it was time for training to start and Kel had to get her glaive for practice. She took it out to the court yard only to stop in shock. "Wyldon, why is King Jonathan in the pages practice courts?" She asked her training master.

"I wished to practice with some of you to help with your training. My father did the same thing, helping people learn how to fight those much older and more experienced so you can defend yourself better against an opponent in war." The king answered. "As most of our experienced knights are out in the field, those of us who have the experience will take turns facing you to help you learn how to handle different styles of fighting. We will be facing Shang Warriors, Bazair tribesmen/shamen, mages, and soldiers from every nation." He announced to the group of pages. "You will have defend yourselves and an ambassador." He explained to the teenagers.

"Yes, Sire." They all coursed to the king. He nodded before turning to Wyldon.

"Pick your teams." He ordered the training master.

"Queenscove, Martin Hill. Mindelan, Holly Rose." He called out pointing to the pages as he named them.. He continued to point out pages and pair them up. As he was doing this King Jonathan was doing the same with his knights and other fighters.

"Raoul, Alanna." The king said calling upon his friends. "Alanna you are against Queenscove and Martin's Hill. Raoul you are against Mindelan and Holly Rose." He ordered his people. Both knights grinned and answered by drawing their weapons. Raoul pulled his sword and rushed them. Kel swung her glaive up and into a protective circle, fending him off of herself and her partner.

"That has a nice reach, page, but don't think a pole-arm will keep you safe for long." He taunted Kel. She smirked at him and began a blade dance from the beginning, attacking him quickly, driving him back as Merric covered her back. She moved quickly, knocking him onto his back placing her blade against his throat. "I yield." He told her shocked that she had won. Just as she was going to let him up. He grinned, Kel responded by thrusting the butt of her weapon backwards and her eyes lit up when she felt it hit someone. A further backward sweep knocked whomever was attacking her from behind down.

Kel heard a woman exclaim in pain and spun around seeing she had attacked her old friend, the Princess meant to marry the Crown Prince. "Cricket?" She asked offering her friend a hand up. Her friend took her hand and began a hand-to-hand fight, Yamani style. It ended in a flurry of attacks and Kel pinning the other girl down. She braced herself for the attack of the other Yamani's and took 2 more of them down before being pinned herself.

"Very good Mindelan." King Jonathan complimented the only female page.

"Thank you Sire." She answered bowing to him once she was let up. The rest of training went by quickly and she handed in her homework after she entered her classes from her missed day. After her classes she met back up with Wyldon outside her door waiting to escort her to dinner.

"You did well today. But you know we are going to have to talk about last night." He added to her gently.

"I know. It wasn't planned. I didn't mean to fall asleep in your rooms." She assured him.

"I was the one who told you to stay and sleep in my bed. I had no intention of taking advantage of you and I never will." He assured her. "I was talking about what caused you to run to my room crying."

"I had a nightmare about the fight with Joren. I wasn't the one to fight him and everyone who faced him died. EVERYONE." She explained her face pale at the memory. "I couldn't take it and my body wouldn't move." She told him looking at him fear in her eyes. Wyldon looked at the strong girl before him, suddenly reminded that she was young, not even 18.

"Nothing happened. Joren is gone. He can't hurt you anymore." He assured his betrothed. He pulled her into his arms and held her comfortably, wishing she wouldn't feel so bad over the fight. "Do you think you can attend dinner?" He asked her concerned for her well-being.

"I will be fine, Wyldon. Thank you for worrying about me." She answered moving out of his arms and towards the dinning hall.

"Your welcome Kel." He answered smiling gently at her. They resumed the walk towards dinner, arriving well after everyone else.

"She thinks that just because she can fight well she is allowed to hold everyone up." A voice echoed through the room as she entered a few steps ahead of Wyldon. When he entered the room the voice went quiet.

"Malven, you may wish to exercise your voice elsewhere. Two bells cleaning the Stables on Sunday." He ordered the boy. "Kel, would you like juice or water?" He asked her gently.

"Juice, please, Wyldon." She answered quietly. He poured her drink then his own.

"I was proud with the way you handled all those fighters at once." He complimented her causing her to blush.

"Thank you, I did my best." She answered her face red. They sat down to eat and were astounded by the spread the servants had given them. Once they had finished the meal they went back to Kel's room so she could get her books before heading to the library her group studies in before parting ways. She studied with her friends before heading out to go to bed, early.