Chapter 10 – The Long Awaited Battle
Disclaimer – how many times do we have to put this in one story?
They're NOT MINE! (except for a couple of the Scanrans.)
Notes ~ no flames if you don't like the twists and turns in the next
few chapters okay? it's a little soap-opera-ish, but what can I do?
R-E-V-I-E-W!!! Sorry this took a while to write…I was reading the fanfics more
than writing them this week. And, I'm sorry to say that I'm not going to
continue "LET IT GO" because I'm right in the middle of this story, and after
this I'm writing another very interesting story (so make sure you read and review it,
okay?) AND DON'T READ THIS UNLESS YOU'VE READ "KEL-NEW KNIGHT OF TORTALL"
BECAUSE YOU WILL BE CONFUSED!
Kel
sprinted out of the Mindelan fort Fief, her hair streaming wildly out behind
her. After quickly suiting up in her Own fighting gear, and grabbing her bows
and glaive, she narrowly avoided crashing into her Knight Commander, also
running outside. "Looks like the King's spies were wrong," he pointed out
grimly. "They're here a night early." As the rest of the Second and Third
Companies of the Own settled into a group, Raoul paced with the other
Commander, thinking of last-minute tactics.
"Okay," he
announced as the last corporals leaned in to listen. "We have no real plan
rightnow, because it's last minute. But, assuming there are ten or so of these
giant monsters, we…well, we can take them on." His worried eyes told a
different story. "There's lots of cover in the woods," Raoul's hand flitted
towards the thick trees, "so take advantage of that. The Commander leant over a
map, scanning it. "Gods damn this
Maggur maggot," he muttered softly to himself. "He's anything but stupid." Wolset shot Kel a troubled look as Raoul
barked, "Squad leaders, to me."
They
gathered around.
Raoul
marked some points on his map. "Okay, because we're facing the enemy, and we're
defending, we can do nothing but wait for them to arrive. We must prepare
ourselves as well as possible. I want the squads behind these boulders," he
said, pointing. "And there, we hold them. Get two men to walk your horses up to
a safe place. Rown, " he said, directing a tiny man from the Second Company,
"send up smoke signals to anyone in the area around Mindelan. We're going to
need all the help we can get." Kel's skin prickled as she tried hard to focus
on the far shouts and rustle in the woods. They were closer.
As Raoul
shouted out instructions, Dom turned and tried to catch her eye. Smiling
weakly, he mouthed, " I'm sorry!" Kel turned away coldly, her chin trembling
against her will. She whispered to the sparrows that had accompanied her.
Perched on her shoulder, they willingly took off in flight to find out what was
in the woods. Kel turned back to the Knight Commander's words.
"If you see one of
those enormous machines, or need help, or even smell a giant, horn call
immediately. Lenan…you're the message runner. Kel, you're in Dom's squad."
Kel's mouth opened slightly as she begged Raoul with her eyes not to assign her
to that particular squad. He shot her an apologetic look and straightened. "I'm
going to be around here, checking the palace to see how many people at Mindelan
can help us, and making sure the Scanrans don't advance while you work on the
machines and – " he cut off suddenly. Kel turned to hear high-pitched shrieks
as her sparrows came hurtling down from the sky, their leader, Nari, in front.
She perched on Kel's shoulder, her eyes frantic. "Shhh…shhhh…" Kel whispered
soothingly. She realized everyone was looking at her. "My lord," she said,
addressing Raoul, "there must be quite a lot to have frightened them like this.
They're rarely ever this scared." Kel watched as her Commander shook his head
worriedly. "Move. They're coming. And…Mithros Bless us all," he added.
Kel, as mad as she was
to be in Dom's group, couldn't ignore him. She asked a few sparrows to stay
scout on the trees around their area. Jump sat at her feet, his ears pricked up
attentively. Patting him absently, Kel checked her weapons and strung her
longbow, letting it lay beside her. Warhammer, sword and dagger were all in her
belt. Their squad's position was sheltered by trees, making it easier for them
to advance on the enemy. Unfortunately, it gave the Scanrans the same
advantage. She took cover behind the large tree trunk, not noticing she had
company.
Kel spun around as a light
hand tapped her on the shoulder. Unsheathing her dagger instinctively, she
pushed the bigger man onto the tree trunk, knowing she'd caught him by
surprise. As light spilled over his face, Kel's grip on her dagger loosened,
and she slowly started to pull him off the tree.
"I'd half a mind to
keep it up at your neck," she said sourly, indicating the dagger.
Dom stepped out of the
shadows, his hands in a surrendering position, his smile feeble. He sighed as Kel removed the dagger from at
his throat.
"Look, Kel, you don't
have to talk to me, but at least let me explain," he protested as she glared at
him and turned her back. " I got caught…in…well, the heat of the moment." Wrong answer! Kel thought as she reeled on him, her anger re-surfacing.
"The heat of the moment?! WHAT heat of the moment?" she yelled. Dom
jumped up, startled, then glanced around them nervously. "SHhhhhh…." He said.
Kel thought of her Yamani training, the calm and control that had been taught
to her. Taking deep breaths, she continued. "What 'heat of the moment'?" she
asked, a straining calmness stretching over her face.
"Just…well,
you know I'm a huge flirt. Ask Neal," Dom tried to explain.
"That was
no excuse to kiss another girl. Nevermind that she was my cousin. You knew her for, what, all of five minutes?" Kel
retorted, getting riled again.
"Kel, I said I was sorry! There's not much more I can do. Either you forgive me or…well…" he
trailed off, a pleading note in his deep voice. Dom watched her carefully as she visibly struggled with the
decision. I really do love her, he thought to himself. Then why were you so stupid as to kiss that
other girl? A tiny voice
reprimanded. That same thought kept re-surfacing.
Kel looked
at him, contemplating. I shouldn't
let him go this easily, she said
to herself. But seeing the flickering emotion in Dom's serious blue eyes, she
just couldn't stay angry.
"Okay,"
she consented finally. "I forgive you…but – " Kel was cut off as he kissed her
once, softly, and then again and again. She felt the rush that she always got
from kissing him, the heat and the passion. "Wait…take it slow," Kel murmured
half-heartedly as he pulled her into his wonderfully tight embrace.
"What does slow mean?"
Dom whispered with a grin, his lips brushing hers as she laughed.
They jumped apart
quickly as Jump gave a deep growl. Kel listened carefully for the alerting
screeches of her sparrows, and heard them.
While Dom was over
getting his weapons, she absentmindedly reached down without looking to pick up
her longbow. It wasn't there. Scanning the dirt, Kel followed large footsteps
to a clearing in her midst, where she found the bow. Reaching cautiously to pick up her much-needed weapon, and
wondering how it got there, she was just barely able to snatch her hand away as
a dirty black boot crushed it into the soil.
"Hey!" the girl cried
angrily, following the boot up to its' wearer. Her expression went from enraged
to surprised as she saw the man who'd stamped her longbow into the dirt.
"You…." She muttered softly, looking at him. His blonde hair was oily and hung
over his gaunt face like a limp mop. The smug green eyes held an air of
satisfaction in them, as if besting an old foe.
Wait, Kel mused. I know him! He's the general I shot in the
neck at Northwatch last year. She
remembered his words as she shot him off his gelding.
" You'll be sorry, wench. You will be sorry," he'd
rasped.
Now, he sneered at
her, his face twisted unpleasantly.
"How nice to know that
my little wench was actually a Lady Knight," he spoke
softly, mocking the last words. He raised his own longbow, and aimed it
expertly at her neck. "Doesn't matter what you are. This is
going to be fun." The tall man raised his eyebrows and made a rude gesture,
grinning. "Come with me, your ladyship."
***hope you like it! I know, I know, it's weird. But review and tell me
what you think so I can get on to the next chapter! And I know she forgave him
too easily, but it's important for the rest of the story. R/R!!! Dewdrop~
you're probably the person who wanted this chapter out the most! Lol! Hope you love it, loyalist!***