Title: The Forgotten Shall Rise

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: Not telling (But it's not K/N)

Summary: Keladry finds herself trapped between the threat from Scanra and Galla. When New Hope is attacked, and devastated, she can't even ride off to rescue her people, because this time, they were all killed. When she does something both crazy and extremely stupid, she is ordered away from the battlefield. A squad of the King's Own is to accompany her on the long ride back to Corus. But something unexpected is thrown their way. Besides the obvious, that she wasn't going to go without a fight. Thrown into the lies and deceptions of everyday life, Keladry has to fight for what she believes in, and a way back to the front line.

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Chapter Title: Won't Let You Go

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Domitan was worried, with good reason. It wasn't everyday that the second lady knight in several centuries fell from the back of her horse. He had all but leapt from his guard post on the gate wall, only a couple soldiers of the Own holding him back kept him from doing it. As soon as he realized that he would be no good to anyone if he was a mangled and broken heap on the ground, he made a quick getaway down the stairs, leaving the confused guards behind him.

As he thundered down the wooden stairs, he wondered what exactly was going on. After all, the group for New Hope had only left this morning; there was no good reason why Kel would be back so soon. And if there was no good reason, there was almost definitely a bad one. Now, the bad reason could be all number of things, from minor problems, to major tragedies. He hoped it was the former, not the latter.

He blatantly ignored anyone who attempted to speak to him on his run to the bottom. And to Keladry. Finally, some of the men in the Own who had been on guard with him had realized that he just might need help if there was a problem. He could hear their footsteps behind him.

He continued his desperate run for the outside, only to be stopped. As he ran headlong into Raoul. Not even noticing the other man, he quickly picked himself up and nearly ran off again, but for Raoul grabbing his arm. And Raoul was just as strong as he looked.

"Where are you off to?"

"Kel. Fell off. Horse." With that, he wrenched out of the Giantkiller's grip, a truly amazing feat, and kept on running.

"Wait!"

Dom didn't wait to find out what Raoul wanted. By the time he even realized Raoul had said something, he was ordering the gate keeper to open the gates for him. Willing himself to stay calm, he ran over to Keladry. Her eyes were closed, and her skin quite a bit paler than usual. She had fallen on the hard dirt road, and was now dusty and crumpled on the ground. Carefully, he slipped a hand under her chin to check her pulse. It was slow, but it was there. Breathing a sigh of relief, he crouched next to her, waiting for help, one of her hands squeezed tightly in his own.

He wasn't disappointed. Within minutes, the men who had followed him from the top of the wall, came running, a healer in tow. When they formed into a circle around him and Keladry, and the healer pushed through to the center, Dom looked the man straight in the eye.

"What's wrong with her?" He demanded.

The healer leaned over the Lady Knight, felt her pulse, looked at her eyes, prying the eyelids back, which, Dom thought, was quite creepy.

"I can't say for sure yet, but it looks like some kind of poison."

There was a stunned silence from all the men. "Poison?" A corporal asked. "How could she have been poisoned?"

Dom just stared stupidly at her, or so it seemed. Really, he was looking to see if she carried anything that might still hold poison. Spotting the small leather bag tied to her belt, he worked it free, and opened it. Dumping the contents into his hands, he closed his eyes briefly, as though in pain.

"Look."

In his hand, he held four vibrant purple berries.

The others stared at his hand for a minute, contemplating just what this meant. Dom just stared at Keladry. They still didn't even know why she was here, or where the others were. And at this rate, they may never now.

The healer stood up briskly and nodded to Dom. "Bring her to the infirmary."

Dom, a little uncomfortable with touching her when she was unconscious, as though this was crossing some sort of line as her friend, employed a couple of his men, whom he trusted completely, he wouldn't let any of the newbies touch her, to do it. He looked around a minute, as if seriously considering something, and Dom rarely did any serious considering, he made split second decisions, as was required of him.

"Someone needs to go get Sir Nealan of Queenscove."

The men of his squad just stared at him. It was well known that Neal and Dom got along well, if in a slightly strange way, unique to them. But for him to ask Neal for help, that was just downright strange.

But the look on his face promised that there would be hell to pay if they dared to question it.

"How many?" One of the men Dom had been working with for years asked. Having met Neal first hand, he knew one man just wouldn't cut it. Neal really wasn't much of a pacifist. Actually, he was as far from passive as a sane person to get, though, you could never really tell if Neal was sane. It was a tough call, and one that most would not even take a guess at, for fear of angering the subject, something else done very easily. To bring Sir Nealan of Queenscove in, still retaining most of your sanity, not to mention your life, you needed quite a few well trained soilders.

"Three. Go now, ride hard. Don't stop. I want you back by tomorrow night at the latest."

It was clear these were orders. The men looked among themselves and without a word, three of them separated from the others, and started the short run to the stables.

"Wait!" Dom yelled.  "Don't tell him anything, just that he is needed!"

That was important. Neal was very difficult when upset, or overly strong in any emotion. If Neal knew exactly why he was being called back, Dom had no doubt that his men would suffer the worst of it. He wasn't sure if he wanted to draw him into this, but he owed it to him. Keladry was Neal's best friend. He couldn't do that to Neal, not if he wanted to live to see Keladry awake again.

He didn't have any doubt in his heart that it would happen, that she would wake up, and laugh, and say "Sakuyo laughs." He didn't hold any doubt in his heart, but there was plenty in his rebellious mind. It wouldn't let him lead any false hopes. It was just the plain and simple truth. She might not come back.

But now he had to get Keladry to the infirmary, without stopping to throw up to try and rid the sickness from his stomach. This wasn't right, this shouldn't be happening. He didn't understand why it was.

Something had happened. And something had changed. But that didn't explain anything.