DISCLAIMER: Hey you can sue if you want but its not like I have any money.Kel and Joren and Raoul and Buchard in fact all characters in this belong to Tamora Pierce. (Damn it...not mine ::sad puppy dog face::) The plot...well it's not entirely original, nothing ever is but I'm going to take credit for it. (for now any way if it's crap I'll blame it on my good twin) Also the characters may be slightly OOC...I'm not sure. They could be...it *is* a K/J fic. Also this is set before/during Squire (the trial was during Squire right?) may not seem like it but trust me it is. (or at least *meant* to be)

Tormentor of the Small: Regret

Kel was woken by a racket outside her room. There were voices yelling loudly. Distress plagued their tones. The bashing on her door was loud and incessant. She opened the door to a white haired man.

Kel shut her ears to the abuse the man was spouting at her. Someone was dead...Kel shook her head.

Raoul had opened his door and was talking to the man who she realised, had not white hair but blonde.

Then it struck her. This man was Lord Buchard of Stone Mountain. Joren's father.

Kel was somehow aware that Joren was dead before the full realisation hit her as she closed the door.

Joren was dead. Her tormentor of so many years was dead.

Then she remembered that day. The day where she had decided to track him down, to find out why he had done all the things he did. She remembered that he wasn't just her tormentor, but her lover. She remembered her duel against him and how he was more determined to win than she was.

She respected him for that small instant. Respected him and loathed him, now the chamber had killed him.

Maybe if she had let herself understand him, or let herself love him the chamber would have let him live...

Then she remembered all the cruel things he had done, would have done.

Love alone never changed a person. She wondered what the chamber had done to him.

Her adversary, her opposite and her regret.

*

THE END

Sad, he died in the end. Oh well...

Rowana Silvakisma: I'm glad you think so. I'm still not sure, I think they were pretty OOC still. Hope Kel wasn't too much in this chapter.

Dracorium: Awww, thank you. That was really nice of you. I'm glad you liked it.

An anonymous geek: Thank you so much. (Gee, that was a creative thank you, but thanks all the same.)

Evilstrawberry: I always confuse myself, and everybody else. Oh well. I think Joren was heaps OOC in the last chapter, but I couldn't figure out a way to stop it so I left it.

RoseGoddess9: Sorry the OOCnes made you gag, I feel like getting defensive, but I won't. Thanks for taking the time to review and I did warn that the characters were OOC. (I lied. I got a tiny bit defensive. Sorry, but thanks anyway)

Brittany: Thanks, I glad you think the OOCness made them more human. . . once again thanks.

Reviews are wonderful things. I really do appreciate them.