someone asked why kel married before she was a knight. well, when the big chaos thingy hit, its like "crap, tortall's screwed to hell now." I guess it didnt seem to matter anymore, just establish a home instead and survive while they can.
and there may be one or two more sections to the fall of tortall. i promise to compile them someday, though it wont be in chapters because we can't make a chaptered chapter story...and the reviews will all be somewhere else... :(
~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Neal banged his head on his table. "Damn!" he cried, staring at the papers. After three months, and fourteen deaths, there was still no answer. "Every time we touch it with magic, it simply repels it and continues!" he yelled in frustration. "Even seems to suck the magic in..."
His mild father raised his eyebrows. "Temper, Neal." But then he too sighed. "There is still no answer," he commented, "but that doesn't mean that we cannot find one." He looked outside at the moon. "Its near midnight. You had better go home to Kel."
"You sure?" the young man asked.
His father nodded. "I'm sure. She's probably worried." Neal nodded and left quietly, his footsteps slowly thudding down the walk. Duke Baird sat there silently for a moment before continuing his research into the hours of morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Neal?" Kel's voice rang out softly. "Is everything all right?" she asked, her voice concerned. Her husband shook his head, running his fingers through his uncombed hair.
"We still have no clue."
She made a small noise. "That's okay, hon." Kissing him on the cheek, she poured him a mug of hot tea. "Someday..." she promised. Clearing the table, she stored her glaive and sword in the corner.
He tried to snap out of his morose attitude, but failed miserably. "I don't think we have until someday." Neal was only slightly comforted by his wife's hug as she worriedly peered into his face.
"Everything's going to be fine," she said anxiously, hazel eyes wide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
But everything was not fine. The next morning, Solane's scream woke both of them at dawn. Her and Cleon's son, Dehlyliahm, had a blue-orange spot under his chin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEHE, CLEON'S SON HAS A FREAKY NAME, BUT I WAS PLAYING WITH THE KEYBOARD WHEN I MADE IT UP!