Chapter 14, Kel
New Hope
January
Things are coming to
a head!
Just three-ish chapters left!
Please comment and review!
~Dawnfire
Keladry, it's time to stop wallowing in self pity. You have the rest of the winter before you even have to tell anybody. You have to try and make the best of things until then. Take deep breaths; do you think that everyone will be able to tell as soon as look at you. You can't hide in your room like a child anymore. You're nineteen for heavens sake! Kel told herself sternly as she put a hand on the doorknob. She had spent the last four days in bed, to upset to talk to anyone.
She had carefully managed to avoid thinking about what she would say to Dom and her parents and her friends. She would be disgraced at court. Or at least more disgraced then she already was as a lady knight.
It was lucky that Kel took this day to come out of her seclusion. It was the day before she and Neal were supposed to report to Mastiff and Wylden. Normally the border would be shut down during winter. But Maggot had to change everything and even without his killing machines he was determined to win.
Kel ignored the heads turning to look at her when she walked into the evening meeting. Kel sank down into her chair and put a hand to her head. She hoped that no one noticed the puffy redness around her eyes. She didn't want anyone to know she had been crying.
"Hey, Kel." Neal said gently. "We were just wondering if you might like to stay behind tomorrow since you aren't feeling well."
"I'm fine." Kel croaked excepting a cup of fruit juice from Merric.
Kel tuned out most of what the others were saying. She was beginning to wish she had just stayed asleep.
"What time do you want to leave tomorrow, Kel?" Neal asked, waking Kel from a doze.
"After breakfast is fine," Kel told him, looking up from the spot on the table she had carefully been examining.
"If we have to ride a few hours in the snow tomorrow, I think I'm going to turn in early." Neal announced standing up and stretching. Chairs scooted back as other's followed Neal's lead.
Kel dropped in on Tobe on her way up to her room. "Will you be accompanying Neal and I to Mastiff?" she asked, pausing in the door way.
"Nah. I don't want to ride through the snow." Tobe replied. "I packed your saddlebags for you anyway."
Kel nodded at him and walked into the room next door. Tobe had indeed packed her bags and lain out warm clothing. Jump was lying on the bed, wagging his tail. While Kel had been depressed he had acting extremely forlorn as well. It can't have been easy for him to see his person so upset and not be able to cheer her up.
Kel knelt and undid the strap on the first saddlebag. She just wanted to check to make sure Tobe had packed everything she would need. Once she had done the strings up again she started around her room doing the chores she had been neglecting.
Kel feed her sparrows, tided up her desk, combed Jump and attempted to comb the cat Lady. It was nearly midnight by the time she couldn't find another mind numbing task. Kel crawled under her covers and closed her eyes.
It couldn't have been longer then a few seconds, tops. Just long enough to blink really. But sure enough the sun was rising. Letting out a groan, Kel slid out of her bed and tied her hair up into a horsetail. She pulled on the majority of her winter gear and trotted out to breakfast.
She and Neal ate quickly. Almost as soon as she had handed her plate to the dishwashers, she ran outside and threw her breakfast up again. Kel rinsed her mouth out with water and walked slowly back to headquarters. Her bags had already been taken downstairs. Jump had disappeared again, most likely to say goodbye to one of his lady friends among the camp dogs.
Kel went back outside and saw that the horses were already ready to go. Kel had commanded that her group not be escorted by a squad of soldiers. It would just be she and Neal going.
They rode out not to long after that; half of Kel's sparrows, Jump and Lady came with them. "Maybe I should have stayed. Do you remember what happened last time we left for more then a day?"
"Yes Raoul and Buri got married."
"That's not the time I mean."
"Stop fretting, Mother." Neal told her. Kel stiffened. Neal realizing his mistake amended softly, "Sorry, Kel."
Normally it would take only four hours to Mastiff and they would be there just before lunch. But with three feet of snow on the road, it was almost dinnertime when they got to Mastiff's gates.
They dismounted and after Kel made Peachblossom promise to behave, that hostlers took the horses away.
The meeting with Wylden was uneventful. Neal wasn't about to tell Wylden about her condition without permission from Kel. Kel hoped that if she ignored it, it might go away.
They retired to their rooms expecting a peaceful night. That was until the alarm siren rang.