Chapter Two: Take Over
Morning light streamed through the window and played across Keladry's tan face, she shifted position, trying to make the light go away. The sounds of groans next to her awoke her quickly. Hazel eyes wide she looked around, ready to hurt anything that moved. Blinking rapidly she took in the sight of the three Yamani ladies on the same massive bed as her. Yawning and wincing slightly as she felt the pull of her stomach she checked to make sure that she still had her clothes on before she gently pulled herself off the bed, making sure that she didn't disrupt the still exhausted Yamani ladies.
"Milady, I think ye should stay in bed, Sir's Stone Mountain and Queenscove ordered it." Keladry stared at the woman who was standing by the door, Keladry bowed slightly to the lady but ignored what she said and picked up her weapons that were left on a chair nearby. The woman tried once again to softly ask Keladry to go back to bed, Keladry however needed answers, she had a sinking feeling that what had happened to their boat was only the beginning of what had happened to the Yamani's. Trekking past the stuttering woman Keladry continued to plat her long cinnamon coloured hair to keep it out of her face. Upon reaching the common room she looked around and smirked as her gaze landed on very familiar white blonde hair and ice blue eyes.
"What kin I gitcha milady?" Keladry turned her head towards the voice and held in her grimace, leaning against the bar was a man who looked like he hadn't bathed in awhile, or shaved. Ignoring the man she continued into the room, her gaze on Joren and the men around him, she was calculating the best way to approach when her arm was grabbed quite roughly.
"You will kindly take your hand off of me sir or you'll lose it" Yamani mask in place Keladry looked at the man, waiting for a few moments. The disgustingly filthy man grinned at her and pulled her closer. Faster then the eye could see a dagger was held to his throat.
"I will not ask again." Keladry almost blanched when she recognised Joren's words from last night echoing in hers. 'Damn, that's weird as.' Keladry waited once again for the man to do something.
"I believe you should do as the lady says good sir." Keladry turned her gaze to the brown haired young man from last night, and then she looked over to where Joren still sat, watching her with slight amusement. The man loosened his grip on Keladry's arm and turned away from the Knight.
"I did not need your help," She hissed as she brushed past him, feeling explicit anger towards the man. 'Who does he think he is? I can take perfect care of myself without some male interfering. What an idiot.' Keladry ignored everyone else until she was seated next to Joren.
"Who were the men that carried the Yamani ladies to the room, cleaned and dressed our wounds and took our weapons off of us?" She asked, her voice rigid with irritation. She didn't even know why she was irritated, maybe it was the fact that she'd had a chance to prove to Joren that sure she may be a woman, he may call her a tomboy, but she could look after herself. She was still slightly embarrassed that he'd seen her faint, and now some man thought he'd be her knight in shinning armour and help her out? Bah! She was still waiting for a reply when that man came back to he table and sat across from her.
"Sir Stone Mountain here carried you lady, myself and Roderick carried two and Sir Queenscove carried another. We had the lady of the inn clean and dress all of your wounds and Sir Stone Mountain took care of your weapons to make sure that non of them would rust." Keladry glanced at the tall dark haired man for a moment before nodding.
"Once you have all had your fill, would you come to the room we are in?" Keladry waited for their nods of agreement before leaving the table and going back up to her room, covering all the sleeping ladies carefully so that nothing they wouldn't allow was showing.
The men came up one at a time, Joren the last of them to arrive with the woman in tow.
"Well?" Joren asked, one eyebrow rose as he leant against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. Keladry walked over and closed the door, standing in front of the only exist she bade them all to sit. Non-moved. Shrugging she cleared her throat.
"The Yamani's are very private people, they dress modestly, and they are very respectable people. So…if I hear that word has gotten out about how underdressed the Yamani ladies were when they arrived, anything about their bodies that isn't noticeable at first glance, anything intimate that the ladies haven't told you specifically then I will come after you, cut out your tongue and poke out your eyes. Is that understood?" Silence greeted her words and Keladry stood there waiting for their agreement or she'd have to do exactly what she had said right then and there.
"What about you cherry blossom?" Joren asked, and all watched as Keladry blushed slightly.
"I'll talk with you afterwards" she warned, her Yamani mask falling slightly so she could glare at him. The three remaining men and the woman who had dressed their wounds all stuttered out that they would keep quiet and they were excused. Keladry glanced at Joren before turning her back to him and lifting up her shirt, on her back, just below her shoulder blades was an intricate tattoo, a cherry blossom tree in bloom with a tiger asleep underneath it, it was styled in the traditional Yamani art.
"I got this when I turned ten, the emperor ordered it." She pulled her shirt down and turned back to Joren. "IT had something to do with tradition. The emperor's second son died in one of the pirate raids. The one I told you about where they set fire to everything, well Prince Tekiyuko was burned alive, and seeing as I was the only other ten year old who was born on the same day as the prince, I was given the tattoo he had. I'm not too sure about it's importance, the emperor was going to tell me when I turned eighteen." Kel shrugged and looked over at Joren who still hadn't moved from his spot on the wall.
"What I'm telling you is that, this" She pointed to her back "is not a commonly known fact about me, only my family, the emperor and the royal family know, and now you do." Joren pushed off from the wall and walked over to her, he stopped just before her and tugged at her long hair and turned her back around. Keladry looked up at him, waiting for what he was going to say to that.
"We'll that's a bit boring isn't it? I thought it was going to be some exciting story." Keladry blew at her bangs exasperatedly and stalked over to the door, yanking it open she glared at him.
"When do we get to go to Corus and figure out what's happened to the Yamani's?" Joren strutted casually over to the door.
"When your ladies are awake and alright to ride." Kel smiled and pulled at Joren's sleeve. Joren stopped but did not turn around
"Why are you hear anyway?" Joren pulled his sleeve out of her small hand and continued to walk away, Keladry absentmindedly watched him walk and thought to herself that he didn't look too bad at all.
"I said I'd be here when you arrived, and I was." Keladry almost fell over, and quickly slammed the door to hide her blush. 'What the hell is wrong with me? Oooh, why the hell does my friend have to be so friggen hot.' Sighing Keladry went over to the bed and crashed down on it, wanting to get some sleep before they left for Corus 'I really should have asked for some clothes for the girls' she thought just before she drifted back to sleep.
One week later
Princess Shinkokami and her remaining delegation stood before King Jonathon IV and his Queen Thayet. Keladry looked around and spotted that annoying brown haired man who had been with Joren, and had talked non-stop all the way to Corus. Clenching her fist she watched as the Princess and the King talked about the ordeal that had occurred with the pirates. Keladry was sick of this talk; they could have written some kind of report and spent this time trying to figure out what had happened to the Yamani's. Yuki nudged Kel in the side and the taller girl looked sharply down at her friend.
"Princess Shinkokami has just given you to continue to now speak with King Jonathon on our behalf." Kel hid the blush behind her mask and looked up to see all eyes on her. The King raised an eyebrow in her direction and Kel had an overwhelming desire to punch his face. Squashing down the strange feelings she was getting all of the sudden she bowed Yamani-style. Keladry thought over the best diplomatic way to begin, and after a few moments shoved all politeness out the window.
"We need to know the status of the Yamani Islands." Keladry ignored the sudden gasps of some people at the way she had spoken to the King of Tortall, as well as the disapproving look Shinko was giving her.
"Well, I have discussed this over with my advisors and I have decided that at the moment it is much too dangerous to send someone over to the Yamani Islands to get a status report. I am very sorry, but you and the Yamani delegation must wait until it is safer…now, was there anything else?" Keladry reigned in this anger that was taking over her body, it was a strange experience for her, when she had been with the Yamani's she'd never experienced anything like this before. ' I put it down to incompetence.'
"I don't think you understand your majesty we need to know right now. Get your mages in here and find out for us right now. I think that is the least you owe us for the trouble we have been through to get here for the treaty." Oh she was not happy. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Joren's smirk at her disregard for protocol, she really could have cared less. It had been a week and she was very worried about her family, as well as the people she had grown up with, this King who was trying for peace was really cutting it close.
"I'm very sorry Miss Mindelan, but our-"
"Now" She growled out, no one was going to make her wait another second, even if she had to threaten the King herself. The King got a very disconcerting look about him before his Queen placed a delicate hand on his shoulder and whispered something to him. The King clenched his fists tightly before relaxing back into his throne and signalling to the guard to go and do as Keladry had demanded. Shinko glanced at Keladry and gave her a very pointed look, something that Keladry ignored for the time being, they could discuss this later. There was a shuffling at the door and al eyes turned to where Numair, the black robe mage waltzed in grandly. He bowed slightly to the King before taking in the Yamani ladies and Keladry who stood in the middle of the room.
"Now, what is it that is required of me?" He asked, his eyes alight with the prospect of using his magic. King Jonathon gestured to Keladry and the Yamani delegation
"They would like to know what is happening in the Yamani Islands at this present time." Numair smiled and nodded his head eagerly. He turned to the four waiting women and started the incantation, his hands doing a few flowery movements, the air before the four women shimmered and at first was just full of colours and the sound dull before it all clarified.
~
"What's the total now Jasper?" a gruff voice spoke out, the man was in shadows, but they could see the glint of his golden eyes.
"Well tha emperor an' tha royal families been dun over, we found that Mindelan lady an' lord, they've been held hostage foh questionin' an' we cant find tha children. James Masters ship reports that they dinna find tha princess or tha other women. Most of them natives fled to those blasted mountains an' we got men serchin' aint found nothin' yet, an' we cant find that blasted puzzle. Sam's lookin' in their library, says its facinatin' stuff, I think we should just burn it all. Tha total of Yamani women is at the moment three hundred, tha men eighty nine an' tha children's about fifteen in all." There was shuffling around and another man entered the area.
"Ah James, what's the count on the ships we have, and who hasn't agreed with me?" James grinned toothily and stepped forwards
"The only ones you got to be mindful of are Higgen's ships, Sasha 'silver' Arlinwi agreed just a day ago, but says him and his ships wont do any of the brunt work, they'll just transport. Thought that was good enough, and you?" The man in the shadows closed his eyes before replying
"For now it is, good job James, Jasper, now get back to work, I want the islands secure, and those missing Yamani's found, do you understand me?"
"Yes captain" they both replied, giving a bow before they turned and left. The man in the shadows turned to leave himself, however he stood there and looked directly at Keladry and the Yamani ladies, they were sure that he couldn't see them but he sneered
"Spies" and with a wave of his arm the window to the Yamani Islands closed abruptly.
~
Kel stood there, her mind repeating 'I knew it, I knew it!' She glanced at the three women beside her and saw their shocked faces, she could feel her anger recycling to fear, her parents were being held hostage and her brothers and sisters were missing.
"You must help us!" Shinkokami cried, having gotten over the shock of what she had just seen. No one was paying any attention to the swaying Numair who had to abruptly seat himself on the ground to stop the room from spinning. King Jonathon sat there for a few moments of silence before he shook his head
"We can do nothing at this time, I am very sorry Princess Shinkokami, but we have our own problems with the Scanrans. WE can not possible send our forces over the waters to fight with Pirates until this conflict is over." Keladry stood there, as still as stone before stepping forwards
"I don't believe this! PIRATES are holding my family prisoner! And your not going to do anything about it? They are Tortillain nobles, surely you can send some people to help the Yamani's fight?" Keladry's voice was low, she would not take this, not from a King she had heard only good things about, she couldn't believe that he would allow something like this to happen to one of his neighbours.
"Again I am very sorry about thi-"
"Oh, don't you dare, DON'T YOU DARE say anything like that! Your not sorry," Keladry narrowed her eyes at him "We almost died coming here, the Yamani empire is crumbling and all you can friggen say is your SORRY? Well sorry doesn't cut it! Not with me, nor with the Yamani's…you have no honour!" King Jonathon stood up, his body shaking with rage
"Madam, you go too far, I suggest you leave my presence now before you regret it" Keladry sneered,
"I already regret even coming here, you un-giving, selfish basta-"
"GUARDS!"
"Don't bother" Keladry snapped shaking off the two guards hands "I was just leaving" With that she turned and left the presence of the King, not even looking to see if the three Yamani women were following her. She was just going to have to figure something out on her own.
Susannah De Silva: Whoa Nelly, Keladry has so PMS or what? Hehehe. Ok, so what did everyone think? That was pretty angst if I do say so myself. Ok some insight to Keladry's character. One she's very protective of her family. Two she's very protective of her friends. Three she as hormones and four, Joren is just hot! I seriously had to rewrite this one, I started out as having as something, but oh well. Its going to be better this way, k/j stuff coming up soon, look out for Joren with his top off :D I also apologise if this doesn't make sense, I have a cold :D my brain is like much hehehe.
Thanks for your reviews :D love you all
KITTY: I'm so happy that you love it, I hope you keep loving it.
Mashedpotato10: I love mashed potato's, your going to cry? Er why? Ahh I'm a poet and I didn't know it :D
Willow: updated just for you….well not really, but it made you feel special for that moment, so I'll let you keep thinking it :D hehehe. I'm glad you like it and I hope that you keep reading it.
Ryyan: *blushes* oops! Hahaha. I'm actually getting a beta reader so hopefully it all gets better :D I never was good with my grammar though.
Lady of the Shadows: I surprised you? *gasps* yay! Woohoo, I like surprising people, that makes writing so much more fun. I hope you got surprised in this chapter. Groovy :D
Happy face =) yess, I agree with you, I was so inspired that I had to write one for myself. It's so much fun, but it's a lot harder then I thought it would be :D I didn't like Dom, so no Dom fic for me :D thankyou for loving my writing *takes a bow* hehehe.
Bumblebee: sorry about my spelling, I'm aussie hehehe were rather lax in that stuff. Im really happy that you like my fic, yay!
Ace_bworm: hmm Kel will fall for Joren and Joren for Kel blah blah, um in not sure about her becoming friends with the other guys, they wont be in it for long. Its more Kel and Joren go on an adventure together. But well see ok? Hehehe im glad you find it funny.
Ruff Collie: hehehe updated :D but you are going to have to beta my next chapter ok? People are complaining about my spelling and grammar (im aussie, not a miracle worker) hehehe, someone actually explained it to me. So yeah, you're going to have to be quick, jeez readers are very impatient *grins*
Windshine: hehehe, you made me laugh. You'll read another fic? Awe…well I updated within the week so you cant read another fic so HA! Hehehe. Im glad you find this….interesting :D me too (about cleon) I think the whole Joren paying him out bit made me not like him all that much!
Almighty sleepy one: I'm sorry, maybe in the way future, but not at the moment. I'm actually writing two fics at the moment, this one and a mediator fic, I'm also starting TAFE soon, I have to get a job, and well I really do have a life. I'm going to see The Matrix reloaded tomorrow yay! Thanks for reading my fic though and reviewing, it makes me happy :D
The Blind Assassin: hehehe *blushes* actually I cant take credit for the same day update thing, it was actually done in two days (aussie time) the whole ff.net works on some other time zone and so it just seems as if it was on the same day. However I'm putting up chapters pretty quickly which is a surprise for me! Hmm…I'm glad this is sparking your interest, its got mine too. Oooh I so have the best ideas coming right through my brain and making me want to write. Although their not as long as some authors chapters are I find that short, but not too short keeps the reader interested, as long as you don't make them wait ten years before you update *hint hint nudge nudge* hehehe.
