Aether Winds
Chapter five- Spy's Intrigue
By- IceWind
A/N:
This is my first fanfic for The Protector of the Small books by Tamora Pierce. The names, places, things, ect, all are credited to her. This fanfic is set in an alternate universe. I.E: Joren is NOT dead, Cleon and Kel are not together (hehe), and other incidents that have I messed up on and don't feel like making it exactly like the book. Please REVIEW *grins* and as long as its not flames on how Kel and Cleon should be together or something of that trivial nature, flames are fine. This story is PG-13 for anything that might come up lol.
IceWind: GAH! I thought I had EVERYTHING working, BUT I can't think of a way to get the story where I want it to go!!!!! NOOOOOO!!! *sighs* fear not, dear readers (ya im corny), I'll find a way somehow, someway. GUESS WHAT! I've decided on a goal! ^.^ 100 reviews! I have 23 (counting mine hehehe) need more!
Kaori: *bounces up sneering* your joking right? You couldn't get that many even if your future as a writer depended on it.
IceWind: *scowls and tackles the rabblite, fighting occurs between them once again*
Raen: *he sighs* Readers… you should get used to this. Anyway, thanks to…
Silver Raven: I try not to have many grammatical errors, it makes me mad when I see them lol. It's enthralling? KEWL! hehe
Liaska: awww! Thanks! And I thought my characters were kinda bland…
Xelena: hehe plot twist? Where? *looks around confused* ^.^ I ALMOST see it! lol
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Kel hid deftly in the shadows, watching the king with narrowed eyes, finally she skipped all that 'asking people' part and moved on to bigger and better things, namely, spying on the king directly. She glances around cautiously, she hadn't seen Joren in a while, where was he? One thing she probably should have done was tell him that she was going to spy on the king, but since their fight two days ago, they were avoiding each other. Well, it's not like I need his permission anyway.
She stood there watching him talk with his confidant, wishing she could read lips. Kel was surprised on how little information she got from his people, which was why she was doing what she was doing. His people seemed to think he was a fair and just ruler, though a bit eccentric at times, she smiled slightly, when I asked what they meant they got all flustered and said that it wasn't something a lady should hear, funny. A slight frown crossed her face, this isn't working either, and I can't HEAR anything. Got to get closer.
At that she crept closer, sticking to the shadows, with an alarmed eye she saw them turn to face her. Kel dove behind some banisters, cursing to herself about being to loud when she was breathing. Her heart nearly stopped as she saw their shadows move up to her, but they stopped a slight distance away, in perfect range for me to hear them also. She turned her attention to the men talking, paying a slight amount to her surroundings.
~
"Is it ready?" the king asked with a childlike eagerness to Darial, his eyes questioning.
"Soon my liege, it will be ready," Darial answered calmly, "we still have many preparations though, so it might take a while to have everything up and running."
Up and running? What is getting ready?
"I want it to be done soon Darial!"
He answered soothingly, "It will be, then you'll have what you want. What you, we, have dreamed off."
"See to it then, it cannot, MUST not, fail."
I knew if something were to happen Darial would be in the middle of it, humph, weapon master I think not, he acts too high up for that, and much to close to the king…. I wonder, is he manipulating him?
"I understand," he smiled grimly at his lord, "do not worry about it."
"How can I not?" the King looked slightly frantic, "there are spies all around, I don't know who to trust anymore!"
What??? Now I'm definitely leaning towards manipulation. Spies huh? I hope they didn't find out about me and Joren, that would be bad, really bad. King Jonathon said that if we were found, he would deny any ties between us and the crown.
"You know that you can always trust me my lord."
"I know, I know, you've been such a loyal subject… Darial, you really ought to be one of my advisors, I do not understand why you keep declining."
HUH???
"That is easy, my lord, it keeps me out of the public's eye and makes what I really do much, much easier… my lord…. I have a question," now he seems quiet and brooding, not knowing if he should voice it or not.
"What is it Darial?"
"Do you… trust… Radock?"
"Radock? He's my most trusted advisor! Of course I do, as much as I trust you," he looked confused at the question, "Why do you ask?"
He probably wants to bump poor, stupid, Radock out of the way to gain more power you fool!
Darial sighed and shook his head, "It is nothing my lord, just… is he privy to what we are doing?"
"No not yet, though I plan to alert him soon, our plan is hanging on a thread, if word breaks out… You know what would happen," the king frowned, "I'm not even to sure what is happening, you know it all."
"I know my lord, please, just don't tell him yet. You know Radock, he has a loose tongue," a grimace settled over his features, making his countenance appear even darker.
Darial had dark mahogany brown hair with brilliant, but cold, emerald green eyes. His appearance caused many women in court to become infatuated with him, but he was a poor noble and didn't own much. His property was very small, causing many of the older set to look down on him and pull their daughters away towards more prospective husbands, but he didn't care. Darial never cared about the air-headed girls chasing after him and always ignored them.
Funny, I think that he and Radock appeared in King Balor's court around the same time. Darial came after Radock though, but only by a couple of months if the people who I asked were right, and they should be anyway.
King Balor sighed and nodded his head, "On that I will agree with you Darial, we both know Radock and his vulnerability to pretty women, though I did see him with that Tortallon knight, you know, the second woman knight Tortall has had."
They are talking about ME?! Oh boy…
Darial gave a slight shrug, "I don't care a bit, though those two knights make me suspicious."
"Why is that?"
"They may be here on some sort of mission, who knows what their instructions were."
~
Kel heard some incoming footsteps and jerked around, looking for someplace to hide, seeing little, she hugged herself against the banister in hopes the person would pass right by. The steps grew louder, but after a while they started to fade away, going to a different place. She heaved a sigh of relief and went back to listening; hoping that she didn't miss much of the conversation.
~
"…then it will happen?" Balor grinned slightly.
"Of course, it's just the matter of time now," Darial replied with a confident voice, "Soon they will be eradicated."
DAMN IT! I MISSED TOO MUCH! Who will be eradicated???? Grrrrr…
"And this is for the better?"
"Of course my liege, I wouldn't do anything different."
Yeah right… you fool Balor; he's using you like a rag doll.
"I trust you with my life and the life of my people."
What does he mean by that?
Darial bowed deeply, "I will honor that trust."
~
Suddenly a hand clamped over Kel's shoulder, she stifled a scream and whirled around, fearing the worst. She stared into a pair of dark sapphire blue eyes, and sighed, Radock…
He stood there looking at Kel with slight confusion, "Hello Kel, what are you doing?"
Her mind screamed out at him, what do you THINK I'm doing you sorry excuse for an advisor? Much less the FIRST advisor! Kel though put on a falsely cheerful expression on her face and replied sweetly, "Just taking a look around."
"Oh… what book were you looking for?"
"Book?" her eyes blinked once, and she looked around.
"Err… yes Kel, book. You are in the Royal Library after all… didn't you know that?" Radock looked confused.
For a good reason, I'm standing between a bookcase and a stairway! Of COURSE I'm in the library, stupid stupid me! I was so busy following Darial and Balor that I forgot where we were! Kel gave a lame grin, "Of course! I was… just overwhelmed with all the books! That's all!" Lame excuse Kel…
Suddenly a deep voice spoke, "Overwhelmed now Ms. Mindelan?" and Darial appeared, looking annoyed, with King Balor behind him.
Kel could have knocked her self on her head, many times in fact. She had let RADOCK of all people find her and alerted Darial and Balor to her presence. She gave a mental sigh and bowed deeply to the king and weapon master. As she straightened she gave a slight nod, "Yes weapon master Darial, your library is extremely big." At least I remembered the fact that Scanra has one of the largest libraries in the world. God I'm nearly as hopeless as Joren says I am.
Balor smiled at her, "Yes, it is one of the largest in the entire world, we Scanrans are proud of that fact. Not only do we have powerful knights, but we are intelligent as well."
She stifled a laugh and just nodded, "Yes I agree my liege." Well most anyway, Radock though… I AM nasty aren't I? She gave a mental smile to herself and watched the men closely.
Suddenly Kel gave a soft gasp in surprise, causing the men to turn and look at her. She quickly shook herself and smiled, "I'm sorry, my lords," to the king, "my liege. I have to be going now though." With that she gave a deep bow to them all and quickly walked away, thoughts churning in her mind, for she had seen on Darial's wrist a tear-shaped gem exactly like hers, only a deep ice blue.
~
It has to be just a coincidence, besides, I got this gem before I cam to Scanra, he couldn't have sent it to me… but what if someone sent it to both of us? She shook her head, walking towards her room; no I can't believe that, neither of them, when have I been getting paranoid about this gem anyway? She stopped to the side of the hallway and lifted her necklace, eyeing the white gem. She never even took it off, in fact, she never tried to. It's like there is something in me that doesn't want it off me, doesn't want it to get lost, or stolen. She thought darkly to herself, or even known to other people.
She groaned and resumed walking, this is giving me a headache and I still have to think about what I had heard… wonder if I should tell Joren, she reflected on that for a second, I suppose I shall have to, he IS my partner in this endeavor, might as well. Suddenly Kel frowned, oh boy, now how will I tell him that I'm directly spying on the king without him blowing up on me? She thought to herself for a second, before coming to the conclusion, not possible at all, might as well face my doom.
At that Kel switched directions and started towards Joren's room instead, silently dreading this encounter.
~
"You WHAT?" Joren yelled, his ice blue eyes blazing.
Needless to say, when Kel told him that she had been spying on the king, he blew up in her face with a storm of accusions and yells on how stupid she acted, especially without his permission to do so.
Kel kept a tight reign over her emotions, anger sparkling throughout her, really, what I did WASN'T stupid and I found out USEFULL information! She said in a controlled manner, "I said that I was spying on his majesty Balor and the weapon master Darial, what do you think I said?"
He scowled at Kel, "You didn't inform me Mindelan? How irresponsible, stupid…"
A furious Kel cut him off, "I was definitely NOT irresponsible, nor stupid Stone! I knew what I was doing! And I DO NOT need your permission to go spying on them! You are not my better or commanding knight on this trip nobody is! In fact I can do what I want, when I want also! At least I found out something, the same couldn't be said for you!"
Joren stood there with an irritated expression on his face, he folded his arms and leaned up against a wall, watching her.
She sighed and watched him carefully, wishing to know what he would do, or say, next. God I'm nervous. I don't know what he would do next; I really wish he would stop blowing up in my face and just LISTEN to me for once. She controlled her voice and calmed down, "Will you just listen to what I have to tell you?"
He just looked at her, thinking to himself who knows what.
"Joren?"
Joren looked at her, still thinking. Suddenly he seemed to sigh and nod, "Fine Kel, tell me what you found out," his voice still held slight disbelief in about it, but he seemed willing to listen.
Kel seemed taken about for a second, one he will actually listen to her, and two, he actually called her Kel for once in her life, not lump, Mindelan, the girl, but Kel. Weird, very very weird. She cleared her throat and started to speak, "Well it seems that Balor and Darial are in it together and nobody else knows."
He blinked once, but gave a slow nod, "The weapon master and king huh?"
She looked even more nervous; it is kinda hard to believe I suppose, "Yes, the king doesn't even know all of what Darial is doing and planning."
"Uh huh then? I would think that the king would know what's going on, if he's even in the plan anyway."
She bit her lip slightly, "But that's the way I heard it and they didn't know that I was here, also they think that there is spies in their court."
"Of course they do, we're here aren't we?"
"Don't patronize me Stone!"
He flashed a slight smirk at her, "Fine Mindelan, keep talking then."
Kel gave a slight nod, "Well its seems that Darial doesn't like Radock, I can sympathize with that though," she a gave a disgusted look at the thought of Radock.
"Hmmm… for what reason?"
"Well… I don't know yet…"
Joren gave a mocking smile at her, "You don't know?"
She scowled at him again and kept on talking, "But it may be because he wants more power, but the king said that he declined the position of one of his advisors many times, it gets me thinking."
He shrugged, "You may be right, or you may be wrong, we'll just have to wait and see. Anything else?"
Kel shook her head, deciding not to say anything about the gem part of it, he'll think I'm crazy for even thinking about it.
"Next time I'll go with you and we'll see if we find anything else."
WE? Weird, he usually goes solo…
"The only reason why I'd even go with you is to make sure you don't mess up Mindelan."
She gave a mental sigh, that explains it, "Fine Stone," she yawns, "I have to get going anyway, see ya, tomorrow?"
He gave a slight nod and Kel left his room, heading towards hers again, thinking to herself.
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A/N:
IceWind: OOOOO! What's with Radock? Darial? The king? Hehehe find out in upcoming chapters! ^.~
Kaori: *snickers* as if anyone would come back and read it again.
IceWind: HEY! *grabs the rabblite by its ears* anyway, my readers, this was a FUN chapter to write! Don't ask me why… it just was ok? hehe
Raen: *blinks* it was LONGER to! Wow, and its not that bad, at least I think so *shoots a glance at Kaori* but… WHEN DO I GET TO MAKE MY APPEARANCE???
IceWind: *clamps a hand over his muzzle* SHHH! They can't know about it yet! DUH RAEN! Usually you have more sense then this!
Kaori: *grumbles and twists around* at least you get to make an appearance.
IceWind: *blinks* If I could and it works with the story I'll try ok Kaori? But I don't think so… HEY! I'M REVEALING TO MUCH!
Raen: *he snickers*
Kaori: *continues to squirm*
IceWind: *waves* till next time I post… HEY I wrote this one fast! In 2 days! ^.^ ooooo!
Kaori: *rolls her eyes and they all disappear*
My e-mail address is flyby311@hotmail.com and put Aether Winds, so I know what the e-mail is about. Anything you want to add/criticize/comment/whatever you guys just review it… please? Thanks for listening to me ramble for that you get a candy cane *hands person a candy cane*
Raen and Kaori (hizar and rabblite) are MINE! GET IT? MINE!!! *they sweatdrop in the background* no stealing or else I'll blow you up! MWAHAHAHA! Also any other made up characters in the story are mine to, if you want to use any of them please ask before doing so, same goes for Raen and Kaori. BYE NOW!