Title: The Forgotten Shall Rise

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: D'you really think I'll tell? Do you? *rolls eyes* I mean, come on people!

Summary: Keladry of Mindelan never asked for much, but now she has got it all. And not in a good sense. The Gods have Marked her, the Forgotten have Chosen her, her country has abandoned her. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with the Will of the Gods replacing her own, it's hard to make the right choices. A mage, a soldier, a knight, and an immortal shall accompany her, but will they be enough to keep her alive when she is wanted dead by an ancient, deadly, forgotten people?

- - - - -

Chapter 9: Nothing to Run From

- - - - -

Slowly, Keladry got to her feet. They watched her nervously as she walked around the edge of the table. When she was parallel to the door, she looked up, and Dom asked the question on everyone's mind.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm running." Was the simple answer. And before they could respond, she was out the door. Neal leapt to his feet and made to follow her. Dom grabbed his arm just before he made it out the door.

"What are you doing?!" Neal snarled, trying to pull his arm out of Dom's grasp. But his attempts were futile, the bigger man had him tight. "I have to follow her! I have to-"

"You have to what, Neal? What can you do?" Dom demanded, looking his cousin in the eye.

The others at the table where watching him in much the same way, with cold restraint. Neal glanced around helplessly.

"What's wrong with you?! Why are you doing this?!" He was getting desperate now, Dom's grip on his arm was turning towards painful. Something had done this to them.

"What can you do Neal?" Dom's voice was mocking. Neal's eyes were frantic, searching for an escape. Raoul had stood up and was making his way over, he had an unforgiving look in his eye. Sebastian was watching with a morbid glee.

"I can be there." Neal said coldly, before turning as much as he could, and punching Dom in the face. He didn't know what had happened to them, but whatever happened because of it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he got out of there.

And he did.

Even as Neal bolted, Raoul looked around wildly. Sebastian's face lost the look of fascination, and he too was glancing around the room in confusion. Wyldon was staring at the table, his eyes narrowed.

Only Dom wasn't somewhat confused. He was too busy trying to stop the blood that was pouring out of his nose.

"Why are we here?" Raoul asked at last. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Dom said. "The last thing I remember is Sebastian telling Kel that story, you know, the one with the princess? Then Neal punching me on the nose and bolting." He touched a finger to his nose and winced. "I think he broke it."

Lord Wyldon let out a laugh and they all turned to look at him. He was still sitting in his chair, but he was laughing so hard that there were tears in his eyes.

"Oh so you find my pain funny, do you?" Dom snapped, holding a handkerchief to his freely bleeding nose.

"Actually, I do, considering it was Queenscove, Queenscove, who," He paused for a deep breath and managed to stop laughing for a minute. It didn't last long. "Who inflicted it!" And he collapsed into helpless laughter once again.

Dom growled and narrowed his eyes, but was stopped from doing something he would regret, namely killing the ex-training master, by Raoul's hand on his shoulder. "Can I suggest seeing a healer before you bleed to death?"

Rolling his eyes, Dom walked out with Raoul keeping him steady. It is understandably hard to see with blood in your eyes.

Sebastian, having already packed his books away again, hurried after them. He was understandably nervous about being left alone with Wyldon, who was still laughing hysterically.

"I don't quite see what exactly is so funny." Dom grumbled as the older man's laughter faded as they walked down the halls towards the infirmary.

Raoul and Sebastian just exchanged knowing glances.

- - - - -

"It has come to my attention that, two days ago, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan was discovered near death at the gates of Fort Mastiff." Lord Marakus of Raideirun. He was speaking before the Hall of Conservation, of which he was a prominent member. Among the Hall where such nobles as the Duke Magistrate, the Lord of Stone Mountain, Duke Whelan of Farscry, and Lord Martin of Meron, from before the time of Lady Alanna.

Their main concern was the conservation of Tortall. Conservation could mean many things, but to these people, it had only one meaning, and that was all it needed. Conservation was the preservation of ways. Conservation was the balance. Conservation was the line between right and wrong. The line between peace and chaos. Conservation was the line between survival and total destruction.

And these female knights were crossing the line. It did not matter that one of them was older than several members of the Hall. It did not matter that she had saved the realm from ruin. It did not matter that she was the King's own Champion. All that mattered was that she was just that, a she.

They had waited many years for something that could prove that women had no place where this one was. They had bided their time, knowing, that someday, the Gods would end this folly. There was no way that they wouldn't. They chose to forget the fact that she was Chosen by a Goddess. A powerful God would see that this just wasn't right, that the balance must be restored.

And this news of the newest Lady Knight's suicide attempt could change everything. They wouldn't need a God to notice what had been there for so long. They could removed the Lioness from the fields and put her back where she belonged, in her den. They could put a real Champion up on the lady Lioness's perch. In times such as this, the realm did not need emotional creatures such as women making decisions.

Now they were in charge. The ball was in their court, and they were going to use this to their advantage. The Lioness had played about for long enough. They had seen her rise, and now they would see her fall. Then the king could halt this nonsense.

They didn't even pause to consider that, just maybe, the king was on her side.

- - - - -

"The Hall met today."

"So? What do you want me to do about it? Kill them all? Because, you know, I wouldn't mind terribly."

"You always do that."

"Do what?"

"Somehow manage to incorporate violence into our conversations. But, no, I do not want you to, how did you put it? Ah yes, kill them all."

"Oh get over it Jon. You know you would enjoy it just as much as I would."

"That's beside the point."

"Really?"

"Well, no. But that doesn't really matter right now. After they had their meeting, they sent a, what did they call him? Representative, to speak with me. He went on about how they had a plan to 'relieve me of my burden'. Whatever it is Alanna, it isn't good."

"We can handle it. We always do."

"This is different. They have real ammunition now. Keladry has endangered both of you. They want you out Alanna. They might be able to do that now. They have something to use. They have power."

"Jon. Listen to me. We can get through this. You just have to concentrate on the war. We need Galla to help us, otherwise this could end badly. I'll take care of the conservatives."

"Alright. Alright. Just don't kill them?"

"Fine."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

- - - - -

"Kel! Kel!"

"What do you want Neal?" Keladry snapped, turning to face him, an uncharacteristic scowl on her face.

"Are you alright?" Neal asked with concern, putting a hand on her arm. He wasn't expecting her to jerk away like she had been burnt.

When she saw the hurt in his eyes, she sighed. "Oh gods, Neal. I'm sorry. I-I don't understand what's happening. How its happening." She turned and struck at the wall with her arm. "It's not fair! I worked so hard and now they're just going to send me back for something I didn't even realize was happening. It's-it's like I've been watching a play. Just sitting back and watching things happen. Except, this time, its me in the play. And-and I can't control what's going to happening to me." She closed her eyes briefly and turned back to him. "I've lost control of my own body Neal."

Neal put his hands on her shoulders. "You're never out of control Kel. You're just-"

"You don't get it." She said bitterly. "Either I'm out of control, or I'm suicidal. And right now," She choked back a sob. "Right now, I'm not sure which one is worse."

"Oh Kel." He sighed and hugged her. "We'll work it out. We will stop this. Don't worry."

"Sure we'll stop it." She mumbled. "But will we stop it in time? Before they take over completely. You heard why they Mark people. To control them, to keep tabs on them. And ultimately, kill them. I don't want to be a pawn of the Gods Neal. I just want to be me. Is that really too much to ask?"

"I don't know what I can say to make it better." Neal said apologetically, smoothing down her light brown hair with one hand.

"Nothing. There's nothing anyone can say. Why do they want me? I can't do anything for them. I have no power. They should have chosen someone important, like Lady Alanna. I'm nobody." Keladry sighed again and raised her head. "What's going to happen to me Neal?"

Neal was torn between telling her the truth, and telling her what would make her happy. But he couldn't lie to her now, no matter how much she needed it. There were times when lies would make everything better. When they were needed to keep people from harming themselves. But Kel wasn't like that. Not when she was in control. Lies could only hurt her now. And she had been hurt enough in the past few days. So, as much as he didn't want to, he would have to tell her the truth. "I-I don't know Kel. I really don't know."

- - - - -

"Nealan of Queenscove did this too you?! Nealan?!" The healer was laughing so hard, Raoul feared for his health. It wasn't that he would get hurt by laughing, he would get hurt for laughing. There is a difference.

Domitan of Masbolle, complete with healers' tape holding his newly broken nose together, was sitting on the edge of a infirmary bed scowling. Raoul couldn't really blame him. Every time someone found out who had done this, it was a laugh a minute.

Obviously the boy wasn't that pathetic. He'd passed the Ordeal after all. It isn't possible to bribe the Chamber, or people would have looked into Alanna's Ordeal very carefully. Carefully because they would have the Lioness breathing down their necks, with a very sharp, very shiny, very dangerous sword in hand. People always tended to be extra careful in that situation. Can't imagine why.

But back to Dom. He was scowling angrily at the healer, obviously seriously considering all the possible ways to kill the man without anyone noticing. That list always tends to be quite limited, because, no matter how hard you try, people always seem to notice dead bodies.

And Raoul knew that from experience. Yes indeed, those bodies tended to turn up when, and where, you least expected it.

"Yes." Dom said through gritted teeth. "It was Nealan of Queenscove. Better known as Meathead. Can I go now?"

"Eh? Oh sure, one minute. Just take this first." The man had managed to stop laughing long enough to pass the sergeant a small cup of something nasty smelling without spilling it all over him. Which, by the way, is quite a mean feat when you've just found out that Nealan of Queenscove, Nealan of Queenscove, had put someone in the infirmary.

With a grimace, Dom swallowed the liquid in one gulp. He slammed it onto the bed, his patience obviously worn thin from all the laughing. He stood up, if a little shakily, and turned to Raoul and Sebastian, who, very surprisingly, had said little since they had left the conference room. He was apparently lost in thought, and, if it weren't for what he could do for Kel, they would have been perfectly happy to leave him there.

As it was, they needed him. He was the only person who knew much about the subject. At least, he was the only person they could find. Dom entertained the notion of finding someone else for a while, but tossed it aside. Right now, Sebastian was the very best, and that was what they needed.

"What do we do now?" Dom asked, looking to Raoul. Raoul shrugged, this really wasn't his call, he wasn't exactly sure what was happening. Whatever it was, it was happening really fast. He turned to Sebastian.

Sebastian just looked at him for a second. "Oh! Right. Er, well, we should probably find Keladry, and Neal, and," He shuddered. "Lord Wyldon."

"He has that effect on a lot of people." Raoul explained.

"Doesn't make it right." Sebastian grumbled, before turning and walking out of the room. Raoul and Dom looked at each other for a moment before running after him.

"Weird kid." Dom commented.

"Yeah."