(A/n: WARNING…the MAJOR OOC starts here.)
The next night, Kel walked into the banquet hall, accompanied by Dom. She wore a beautiful pale-green dress, with sleeves that flared out at the elbow. Looking around, she saw the Royal couple, Raoul, Buri, and all of her year-mates, along with many other knights and nobles. Seeing her, the King stood and raised his glass. She bowed her head courteously and found her seat, in between Raoul and Alanna, across from the King.
After the meal, everyone stood up to dance. As a waltz struck-up, Neal approached Kel.
"A dance, my Lady?" he said elegantly.
"Of course, dear Sir."
When the music paused, Dom came up to them, and Neal gave him his place. Kel and Dom spun and danced, smiling. Raoul stood and watched, hoping he could ask her.
When the song ended, he hurried forward. "May I, Kel?"
"I'd be honored," she said quietly, and took his arm. When they started dancing, Raoul looked into her shining hazel eyes and smiled.
What a girl, he thought.
Later on, while Raoul was talking to Alanna, he saw Jon walk up to Kel and ask her something. A piece of parchment was clutched in the King's hand. Raoul's eyes narrowed when Kel's face hardened and she nodded. She walked off and gathered her friends. Raoul confronted Jon.
"What was that about?" he asked his friend.
Jon looked down. "Raoul…I need to tell you something. I just found out," he said slowly and deliberately, waving the parchment half-heartedly in the air. "Rauthausak wishes to surrender, under one circumstance."
Raoul waited expectantly. Jon continued.
"He wants the Knight who killed Blayce…the Lady Knight. I asked her, and she agrees, it's worth the lives we'd save. Raoul, I'm sorry." he looked up at Raoul's face, then averted his gaze when he saw the mixture of fear, hurt, and sadness in the big knight's eyes. Raoul took a deep, shuddering breath, but said nothing.
"We're going to take her to where her Scanran escorts will be waiting. Raoul, the war is over."
Watching his former squire and King slowly depart, Raoul drew himself up and started singing a slow, mournful song. The room quieted the knight commander sing his farewell. A pale Thayet soon joined in and sang counterpoint. Gravely, Kel's friends stood and started singing as well.
Kel stopped but couldn't bear to turn around.
"Keladry?" the King whispered.
Kel nodded determinedly and kept walking, her friends' sad goodbye following her.
(a/n: I KNOW! Sad ending, and very OOC! Don't kill me! Anyway, I thought of this by listening to the song 'Time to say goodbye' by Josh Groban. If you want a sequel, review!)