Disclaimer: Ferdinad, Nacean, and Katei are mine-- NO ONE ELSE.

Don't Ever Underestimate a Yamani

Division 3: Help From Old Friends

Kel opened her eyes to a rapidly fading blue sky and a gentle breeze blowing against her direction. Blinking rapidly, the world slowly came back into focus. She was in the middle of what she recognized as the town square, next to the giant marble fountain.

Seeing that she was awake, two figures moved into her vision. One, she acknowledged as her comrade, Nacean, no problem there. The other took a few seconds to register in her mind that what she was seeing was correct. Sitting up gingerly, she stared at Katei of Nirason with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and outrage.

"Kel? Kel, are you okay?" he asked, and once again it took a few moments to realize she was hearing Katei's voice. She hadn't seen nor heard of him for years, and now that she was seeing him, only one thought came to her mind.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" she whispered fiercely, narrowing her eyes precariously. Taken aback, he stammered a bit, "I- I- I came... here to... see you! Yeah, see you!" his words had been meant to make her feel happy and joyous, but it sort of had the reverse effect. To put it lightly, she exploded.

"YOU DID WHAT?!" then, in a more quiet voice, "I told you never, to ever come back. Katei, do you realize how stupid you are-- you could be caught! How could you do this to me?"

She looked helplessly at him for a second, eyes half-lit with sadness and frustration. Katei stared back at her, still shocked at what she had said, with his mouth hanging open.

Without waiting for an answer, she turned on her heel and walked petulantly away. Katei didn't pause before he ran after her, leaving Nacean behind, who thought it wise to stay out of the dispute. As he caught up to her, he grabbed her arm and spun her to face him determinedly. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders so she couldn't get away.

As he looked at her intently, she said softly, "You gave me your word that you would stay out of Tortall."

Katei smiled slightly and replied instantly, "Kel. You should know better than to trust the word of a murderer like myself!" This got a weak grin out of her, and Katei, satisfied that she had silently forgiven him, leaned foreword.

Kel was suddenly conscious that Katei was about to kiss her, and however much she wanted him to, couldn't let it happen. Moving suddenly back, she moved out of his way just as his lips were about to touch hers.

Katei looked at her, holding her eyes with his own puzzled ones, soundlessly questioning her.

Kel looked at him for a second and looked down, schooling her facial features before she started to cry. "Katei, there is something that you need to know about me."

Katei's hands were once again firmly on her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye. "What? What is it?" he asked quietly.

Kel bit her lip and took a deep breath, "Katei, my elders at Mindelan had betrothed me to Ferdinad of Olau while I was away once in Tusaine. I- I'm

married."

Katei stood, staring into space for a second, dazed. Suddenly, he let go of her shoulders and turned away, hands on balanced against his waist. His lips were set in a thin, trembling line, as he gently shook his head in disbelief and ire. His alert, green eyes were narrowed angrily.

Kel looked at his back and stepped in front of him, about to say something, when Katei said abruptly, "Kel, I need your help. It's about what is going on with the Yamani Islands and Tortall."
His voice was unemotional-- indifferent, telling her that the subject was closed. Kel bit back tears and nodded, "Yes, let's go eat and talk about that." she would have to tell him about her plan later.

Nacean noticed that they were not talking about the former subject and joined them as they walked into a tavern. Sitting in a booth across from eachother, with Nacean beside Kel, Katei told them of his problem.

"As you probably know, Tortall has been becoming suspicious concerning the Yamanis. And the Yamani court, has been drawing up plans. They have decided that the Tortallans have tricked them when they created the Lanae Treaty years back. You know the one, where they dealt out who got what pieces of land? Well the Yamanis are not exactly happy about it, and they are planning an attack somewhere near the Grimhold Mountains, that hilly area? It sort of connects with the Coastal Way and there is coastal hills all over?"

Kel interrupted him at that point concerned for her home, "So are they trying to gain that are back? Mindelan is in a hilly area, and it is next to the Grimhold Mountains!"

Katei remained unmoved as he said stubbornly, "Yes, they are trying to gain that entire area back, maybe even the Grimhold Mountains themselves."

"When are they attacking?"

Katei let out a breath and said, "You know the Yamanis, if they attack something, they want to make sure everything will go according to plan and work out. So they can have as much advantage over the other side as possible. Experience says they won't attack for at least a month. But another reason I came to Tortall, Kel, was that I decided that you Tortallans need help. So you can go tell that King of your's that he is unprepared for an attack that is bound to come."

Kel nodded, taking it all in. The Yamanis, who she had once thought of with pride and had looked up to, were now going to attack her home. Yep, they were going to need some help.

~~

Later that night, Kel, back at the palace:

Katei had checked into an inn to stay the night, while Kel told him she had something to discuss with him. So he would be sneaking into the castle and meeting her in one of the lesser libraries.

Kel ate dinner with her friends at yet another feast held by the King in honor of the Congress that was held every two years. Almost completely silent during dinner; Kel was devising a plan in her mind that would hopefully solve her other problem.

Her friends talked consistently of the problem with the Yamanis, and Kel discovered that none of them were worried-- they seemed to think that the Yamanis would not be brave enough to go to war with a larger realm such as themselves.

After dinner, the council was once again meeting in the council room, but Kel had already decided that she wouldn't tell the news about the Yamani Islands until the next day.

So, Kel walked to the library, telling her friends that she needed to research some geographical areas. Since being knighted, it became apparent to the king and council that she had a talent for commanding people in a crisis or battle, and she had been appointed commander for sections of troops if there were ever to be a war.

She sat down, pretending to look up something up in a book but really was peering out from under her eyelashes for any sign of Katei. After thirty or so minutes, she had fallen asleep.

Later, Kel forced her eyes to stay open as she felt a tap on her shoulder. Bringing her head up, smiling at what she thought was Katei, she got bad shock.

Neal and Cleon were standing in front of her, staring down at where she was. "What are you still doing here?" Cleon asked, looking at the book she had been sleeping upon.

"Uh..." she was cut off by a familiar voice behind her two fellow knights call out, "Kel? Where are you?"

Katei who had been in the shadows and didn't see them until it was to late, stepped into the light beside Kel. Neal and Cleon stared at Katei, while he softly cursed.

"Katei, I can explain--" Kel began, but was cut off by Neal.

"Kel?! Is this Katei of Nirason?"

Cleon added on, "Yeah, hadn't he escaped?" he paused and thought for a second before continuing, "Years ago?"

Kel sighed and commanded the three men to sit down, and they obeyed, however grudgingly so.

She thought for a second at where to begin before declaring, "Neal, Cleon, the only reason Katei had escaped at his execution that day was because Prince Roald and I had helped him." she stopped, seeing the stunned faces of her two old friends, then said, "We forgave him and now he is back in Tortall, even if it is against my wishes. He is risking his freedom and maybe even his life to inform us on our standings with the Yamani Islands.

"And today I asked him to meet me here because I had something important to discuss with him. But now that you two have arrived... well I suppose you two could... yes! Yes, you two could help me with my plan as well!"

"What plan?" asked Neal and Cleon in unison, ignoring the contemptuous glare that Katei continually threw at the two.

Kel knew that this is where she had to choose her words wisely, knowing that any slip could alarm all three men.

"Neal, Cleon, how do you feel about Ferdinad? My husband... what do you think of him?" she asked innocently.

The two knights exchanged glances and Cleon asked carefully, "We don't want to offend or hurt your feelings, Kel." By the look Kel gave them, it was clear that that was the least of her worries.

And so they began their portrayal, in which later on Kel said she wished she could've cut it short.

And Neal, being the melodramatic person that he was, began, "He is the biggest pansy I have ever had the misfortune to meet!"

"Big Coward, he is!" agreed Cleon.

"He is a cocky, egotistical idiot who believes himself a player." Neal announced, voice full of disdain.

"And he is a femmy, and an annoying one at that." Cleon imitated Ferdinad's voice, "My shoes are made from the best leather and silk in all of Tortall."

"He thinks he has a sense of humor! The prat is such a sissy that he dresses his own guards up in colorful clothing that only a jester would wear."

" He is a presumptuous, arrogant man who probably wishes he were a woman, which is pretty sad and pathetic."

"He asks servants to put his shoes on his own feet for him! Probably can't even lift one of the boots!"

Cleon would've added something on again at this point but Kel stopped them from saying anything more. Katei and her had sat, stunned, throughout the trade and were taken aback that they could find so many things wrong with the man.

"All right." Kel said, choosing her words carefully once again, "And as you all know, I am stuck with Ferdinad as a husband. Only during Congress does he allow me to come to Corus, and usually if I sneak out, he has several guards bring me back." she paused, "So what I propose we do is," she gulped, "dispose of him."

There was silence around the table, as the three men stared at Kel. Katei had no problem getting rid of this 'man' for then Kel could be his again, but was still surprised that she wanted to do this.

Cleon asked uneasily, "What do you mean 'dispose of him?'"

Kel met all their gazes stonily, "I want us to kill Ferdinad."

~~

Author's Note: I wanted to get this up earlier, but then there was school, track practice, soccer practice, etc. So there you go, if you haven't guessed or read already, the Yamanis are planning war, and Kel wants to kill Ferdinad (who wouldn't?) Later, people.