Note: *indicate thoughts*
Chapter 5: "In hiding"
Breakfast went on for what seemed like forever. Neal was frantically trying to complete a report, even though Wyldon was only mere feet from noticing. Kel caught Joren's eyes a few times, but she couldn't react to his smiles because of a certain young page.
"So Kel," Owen began, "How's training going for you now that you're a squire?"
"Pretty good." Kel answered.
"Oh, well how is Sir Raoul these days?"
Kel sighed, "Uh, he's alright, I guess." She wanted him to just shut up.
"And Portia?"
"FINE OWEN!"
"Well, sorry!" For a moment there was complete silence between the two. Then, "Sleep well last night?"
Kel was caught off guard. "What?"
"Did you sleep well last night? I sure did hear an awful lot of noise."
Kel froze, her mind trying to come up with something to say. *Last night...last night.* Last night she slept very well, but with Joren next to her. "Yeah, I-I slept well."
"Jolly good to hear Kel!"
*I need to be more careful about this.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kel walked down the hallway to her classes. Right before breakfast had ended Joren had told her silently, "Garden". "After dinner."
After dinner was her study group. It would be hard to get out of there.
Classes were finished, and Kel was looking forward to the practice court. Wyldon had taught the squires a new staff move, and for once Neal had learned it much faster than Kel. He offered to help her, and Kel gladly accepted. In the courts Kel and Neal paired up. Neal walked her through the steps, placing her hands were they needed to be. In just minutes Kel mastered the move.
"See?"
Kel grinned. "What?"
Neal looked dreamily into the blue sky. "There's still hope for me and my dream."
It didn't take Kel long to notice the sarcasm in his voice. "And what is your dream, Neal?"
"To be just like the Stump, and guide my young knights-in-training." He chuckled at his own joke, but that chuckle quickly faded when Kel hit his arm with her staff.
"Are you okay?" She never intended to hurt him.
"Yeah, you just...hit a soft spot." Neal rolled up his sleeve to reveal a large, round bruise.
Kel winced. "Neal! When did you get that?"
"Huh? Oh, Roald hit me really hard with his staff a coulpe of days ago."
"Oh." Once Neal regained his position, Kel struck him with her staff. "Better practice, else it'll happen again."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The rest of the day, much to Kel's horror, went by fast. During dinner Kel began to think of all the ways she could get out of study group, without success. *I'm not up to it? No. I want to work alone? Neal would never allow that, he's too dependent on my math skills.*
"Kel?" Cleon wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pointed to her plate, "Now I know your mother taught you to eat all your veggies."
"I'm not very hungry."
Cleon quickly placed a hand over her forehead. "My pearl, tell me you haven't fallen ill!"
*Perfect. Cleon's a genius. He may not know it, but he is!* "Actually, I am feeling quite tired."
"Well, we can't have you sick." Neal commented.
"You can't be ill, now off to be with you!"
"Cleon, you sound just like my father." He shot a glare after that comment. "What about study group?"
"Don't worry about that, you get some rest." Neal said.
"Neal can do without you telling him the answers for one night." Roald soon got a piece of bread thrown at him after that.
Kel sighed and rose to her feet.
"I'll walk you." Cleon offered.
"No, I'll be alright. Finish your dinner." The squires said their good-byes, and then Kel walked out of the mess hall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The stone bench sat under a large tree. Kel sat on it, waiting for Joren to show up. She looked up as the wind swayed the branches to and frow. It was very quiet, early in the evening, and all Kel could hear were the chirps of her sparrows being fed by Lalassa. Suddenly, in the quiet of it all, hands covered her eyes. She was caught off guard, but calmed down when the person behind her kissed her cheek.
"Hello, Joren."
"You guessed," He said, taking a seat next to her. "How've you been?"
"Fine," Kel smiled, "Thinking of you."
"And?"
"How hard it's going to be hiding this. My friend's will figure it sooner or later."
"You know we can't tell anyone. For your sake, and mine."
Kel thought a minute. "Your sake?"
Joren paused. "Never mind. I've been thinking of you all day too." He kissed her passionately, Kel's arms wrapped around his neck.
They walked through the garden, talking. Joren told her about his family, friends back at home, and many other things Kel would have never dreamed she'd be talking to him about.
"It's getting dark." Kel commented. "Maybe we should go in."
"Your probably right. People will start to wonder."
"I enjoyed this. Talking to you."
Joren smiled. "Me, too. Shall we meet here every day?"
*Every day? It was hard enough to get out of studying today, but every day?* But of course, no one listens to their brain when in love, so Kel replied, "Of course."
Joren kissed her softly one last time, "Until tomorrow then." The two separated and entered the palace from different doors.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That's pretty much how it went for about three weeks. Kel and Joren would meet in the garden after dinner, and they would take walks and talk to each other. Kel was finding it easier and easier to make up excuses to get out of study group, but they soon got suspicious.
"Kel, you haven't come to study with us in three weeks!" Owen wined.
"Yeah, my math isn't getting any better, you know." Neal added.
"I'm sorry you guys. I-I just..."
"Can't." Cleon finished. Kel nodded.
"Fine then, go. We'll see you later." Roald said before anyone else could protest. Kel waved and solemnly walked out the door. She headed to her room where she would tell Lalassa she was going to study...or had she used that one yesterday? *No, yesterday I was riding Peachblossom.*
Kel eventually got out of her room and headed to the garden where she knew Joren would be waiting for her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The squires, and Owen, sat at their usual table in the lesser library. At least, most of them did. There was still that one missing person that usually occupied the chair next to Neal. Everyone was quiet, all afraid to say what was on his mind.
"What is wrong with Kel?" Cleon finally asked. "She's never here anymore."
"I really don't know." Roald replied. "Whatever it is, it must be important."
"Maybe she and Portia are doing something together and she's forgotten all about us!" Owen cried.
"No, I doubt that." Cleon started. "But she could be hiding something."
The squires began talking about confronting their friend and making her tell them what was going on.
"No, you guys. We can't do that." The boys stopped to search for the voice. It was Neal who said it. "It's her life, and if she wants to tell us, she will."
"We're her friends, of course she will." Owen said.
"Maybe." Someone replied.
"I guess."
"Yeah." Agreed Roald.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*I can't stand this anymore. I know where she's been. She's with Joren. Where? I don't know. But I know she's with him.
The guys are catching on, I can tell. They know something's going on. Maybe I should tell her, just so she's warned. Beat's me why she'd keep this a secret, but I plan on helping her with that wish. It'll be a secret between her, Joren, and I.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kel and Joren walked side by side through the garden. They were steps taken before, everyday for the last three weeks.
"What are you thinking about?" Joren asked. Kel had been awfully quiet that night.
"Joren, my friends are really starting to wonder. I'm skipping our study group to come out here, and I'm running out of excuses. They'll start asking more and more."
"We'll just find another time to meet. Or we could write to each other." Joren suggested.
"I don't know." Kel looked down to the ground, but Joren lifted up her chin.
"Look, it'll be alright. We're doing a good job now, and if the guys catch on...well, we'll just figure out some other way." He kissed her.
"Okay. So what were you saying about your mother?" Kel and Joren continued their walk. *I know I should worry, but with him here, I feel okay. Like everything's going to be okay.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun began to set. It was time for Kel and Joren to part ways.
"It'll be alright, Kel. You'll see." Joren called back to her as she entered the door to the palace.
*All right. It'll all be all right. The funny thing is, I want to tell someone. It would be nice to have someone to talk to about this ordeal. Even if it was one of the guys, like Neal or Cleon. No, they wouldn't understand. That's the problem. I can't just go up and say, "Hey, I'm in love with Joren. Yeah, Joren. The one who used to beat all of us up, that's him!" No, that won't work. Portia would understand, but I can't tell her. I know why I can't say anything, Lord Wyldon, but what's keeping Joren so scared of being found out?*
Kel made her way to her room. The door was open, which was odd. Kel pushed open the door.
"Lalassa I..." Her voice seemed to fade after that. Her eyes were set on the person sitting on her bed. "I-I went to f-feed Peachblossom."
"You make good excuses. Look, you don't have to lie to me anymore. I know what's going on."
Kel glared at him, "And what exactly is going on?"
"You're seeing Joren, every day after dinner. I know. I saw you leave his room a couple of weeks ago."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah! Do you know who it is? All shall be revealed in the next chapter!
Till then,
Mandi
Chapter 5: "In hiding"
Breakfast went on for what seemed like forever. Neal was frantically trying to complete a report, even though Wyldon was only mere feet from noticing. Kel caught Joren's eyes a few times, but she couldn't react to his smiles because of a certain young page.
"So Kel," Owen began, "How's training going for you now that you're a squire?"
"Pretty good." Kel answered.
"Oh, well how is Sir Raoul these days?"
Kel sighed, "Uh, he's alright, I guess." She wanted him to just shut up.
"And Portia?"
"FINE OWEN!"
"Well, sorry!" For a moment there was complete silence between the two. Then, "Sleep well last night?"
Kel was caught off guard. "What?"
"Did you sleep well last night? I sure did hear an awful lot of noise."
Kel froze, her mind trying to come up with something to say. *Last night...last night.* Last night she slept very well, but with Joren next to her. "Yeah, I-I slept well."
"Jolly good to hear Kel!"
*I need to be more careful about this.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kel walked down the hallway to her classes. Right before breakfast had ended Joren had told her silently, "Garden". "After dinner."
After dinner was her study group. It would be hard to get out of there.
Classes were finished, and Kel was looking forward to the practice court. Wyldon had taught the squires a new staff move, and for once Neal had learned it much faster than Kel. He offered to help her, and Kel gladly accepted. In the courts Kel and Neal paired up. Neal walked her through the steps, placing her hands were they needed to be. In just minutes Kel mastered the move.
"See?"
Kel grinned. "What?"
Neal looked dreamily into the blue sky. "There's still hope for me and my dream."
It didn't take Kel long to notice the sarcasm in his voice. "And what is your dream, Neal?"
"To be just like the Stump, and guide my young knights-in-training." He chuckled at his own joke, but that chuckle quickly faded when Kel hit his arm with her staff.
"Are you okay?" She never intended to hurt him.
"Yeah, you just...hit a soft spot." Neal rolled up his sleeve to reveal a large, round bruise.
Kel winced. "Neal! When did you get that?"
"Huh? Oh, Roald hit me really hard with his staff a coulpe of days ago."
"Oh." Once Neal regained his position, Kel struck him with her staff. "Better practice, else it'll happen again."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The rest of the day, much to Kel's horror, went by fast. During dinner Kel began to think of all the ways she could get out of study group, without success. *I'm not up to it? No. I want to work alone? Neal would never allow that, he's too dependent on my math skills.*
"Kel?" Cleon wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pointed to her plate, "Now I know your mother taught you to eat all your veggies."
"I'm not very hungry."
Cleon quickly placed a hand over her forehead. "My pearl, tell me you haven't fallen ill!"
*Perfect. Cleon's a genius. He may not know it, but he is!* "Actually, I am feeling quite tired."
"Well, we can't have you sick." Neal commented.
"You can't be ill, now off to be with you!"
"Cleon, you sound just like my father." He shot a glare after that comment. "What about study group?"
"Don't worry about that, you get some rest." Neal said.
"Neal can do without you telling him the answers for one night." Roald soon got a piece of bread thrown at him after that.
Kel sighed and rose to her feet.
"I'll walk you." Cleon offered.
"No, I'll be alright. Finish your dinner." The squires said their good-byes, and then Kel walked out of the mess hall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The stone bench sat under a large tree. Kel sat on it, waiting for Joren to show up. She looked up as the wind swayed the branches to and frow. It was very quiet, early in the evening, and all Kel could hear were the chirps of her sparrows being fed by Lalassa. Suddenly, in the quiet of it all, hands covered her eyes. She was caught off guard, but calmed down when the person behind her kissed her cheek.
"Hello, Joren."
"You guessed," He said, taking a seat next to her. "How've you been?"
"Fine," Kel smiled, "Thinking of you."
"And?"
"How hard it's going to be hiding this. My friend's will figure it sooner or later."
"You know we can't tell anyone. For your sake, and mine."
Kel thought a minute. "Your sake?"
Joren paused. "Never mind. I've been thinking of you all day too." He kissed her passionately, Kel's arms wrapped around his neck.
They walked through the garden, talking. Joren told her about his family, friends back at home, and many other things Kel would have never dreamed she'd be talking to him about.
"It's getting dark." Kel commented. "Maybe we should go in."
"Your probably right. People will start to wonder."
"I enjoyed this. Talking to you."
Joren smiled. "Me, too. Shall we meet here every day?"
*Every day? It was hard enough to get out of studying today, but every day?* But of course, no one listens to their brain when in love, so Kel replied, "Of course."
Joren kissed her softly one last time, "Until tomorrow then." The two separated and entered the palace from different doors.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That's pretty much how it went for about three weeks. Kel and Joren would meet in the garden after dinner, and they would take walks and talk to each other. Kel was finding it easier and easier to make up excuses to get out of study group, but they soon got suspicious.
"Kel, you haven't come to study with us in three weeks!" Owen wined.
"Yeah, my math isn't getting any better, you know." Neal added.
"I'm sorry you guys. I-I just..."
"Can't." Cleon finished. Kel nodded.
"Fine then, go. We'll see you later." Roald said before anyone else could protest. Kel waved and solemnly walked out the door. She headed to her room where she would tell Lalassa she was going to study...or had she used that one yesterday? *No, yesterday I was riding Peachblossom.*
Kel eventually got out of her room and headed to the garden where she knew Joren would be waiting for her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The squires, and Owen, sat at their usual table in the lesser library. At least, most of them did. There was still that one missing person that usually occupied the chair next to Neal. Everyone was quiet, all afraid to say what was on his mind.
"What is wrong with Kel?" Cleon finally asked. "She's never here anymore."
"I really don't know." Roald replied. "Whatever it is, it must be important."
"Maybe she and Portia are doing something together and she's forgotten all about us!" Owen cried.
"No, I doubt that." Cleon started. "But she could be hiding something."
The squires began talking about confronting their friend and making her tell them what was going on.
"No, you guys. We can't do that." The boys stopped to search for the voice. It was Neal who said it. "It's her life, and if she wants to tell us, she will."
"We're her friends, of course she will." Owen said.
"Maybe." Someone replied.
"I guess."
"Yeah." Agreed Roald.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*I can't stand this anymore. I know where she's been. She's with Joren. Where? I don't know. But I know she's with him.
The guys are catching on, I can tell. They know something's going on. Maybe I should tell her, just so she's warned. Beat's me why she'd keep this a secret, but I plan on helping her with that wish. It'll be a secret between her, Joren, and I.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kel and Joren walked side by side through the garden. They were steps taken before, everyday for the last three weeks.
"What are you thinking about?" Joren asked. Kel had been awfully quiet that night.
"Joren, my friends are really starting to wonder. I'm skipping our study group to come out here, and I'm running out of excuses. They'll start asking more and more."
"We'll just find another time to meet. Or we could write to each other." Joren suggested.
"I don't know." Kel looked down to the ground, but Joren lifted up her chin.
"Look, it'll be alright. We're doing a good job now, and if the guys catch on...well, we'll just figure out some other way." He kissed her.
"Okay. So what were you saying about your mother?" Kel and Joren continued their walk. *I know I should worry, but with him here, I feel okay. Like everything's going to be okay.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun began to set. It was time for Kel and Joren to part ways.
"It'll be alright, Kel. You'll see." Joren called back to her as she entered the door to the palace.
*All right. It'll all be all right. The funny thing is, I want to tell someone. It would be nice to have someone to talk to about this ordeal. Even if it was one of the guys, like Neal or Cleon. No, they wouldn't understand. That's the problem. I can't just go up and say, "Hey, I'm in love with Joren. Yeah, Joren. The one who used to beat all of us up, that's him!" No, that won't work. Portia would understand, but I can't tell her. I know why I can't say anything, Lord Wyldon, but what's keeping Joren so scared of being found out?*
Kel made her way to her room. The door was open, which was odd. Kel pushed open the door.
"Lalassa I..." Her voice seemed to fade after that. Her eyes were set on the person sitting on her bed. "I-I went to f-feed Peachblossom."
"You make good excuses. Look, you don't have to lie to me anymore. I know what's going on."
Kel glared at him, "And what exactly is going on?"
"You're seeing Joren, every day after dinner. I know. I saw you leave his room a couple of weeks ago."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah! Do you know who it is? All shall be revealed in the next chapter!
Till then,
Mandi