Joy and rapture! My birthday was the 24th! Everyone exult and revel in the glory that is my sixteenth birthday! Yay for that! And in honor of my birthday, I have written another chapter extremely quickly. So have fun with that while it lasts, because we all know I'm returning to my old, horrible posting schedule direct.
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Hiatus
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Kel halted Peachblossom at the eighth hour of the night, as the sun sank low behind far off hills and cast everything in a brilliant crimson glow. Neither of her companions realized she had stopped, so she called out, "Hey! Guys?"
Both men turned, Evin looking expectant and Coel wearing what she was already beginning to think of as his characteristic glare. Kel continued. "I think we should stop here for the night." When no one responded, she prompted them. "Because if we keep going we could miss a turnoff, or something? Yes? I think so?"
Evin looked around and shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
Coel fixed her in his gaze and spoke civilly for the first time. "If that's what you want."
Kel forced herself past the strangeness of Coel's answer and pasted a smile on her face. "Great. Let's unpack the tents and get them set up." She dismounted.
"No problem," Coel said. He snapped his fingers. Kel turned to look at him in just enough time to see streamers of dark red fire flow from his hands.
She jumped back from her saddlebags as the fire flowed around them. Peachblossom nickered uneasily, and Kel stroked his neck, whispering, "I feel the same way." Coel's Gift teased her saddlebags open and drew out two tents, simultaneously drawing food out of Evin's saddlebags.
The tents flew to the ground, then writhed and reformed, perfectly set up. Stones grated against the rough dirt to a circle shape, and a fire sprung to life inside the circle. Food prepared itself and fluttered to the fire to cook.
Coel snapped again, and his Gift disappeared, leaving behind a fully functional campsite.
Kel gaped. He throws around his power like it was nothing! she thought, astounded. Numair always took care to only use his Gift for important things, not everyday tasks.
"Well, isn't that something." Kel turned to face the speaker and found Evin standing behind her, holding his horse's reins. He looked totally relaxed, but his eyes waxed hard and as wary as she felt.
Coel actually smiled, albeit a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It comes in handy sometimes." He dismounted and gestured, and more fire sailed from his fingertips and picketed his horse. Coel gestured to Kel and Evin's mounts, but both of them gripped the reins tighter.
"I'll do it myself, thanks," said Kel. She frowned. It almost seemed as if she had met Coel before, but for the fact she knew she hadn't.
"As will I," added Evin.
Coel shrugged, his dark eyes unreadable. "Have it your way."
Kel and Evin exchanged glances before leading their horses beside Coel's stallion. "What he just did is a bad thing," Evin murmured to Kel. "No one I know throws around power like that."
"Me neither," whispered Kel. She was still a little unsettled.
"I think we should keep a closer watch on him. I don't know why the king chose him for such an important mission," Evin continued, his bright blue eyes boring into her, a sharp contrast from Coel's dark ones.
Kel nodded and turned away. All these blue eyes make me nervous, she thought.
The two of them joined Coel at the fire. Evin twisted his long legs into a tailor's seat, as Coel had already done. Kel tried to fit her legs in a comfortable position.
"Three tall people around a small fire doesn't seem to work very well," commented Evin, grinning. Coel chuckled, and Kel grinned in return.
"Here," said Coel. He waved his hand, and food from the fire levitated to plates, which raced to the three of them.
"Could you stop doing that?" Kel asked.
Coel looked at her with genuine surprise. "Whyever would I want to do that?" he asked.
"It It's very unnerving. Having things fly about, wherever you wish. I'm just not used to people wielding their power so freely. At least, can you stop until I know you a bit better?" Kel spoke hesitantly, and only met his eyes at the end of her query. Evin sat quietly, watching everything but saying nothing.
"What is there about me to know?" Coel challenged. "We've been thrown together on a ill-organized mission for a few weeks. It's not as if we're lovers, or friends even. Everything you need to know about me was listed on that little sheet of paper we all received."
"Still," Kel retorted. "It would make me happier. And I do think we should be interested in one another. We are going to be living together for the next few weeks, as you said."
"Of course," Coel drawled, dark blue eyes steady on her face. "Anything to make you happy."
"Look, Master Revin," Kel began, exasperated.
Coel interrupted. "Please. I am Coel."
Kel rolled her eyes. "Coel. Whatever." She started again. "As much you seem to dislike it, you, Evin and I are a team, are a group, for the gods know how long. Until we return to Corus. You two are the only people I'm counting on to back me up for as long. I believe that I should, at the very least, know enough about you to decide whether you'll stay and fight for me, for Evin, for all of us, if the need arises, or if you'll run and leave us to fight alone."
Coel stared at her, saying nothing. A deafening silence reigned over the small group, the popping and crackling of the fire the only noise. Kel's gaze didn't waver.
Finally, Coel spoke. "I am no coward. I will stay with you until I die, or until we return. I will not run. You may count on that, Mindelan."
Kel froze.
Joren.
The coldness, the arrogance, the hostility and haughtiness. Calling her Mindelan instead of her given name. Coel was Joren, in reversal. Joren, recreated with darkness. Dark hair. Dark blue eyes instead of icy pale. Where Joren was light, Coel was dark.
"I won't leave you either," Evin said quietly. Kel jumped, tore herself away from her realization and back to the small fire. She had forgotten where she was.
She swallowed, quickly regaining her composure, and nodded. "So I thought. And that is why the king stuck us together. None of us will run." She began to eat. After a short while, both men ate with her. The tension hung in the air, slightly dissipated but still very much in evidence.
"So, Mindelan," Coel said suddenly. "If you want to know my past, shouldn't you return the favor?"
"What do you mean?" Kel asked quietly.
"Shouldn't you tell me about your past?"
Kel looked at him. "If I do, will you be civil to me?"
Coel smirked coldly. "To the best of my abilities. Spill."
"What do you want to know?"
"Anything you want me to tell you."
Kel sighed. "I lived in the Yamani Isles 'til I was–"
"Not that shit." Kel looked at Coel, who continued to speak. "I know all that from that stupid letter, and from other sources. I want to know the important stuff."
Staring at him, Kel began again. "I'm afraid of heights. Not so much any more, but I used to be terrified." Coel didn't speak, so she kept going. "I don't care when I kill people. I used to feel bad, or guilty, or something, but I lost that, somewhere during the Scanran War, and now I just don't care. And that scares me as well." She paused. "I really can't think of anything else you'd need to know."
"What about your love life?" he prodded.
Kel blinked. "That's my personal business! There's no reason for you to need to know that!"
"I know," Coel said, and leaned backwards smugly.
Looking at him, Kel felt something inside of her tighten. She wanted to smack that conceited look off his face. She felt her face harden, and she began to speak again. "I was with Cleon of Kennan for three years. We were going to marry, but his mother arranged a marriage with an heiress – Cleon's fief needed the money. After that, I went around with Domitan of Masbolle, until we decided it wasn't working and had a mutual breakup."
"And did you have sex with either of them?" Coel asked.
Kel glared at him. You know he doesn't care, he's just doing it to piss you off. You can stop this now, you don't need to tell him anything. You have choices – you can refuse, you can lie she thought. But something deep inside her wouldn't let her back down.
"Not with Cleon. Yes with Dom," she stated coldly.
"I see," Coel drawled.
"Your turn."
"I grew up on the streets of Hinalda. If you think Corus can be rough, you're wrong. Hinalda is the Midway of the world." His eyes got a faraway look for the smallest fraction of time before he continued. "My parents worked for the Thief Lord, and every time they did something wrong, they'd take me along when they were summoned to him and use me as an excuse for their errors. They begged forgiveness. They groveled at his throne. It made me sick. When I was ten, they screwed up big time, and the Thief Lord took their heads. I wandered around on the streets for two years, until I came to the Brothers of the Sun. They took me in and trained me."
"And your love life?" Kel shot at him.
"There were no women inside the temple, so I picked up prostitutes," Coel stated flatly. Kel blinked. Silesnce reigned again.
"Well, I guess I should add my lot to that confused pile of crap," Evin said. "I am afraid of birds."
Kel let a small laugh escape before looking at him incredulously. "Birds? You're serious?"
Evin nodded. "Dead serious."
"In the Goddess's name, why?"
He shuddered. "They have beady eyes that always watch you, and the way the walk, with their heads just bobbing they're devious little bastards. Of course, it doesn't help that I was mobbed by seagulls when I was six."
"Really?" Kel was delighted.
"Really." Evin said, mock-sadly. They grinned at each other.
"So our dear friend the Commander is afraid of things we eat," said Coel, his eyes flicking from Evin to Kel. Both turned and glared at him. Coel waved his arms. "Don't mind me. Continue."
Evin sighed, drawing a wary gaze away from Coel. "My mother was murdered when I was fourteen, of a bandit raid, which was what drew me to the Riders. I feel no sympathy for bandits." He shrugged. "I've been in the Riders ever since. And my love life," he continued, before anyone could say anything, "I was with a girl named Miri for three years. We were engaged, but she broke it off. I'm still not quite sure why. And yes, Coel, I did have sex with her." Evin leaned back, finished.
"Are you happy now?" Kel demanded of Coel.
"Very," he said.
"Well," Evin began, "Now that we know the deepest and most embarrassing secrets of each other, I am going to bed." He stood up, then paused. "Now, there are two tents. I'm assuming Kel gets one to herself?"
"Unless she wants to share with one of us," said Coel, smirking.
Kel glared at him.
"I'll take that as a no," Evin said, grinning. "Goodnight to both of you."
"And to you," Kel replied. Coel saluted him ironically.
Evin brushed past Kel on the way to his tent, and she caught a glimpse of a small glass ball in one of his pockets. It was a strange color, a medium gray between white and black.
What a strange thing to carry around, Kel thought vaguely. She shook her head.
"I think I'll be going to bed as well," Kel told Coel.
He fixed her with a steady gaze. "Watch out for nightmares."
"I'll be sure to," she said, rising. Kel threw her plate on the ground. "After I'm gone, you can do your power-flaunting and clean up."
"If that's what you want," Coel answered. Turning, Kel walked into her tent, feeling Coel's eyes on her until the tent flap fell.
As she got ready for bed, Kel remembered the letter explaining her companions, and at the same time recalled her short time riding with Evin, back when she was a squire. Evin had a truth crystal. That must be his truth crystal, she thought sleepily.
She continued to get ready for sleep. It wasn't until she had curled comfortably into her bedroll that she remembered what else she knew of Evin's truth crystal, at least as it had been explained to her: it turned black if someone lied in its presence, gray if the lie had a touch of truth.
Kel blinked.
The crystal had been dark gray.
One of them had lied.
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Holy god. I wrote that INCREDIBLY quickly. But I like it. And I like Coel. But I'm sure some of you don't. Teehee. That's the point, sillies! Now, please, please review, because I'm getting extremely dismayed by the amount of reviews I've received. *looks at readers with puppy dog eyes* Come on people! You know how it is! So review, and make me happy! It's my birthday sort of. Be nice!