Headaches
by Saraswathi
~*~
Chapter Three: Of Things Said and Unsaid
~*~
Kel ordered herself to get up. Her body, usually good about obeying her commands, flatly refused. She groaned softly, letting her head fall back onto the pillow.
She supposed it was her own fault. After all, she had agreed to talk with the clerks last night. She simply hadn't thought that they would want to know every detail of Haven. But after all, they were making her life so much easier, she believed it was only fair to do the same to them.
This, however, did not extend to them stealing her sleep.
With a swift, unpremeditated movement, Kel finally slipped out of the covers, careful not to disturb the still-sleeping sparrows.
Her body still exhausted, Kel stood shakily. As she splashed water over her face, she grumbled, "Why did I promise to see Dom's squad off?" The answer was one she didn't want to investigate too deeply, as it had less to do with the squad and more to do with the sergeant.
"After all, if I'm willing to sacrifice my extra sleep for him . . ." She rinsed out her mouth, cutting off her last words. Due to the cold morning, she dressed swiftly, and at the last moment, ran a brush through her hair.
Peering outside her tent, she discovered that fog had obscured everything, like a bridal veil. Heavy clouds covered the sky, while mist swirled about at the ground level. "Not a good omen," she muttered, then shook her head. She couldn't afford to become superstitious.
Kel met the squad in front of the gates, where they stood with their horses at the ready. Dom, who had been tapping his foot impatiently, started to say something as soon as she approached, presumably about her tardy arrival.
"Don't start," she warned him, covering a yawn with her hand. "Master Zamiel and the clerks kept me up half the night discussing logistics. Honestly, if I ever hear the word 'supply' again . . ."
Dom grinned. "Missing your beauty sleep?"
"Whether it's beautiful or not, it's still sleep," she observed.
"I thought the sleep was too make you beautiful," he said, innocently.
Kel narrowed her eyes. "In which case, I would be looking very ugly right about now."
"You could never be ugly, Lady Keladry," Dom told her, bowing extravagantly.
She knew that he wasn't serious, but she blushed anyway. "What's that music?" she asked, changing the subject.
"I think Master Numair's casting a small spell," Dom said, frowning at something behind her.
Glancing back, Kel saw that the words were a tremendous understatement. Rocks were flying through the air, as easily as ships on a calm sea. Not just pebbles, either, but majestic boulders. Kel shivered a little at the sight of such sheer power.
"That must drain so much energy out of him," she almost whispered, filled with awe and a half longing for such strength.
"Well, he does it because he wants to help you," Dom pointed out, an odd look in his eyes.
Kel managed a smile. "Like your squad, which is why I wish you weren't leaving. You always back me up."
"You'll be fine without me," Dom told her, as if trying to convince himself. "You always are."
Kel frowned, not quite sure what he meant. "Yes, but it's easier when you're here."
Dom looked as though he was going to say something. But instead, he closed his mouth and spun sharply around, swinging himself into the saddle. "Goodbye, Kel," he said, leaning down to grasp her hand warmly. "Good luck."
Glancing around, Kel realized that the squad had discreetly moved away while she and Dom spoke. Wondering why, she answered, "Goodbye." She stared into Dom's blue eyes for a moment, trying to guess at what he was not telling her. But it was impossible to decipher. And in another moment, he had riden away, leaving Kel surrounded by words left unsaid.
~*~
by Saraswathi
~*~
Chapter Three: Of Things Said and Unsaid
~*~
Kel ordered herself to get up. Her body, usually good about obeying her commands, flatly refused. She groaned softly, letting her head fall back onto the pillow.
She supposed it was her own fault. After all, she had agreed to talk with the clerks last night. She simply hadn't thought that they would want to know every detail of Haven. But after all, they were making her life so much easier, she believed it was only fair to do the same to them.
This, however, did not extend to them stealing her sleep.
With a swift, unpremeditated movement, Kel finally slipped out of the covers, careful not to disturb the still-sleeping sparrows.
Her body still exhausted, Kel stood shakily. As she splashed water over her face, she grumbled, "Why did I promise to see Dom's squad off?" The answer was one she didn't want to investigate too deeply, as it had less to do with the squad and more to do with the sergeant.
"After all, if I'm willing to sacrifice my extra sleep for him . . ." She rinsed out her mouth, cutting off her last words. Due to the cold morning, she dressed swiftly, and at the last moment, ran a brush through her hair.
Peering outside her tent, she discovered that fog had obscured everything, like a bridal veil. Heavy clouds covered the sky, while mist swirled about at the ground level. "Not a good omen," she muttered, then shook her head. She couldn't afford to become superstitious.
Kel met the squad in front of the gates, where they stood with their horses at the ready. Dom, who had been tapping his foot impatiently, started to say something as soon as she approached, presumably about her tardy arrival.
"Don't start," she warned him, covering a yawn with her hand. "Master Zamiel and the clerks kept me up half the night discussing logistics. Honestly, if I ever hear the word 'supply' again . . ."
Dom grinned. "Missing your beauty sleep?"
"Whether it's beautiful or not, it's still sleep," she observed.
"I thought the sleep was too make you beautiful," he said, innocently.
Kel narrowed her eyes. "In which case, I would be looking very ugly right about now."
"You could never be ugly, Lady Keladry," Dom told her, bowing extravagantly.
She knew that he wasn't serious, but she blushed anyway. "What's that music?" she asked, changing the subject.
"I think Master Numair's casting a small spell," Dom said, frowning at something behind her.
Glancing back, Kel saw that the words were a tremendous understatement. Rocks were flying through the air, as easily as ships on a calm sea. Not just pebbles, either, but majestic boulders. Kel shivered a little at the sight of such sheer power.
"That must drain so much energy out of him," she almost whispered, filled with awe and a half longing for such strength.
"Well, he does it because he wants to help you," Dom pointed out, an odd look in his eyes.
Kel managed a smile. "Like your squad, which is why I wish you weren't leaving. You always back me up."
"You'll be fine without me," Dom told her, as if trying to convince himself. "You always are."
Kel frowned, not quite sure what he meant. "Yes, but it's easier when you're here."
Dom looked as though he was going to say something. But instead, he closed his mouth and spun sharply around, swinging himself into the saddle. "Goodbye, Kel," he said, leaning down to grasp her hand warmly. "Good luck."
Glancing around, Kel realized that the squad had discreetly moved away while she and Dom spoke. Wondering why, she answered, "Goodbye." She stared into Dom's blue eyes for a moment, trying to guess at what he was not telling her. But it was impossible to decipher. And in another moment, he had riden away, leaving Kel surrounded by words left unsaid.
~*~