Sorry I haven't updated at my usual speed. I've been busy reading It Could Be Worse by Sulia Serafine (I'm on the 3rd season…damn but they're good – go Joren!) and my disk I saved this on is all screwed up. Damn it. Oh well.

RumorGoddess: Don't worry, we all have our ditzy moments . Actually, I had planned something like that to happen. I have a lot of things planned for these characters. My only problem is how I'm going to get them to those situations. -.-

Seadragon: You're stories are so funny. Thanks for reviewing mine too!

Mystery Princess: Hopefully. Very hopefully.

Mustang Gal: I rock? Wow! I feel special. . This soon enough for ya?

Kassi of Pirate's Swoop AND Wake-Robin: That's true. Kel IS an assassin. She HAS to be OOC. Colder, meaner…but just a little. Can't have her go overboard x.x

mepb: Yeah, Joren was always one of my favorites too. I didn't expect to write about how Kel got so attached to her kidnapper, and I sure as heck didn't expect to write her desire to also become an assassin. I had a completely different plot mapped out. Who knows what happened?

PsychoLioness13: Everyone thinks that little girl is scary! And you people should. She's going to play a very important role in this. ::evil grin::

ossini: Anything to help a fellow fanfictioner. Teehee .

Disclaimer: Oh yeah - I own nothing except the plot and certain characters.

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At around nine o'clock the next morning, Keladry slipped inside the mess hall. It was crowded from those who sleep considerably late and with those who love to mingle. Automatically, and unconsciously, her form slinked into the shadows. She passionately hated being the center of the attention, with eyes watching her every move. She preferred a somewhat quieter and reserved entrance. And that was why none of her friends even noticed she had entered until she slid on the bench beside Neal.

"Hey, where'd you come from?" Faleron of King's Reach exclaimed. "You just kinda materialized there."

"Yeah, we never see you until you're right on top of us," Merric of Hollyrose groused.

"Well, it's sort of her job to do that," Neal said slowly, forlornly poking a celery stick with his fork. "She is an assassin, after all."

Nobody flinched this time at the use of the word and his friend in the same sentence. It hit them hard when Kel had announced to her closest friends two years ago her decision. Kel, an assassin? It was almost as unbelievable as when she had quietly told them Stone Mountain was going to be the captain of a crew of pirates…

But that topic was never discussed.

"So where were you, anyway?" Seaver of Tasride inquired. "You disappeared two months ago."

"I had an assignment."

"Oooooh, jolly!" Owen of Jesslaw said keenly. "What was it?"

"Only someone as barbaric as the likes of you would consider an assassin's job 'jolly'," Neal said haughtily. "Vicious swine."

"Some man over in Tyra was killing off every child with blue eyes he could find," Kel said carelessly, elegantly applying butter to her slice of bread. "A woman came for me and asked me to murder him. She had a lot of children, and every one had blue eyes."

"Whoa," Owen whispered in awe. "Maybe I'll become an assassin." An adventurous spark lit up his eyes, a spark that nobody liked. "Just think of all the people I'd meet! All the bad people I'd kill!"

"You're a horrible little person," Neal said.

"I'd advise you not to," Kel told him. "It takes a calm and quiet person to do that."

Faleron snorted. "Well, that puts Owen and Neal out of the run."

"Oh, shut up," Neal said dryly. "You're just jealous."

"Of what?"

"Hush, you two," Kel said. "You're giving me a headache. Where's Cleon?"

The boys exchanged nervous glances. "He's on his honeymoon."

"Oh yeah." Kel stuffed the rest of the bread in her mouth and stood up. "I need to go see Master Tony. He may have a new assignment for me."

"You want a new assignment?" Neal called after her disbelievingly. "Obviously Owen isn't the only barbarian inhabiting Tortall if you want to kill somebody!"

"Watch it, Neal," was the amused reply. "I know where you live."

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"Nothing? Are you sure?"

Kel fidgeted anxiously while she watched the silver-haired man thumb through parchments. "Positive. There is absolutely nothing that needs your attention."

"There aren't any requested murders? At all?"

Tony of Maren pursed his lips irritably. "There are none, Mindelan. Why is that so hard to understand?"

"Because, well," she faltered. "I usually have an assignment."

"So you don't now. Take a vacation, child. Ever since you came to this business two years ago you've had plenty of tasks. If I were you I would be relieved."

Kel sighed despairingly. "The king won't have anything either, I bet. I have no assassin work or any spy work."

"I told you, Mindelan. Take a break!"

She grimaced. "But I need to be busy!"

"Confound it, woman! Get out of my sight!"

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Is that her?

She looked like no assassin. She sat on the bench quietly, staring at the roses. He twiddled his fingers idly, twitchily. She had straight plain brown hair cut a little above her shoulders and steady green-hazel eyes that betrayed no thought. Her skin was tanned and freckled, stretched taut against a lean and muscular body. Easily she reached the height of a man, with twice as much strength.

Is that her? Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, assassin-spy of Tortall?

As though his thoughts radiated from him, she turned a little to look at him. Her eyes were captivating, her cool face appealing. He swallowed hard, and stepped tentatively forward.

"'Scuse me, milady," he said, bowing jerkily. "Do you happen to be the Keladry of Mindelan? The knight and, and assassin-spy?"

She made no reply at first. She just stared at him with those searching eyes.

"I am," she replied melodiously. "I am at your service. Tell me your name and problem, please."

"Well, I'm a pirate, milady, and a couple nights ago my cap'n was kidnapped."

She cocked her head. "Kidnapped? By whom, do you know?"

He shook his head. "No, milady. Wait…well, a strange ship kept followin' us. That's the only thing I can think of."

"Do you know the name of the ship, pirate?"

He squinted, trying to bring up the memory. He remembered standing next to the blond, looking at the same ship he was, reading the words…

"The Black Lady, I think," he said. "I don't remember it that well, I'm sorry…"

"It's okay," she soothed. "Do you have any other clues?"

"I think they are headed for Carthak, milady, because that's where we were headed, and the winds were blowin' that-a-way, toward that country."

Oh, gods, she thought, horrified. Not Carthak. That's where –

"So you want me to find him?" Don't dwell on it.

"If you would, milady."

"I accept your offer then."

"Thank you so much, milady."

He turned to leave.

"Wait a minute!" she said. "What's your name?"

He hesitated, and then said, "Kris."

"Thank you. And what's your captain's name?"

"Why, he's the leader of the Black Bandits, terror of the seas, plunderer of treasure, master of the Mageskull – he's Captain Joren of Stone Mountain, milady."

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Dun dun dun DUN. Things just keeping getting interestinger and interestinger. Teehee. R/R please.