Title: The Forgotten Shall Rise

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: If you haven't gotten the hint yet, let me make it very obvious. I'm not telling.

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 10: Issues

- - - - -

"We need you to leave here as soon as possible Keladry." Wyldon said urgently, his voice low. They had been unable to secure a conference room for their meeting this time, and had had to make do with a corner of the Mess Hall. The sounds of the soldiers eating and joking with each other drowned out anything they might say, but it never hurt to be too careful.

"Why my lord? Wouldn't I be safer here, at a fort, then on the road?" Kel asked him politely. Even in dire situations she retained her Yamani training. Aside from the clothes she wore, and the language she spoke, she was the picture of a well raised Yamani lady. Though anyone who said as much faced humiliation and defeat on the practice courts.

"The palace has some of the most powerful sorcerers in the East living there, along with a king in command of the Dominion Jewel, the Lioness, and a substantial portion of our army." Raoul interrupted, knowing his answer would be more satisfactory than Wyldon's in Kel's eyes.

"And on the road you will have a mage, a knight, and your own personal squad of the King's Own to keep you alive until you are inside the palace walls." Dom added, keeping one eye on the lively soldiers, ready to warn the others into silence should one come too close.

Keladry glanced at Wyldon, who nodded to confirm what Dom was saying. "A whole squad?" She asked. "Isn't that a bit, much, for one knight? We are fighting a war after all."

Wyldon was about to reply, but Raoul shook his head. They were his warriors, so he would answer for them. Wyldon inclined his head in the big knight's direction, and waited for him to speak.

"We, the King's Own, are honor bound to protect those who need it. And right now, you have the greatest need." He smiled. "Besides, we have a few Rider groups arriving soon to take their places. And your squads from New Hope will be returning here as well."

Everyone at the table was silent for a moment in respect for those slaughtered there. The silence could barely be heard over the din that began just one table over, but it was merely symbolic.

It was broken by Sebastian clearing his throat suggestively.

"Yes Lhocke? What is it now?"

"Requesting permission to debrief the squad sir." The blond answered with a mocking smile on his face. His tone was pleasant enough, but the look in his eyes was enough to make Keladry shiver. This sorcerer was definitely not one to cross.

"Permission granted." Had Wyldon not been slightly preoccupied with the arrival of a very unwanted guest, he might have thought better if this, but is it was, he failed to think it through clearly.

This is quite understandable though. Standing at the front of the room, was the Master of the Mithran Light Aleck of Ramn, one of the oldest members of the Hall of Conservation. He had served in the City of the Gods in the time of the disguised Lioness's at court. Soon afterwards, he and several of his colleagues had relocated to the palace and taken their places among the members of the Hall.

Now he stood in the doorway, flanked by his personal guards, both dressed in gray. He himself was wearing a robe of the darkest black, acknowledging him as a Master. He was not one to be angered either. Is anyone would succeed in dethroning the Lioness, it would be him.

And that was why his appearance was so unsettling. Whatever he was here for, it could not be to wish them well, his disapproval of everyone from Alanna's generation was evident. Even Wyldon rubbed him the wrong way, Aleck saw him as weak for allowing Kel to continue her training. He could understand why she had to go through the year, royal commands were to be obeyed, but Wyldon's decision to keep her on after the first year lost him all of the Master's respect.

Once you lost his respect, you would be hard pressed to regain it. He was a difficult man to impress.

And he had shown up here.

They had to get Kel out of here. And fast.

- - - - -

"My Lady! My Lady!" An out of breath maid careened around a corner, and nearly ran into a passing servant. Mumbling an apology, she stumbled to a halt at a stocky woman's feet.

Alanna the Lioness looked up at the maid, who had the good fortune of being three inches taller than the knight. "Yes?" She asked the woman politely. "Can I help you?"

"Begging your pardon my lady, but my Lord Marakus of Raideirun wishes to see you. Now, if at all possible."

"Really? Is that so?" Alanna muttered under her breath. "Well, we'd better give Lord Marakus what he wants, hadn't we?"

The maid wasn't sure if the Lioness was addressing her or not, so she just stood there, staring at the legend, unsure of what she was supposed to do now. Luckily, the Lioness decided that for her.

"Could you show me to him please?" She asked, all smiles and politeness. It definitely wasn't going to last. If Raideirun wanted what she thought he did, it wasn't going to be pleasant, and neither was she. "Miss, er, sorry, I didn't quite catch your name."

"Miss Tanner if it pleases my lady."

"Miss Tanner, I was wondering, who else is going to be at this meeting?" Alanna asked.

"I believe the King will be there my lady. And the Prime Minister as well." Miss Tanner told the knight.

Resisting the urge to smack the 'my ladies' out of the woman, Alanna smiled grimly. "I thought as much." If she was aware of how much she was frightening the maid with the crazed look in her eyes, and the tight grip on her sword hilt, she didn't show it, and she certainly didn't stop.

Now was time for Lord Marakus to learn just what he was dealing with.

And if someone got hurt in the process, that was just too bad. She hadn't become a knight to sit around and let other people make her decisions for her. And he was going to have to realize that, or he would definitely come out the worse.

The Lioness followed the maid down the hallways, not really paying much attention to where she was going. It wasn't like it really mattered, she knew what Marakus would have to say, and she knew that she, Jon, and Gary wouldn't really be listening to a word he was saying.

It just went without saying.

Unfortunately for them, this time Lord Marakus of Raideirun would have something he had never had before. Something that just might influence the outcome of the conference.

And none of them were going to like it.

That went without saying as well.

- - - - -

Neal had also noticed the Master, and he knew what that meant as well. With a brief look at Wyldon, who gave him a tiny nod that no one, unless they had been looking for it, would have seen.

Standing up, he casually tapped Kel on the shoulder. When she turned to look at him, he looked pointedly at Aleck of Ramn and then at the exit. Thankfully she understood and got to her feet.

With one hand on her shoulder in a somewhat possessive manner, he steered her out of the mess hall, just as the Lord of Ramn spotted Wyldon, Raoul, and Dom. Sebastian had also made himself scarce, presumably to find Dom's squad and explain the situation to them.

As soon as they were out of earshot of the Mess Hall, Neal removed his arm, and Kel turned to face him.

"Who was that?" She asked him, an incredulous look in her hazel eyes.

"That was Lord Aleck of Ramn, a Master of the Mithran Light, and a very old member of the Hall of Conservation." Neal replied. "We are going to want to stay out of his way. We'll actually probably end up leaving late tonight, or early tomorrow morning."

"But why is he here?" Kel asked him desperately. He realized then that she didn't really understand the repercussions this was going to have on everyone. Even then Lioness. No, especially the Lioness.

"Probably to get rid of you. That's why we have to leave. If he gets his hands on you, it really won't be pretty. Wyldon and Raoul will stall him, Dom will slip away, and you and I will get ready to leave. Now."

"Neal, I don't have anything. Well, except for what was on Peachblossom. Which is limited to some weapons, two changes of clothes, my griffin feather band, bruise balm, my tent and bed roll, and a few saddle bags with pots, pans, utensils and such. And that's all packed." Kel told him with a wry smile.

"Then you can help me pack. All my stuff was put in my room. And we will get more clothes for both of us. Dom and the squad are in charge of food and all that, and Sebastian, actually, I don't know what he's getting, and I'd prefer to keep it that way." Neal said, forcing a positive tone into his voice. He gave her a push in the general direction of his rooms. "Let's go!"

With a sigh, she did so, with Neal following her, running off some sort of checklist in his head. Some of the items he mentioned made her wince, and some made her wonder just what they were going up against. About to ask him that, she realized none of them really knew.

But if they didn't know, how were they going to fight it?

- - - - -

"Where is the Lady Knight, Lord Wyldon?" Aleck of Ramn asked, his voice even and polite.

"I believe she is practicing with some men of the King's Own outside Lord Aleck." Wyldon replied, his voice equally polite, if much stiffer. Across from him, Raoul stiffened. He didn't blame the Commander, the Master was a formidable man, and they were plotting to try and out smart him. It wasn't something you did twice, if you even managed the first time.

While Raoul was famous for his skills in combat, Aleck was equally famous for his skills in 'negotiation' and magic. The two were seldom separate.

But Wyldon didn't doubt they could fool him. He was as conservative as they got, and conservatives generally don't have very open minds.

He remembered the time when he himself had been one of them. Times were different now though, and he would use any warrior who came his way, male, female, or dancing bear. And, as much as he hated to admit it, the Lioness was an astounding opponent, and with a few years experience, her successor would be too.

But these conservatives would sooner throw themselves of a cliff than admit that these women were talented fighters. No matter how many times over they proved it. And it could prove very dangerous to underestimate them, you would never know to watch your back.

"Ah, I understand." The man's oily tone led Wyldon to believe that he did not understand, but thought he did. These conservatives were all the same. "Tell me then, Lord Wyldon, what do you propose to do about this, issue."

It was easy to tell that by issue he did not mean what had happened, but Keladry herself. He had assumed, and wrongly so, that Wyldon would want to get rid of her. He would just have to learn that it never pays to assume, especially when those two were involved.

"Issue? I do not believe there is an issue." Wyldon said politely, kicking Raoul under the table, as he had been about to snap at the Lord of Ramn. Something that was never a good idea, no matter who you were. Glaring at the Knight Commander, he awaited the Master's reply.

"Oh come now Wyldon, you know what I speak of, there is no need to pretend there is nothing wrong. I know you feel the same way I do." Wyldon resisted the urge to shout at the man, but forgot to keep an eye on Raoul while doing so.

"Ramn, I believe the only issue here, is yourself, so if you will kindly remove yourself from my sight before I do it myself." The knight snapped, his eyes hard and merciless.

Wyldon shifted uncomfortably in his seat, stuck between the two. Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak was another person you never, ever wanted to cross. For a moment, it was a test of wills, but the Master backed down.

"Very well, Wyldon, I will be seeing you later. Count on it." And then he turned and strode away, still flanked by his two guards.

"Ah, that's much better." Raoul said contentedly, leaning back in his chair. Dom, who had been silent the entire time, was staring at his Commander open mouthed. Wyldon wasn't much better off. Catching sight of the two, the Commander stared at them. "What?"

Shaking his head, Dom stood up. "I'm going to go rescue Sebastian from my squad." He appeared to think for a minute. "Actually, I'm going to go rescue my squad from Sebastian." He too walked away, leaving Lord Wyldon staring at Raoul slack jawed.

When he finally awoke from his stupor, he leaned forward and smacked the bigger knight upside the head. "Idiot." He growled, before standing up and taking his plate to the front of the room, and leaving to find Keladry and Neal, no doubt.

Raoul just slumped back further in his chair, deep in thought.