DISCLAIMER: Don't own it. Don't like it? Don't read it.
Here's one more, just to make up for the big gap between my previous entries.
Quick Question: Are there any guys reading this? Or is it all girls. Me and my friend have a bet going.
Just a note for Siobhan, I do not have violet eyes. Read my pen name. GRAY Eyed Fighter. If I had purple eyes, that would seriously be too close for comfort. Anyways... Maybe I should get coloured contacts (lost in thought).
Back to reality, or as close to it as I'll ever get
From now on, in all of my fics, I'm going to post what song I'm listening to while I write. Just to give a bit of insight.
Song of the Chapter: Building a Mystery, bySarah McLachlan
luv ya!
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A fourteen year old Kel tripped over her long skirt as she ran along the corridor at the Convent.
She ignored the pain in her knees as she struggled to her feet and continued to the office of the First Daughter. She had been summoned because she had received an answer to her application to the Queen's Riders.
She skidded to a halt outside the door, and composed herself before walking in. The First Daughter would get angry if Kel ran in, still disheveled.
"First Daughter, you sent for me?" she asked, slightly breathless.
"Yes, Mindelan," The woman had a smug look on her face, and Kel's internal smile faltered. "You received a letter from Commander Burriam of the Queen's Riders. It seems that you applied without consulting us." at this, Kel's happiness died completely. She knew what was coming. "As much as most people admire Thayet jian Wilima." The Daughter had always refused to acknowledge Queen Thayet of Conte. "I find that this particular addition to the realm was useless. Now if your parents were here, they could advise you to pursue this. However, as they are in the Yamani Islands again, I am your guardian. You may not join the Riders. Dismissed."
Kel froze, She had been sure about this one. This had been her last ticket out of here. The Shang warriors had refused her, and her parents had been drawing up new contracts in the Islands for the past four years. Her brothers were busy, and her sisters were in the Islands too.
Turning, she left without curtsying. If they weren't going to help her out, then she would have to get out herself.
She ran to her rooms and locked the doors. Stripping out of her dress, she changed into a pair of breeches stolen from the guards in the event of her acceptance to the Riders.
The Daughters had burned her glaive after her previous escape, so she simply tied her hair back and climbed out a window.
Most of the Convent was at dinner, so the guards armory was empty. She stole inside and scanned the room for adequate gear. Slinging a travel pack over her shoulder, she grabbed a light longbow and a quiver full of arrows. She stole a hunting knife and a long dagger, slipping them into sheaths on her belt. A few small throwing knives were strapped to her forearms, and she picked up a handful of spears, strapping them to her pack. She would have liked to keep a sword at her hip, but swords were more expensive, and would be missed.
Before leaving, she also took a small wooden shield, a leather vest and wrist guards.
She walked quietly, keeping to the shadows, and slipped into the mountain forest. The guards wouldn't search for her for about a day. The Daughters would think that she was sobbing in her room, from the First Daughter's decision. By the time they opened her door to find her gone, she would be far away.
As night fell, Kel found a small clearing in the trees. With a sigh, she removed her weapons, and set them down. Her pack dropped beside them, and she opened it to inspect her gear.
Inside the pack was her bedroll, waterproof and warm. Inside, she found flint and tinder for lighting a fire without the Gift. There was also a week's supply of dried meat and fruit. After that ran out, she would have to hunt. She also found a coil of thick rope. It was spelled for Giftless travelers. Encircling her camp, it would ward her from any unwanted visitors in the night.
Quickly, she set up camp, unrolling her bedroll, warding the camp, and lighting a fire, She decided to do a few exercises before sleeping. Her muscles had softened over the years. She had to train in secret, and that was not very often. Now she would try to regain some of her old strength.
After a few glaive patterns with a long spear, she sat down and ate some bread and meat for dinner.
She woke up with the sun the next morning, and had taken down camp, eaten, and trained within minutes. She set off quickly, heading south.
The next three weeks were bliss for Kel, after the torture of the Convent. She wandered around central Tortall, occasionally stopping in small town to help rebuild after immortal raids.
She had made it her mission to help those in need. There was a rumor spreading of a tall woman that they called the Protector of the Small. No one knew who she was, but she always came to those in need. Some of those rumors even reached as far as Corus.
One day, about three and a half weeks after Kel's flight, she was following a trail of centaur raids. She was following a small river, when she heard the clash of metal on metal. Dropping her pack, she strung her bow and grabbed a long spear.
The sounds were coming from the top of a cliff ahead of her.
Suddenly a dark form appeared at the edge, and began to move down a path on the cliff face. She loaded her bow without a second thought, and shot at what she could now see as being a centaur.
The immortal tripped and fell the rest of the short way. Slowly, it rose to its feet and glared at her. Kel was horrified to see a small girl and a cloth sack tied to the creature's back.
Dropping her bow, she switched to her spear. The centaur approached her, wielding a blade encrusted in dried blood. In one swift movement, Kel lunged and cut the child and sack free. In doing so, she also received a deep cut on her side.
Had Kel been in shape, and training regularly, she could have more easily taken the immortal. Centaur he was; swordsman he was not. As it were, she was struggling to overpower him.
Seeing an opening, she hurriedly thrust the leaf shaped blade into the creature's vital organs. Blood poured from the wound, and burned Kel's skin where it landed. She cut the centaurs throat with a knife, and it fell over, dead.
Taking a deep breath, she assessed her own damage. As well as the gash on her side, her left arm was broken, and she could not place any weight on her right leg.
A cry pierced her ears. Using her spear as a crutch, she hobbled over to where the child was. One handed, Kel slung her pack and bow back over her good shoulder, biting back a cry of pain as it landed against what could only be another wound on her back.
Completely forgetting about the sack near the river, she fashioned a make-shift sling from the thick ropes, and rested the child on her hip.
She slowly walked up the path. The battle sounds had long since died. Though the cliff was not terribly high, it took her a long time to make it to the top. As she crested the hill, she was shocked to see the companies of the King's Own, in full armor, helping villagers to bury their dead, and salvage what was left of their homes.
A middle aged woman cried out, and ran to her, crying and excited. Kel handed the small girl to her eager mother. The woman attempted to thank Kel profusely, but Kel couldn't hear her, for she was feeling light headed, and her knees were collapsing. She finally succumbed to her injuries, as the world began to darken.
A number of heads turned in her direction as she hit the hard dirt road.
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TO ALL MY REVIEWERS:
How was that? Like? Didn't like? Please review.
I like the fact that I still slipped in the name Protector of the Small. Don't worry, I have an idea as to where I'm going with this. Actually, the story has completely been diverted from the original thoughts I had. I might write another story of my original thoughts. I really like Kel stories as you can tell.
Please, please read and review, or at least read my other short fics.
I already have decided that this will be a trilogy. I know, ar have a general idea of the next two stories. I even have an idea for a separate fanfiction, if you all are interested.
Anyways...
I'm agreeing slightly with Kirjava Deamon. I might do a fic with someone who isn't done a lot, like Seaver, or Faleron, or something like that ( by the way, K. Deamon, read my HDM fic, I luv Will ). As much as I love Kel/Dom, and I'm in love with Neal myself, (all mine, and don't you ever forget it), they're done a lot. I'm still bending towards friendship, rather than love.
Keep reviewing, I luv reviewers.
luv ya!