Spring Comes

A/N Okay, I started this story this way, and I'm going to finish it so, especially since most of you know any way. I'm letting
you know that you might not want to read this unless you have read Squire as I copy a lot out of the book in this chapter. I
know that Joren dies in Squire and that he deserves it, but that's what fanfiction's for, right?


...Joren of Stone Mountain." Kel whispered, lying her head back down on the pillow and waiting for the door to open. Joren had
been so horrible to her in the past, but now said he loved her, and she could believe him because of the way he kissed. After
the people listed by Joren when he quit the room didn't enter, she let herself fall asleep.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"My honor?" Joren's voice rang through the courtroom. "What honor has a nation when a female lives among men and pretends to
their profession of arms? What honor is there in forcing a good, brave knight like Wyldon of Cavall, a hero of the realm, to
accept this creature into training and allow her to continue?" Kel humiliated and infuriated, stared at the floor.

~ What was wrong with Joren? This felt so real, was it real? Was this really happening? ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Cleon leaned down and pressed his lips gently to hers. "Midwinter luck, Kel," he whispered, He turned crimson and strode down
the hall.

~ Had Cleon just kissed her? Had she liked it? What was going on? ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A mocking voice sounded in her mind. It was Joren's from a talk they'd once had on the palace wall. "You'd make a fine wife
for one of those big fellows-Cleon for instance. You could settle down and raise young giants." Kel stiffened.

~ What was going on here? She was in Cleon's arms, not Joren's, and he was acting like he used to. What was happening to her
life? ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Cleon caught her and tugged her into a dark niche by the stands, where he kissed her warmly. Kel matched his warmth
with hers; she liked the taste of him. "Good night sunrise," he whispered, and let her go.

~ This almost scared her. She liked Cleon a lot more than Joren, and she hadn't thought that much was possible. And
now, Joren was horrible, completely unbearable. Suddenly she remembered that she and Cleon had been together for a while and
it was a lot better than sneaking around, not talking, and keeping secrets from her friends. ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

On they walked through the crowds. If Cleon was nervous about his Ordeal, he said nothing. His grip on her fingers got
tighter, the stops in alleys and corners for kisses became more frequent, as the afternoon wore on. When a shopkeeper placed
lit torches on either side of his door, they knew their day was over. They found one last doorway. Wrapping their arms around
each other, they kissed long and hard. Kel felt Cleon's heart beating against his ribs. She clung to him with all her strength
as he clung back

~ This feels so much more right than I do with Joren. ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Joren on Stone Mountain waited. "Are you happy?" he snapped. "You got one of us somehow, you progressives. You can't
even fight your own battles-"

Kel jerked back. You'll be a wonderful father someday," she replied. "You're good at bedtime tales."

"Once I'm a knight, you'd best keep an eye behind you, bitch." His voice was a viper's hiss, dripping with venom. "I'll be in
your shadow, until one day you won't cast one ever again."

~ Now Kel was terrified. This was all wrong. Joren was a beast, almost worse than ever. Deep down in her heart, she yearned
for Cleon to hold her like he had during their relationship so long ago, or like he did here. ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"My nephew is dead," the other stranger cried. "The Chamber of the Ordeal opened on his corpse."

"Joren? Dead?" whispered Kel, horrified.

~ 'Gods this is all too much! And I keep popping into different consciousness'' ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Kel didn't care if anyone saw. She wrapped her arms around Cleon and buried her face in his chest. "How long?" she
whispered

He stroked her hair. "All summer at least."

She had nothing to say that wasn't pointless. Instead she turned her face up for his kiss.

~ 'I wish I could figure all of this out.' Kel thought dreamily. ~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Wake up, Pearl of my Heart." Kel heard Cleon's voice cut through her dreams. "I should waste away in sorrow if my sunrise
never awoke, but remained in eternal slumber, rendering my life unfit to live."

Kel opened her eyes and saw Cleon sitting next to her in Duke Baird's domain. She smiled at him. After her dream, which was
so real she could have sworn that she really had lived it, she realized that she didn't love Joren. He was the same scum he'd
always be in her eyes, even if he'd acted like he had changed, her dream had uncovered a hidden passionate hatred in her. She
loved Cleon, and that she was sure of now. "I love you Cleon." She whispered, "I'm so sorry for how I've been recently, I
really do love you."

Cleon grinned and kissed her softly. "I love you too Kel, and I always will, no matter what."


A/N- I bet I had you going with that note at the top. *^-^*