Disclaimer: All characters you recognize belong to Tammy. Unless you've read my stories before. Here, I'll put it better: all characters you recognize from any of the Tamora Pierce books do not belong to me.

Claimer: Everything you do not recognize from the Tamora Pierce books belong to me. That includes the plot.

Authors Note: When I read Yamani Warrior by Lioness Fury, I thought that Kel and Thom would be cute together. So I looked for a fanfic with that pairing. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one. I've been wanting to write one for a long time, and finally got to it. So, I hope you enjoy.

This story is dedicated to Oceanspike (kit) who told me it was good, and gave me the title. thanx! your the best

Chapter One:

Meeting in a Pub

"Cider please." She told the bar tender.

The woman's eyes crinkled, and a smile lit her face. "Rough day?"

"Extremely."

Kel often came here after a long day; it was good to get away from the castle, and go someplace where not everyone knew her, where the people ignored her and let her have a moment of peace.

"You want to tell me about it?" Kitiara had come back with her drink.

She smiled gratefully before taking a large sip. Setting the cup down, she began to explain. "Dom and Neal were fighting again. Owen wouldn't shut up about his new lady, Cleon was being his usual obnoxious self, and they were all badgering me about finding myself someone. Then I had to do reports for half the day."

"Oh. Well, drink up. I'll make sure no one bothers you."

Kel mumbled her thanks as she took another sip of the warm cider. A sigh escaped her lips, but it went unnoticed in the noisy bar. Strangely enough, the noise around her was comforting. The play of the band, though rather off key, was still relaxing. The voices were loud, but none were directed at her.

"Hello." A voice said from behind her.

She turned, wishing that whoever it was would go away. "Yeah?" She asked, not as politely as she normally would've.

She looked the person over. He was young, about her age, she guessed, with dark red hair, cut short. He was tall, about the same height as her. He wore plain clothes, though they were finely made. A dagger was on a belt around his waist. She couldn't tell the color of his eyes because the room wasn't very bright.

"I'm Thom. You're Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, Protector of the Small?" His voice was young, but strong and well educated.

Kel took a moment to wonder where she had heard the name before. "You can call me Kel." She offered a hand, and he shook it. His hand was rough, as hers was.

"My mother speaks very highly of you. So do my uncles." He stated, taking a seat next to you.

"Your mother? Uncles?" She was confused.

He smiled apologetically. "Oh, sorry. I didn't introduce myself properly. My mother is Alanna the Lioness."

"Oh." She said. "Uncles?"

"Raoul of Goldenlake, Numair Salmalin, Gareth of Naxen, the king. The queen, Aunt Buri, and Aunt Daine do too, for that matter." He told her.

"Oh." She repeated, somewhat shocked. "You're related to all of them?"

"Well, not really by blood. But they're my adoptive family, I guess."

Kel nodded her head in understanding, though she was still somewhat surprised.

"I know practically all about you from them and Neal, Raould, and Shinko." He smiled again. Her heart fluttered oddly.

"I'm not sure if I should be afraid if you're hearing things about me from Neal. And my lord, too." She told him wryly.

He gave her a charming smile. "Most of it was good. I mostly ignore what Neal says. He tends to exaggerate." They both snorted.

Kitiara came back. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'll take a thing of cider, Kit."

She nodded her head and left to get it, smiling at the young man.

As she set it down in front of him, she warned Kel, "I'd stay away from this one. He's trouble." Her eyes sparkled with humor

The lady knight nodded her head before stating wryly, "Somehow, I figured that."

Kit turned back to Thom. "You better not be bothering her, lad. I promised to keep everyone away from her, and then you came along while I was gone."

He nodded his head. "Of course, my beautiful lady." He grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly, a move that reminded Kel of Neal.

She shook her head and walked away to see to another customer.

"You come in here a lot?"

"Kit is a friend of my dad and my aunt. I come by and we talk a lot." She nodded in understanding. "I take it you come in her a lot too." He stated as he took a sip of his drink.

"Yeah."

They spoke for a few more minutes before Kel looked out the window, and, noticing how late it had gotten, stood up.

"I've got to go." She told him apologetically. She had enjoyed talking to him.

He stood up too. "Okay. Want to walk back to the palace together? I'm staying in my rooms there."

She nodded and they made their way out of the inn, leaving several coins to pay for their drinks.
Okay, for those of you who think he is too young for her, in Wild Magic, Prince Roald is nine and Thom is six. In the Protector of the Small books, Kel is a year younger than Roald, or so it says. Actually, he should be about two years older than she is, because he took his Ordeal two years before she took hers. So Thom is only about one year younger than she. Does that explain it adequately?