Disclaimer: Same as before...I own.....Lathander, Kalerik, and Tya. That's it
Note to all: I am very sorry about spelling mistakes. The thing is I have a tendency to correct things in my mind when I reread them and therefore do not catch the mistakes. Spell check on my computer automatically changes every error it catches which means everyone's names would be wrong. So I can spell check with that and I'd have to go back and change everyone's names back and honestly that's more work than I want to do with something I do for fun. So I'm immensely sorry if this bothers anyone.
Chapter Seven---The Fire
Kel stood at the door waiting to be announced. Cleon had stopped by to tell her he had something to do and would be late. She took a breath and headed down the stairs.
"Shang trainee Keladry of Mindelan."
When she reached the bottom she bowed and was immediately greeted by Tya.
"Kel!" Tya screeched. "Oh you look great. You still would have looked better in an actual dress. Where's Cleon?"
"Hi." Neal said and smiled at you. "You do look beautiful."
Kel smiled and nodded her thanks. She was wearing a copper under dress with a green kimono of a lightweight fabric. Her sash was also copper. Her long hair had been braided halfway and clipped to her head so the rest fell in waves to her ears. "He said he'd be late."
"Tya. Kel!" Kalerik was walking towards them. "I need you two to come with me after the ball. I have something for you."
"Ok." Kel replied nodding. Tya nodded. She didn't try to cover up the fact that she was still miserable that he was leaving. Kalerik smiled warmly at her before taking his leave.
Neal hugged Tya. "Let's dance." She smiled and allowed herself to be led away by him.
Kel watched them go before heading over to where she saw the others she'd met. As she walked across the dance floor someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her into dancing stance. Startled Kel grabbed onto the person for balance. She looked up into a pair of glittering green eyes.
"Well Keladry if you had wanted to get closer than protocol you could have just asked." Lathander teased smiling as he led her across the dance floor. She tried to jerk from his grip but he wouldn't let her go. "One dance. Please." Kel tried to pull away again and his grip tightened ever so slightly. "Please Kel."
Not wanting to cause a scene Kel nodded. "OK." Lathander smiled at her and loosened his grip. He led her gracefully across the hall. "Lathander?". He turned his green eyes down to her. "Why are you here?"
"To see you." he whispered.
"I doubt it." Kel replied carefully sliding her mask in place. "To see Tya maybe."
Lathander looked at her. "No."
The song ended and Kel stepped away from him. "Bye."
Lathander smiled. "I'll see you later."
Kel headed toward her original destination of the table with the guys. Tya and Neal were already there talking to them.
"Kel!" Tya cried rushing over to meet her. "Was that...."
"Lathander." Kel replied continuing to the table.
"You danced with him!" Tya hissed. "Why?"
"I didn't want to cause a scene." Kel replied.
"Cause a scene doing what?" Cleon asked suddenly walking up to Kel. He smiled at her and hugged her.
Startled, Kel hugged him back. Unthinkingly she looked over at Neal. He met her eyes a for a brief moment before looking away.
Neal watched as Cleon hugged Kel. His gaze locked on Kel's. She looked uncomfortable. He looked away and at the floor. 'Why do I care?' he thought bitterly. 'I have Kel...TYA!. Not Kel Tya.'
"Cause a scene doing what?" Cleon asked again stepping back.
"Refusing to dance with Lathander." Tya answered leaning on an abandoned chair.
Cleon looked at Kel frowning. "Is he causing problems?" Cleon asked.
"He just wanted to dance and catch up." Kel replied with a sigh. "Nothing to worry about.". She glanced over Cleon's shoulder at Neal who was looking at her shaking his head slightly. "Would you like to dance?"
"Of course!" Cleon smiled. He grabbed her arm and led her off onto the dance floor. A few seconds later Neal came out with Tya. Cleon smiled at Kel. "You look very pretty."
"Thank you." Kel replied politely. "You look handsome."
"Thank you." Cleon said and nodded to her. "So who exactly is Lathander?"
"Just an old fellow trainee." Cleon looked at her obviously waiting for more. Kel shrugged. He sighed and nodded. When the song ended Tya cut in and tore Cleon away. Kel headed back toward the table when Neal stopped her.
"Dance?"
"Sure." Kel took his arm and walked back to the dance floor.
"I see Tya didn't get you in a frilly low cut dress." he noted pulling her into dancing stance.
"Not for lack of trying." Kel replied dryly.
"You look beautiful anyway." Neal whispered to her.
"Thank you."
"So you and Cleon?"
Kel shrugged. "Maybe." she looked over at Cleon who was smiling politely at Tya who was talking.
Neal nodded. "Good." he said trying to keep disappointment from his voice. "He's a good guy."
"Yea." Kel nodded. "So Meathead."
Neal groaned. "Yea."
"Where did that come from?" Kel asked smiling.
"Dom." Neal muttered. Kel laughed. "Ignore my cousin he's a bit touched in the head." Kel laughed and Neal smiled at her. "So anymore headaches?"
Kel shook her head. "No. Thank you." Neal nodded.
"So you danced with Lathander?"
"Yes. He grabbed my wrist. I could have gotten away from him but I didn't want to cause a scene." Kel replied. The danced ended and they stood there facing each other.
"I should find Tya." Neal whispered.
"Yea." Kel said quietly. "I should find Cleon." She nodded to him and looked around. She couldn't find them anywhere. She headed to the gardens. Two people sat with her back to her. She studied them. One of them was Tya. The other...was Kal. She saw Kal lean in and kiss Tya's neck.
"Not too much longer my lovely." he said. Tya lifted his head and kissed him.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Do you think we can do this?"
"With the Fire of course we can."
Kel backed out of the garden. Tya and Kal? Tya said Kal was like a brother to her. She entered the main ball room her head spinning. 'Oh Goddess, Neal.' Kel took an abandoned set near the wall forgetting her search for Cleon. 'What's not too much longer? What's the fire?'
"Kel?" Neal was kneeling in front of her. "Are you ok?"
Kel blinked and shook her head. "Yea. Sorry."
"Do you have a headache?" Neal asked his gift sparkling around his hand.
"No." Kel replied. "I was just thinking." She shook her head and forced a smile. "Have you seen Cleon?"
Neal bit back his disappointment. "No. Sorry. Have you seen Tya?"
Kel thought a second. Tell him or no? "No." she replied.
"Well considering we can't find our dates would you like to dance?" Neal stood up and held out his hand.
"Sure." Kel smiled. 'As long as I can keep you away from the gardens.' she thought. She reached up and took his hands allowing herself to be pulled from the seat.
Neal wrapped an arm around her waist. "So are you having fun?"
"I suppose." Kel replied.
Neal smiled. 'Why do I feel so at ease with her? I always feel so on edge with Tya around.' "Am I getting better with the glaive?"
"You mean with a spear." Kel corrected. "Yes you have the patterns down pretty well but a glaive is heavier and the blade is longer. Maybe I'll start you on the glaive soon."
"Great!" Neal said happily. "Are we going to go back to training tomorrow?"
"If that's ok with everyone." Kel replied.
"Neal!" Tya cut in. "I've been looking everywhere for you! You haven't been dancing with Kel the whole time have you?"
"No I was looking for you but I couldn't find you so I asked her to dance again." Neal replied realizing he still stood with his arm around Kel.
Kel stepped away from him. "I'll leave you two to dance." she smiled and walked away. 'He's courting Tya...Tya, not you.' she told herself. She wandered off into the gardens and sat down on a stone bench. She looked down into one of pools of water.
"Why are you here alone? What happened to that red headed fellow?" a voice asked from the dark.
"Why are you standing in the shadows?" Kel retorted. Lathander stepped out of the shadow of a tree and took a seat next to Kel.
"Why are you here alone?" Lathander asked.
"Why do you care?" Kel replied simply studying the water.
"I still love you." Lathander whispered.
"Do you still love Tya too?" Kel said quietly voice unwavering. She looked up to meet his green eyes. They didn't seem as hypnotic as they used to.
"No." Lathander replied. "Just you." he watched her. When she didn't move he continued. "Please Kel. I can't stop thinking about you. I want things to be how they used to."
Kel turned to him. "Like they used to be?"
Lathander looked up at her. "With a few differences of course." he muttered.
Kel shook her head. "No. I'm not doing that again." she pushed herself off the bench. Lathander grabbed her wrist.
"Kel." he hissed.
Kel winced her wrist was burning. She twisted it out of Lathander's grip. A red handprint was burned into it. "You-You don't have the gift." she gasped studying it. She took a step back from him.
"No I don't. I have something better." Lathander grinned his green eyes glowing. He held up a hand and the air grew hot. Kel stood across from him refusing to show him she was frightened.
"What is that Lathander?" Kel asked. Her mind flashed back to the conversation with Tya and Kalerik. 'With the Fire of course we can.'
Lathander smiled. "Just something I picked up. I'm hoping to use it to help people. Now your wrist that really was an accident. I'm just learning how to control it. I hope you'll forgive me."
Kel looked at him hiding her distrust. "I'll consider it." she said and turned around leaving the garden.
Now the fun part. Sneaking out of the ball without anyone noticing her. She stepped into the main room and inched toward the door.
"Kel!" Tya's unmistakable scream rang across the hall. Kel winced and turned around. "Kel where were you?"
Kel slid her sleeve down over the print. "Just sitting in the garden." Kel replied forcing a smile.
"Are you leaving?" Tya frowned. "Cleon was looking for you earlier."
"I'm really tired." Kel lied. "I just want to head to my rooms. Can you tell him I went to bed if you see him?" she asked forcing a smile once again.
"Are you sure?" Tya asked. "It's still early." Kel nodded and turned toward the door. "Neal take her to her rooms." Tya shoved Neal forward.
"No that's ok." Kel said.
"Of course not!" Tya said gesturing them out.
Neal followed a reluctant Kel from the ball room. They walked down the deserted halls in silence. Neal glanced down and noticed Kel holding one of her arms being careful not to touch her wrist.
"What's wrong with your arm?" he asked quietly.
"What?" Kel asked failing to hide her surprise.
"Your wrist." Neal gestured toward it.
"Nothing." Kel replied simply and picked up her walking speed. Neal followed her. "You know I can get to my rooms on my own."
While she was speaking Neal grabbed her wrist and she bit back a yelp. He pushed the sleeve back to reveal the burn.
"Mithros." Neal breathed. He studied it a few moments until he realized it was a handprint. "Who did this?"
"It was an accident." Kel said yanking her arm from his grip.
"Who did it?"
"It's just a burn."
"Coincidently shaped like a hand. No. Who did it?" Neal demanded.
"No one!" Kel snapped back.
"Someone had to-"
Kel cut him off. "Tell me who could have put a burn like that on my hand. Check it for the gift!"
Neal did and apparently found nothing. He looked at her eyes narrowed. "You should keep it covered. People will talk."
Kel nodded and went into her room. She sat down on her bed and pushed her kimono sleeve back up. Did he really mean to help people? She grabbed some spare bandage she kept in one of her bags and started wrapping her wrist.
If he did this on accident what could he do on purpose?
Thank you:
Sheila: Sorry there wasn't much love triangle K/L/N in there. Anyway here's your chapter
Squire-Ron/ja: Well I can't give away everything at once can I? Well this solves part of your question.
BloodSoakedTiger: Yes it's perfectly understandable that you don't kiss the dirty ground. I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations
Ossini: Your review brought me more joy than you could ever know. Thank you
Crazylittlekiwifruit: I'm very sorry for uh putting Dom in there.
Allimba: Thank you
Titi: I suppose you'll have to wait to find out. Although this chapter should probably have been a huge clue.
Rootless Californian: Thank you very much. Hope you liked this chapter
Wake-Robin: I'll go into that later also.
Oceanspike: blush Thank you very much. I hope you liked this chapter also.
Imogenhm: Thank you.