Okay, sorry about taking so long with this chappie. Hopefully it'll be longer. Don't keel me!!
Ana- Yeah… A….Lot?? *ducks flying objects*
6-a-opal- *beams*
Keita- Don't we all love him… Anyways, more Owen in this chapter!!
Pineapple- *winces* Is it really confusing?? Thanks for the review, and I'll indicate whose POV it is now.
Kayli- (wow another) *wince* Sorry 'bout not updating sooner then. Longer chapter now, though!!
Ali- (yet another!!) *wince* Sorry… I'm going to start indicating the POV now. Thanks for the review!!
Shayley Rain- Yup… Don't be too mad at me, now….
Sarai Ice-Elf- Thanks for pointing that out, it's true. I'm just going to make up an excuse and say he's changed (since this is like 15-20 years after Lady Knight).
Ack…. Many reviews, no updates…. *ducks flying objects* Sorry!!!
Disclaimer: Now, why would I be putting this under fan fiction if I had made it up??
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Nerina's POV [point of view]
Nerina was dreaming. She knew she was, though she didn't know at all why.
She stood in a dark, musty room in a wide circle with two other young girls her age. One was a wild looking tanned girl with fiery red hair. She sparkled with a dazzling red-orange fire.
The other girl was also tanned, tall, with cropped chestnut hair. A dark green blaze radiated from her thin body.
Nerina noticed a crate in the middle of their circle, with bright purple and gold lights sparkling off something on top of it. Before she could get a closer look, the other girl's eyes burst open, throwing out a shine Nerina had never seen before. The red girl's eyes were flecked with autumn colors, reds, oranges, yellows, tans and browns. The green girl's eyes sparkled with greens and browns.
Then Nerina woke up.
She found herself bolting from a comfortably bouncy cot into the face of a startled healer. His fingers had been forced off her temples as she had risen moments before.
"I'm sorry!" said the healer hurriedly. "Did I- did I do it too fast, Sir Nealan??"
A tall man with deep green eyes peered at Nerina. "No, no, that was fine, Ossi. Are you all right, dearest??"
Nerina blinked. "Wh- where am I? Who are you? What-"
"You are in the hospital wing at Prosper, the refugee camp, and I am Duke Nealan of Queenscove, Knight and Healer, at your service." Nerina could have sworn she had seen a tear glisten in his eye at the name of the refugee camp.
"But why- I mean- Your grace, why am I at the refugee camp? Where is my family, and when did we-"
She broke off as the Duke looked carefully at the other healer, then at Nerina. "My dear, I don't know how exactly to break this to you, but I tell you with my deepest regrets."
Then the memories flooded back. Her mind said it with him.
"Your family is dead."
Nerina sank back into her pillows. No, no, no, no, no, no… Then it tore out of her mouth as she spun to fall into her pillow.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"
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Tally's POV
Tallys had utterly given up on her knight.
She had started ignoring him after less than ten minutes of mindlessly stupid questions. To pass the time she had just been observing the scenery. When they had actually stopped for the night, she has actually managed to find a tree to talk to. While riding, there was never enough time to have a good conversation before they passed on.
Even as Tallys rode past the seemingly never ending forests, she noticed how much of it seemed this and dead.
Dead, yeah, she thought. Just like Mama and Papa and Fletcher and Wren. As Tallys said her family's names a lump grew in her throat. Dead. I'll never see them or hug them again. A tear dripped off her chin.
She sniffed, swallowing her lump and brushing the tears away as a new feeling washed over her. Would they want me to be sad? Mourning forever? No. She pressed her lips together. I'll be as happy as I can, and cheerful too. Mithros hold me to it.
And she closed her eyes to stem the flow of tears, and willed herself to keep back and forget her sadness.
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Kalea's POV
Kalea was bored. Bored, bored, bored. To make it worse, her stomach felt like it contained a few daggers; the pain making her even crabbier.
All the other children were either asleep or talking in small groups. One group was stealing glances at Kalea's slumped form as a thin blonde whispered to them. Kalea distinctly heard the phase "sand scum," a bad name for Bazhir tribesman.
A sharp pain ran through her stomach. Ignoring it, Kalea coolly propped a fist on her bent knee. Most of the girls had the decency to turn their backs, but the blonde just raised an eyebrow.
Kalea made a rude gesture. Several of the girls gasped, but the blonde smiled slyly.
Ooh, stomach.
Kalea crossed her arms, leaned back, and let her eyes rest on the girl. Ack, she thought. If my stomach calms down, maybe later I'll teach Blondie here a lesson on manners.
Suddenly the wagon came to an abrupt stop. A sharp knock came from next to one of the girls who was staring at Kalea. She jumped as Merric's voice called, "Owen, you'd better come see this."
Kalea's stomach took a violent twist.
Owen's sleeping form started. "What? What was that?" Several children giggled.
"Owen, get out here," Merric said impatiently.
Something jabbed Kalea from inside her midriff. Not real, something in her mind said. Set…Set…Not real…Beware…
Owen made his way through the children as they sought to peek out of the wagon.
"I'll be right back," Kalea heard Owen say. The pain in her stomach and the whispering in her head was awful.
A short time later Kalea heard Owen say, "Okay, kiddies, we've got a slight problem ahead, but no fear. We'll be backtracking and looping-" He was cut off be Faleron's cry.
"Oh gods, Merric, behind us, it's the rebels Kel warned us about…"
"It was set!!" cried Merric, in panic. "They set the fire up ahead so we'd be trapped…"
"Kids, stay in the wagon!!" Faleron shouted. "Owen, take my right, Merric, my left, arrows on three!!"
Kalea's stomach was feeling better in the slightest, but her head still pounded with whispers. Set….Set by them….Set…Put out….Set….Put us out…..Not right... SET!!
Out the back of the wagon she could see dead bodies cut down.
Set…Not right…
And then she slumped down, deep in a faint.
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Nerina's POV
Nerina entered the empty dining hall, surveying it with puffy red eyes. It was huge, with ten long wooden tables stretching the length of the room. In the back was a serving line to pick food up. In the front was a small stage with a podium and another table. Probably for the officers, Nerina reasoned.
She took a seat at the head of one of the mighty tables. They're dead, she thought bleakly, closing her eyes. That's why I'm here. I'm an orphan, a refugee.
"Hello," said a female voice. Nerina's eyes opened and her head lifted to gaze into a pair of bright hazel eyes.
"Hi," Nerina said emotionlessly.
"Don't like it here?" asked the woman sympathetically.
Nerina looked her over. She was middle aged- maybe in her thirties or forties- and pretty. Her light brown hair hung down to her shoulders, her face was bright and clear, and her high cheekbones lightly flushed from exercise.
"No," Nerina said simply. "I just miss my – my parents." Her voice cracked on the last word.
The woman blinked, then smiled sadly. "Me too," she whispered, surprising Nerina.
"What, you miss your home, or your parents?"
The woman's eyes glittered with tears as she cracked a small smile. "Both. My home is nowhere near here. My parents, two of my brothers and five of my nieces and nephews died when their ship from the Yamani Islands sunk last month." She wiped a tear away.
Nerina was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry."
"S'not your fault."
Nerina suddenly remembered she didn't know the woman's name. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"
The woman laughed. "I didn't give it to you." She stuck out a hand. "Keladry of Mindelan and Masbolle. Call me Kel. And you?"
Nerina grasped Kel's hand. "Nerina Salistag."
"Well, Nerina Salistag, I'll see you soon." She stood up.
Then Nerina noticed the people flooding into the hall. "Bye," she said, before going to get her food.
As she sat back down again she noticed that people were not eating, but staring expectantly up at the officer's table, which was full.
Then, to Nerina's surprise, Kel stood up from the higher table and walked to the podium. There was an applause from the refugees as Kel smiled down on them.
"I hope you all don't mind if I say a few things before you dig in," she said. A few ragged cheers rose. Her grin widened. "First, I'd like to say welcome to the newcomers to Prosper. This camp is named after a brave knight who died only weeks ago." A silence drifted over the large room. "Anyways, everyone over fifteen or so will be required to help out here. Schedule is posted outside. Any arguments or disputes go to your barrack representatives. Voting for them takes place every week. Everyone also will learn how to fight- training sessions for bows, spears, and slings take place everyday. We're not so well supplied with soldiers.
"We can all thank the gods and the King's Own that this place was built early enough that it was finished before the big rebel and bandit groups came through. The walls and buildings are finished. We're ready for attacks.
"Don't think just because I'm a girl I haven't seen combat or refugee camps. I've been a knight for fifteen years, and have commanded three other refugee camps in my lifetime. Now I'll let you start eating- you all are probably starving. Dig in!!"
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Tallys' POV
Tallys arrived less than halfway through the midday meal at Prosper. As she entered the fort she saw two thick wood walls with sentries spaced along them. Behind the walls were assortments of buildings. Various people ran or walked through, but most of the people were in a big hall, or so said the noise. She followed her knight into the room. As she entered she was struck by the amount of people in there. No, not by that, but by the cheerfulness radiating from the refugees. Most looked gaunt and badly clothed, but had smiles on. She was lead along to a platform in the front of the room, to her right.
As her knight talked with a few others, she observed the packed room. So much happiness. I'll be like that, she told herself. Content as can be.
"Hello," said a voice. Tallys looked up into the smiling face of a middle-aged woman.
"Hello," Tallys said, grinning back. "I'm Tallys."
"Call me Kel," the woman said. Tallys noticed a knight's badge on her chest. Wow. One of the five Tortallian female knights…"Go eat," said Kel. "You must be starving after such a ride!!"
Tallys nodded in agreement, and ran off to find her food.
After picking up a filling looking bowl of soup and a piece of apple pie, Tallys noticed a sad looking girl with a sheet of black hair. She walked over and sat down across from the girl.
"Hi, I'm Tallys," said Tallys.
"Nerina," grunted the girl.
Tallys noticed bruises on the Nerina's arms, and one on her temple that spread into her hair. "What happened to you?"
Nerina sighed. "I slipped." Partially true, Nerina thought. I slipped down the river.
Partially true, thought Tallys without even realizing she had thought it. "Where do you come from?"
"East of here. You?"
"North. Where's your family?" Tallys looked around the packed hall.
Nerina looked down. Tallys understood immediately. "Me too," she said quietly. "Rebels?"
Nerina quickly wiped her face, and nodded.
Tallys smiled bravely. "Well then, we orphans should stick together."
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Kalea's POV
Before Kalea even woke up, she heard the girls whispering and giggling. As her vision blurred and the buzzing in her head died she moaned and sat up. The girls moved back a little but couldn't manage to keep back their peals of laughter.
Kalea rubbed her head. "What? Where –"
As the blond leader raised her eyebrows and smirked, Kalea remembered. She looked around to see the wagon's inside. They were moving.
"You fainted," smirked the blond.
"Did not," Kalea growled instinctively. She couldn't have fainted… Or did she?
The girls fell over laughing.
"Yes you did, sand scum. Don't argue with your betters."
That was it. Kalea was tired. Tired of this girl, her friends, her rudeness…
Her fist connected with Blondie's nose. Blood poured as the girl threw herself, shrieking, at Kalea. Kalea liked fighting; it was one thing she did enough to be good at it.
Soon hands pulled and pushed her and the blond apart. Kalea fought them.
Boy, am I gonna be in trouble, she thought, gamely punching, kicking and screaming war cries like a true Bazhir.
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Nerina's POV
After dinner Nerina wondered where she would sleep. She asked around, and found out that the refugees slept in barracks. She would be with the newcomers in Barrack Three. She found where that was and entered the large building. It was grim looking, with too many beds in too small a space. They were spread in close rows horizontally, with a clear area at the opposite end of where Nerina stood. Bad smelling privies were spaced outside the building.
Nerina picked out a lone bed in the corner. Plunking herself down, she faced the wall. Stuck in a rotten rat hole like this, she thought.
"Hey," said a familiar voice. Nerina groaned inwardly. I never asked for pesky friends, she reminded the gods. Never asked for any of this to happen to me.
"I'll sleep here." A body hit the bed next to her.
Ho boy.
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EndEnd. Yes, longer. *sigh*. I also am on vaycay till the end of August. Then back to school and applications for high school. :-P I probably won't update for a few months. Sorry!!
Till later,
-ladyknight
