Thanks be to: Keita, Min, Lady Sandrilene, huzzahuzza (or do you want me to call
you by Insane Horse Lover?), Lady Wild Rose, Dracos Myth, Stacey, Sai, Em, Lady
Kate, Farah

Please take into consideration that I don't remember any of Alanna's kids but I do
remember her son Thom and I've decided to give him a personality. So yeah.

LOOK! LOOK! It's a long one! Yay! Please remember to read and review (most
of you review anyway, but I appreciate it nonetheless!), 'cause it took me forever
to get this one out. If you didn't already know, my dad's been in the hospital and
he just came home today. I also won 3rd place at a writing competition, yay! So
I'll be going to Dallas in April for the next level. Anyway, just enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter 19: Unexpected Escorts**

Neal packed quickly when dawn peered sleepily over the horizon. Although he hurt
and still smarted from the incidents the say before, he figured he needed the
distraction, whether or not it came from Joren. So he made sure everything was
properly packed, slung his bags over his shoulder (musing slightly that he had used
these bags more than any other time of his life in these past three months), and
trudged reluctantly out to the stables. If anyone asked about him--well, he would
rather let the rumors fly than explain what had happened at the restaurant the
previous evening. He also had the creeping suspicion that the golden chain of no
uncertain doom would manage to shut him up mid-sentence.

--"If you try to take that off, you die. You disobey me, you die. You tell anyone
what it is, and you die. Got it?"--

The threat still echoed in his head, confirming the suspicion that the chain would
shut him up. As he headed for the South Gate, he felt something light land on
his shoulder.

It cheeped at him.

"Cane!" he exclaimed, happy to see the sparrow. "Where have you been lately,
you silly girl?"

She cheeped at him and pecked his cheek lightly.

"Okay, okay. You aren't silly."

Rubbing her head against his cheek, she chirped gleefully at him. He kicked his
horse, Skunk, into motion, only to have Cane panic. She fluttered around his
head until he stopped moving, gave a stern trill, and flew off. Not understanding
what she had up her nonexistant sleeve, Neal waited for her return.

In a few minutes, he understood.

"No," he breathed. "Cane!"

Somewhat bewildered, Kel trotted up to him on her horse, packed to go on a
trip. "Smooth, Neal. Sending my own sparrow for me."

Cane gave an indignant cry and fluttered around Kel's head. She landed on
Neal's shoulder, fluffing up and trying to look protectice. Neal found his pouch
of dried fruit and gave her a piece for her trouble, murmuring consoling thanks.

"Ugh. I'm leaving," Kel announced, turning her horse around and starting to the
stables.

Cane dropped her half-eaten fruit on Neal's hand and flew over to Kel, landing
on the lady knight's head and chirping angrily.

"I think she wants us to go," he said. Kel gave him a Look, to which he added,
"Together."

"No. Absolutely not."

Cane gave the shrillest, angriest cry she could muster.

"Okay. Maybe I'll go."

Neal laughed. "All right. Let's go, then." Can released Kel and came back to
her breakfast, taking a spot on Skunk's mane.

He tossed Kel a bag of dried meat, assuming she hadn't had time to eat, and
once more kicked Skunk into motion.

*Gods, why do you want to torture me?* Kel asked of them silently.

*Gods, why do you want to torture me?* Neal asked of the divine beings at the
same moment.

Both sighed simultaneously and set out on the road.

***

"People will think we never broke up if we keep doing this," Kel stated to break
the pervasive silence around them.

"Doing what? And what people? It's only you and me," Neal informed her.

"People at court, you fool, and both of us disappearing like this. Where are we
going, anyway?" Kel wondered.

"Copper Isles," Neal told her simply.

"Why in the name of Mithros are we headed *there*?" Kel demanded.

"Because," Neal sighed. *C'mon, Brain! Think fast!* he told himself. "His
Majesty wanted an embassador from one of the ducal fiefs to go over there
and speak with some of them."

"Right. Why are you lying?"

"Why do you care?"

Kel winced. "Point taken. You win, Queenscove."

A moment of silence passed. "Ever heard of Emeral Edge?"

"No."

"That's the city we're going to."

"Ah."

More silence. Uncomfortable silence, at that.

***

"Kel?"

"Yes?"

"Can we have a truce? I don't want to be angry and arguing the entire trip."

Silence.

"Kel?"

"I'm thinking."

"Oh."

Silence.

"Kel?"

"Shut up. I can't think with you saying my name like that."

"Like what?"

"Neal!"

"Like that?"

"Shut up."

Silence.

"Kel?"

"What is it *now*? Do you want an answer or not?"

"...Sheesh. I was just going to say sorry."

Silence.

"Neal?"

"Yes, m'lady?"

"A truce...is okay."

"Good. Maybe we can eventually be best friends again."

"Eventually..."

Silence.

***

They stopped for the night on the side of the road headed for Pirate's Swoop.
If they couldn't bum a free ride from George, then they would ride to Port
Caynn, pool their money together, and purchase two passages on the next
ship to the Copper Isles.

That is, if they weren't laughed at and turned away. Plan C involved stowing
away on a ship. Needless to say, Neal didn't much fancy Plan C. He had
been in the bottom of cargo ships and they all smelled like dead fish, rotting
eggs, or a privy, and when one came out from the bowels of such cargo ships
one smelled like what lie below deck. He had discovered this on one of his
rare shipboard trips with Alanna that usually turned out horribly. As far as he
knew, Kel didn't get seasick, but he didn't know if she ever spent a prolonged
period of time below deck with dead-fish-smelling cargo. He also didn't know
how they could stow away their horses in safety and realized they would need
to leave them with George.

"Copper Isles my ass," Neal muttered darkly, shoving his stew around on his
plate. He reached for the pot of water boiling on the fire, his bracelet glinting
in the firelight.

Kel frowned, recognizing it. She hadn't noticed it at the restaurant the evening
before. "What's that?"

"What's what?" he asked cluelessly, pouting himself a cup of tea.

"The chain on your wrist." Kel pointed.

"Oh, this?" Neal repeated. "My mother gave it to me at Queenscove as a sort
of good luck charm." *How easily lies roll off your tongue, dear Nealan.* "I
figured I should wear it on a lonely trip, especially since my father put a
protection spell on it."

"Can I see it?"

Neal scooted closer to her and held out his wrist. "Don't take it off. It hurts
like a bitch to take off and put on."

Kel examined it. *The Master got to him...*

She let go of his arm like it was a snake. "It burns when other people touch
it, I guess."

*We're both lying to each other.*

A log in the fire popped loudly, scaring both Neal and Kel. "I'll do clean up,"
Neal mumbled, his skin prickling from both nerves and Kel's fingers on his
wrist. He took a long gulp of his tea and began collecting up the utensils.

Kel nodded, taking one last bite of her stew before handing the plate over.
Silently, he took the plates and dishes over to a small, nearby stream.

"Damn you," Kel muttered, once Neal had disappeared from view. She
looked up at the sky and spread her arms beseechingly. "Damn you!" she
yelled, her voice echoing. "All of that...to protect him..." she uttered
despairingly, dropping to her knees. "All of that...all of that for *nothing*!"

*But he's not dead,* a little voice in the back of her head whispered in
protest. *He's obviously obeying the Master...I think.*

"He's not dead *yet*," Kel muttered darkly.

She heard a yelp and a crash in the bushes.

"Why the bushes again?" Kel sighed, rising to her feet. "I'll only go and see
because I'm still a knight in Tortall." She peered into the bushes and found
that they still made noise with no visible source. "Er..."

"Kel!"

"Mer--mmph!"

"Shhh," Merric admonished. He held his hand over her mouth, watching her
hazel eyes smolder at him. Quickly, he yanked his sword out and held thin
air hostage.

"Merric?" she whispered fervently. "What are you pointing at?"

Garvey of Runnerspring materialized at the pointed end of Merric's sword.

"What the..." Kel didn't get any father than that because Neal called out to
her. "Stay here," she ordered, shoving Merric into the bushes and scampering
back to the campsite. "Yes, Neal?"

"Where did you go?" Neal wanted ot know as he began to pack up their
supplies. "You scared me. I thought...I thought maybe someone had kidnapped
you again."

"Oh," Kel sighed. "Sorry." Cane flew around her head for a moment then
glided and landed skillfully on Neal's shoulder.

Neal grabbed his soap and said, "Well, I'll go take a bath...you can go after me."

Kel nodded, desperately trying to keep her traitorous feelings suppressed. It
made her feel horrible knowing that the Master had pulled Neal into his grasp and
had begun to manipulate him, and knowing she had quite possibly pushed away
the best thing in her life to protect him from the one person that had made him a
puppet. As soon as Neal whisked off to the small stream again, Kel stole away to
the bushes. Merric, followed by Garvey at some length of time, appeared before
her. He reached out and took her by the elbow, crouching down with her.

"You shouldn't be here," Merric hissed.

Kel looked at both of them. "Concept. Neither should you."

Garvey grumbled under his breath and sat down.

"Kel, listen. You need to go back to Corus. You weren't supposed to come with
Neal. The Master will go berserk--" Merric tried to tell her.

"You too? He got to you too?" Kel inquired.

Merric nodded gravely.

"But he only wants Mer and I to--" Garvey stopped suddenly. He looked like he
couldn't breathe.

"Garvey?" Kel and Merric asked.

"Garv?" Merric clapped him on the back. "Garv!" The man had gone rigid. Blood
trickled out of the corner of his mouth, eyes wide. His fingers began to turn blue
and swelled.

"Kel."

She didn't need any more prompting. They both scrambled out of the bushes with
Mace, the cat Neal had found not so long ago, running out of the shrubbery behind
them. When they reached the camp, Mace recognized the small sparrow, but the
dog--Justice--began to chace the cat.

"Mace!" Merric and Neal, who had just returned from the stream, yelled.

"Justice!" Kel snapped.

Both animals froze. Slowly, Mace slunk back to Merric while Justice sat at Kel's
feet. Neal ran to Merric, examining the man. He grinned, the expression mirrored
on Merric's face, and they hugged.

"Hey man, long time no see!" Neal clapped him on the back.

"Damn straight," Merric agreed.

A golden band glittered at Merric's wrist. Neal saw it, looked at Merric with
knowing eyes, and chuckled. "Well."

Merric looked questioningly at Neal, then at Kel, and asked of her, "Does he
know?"

"No," Kel muttered.

"What doesn't he know?" Neal demanded.

"You can tell him and not die, Kel." Merric shrugged. He glanced down and saw
Neal's own bracelet. "I can't. Neither can he."

Kel shook her head. "I can't either!"

"Why not? He'll find out. I'll tell him," Merric threatened. "I can tell him more than
I can tell you." Shadows from the fire danced across his face, making him look like
some forboding demigod. For a moment, Kel imagined the Master's face looked like
Merric's, the flames engulfed and reflected in his eyes. "I know more than you
know."

Quietly, she asked, "Didn't you just say you couldn't tell him anything?"

"Not technically. You saw what happened to Garvey."

Kel blanched. Nodding, she looked to Neal and at Merric. "Argh..."

Neal watched her intently. "Kel?"

"I was kidnapped by a man named the Master...or at least, I think it's a man. He
ordered me kidnapped and he wants to make me his queen or something foolish
like that. He's the same one who gave you your bracelet..." Kel trailed off.

Neal blanched then. *Joren kidnapped her?!*

Heedless of Neal's thoughts, Kel went on. "He has some sort of magic that he found
and it makes his servants literally undetectable." She turned to Merric. "Show him."

Merric's fingers brushed the hilt of his sword, activating the magic of the Scroll of
Abscador bestowed upon him.

"Shit," Neal murmured. Merric reappeared a moment later.

"He wanted me to get the Scroll of Abscador, but I couldn't. He got it himself though.
Then...he started hounding me. Neal, he burned Mindelan to the ground and left me
that message on our trip up there. He's trying to manipulate me into a position where
I have no one left to turn to but him," she told him.

Neal realized something then.

She was trying to protect him.

"I see...is that all?" he asked.

Kel nodded. "Basically. He's been trying to manipulate me into a position where I
want to go to him, and...I'm just playing along. I have to. I don't want anyone else
to die. So pretend you didn't hear any of this from me."

He agreed and sat down. "This is...a lot to take in."

"I know."

***

They arrived at Pirate's Swoop six days later.

Tired and somewhat bedraggled, the three of them hobbled into the Baron's castle.
George recognized Kel and Neal immediately and admitted them into his castle,
ushering Merric in with them. He sent a servant off to fetch them some refreshments
and steered the three knights to his private office.

"What brings ye to me castle, lad?" George asked of Neal.

As the refreshments came in, Neal's eyes glued to them instead of the baron. "It's
kind of complicated. I need passage to the Copper Isles with Kel and Merric but we
have no way of getting there." Not two seconds after the tray had made contact
with George's desk did the three hungry knights dive for food. Neal continued through
a somewhat full mouth. "We have private business in the Isles, and I would appreciate
it if--"

"George!"

"Pardon me a minute, lads, and lass," George excused himself. "Alanna!"

Instead of watching the baron and his wife, the three ate as much as they could while
the baron couldn't reprimand them, not that he would. They distributed three of the
four cups of fruit juice and drank it down without hesitation.

When George rejoiend them, they felt very drowsy. Neal, however, continued with
his story. "As I was trying to say before we got interrupted, Merric, Kel, and I have
some private business to attend to in the Copper Isles and we need safe passage
there. We were wondering if, perhaps, you could lend us a vessel for the trip?"

George thought a moment. "Well, it'd be pretty dangerous. Ye young ones out
amongst the waves in enemy territory...but since ye said yer business is private
I'll leave ye to it. I'll find ye a captain and a crew and a ship, but I can make no
guarantees. If I can't find ye them in the next day, I'll give ye three the money
to buy some tickets for a boat out of Port Caynn. Agreed?"

Neal accepted the terms before the others had time to protest the baron's offer.
"Thanks a bunch, George. We owe you."

"Nonsense, lad." George clapped him on the back. "Ye serve Tortall, the least I
kin do for ye is make sure ye tend to yer business safely, if not wisely."

Barely, Neal smiled at his former knightmaster's husband and escorted his friends
from the office. "It pays to have friends in high places."

"I'll say," Merric agreed. He looked around. "So...do we have free reign on this
place until George calls us back or what?"

"Let's go find Alanna," Neal suggested. "I want to see how she is since I didn't
get to talk to her while we were in Corus."

"Does it seem like she's followed us lately?" Kel asked as they walked down the
hallway in the direction they had heard George go.

"I think it's just coincidence," Neal admitted. "I mean, she came to Corus in the
first place to mourn my father, then I invited her to Queenscove, and now it's
only logical that she come back home to be with her husband while she's--"

"*Pregnant*?!"

"Yes, while she's preg--pregnant?" Neal looked confused. "Which of you said
that? I was going to say while she's not too busy..."

"You're pregnant *again*?!" echoed a voice from down the hall.

"That must be dear Thom," Neal sighed.

Alanna and her oldest son came out of the nearest room, almost colliding with the
knights. "Thom..." Alanna said, looking at her son imploringly.

"Gods help us," Neal muttered. "He's eighteen and a terror to deal with."

"Mother! I have two younger siblings as it is! I don't need anymore!" he told
Alanna, whirling and storming down the hallway. He stopped when he spotted
Neal, sneered, caught sight of Kel, rolled his eyes, and didn't bother with Merric.

"Thom!" Alanna shouted. "Stop *right* there!"

Against his better judgment, Thom kept moving.

"Hey Thom," Kel called. "Maybe you should just listen to Alanna for a moment?"

Thom turned to Kel, appraised her again, and retorted scaldingly with, "Fuck
you. You don't know a damn thing about me."

It took all of Neal's willpower not to hit Thom with all of his power.

Instead, he punched Thom across the jaw with half of his strength. "Don't you
*ever* speak to her that way ag--" he didn't have time to finish as Thom tackled
him. Merric tried to separate the two futilely, as did Kel.

They ended up in the castle infirmary a half-hour later with numerous cuts and
contusions but nothing too serious. Alanna and George had both given them a
stern talking-to, and now Kel and Merric stood by Neal as he healed himself. He
had really only gone to the infirmary because Alanna had ordered him to, and, he
added, the infirmary had more supplies and for free than he had.

George joined them in the infirmary. "Is this how ye repay me, Neal?"

"Er...George..." Neal started.

"Sir, if I may," Merric interrupted. "Your son insulted Kel and as Kel's suitor,
Neal had to protect Kel's honor."

Briefly, George's eyes flickered to his son. "What'd he say, Kel?"

"'Fuck you,'" she sighed. "It was offensive...I just suggested that maybe he
should let Alanna talk..."

Neal sneered at Thom. The two had never gotten along, much to Alanna's regret.
The older boy had tried on numerous occasions to make peace with Alanna's
oldest son but he would hear nothing of it.

George ambled over to Thom and spoke quietly to him. Rolling his eyes, Neal left
with Kel and Merric following behind him.

"Let's go find Alanna," he suggested. Quietly, his companions agreed as they
began their quest for the baroness. It stopped short at the gate to the castle.
"Alanna?"

Alanna looked up. "Oh. Hello Neal, Merric, Kel. Glad to see you're all right,
Merric. Everyone had begun to worry about you."

"I'm fine," Merric told her.

"George said he would get us a ship to go to the Copper Isles, and we could stay
here until he did," Neal explained. "We just want to know where we can sleep until
then."

Alanna thought for a brief moment. "Actually, we should have a ship leaving for
the Copper Isles in a couple of hours. I'll send a servant down there with a letter
from me granting your free passage."

"Thanks," Neal told her.

"Thank you," Merric and Kel chorused.

Within the hour, Alanna had granted the three knights permission to sail with the
ship to the Copper Isles for free and made them promise to stay safe. They did
and trudged out to the ports, hopping onto the ships, and locating their cabins.

"One ev ye will 'ave t' bunk wiv a-nudder," the captain informed them, wiping his
nose with his sleeve and making a rather disgusting noise.

"Huh?" Neal muttered to Merric.

"One of us will have to bunk with another," Merric reiterated. "Sir, Neal and I will
bunk together."

"Az ye wish," the captain allowed. He bellowed for one of the sailors to come show
their "stowaways" to their quarters, which were cramped and sickeningly small. Both
had a window facing the sea and the horizon, but the beds were small and hardly
allowed them to lie down in them, let alone sleep in them.

Neal surfaced and stood on the deck as the ship pulled out of the port. He waved to
Alanna as the wind billowed the sails.

"Have a safe trip!" Alanna called from the port.

***

"Ugh," Merric commented, standing on the edge of the deck. Neal had tried to heal
the knight's seasickness, but it kept coming back. Meanwhile, Kel had taken to
playing cards with the sailors who had nothing to do, particularly the one up in the
crow's nest. Again Neal attempted to chase the seasickness from his friend's body,
but it just wouldn't budge. "Urp!"

Neal winced.

"Ughhh..." Merric commented.

From the crow's nest, Kel called, "Pirates!"

"Pirates?" Neal repeated. "Great. Just great. Pirates!"

"Pirates..." Merric groaned. "Why did it have to be *pirates*?!"

The pirate ship, sporting a flag in Copper Isle imperial colors, approached the ship
from Pirate's Swoop with abnormal speed. It soon latched onto the Tortallan vessel
and the pirates boarded the seacraft.

"We're needin' yer loot, and a lot called 'Merric,' 'Neal,' and 'Kel.' Hand it over, and
ye'll leave unharmed," the pirate instructed.

Merric and Kel stepped forwardly bravely, drawing their weapons.

Neal tried to hide.

The captain of the Tortallan vessel shoved Neal forward, who grumbled and drew
his sword as well.

"Ye three the three I named?" the pirate asked skeptically. Kel nodded while Neal
and Merric remained stationary. "On to the boat wiv ye."

They didn't bother to move.

"I really didn't wanna trash such a vessel," the pirate admitted. "Please just get
yerselves on the ship."

"Yeah!" the rest of the Tortallan ship chorused.

Flabbergasted, the knights exchanged looks and trudged onto the pirate ship. A
few moments later, most of the goods from the Tortallan seacraft found its way
onto the ship, as well as the knights' belongings.

"We're on the ship for less than two hours and we've already been kidnapped. How
does this work?" Neal asked.

"And why do they keep wanting to take Tortallans hostages? Especially me?" Kel
added.

"Why am I seasick? Who knows!" Merric told them bitterly.

"Well, fine, if you want to act so...callous." Yawning, Neal curled up in the little area
they had placed the three Tortallan knights in. "There's nothing we can do until they
decide to let us go, so..."

"Oi, you three," one of the pirates said. "Sorry t' make you stay in here for now,
but we've got yer quarters ready now."

"Okay," Kel agreed. She rose, the other two following her, and she started after
the pirate. "Where are we headed?"

"Copper Isles," the pirate answered. "We heard you needed a lift from the Master,
and we decided to help out. We'll get ye to Emerald Edge faster'n that ship anyway.
You know where Emerald Edge is? It's out'n the middle o'nowhere."

"Okay," she agreed.

They stumbled into their quarters and stayed there for the remainder of the
evening.

***

"Oh, it's a pirate's life for meeeeee!" Neal bleated with a group of pirates out on
the deck. He hadn't actually had much to drink, but the pirates around him had an
infectiously rambunctious demeanor.

Merric and Kel, on the other hand, stood on the other side of the deck, Merric still
leaning over the railing.

"It's definitely not a," he paused, "pirate's life for me, Kel."

"Poor lad." A female voice floated over them from behind. She had long, curly
blond hair with hard brown eyes, wearing a long-sleeved black and white shirt with
crimson pants and brown boots. She wore a crimson hat on her head and held a
mug in her hands. "Here, drink this." Carefully, she offered it to Merric, who took
it with just as much caution and looked to Kel. "Don't worry 'bout me tryin' to
poison you." She sounded somewhat educated for a pirate. "Believe me, lad, if I
wanted to poison ye I would do it when your friend ain't around."

Still, Merric looked at Kel briefly, shrugged, and slowly drank down the contents of
the mug.

"What's your name?" Kel asked skeptically.

"Fane," she answered. "A pleasure to meet you, I'm sure."

"Have you always lived this life?" the lady knight asked curiously.

Fane shook her head. "No. I was born a noble in northern Tortall, up yond on the
Scanra border, and I was educated at the mage university. I decided that that
life was too stuffy, came down to Port Caynn, and was apprehended by this lively
lot. Our gap-toothed cap'n ain't much, but he can't sail a ship. Mekhail," she paused
to point him out, "is my husband of sorts."

"Interesting," Kel commented. "I've always been a knight."

"Me too," Merric added.

"And your friend?" Fane pressed.

"He went to the university for a little while before he decided he would rather be
a knight," Kel explained. Currently, Neal was cheering on Mekhail to drink down
a large barrel of ale.

"I thought I recognized him," nodded Fane. "I had seen him about at the university.
Can't forget a face such as his."

"Did he swoon after you?" Merric asked.

Taken aback, Fane blinked. Then she began to laugh. "Oh, I don't know. I had
only briefly seen him a few times, and spoke to him even less."

"It's enough for Neal," Kel rolled her eyes.

Fane chuckled. "You two are fun. What does the Master have you lot after?"

Helplessly, Merric and Kel shrugged. "Neal is leading us."

"Huh," Fane commented. "Oi! Mekhail!" she called, hurrying over to the circle where
Mekhail had just fallen backwards into his companions.

"How odd," Kel muttered. "Do you feel better, Merric?"

The knight from Hollyrose nodded. "Yeah, I feel a lot better. I wonder if she studied
healing? Neal tried to heal me earlier, but I guess I needed a potion..."

Kel shrugged. "As long as it works, right?"

"I guess," he agreed.

Neal made his way over to them. "Hey, pals!" he greeted them. "Having fun?"

Rolling her eyes, Kel sniffed him. "You smell like ale."

"Oh, I didn't hardly have any, just a cup or two. Maybe three. Or was it four? Who
cares. But if you go over to the others--man, you haven't *smelled* ale until you
get over there. They do this every night. It's a wonder they don't all keel over and
die!"

Kel looked up to the full moon and rubbed her temples. *Why does this kind of stuff
always happen to me and mine?*

"I'm tired. G'night, love."

Neal landed with a thud on the deck.

"Uh...you wanna get him?" Kel asked of Merric.

"...You love him, you get him," Merric told her.

"...I'm disliking you now."

"As long as I don't have to touch him."