Disclaimer: I DIDN'T DO IT, IT WASN'T ME! I WAS FRAMED! I SWEAR! (read N review)
CHAPTER EIGHT
Child's Play
Kel awoke late that afternoon. She got out of bed dazed, confused, and unsure of her
surroundings. She stumbled around the room knocking things over and making loud noise.
Exasperated she sat on the stone floor with her head in her hands. She was on the verge of tears.
Ilane heard all the noise, and startled she can rushing in.
"Kel, sweetie! Oh I'm so glad you're better. What are you doing on the floor? Come on
get up." Ilane helped Kel back into bed and covered her with layers of blankets. "Sit tight."
Ilane left the scowling Kel alone for a brief second. When her mother returned, she was carrying
a tray. On the tray there was a large cool pitcher of water, a glass, some warm beef broth, bread,
cheese, and some fruit. Kel smiled. She was surprised her mother had come up with so much
food so quickly. Kel hadn't eaten in days. Ilane set the tray down on the bed beside Kel. Kel
immediately grabbed for the bread. It was warm and freshly baked. She took a large bite and
smiled joyfully. "What happened?" Kel asked as soon as she swallowed. Then she to another
equally large bite while waiting for the answer.
Ilane shook her head. "I don't rightly know. I was hoping you would know."
Kel glowered. "The last thing I remember is getting up, I'm not sure how many days ago,
for a long days ride, I think we were headed here. Then right after we started, it began to rain.
Rain heavily, we were soaked..."
"You got here, bathed, and went straight to bed. We tried to wake you the next morning
when Raoul left– "
Kel interrupted. "Raoul left?"
Ilane nodded. "He had to start peace deliberations with Scanra." She looked intently at
her daughter. "What happened to you? You were just gone. We couldn't wake you for the
world. I just thought you were just tired so I left you be. Then you...and Arete, the healer. She
was here with you for two hours. Then Arete came out and she collapsed right in front of me. I
was so scared." Ilane began to weep softly.
Kel shook her head, "I don't remember any of that."
Ilane regained her composure and Kel leisurely sipped her soup as she was told what
Raoul had said before his departure. "He should be back by tomorrow evening or the next
morning." Kel nodded trying to stifle a yawn.
Ilane reached over and strongly hugged her daughter. "Get some rest. You're still tired
from your healing." Ilans stood, picked up the tray, and headed to the door. "You just make sure
you don't go and leave us again." She said with a smile. She was trying to joke, but you could
tell there was genuine concern in her eyes. She closed the door behind her. Kel snuggled down
into the warm of her bed and promptly dozed off.
***
Kel woke up cover it sweat. It had been a rather fitful sleep. Kel noticed she had been
asleep for sometime because when her sight was drawn to the window she saw that night and
darkness had taken their effect. Kel sat up looking for something to clean herself up with, when
the room spun so violently that it almost made Kel pass out. Kel jumped out of bed searching.
Her eyes traveled the room. Just in time, she grabbed the wash basin. Luckily it was already
empty because by the time Kel had recovered from her bought of sickness, it was almost full.
Quietly she cursed herself. "I just ate. Now it's all coming out again. Well," she sighed in sarcasm.
"At least something in her is full." She glared daggers at the bucket. Kel wiped her mouth on her
sleeve and sat on the bed; bucket still in hand, just it case. Her whole body was shaking like crazy.
Kel lay carefully back in bed and the door swung open as soon as her bed hit the pillow. In
walked Lachran, Kel's oldest nephew and Ander's son, who was almost ten. Fallowed closely
behind him was his little brother, who appeared to be six, and sister. She looked around two
maybe three. It had been so lang since she had seen any of her nieces and nephews that the
excitement from it almost outweighed her sickness. It seemed as if the small group was trying to
sneak into her room unnoticed. Kel smiled.
Eilonwy, the little girl whom Kel only knew from letters home, pulled her thumb from her
mouth. "But Daddy says we can't go in 'till Kelwy wakes up. We get in trwable!(trouble)" The
younger boy, Alec, put his hand over her mouth to silence her.
"I knew we shouldn't have brought her." Lachran stated. "I shouldn't have brought
either of you."
"But– " Eilonwy started,
"If we wake her up ans she tells on us, then we'll really be in trouble. So be quiet." Alec
scolded her.
Kel sat up slowly fighting the sickness. But she couldn't help grinning hearing the young
one's conversation. Lachran saw her and sighed in surrender. "Why did I have to bring you two
with me? Now look." He said pointing to where Kel sat.
"You had to bring us." Alec answered his question. "Or else I'd tell on you." He
admitted with a smile.
"What did you need?" Kel asked startling them. Cautiously the trio approached the bed.
Eilonwy made her way up the bed and crawled over the covers to sit next to Kel.
"Kelwy, are you my ant?" Eilonwy asked confused. "You don't look like a bug." She
stated perplexed.
"She's not ant 'ant' like that," Alec explained. "Girls are so dumb." He continued without
thinking.
Kel raised one eyebrow at him, a trick she had picked up from Neal, "`Really`?"
"I mean...I..." He stammered embarassed.
"Keladry, forgive them. They don't know better, they're just little kids." Lachran
explained.
Kel nodded. "Oh. I see." She got up, trying to control her trembling body. With great
control she lit a couple lamps. So they would have better light. "So why did you come?" She
made her way back to the bed and sat carefully.
"See you." Eilonwy said simply. By now, all three of them had found their way to her
bed and discovered their own comfortable positions. Kel sat next to them and Eilonwy found her
way to Kel's lap. Lachran shook his head at his sister.
"Umm, Keladry..."
"Call me, Kel," she interrupted.
"Kel, you're a squire right?" She nodded listening.
"So that means you were a page before that." He reasoned. "Is it hard? Were you scared?
Did you get picked on?" He asked in a rush. "Did you miss your mom and father? What of you
don't make friends or can't get a sponsor?" The uncertainties tumbled out.
Kel took a deep breath wondering what to say to him. In one of her letters, Ander's
explained how nervous Lachran was. She decided to be truthful. "Yes. It was hard. Yes, I got
picked on. I was the only girl there. All my friends are boys. But you wont get picked on. Yes, I
missed my family, but there are letters and summer visits. Umm...what else did you ask?" Kel
inquired.
"What if you don't make friends, or what if no one will sponsor me?"
Kel shook her head with a smile. So much doubt. "Well, I really don't know you that
well, but I know your parents. You're a Mindelan. Everyone will want to be your friend."
"Really?" He asked skeptically.
"Really really. And well, you'll just have to work hard. Improve your imperfections.
Study hard. Stay out of trouble as much as possible. So you can get a sponsor." She told him.
"It wont be easy, but it's worth it."
Lachran looked at her strangely. "Are you sure?"
Eilonwy put her small hands on her hips. "Yeah. You sure?"
Kel laughed and started to tickle little Eilonwy. "Yes. I'm sure." Kel looked across the
bed and notice that Alec was sound asleep. Just then Anders stuck his head inside Kel's doorway.
"Here they are." Anders stepped inside the small dimly lit room. "Did they pester you?" He asked.
"Wake you up?" He looked accusingly at his three young children.
Eilonwy scowled at her father. "No. We didn't. Gosh."
Kel smiled. "That's right. I enjoyed sending time with them. It's been so long since I
seen any family. It was fun." Anders glanced lovingly at his offspring and younger sister. He
reached down and gently picked up Alec in one arm and took Eilonwy in the other.
"Come on." He beckoned. "It's way past both yours and Kel's bedtime." He softly
kissed Kel's forehead. With a serious glance at Kel Lachran fallowed his father and made his way
to the open door. He stopped and confronted her one more time.
"Thanks for talking to me, Kel. I don't think it will be that bad." He smiled. "It will be
an adventure, right?" Lachran fallowed Anders down the hall.
Kel nodded. "You're welcome." She smiled as he left.
A/N: Hope you liked. what am i saying? Of course you liked it. Just kidding. I'm not that cocky
But if you DID like it feel free to reivew because it would make me extreamly happy. And when
I'm happy, I write, when I write, I post, when I post, you read, when you read, you review (hope-
fully) and when you revew, it makes me happy, and when I'm happy, well you know... REVIEW and I
will love you always Review! cuz it's been 4-eva since I heard from anyone about this fic, so that's
a real bummer for me so I could use some lovin' (Lilo and Stitch get it?) Please REVIEW!
--LDoQ
Lady Daffodil of Queenscove*~*
CHAPTER EIGHT
Child's Play
Kel awoke late that afternoon. She got out of bed dazed, confused, and unsure of her
surroundings. She stumbled around the room knocking things over and making loud noise.
Exasperated she sat on the stone floor with her head in her hands. She was on the verge of tears.
Ilane heard all the noise, and startled she can rushing in.
"Kel, sweetie! Oh I'm so glad you're better. What are you doing on the floor? Come on
get up." Ilane helped Kel back into bed and covered her with layers of blankets. "Sit tight."
Ilane left the scowling Kel alone for a brief second. When her mother returned, she was carrying
a tray. On the tray there was a large cool pitcher of water, a glass, some warm beef broth, bread,
cheese, and some fruit. Kel smiled. She was surprised her mother had come up with so much
food so quickly. Kel hadn't eaten in days. Ilane set the tray down on the bed beside Kel. Kel
immediately grabbed for the bread. It was warm and freshly baked. She took a large bite and
smiled joyfully. "What happened?" Kel asked as soon as she swallowed. Then she to another
equally large bite while waiting for the answer.
Ilane shook her head. "I don't rightly know. I was hoping you would know."
Kel glowered. "The last thing I remember is getting up, I'm not sure how many days ago,
for a long days ride, I think we were headed here. Then right after we started, it began to rain.
Rain heavily, we were soaked..."
"You got here, bathed, and went straight to bed. We tried to wake you the next morning
when Raoul left– "
Kel interrupted. "Raoul left?"
Ilane nodded. "He had to start peace deliberations with Scanra." She looked intently at
her daughter. "What happened to you? You were just gone. We couldn't wake you for the
world. I just thought you were just tired so I left you be. Then you...and Arete, the healer. She
was here with you for two hours. Then Arete came out and she collapsed right in front of me. I
was so scared." Ilane began to weep softly.
Kel shook her head, "I don't remember any of that."
Ilane regained her composure and Kel leisurely sipped her soup as she was told what
Raoul had said before his departure. "He should be back by tomorrow evening or the next
morning." Kel nodded trying to stifle a yawn.
Ilane reached over and strongly hugged her daughter. "Get some rest. You're still tired
from your healing." Ilans stood, picked up the tray, and headed to the door. "You just make sure
you don't go and leave us again." She said with a smile. She was trying to joke, but you could
tell there was genuine concern in her eyes. She closed the door behind her. Kel snuggled down
into the warm of her bed and promptly dozed off.
***
Kel woke up cover it sweat. It had been a rather fitful sleep. Kel noticed she had been
asleep for sometime because when her sight was drawn to the window she saw that night and
darkness had taken their effect. Kel sat up looking for something to clean herself up with, when
the room spun so violently that it almost made Kel pass out. Kel jumped out of bed searching.
Her eyes traveled the room. Just in time, she grabbed the wash basin. Luckily it was already
empty because by the time Kel had recovered from her bought of sickness, it was almost full.
Quietly she cursed herself. "I just ate. Now it's all coming out again. Well," she sighed in sarcasm.
"At least something in her is full." She glared daggers at the bucket. Kel wiped her mouth on her
sleeve and sat on the bed; bucket still in hand, just it case. Her whole body was shaking like crazy.
Kel lay carefully back in bed and the door swung open as soon as her bed hit the pillow. In
walked Lachran, Kel's oldest nephew and Ander's son, who was almost ten. Fallowed closely
behind him was his little brother, who appeared to be six, and sister. She looked around two
maybe three. It had been so lang since she had seen any of her nieces and nephews that the
excitement from it almost outweighed her sickness. It seemed as if the small group was trying to
sneak into her room unnoticed. Kel smiled.
Eilonwy, the little girl whom Kel only knew from letters home, pulled her thumb from her
mouth. "But Daddy says we can't go in 'till Kelwy wakes up. We get in trwable!(trouble)" The
younger boy, Alec, put his hand over her mouth to silence her.
"I knew we shouldn't have brought her." Lachran stated. "I shouldn't have brought
either of you."
"But– " Eilonwy started,
"If we wake her up ans she tells on us, then we'll really be in trouble. So be quiet." Alec
scolded her.
Kel sat up slowly fighting the sickness. But she couldn't help grinning hearing the young
one's conversation. Lachran saw her and sighed in surrender. "Why did I have to bring you two
with me? Now look." He said pointing to where Kel sat.
"You had to bring us." Alec answered his question. "Or else I'd tell on you." He
admitted with a smile.
"What did you need?" Kel asked startling them. Cautiously the trio approached the bed.
Eilonwy made her way up the bed and crawled over the covers to sit next to Kel.
"Kelwy, are you my ant?" Eilonwy asked confused. "You don't look like a bug." She
stated perplexed.
"She's not ant 'ant' like that," Alec explained. "Girls are so dumb." He continued without
thinking.
Kel raised one eyebrow at him, a trick she had picked up from Neal, "`Really`?"
"I mean...I..." He stammered embarassed.
"Keladry, forgive them. They don't know better, they're just little kids." Lachran
explained.
Kel nodded. "Oh. I see." She got up, trying to control her trembling body. With great
control she lit a couple lamps. So they would have better light. "So why did you come?" She
made her way back to the bed and sat carefully.
"See you." Eilonwy said simply. By now, all three of them had found their way to her
bed and discovered their own comfortable positions. Kel sat next to them and Eilonwy found her
way to Kel's lap. Lachran shook his head at his sister.
"Umm, Keladry..."
"Call me, Kel," she interrupted.
"Kel, you're a squire right?" She nodded listening.
"So that means you were a page before that." He reasoned. "Is it hard? Were you scared?
Did you get picked on?" He asked in a rush. "Did you miss your mom and father? What of you
don't make friends or can't get a sponsor?" The uncertainties tumbled out.
Kel took a deep breath wondering what to say to him. In one of her letters, Ander's
explained how nervous Lachran was. She decided to be truthful. "Yes. It was hard. Yes, I got
picked on. I was the only girl there. All my friends are boys. But you wont get picked on. Yes, I
missed my family, but there are letters and summer visits. Umm...what else did you ask?" Kel
inquired.
"What if you don't make friends, or what if no one will sponsor me?"
Kel shook her head with a smile. So much doubt. "Well, I really don't know you that
well, but I know your parents. You're a Mindelan. Everyone will want to be your friend."
"Really?" He asked skeptically.
"Really really. And well, you'll just have to work hard. Improve your imperfections.
Study hard. Stay out of trouble as much as possible. So you can get a sponsor." She told him.
"It wont be easy, but it's worth it."
Lachran looked at her strangely. "Are you sure?"
Eilonwy put her small hands on her hips. "Yeah. You sure?"
Kel laughed and started to tickle little Eilonwy. "Yes. I'm sure." Kel looked across the
bed and notice that Alec was sound asleep. Just then Anders stuck his head inside Kel's doorway.
"Here they are." Anders stepped inside the small dimly lit room. "Did they pester you?" He asked.
"Wake you up?" He looked accusingly at his three young children.
Eilonwy scowled at her father. "No. We didn't. Gosh."
Kel smiled. "That's right. I enjoyed sending time with them. It's been so long since I
seen any family. It was fun." Anders glanced lovingly at his offspring and younger sister. He
reached down and gently picked up Alec in one arm and took Eilonwy in the other.
"Come on." He beckoned. "It's way past both yours and Kel's bedtime." He softly
kissed Kel's forehead. With a serious glance at Kel Lachran fallowed his father and made his way
to the open door. He stopped and confronted her one more time.
"Thanks for talking to me, Kel. I don't think it will be that bad." He smiled. "It will be
an adventure, right?" Lachran fallowed Anders down the hall.
Kel nodded. "You're welcome." She smiled as he left.
A/N: Hope you liked. what am i saying? Of course you liked it. Just kidding. I'm not that cocky
But if you DID like it feel free to reivew because it would make me extreamly happy. And when
I'm happy, I write, when I write, I post, when I post, you read, when you read, you review (hope-
fully) and when you revew, it makes me happy, and when I'm happy, well you know... REVIEW and I
will love you always Review! cuz it's been 4-eva since I heard from anyone about this fic, so that's
a real bummer for me so I could use some lovin' (Lilo and Stitch get it?) Please REVIEW!
--LDoQ
Lady Daffodil of Queenscove*~*