Newer A/N: Hey, I forgot to mention this last time, but if you've already read HT, you don't need to reread all of these. And sorry if your inbox is suddenly overflowing with Author Alerts. Soon, I promise, the twelfth chapter will be out. Heh. Heh-heh.
Yeah, I'm lazy as hell. Shoot. Me. Now.
(A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the kickin' reviews! Just a reminder—Yuki, well, she doesn't exist. I mean, she exists, but Neal doesn't like her. I know this is shameless plot-tweaking on my part, but I'm too lazy to work on an intimate scenario where she cheats on him and/or dies.)
(P.S. Last time I was stupid and forgot to do this, but DISCLAIMER: Recognize it? It's not mine. Simple!)
(P.S.S. This chapter switches back and forth between Kel and Neal's perspective; I thought I should make that clear. Enjoy!)
Neal paced back and forth on the wall, furious at Kel for treating him like a spoiled child. "How dare she?" he thought angrily. "Charging off to fight in battle while leaving me here to do not a gods-curst thing!" He growled in frustration, feeling helpless. Seeing several civilians looking at him curiously, he snapped, "What?! Nothing to see here!" They shook their heads at him and went on their way.
He returned to his melancholy thoughts, muttering about nosy hen-cluckers too inquisitive for their own good. However, beneath his anger at Kel, he felt a deep-seated worry for her. The hairs prickled on the back of his neck as he thought of her against innumerable Scanrans, fighting them off all alone. (He had conveniently forgotten about the squads she had taken with her.) "Come on, Kel," he said softly. "Hurry back soon."
--
Meanwhile, Kel herself wasn't in the best circumstances. Scanrans surrounded her on all sides, and none of her allies were in sight. While the circling enemies respected the reach and sharpness of her glaive, every minute one or two of them crept closer. Peachblossom reared, kicking out at a sudden lunging man, while Kel slashed at two soldiers and gutted a third. Panting, she staved off a blow from behind just in time. They were closing in on her, fast.
"Tobe!" she yelled, still trying to keep a careful eye on her surroundings. "Can you get some of the mounts to throw them?"
She never heard his far-off reply, as she was suddenly preoccupied by the arrow sprouting from her left shoulder. "Augh!" she cried in pain and fury, angry with herself for not watching the trees as well as the horsemen before her. She swung Peachblossom around, attempting to yank arrow from muscle while still fighting off the Scanrans. Peachblossom reared again, and Kel nearly fell, fuzzy from the pain in her arm. She gritted her teeth and tried to stave off the agony now burning through her shoulder, but she knew her Yamani tactics would fail eventually. When that happened, she was easy meat for the surrounding enemies.
--
A voice yanked Neal out of his sulky reverie: "Somebody! Somebody, help!" He recognized Tobe's voice, shrill and high-pitched with panic. Neal suddenly realized Tobe's presence could only mean one thing: Kel was in trouble. He was sprinting before his mind had fully processed this revelation.
"Tobe!" he yelled, still at least ten yards away from the trembling boy.
"Sir Neal! Thank th' gods!" Tobe's temples were streaked with sweat, and a scratch on his cheekbone dripped crimson down his jaw line. Neal prayed the circumstances weren't serious. Maybe Kel simply needed more soldiers. Yes, that was it. Nothing serious at all. Or so he hoped.
"It's Kel, isn't it?" he blurted, wincing at the possible reply.
Tobe nodded. "She's surrounded on all sides, an' she's hurt. It was all I could do t'get away for help."
Neal felt his heart plummet, and he cursed softly. "I told her not to go out there; I knew she'd get herself killed. But did she listen to me? No!" He sighed and shook his head, fully aware of what he needed to do. "I'm going after her!" he yelled over his shoulder as he ran for the stables.
--
Kel felt her grip on her glaive weakening as blood ran from her shoulder. ::Goddess, send help soon,:: she prayed. ::I don't think I can hold them off much longer.:: Four soldiers lunged at her now, all attempting to skewer her on their cruel-looking swords. She sliced one from torso to collarbone in an odd up-down maneuver, and parried with another coming from her front. She tried to keep an eye on the others while slicing at this fellow, who was obviously a trained swordsman. Movement from her left caught the corner of her eye, and she swung her glaive just in time, preventing the skull-shattering impact. She gutted the offending man before he realized what was happening—the surprise in his deadened eyes told the story.
Suddenly, a sharp, fiery pain bit deep into her right side. Kel gasped and clapped a hand to her side. Kel looked down and immediately wished she hadn't: crimson blood gushed from a wound that extended roughly two hands' lengths. Her ears roared, and her vision went dark around the edges; she didn't feel herself topple from Peachblossom.
--
Neal saw her fall.
"Kel! NO!" he yelled, galloping into the fray with sword held high. The Scanrans scattered at the sight of his wild emerald eyes and pale, furious features. He quickly leaned off his brown mare and yanked the fainting Kel off the ground by her elbows, hoisting her into the saddle behind him.
"Nngh...Neal?" mumbled Kel, barely holding onto consciousness. "Don't die on me now, Lady Knight," Neal said grimly, kicking his horse into a full-fledged sprint. "Don't die on me now."
Okay, I just want to make things clear again here (I know I said this at the top, but still): my friend recently expressed unhappiness because Yuki isn't present in this story. The fact is, folks, I'm a lazy person. I wanted this story to focus on Kel and Neal without bringing a love-triangle aspect into it.
Also, review! Third chapter's on the way; boring classes are really very good environments for budding fanfictions. Adieu!