*Disclaimer : I own nothing that Tamora Pierce Does*
*A/N - Sorry I haven't updated, I saw that it was almost an entire month since I last did, and so decided to get my butt in gear. Please R/R!*
Kel quickly surveyed her room. All of her belongings were piled near the door, more than one of them bulging at the seams. Kel heaved a quick sigh, then gathered them all onto her back, taking special care with her glaive. After successfully lurching offbalancedly down the hall halfway, Kel dropped two of her bags. She cursed under her breath, and then tried stooping to pick up her fallen packs. Kel quickly realized that it was a lost cause. If she bent much farther over, her other two bags would join the first on the floor. She could either drop all four to the ground and hopefully get them all off of the floor, or she could - "Well, well, well," came a familiar drawl from down the corridor.
"Wells.... A deep subject for shallow minded people." Kel retorted, although she couldn't keep
herself from smiling.
"Let me help," Neal offered, reaching down and picking up Kel's fallen bags. "What do you have in these things anyway? Bodies?"
This time Kel laughed aloud. "Very funny, Neal. I actually picked up some Midwinter's gifts. You know me, I need to get things done ahead of time, we don't know where we'll be by then."
Not for the first time, Neal was amazed at how together Kel really was behind her dreamy eyes. "So." he stated.
Resisting the urge to say 'so what,' Kel raised an inquiring eyebrow. Supplying the sarcasm was Neal's job.
"What's this I hear about you and a certain member of the King's Own?" Neal asked innocently.
"How did you... What did you... Who told you about Dom?" Kel stammered. It seemed like everyone was an expert on her private life except for herself.
"What do you mean about Dom?" Neal asked with wide-eyed innocense. "I was talking about Raoul!"
"Very funny." Kel said wryly. "Now, seriously, what did you hear?" Kel started the trek as they
talked. Her bags seemed to be getting heavier with every sentence exchanged.
"Nothing, really. Just that Yuki mentioned you mentioning something about sleeping with my cousin."
Kel blushed a deep scarlet. "We did not sleep together! Well, actually, we did, in the literal sense, but not in the way that most people would mean it!" she protested.
"Damn!" Neal said, stepping expertly out of reach. "I was fishing for the juicy details!" Neal winced. He had almost gotten out of the way of Kel's shocked punch. "Ouch! I was just trying to get you riled you know! Easier done than said, nowadays."
The pair was nearing the stables. Kel would be glad to get on the road. She was looking forward to finding out what was happening in New Hope. She had gotten no word since they had left Neal's home a week ago. Kel hadn't heard of her home, but at least she didn't have a child waiting for her. She didn't understand how Neal and Yuki could get married and then just let Neal go off and fight alongside his fellow knights. Yuki knew what she was getting into when she married him, it just still surprised Kel that Neal was so outwardly calm. It wasn't like him. Before she forgot, she mentioned this to him.
"Well, I think that if I was on border patrols, things would be different. When I go off with you, and now Dom and Owen, it's like i'm just going from one of my families to the other." Neal explained. "Although now, I do feel bad leaving Yuki home with the baby, but what can I do?"
Kel smiled, remembering the days as a page when she had a crush on Neal. She could still see why, but she was happy for him, he had finally found someone he could write his dopey poems to without having his current love laugh in his face...when he sent them.
The two walked into the stables and started saddling their horses. Soon after, Dom joined them and they worked together talking only when they needed to. Two hours later, the whole of the Third Company, Kel, Neal, Yuki, and Owen were saddled up and ready to go. It was nearing 11 o'clock in the morning. The group would ride for 4 hours, stop for a small meal, and then ride the rest of the way to Neal's home where they would stay the night.
Kel spent a good time of the ride talking with her old knight-master. Raoul had most of the news from the capital. He brought greetings from Alanna, Lalasa, Prince Roald, Myles, and a few of her other friends she had made during her time in the castle. Raoul also told Kel the political news. Apparently, Tortallan spies reported that there had been suspicious gatherings throughout Scanra. From past experience, they believed that there was a civil war brewing. The spies reported that everything had the looks of a revolt, but they didn't know why. They had just lost a war. Scanrans were divided, scattered, leaderless. Kel uncertainly expressed her concern at the thought of another war with the metal beasts. Blayce had been defeated. She of all people should know.
"No, Kel, I don't think there's much of a chance of the metal beats coming back. But Scanra is killing herself. It's slowly self-destructing, and we're so close, we'll get hit with the conflict. Many will come to us for aid. Jon ...Well, I don't know what Jon will do. He won't leave helpless people out there, but Scanra isn't really our problem if it's civil war..." Raoul trailed off.
Kel shuddered. New Hope had just gotten underway and the inhabitants just gotten used to their new life. She wasn't looking forward to breaking the news. Hopefully she wouldn't have to, but she didn't want to keep things from them. She'd rather them find out from her, rather than through the gossip mill; if they learned it from her, it would be the truth. Surprisingly, Kel found herself still talking with Raoul when the rest of their company decided to pull off to rest and eat. Looking at the sky, Kel judged it to be midafternoon. If they kept going at the pace they were, the would be at Neal's before nightfall.
The small company dined on fresh bread, compliments of Cleon, and apples found near the side of the road for sale by an elderly lady pushing a cart. The apples were crisp and the bread was tasty. Food always seemed better after a ride. As soon as everyone was finished and the horses had been watered, they resumed their road. This time, Kel found herself between Owen and Dom. As they started, neither talked much, and Kel remembered something she had seen earlier, but paid little heed to. Owen awkwardly putting his arm around her shoulders, and a dejected look when Keladry was placed with Dom to eat. Suddenly, Kel felt a bit bad, and decided to try and make the trip as easy for both of them as possible. Kel looked up and caught Dom and Owen shooting eachother looks over her head. It would be a long ride.
*A/N - Sorry I haven't updated, I saw that it was almost an entire month since I last did, and so decided to get my butt in gear. Please R/R!*
Kel quickly surveyed her room. All of her belongings were piled near the door, more than one of them bulging at the seams. Kel heaved a quick sigh, then gathered them all onto her back, taking special care with her glaive. After successfully lurching offbalancedly down the hall halfway, Kel dropped two of her bags. She cursed under her breath, and then tried stooping to pick up her fallen packs. Kel quickly realized that it was a lost cause. If she bent much farther over, her other two bags would join the first on the floor. She could either drop all four to the ground and hopefully get them all off of the floor, or she could - "Well, well, well," came a familiar drawl from down the corridor.
"Wells.... A deep subject for shallow minded people." Kel retorted, although she couldn't keep
herself from smiling.
"Let me help," Neal offered, reaching down and picking up Kel's fallen bags. "What do you have in these things anyway? Bodies?"
This time Kel laughed aloud. "Very funny, Neal. I actually picked up some Midwinter's gifts. You know me, I need to get things done ahead of time, we don't know where we'll be by then."
Not for the first time, Neal was amazed at how together Kel really was behind her dreamy eyes. "So." he stated.
Resisting the urge to say 'so what,' Kel raised an inquiring eyebrow. Supplying the sarcasm was Neal's job.
"What's this I hear about you and a certain member of the King's Own?" Neal asked innocently.
"How did you... What did you... Who told you about Dom?" Kel stammered. It seemed like everyone was an expert on her private life except for herself.
"What do you mean about Dom?" Neal asked with wide-eyed innocense. "I was talking about Raoul!"
"Very funny." Kel said wryly. "Now, seriously, what did you hear?" Kel started the trek as they
talked. Her bags seemed to be getting heavier with every sentence exchanged.
"Nothing, really. Just that Yuki mentioned you mentioning something about sleeping with my cousin."
Kel blushed a deep scarlet. "We did not sleep together! Well, actually, we did, in the literal sense, but not in the way that most people would mean it!" she protested.
"Damn!" Neal said, stepping expertly out of reach. "I was fishing for the juicy details!" Neal winced. He had almost gotten out of the way of Kel's shocked punch. "Ouch! I was just trying to get you riled you know! Easier done than said, nowadays."
The pair was nearing the stables. Kel would be glad to get on the road. She was looking forward to finding out what was happening in New Hope. She had gotten no word since they had left Neal's home a week ago. Kel hadn't heard of her home, but at least she didn't have a child waiting for her. She didn't understand how Neal and Yuki could get married and then just let Neal go off and fight alongside his fellow knights. Yuki knew what she was getting into when she married him, it just still surprised Kel that Neal was so outwardly calm. It wasn't like him. Before she forgot, she mentioned this to him.
"Well, I think that if I was on border patrols, things would be different. When I go off with you, and now Dom and Owen, it's like i'm just going from one of my families to the other." Neal explained. "Although now, I do feel bad leaving Yuki home with the baby, but what can I do?"
Kel smiled, remembering the days as a page when she had a crush on Neal. She could still see why, but she was happy for him, he had finally found someone he could write his dopey poems to without having his current love laugh in his face...when he sent them.
The two walked into the stables and started saddling their horses. Soon after, Dom joined them and they worked together talking only when they needed to. Two hours later, the whole of the Third Company, Kel, Neal, Yuki, and Owen were saddled up and ready to go. It was nearing 11 o'clock in the morning. The group would ride for 4 hours, stop for a small meal, and then ride the rest of the way to Neal's home where they would stay the night.
Kel spent a good time of the ride talking with her old knight-master. Raoul had most of the news from the capital. He brought greetings from Alanna, Lalasa, Prince Roald, Myles, and a few of her other friends she had made during her time in the castle. Raoul also told Kel the political news. Apparently, Tortallan spies reported that there had been suspicious gatherings throughout Scanra. From past experience, they believed that there was a civil war brewing. The spies reported that everything had the looks of a revolt, but they didn't know why. They had just lost a war. Scanrans were divided, scattered, leaderless. Kel uncertainly expressed her concern at the thought of another war with the metal beasts. Blayce had been defeated. She of all people should know.
"No, Kel, I don't think there's much of a chance of the metal beats coming back. But Scanra is killing herself. It's slowly self-destructing, and we're so close, we'll get hit with the conflict. Many will come to us for aid. Jon ...Well, I don't know what Jon will do. He won't leave helpless people out there, but Scanra isn't really our problem if it's civil war..." Raoul trailed off.
Kel shuddered. New Hope had just gotten underway and the inhabitants just gotten used to their new life. She wasn't looking forward to breaking the news. Hopefully she wouldn't have to, but she didn't want to keep things from them. She'd rather them find out from her, rather than through the gossip mill; if they learned it from her, it would be the truth. Surprisingly, Kel found herself still talking with Raoul when the rest of their company decided to pull off to rest and eat. Looking at the sky, Kel judged it to be midafternoon. If they kept going at the pace they were, the would be at Neal's before nightfall.
The small company dined on fresh bread, compliments of Cleon, and apples found near the side of the road for sale by an elderly lady pushing a cart. The apples were crisp and the bread was tasty. Food always seemed better after a ride. As soon as everyone was finished and the horses had been watered, they resumed their road. This time, Kel found herself between Owen and Dom. As they started, neither talked much, and Kel remembered something she had seen earlier, but paid little heed to. Owen awkwardly putting his arm around her shoulders, and a dejected look when Keladry was placed with Dom to eat. Suddenly, Kel felt a bit bad, and decided to try and make the trip as easy for both of them as possible. Kel looked up and caught Dom and Owen shooting eachother looks over her head. It would be a long ride.
