Chapter Six: The Next Generation

Kel and Tobe had left New Hope early the next morning due to the eagerness with which the sun had approached the horizon the night before. Once again in the saddle, Kel realised that her stay at the town had only just managed to equate to forty-eight hours when she had planned to stay a week. When she revealed her musings to Tobe besides her, he sighed and shook his head.

"What can I say – we live in the saddle. We inhabit weird times Kelhen; there's no outright war but there's still battles being fought..."

Most of the journey was spent in a silence that was far from uncomfortable. Despite being summer the heat they felt on their backs was warming and pleasant rather than the fierce burning that was expected. The sounds of the passing countryside filled their ears, providing a stark contrast to the truth that Kel knew rang in Tobe's words. Everywhere was lush and green; fields were filled with bounteous harvests, bushes blossomed along the roads and trees hung heavy with the loads of fruit and foliage they boasted. Everything seemed so peaceful, so content, so happy – but Kel knew the truth that lay under the surface.

In each village they passed she could see for herself the anxious faces of the people as they stood in small groups trading whispers of gossip. Some Kel could imagine she had heard herself but there would be new ones since she had left the capital for the naming ceremony. Although most sounded far-fetched, Kel knew that in all seriousness very few of them could be discounted as wrong. Something new had come to Tortall – whether it was an Immortal through from the Divine Realm – many were unsure. Kel had heard of nothing like it, yet there was so little specific information to go on, that it was hard to be completely certain. Plus there had been few encounters with far too fewer survivors, for the Knights and the soldiers of the realm to confidently warn the people of the new threat.

Added to that was what could be classed as the 'norm' for a Knight; natural-disasters to clear up after, raiders to capture, disease to fight. Kel had realised in her five years that the world was a hard place and this realisation had got her through the rest - it had made her more determined to help in some ways. The world hadn't become a calm place when the Scanrans had downed weapons, so how could she stop? Why indeed, would she want to? That was what she repeated over and over in her head sometimes, when things got too much. When there were just too many rumours and far too few known facts. When a storm left children orphaned in a rural village with nothing left to call their own. When, through their own greed, a raider's party caused starvation in an entire town.

Everything was peaceful enough that Kel could mull through these thoughts entirely at her own ease for most of the journey. That was until at dusk, they reached the town that had sprung up around the crossing point of the King's Road running centrally north/south with the one that ran through the Royal Forest, over the hills and into Corus in one direction and in the other ran to the Western Border: Road's Rest.

At this junction there was not one Royal Inn to serve travellers but two with shops bordering their sides. Houses stood packed behind the main row of businesses; back from the road with small alleys connecting them. There were people everywhere – travellers both pausing to rest for the night and not, merchants selling wares out of the back of wagons, townspeople bustling about and of course the usual herds of charging, playing children.

But also at this junction Kel and Tobe found the three knights waiting for them.

They were sprawled on the scrub patch of grassland before the stables of the Inns, their horses around them grazing. Even from a distance Kel could tell they were new knights from the way they sat alert and eager waiting to jump into battle like over-excited puppies. Kel chuckled darkly at her cynicism as these thoughts registered.

As they rode closer Kel inspected them. All three were young men in their mid-twenties; tall, thin and lanky. The one on the right had his eyes closed, taking in the sunshine while he could. His hair was the colour of burnt sugar – not quite blonde, not quite brown. It fell to his shoulders in slight waves but was tucked behind his ears to keep it out of his face. All three had deeply tanned skin that told of Tortallans who had spent a length of time by the coast recently.

The one sitting in the middle was watching her approach as the one on his left whispered urgently to him. It was clear they were waiting for her when he nudged the one on the right out of his slumberous state. The middleman had very short blonde hair and piercing green eyes that were disconcerting in the way that they never left her.

The last one – the boy on the left – had black hair to around his ears, completing the set. His eyes were green too but a deep green mixed with hazel. They were as responsive as the middleman's, but in a completely different way; the colour seemed to swirl as emotion passed through them rather than the emotion running on top of his irises.

"Bet you stabling duty for a week that the one on the left is in charge." Kel whispered to Tobe, making him grin.

"No way," he replied. "It's definitely the one in the middle. You're on Kelhen – get ready to lose!"

Kel smiled lightly, glancing at him and then they were sitting before the three Knights. All three men stood and bowed slightly as young nobles do to women. Kel took this as a bad omen from the beginning – they should treat her like a fellow knight, not as a woman. The one on the right stepped forward to speak.


"Greetings Lady Knight Keladry, we are here to escort you to the border."

Having stabled their horses and purchased adjoining rooms for the night, Kel and Tobe met the three Knights in a private dining room for supper. The meal was satisfactory and over quickly, the maid leaving wine and sweets upon the table for them to help themselves to. Kel leant back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest waiting to see who would talk first, who would win the bet.

The knights had introduced themselves as Iiyan of Mountain's End (the middleman,) Francis of Dorbe (the other green-eyed boy) and Turnall of Seer's Bridge (the sunbather.) All three had been eager to say how much they admired her work and how they had gone through Page School hearing stories of her and her friends. For the first time in a while these stammered compliments had made Kel blush as the three sets of staring eyes were joined by atleast a dozen other pairs overhearing them. Now though she was tired, saddle-sore and just wanted to get the briefing over so that she might get to bed.

Francis poured wine silently for a moment as the other two watched and Kel knew she had won the bet. When he began to talk she flashed Tobe a triumphant but small smile.

"I can't tell you much, only what we've been told ourselves. There have been more of those incidents..." it was obvious he was referring to the ones the villagers had been discussing, "... in the same area near the coast, in the last couple of weeks and the King has sent a force down there to take a look. We were told to meet you and report there as soon as possible when any new information would be shared."

"We were given our orders three days ago at the same time as the rest of the men who have been sent, so they will have already been there for a day at least. We need to get there and find out what the preliminary scouts have found." Iiyan added when Francis took a drink. Turnall nodded.

"It will only take us less than a day's ride to get there, so we can be up to date by nightfall tomorrow." Francis smiled lightly.

"Beg pardon my Lady," Turnall asked looking a little nervous. "But will the lad be coming with you?"

"That depends on what the lad wants to do?" Kel turned to look at Tobe curiously herself. He looked serious for a moment as he thought, seeming older than his age and then he smiled looking up.

"I'm going to back to Corus – someone has to check on Peachblossom and Jump. It's okay though, I'm perfectly capable of riding of doing less than a day's ride on my own..."

"Good." Francis interrupted smoothly. "Then we can leave in the morning for the coast. Shall we say meet for breakfast an hour after dawn Lady Knight?"

"No." Kel replied easily, stretching her tired muscles slowly. She settled again leaning forward on the table.

"No?" Turnall asked, frowning. He shared a look of confusion with Iiyan then glanced briefly with annoyance at Tobe; though Kel was sure he didn't see it, she did.

"No." Kel agreed. "Firstly gentlemen, if we're going to work together its Kel – not Lady Knight or Keladry. Second, if you are determined to leave for the coast tomorrow morning then I will not be joining you but I will catch you up shortly."

"We're not supposed to arrive without you," Iiyan stated wearily.

"Well you can stay here and I'll pick you up on the way past – I can pay for your rooms."

"That won't be necessary Lady – Kel," Francis hurried to correct himself as he spoke, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry my mamma brought me up with manners..."

"The boy says he will ride alone Lady, surely you will allow him to stretch his wings a bit?" Turnall asked ludicrously.

"Yes Kelhen," Tobe said sarcastically. "I'm perfectly able..."

"I know you're able Tobe," Kel answered soothingly. "It's more for my peace of mind; I won't be able to work properly if I'm worrying about whether you arrived safely, as irrational as that worry is."

"Fine...If only so I hear the end of it!" Tobe said resigned to his fate. "I'm going to bed Kelhen – don't talk shop for much longer..."

As the three Knights and Kel muttered replies, Tobe left the room quietly. With the boy gone the atmosphere was a little awkward and the silence stifling.

"Kelhen?" Iiyan asked after a moment with a genuine smile on his face. Kel groaned.

"Just a stupid, annoying, little nickname he seems to have picked up since I adopted him."

"And one that seems to be a tad well-deserved!" Turnall joked, yelping as Francis smacked him lightly over the back of the head.

"Manners!" Francis reminded and Kel laughed.

"I don't think I'm that bad...Looks like I might have competition though!" The four laughed together lightly and some of the unease evaporated.

They traded stories and details for a while, allowing Kel to learn that the three had been year-mates at page school three years ago. Kel told them of adopting Tobe, of her year-mates and of their various adventures – the ones they hadn't already heard about. After that evening she knew that the awkwardness have completely gone and that was the way she liked it – if she was going to work with someone she felt better if they weren't a complete stranger. After a while however they came back to the subject at hand.

"So we ride with you then – back to Corus?" Turnall asked; not only from clarification from Kel but from the other two Knights as well.

"Yes," Francis and Iiyan replied together causing Kel to nod after a moment. The three smiled and made plans to meet in the morning for breakfast and to saddle their mounts. Finally an hour after Tobe had left, Kel rose - eager to get to her bed. Having bid her boys as she'd come to think of them, goodnight she walked to the doorway then turned back with a second thought, looking each one in the eye for a moment.

"It's my duty to make sure he's safe just as much as protecting Tortall is my duty. Not just because he's my son – I would do it for any child. It's not safe for anyone to travel alone these days..." She stopped, shook her head slightly and left leaving the three Knights slightly in awe.

"What a handful!" Turnall said slightly sourly but with a rueful smile.

"What a fire cracker!" Iiyan agreed shaking his head slightly.

"What a woman!" Francis breathed still a little in awe of the Lady Knight who had finally put a face to the name he had heard so much.