Thank you to PsychoLioness13 and AJ 4EVA for reviewing! Now this one
actually has some of the plot back in it. Because it has been so long since
I've had plot, I'll freshen you up a bit. Tusaine's royal family is dead,
Mikal's on the throne, and Mithros and a couple of the other gods want to
destroy Tortall because they have lady knights. On with the story!!!
Kel and Neal were still hungry, so they went back to the mess hall to get more. Kel had to lean on Neal, even though she was getting a little bit stronger. Neal was wishing that he could carry her, it felt right the last time when he brought her away after the wrestle. Thankfully, they ran into nobody they knew -they would ask questions, and Neal wasn't sure how one of them would react to the answer. Reaching the mess hall, they piled their plates and sat down on a bench.
One of the poor pages that got stuck with running around to get people jogged into the mess hall, glancing around for someone. He saw Neal and Kel and strode over to them, obviously trying to catch his breath. He cleared his throat when he reached them. "Sir, lady, the king requests your presence in his private study at once. You are to get your assignments now." Kel traded a worried glance with Neal, now they wouldn't see each other for a long time if they got assigned to different spots. Worse, how could Kel manage when she could hardly walk, let alone battle?
They set down their forks, Neal slinging Kel's arm over his shoulder. They passed the guest room corridor, the painting hall, and finally came to the king's study. It had a finely polished cherry wood door with a gold handle. The page knocked once and entered.
The inside was a gorgeous circular room with various maps hung on the wall and a gigantic bookshelf filled to the brim with historical books. A plush green rug was on the hard wood floor, and a desk covered with papers and a map of the Tortall/Tusaine border. The king sat in a high-backed chair behind the desk, looking regal in his favorite blue tunic and white shirt. The moment the door opened, Neal dropped Kel's shoulder- she would want to stand on her own in the presence of her King.
The two knights bowed to King Jonathan and then stood at attention. Jon smiled and gestured toward the two chairs on the side of the desk opposite him. "Have a seat, this may not be pleasant news for you." Kel sat first, Neal not far behind her. Neal laid a comforting hand on her knee, he could tell that she was nervous behind that Yamani mask of hers.
"You were both at the conference, so you know Tortall's current situation. Our armies aren't nearly as large as what Tusaine has accumulated, so we need all of the information we can get. We have placed spies in the palace, but we need some to act as commoners in Tusaine. Those spies need to be able to gather any who are disloyal to Tusaine with them, and they have to blend in. They also need to defend themselves and train their recruits. It will be a dangerous job, and being caught means certain death," he looked at each of them for a long time. Neal looked at Kel with a raised eyebrow, she grinned at him. They knew what was coming. "Thayet, Lord Wyldon and I have decided to have you two go undercover to Akder, a town about twenty miles outside the Tusaine border. You should probably go as husband and wife," there was a twinkle in his sapphire eyes, "unless you have any other ideas." He paused to let them speak, then continued when they didn't. "Do you accept this mission? You have a choice, you know."
"I am more than willing to do this for the realm, your Majesty," Kel said with a half bow in her seat.
"As do I, Your Wonderful Highness," Neal said. "Were you the one who thought up the married idea? With the utmost respect, of course."
Jon chuckled. "Actually, Lord Wyldon had that brilliant idea. He has a wonderful mind, I've always said. You may be dismissed." Kel and Neal bowed and left the room. When the door shut, Kel collapsed against the wall. Neal sat more gracefully beside her. "So," he drawled. "Would you like to marry me?" Kel laughed and offered him a hand up.
Kel and Neal were still hungry, so they went back to the mess hall to get more. Kel had to lean on Neal, even though she was getting a little bit stronger. Neal was wishing that he could carry her, it felt right the last time when he brought her away after the wrestle. Thankfully, they ran into nobody they knew -they would ask questions, and Neal wasn't sure how one of them would react to the answer. Reaching the mess hall, they piled their plates and sat down on a bench.
One of the poor pages that got stuck with running around to get people jogged into the mess hall, glancing around for someone. He saw Neal and Kel and strode over to them, obviously trying to catch his breath. He cleared his throat when he reached them. "Sir, lady, the king requests your presence in his private study at once. You are to get your assignments now." Kel traded a worried glance with Neal, now they wouldn't see each other for a long time if they got assigned to different spots. Worse, how could Kel manage when she could hardly walk, let alone battle?
They set down their forks, Neal slinging Kel's arm over his shoulder. They passed the guest room corridor, the painting hall, and finally came to the king's study. It had a finely polished cherry wood door with a gold handle. The page knocked once and entered.
The inside was a gorgeous circular room with various maps hung on the wall and a gigantic bookshelf filled to the brim with historical books. A plush green rug was on the hard wood floor, and a desk covered with papers and a map of the Tortall/Tusaine border. The king sat in a high-backed chair behind the desk, looking regal in his favorite blue tunic and white shirt. The moment the door opened, Neal dropped Kel's shoulder- she would want to stand on her own in the presence of her King.
The two knights bowed to King Jonathan and then stood at attention. Jon smiled and gestured toward the two chairs on the side of the desk opposite him. "Have a seat, this may not be pleasant news for you." Kel sat first, Neal not far behind her. Neal laid a comforting hand on her knee, he could tell that she was nervous behind that Yamani mask of hers.
"You were both at the conference, so you know Tortall's current situation. Our armies aren't nearly as large as what Tusaine has accumulated, so we need all of the information we can get. We have placed spies in the palace, but we need some to act as commoners in Tusaine. Those spies need to be able to gather any who are disloyal to Tusaine with them, and they have to blend in. They also need to defend themselves and train their recruits. It will be a dangerous job, and being caught means certain death," he looked at each of them for a long time. Neal looked at Kel with a raised eyebrow, she grinned at him. They knew what was coming. "Thayet, Lord Wyldon and I have decided to have you two go undercover to Akder, a town about twenty miles outside the Tusaine border. You should probably go as husband and wife," there was a twinkle in his sapphire eyes, "unless you have any other ideas." He paused to let them speak, then continued when they didn't. "Do you accept this mission? You have a choice, you know."
"I am more than willing to do this for the realm, your Majesty," Kel said with a half bow in her seat.
"As do I, Your Wonderful Highness," Neal said. "Were you the one who thought up the married idea? With the utmost respect, of course."
Jon chuckled. "Actually, Lord Wyldon had that brilliant idea. He has a wonderful mind, I've always said. You may be dismissed." Kel and Neal bowed and left the room. When the door shut, Kel collapsed against the wall. Neal sat more gracefully beside her. "So," he drawled. "Would you like to marry me?" Kel laughed and offered him a hand up.