Kel was woken the next morning by a heaving pounding on the door in the
main chamber of the apartment. She climbed out of bed, rubbing tired eyes
- it couldn't have been less than four bells until dawn! Kel pulled on a
shirt and went to open the door. A man from the King's Own was standing
there looking harassed.
"You're the squire?" he said, not really asking. "Tell Captain Taro that Lord Raoul requests his presence with his men by the stables of the King's Own as soon as can be arranged."
"Why sir?" Kel asked, knowing that her master would demand to know.
"Spidrens in the woods."
Kel sucked in her breath. Spidrens. She had fought spidrens alongside the Own once before, and knew their efficient methods. If the Yamanis were needed to help, it must be very bad. She ran through to the Captain's room and shook him awake. Quickly Kel told him the news, and in an instant, he was up and issuing his orders. She finished dressing, putting on her new armour, and sprinted down to the barracks where the other samurai were.
"Get up!" she yelled. "We're moving, spidrens in the forest. The Own need our help!" That was all it took, and, cursing blasphemously, they were moving.
Kel thought absently that it was probably lucky she was kept so busy, because at any other time she would have been awed into a stupor at the idea of fighting alongside the world famous Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, the Giantkiller and Commander of the King's Own. Kel fetched food from the hastily awakened kitchen staff and helped saddle horses until at last everyone was ready.
When they finally rode out into the rosy glow of the dawn, the black samurai were a dark column between the somewhat gaudy blue and silver of the Own on either side of them. Lord Raoul rode at the head of the galloping column, with the Captain of the 3rd Company of the King's Own to the right of him and Captain Taro and a gold armoured knight to his left. Behind them were Kel, bearing the Princess's personal standard, newly made with Captain Taro's sign overlaid in the centre, and the standard bearer of the Own, a boy just a few years older than she was with a snub nose.
When they soon reached the area where terrified peasants had reported the sighting of the spidrens, the soldiers were divided into smaller squads. Kel found herself in one commanded by the unknown knight, who was seconded by a sergeant of the Own. They rode in a serious silence, knowing that one wrong move might kill the whole group. Suddenly, the knight let out a muffled cry and swung round to the left. Apparently, the Own often communicated with magic, and this knight had the Gift. They came to the carnage just a minute later. Bodies of spidrens and men lay dead or dying on the ground, it made little difference to those who fought around them.
Kel plunged straight into the thick of the battle with a hoarse cry, the surge of adrenaline drowning any squeamishness she might have harboured. She speared one of a group of spidrens bearing down on Captain Taro, who quickly dispatched the other two. Kel jerked out her lance just in time to see him wave his thanks and vanish again.
It was soon over. Kel looked around, pitying the men who had died, who so easily could have numbered her amongst them. Many of the Own gathered around the bodies, trying to carry them to a place where others were beginning to dig graves. Lord Raoul looked around wearily.
"Giles's squad and Dom's squad remain behind. Domitan, search for any nest - we've only seen adults here. Giles, see to it that all of our men have a decent burial. I'd advise that you seek lodgings for the night. The rest of us can head back. Any survivors who can't ride we'll leave with you, and they can stay at the village until they're recovered enough to return.
It was with an air of muted depression that the column headed for home. Kel could feel the sweat soaking the clothes and padding she wore under her armour. When at last they reached the palace, it was early evening. Kel was dead on her feet, and was grateful for the welcome assistance of the pages that took their horses. She tumbled into bed, resolving to indulge in a lie in until dawn the next morning.
She was allowed to keep that promise to herself, although Captain Taro was up at his usual time to file his report of the conflict ready to be sent back to the samurai headquarters. He also had to write letters to relatives of all the men who'd died. At last, the two of them went out to the practice courts and began to train together, having resolved that Kel shouldn't go to the pages today. A few bells later, Lord Raoul and the knight he'd been with came slowly out of the door leading to the council room and across the practice courts towards the New Wing of the palace, still in their blood-covered armour and helmets. When they came to Captain Taro, who was training with Kel, they stopped.
"Thank you Captain," Lord Raoul said frankly. " Your men fought extremely well - I don't know we'd have managed without you, and I'd like to thank you for coming out. It was extremely discourteous of me to wake you at such an uncivilised time, I couldn't really have expected you to come so quickly or at all."
"It was our honour to help the allies of our country."
"I'd still like to give my personal thanks. We've been filing all the paperwork and hammering our reasons and tactics into the conservatives since we got back, but if there's anything I can do."
"We are fine, my lord of Goldenlake. It was our honour." The knights pulled off their helmets with relief, knowing their work was now done and they could get some sleep. The knight, surprisingly short now she wasn't mounted, revealed short coppery hair.
"You fought well too yesterday, squire, but your hair looks decidedly brown this morning, Mindelan." Kel gaped at her, not sure what to do.
"Foolish boy, run and renew it Akio!" Captain Taro snapped, shooting a graceful glance at the Tortallans, who smiled indulgently.
"Yes sir," Kel said automatically.
Kel took one last glance at the King's Champion before sprinting back to her room. To think that the famous hero had noticed her in the battle and kept track of where she'd gone after leaving Tortall, for she must have done to know instantly who she was. It couldn't have been anyone other than Lady Alanna, of course, only she had those well-known purple eyes.
"You're the squire?" he said, not really asking. "Tell Captain Taro that Lord Raoul requests his presence with his men by the stables of the King's Own as soon as can be arranged."
"Why sir?" Kel asked, knowing that her master would demand to know.
"Spidrens in the woods."
Kel sucked in her breath. Spidrens. She had fought spidrens alongside the Own once before, and knew their efficient methods. If the Yamanis were needed to help, it must be very bad. She ran through to the Captain's room and shook him awake. Quickly Kel told him the news, and in an instant, he was up and issuing his orders. She finished dressing, putting on her new armour, and sprinted down to the barracks where the other samurai were.
"Get up!" she yelled. "We're moving, spidrens in the forest. The Own need our help!" That was all it took, and, cursing blasphemously, they were moving.
Kel thought absently that it was probably lucky she was kept so busy, because at any other time she would have been awed into a stupor at the idea of fighting alongside the world famous Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, the Giantkiller and Commander of the King's Own. Kel fetched food from the hastily awakened kitchen staff and helped saddle horses until at last everyone was ready.
When they finally rode out into the rosy glow of the dawn, the black samurai were a dark column between the somewhat gaudy blue and silver of the Own on either side of them. Lord Raoul rode at the head of the galloping column, with the Captain of the 3rd Company of the King's Own to the right of him and Captain Taro and a gold armoured knight to his left. Behind them were Kel, bearing the Princess's personal standard, newly made with Captain Taro's sign overlaid in the centre, and the standard bearer of the Own, a boy just a few years older than she was with a snub nose.
When they soon reached the area where terrified peasants had reported the sighting of the spidrens, the soldiers were divided into smaller squads. Kel found herself in one commanded by the unknown knight, who was seconded by a sergeant of the Own. They rode in a serious silence, knowing that one wrong move might kill the whole group. Suddenly, the knight let out a muffled cry and swung round to the left. Apparently, the Own often communicated with magic, and this knight had the Gift. They came to the carnage just a minute later. Bodies of spidrens and men lay dead or dying on the ground, it made little difference to those who fought around them.
Kel plunged straight into the thick of the battle with a hoarse cry, the surge of adrenaline drowning any squeamishness she might have harboured. She speared one of a group of spidrens bearing down on Captain Taro, who quickly dispatched the other two. Kel jerked out her lance just in time to see him wave his thanks and vanish again.
It was soon over. Kel looked around, pitying the men who had died, who so easily could have numbered her amongst them. Many of the Own gathered around the bodies, trying to carry them to a place where others were beginning to dig graves. Lord Raoul looked around wearily.
"Giles's squad and Dom's squad remain behind. Domitan, search for any nest - we've only seen adults here. Giles, see to it that all of our men have a decent burial. I'd advise that you seek lodgings for the night. The rest of us can head back. Any survivors who can't ride we'll leave with you, and they can stay at the village until they're recovered enough to return.
It was with an air of muted depression that the column headed for home. Kel could feel the sweat soaking the clothes and padding she wore under her armour. When at last they reached the palace, it was early evening. Kel was dead on her feet, and was grateful for the welcome assistance of the pages that took their horses. She tumbled into bed, resolving to indulge in a lie in until dawn the next morning.
She was allowed to keep that promise to herself, although Captain Taro was up at his usual time to file his report of the conflict ready to be sent back to the samurai headquarters. He also had to write letters to relatives of all the men who'd died. At last, the two of them went out to the practice courts and began to train together, having resolved that Kel shouldn't go to the pages today. A few bells later, Lord Raoul and the knight he'd been with came slowly out of the door leading to the council room and across the practice courts towards the New Wing of the palace, still in their blood-covered armour and helmets. When they came to Captain Taro, who was training with Kel, they stopped.
"Thank you Captain," Lord Raoul said frankly. " Your men fought extremely well - I don't know we'd have managed without you, and I'd like to thank you for coming out. It was extremely discourteous of me to wake you at such an uncivilised time, I couldn't really have expected you to come so quickly or at all."
"It was our honour to help the allies of our country."
"I'd still like to give my personal thanks. We've been filing all the paperwork and hammering our reasons and tactics into the conservatives since we got back, but if there's anything I can do."
"We are fine, my lord of Goldenlake. It was our honour." The knights pulled off their helmets with relief, knowing their work was now done and they could get some sleep. The knight, surprisingly short now she wasn't mounted, revealed short coppery hair.
"You fought well too yesterday, squire, but your hair looks decidedly brown this morning, Mindelan." Kel gaped at her, not sure what to do.
"Foolish boy, run and renew it Akio!" Captain Taro snapped, shooting a graceful glance at the Tortallans, who smiled indulgently.
"Yes sir," Kel said automatically.
Kel took one last glance at the King's Champion before sprinting back to her room. To think that the famous hero had noticed her in the battle and kept track of where she'd gone after leaving Tortall, for she must have done to know instantly who she was. It couldn't have been anyone other than Lady Alanna, of course, only she had those well-known purple eyes.