Loads of thanks to all of you wonderful (patient) readers who gave me the sweetest reviews and requests. *blows kisses* And even a thank you to each person who wasn't so sweet, but still reviewed. I need you people (though don't be too mean) to keep my ego from inflating, and I appreciate that you shared your opinions with me. Thank yous go out to:
soverein; j; Shelly Slamalin; keladry351; Princess of Tortall; Lady Alehanra A.K.A Medusagrrl; Lisa; solving roxy_27; Midnight Maiden; Lady Alanna; marie; Wild Mage; Sum1; chloe; Supergirl; Venus Saturnalia; LK; Smicc; HShuler888; susieq05; lilia; Wild_Magic_Mage; tropicalfrost86; :) ; Lady Keladry of Queenscove; catgirl; Kawaii Yolei Chan; Sir Kayt; Radella; Emily; Angelina Weasley; "Dewdrop"; Seeking Serenity; Rilly; Aphrodite; Luna; Lilian Silverdaydream; Dark Goddess; Brooke; Sophie; A.M.S.; guess; Tora the Bloodthirsty; eli; The Shang Unicorn; Lady Destiny/Dee; Total Chica; Jag; starbucks95; Smiles-a-lot; Kestrel; Erin; Sweet Thang aka Harrys Crush; Karalea Ethereal; em; SyDra; Lady Reena; Willows; Kellie; Laurie Makensri; Chip; Manday; Kyra; Kelbacca; loserbat; Megaera; Saphron; Kira Trinity; Risika; Jaelawyn Noble; WeatherWitchandMetalMage
You're all wonderful (plus anyone else who may have reviewed any other chapters). It'll be fun to see how many of you review this story.
A/N: I know this is inaccurate, but what the hell, it's fanFICTION right? Oh, and this is going to be in chapters, as I'd like to get this out asap for all of you who have waited for months. There'll probably be three chapters.
Another Decision
Chapter One
Life is hard when you're married at seventeen and you're also fighting for you shield and place as a knight of the realm at the same time.
Keladry of Mindelan was wed to Cleon of Kennan on her seventeenth birthday. It was a glorious day for that time of the year. The weather was warm with a slight warm breeze blowing. There were a few flowers that bloomed, but not too many, and those that did were the most lovely of hues. Kel had been lovely in a white gown trimmed with both Mindelan colors and Kennan colors. Cleon had been a dashing groom in his sharp tunic with his sword by his side. But the wedding was months ago.
Now, still weeks later, rumors were flying around court about the particulars of this wedding and possible affairs. As a squire, Kel was still sharing adjoining rooms with her knight-master and the court gossips were having a hay day! Even worse was the fact that when she wasn't at the palace, she was traveling with the King's Own - an army of men. Cleon had rooms at the palace next to her own, but they were rarely there at the same time. When they were, she stayed there instead of her own room. Lord Raoul knew where to find her if a serious need arose. Unless she was absolutely needed, he let her spend time with Cleon when she could.
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"Prosper!" Kel yelled, exasperated with her younger friend. "You're not trying! You're avoiding me!" She once more had her sword against his neck; the third time in five minutes. "What's wrong?" She let him up, helping him to his feet.
"I, um," He mumbled, looking at his feet.
"Ooh! Ooh!" Neal was standing on the outer edge of the practice court where the sparing two were, waving his hand as if in class. "I know the answer, call on me." He grinned wickedly at his friends.
"Just tell me Neal." Kel said, noticing as Prosper gulped visibly, knowing he was about to catch it for something"
"It's well known among all pages and squires, excepting yourself of course, and the younger knights as well, that Sir Cleon of Kennan does not like it when his lovely wife gets hurt. He said that he would try not to interfere with your training, but he also made it quite clear that he did not like to see you hurt in any way, shape, or form." Even standing well back, Neal could see Kel's eyes glinting dangerously.
"I feel very bad for Prosper right now." He added
"And why might that be?" Kel growled
"Because you're going to take out your anger sparring him, pin it to him even more for listening to Cleon, and then, if Cleon finds so much as a scratch on you, he'll catch the brunt of that too." Neal quipped. By now Prosper was positively white and sick looking.
"Oh really." Kel snarled. "Get over here Queenscove, Prosper, give him your sword."
Now it was Neal's turn to pity himself. "Just for your information, oh hot-headed lady-squire, my knight-mistress doesn't like the notion of my tender skin being harmed either."
"Nonsense." The Lady Knight strode into view. "You'll be able to have more healing practice. Healing yourself can be just as difficult as healing others. Have at him Keladry."
Completely disregarding the fact that the lioness was there watching (she had attended Kel's wedding) Kel had Neal pinned down in record time. Just for fun, since she was in a very bad mood, she gave him a shallow scratch on the cheek for him to practice healing along with a rainbow if bruises.
Storming back to her rooms, or, more accurately, Cleon's rooms to get a dagger she'd left there she bumped into someone. Crashing into the wall from the collision, she swore loudly. She was in no mood for this.
"Why hello, Love, good to see you again too." Seeing him again after two months of him being away made her fury evaporate long enough for them to kiss. But only just long enough and then it was back with a vengeance.
"What do you mean to accomplish, Cleon, by threatening other people? What, if they give me a bruise and you find out about it, they'll have a lovely matching one that'll last for twice as long?! If they scrape my cheek, and they'll have a broken cheekbone?! I want an explanation and I want it right now."
He sighed and she could see how tired he was. It made her feel bad for yelling at him, but she was remaining where she stood on this matter, and would not be moved.
"I need to unpack. I'm going to be here for a week and I'm not going to spend it out here in the hall." He unlocked his door and went inside. "As always, you are welcome in, either way I will explain, but I doubt that you'll want me shouting my reasons across the room and hallway."
Kel entered the room, shutting the door behind her. Her husband had set a few things on the floor near his desk. He over to where she was standing and put his arms around her. She let him, but kept her arms crossed in front of herself.
"Kel. I'm sorry. It's just that I have so much to worry about. There's Kennan there's the war and there's you. No, let me finish. I love you more than life itself. To me you're a goddess on the mortal plane. I don't want you hurt. I want you to be what you want to be, but I can't stand it when you're just playing and get a broken bone or something unnecessarily. Do you understand? I know it's what you do, but I can't help feeling like I do. Is that alright with you?" He was holding her tightly, praying that she wouldn't take his words to mean something other than he intended them to mean.
"So what you're saying is you support what I do, but you just don't like me getting hurt? That's stupid Cleon; it's in the job description. I mean, I worry about you whenever you're away, but it's just a dangerous job. I can't keep you from ever getting a wound just like you can't keep me from the same. It's just the way the world is." She loosened up a bit.
Cleon could feel her defenses crumbling. "Come on, Kel." He mumbled, kissing her lightly. "Forgive me?"
Begrudgingly, Kel nodded and kissed him back.
"I love you." He whispered. "And I never want you to forget that."
"I love you too." She murmured. "I missed you."
"Well, then, the feeling's mutual after all. I think we have a lot to catch up on."
soverein; j; Shelly Slamalin; keladry351; Princess of Tortall; Lady Alehanra A.K.A Medusagrrl; Lisa; solving roxy_27; Midnight Maiden; Lady Alanna; marie; Wild Mage; Sum1; chloe; Supergirl; Venus Saturnalia; LK; Smicc; HShuler888; susieq05; lilia; Wild_Magic_Mage; tropicalfrost86; :) ; Lady Keladry of Queenscove; catgirl; Kawaii Yolei Chan; Sir Kayt; Radella; Emily; Angelina Weasley; "Dewdrop"; Seeking Serenity; Rilly; Aphrodite; Luna; Lilian Silverdaydream; Dark Goddess; Brooke; Sophie; A.M.S.; guess; Tora the Bloodthirsty; eli; The Shang Unicorn; Lady Destiny/Dee; Total Chica; Jag; starbucks95; Smiles-a-lot; Kestrel; Erin; Sweet Thang aka Harrys Crush; Karalea Ethereal; em; SyDra; Lady Reena; Willows; Kellie; Laurie Makensri; Chip; Manday; Kyra; Kelbacca; loserbat; Megaera; Saphron; Kira Trinity; Risika; Jaelawyn Noble; WeatherWitchandMetalMage
You're all wonderful (plus anyone else who may have reviewed any other chapters). It'll be fun to see how many of you review this story.
A/N: I know this is inaccurate, but what the hell, it's fanFICTION right? Oh, and this is going to be in chapters, as I'd like to get this out asap for all of you who have waited for months. There'll probably be three chapters.
Another Decision
Chapter One
Life is hard when you're married at seventeen and you're also fighting for you shield and place as a knight of the realm at the same time.
Keladry of Mindelan was wed to Cleon of Kennan on her seventeenth birthday. It was a glorious day for that time of the year. The weather was warm with a slight warm breeze blowing. There were a few flowers that bloomed, but not too many, and those that did were the most lovely of hues. Kel had been lovely in a white gown trimmed with both Mindelan colors and Kennan colors. Cleon had been a dashing groom in his sharp tunic with his sword by his side. But the wedding was months ago.
Now, still weeks later, rumors were flying around court about the particulars of this wedding and possible affairs. As a squire, Kel was still sharing adjoining rooms with her knight-master and the court gossips were having a hay day! Even worse was the fact that when she wasn't at the palace, she was traveling with the King's Own - an army of men. Cleon had rooms at the palace next to her own, but they were rarely there at the same time. When they were, she stayed there instead of her own room. Lord Raoul knew where to find her if a serious need arose. Unless she was absolutely needed, he let her spend time with Cleon when she could.
~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~
"Prosper!" Kel yelled, exasperated with her younger friend. "You're not trying! You're avoiding me!" She once more had her sword against his neck; the third time in five minutes. "What's wrong?" She let him up, helping him to his feet.
"I, um," He mumbled, looking at his feet.
"Ooh! Ooh!" Neal was standing on the outer edge of the practice court where the sparing two were, waving his hand as if in class. "I know the answer, call on me." He grinned wickedly at his friends.
"Just tell me Neal." Kel said, noticing as Prosper gulped visibly, knowing he was about to catch it for something"
"It's well known among all pages and squires, excepting yourself of course, and the younger knights as well, that Sir Cleon of Kennan does not like it when his lovely wife gets hurt. He said that he would try not to interfere with your training, but he also made it quite clear that he did not like to see you hurt in any way, shape, or form." Even standing well back, Neal could see Kel's eyes glinting dangerously.
"I feel very bad for Prosper right now." He added
"And why might that be?" Kel growled
"Because you're going to take out your anger sparring him, pin it to him even more for listening to Cleon, and then, if Cleon finds so much as a scratch on you, he'll catch the brunt of that too." Neal quipped. By now Prosper was positively white and sick looking.
"Oh really." Kel snarled. "Get over here Queenscove, Prosper, give him your sword."
Now it was Neal's turn to pity himself. "Just for your information, oh hot-headed lady-squire, my knight-mistress doesn't like the notion of my tender skin being harmed either."
"Nonsense." The Lady Knight strode into view. "You'll be able to have more healing practice. Healing yourself can be just as difficult as healing others. Have at him Keladry."
Completely disregarding the fact that the lioness was there watching (she had attended Kel's wedding) Kel had Neal pinned down in record time. Just for fun, since she was in a very bad mood, she gave him a shallow scratch on the cheek for him to practice healing along with a rainbow if bruises.
Storming back to her rooms, or, more accurately, Cleon's rooms to get a dagger she'd left there she bumped into someone. Crashing into the wall from the collision, she swore loudly. She was in no mood for this.
"Why hello, Love, good to see you again too." Seeing him again after two months of him being away made her fury evaporate long enough for them to kiss. But only just long enough and then it was back with a vengeance.
"What do you mean to accomplish, Cleon, by threatening other people? What, if they give me a bruise and you find out about it, they'll have a lovely matching one that'll last for twice as long?! If they scrape my cheek, and they'll have a broken cheekbone?! I want an explanation and I want it right now."
He sighed and she could see how tired he was. It made her feel bad for yelling at him, but she was remaining where she stood on this matter, and would not be moved.
"I need to unpack. I'm going to be here for a week and I'm not going to spend it out here in the hall." He unlocked his door and went inside. "As always, you are welcome in, either way I will explain, but I doubt that you'll want me shouting my reasons across the room and hallway."
Kel entered the room, shutting the door behind her. Her husband had set a few things on the floor near his desk. He over to where she was standing and put his arms around her. She let him, but kept her arms crossed in front of herself.
"Kel. I'm sorry. It's just that I have so much to worry about. There's Kennan there's the war and there's you. No, let me finish. I love you more than life itself. To me you're a goddess on the mortal plane. I don't want you hurt. I want you to be what you want to be, but I can't stand it when you're just playing and get a broken bone or something unnecessarily. Do you understand? I know it's what you do, but I can't help feeling like I do. Is that alright with you?" He was holding her tightly, praying that she wouldn't take his words to mean something other than he intended them to mean.
"So what you're saying is you support what I do, but you just don't like me getting hurt? That's stupid Cleon; it's in the job description. I mean, I worry about you whenever you're away, but it's just a dangerous job. I can't keep you from ever getting a wound just like you can't keep me from the same. It's just the way the world is." She loosened up a bit.
Cleon could feel her defenses crumbling. "Come on, Kel." He mumbled, kissing her lightly. "Forgive me?"
Begrudgingly, Kel nodded and kissed him back.
"I love you." He whispered. "And I never want you to forget that."
"I love you too." She murmured. "I missed you."
"Well, then, the feeling's mutual after all. I think we have a lot to catch up on."