Never Give Up

Hello, hello my lovely readers. Because I don't know EXACTLY where this story is going, I need people to give me ideas. Give me ideas, how I can improve the writing, etc. I accept flames but I'm hoping, *cringes* that my story won't be THAT bad. Okay onto the story.

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It was the end of their first year as a page. "Keladry of Mindelan, see me after you finish your supper." Kel bowed to Lord Wyldon and dumped her tray. Her stomach was tied in knots and she began to wring her hands.

Neal met her in the hall. Kel stared at the ground clenching her teeth. He noticed, and gripped her shoulders. "Kel, don't worry. You'll make it. You have done better than anyone else here. It'll be fine. He can't get rid of you by saying you aren't good enough without getting rid of all the first year pages, and some of the seconds." He hugged her tightly, whispering encouraging words in her ear, and pushed her into Wyldon's office. With one last glance at her best friend, she entered.

"Ah, Keladry. Sit." She sat, waiting expectantly. He toyed with his glass before speaking. "You have done well, Keladry. Your fear of heights has lessened, you tilt better than any of the pages. Your glaive, staff, and sword practice are impeccable. Now you must decide if you want to continue. Your body will change; you may decide you want to marry. Go home and decide. Is this really what you want?"

Kel toyed with her tunic. Couldn't he just tell her she could or couldn't come back and be blunt about it?

"So I can't come back, then?" She asked.

"You may return." Kel tried to control her smile unsuccessfully. She bowed and left the room. Neal waited outside and she lept at him.

"I can stay, Neal! I can stay!"

"What did I tell you?" He said into her hair. "Don't you believe me?"

"Only when I think it's safe to believe you." She retorted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next three years were spent with hard training, tired muscles, and, in Kel and Neal's case as of the last page year, love. Kel was so happy. She was going to become a knight. Just like Alanna the Lioness, and Knight Commander Lord Raoul, like Lord Wyldon, and other famous knights. It was of her last year as a page that she was summoned by Lord Wyldon for something that could change her life forever. What could he possibly want now? She wondered. Probably wants to know if I have any information about the frog Neal put in his bed.

"Yes, milord?"
"Keladry, I thought we had gotten past this when you were 10. I made a mistake about allowing you to stay. Over the past years, you have gotten in far too many fights. A knight does not fight his side. He fights his enemies from other countries. A knight that wastes time and energy fighting his own team should not be a knight."
"Milord, you already agreed to let me stay. I was put on probation for my first year. You can't-" "I can and I will, Mindelan. There is another matter I wish to bring up. I have been informed by Joren of Stone Mountain that you have been..ahem.. INVOLVED with one of the boys." Kel gave him questioning look. Kel and Neal had kept their relationship especially private.


"Alright I will be blunt. A certain opinionated Nealan of Queenscove kissed you after the last Midwinter Ball. Am I correct?"


Kel thought about what he had said. Joren! I should have known. Maybe if I deny it, I'll still have a chance. No, it won't do any good. Lord
Wyldon wants to get rid of me. And besides, if I lie, it will bring dishonor to my family. She sighed and nodded affirmatively to his question, looking down at the toes of her boots.

"Milord, this isn't fair. The King put me on probation for my FIRST year. Nothing was said about the rest." Wyldon summoned the King, who entered quickly.


"Sire, I do not want to tender my resignation over this. She broke the rules and has been fighting too much to be a squire. If she is allowed to stay, I fear I must resign. I can't be teaching in Tortall if the country is reduced to this." Kel was fuming inside. How could he do this? It wasn't fair. She passed her first year.


Jonathan of Conte sighed . He couldn't lose Wyldon. The country's nobles would not be held together if he wasn't teaching their sons.


"Keladry, I am sorry, but you must go. Lord Wyldon has the right of it." Kel held back the tears behind her mask, barely. She stood up and left the room. There was no need to bow to people who treated her unfairly, and she was no longer under Wyldon's order. Actually she was no longer under the king's either. Kel would return to the Islands with her parents the next chance she had.


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Jonathan of Conte stood in his office with two women who were practically having cows. Thayet the Peerless, his wife, stalked off to another room. "Jonathan, DEAR!" She yelled, "It is apparent to me that you have a problem with women warriors. Therefore, I will be moving to rooms at the other end of the castle. Do not expect me to speak to you for a couple of months. And that child you wanted will have to wait..oh let's see.. about TWO YEARS!!!! If you are lucky!"


While Thayet left, Alanna was still screaming and raging at him, shaking her sword and throwing knives and cursing him to 7 kinds of hell.


"Alanna, please. Listen to reason." He said. She became deadly quiet, she was so angry she was literally shaking. She fingered her throwing stars. And then, in an icy whisper he could barely hear, she said, " I hate you, Jonathan. I thought I knew you, too. I was wrong. The Goddess strike me down if I lie, Keladry of Mindelan will become a knight, a powerful one at that. If she can't do it for Tortall, I'm sure some of our enemies will accept her power gladly. Tortall may yet be overrun because of you. I'm leaving Corus. You will be lucky if you see me even one time before I die of old age or combat. May the Dark God grant you forgiveness in the Court of Death because I never will."


With that she stormed out, slamming the door in her wake.
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Kel packed her things in saddlebags and left her

room. She would have one last meal in the mess with her friends before she left.


Exiting her door, she heard Joren sneer, " So, they finally got rid of the Lump. I told you you wouldn't last." Kel couldn't take any more of his vile. Quickly she brought of a fist to his head and a booted toe to his groin, therefore lessening the chance that he would ever poison the earth with his offspring. He was out cold; she left him there.

Her friends still didn't know she had to leave. Kel grabbed a plate of food and slid in across from Cleon and Merric, beside Neal. She ate silently, all the while staring at her food. Neal noticed her quietness and icy stare at her food, and slipped an arm around her waist. Kel didn't care anymore. Joren had already gotten her kicked out for kissing Neal, what could he do now? Her friends didn't seem to notice any change in her behavior.


Neal found her in her rooms after the meal.

"Kel, what's wrong? You weren't yourself at the mess today."


"What makes you think that? Nothing is wrong." She replied, slipping on her Yamani mask.


"Well for one thing you didn't tell me to eat my vegetables. For another, you stared at your food like you were planning someone's murder. There is something wrong, I can see it in your face so you might as well tell me."


"There really isn't anything-" She began. Kel was backed up against the wall. Neal put two arms by her sides pressed them against the wall.


"Yes there is, now tell me." He said. Kel looked at her boots. He was going to be difficult about it. How would she tell him?

Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug and began explaining what Lord Wyldon said.
"He says I've been in too many fights. Joren told him about, you know, what happened after the Midwinter Ball. The King agreed. I have to leave."

"But, he can't do that. It was for your first year. If he is going to be that way, then I'm leaving too."

Kel gasped. This was like a replay of when he wanted to risk the repeating their years as a page to find Lalasa. It was right after that ceremony that Wyldon called Kel. She couldn't let him do that. He had been through too much torturous training.

"No, Neal. You stay here for four more years and become a knight. At least stay for me." He looked down at her.

"Alright, for you." They left her rooms and Kel said goodbye to each one of her friends with a hug.

"Make Neal eat his vegetables, Cleon." She said; he agreed.

"Merric, Seaver, Esmond. Stick up for yourself and stay with the study group." They all nodded.

"Good luck, Faleron."

"Roald. Take care." He gripped her forearm and hugged her.

With one last goodbye, Neal led her down to the stables. She tacked up the horse she would borrow and pulled Stephan aside.

"I'll be back to buy Peachblossom, Stephan. Don't let anything happen to him." He nodded. Kel knew her parents would buy him for her if she pleaded.

Outside Kel stood in front of her horse before mounting and turned to her best friend and lover.

"I'll come back to see you, Neal." She said. His eyes were clouded with sadness and loss.

"You did better than all the rest of us, Kel. I'm going to miss you so much." Gently he leaned down and kissed her longly, and she kissed back. She tried to hold back the tears, but it was no use as her closed eyes overflowed and hot tears streamed down her face.

They broke apart and he whispered, "Never give up, Kel."

She nodded, wiping away the tears and with one last glance at her best friend, mounted and galloped away.