Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me - they're all Tamora
Pierce's (unless you don't recognise them, in which case they're mine)
Raoul entered the King's chambers without knocking. This was too serious to waste time on. The King was standing by a window gazing out, and didn't even look up when Raoul strode in.
"You know what they're saying?" he hissed. "Do you have any idea?"
The King sighed and looked at his old friend. What could he say? He held Raoul's stare for as long as he could, before dropping his gaze and shaking his head. There was a pause as if the meaning of these actions was being digested.
"Its true. Isn't it? Damn it Jon, answer me!"
"Yes. Okay? Yes. It's true. I'm sorry Raoul, but you don't know the kind of pressure I'm under - "
Raoul shook his head. "Stop it Jon. I don't want to hear it." A sadness filled his eyes as he looked at a man who he used to know so well, but now he barely knew at all. "You've changed, Jon." he whispered. "You're different."
"Yes," the King snapped. "You're right. I'm King now. And I don't have a choice."
"Jon, you've kept her waiting for long enough. She knows something's wrong. You have to tell her. Because if you don't, I will." And with that he left the room, shaking with anger.
Kel woke late to a knocking on her door. On opening it she found a royal footman standing outside.
"The King wishes to see you, my Lady. In one hours time, in the War Chamber." He bowed and left, as Kel's heart leapt.
He wants to see me - in the War Chamber! she thought happily. Maybe he's finally got some work for me to do. But even as she was thinking this, the practical side of her was saying : The King's been in the War Chamber ever since we've had this Immortals problem. For all I know it could just be more orders to stay in the palace.
Despite this though, her heart felt lighter as she made her way to her meeting one hour later. The door was shut when she got there so she knocked quietly and waited to be admitted.
"Come in." A voice commanded, and she let herself in. To her surprise the King was not alone. In the room were also Lord Wyldon, Numair Salmalin, Raoul and even Queen Thayet. The look on everyone's faces put her on her guard immediately - not even Raoul smiled at her as she approached the table they were all sitting at. She bowed low to the King and Queen, then to the other people present. Then she stood with her hands by her side, waiting for someone to speak.
"Ah Keladry. It is a pleasure to see you." The King said, though neither his voice nor his face showed any pleasure at all. Kel found herself fighting to frown - he had given her no title. Not even "Lady", which many of the courtiers who disliked the idea of female warriors used. "Unfortunately, it is not good news which I must discuss with you."
Kel's heart beat wildly. What was going on? She glanced at the other people present, but none would meet her eyes.
"Ever since your return from Scanra," the King continued, "we have been getting odd reports about your actions there. It seems that many feel that when you disobeyed orders and went into enemy territory you became...what we call, a traitor to the crown."
The bottom left Kel's stomach. A traitor? This couldn't be happening. Why now? It was almost a year since the events that he was talking about. And she had been cleared, hadn't she? She'd been told that the crown forgave her, commended her even, for her actions. Then what was this? Her blank Yamani face was failing, she knew it. Her despair must be written across her forehead, for anyone to see.
"Now, since I am not an unreasonable man, I am not about to pronounce you traitor. However, many nobles have called for an investigation to into what happened. I cannot refuse them. Therefore you must understand that you are under suspicion of treachery, and as such I have no choice but to strip you of your Knighthood until further notice. I am most sorry for the way things have turned out."
Kel's world collapsed around her. She couldn't believe it. Tears formed but she refused to cry here. Not here. Raoul stood up.
"Kel, I want to tell you that you have my support. Your actions were heroic, nothing less. Whatever happens I'm on your side."
"As am I." That from Lord Wyldon, who was staring at her intently.
"And Daine has charged me with telling you that she believes in your innocence. She will stand by you. As will I." Numair nodded to her and smiled slightly.
"And Pirates Swoop will always be your friend," came a voice from behind. Kel whirled around and saw Baron George, Lady Alanna's husband. "We won't let you down."
After that she couldn't stop the tears. They came at once in a hot flood which she didn't try to stop. She nodded to the people gathered, which was all she could manage, and fled the room. She didn't stop running until she reached her room where she flung herself onto her bed and cried until there were no tears left.
Three hours later she still lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She'd made up her mind. She got up and started packing.
Raoul entered the King's chambers without knocking. This was too serious to waste time on. The King was standing by a window gazing out, and didn't even look up when Raoul strode in.
"You know what they're saying?" he hissed. "Do you have any idea?"
The King sighed and looked at his old friend. What could he say? He held Raoul's stare for as long as he could, before dropping his gaze and shaking his head. There was a pause as if the meaning of these actions was being digested.
"Its true. Isn't it? Damn it Jon, answer me!"
"Yes. Okay? Yes. It's true. I'm sorry Raoul, but you don't know the kind of pressure I'm under - "
Raoul shook his head. "Stop it Jon. I don't want to hear it." A sadness filled his eyes as he looked at a man who he used to know so well, but now he barely knew at all. "You've changed, Jon." he whispered. "You're different."
"Yes," the King snapped. "You're right. I'm King now. And I don't have a choice."
"Jon, you've kept her waiting for long enough. She knows something's wrong. You have to tell her. Because if you don't, I will." And with that he left the room, shaking with anger.
Kel woke late to a knocking on her door. On opening it she found a royal footman standing outside.
"The King wishes to see you, my Lady. In one hours time, in the War Chamber." He bowed and left, as Kel's heart leapt.
He wants to see me - in the War Chamber! she thought happily. Maybe he's finally got some work for me to do. But even as she was thinking this, the practical side of her was saying : The King's been in the War Chamber ever since we've had this Immortals problem. For all I know it could just be more orders to stay in the palace.
Despite this though, her heart felt lighter as she made her way to her meeting one hour later. The door was shut when she got there so she knocked quietly and waited to be admitted.
"Come in." A voice commanded, and she let herself in. To her surprise the King was not alone. In the room were also Lord Wyldon, Numair Salmalin, Raoul and even Queen Thayet. The look on everyone's faces put her on her guard immediately - not even Raoul smiled at her as she approached the table they were all sitting at. She bowed low to the King and Queen, then to the other people present. Then she stood with her hands by her side, waiting for someone to speak.
"Ah Keladry. It is a pleasure to see you." The King said, though neither his voice nor his face showed any pleasure at all. Kel found herself fighting to frown - he had given her no title. Not even "Lady", which many of the courtiers who disliked the idea of female warriors used. "Unfortunately, it is not good news which I must discuss with you."
Kel's heart beat wildly. What was going on? She glanced at the other people present, but none would meet her eyes.
"Ever since your return from Scanra," the King continued, "we have been getting odd reports about your actions there. It seems that many feel that when you disobeyed orders and went into enemy territory you became...what we call, a traitor to the crown."
The bottom left Kel's stomach. A traitor? This couldn't be happening. Why now? It was almost a year since the events that he was talking about. And she had been cleared, hadn't she? She'd been told that the crown forgave her, commended her even, for her actions. Then what was this? Her blank Yamani face was failing, she knew it. Her despair must be written across her forehead, for anyone to see.
"Now, since I am not an unreasonable man, I am not about to pronounce you traitor. However, many nobles have called for an investigation to into what happened. I cannot refuse them. Therefore you must understand that you are under suspicion of treachery, and as such I have no choice but to strip you of your Knighthood until further notice. I am most sorry for the way things have turned out."
Kel's world collapsed around her. She couldn't believe it. Tears formed but she refused to cry here. Not here. Raoul stood up.
"Kel, I want to tell you that you have my support. Your actions were heroic, nothing less. Whatever happens I'm on your side."
"As am I." That from Lord Wyldon, who was staring at her intently.
"And Daine has charged me with telling you that she believes in your innocence. She will stand by you. As will I." Numair nodded to her and smiled slightly.
"And Pirates Swoop will always be your friend," came a voice from behind. Kel whirled around and saw Baron George, Lady Alanna's husband. "We won't let you down."
After that she couldn't stop the tears. They came at once in a hot flood which she didn't try to stop. She nodded to the people gathered, which was all she could manage, and fled the room. She didn't stop running until she reached her room where she flung herself onto her bed and cried until there were no tears left.
Three hours later she still lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She'd made up her mind. She got up and started packing.