An Unlikely Hero

A/N: Now who would have guessed I'd be updating THIS? I believe it's been more than 6 months since I updated it. OOOPS. Well, I am. I'm afraid this is a very "necessary" chapter, and has is rather sad and boring. Even so, it's something. And no, this won't be a K/N, as far as I anticipate, even though it may seem that way, since he's in the chapter a whole lot. Special thanks to Farah (ThePenMage) for going over this chapter for its many errors before I posted—and I changed a few things since she sent it back to me, so any further errors are solely my fault. And yes, this has nothing to do with the first part. It will sooner or later, I promise.

Part II: On a Darkling Plain

Daine unlocked the door to her and Numair's rooms and stepped sleepily inside, stifling a yawn as she did so. She had spent all day with the riders and had returned—exhausted—to find Numair busy in the midst of some very important experiment. She had left him to his work, and now all she wanted was to collapse in a soft bed and sleep for days.

But before she could do this, she found on her table a small letter bearing the Carthaki Royal Seal. She hadn't heard from Emperor Kaddar in months now! Smiling, she picked it up and carefully opened it.

Dearest Daine,

My apologies for having been so long in responding to your last letter. I am afraid things here in Carthak are presently not as pleasant as I would have hoped. Do you remember when you warned me about the continuation of slavery in my empire? I had told you that I needed to take these changes little by little, but I see now that the changes in that particular arena should have been handled before I even thought of anything else. Now I am facing massive riots and the serious threat of a full on rebellion, but cannot do anything about because my council refuses to budge. And to think! The council was my own creation, and it is holding me back!

But in any case, I shouldn't worry you with such things. I do hope everything in your life is as it was when you wrote me last. My council is incessantly trying to find me a wife, and I suppose I have put off obtaining one for long enough. They say your Princess Kalasin is a real gem. Perhaps a Tortallan-Carthaki alliance wouldn't be too much of a stretch? I'm only teasing, Daine. Don't you go asking your king to have his daughter engaged to me just yet!

I do hope your friends are all well—animal and human alike. Lady Alanna, I know, must be thrilled; I've heard that Tortall's second lady knight was given her shield. In any case, give my regards to your mage as well, and take care of yourself.

Warm regards,

Kaddar

Daine yawned again and set the letter down. She'd reply to it whenever she woke up. For now, sleep was beckoning to her with much too much force for her to resist.

* * *

2 years later

Daine unsuccessfully attempted to tuck in her shirt and slide on her shoes at the same, panicking because she was late to her monthly meeting with King Jonathan. She had just pulled on her tunic and grabbed her keys to leave when Numair walked in looking grave and closed the door behind him. Daine stopped despite her rush and looked at him with concern.

"Daine," he said softly, "Don't worry about your meeting. It has been cancelled."

"What—"

"Thak's Gate was taken over at dawn this morning." He said grimly. "The imperial palace was ransacked and burned by a rebel warlord called Tarigue from South Carthak." Daine stood staring in shock. Her Emperor friend had written of escalating troubles, riots, and rebellions, but had made it sound controllable. And the King'swarnings of possible trouble in Carthak had seemed so vague!

"Kaddar—"

"If I'm not mistaken, Lindhall and the emperor left the palace in secret just last night." He told her. "Magelet, I don't know what is going on exactly, but I do know that Kaddar is still alive."

"Oh gods!" Daine murmured, holding her hand out to Numair, who took it and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "What will Tortall do with this new warlord--?"

Numair pursed his lips. "Jonathan's had everyone gearing up for something like this for a while, only I don't think he thought it so serious until today. General Tarigue's army is stronger than we had imagined. Jonathan's biggest fear is that now he's controlled Carthak, he won't keep his hands to himself."

"He thinks there will be an invasion?"

Numair nodded. Daine rubbed the bridge of her nose and pinched her eyes shut. This was not good. Not good at all.

* * *

4 months later

Keladry of Mindelan yawned into her sleeve, trying her best to keep sleep from taking over. She looked enviously at Jump, who slept peacefully at her ankles, before scanning the horizon again.

"Since when did one of Tortall's commanders start doing sentry duty?" she heard a voice echo from behind her.

A wry smile crossed her face before she turned to look at her best friend. "Since this commander suffered a blow to her shoulder that even you couldn't heal." It was so dark that she could just barely see his face in the torchlight until he came and sat next to her.

"Mithros, I haven't seen in you months now." He said, pursing his lips together and studying her face. Kel did the same, noting that he looked tired and somber. She tore her eyes away from his sad ones, not wanting to believe that her ever-cheery Neal had been broken by this war as well.

"It's good to see you again, Neal." She said, squeezing his hand. "How are Yuki and your little rascal?"

"Fine." He said. "She and Justin have gone to the Yamanis. It's safer there, and Queenscove is currently being evacuated anyway."

"Goddess, that is serious! Is the rest of your family all right?"

"Yes, of course." He said somberly. He looked down at his hands for a moment, pursing his lips tight. Kel was about to ask him what was wrong, when he abruptly looked up at her and said, "Kel, I have to be the bearer of horrible news for a moment." Kel's chest constricted. "They would have sent Dom, but he is up North, and—"

"What is it, Neal." Kel interrupted, voice shaky.

He sighed, taking her hands in his. "Mindelan was attacked three days ago—all survivors of noble decent have been seized, the rest are moving toward the camps. Conal is at Fort Groten, but everyone else—" he stopped, knowing that she had heard enough.

Kel opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Finally, she closed it and opened it again and a choking gasp emerged. Neal held her as the sobs came.

* * *

"But why did they kill Lady's family, my Lord? Why didn't they let them go to the camps with all the other people from Mindelan?" Kel heard Tobe ask from outside the tent.

"General Tarigue claims to be working for the people, Tobe." Neal's voice answered soberly. "He gained support in Carthak because he told all the slaves that he would free them, and now he's getting people to help him by telling them that if they kill all the nobles, they can have more money and power."

"But he's killing the people, not helping them." Tobe answered angrily. "What a shithead."

"Hey, I heard that, young man." Kel said sternly as she opened the tent flap. "You've been hanging around the foot soldiers too much. I don't want to hear you cursing like that again."

"Sorry, Lady." Tobe said. Usually, he would have given her some of his ever-increasing cheek, but since Neal had arrived with the news, everyone treated her like she was about to break.

Which I am. Kel thought, But I sure as hell don't want everyone else to know that.

"How's your shoulder, Kel?" Neal asked, rising from his seat on her bed.

"Better, since you've been healing it." She said.

"Let's see it again—" he began, wanting to do another healing, but Kel shook her head.

"My shoulder is fine, Neal. Save your energy for the healing tent. You'll be needed." Kel clenched her jaw. "There's news of another legion of Carthaki soldiers heading in our direction. They'll be here by dawn." Though the camp was one of the strongest Tortall had, the battle would undoubtedly be hard.

Neal pursed his lips. "Mithros help us." He said after a moment of silence.

"I wish My Lord Raoul was here. And I wish Dom and his squad were here too." Tobe said with a scowl. "No offense to you, my Lord," he said to Neal. "But they always make Lady feel a bit easier too."

"No offense taken, boy." Neal said, ruffling Tobe's already tousled hair. "They're both down farther south, where they're desperately needed. Now go get your Lady's armor ready."

"All right." Tobe said with a sigh. "Oh, Lady?" he asked as he was leaving the tent.

"Yes?"

"Can I ride Bonecrusher into battle?"

"Absolutely not! Tobe, you are not going into battle at all. You are going to stay safely in the healers tent, offering your help when it is needed there."

"But—"

"No buts, I am serious." Tobe rolled his eyes at her before exiting the tent sulkily. Kel sighed.

"Bonecrusher?" Neal asked, amused.

"I bought him a horse." Kel said with a smile. "Needless to say, he named it. I was just happy that he didn't call it something vulgar."

Neal grinned. "Aww, he's a good kid, Kel."

"I know." She said, biting her lip. "He's been through so much at such a young age, though. Two wars just since he's been with me, and so much abuse as a child. And I worry about him, with all this." She waved her arm upward, implying the camp, and war in general. "A war camp is no place for a growing boy."

"Well, if we don't win this war, there won't be a single place in Tortall suited for a child to grow up in. Just remember that." Neal said.

The horn from the main tent sounded, calling the soldiers to report to their commanders. "Well, here's our chance. Take care of yourself out there, Neal."

He drew her into a loose embrace. "You too, Kel."

* * *

Eleven. Kel truly felt like hurling, but kept on calling out orders, running on pure adreniline. That's eleven of my men, dead.

Her long sword felt like lead in her hand as she wielded it on, yelling at her men as she held off a Carthaki horseman with her sword. The clash of their blades was lost in the war cries and sounds of death all around them. The last cry of the man she fought before she ran her sword clear through him, too, was only heard by her.

Twelve, Thirteen. She noted as she turned in her saddle to survey her command. As she turned back to face forward, an arrow hit her. Kel stared at her upper arm for a moment, watching the blood spread on the cloth between the armor on her chest and forearms. Her vision went blurry and she was sure that she would loose her consciousness when a loud, "Keladry!" drew her attention upward again.

She jolted her head upward so quickly that her head spun, but instinctively, brought her shield up and weakly blocked the blow of a huge ax. She had caught the man's hands above their heads with her shield, and drew her sword up with her other arm to drive it into his side.

As she finished him off, three of her men surrounded her and she drew back into the group of Tortallan soldiers. She headed back towards Wyldon, the commander of the entire camp.

"Mindelan, get your men out!" Wyldon called to her. "Get them out, now!"

"But, sir—"

"I said now!"

Kel turned back to her commandees as Wyldon rode off. "Men, draw back! Draw back!" she yelled. "Crawford, Elberg, get out now! I SAID NOW!!" Just as the she was calling back the last of her men, a soft trembling began from the ground below them. Peachblossom reared backard in fear, as did most the horses of the retreating men around her. "Retreat, retreat!" Kel cried furiously, afraid that some foreign sorcery was afoot.

A horn sounded from behind them and a Tortallan rider with a white flag emerged in the distance.

The soldiers in front of them sounded a loud cheer, and Kel and her men drew back in disappointment. As they retreated towards the camp, one of her soldiers rounded her off. "Why did you call us back!" he asked angrily, "We could have held out! This camp could have held out!"

"Orders." She said grimly.

"Orders my ass! Even you aren't stupid enough to believe we were completely lost back there!"

"Get out of my way, Thompson." Kel said firmly.

"Give me a decent answer and I will." The stubborn older man countered.

"I followed my orders, Sergeant." She said in a loud voice. "Now move!"

Sergeant Thompson shook his head and spit at the ground in front of her. "I suppose we can't expect anything but surrender from a woman."

"You have been dismissed!" Kel yelled angrily. "Not a word of disobedience out of you again, unless you want your position terminated, Sergeant." He turned and nudged his horse forward in reluctant obedience. "Back to the camp, everyone! We are still in a war here!" Kel called to the soldiers.

As they were returning to the camp, the earth shook again—only this time, more violently. One of her men was thrown completely off his horse as the rest struggled to stay on horseback. Shouts and cries of terror erupted all around her, but thankfully, the earth did not move again.

When they arrived back at the camp, everyone who was relatively unwounded was bustling around in an effort to understand what was happening. Kel headed straight for the healers tent—which, amazingly enough, was still inexistence—to look for Tobe and Neal.

Relief flooded her when she saw Neal's tall figure leaning over a bed, but couldn't find Tobe anywhere amid the bustling people. Neal was in the middle of healing a serious wound, so had to wait to inquire after the boy. Two men she recognized from her time with the Own were carried out of the tent among the many who just couldn't be saved. Finally, it was Neal who found her at the tent's opening.

"Goddess, Kel! Thank Mithros you're all right!" he said, "Is that wound serious?" he asked, looking at her hastily bandaged arm.

"Where's Tobe?" she asked him, ignoring his question.

"I sent him to fetch water when the worst of the wounded were coming in a few minutes ago." He said. "I came in here after the second hour of battle, and have been here since. He was here that whole time."

"I've got to go find him." Kel said. "If Wyldon comes around looking for me, tell him I'll come to the main tent as soon as I can."

"Kel—" Neal stopped her by grabbing her wrist. "Wyldon called you and your men back for a very important reason. I'm sure that he wants to see all the commanders as soon as possible."

"What—"

"I don't know what it is, but we all felt the earthquakes. All of us gifted ones can feel a difference. That probably means—" he stopped, grimacing.

Kel shut her eyes. They all knew what problems that deep in the earth meant, even if nothing of the sort had happened in either of their lifetimes. "All right, I'll head to the main camp first." She said. "Tell Tobe to stay put when he gets back, please."

"Of course." Neal called after her as she headed out of the busy tent. He had to get back to healing, but had the unexplainable urge to call her back. He couldn't say why, but he had an odd feeling that he would never see her again.

* * *

"Corus has been taken. The Queen has been murdered. The King is in very bad shape. They have the Dominion Jewel." Wyldon's deep voice said emotionlessly to his commanders. "We had no choice but to surrender." He continued. "All Tortallan armies elsewhere have been defeated. We who have survived must now deal with life according to their rules. We have very little time before we are all seized and taken to prisons. We have lost more then half of the men we had with us this morning at this camp. We will all be arrested and taken to prisons, but because of our surrender, they have promised that they will perform no excecutions. It has been an honor fighting for this wonderful country with all of you. Good day."

What he is leaving unsaid, Kel thought grimly, is that there is no hope. Tortall is lost.