DISCLAIMER: All Characters and Settings belong to Tamora Pierce
~*Chapter Three *~
Both Neal and Cleon started to their feet to go after her, just as Lord Wyldon called out for Kel to stop. Kel gave no sign of hearing him. She burst out of the hall and into the corridor. She barged past a startled servant and headed for her rooms. She didn't slow down until her door was safely locked behind her.
Lord Wyldon had jumped to his feet in anger when Kel had ignored his direct order to stop. He ordered Merric (who was closest to the door) to pursue Kel and bring her back. Merric, who was still in shock from seeing Kel actually crying, got slowly to his feet and was about to open the hall door when Princess Shinko spoke. 'Let her go, please my Lord, she has just received some most grievous news, she has just learned that her brother has fallen victim to a Scanran arrow and unfortunately has died from loss of blood.'
Lord Wyldon looked shocked, but gestured to Merric to stop and return to his seat. Cleon, who was squire to Iness (one of Kel's brothers) and knew the family well, suddenly bowed and spoke directly to Princess Shinkokani 'Your Highness, I apologize greatly for interrupting but may I ask of whom you speak? Of which of the Mindelan brothers are you reporting?'
Princess Shinko did not hear him, she was already taking her leave from Lord Wyldon, however Yuki bowed to Cleon then replied quietly, 'The news that we have brought is in relation to Anders of Mindelan, the oldest of the Mindelan siblings.' With that she bowed to Lord Wyldon then to the assembled boys and quickly followed her mistress out of the hall.
Lord Wyldon, visibly collecting himself, turned back to Merric and told him to find Lord Raoul, and to ask him to see him in his rooms, as soon as possible. But just as Merric was leaving Lord Raoul strode into the mess. He looked troubled and slightly angry as he spoke directly to Lord Wyldon, not bothering with the civility of a bow; 'Could you be so kind as to explain why my squire has just locked herself in her room and refuses to come out?'
'Perhaps, Lord Raoul, you would like to accompany me to my rooms, where we can talk more privately.' He looked pointedly at the assembled boys, who were starting to whisper to each other franticly. Raoul looked concerned at this reaction from Wyldon however agreed to follow him. As Lord Wyldon was leaving the mess, he turned and addressed the boys, 'Lord Raoul and I are going to see to this matter, until then I strictly forbid any of you to so much as enter the wing of Keladry's rooms, do you understand me? She is to be left in peace.' And with that he swept out of the hall.
As the door closed behind him, the boys' muttering erupted into a loud babble of voices. 'Poor Kel!' both Owen and Merric said simultaneously. At the same time both Cleon and Neal said firmly 'I have to go see her.' They looked at each other, startled. 'I should go see her, she's obviously upset, maybe she'll talk to me.' Reasoned Neal, who was Kel's best friend. Cleon looked like he was about to argue but he just looked down at the table, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. 'Your right, she's most likely to talk to you.'
Neal looked at Cleon curiously. But he was interrupted before he could say anything. 'Didn't you guys hear what the Stump said? You can't go and see her!'
Neal turned to Owen who had just spoken and said, 'Kel is upset! Do you really think I'm just going to sit here and do nothing about it?'
'Yes,' Faleron answered for Owen, 'If you go barging in now, you'll just make her more upset. You know how she can't stand us thinking she's not as strong as we are. She'll think that crying in front of us was completely girly and weak and that we'll think less of her for it. You know she couldn't stand that. And besides, that's assuming you could get in, which I doubt you could.'
Neal looked uncertain. 'You know he's right, Neal.' Cleon put in 'As much as you don't want him to be.' Neal looked down at the table, 'It's just such a shock; I mean to actually see Kel cry! She's gone through so much, and not once have I seen her shed a tear, and now...'
'Yeah, I know what you mean,' agreed Owen, 'I never thought I'd see the day Kel cried, well at least not in public.'
'She was really close to Anders though,' said Cleon quietly, 'he was the one who looked out for her.'
~*Chapter Three *~
Both Neal and Cleon started to their feet to go after her, just as Lord Wyldon called out for Kel to stop. Kel gave no sign of hearing him. She burst out of the hall and into the corridor. She barged past a startled servant and headed for her rooms. She didn't slow down until her door was safely locked behind her.
Lord Wyldon had jumped to his feet in anger when Kel had ignored his direct order to stop. He ordered Merric (who was closest to the door) to pursue Kel and bring her back. Merric, who was still in shock from seeing Kel actually crying, got slowly to his feet and was about to open the hall door when Princess Shinko spoke. 'Let her go, please my Lord, she has just received some most grievous news, she has just learned that her brother has fallen victim to a Scanran arrow and unfortunately has died from loss of blood.'
Lord Wyldon looked shocked, but gestured to Merric to stop and return to his seat. Cleon, who was squire to Iness (one of Kel's brothers) and knew the family well, suddenly bowed and spoke directly to Princess Shinkokani 'Your Highness, I apologize greatly for interrupting but may I ask of whom you speak? Of which of the Mindelan brothers are you reporting?'
Princess Shinko did not hear him, she was already taking her leave from Lord Wyldon, however Yuki bowed to Cleon then replied quietly, 'The news that we have brought is in relation to Anders of Mindelan, the oldest of the Mindelan siblings.' With that she bowed to Lord Wyldon then to the assembled boys and quickly followed her mistress out of the hall.
Lord Wyldon, visibly collecting himself, turned back to Merric and told him to find Lord Raoul, and to ask him to see him in his rooms, as soon as possible. But just as Merric was leaving Lord Raoul strode into the mess. He looked troubled and slightly angry as he spoke directly to Lord Wyldon, not bothering with the civility of a bow; 'Could you be so kind as to explain why my squire has just locked herself in her room and refuses to come out?'
'Perhaps, Lord Raoul, you would like to accompany me to my rooms, where we can talk more privately.' He looked pointedly at the assembled boys, who were starting to whisper to each other franticly. Raoul looked concerned at this reaction from Wyldon however agreed to follow him. As Lord Wyldon was leaving the mess, he turned and addressed the boys, 'Lord Raoul and I are going to see to this matter, until then I strictly forbid any of you to so much as enter the wing of Keladry's rooms, do you understand me? She is to be left in peace.' And with that he swept out of the hall.
As the door closed behind him, the boys' muttering erupted into a loud babble of voices. 'Poor Kel!' both Owen and Merric said simultaneously. At the same time both Cleon and Neal said firmly 'I have to go see her.' They looked at each other, startled. 'I should go see her, she's obviously upset, maybe she'll talk to me.' Reasoned Neal, who was Kel's best friend. Cleon looked like he was about to argue but he just looked down at the table, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. 'Your right, she's most likely to talk to you.'
Neal looked at Cleon curiously. But he was interrupted before he could say anything. 'Didn't you guys hear what the Stump said? You can't go and see her!'
Neal turned to Owen who had just spoken and said, 'Kel is upset! Do you really think I'm just going to sit here and do nothing about it?'
'Yes,' Faleron answered for Owen, 'If you go barging in now, you'll just make her more upset. You know how she can't stand us thinking she's not as strong as we are. She'll think that crying in front of us was completely girly and weak and that we'll think less of her for it. You know she couldn't stand that. And besides, that's assuming you could get in, which I doubt you could.'
Neal looked uncertain. 'You know he's right, Neal.' Cleon put in 'As much as you don't want him to be.' Neal looked down at the table, 'It's just such a shock; I mean to actually see Kel cry! She's gone through so much, and not once have I seen her shed a tear, and now...'
'Yeah, I know what you mean,' agreed Owen, 'I never thought I'd see the day Kel cried, well at least not in public.'
'She was really close to Anders though,' said Cleon quietly, 'he was the one who looked out for her.'