^italics^
thoughts
All Kel's troubles had started that night. Spring had come to Tortall and the progress had stopped its seemingly endless journey through the lands for a short break in the festivities. It had come to rest at fief Sinthya at the great expense of its Lady and nine year old Lord.
It had passed midnight, but still Kel lay awake, mulling over the events of the day. Two things were keeping her awake; Her joust against Ansil of Groten the next day, and those kisses she had shared with Cleon earlier that night. Sighing Kel stood and dressed, deciding to go for a walk. There was a faint hope it might help to clear her head.
Kel lifted the tent flap, careful not to make much noise. Years in the Kings Own had caused Raoul to become a light sleeper and she didn't want to wake him. A cool breeze wrapped itself around Kel, causing her to shiver. Despite the cold air, Kel walked slowly through the tent rows thinking. What if I don't beat him? Everyone who thinks I can't fight will think they have proof. I'll be even more ridiculed than I already am! Ah, but if you ^do^ win you'll have proven you're better than Joren and that Groten pig Kel argued with herself. She sighed again as her rational side decided it wanted a piece of this argument. Kel's mothers voice sounded in her head, 'If-ing and but-ing won't change anything.' She smiled. She had been told that a lot in the islands. If I win, I win Kel thought,If I lose, I lose. That settled, she put her mind to the other problem. Cleon.
Cleon was difficult. He was her friend and she didn't want to risk that friendship on what would probably be a short-lived romance, ending in pain for all involved. Everyone knew Cleon was already betrothed, to the wealthy heiress of Aminar. Kel smiled and shook her head. It was a similar reason to why she had never acted on her old crush for Neal. At least she used to feel something for Neal. The girl frowned and chewed her lip. She felt nothing for Cleon, in a more than friendly sense. And just how was she supposed to tell ^him^ that?
Kel, still lost in her thoughts, was not looking at the path before her. And neither was a man walking in the opposite direction. They walked straight into each other and fell onto the dirt path. The pair picked themselves up and brushed the dirt from their breeches. Kel looked at the man and Hazel eyes met ice blue. Kel and Joren glared at each other. "Watch where you're going, Mindelan," He sneered. Kel refrained from rolling her eyes at the pettiness of the comment. Instead, she delicately raised her eyebrows and waited for the next comment Joren would make in an attempt to anger her. "And why would a wench like you be wandering around at night?" Joren snapped, implying what Kel had heard all her life. Kel frowned. She was not in the mood for this. Her tongue got away from her from a moment and she snapped back, "And why would you? Coming back from Vinsons?" Kel realised she was becoming more like Neal every day. Joren snarled. He grabbed her collar and pulled her face up to his. "Say that again and you'll regret it," he challenged. Kel smiled sweetly. "Only a man would be your lover Joren," she said.
He went to punch her in the face. Kel ducked out the way and dodged behind him, elbowing him in the gut in the process. Joren whirled and managed to grab her arm. He threw Kel over his hip. She landed on her back, winded. Joren pinned her to the ground. Kel grabbed at his throat and he fell sideways. Kel rolled away. Both standing again, Joren charged at her and rammed her into the pine tree behind her. "I warned you Mindelan," he snarled, leaning forward. Kel raised her head to meet his. "And?" she asked, arching her eyebrows.
Kel felt the warmth of Jorens breath on her cheek. Skin brushed skin and their lips met in a passionate embrace. Kels hands slid into Jorens loose mass of blonde hair and stayed there. One of Jorens arms moved around her waist while the other roamed up and down her back, sending shivers down her spine. Kel gasped and Jorens tongue slid into her mouth. She didn't argue. This was nothing like what had happened between her and Cleon earlier that night. Jorens kiss made her heart beat faster and spread a fire through her body. She burned everywhere they touched. From the way he acted, Joren felt the same passion, the same fire pulsing through his veins.
The pair finally disentangled themselves from each other. Both backed away, their wide eyes transfixed on the others pale face. They turned and ran in opposite directions.
Kel didn't stop until she reached her tent. Entering quietly she flopped on her bedroll and groaned. Great she thought, Now how am I going to sleep?!.
A/N: Ok, that took longer to do than I thought it would. What do you people think? Does anyone but me like this pairing? Please review. Speaking of reviewing, thanks to all those who did! I love you!
NiceDay- Yuki's not Kels closest friend, just the only one she feels she can talk to about Joren 'cos none of the boys like him.
Vane- Kel's only 16. She's still a squire. Yes, they take the Ordeal at 18. It was a hint to who the person could be.
Well done Lady Sndrilene and Squire Kali, the only two to point out it couldn't be anyone in Kels year. Congrats. *Claps*
All Kel's troubles had started that night. Spring had come to Tortall and the progress had stopped its seemingly endless journey through the lands for a short break in the festivities. It had come to rest at fief Sinthya at the great expense of its Lady and nine year old Lord.
It had passed midnight, but still Kel lay awake, mulling over the events of the day. Two things were keeping her awake; Her joust against Ansil of Groten the next day, and those kisses she had shared with Cleon earlier that night. Sighing Kel stood and dressed, deciding to go for a walk. There was a faint hope it might help to clear her head.
Kel lifted the tent flap, careful not to make much noise. Years in the Kings Own had caused Raoul to become a light sleeper and she didn't want to wake him. A cool breeze wrapped itself around Kel, causing her to shiver. Despite the cold air, Kel walked slowly through the tent rows thinking. What if I don't beat him? Everyone who thinks I can't fight will think they have proof. I'll be even more ridiculed than I already am! Ah, but if you ^do^ win you'll have proven you're better than Joren and that Groten pig Kel argued with herself. She sighed again as her rational side decided it wanted a piece of this argument. Kel's mothers voice sounded in her head, 'If-ing and but-ing won't change anything.' She smiled. She had been told that a lot in the islands. If I win, I win Kel thought,If I lose, I lose. That settled, she put her mind to the other problem. Cleon.
Cleon was difficult. He was her friend and she didn't want to risk that friendship on what would probably be a short-lived romance, ending in pain for all involved. Everyone knew Cleon was already betrothed, to the wealthy heiress of Aminar. Kel smiled and shook her head. It was a similar reason to why she had never acted on her old crush for Neal. At least she used to feel something for Neal. The girl frowned and chewed her lip. She felt nothing for Cleon, in a more than friendly sense. And just how was she supposed to tell ^him^ that?
Kel, still lost in her thoughts, was not looking at the path before her. And neither was a man walking in the opposite direction. They walked straight into each other and fell onto the dirt path. The pair picked themselves up and brushed the dirt from their breeches. Kel looked at the man and Hazel eyes met ice blue. Kel and Joren glared at each other. "Watch where you're going, Mindelan," He sneered. Kel refrained from rolling her eyes at the pettiness of the comment. Instead, she delicately raised her eyebrows and waited for the next comment Joren would make in an attempt to anger her. "And why would a wench like you be wandering around at night?" Joren snapped, implying what Kel had heard all her life. Kel frowned. She was not in the mood for this. Her tongue got away from her from a moment and she snapped back, "And why would you? Coming back from Vinsons?" Kel realised she was becoming more like Neal every day. Joren snarled. He grabbed her collar and pulled her face up to his. "Say that again and you'll regret it," he challenged. Kel smiled sweetly. "Only a man would be your lover Joren," she said.
He went to punch her in the face. Kel ducked out the way and dodged behind him, elbowing him in the gut in the process. Joren whirled and managed to grab her arm. He threw Kel over his hip. She landed on her back, winded. Joren pinned her to the ground. Kel grabbed at his throat and he fell sideways. Kel rolled away. Both standing again, Joren charged at her and rammed her into the pine tree behind her. "I warned you Mindelan," he snarled, leaning forward. Kel raised her head to meet his. "And?" she asked, arching her eyebrows.
Kel felt the warmth of Jorens breath on her cheek. Skin brushed skin and their lips met in a passionate embrace. Kels hands slid into Jorens loose mass of blonde hair and stayed there. One of Jorens arms moved around her waist while the other roamed up and down her back, sending shivers down her spine. Kel gasped and Jorens tongue slid into her mouth. She didn't argue. This was nothing like what had happened between her and Cleon earlier that night. Jorens kiss made her heart beat faster and spread a fire through her body. She burned everywhere they touched. From the way he acted, Joren felt the same passion, the same fire pulsing through his veins.
The pair finally disentangled themselves from each other. Both backed away, their wide eyes transfixed on the others pale face. They turned and ran in opposite directions.
Kel didn't stop until she reached her tent. Entering quietly she flopped on her bedroll and groaned. Great she thought, Now how am I going to sleep?!.
A/N: Ok, that took longer to do than I thought it would. What do you people think? Does anyone but me like this pairing? Please review. Speaking of reviewing, thanks to all those who did! I love you!
NiceDay- Yuki's not Kels closest friend, just the only one she feels she can talk to about Joren 'cos none of the boys like him.
Vane- Kel's only 16. She's still a squire. Yes, they take the Ordeal at 18. It was a hint to who the person could be.
Well done Lady Sndrilene and Squire Kali, the only two to point out it couldn't be anyone in Kels year. Congrats. *Claps*