"Kel!" Neal came and crouched beside her. Kel, lying on her stomach, her strung bow still hidden, motioned for him to be silent. "Kel!" He whispered again. "This is completely insane. We cannot fight 5000 men and over 50 immortals. We must retreat."

Kel looked across the valley to the men with Dom. She looked down at the back of the cliffs where she knew Merric was. She looked forward to Raoul.

"Kel, these men will be slaughtered." He said softly. "Do you really want to be the one to go home to their wives to tell them that their husbands are dead?" He put his hand on her shoulder. "Do you even want to be alive for that?"

Kel put her head in her hand. "I have to, Neal, this is what I was supposed to do."

Neal shook his head. "No it's not. The Chamber told you that you would stop it, that you would be responsible for it. not that you would be killed. If we do this, they will slaughter us and go straight on to Corus, where no one will know about the immortals. Do you want that?"

Kel sighed. "Fine. We will retreat. Get your things."

She whistled for the sparrows, who came over to her immediately. "Signal to the leaders." She whispered. "And fast."

They flew frantically in three different directions. Kel looked at the trail. She could not see them yet, but hey had to be getting closer. A moment later, Raoul, Dom, and Merric all signalled that they were listening. Kel made the sign for retreat, and surprisingly, all three of them nodded and disappeared to tell their men.

"They didn't do this to fight. They did this to help me." She muttered.

Her sparrow scout flew up to her and landed on her palm. He tapped it three times. "Three minutes, and they will be here!" Kel said, not worrying about silence. "We have a long way to go!"

She clamoured up onto Apple. She then rode down to where Raoul's men were. "Alright," she said when everyone was there. "We ride fast. Let's go!"

She started off at a gallop, and kept it up for almost an hour back to Corus. Apple was tired, but she would be fine after a little rest. Kel wasn't worried.

She was, though, worried about that very large army that was getting closer and closer to the palace.

Raoul insisted that Kel rested while he told the king what they had seen. "You still look exhausted from two days ago! You don't need to do everything. Now go and rest!"

Kel agreed reluctantly. She did not get any rest, though. As soon as she had gotten into her room and taken off her armour, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She said. Dom stepped in. Kel smiled at him. "I'm sorry we had to come back."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter that much to me. In fact, I'm sort of glad we came back. I know we're a lot safer here."

Kel nodded. "I guess. It's just aggravating. I've been working so hard for this, and no one is taking me seriously." She sighed. "I guess sometimes you have to sit back and take what is coming to you."

Dom sat down beside her. "it's not that we are just letting it happen, we just aren't looking for the trouble."

Kel chuckled. "I do that a lot, don't I."

Dom smiled. "That's what makes us love you."

Kel raised an eyebrow. "You love me because you know I'm going to get myself killed soon?"

Dom winced. "That wasn't the best thing to say."

Kel kissed him. "It was fine. Not a problem."

By the time Dom left Kel's room, an alarm had gone off in the castle. The bells were ringing from the keeps, and the soldiers were called to the armoury. Knights were called to the throne room, as were the sergeants of the King's Own.

King Jon called Kel over to him when she stepped into the room. "Keladry, Raoul explained everything to me," He said, and Kel nodded. "But you know the story better than both of us combined. Thus, I want you to explain it to everyone. Now, you are still just summarizing, in fact, you only have a moment or two, so please summarize the important information. "Oh, and Keladry," he added, Raoul told me about the magic, Daine has been dispatched to retrieve as many griffin feathers as possible, and Numair is working on uncovering their shields."

Kel nodded again, and was given a moment to collect her thoughts before all of the knights and sergeants arrived. Moments later, the room was completely filled.

"Ahem." Kel said, and everyone looked up at her. When they did, Kel realized something: everyone was actually paying attention to her. she had worked so hard to make a difference, and people were finally acknowledging it. She quickly realized that she was standing in front of a crowd, and before she looked silly for waiting too long, she had launched into a summary of her story.

The second she finished, Wyldon stood up and began to explain the plan. It was basically the exact plan that Kel had thought they had organized the day before, at it did not make her happy. She frowned, and Dom, sitting beside her, squeezed her hand.

Moments later, they were sent to prepare. They had less than an hour before the army would be upon them.

Kel was one of the first knights ready, as she was already completely prepared, she just needed to put her armour back on. She went to her post, at the end of the city wall, immediately. Neal was posted only steps away from her, in a protected alcove that Numair set up that he could shoot from, while still being completely covered from the outside so he could perform emergency healings, if needed. She stepped into the alcove and sat down with a sigh.

He smiled weakly. "You ready for this?"

Kel smiled. "I have been prepared for this for weeks," she said, "but that doesn't mean I'm ready. I don't think I'll ever be ready."

Neal took her by the hand and she felt her stress slip away. He winked at her. "Don't tell anyone I did that." He said. "I could get in trouble for 'wasting my magic.'"

Kel grinned, feeling much better. "I won't tell a soul." She stood up. "I have to go to my post," She said, "but if you need anything, come and get me, okay?"

Neal raised an eyebrow. "Keladry," he said loftily, "why ever would I need your help?"

Kel smiled and rolled her eyes. "I was just saying." She said.

Neal stood up. "Good luck." He said, holding out his hand. Kel ignored it and hugged him. "I'll see you in a while. And I hope it's after the battle is over."

Neal nodded. "I whole heartedly agree."

Kel smiled and went back outside. She was commanding the archers on her section of the wall, and she looked over them. Competent fighters, all of them, soldiers from the army, as well as three first and second year knights.

They looked up at her with great expectations. The soldiers looked as well. They were looking for support.

Kel smiled. "I have made enough speeches about this war, and I can do nothing to support you. Only you can support yourself."

They nodded, looking grave. Just at that moment, an eagle flew overhead. It was Daine, and hanging underneath her was a small pouch. Kel knew it was filled with griffin feathers. Daine landed on the wall beside Kel and transformed back into herself. Kel was surprised; Daine was normally not willing to transform in front of others, especially not strangers.

"Here you are, Kel." She said, giving Kel a small handful of feathers, enough for all her men. "Bring your extras to me." She said, and ran down the wall to the next commander.

"These feathers are your saviour." Kel said. "Wear them on your forehead, and for god's sake, do not try to pocket them. It is not worth your life."

Kel looked out at the forest. Any moment now, she would be able to see men coming. Nothing came. Men sat leaning against the wall, chatting. Setting defences slowed down, and Kel was afraid that women would start popping out of safe houses to find what the lack of commotion was.

While most of the men relaxed, Kel stayed exactly the way she was, leaning against the wall, looking intently through a turret. She did wonder where her enemy was. They should have arrived an hour ago.

Neal approached her. "Maybe we just have the wrong schedule." He said. "Take a break, Kel. You deserve it."

"I deserve a lot of things." Kel said, not looking away. "But that doesn't mean I can give everything up to get them."

Neal sighed. "Kel, you are going to tire yourself out! Besides, who knows how long it will be before they actually get here?"

"I do." Kel said calmly. "They should be in shooting distance in about twenty-five minutes." She turned and looked at him.

Neal frowned. "And how would you know that?" He asked sceptically.

Kel looked him in the eye. "Because they along the Olorun, at the crossroads, which is a fifteen minute ride from here."

Neal blanched.

Kel ignored him and ran to the side of her wall. "Raoul!" She called out. He looked up at her expectantly. "They are along the Olorun!" She cried. "At the crossroads!" Raoul made the calls as well, and soon, every man knew.

Now they were truly ready. Every man stood at his post, hidden behind turrets, so that it looked like no one was waiting. They all stood ready to fire, just waiting for their commanders permission to shoot.

The army marched to the closet point they could reach without the Tortallans being able to shoot at them. Their coming shook the ground. The army stopped just further than Kel's men could shoot. Kel silently cursed them for it.

They banged staffs on the ground, calling the Tortallans out. But everyone in the city's walls knew the plan. No one moved, except for Kel. She stood up on a small platform that held her above the turrets.

The banging stopped.

Kel looked forward, and knew that the greatest battle of her life was about to begin.

Sorry...don't have time for notes, I will write everything else in my next chapter...it should be up today.

-unolimbo