Kel woke up with a start. "Where am I?" All she knew was she wasn't at
home.
She sat up quickly. It was cold, and very dry. It felt like the middle of winter, but she knew it was early autumn.
"Hello?"
A fairly young man, dressed in Scanran colours, walked into the small room she was in.
"Well, well, Lady. Why would such a beautiful woman be masquerading as a man? Did you have it in your mind to do some good? Save your people, and all that?"
Kel blinked. He didn't know. "I am not pretending to be a man. I am the Lady Knight. The Protector of the Small."
He nodded. "I have heard of you. I would think you would be stronger. We captured you so easily."
Kel felt her knuckles go white with anger.
"Now, now, My Lady, no attacking me. I'm too important. I hope you enjoy your stay here, Lady Knight."
He walked out, and nodded to the guard at the door. He locked the door.
"Well my dear, as I said, I hope you enjoy your stay here. And I must tell you, you will have a much more comfortable stay if you just tell us what we want."
Kel stood up and walked to the door "No."
He laughed. "Very dramatic." He muttered, walking away.
Kel walked back to the small cot and sat down. Her head ached slightly, but she could feel no battle wounds. "Well, that's good."
She lay down and went to sleep.
The next day, she was woken up roughly. "Get up." A man's voice said.
She was taken to a bathtub. But she knew better. It was not a warm bath, it was full of ice water.
The man grabbed her by the legs, and she could see a few others watching, including the man who had talked to her. But before she could identify the others, her head was submerged in the icy water. Her head spun, and her eyes slid out of focus.
One of the men walked up to her.
"Well, that was refreshing." She said.
The man dipped her again.
"Talk, scum! We do not want to wait too long, your torture will just get worse."
Kel didn't say anything. She felt the cold rush of water over her upper body again, and she felt her heart slow down. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't see, and her ears were pounding uncontrollably. She almost blacked out, but told herself she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her weak.
After the next dip, she went back on her word. She blacked out.
* * * * *
"We must find something to barter with. If we can capture someone important enough, they might give Kel back in exchange." Raoul said. He and Alanna had come to New Hope to help work on finding Kel.
Alanna nodded. "We could try and get a general, or the king himself."
Dom looked up. He hadn't seen Kel in three weeks. "Kel taught me something before that battle. One man's life is not worth an army's."
They looked at him, puzzled.
"If we succeed in capturing their king, we shouldn't barter with him. We should kill him. Kel would have our necks if she saw we were giving back the one true force against us in this war for her."
Raoul nodded. He understood, they would need a better plan.
"We could make an illusion of something that they want." Numair said.
"But what?" Alanna shook her head.
"Well, what about Blayce? Something to do with him?"
Neal shook his head. "Blayce is dead, as is Stenmun, his crony. There's no one else who would know how to make the killing devices."
They sat in silence for a long time, and decided to end their meeting.
Dom could tell nothing would come from it. Nothing had come from the daily meetings they'd had for the past three weeks.
* * * * *
Kel felt arms pick her up and drag her to the torture room.
Nothing worked, as nothing had every other time.
She felt a hand make contact with her mouth, and felt her jaw slide out of place. She pushed it back with her tongue and didn't say anything. She felt the same hand join with her stomach, and she felt winded, but she didn't speak. She felt her nose break, and her eye swell.
The man let go of her, and she fell to the floor. She felt a kick in the chest, and felt ribs break. A kick in her stomach, and she coughed up blood. She sat there, crouching to the floor, when she spoke for the first time in three weeks.
"I had a vision once." She spoke clearly, even though she hadn't spoken in such a long time. The man in black, who had spoken to her that first day, turned. Kel knew his face well now; he had been there every single time, leading the other men. She kept talking. "It told me that I couldn't help. It told me there was someone else."
He kicked her. "Continue!"
She didn't look up. "A child, so fair, so young. A magic child. So powerful, but so confused. He will do magic for anyone who asked him. He will be the end of this war."
"Who is he?" the man in black roared.
"I do not know his name. tell my people you want the child with the extraordinary magic. The little one."
He smiled. "We'll see about that."
Kel thought it hadn't worked, as nothing happened for another month. Then, one day, she saw an eagle out of her small window. It was not looking for food. It was looking for her.
Finally, after an hour of circling, it came down to Kel. She smiled.
"Daine." The eagle nuzzled her silently. Kel looked behind her, but the guard was not watching. "Tell them to send a child. If the man asks to see his powers, have Numair make it look like the child did it. I need a strong willed child, someone who will not be frightened. I have told them nothing that is true, and I will not let the child get hurt. Do you understand?"
The eagle nodded, and flew out the window.
"Goddess bless, Daine."
* * * * *
"Sir! Lady Daine returns!" The guard on the wall said to Dom.
He ran down to where Numair, Raoul, Alanna, and Neal were standing anxiously.
"She's here." The all let out a breath, and walked into the tent.
"Well?" They said after Daine had had a drink.
"She's still alive, fairly healthy. She's being kept at a camp a few miles past the border. That letter they sent? That was Kel's doing. She said to put a child who wouldn't be frightened on a horse to exchange, and if they ask to see his magic, have Numair make it look like the child did it. Kel said she wouldn't let the child be taken."
They all nodded. "We'll have to trust that she'll get it right." Raoul said.
* * * * *
"Well, well, My Lady, it seems that your friends have finally answered. I thought you had made it up, but they seem to understand."
Kel didn't move. Two men came and dragged her out of her cell. They put her on a horse, tied her hands, and surrounded her with four guards.
"Can't have you running away, My Lady." The man in black said.
Kel didn't move. She didn't want to move. She could feel every broken bone in her body, every bruise on her skin, every cut, every scrape. And they hurt.
For three hours, they rode. Kel was completely silent, ignoring everything going on around her. She was busy undoing the ropes.
Kel looked then noticed something.
The entire Scanran party was quiet. There was an odd hush over everyone, and though she couldn't see them, Kel knew that they were right in front of her friends.
"Where is she?" She heard a familiar voice ask.
"Show us the child first." The man in black said.
All Kel could see was a blast of fire hit a dead tree, which went up in flames. Just as suddenly, it went out.
"Very well." Maggur said. Kel kept her head down, her hands in the ropes, and stayed silent while a soldier pulled her horse forward.
"Kel!"
She had to bite her tongue to not look up. She knew who spoke that time.
"I am stone." She thought, keeping herself in control. She heard a resounding smack on the backside of her horse, and felt herself move slowly forward, towards her friends.
* * * * *
(A/N this bit is a little confusing because it goes between different peoples perspectives. We start with Dom, then move to Fhire, etc. It is quite obvious who's perspective it is, but I thought I'd tell you anyway.)
"So we need a child?" Raoul asked.
Daine nodded. "Someone who can handle themselves. That's all she said."
Raoul nodded, and Daine was lead out of the room so she could go rest.
"Who can we send?" He sighed. "I think I might know what she's up to."
Fhire stepped forward. "I'll go. If what ever Kel is planning goes wrong, I can handle myself, and I am still a child in most people's eyes." She looked down as she said this, but still stood tall.
Dom walked to the window and looked out. The camp was filling up again, many people had gotten back to the camp alive. Tobe had not strayed far from the camp, waiting to see the Tortallan flags fly again. He had been the first to come back.
Tobe stepped forward. "I will do it. I am younger, that is what they are expecting, is it not? Besides, Kel knows she can trust me."
Raoul shook his head. "No, Tobe. Fhire is right. She still looks young, but she can fight very well. I would not want to be at the end of her sword."
He smiled, and Fhire did too. Tobe nodded and quietly walked out of the room.
A few minutes later, Fhire walked to her room to get ready. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around. "Hello, Tobe." She said, smiling.
"Hello, Lady Fhire." Tobe said. "Are you trying to take Lady Kel from me?" He asked quietly.
Fhire smiled. "No, Tobe. She chose me as her squire. I will be here for four years, but I'm sure if you feel unappreciated you could tell her."
Tobe nodded and Fhire walked down the hall, growing more and more nervous about what was to come.
* * * * *
Kel looked up. She could see so many people, but as she looked at them, she felt strange. She didn't recognise the faces, so sad, so anxious. She knew them. She knew their eyes, their hair, their bodies, but she knew not who they were.
She looked down, biting her lip. She was tired, and hurt. She looked up again, and kept herself from sighing. She could name every face, but her eyes rested on one. The face of the girl riding slowly towards her, her head held high, her face stony.
Kel almost smiled. Fhire. Of any child to be on that horse, Kel was glad it was Fhire.
Just as she rode past Fhire, Kel sat up straight. Before anyone could say anything, she sprung up, throwing the ropes off her hands. She flipped over onto Fhire's horse, landing on her hands. She pushed herself up, feeling the strain on her aching muscles. She flipped again, landing in front of Fhire on Night Warrior.
She grabbed her reins and spun the gelding around. "Ride, Night Warrior!" She galloped through the crowd of Tortallans, feeling Fhire slide off behind her to fight. She rode as long as she could, feeling herself slide out of consciousness. She rode all the way to the gate of New Hope, where she fell out of consciousness and slid to the ground.
* * * * *
"Fhire!" She turned around and caught the sword thrown to her by Dom. She immediately thrust it in the nearest Scanran, who also happened to be running towards her with an axe.
Half an hour later, they realized they needed to get back to the camp. "Fhire!" Dom yelled, signalling her to get on his horse. She nodded, cut off one last man's head, and jumped on behind him.
Dom kicked his horse, and they galloped back to the camp with the rest of the Tortallan army.
Dom leapt off his horse and ran to the infirmary, Fhire close behind. Neal, who had stayed behind, knowing that Kel would return, was waiting at the door for them.
"Mithros, you two need help!" He said, looking at them. They were both exhausted, and Fhire had a long gash across her face.
They both insisted that they see Kel first, so Neal gave them beds next to hers, so they could be near her while still resting. Tobe was already sitting there.
Before Fhire could say hello, she had fallen asleep.
* * * * *
Kel opened her eyes. The room seemed out of focus. She tried to sit up, which made her quite dizzy, and it hurt.
She felt her chest; her ribs weren't broken anymore, but they hurt like hell. She tried to stand up, but gave up quickly.
"Kel." She looked up. Dom was standing at the doorway of the infirmary with a roll in his hand.
She smiled weakly. "Hello." He ran over to her and hugged her. She winced as he did it, but held onto him so he couldn't pull away.
"Oh God, Kel. I thought I'd lost you. We all did." He handed her the roll. She ate it greedily.
"What did they do to you?" He asked softly.
Kel swallowed hard. It had been such a long time, but it had ended up as such a blur.
"They tortured me for information, but I never told them anything. How long have I been gone?"
He held her hand. "Two and a half months."
Kel smiled. "I guess I missed a lot, didn't I?"
Dom hugged her again. "I missed you so much." He kissed her, and they sat for a long time, Kel leaning on his shoulder, neither of them talking, until Fhire came in, with Tobe.
"My Lady!" Tobe said, but didn't move.
Dom let go of Kel and stood up, at which point Fhire ran forward and gave her a hug.
Kel looked at Tobe. He seemed to be holding himself back. "Don't I get a hug from you too?" She asked.
His face broke into a smile, and he gave her a hug.
By the end of the day, Kel hurt more than she had when she woke up, as so many people had hugged her.
"Kel, if you want to go back to your room tonight, you may, but I don't want you to be alone. Fhire, or Dom, or anyone, but I want someone in the same room as you, just in case." Neal said. He was the only person who hadn't hugged her. He sat down beside her.
"Are you doing alright?" He asked.
Kel grinned. "Fit as a fiddle and ready to play."
He smiled. "So who do you want me to get, Fhire or Dom? I'll tell them to come get you, you can stay in one of their rooms, I guess. That is, assuming you don't want to stay here."
Half an hour later, Dom was helping Kel walk to his rooms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No, sick people, that is not because they went and had sex, it's because I'm tired right now, and I am going to write the next part tomorrow!
Sick minds!
PoisonMoon: I'm glad you're enjoying it, but think of it this way: the faster I finish it, the sooner you'll have no more to read.
Pinky: I hate cliffhangers too, but they make it so easy to end a chapter, and people always review! Like, for instance, yourself!
And to everyone else who reviewed, thank you! NOW REVIEW MORE! I want at least a hundred when I finish this story. . . I think I update too often. . .
Jokes!
-unolimbo
She sat up quickly. It was cold, and very dry. It felt like the middle of winter, but she knew it was early autumn.
"Hello?"
A fairly young man, dressed in Scanran colours, walked into the small room she was in.
"Well, well, Lady. Why would such a beautiful woman be masquerading as a man? Did you have it in your mind to do some good? Save your people, and all that?"
Kel blinked. He didn't know. "I am not pretending to be a man. I am the Lady Knight. The Protector of the Small."
He nodded. "I have heard of you. I would think you would be stronger. We captured you so easily."
Kel felt her knuckles go white with anger.
"Now, now, My Lady, no attacking me. I'm too important. I hope you enjoy your stay here, Lady Knight."
He walked out, and nodded to the guard at the door. He locked the door.
"Well my dear, as I said, I hope you enjoy your stay here. And I must tell you, you will have a much more comfortable stay if you just tell us what we want."
Kel stood up and walked to the door "No."
He laughed. "Very dramatic." He muttered, walking away.
Kel walked back to the small cot and sat down. Her head ached slightly, but she could feel no battle wounds. "Well, that's good."
She lay down and went to sleep.
The next day, she was woken up roughly. "Get up." A man's voice said.
She was taken to a bathtub. But she knew better. It was not a warm bath, it was full of ice water.
The man grabbed her by the legs, and she could see a few others watching, including the man who had talked to her. But before she could identify the others, her head was submerged in the icy water. Her head spun, and her eyes slid out of focus.
One of the men walked up to her.
"Well, that was refreshing." She said.
The man dipped her again.
"Talk, scum! We do not want to wait too long, your torture will just get worse."
Kel didn't say anything. She felt the cold rush of water over her upper body again, and she felt her heart slow down. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't see, and her ears were pounding uncontrollably. She almost blacked out, but told herself she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her weak.
After the next dip, she went back on her word. She blacked out.
* * * * *
"We must find something to barter with. If we can capture someone important enough, they might give Kel back in exchange." Raoul said. He and Alanna had come to New Hope to help work on finding Kel.
Alanna nodded. "We could try and get a general, or the king himself."
Dom looked up. He hadn't seen Kel in three weeks. "Kel taught me something before that battle. One man's life is not worth an army's."
They looked at him, puzzled.
"If we succeed in capturing their king, we shouldn't barter with him. We should kill him. Kel would have our necks if she saw we were giving back the one true force against us in this war for her."
Raoul nodded. He understood, they would need a better plan.
"We could make an illusion of something that they want." Numair said.
"But what?" Alanna shook her head.
"Well, what about Blayce? Something to do with him?"
Neal shook his head. "Blayce is dead, as is Stenmun, his crony. There's no one else who would know how to make the killing devices."
They sat in silence for a long time, and decided to end their meeting.
Dom could tell nothing would come from it. Nothing had come from the daily meetings they'd had for the past three weeks.
* * * * *
Kel felt arms pick her up and drag her to the torture room.
Nothing worked, as nothing had every other time.
She felt a hand make contact with her mouth, and felt her jaw slide out of place. She pushed it back with her tongue and didn't say anything. She felt the same hand join with her stomach, and she felt winded, but she didn't speak. She felt her nose break, and her eye swell.
The man let go of her, and she fell to the floor. She felt a kick in the chest, and felt ribs break. A kick in her stomach, and she coughed up blood. She sat there, crouching to the floor, when she spoke for the first time in three weeks.
"I had a vision once." She spoke clearly, even though she hadn't spoken in such a long time. The man in black, who had spoken to her that first day, turned. Kel knew his face well now; he had been there every single time, leading the other men. She kept talking. "It told me that I couldn't help. It told me there was someone else."
He kicked her. "Continue!"
She didn't look up. "A child, so fair, so young. A magic child. So powerful, but so confused. He will do magic for anyone who asked him. He will be the end of this war."
"Who is he?" the man in black roared.
"I do not know his name. tell my people you want the child with the extraordinary magic. The little one."
He smiled. "We'll see about that."
Kel thought it hadn't worked, as nothing happened for another month. Then, one day, she saw an eagle out of her small window. It was not looking for food. It was looking for her.
Finally, after an hour of circling, it came down to Kel. She smiled.
"Daine." The eagle nuzzled her silently. Kel looked behind her, but the guard was not watching. "Tell them to send a child. If the man asks to see his powers, have Numair make it look like the child did it. I need a strong willed child, someone who will not be frightened. I have told them nothing that is true, and I will not let the child get hurt. Do you understand?"
The eagle nodded, and flew out the window.
"Goddess bless, Daine."
* * * * *
"Sir! Lady Daine returns!" The guard on the wall said to Dom.
He ran down to where Numair, Raoul, Alanna, and Neal were standing anxiously.
"She's here." The all let out a breath, and walked into the tent.
"Well?" They said after Daine had had a drink.
"She's still alive, fairly healthy. She's being kept at a camp a few miles past the border. That letter they sent? That was Kel's doing. She said to put a child who wouldn't be frightened on a horse to exchange, and if they ask to see his magic, have Numair make it look like the child did it. Kel said she wouldn't let the child be taken."
They all nodded. "We'll have to trust that she'll get it right." Raoul said.
* * * * *
"Well, well, My Lady, it seems that your friends have finally answered. I thought you had made it up, but they seem to understand."
Kel didn't move. Two men came and dragged her out of her cell. They put her on a horse, tied her hands, and surrounded her with four guards.
"Can't have you running away, My Lady." The man in black said.
Kel didn't move. She didn't want to move. She could feel every broken bone in her body, every bruise on her skin, every cut, every scrape. And they hurt.
For three hours, they rode. Kel was completely silent, ignoring everything going on around her. She was busy undoing the ropes.
Kel looked then noticed something.
The entire Scanran party was quiet. There was an odd hush over everyone, and though she couldn't see them, Kel knew that they were right in front of her friends.
"Where is she?" She heard a familiar voice ask.
"Show us the child first." The man in black said.
All Kel could see was a blast of fire hit a dead tree, which went up in flames. Just as suddenly, it went out.
"Very well." Maggur said. Kel kept her head down, her hands in the ropes, and stayed silent while a soldier pulled her horse forward.
"Kel!"
She had to bite her tongue to not look up. She knew who spoke that time.
"I am stone." She thought, keeping herself in control. She heard a resounding smack on the backside of her horse, and felt herself move slowly forward, towards her friends.
* * * * *
(A/N this bit is a little confusing because it goes between different peoples perspectives. We start with Dom, then move to Fhire, etc. It is quite obvious who's perspective it is, but I thought I'd tell you anyway.)
"So we need a child?" Raoul asked.
Daine nodded. "Someone who can handle themselves. That's all she said."
Raoul nodded, and Daine was lead out of the room so she could go rest.
"Who can we send?" He sighed. "I think I might know what she's up to."
Fhire stepped forward. "I'll go. If what ever Kel is planning goes wrong, I can handle myself, and I am still a child in most people's eyes." She looked down as she said this, but still stood tall.
Dom walked to the window and looked out. The camp was filling up again, many people had gotten back to the camp alive. Tobe had not strayed far from the camp, waiting to see the Tortallan flags fly again. He had been the first to come back.
Tobe stepped forward. "I will do it. I am younger, that is what they are expecting, is it not? Besides, Kel knows she can trust me."
Raoul shook his head. "No, Tobe. Fhire is right. She still looks young, but she can fight very well. I would not want to be at the end of her sword."
He smiled, and Fhire did too. Tobe nodded and quietly walked out of the room.
A few minutes later, Fhire walked to her room to get ready. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around. "Hello, Tobe." She said, smiling.
"Hello, Lady Fhire." Tobe said. "Are you trying to take Lady Kel from me?" He asked quietly.
Fhire smiled. "No, Tobe. She chose me as her squire. I will be here for four years, but I'm sure if you feel unappreciated you could tell her."
Tobe nodded and Fhire walked down the hall, growing more and more nervous about what was to come.
* * * * *
Kel looked up. She could see so many people, but as she looked at them, she felt strange. She didn't recognise the faces, so sad, so anxious. She knew them. She knew their eyes, their hair, their bodies, but she knew not who they were.
She looked down, biting her lip. She was tired, and hurt. She looked up again, and kept herself from sighing. She could name every face, but her eyes rested on one. The face of the girl riding slowly towards her, her head held high, her face stony.
Kel almost smiled. Fhire. Of any child to be on that horse, Kel was glad it was Fhire.
Just as she rode past Fhire, Kel sat up straight. Before anyone could say anything, she sprung up, throwing the ropes off her hands. She flipped over onto Fhire's horse, landing on her hands. She pushed herself up, feeling the strain on her aching muscles. She flipped again, landing in front of Fhire on Night Warrior.
She grabbed her reins and spun the gelding around. "Ride, Night Warrior!" She galloped through the crowd of Tortallans, feeling Fhire slide off behind her to fight. She rode as long as she could, feeling herself slide out of consciousness. She rode all the way to the gate of New Hope, where she fell out of consciousness and slid to the ground.
* * * * *
"Fhire!" She turned around and caught the sword thrown to her by Dom. She immediately thrust it in the nearest Scanran, who also happened to be running towards her with an axe.
Half an hour later, they realized they needed to get back to the camp. "Fhire!" Dom yelled, signalling her to get on his horse. She nodded, cut off one last man's head, and jumped on behind him.
Dom kicked his horse, and they galloped back to the camp with the rest of the Tortallan army.
Dom leapt off his horse and ran to the infirmary, Fhire close behind. Neal, who had stayed behind, knowing that Kel would return, was waiting at the door for them.
"Mithros, you two need help!" He said, looking at them. They were both exhausted, and Fhire had a long gash across her face.
They both insisted that they see Kel first, so Neal gave them beds next to hers, so they could be near her while still resting. Tobe was already sitting there.
Before Fhire could say hello, she had fallen asleep.
* * * * *
Kel opened her eyes. The room seemed out of focus. She tried to sit up, which made her quite dizzy, and it hurt.
She felt her chest; her ribs weren't broken anymore, but they hurt like hell. She tried to stand up, but gave up quickly.
"Kel." She looked up. Dom was standing at the doorway of the infirmary with a roll in his hand.
She smiled weakly. "Hello." He ran over to her and hugged her. She winced as he did it, but held onto him so he couldn't pull away.
"Oh God, Kel. I thought I'd lost you. We all did." He handed her the roll. She ate it greedily.
"What did they do to you?" He asked softly.
Kel swallowed hard. It had been such a long time, but it had ended up as such a blur.
"They tortured me for information, but I never told them anything. How long have I been gone?"
He held her hand. "Two and a half months."
Kel smiled. "I guess I missed a lot, didn't I?"
Dom hugged her again. "I missed you so much." He kissed her, and they sat for a long time, Kel leaning on his shoulder, neither of them talking, until Fhire came in, with Tobe.
"My Lady!" Tobe said, but didn't move.
Dom let go of Kel and stood up, at which point Fhire ran forward and gave her a hug.
Kel looked at Tobe. He seemed to be holding himself back. "Don't I get a hug from you too?" She asked.
His face broke into a smile, and he gave her a hug.
By the end of the day, Kel hurt more than she had when she woke up, as so many people had hugged her.
"Kel, if you want to go back to your room tonight, you may, but I don't want you to be alone. Fhire, or Dom, or anyone, but I want someone in the same room as you, just in case." Neal said. He was the only person who hadn't hugged her. He sat down beside her.
"Are you doing alright?" He asked.
Kel grinned. "Fit as a fiddle and ready to play."
He smiled. "So who do you want me to get, Fhire or Dom? I'll tell them to come get you, you can stay in one of their rooms, I guess. That is, assuming you don't want to stay here."
Half an hour later, Dom was helping Kel walk to his rooms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No, sick people, that is not because they went and had sex, it's because I'm tired right now, and I am going to write the next part tomorrow!
Sick minds!
PoisonMoon: I'm glad you're enjoying it, but think of it this way: the faster I finish it, the sooner you'll have no more to read.
Pinky: I hate cliffhangers too, but they make it so easy to end a chapter, and people always review! Like, for instance, yourself!
And to everyone else who reviewed, thank you! NOW REVIEW MORE! I want at least a hundred when I finish this story. . . I think I update too often. . .
Jokes!
-unolimbo