A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. Busy with school and all. Thanks to those who reviewed, and a couple people pointed out that Kel's the youngest, lets say her brother was born right after the end of Lady knight, okay? Okay.

Disclaimer: If its published elsewhere, i don't own it. This applies to all chapters.

My Brother's Keeper

Kel arrived outside of Wyldon's door in what seemed too short a time. She took a deep breath and knocked loudly.

A muffled "come in" floated out through the heavy wood. She slowly opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her.

"My lord," she said as she bowed.

"Hello Lady Keladry. A pleasure to see you again, though I regret that it is under such conditions."

Kel's brow wrinkled slightly in confusion. "Sir?" she asked.

Wyldon stared into his fire for a long moment. "Well, Keladry, there is no easy way to tell you. Perhaps you had better have a seat."

She sat and took the glass of fruit juice he held out to her.

"Please continue," she said nervously, trying not to let her fear show through her mask and to keep her voice steady.

"Well, it seems that some one did not want peace with the Yamani isles. Whoever it was knew that your parents were the ones who negotiated the peace, and has sent an assassin to their fife. So far, all that has been determined is that it was someone from the islands."

"What are you saying, sir?" Kel asked, unable to keep her voice from shaking this time.

"The assassin struck during the night. It seems they had convinced one of the maids that your parents required a sleeping potion, and it was slipped into their supper. No one could fight back. The assassin killed everyone he could find. I'm sorry, Keladry. Your family is dead."

There was a clatter and a splash as Kel dropped the fruit juice. She looked at Wyldon.

"There has to have been a mistake. They can't be…" she began, tears filling her eyes and her voice shaking. She stopped.

"All of them?" She asked, tears running down her cheeks now. She ignored them, staring at Wyldon. He was her only hope, that he would tell her it was just a horrible joke, or that the assassin had failed. Her surroundings, thoughts, and tears faded into the background as she waited for some reassurance that everything was okay. He was the only thing that was real, that she could believe.

"No. Not all of them. One of the maids was visiting her sister in Corus. She had asked to take your brother Tailen with her to go to town. She and your brother are the only ones who lived. Kel, there's no one else to take care of Tailen. You have to take responsibility for him, at least for a time, until someone else can be found."

Kel stared at him, open-mouthed, tears still on her cheeks.

"I've just found out that my entire family is gone, and you want me to take responsibility for a FIVE year old!?" She exclaimed. "I don't know if I can take care of myself right now, much less a five year old." She said as she stood. She was crying again. It was too much for her to take right then, and she vaguely heard Wyldon begin to answer as she fainted.