Disclaimer: I own nothing (except the plot....) Please review...it makes me happy....and I'm sorry it's taking me so long to update....this story is harder to write that fluff....
Kel rode into the clearing, hearing the sounds of battle ahead of her. Unsheathing Griffin, she rode toward the nearest Scanran and thrust him through. Kel made her way toward the center of the fighting, where hte men of the Own had formed a tight circle. Kel heard a man scream, and saw someone fall from his horse with an arrow sprouting from his neck.
"Dom!" Kel threw herself from the saddle and pulled him inside the circle of the Own.
"Kel," Dom said weakly, "I love you." He kissed her one last time and went limp in Kel's arms.
Kel woke up with tears on her face. Every time she closed her eyes, the scene played on her eyelids. Kel got out of bed, washing the salt from her face. Someone knocked on her door, but she didn't feel like talking to anyone.
"Kel, it's Alanna. Open up or I'll get Raoul to take the door off it's hinges," Kel relutantly opened her door. "Have you eaten?" Kel shook her head, "Get dressed and we'll go to breakfast." Alanna shouldered her way into Kel's room and sat in her only chair. Kel raised her eyebrows in question. "I'm trying to avoid a repeat of yesterday." Kel's Yamani mask slid on as she collected clothing and headed into the privy to change. When she emerged, Alanna was still waiting for her.
"Let's go," she said, standing up and steering Kel out the door.
When they reached the mess, Kel saw a familiar scene. Neal sat a table, a plate of food ready for Kel. This time, instead of porridge, Neal had gotten crackers and water.
"You'll be able to keep this down, even with the morning sickness," he explained. Kel ate in silence, her stomach flip flopping inside her. When she had finally eaten enough to satisfy Neal, he allowed her to return to her room.
"Kel," Alanna said as she stood to leave, "You need to talk to the King, tell him what's going on. I'll take you to see him later today." Kel nodded glumly. While she did not want to explain her situation to the king, she knew she needed to.
Alanna came for Kel aound the tenth bell of the morning. Kel walked in silence, collecting her thoughts. Alanna took Kell not to where the King normally saw people, but instead to a more private study.
"Keladry," Jonathan said, "Sit down. Please accept my condolences on the death of your husband. Alanna told me you had something important to say, but did not tell me what it was." Alanna turned to leave, but Kel stopped her.
"Please stay," Alanna nodded and took the seat next to Kel. Kel took a deep breath, "Your majesty, I'm with child." Jonathan sat down, a look of shock passing briefly over his features.
"Who is the father?"
"Domitan of Masbolle, my late husband." A sprinkling of tears flowed down Kel's face as she remembered. Jonathan looked confused.
"Isn't he...dead?"
"I think it happened the night before we were called out. That was last week." Jon ran a hand through his hair.
"Well, you obvisouly can't fight."
"Please, no. I need to do something to keep my mind off...off," Ke choked, unable to remind herself again of the horrific events of the previous week.
"Can Kel help train the pages?" Alanna asked, "She's on the of the best knights at tilting, she's almost as good as me at the sword, and she's one of the best in Tortall at the glaive."
"It does make sense," Jonathan conceeded, "the pages should learn the glaive. And I've been told you are the best. WIll you do it?" Kel's mind raced. She wanted to keep her mind off Dom, but was this the best way? She could come up with several other possiblities, but none kept her-- and the child insider her-- safe.
"Yes, I'll teach them."