Ugh, I have writer's block SO bad. Not cool. So that's why it's taken so long…
FanFictionFantom: Muchos gracias! Hablo espanol un pocito.
Kings Lioness: Thanks, and I read your story and love it! Keep going!
Memily89: No way! You are so lucky! I can't wait to see it next summer!
Laurashrub: Hmm, never heard that expression before. I thought it was wield. Whatever. Woot for non-romantic drama, which isn't quite as fun as romantic drama, but there's less of a risk of corny-ness, which in my case, happens too often, I'm afraid. Thanks!
Jasmineb: I like the way you think. Seriously, did you read my mind? But let's keep it hush hush for a little while, cuz we don't want to spoil anything for everyone else…
Crazyfortamorap: Sounds good to me!
Lady Knight 1512: Hi! Of course I missed your reviews, and long ramblings. I seriously love your story, "My Greatest Fear"( everybody go read it, it's really good!) I'm really flattered that you like my style and stuff. My favorite reviews are the ones where someone compliments my writing itself, and my style/voice. I'd be thrilled it you'd be my beta. How about I'll start e-mailing the chapters before I post them and you can proofread and make suggestions and stuff? Thanks for everything!
Disclaimer: Sad little me don't own anything except my fried brain.
Kel worried as she lay in her bed that night. Could someone really be following Blayce's footsteps and enslaving the dead? But wouldn't the Chamber warn me if that were happening? She wondered. Maybe it's going to happen, but has not happened yet. The killing devices had already been used for a year or so by the time the Chamber spoke to me. Maybe it won't this time. It did say that we were finished. Perhaps it's not my destiny to solve this. But then why did Irnai have those visions? She cursed the anxiety that plagued her as the string of worries continued to unwind. Finally the exhaustion of the long journey that day caught up with her and she drifted off into a restless sleep.
The next morning Kel went through her morning exercises with a Tobe who was irritatingly chipper. She glared at him, wishing she felt as bright as he did. Her night of poor sleep showed and was taking its toll on her aching body. She decided that it would be best to send for Daine as soon as possible. As she watched the messenger gallop away down the road with the quick note she'd had the clerks write up for her, her stomach grumbled loudly. "I'm going!" she muttered to her protesting belly before trotting off to the mess hall for breakfast.
"Well good morning, Sunshine," Neal drawled at her as she sat down across from him. "Sleep well?"
Kel glowered at him before slumping down and resting her head and arms on the table. "I feel as if I died, the Black God thought I wasn't good enough, and sent me back," she moaned. She felt a gentle cool touch on one hand and felt some of the pain ease immediately. Looking up at Neal holding her hand, magic flowing from his body to hers, she shook her head and yanked it away.
"Just trying to help," he said weakly.
Kel felt guilty and smiled at him. "You don't suppose we could take a break, from it all? Just few a few days, or weeks, or months…?"
He pushed his hair with a rueful smile in return. "Not with this chill setting in, I'm afraid. First frost was last night."
A sigh escaped Kel. "Lovely. Our first refugee camp winter- let's see how that goes. At least the building is all finished."
"That's the spirit! At last our ever-optimistic Protector of the Small returns," teased Neal. "Way to see the bright side of the situation."
She glared at him. "You're not going to see any side if you don't stop calling me that idiotic name."
He shook his finger at her. "Tsk, tsk, Kel. It's who you are! You really need to stop running away from yourself," he pretended to lecture.
Kel was not in the mood for teasing. "Fine, I'll just run away from you," she said, getting up and taking her tray to the washers. As she stormed out of the mess hall, she heard Neal's distinct call: "So long, Protector of the Small!" and the hearty laugh it drew from the other people in the hall.
She decided to take a walk up on the wall to clear her head. She walked around once, greeting each soldier she met. After her walk, she leaned on the edge overlooking the road. A lone horse galloped into view, carrying a man and a small brownish form. It was a bird. Kel started, leaning farther over the edge, ignoring her dislike of heights as she tried to see better. As they rode closer, she realized that it was the messenger she had sent out earlier that morning. He was carrying Daine in hawk form. Kel wheeled around and hurtled down the stairs to meet them as they rode through the gate. She took Daine before the man slid off his horse, which was exhausted and covered with sweat from the hard ride. Other people started crowding around, trying to see what was happening. Among them were Tobe and Neal.
"Lady, who is it? Wha's happenin'?" Tobe shouted, trying to get to her.
Kel grabbed the horse's reins and waded through the crowd to him. "Will you take care of his horse?" she requested, handing the reins to him. The boy nodded and made his way to the stables, the weary horse trailing behind him.
She then looked over to where Neal had been standing only a moment before, but he wasn't there. A voice in her ear startled her.
"Are you alright? You look a little overwhelmed." She whirled around to look into Neal's concerned green eyes.
She nodded. "I just don't like big crowds like this."
He grinned. "I think I can help." He held up a green-glowing hand in front of his mouth and spoke into it, his voice magically amplified. "Attention! Please return to your work. We will conduct a thorough investigation of the matters at hand and post our findings." As the crowd disbanded, Kel smiled at her best friend and clasped his shoulder in thanks. He wrapped an arm around her comfortingly. Kel looked down at the sleeping bird-Daine in the crook of one of her arms.
"We better get her to the infirmary. Could you send for Merric?" she asked a soldier who had lingered nearby.
"Yes milady," he said, trotting off to carry out her orders.
A wave of exhaustion swept over Kel and she leaned her head on Neal's shoulder briefly. As she looked once again into his emerald eyes, she realized that, like so often lately, they were full of unreadable emotion.
This is going to be a long day.
Sorry it's so short. It's pretty late and I just found out halfway through writing this that my grandfather died tonight. So it might take a little while for the next update.
Please review!
