A/N – I am so sorry I haven't written in soooooo long. I've been so busy with school (retard that I am decided to take all honors classes), boyfriend, friends, etc. So my apologies! I hope all my loyal readers haven't abandoned me! Thank you so much for all the reviews. I know you don't want to hear all my personal thank-you's, so here's the story. I'm very sorry if the battle scene sucks, but I'll do my best. Enjoy!

Ch. 9

"Pages and squires! Pitch your tents here! This isn't a training mission, and I will not be inspecting your work. Do it right, or suffer the consequences. Assemble on the field in one hour." With Lord Wyldon's orders gruffly given, the youths scrambled to meet his demands within the allowed hour.

As usual, Neal found it extremely difficult to pitch his tent, but instead of Lord Wyldon to stand over his shoulder, he had Kel.

"Neal, that tent is going to collapse the second a breeze comes along. Fix it," Kel told him. He glared at her before re-staking his tent for the fifth time. As he did, an unusually cheerful Joren passed by, whistling, pausing to smile at the two before returning to his own tent.

"Kel, do you know what's gotten into him? Do you think he's planning something? Is he that stupid, to be thinking about dirty tricks when we're at war?" Neal asked. Kel was still staring after their handsome classmate. "Kel? Are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, Neal. I don't think he's up to his usual tricks, but something is definitely different."

"He's not the only one," Neal observed quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Kel asked, as if she didn't already know. She was so transparent; any one could see there was something between Kel and Joren, something that hadn't been there before. Kel didn't trust it. Several times she has caught herself pondering Joren's words, about how he said he had changed. Well, were was the evidence behind that? If Joren really had changed, he'd show it. Kel was still deep in thought, and Neal as well wondering what was wrong with his friend, when they heard the shouting.

"Scanrans! Scanrans! Man your battle stations! Archers, prepare your bows!" The shouts came out of no where, the Scanrans somehow having gone undiscovered until they were in plain view of the camp.

Having just arrived, the squires and pages had no idea how to react. Lord Wyldon struggled frantically to get his charges into some semblance of order so as to be prepared to fight. Despite his years of battle experience, he was failing miserably to accomplish this task. There was complete chaos, soldiers hurrying to their assigned positions, amid the confusion caused by the pages who were either trying to find their weapons, bombarding Lord Wyldon with questions, and generally getting in the way.

"Halt!" Lord Wyldon's voice cut above the noise and was immediately obeyed. "Pages, bow and arrows now! Squires, swords, shields and spears." The teenagers looked at him in awe before scurrying to obey. "Assemble behind the soldiers when you are prepared!"

The Scanrans were coming into arrow range as the trainees took their places. Kel, shield in hand, glanced down the line to where Joren was grimly looking ahead toward the enemy. His face was set and determined, but he looked as gorgeous as ever. Kel! What are you thinking? You're about to fight your first real battle and you're thinking about how gorgeous Joren is? Focus!!!!

"Archers! At your ready!" the commander warned. "Swords and spears hold your positions!"

These Scanrans were not just a raiding party; this was an army, ready for war. Kel gripped her sword hilt hard, gulped, and steeled herself for what was to come. The Scanrans were fast approaching. "Archers! Loose your arrows now!" A rainfall of arrow descended upon the Scanrans. Many fell, but still more continued on their path toward the awaiting Tortallans.

"Charge!" the scream came, and in reply many more as the defending army surged forward with fury. Man on man battle began, Tortallans and Scanrans alike falling.

Kel barely had time to think before a huge, grinning Scanran was bearing down on her. She raised her sword to block the crushing blow, recovering to strike one of her own. After the Scanran fell to the ground, mortally wounded, it suddenly occurred to Kel that this was what combat was really like, not at all like the practice Lord Wyldon had given them. The thought flew as yet another hulking Scanran approached her, his crude axe raised for the kill. Kel defeated this one as well. The fighting continued, growing fiercer by the moment. Kel was too busy defending herself to notice Joren fighting only a few feet away.

Even as he battled the Scanrans, the thought of proving himself never strayed far from his mind. Glancing over to where Kel fought, he saw what she didn't. As she dueled intently with a Scanran, one of his compatriots was swiftly approaching Kel from behind. "Kel!" burst from Joren's throat as the attacker raised his ax…..


A/N – Hee he he, I'm evil, I know, I don't update forever and then I leave you hanging! I do so enjoy it though. I PROMISE I'll update soon, that is, if you REVIEW!!!!!!