I do not own any of Tamora Pierce's characters nor do I make any monetary profit from writing this story. I write this simply out of personal interest and fun. Thank you and please enjoy. 

Chapter 8

Fatherhood

           Kel woke up on the couch beside Joren and they were both still nude. Joren's arms were wrapped tightly around her almost protectively. Kel shifted and looked at his sleeping face and giggled a little when she saw the bit of saliva that escaped from his mouth, wiping it away with the blanket she smiled softly at the sight of his sleeping face. Kel's heart twisted when she realized she felt something now, something she couldn't describe.

She had always been attracted to him one way or another. He was a major person in her life though at the moment she didn't know which roll he played. The only rolls she could think up were the enemy or the lover. It was probably both now that she thought of it. Kissing him lightly she snuggled deeper into his warmth and slept. Dawn was a long time from now and she could skip her morning exercises just this once. Her nephews and nieces were all still sleeping, she remembered they always slept way past dawn.

She was just falling asleep again when Joren stirred. The first thing he knew was that the woman in his arms felt very soft and her skin was smooth, but most of all, her hair smelt very nice.

Shifting his hold on her he stroked her hair thinking she was asleep. His other hand caressed her arm and back as he let himself become absorbed in the most beautiful and intelligent woman he had ever had the pleasure in having. His eyes opened when he realized she was running her hands along his back. Shifting again he looked into her hazel gold eyes and grinned though it was mostly a smile.

Kel kissed him softly on the mouth "How was that for my first time?" Joren blinked and looked at his discarded trouser, sure enough there was three drops of blood on them. "I'm sorry… if I knew!"

Kel laughed and kissed him again "It's okay, it didn't hurt for too long." Joren frowned but didn't speak because he was suddenly aware this wasn't like him. Why did he care if he hurt the Lump? Joren felt something twist in his chest, it suddenly he didn't feel right in calling her 'the Lump.' Joren mentally shook his head, he was just realizing that Kel was a girl and he had to be a gentleman to her, no, that's not it. 'I'm not a gentleman at all. I'm a flirt and I don't go after high-class girls. I've never had to deal with court ladies if I had anything to do about it.' Kel noticed he wasn't looking at her anymore "Joren… are you alright?" Joren snapped out of his reverie and smirked kissing her on the nose he got off the couch.

Kel shivered from the sudden cold, she didn't want to leave but it was obvious Joren wasn't in any mood to go at it again. Amy was still sleeping on his bed, Joren glanced over and her "Damn… I really hope she didn't wake up during that. It probably would traumatize her."

Kel looked at her niece and laughed pulling her clothes "Don't worry, it would just seem we were hugging. A lot."

Joren grinned "Naked."

Kel hit him in the shoulder playfully "So?"

Joren's expression grew serious "Do you think this will this effect our outlook on each other?"

Kel thought "Probably. But… if it's okay with you, I'd rather not tell me friends about the two of us."

Joren nodded "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Kel sighed in relief; she couldn't face them with this. They still thought she was changing because of Cleon's marriage; she didn't need them to think she was lying with Joren because of him.

            Kel slipped out of the room and to her own, the kids had all found spaces to sleep on her bed and the couch, some of the older kids slept on the floor wrapped in soft blankets with pillows but the important thing was they still slept. Kel put on some clothes and grabbed her glaive off the wall. She still had a bit of time to practice. She had hoped to sleep in but Joren had other plans. Going to the practice yard she started her morning work out.

            When Kel finished she wiped the sweat out of her eyes and stretched once more, the sound of twigs getting crushed drew her attention to the fence. It was Joren. Kel grinned and bowed, he walked up to her "Remind me not to fight you with one of those things. Can I see it?"

Kel walked closer to him meeting him halfway and handed it over "It's called a glaive. The Yamani court ladies use them."

Joren entered the practice yard and held it like a stave. "How sharp is it?"

Kel plucked out one of her hairs and ran it length wise along the blade. The glaive split it clean in half. Joren's eyebrows rose "Well, it's probably a lot more cleaner in killing with one of these."

Kel's smile faded when she thought of the creatures she'd killed with the glaive.

Joren practiced a few moves they had learnt for the stave "You know, you looked a lot better when you had this thing then I do right now." Kel smirked and adjusted his hands "You hold it like that."

Joren tried one of the simpler moves Kel did and nodded "I see. Could you teach me?" Kel was once again at a loss for words. They had only been friends for about a few minutes and lovers for about less than a day and already he was acting nice to her.

"Su-sure." Joren handed it over. Kel showed him a couple moves then handed it to him to try. He was a very quick learner. As it turned out when he was learning how to fight it was all business.

He didn't treat her any differently then he treated the Shang WildCat. He still treated her like a girl but Kel accepted that, it would never change, though she didn't like it. By the time dawn came he had learnt quite a few moves. "Shall we continue this tomorrow morning?"

Joren nodded and turned to leave. "I'm going to get Amy, I left her with your Yamani friend." Kel nodded and went to get her own pack of youngsters.

At the Mess Hall breakfast proceeded like the day before. And once again the topic of Joren and Kel's relationship came up. The phrase "We aren't a couple" was said numerous times. But this time, Amy, who was a fast learner, saw that if she hit people with oatmeal she got candy. Soon, half Amy's cousins, Cleon and Gisele, (much to Kel and Joren's amusement), Neal, Yuki, Faleron, Merric, Owen, and a few random people from nearby tables were also hit with oatmeal.

But when Amy hit the Stump, Joren stated she'd be an ace archer and spearman when she grew up. That statement also shocked Kel since she was the only one near enough to hear his comment, 'does that mean he thinks girls are capable of fighting?' Kel shook her head, 'impossible.' Kel glanced back at him and saw him looking at her, she smiled softly and he grinned back.

Kel decided to take the kids out horse back riding on the trails she usually used to exercise Peachblossom and Hoshi. Neal, and Merric were happy to lend Kel their horses, and so, with all of her nephews and nieces on horses (the younger ones rode with the older ones) they went out for a ride. Jemerick and Michael rode on Hoshi, Michelle and Ana rode on Neal's mount, Aiden and Knoland rode on Merric's steed while Amy rode with Kel. Amy was secured on to Kel's chest so Peachblossom didn't jolt her. Soon Kel realized that riding with a child strapped to your chest was much like having a wriggling weight like the one she used when she was still a page.

Joren didn't go riding with them because he claimed this might be the only day he can have peace and quite. Something he hasn't had since the brats arrived but Kel knew it was because he didn't want it to seem he was doing anything voluntary when he helped Kel with the kids.

Already some of the knights were talking that the two rivals were now lovers and the toddler, Amy, was really their love child. Of course the lovers part was correct but neither wanted anyone to know that.

Another reason was because Garvey was visiting the castle since he was relieved from his duty at the border for a week because he got into a fight with a fellow knight.

Kel understood he wanted to keep his bad boy guise. Actually, now that Kel thought about it, it wasn't a guise. He is bad, he is mean, but he is also not two-dimensional. He was nice to Art, he was nice to Kel, and he seemed to like the kids but frankly that was all Kel could recall.

Everyone, even his friends seemed to be on his bad side. Kel shook her head; she still couldn't figure it out, why did he like her? He's hated her for as long as anyone could remember. But suddenly, after he witnesses her crying, he's abnormally nice. Kel shook her head and watched her brothers-children play among themselves. It was just part of the mystery that is Joren of Stone Mountain. 

While the children were playing Kel relaxed in the sun "Auntie Kel! Auntie Kel! Look it!" Kel looked over at Michael who held a big, fat beetle up to her face, Kel screeched, "Get that thing away from me!" The kids laughed except for Michael, his lower lip trembled. Kel looked at the beetle "I'm sorry sweetie it's just that Auntie Kel was surprised. It's… lovely." Michael held to her "Wanna hold it?" Kel patted him on the head "No, I'm fine… why don't you go show your cousins?" Michael beamed, his pearly teeth gleaming "Otay!" Kel sighed in relief when the beetle was out of her face, she'd had the worst nightmares as a kid about beetles and she was still disturbed by it.

Kel watched her nieces and nephews play among themselves and Kel was saddened, why couldn't she ever get kids? Why couldn't she just settle down like the Lioness and have a family? Thinking of Joren she sighed, that was as close to a relationship she was ever going to get.

By late afternoon the children were tired and so she packed up their lunch and helped the kids into the saddles, "You guys ready?" The all shouted in agreement, Kel chuckled and led the way back.

They weren't that far from the castle so it didn't take long for them to reach the palace again. The younger kids were ready for their nap and the older kids wanted to talk to the knights. "Go on and behave, don't get into too much trouble, you don't want the Knightmaster to get angry with you do you?" They shook their heads thinking of the Stump.

Kel's youngest nieces and nephews, Michelle, Michael and Amy were with her when she ran into Joren and Garvey.

Garvey, who didn't know of Kel and Joren associations or of Kel's family's ill fate, thought the kids were Kel's.

"I knew the Lump was a slut!" Garvey looked at the four of them and laughed, "Who's are they? Or do you not know the father?"

He turned to Joren "I'll bet they all have different fathers."

A passing knight smiled "Actually the youngest one is Joren's isn't it."

Garvey looked disgusted, he turned to Joren "What?! You touched the Cow?"

Joren scowled and looked at Amy, she laughed and reached out to him, his reputation or the little girl he'd come to think of as his daughter and his one-time-lover?

Kel scowled too "Shut up Garvey. And since when is my sex life of any concern to you? If you want to know, I wouldn't touch Joren with a ten-foot pole, unless it was a lance of which to skewer his ugly mug on of course. And lastly, what makes you think I'd let him come any where near me?"

Joren, offended, scoffed and looked at Amy again. She stopped reaching for him, she was intent on blowing a spit bubble.

Garvey went up to Amy and grimaced "She's disgusting."

Amy cooed and threw the stick she held at him.

Joren chuckled "She seems to dislike you Garvey. Wonder why?"

Michael looked up at Joren and walked up to him, clutching the hem of his shirt with one chubby hand he said "Unca Jowen!"

Joren moved away from the kid "Hey brat, watch the silk."

Michael went back to Kel seeing his 'Uncle Joren' didn't want to play.

"Get out of my way, the kids need their nap."

Garvey went to stand beside Joren "No. Why should we?"

Michelle who was a year older than her brother, Michael, went up to Garvey and kicked him smartly on the shin.

Garvey who had that leg broken not too long ago from a fight howled in pain. "You F little brat!"

Garvey made a move to strike the little girl but Joren caught his arm "Tsk tsk Garvey. Since when do we strike little girls?"

Garvey mumbled, "When they begin to strike you."

Joren cuffed him the head "Since never! You don't hit ladies do… wait… wrong person to ask. Well, you shouldn't hit girls… unless they're the Lump."

Kel nodded "Of course."

Joren grinned, "Well she doesn't really classify as a girl, bad example."

Turning his attention on Garvey whose arm he still held in a steel grip "And you don't hit little girls. Understand?"

He released his arm and Garvey cradled it, he had lost all feeling in it, Joren chuckled "Besides, how'll it look to be seen as the knight who hit's little girls no older then his baby sister?"

Garvey scowled at Joren then at Kel before he stalked away.

When Garvey was out of sight Michael rushed forward and clutched his leg again "Unca Jowen! Who was dat?"

Joren, seeing Garvey was long gone picked up Michael "A very mean man who you have to stay far away from, okay Michael?"

Michael nodded and wrapped his arms around his neck, yawning he buried his head into Joren's neck Kel grinned at the sight "Come on 'Unca Jowen.' It's bedtime for these rug rats." Michelle took Joren's hand and walked with him to Kel's room.

Amy was handed to Joren who tucked her in his own bed. Amy was sucking her thumb; lazily she clung to Joren's hand "Da…"

Joren smiled and looked at Kel in surprise "She thinks…"

Kel sighed, "Inness had hardly any time to spend with her since he was always on patrol. Plus… he's missing now. You've spent more time with her now that she's aware of the people around her more."

Joren stroked Amy's soft, curly, blond hair and sighed but didn't say anything. But in his mind he was absolutely shocked 'I'm pretty much a father now…'

The feeling in him was unexplainable by only one word… he felt proud to be the father of such a beauty, love for the little being, protectiveness… he wanted to protect her from evil people, Immortals, poverty, fear, heartbreak… but above all. He was scared. He didn't know if he could protect her from all that, he felt that if he ever left her side she'd be hurt. He felt that if he weren't watching her… even for a moment… he'd loose her.

Kel put a hand on his shoulder "Joren… it's okay. We'll find my brothers and the responsibility will go to him, and you can still love and spoil her like a grandfather."

Joren chuckled but he wasn't all relieved "What if we don't find your brothers? Can we take care of these kids?"

Joren suddenly realized he felt the need to protect all seven of the brats "Kel… why do I feel like this?"

Kel sat next to him not knowing what to do, "You feel like I do… I love these kids so much and they need us Joren. We owe it to them to find they're parents."

Joren nodded "I understand now. In form your friends they need to baby-sit for a long time. We leave in a week."

He moved away from Kel and lay next to Amy. The child took a hold of Joren's blouse and curled into him. Joren just stroked her hair. Kel knew she wasn't wanted here anymore so went to find Neal and Yuki.

My my these are long chapters. Well it's worth it. So then, let's get on with these ancient and oh so repetitive ritual. Please review me! Please! Pretty please. Leave your email and I'll give you a cookie!