Chapter 10

The corridors in the fort of Pirates' Swoop were lit dimly with oil lamps. Keladry journeyed through the maze of corridors to reach her rooms. She just had an educating talk with George, he told her stories about mistakes he made when he became the Rogue, and what to do in certain situations. She doesn't expect Joren to be in their rooms, as he had to patrol that night. The enemy kept nipping at shores near Pirates' Swoop, and the country could need someone of Joren's talents to fight when the enemy tried to land on shore and attack. That night, Joren thought it was best not to let Kel join him, in case anything might happen, and she was wounded, or worst killed. It upset her incredibly, she tried hard not to argue with him about it, after all the fighting they have been through together; surely he would know she was extremely capable of fighting. From her Yamani training, she decided to follow orders and kept quiet.

She opened the door to her rooms, and her spirits lifted up when she saw Shineal in her room inspecting her weapons.

"Good evening Shineal."

Shineal unsheathed a dagger she had once given to Kel as a gift. It was a special dagger, with small crystal implanted in the hilt. It was filled with protection magic, designed to alert danger to the user.

"Funny thing about how this dagger doesn't seem to work anymore." Said Shineal in a curious way, Kel frowned.

"Haven't you noticed Kel? That whenever the enemy attacks the coast around here, the dagger's magic seems dead, as if someone had, kidnapped its magic." Kel's mind began thinking over Shineal's words.

"I haven't been noticing much."

"Possibly because you were always preoccupied with other things." Shineal muttered, it was enough to make Kel feel like her cheeks were slightly hot.

"Alright, enough teasing and hinting. Lock the door Kel."

It was just before dawn, and Kel has woken up as usual, but in the past weeks she found herself waking up feeling warm and it made getting out of bed even more difficult than it could be. However this morning she was extremely keen on jumping out of bed and leaves the room to do a task.

Soon she found herself standing outside of George's study. She knocked loudly; it was silent for a long time and suddenly the door swung open, a dagger in George's hand. When he saw who it was he tucked away his dagger again.

"Morning Kel, I'm sorry for the caution. I don't like morning surprises." He said with a grin. He closed the door behind her.

"Can you lock the door George, and with magic?" She asked, George did not hesitant, and hung a pendant with runes inscribed onto the door handle.

"Well, I presume you have something important to tell me." He said as he motioned the arm chairs in the corner. Kel sat down opposite him as she was busy thinking about how to break the news to him.

"This is about Joren." She blurted out.

"So you decided to come to me about love, sex and stuff that come with it."

"No, it's not that." Kel blushed; trust George to be humorous with her early in the morning.

"Well if it's not that, then I'm relieved. Now tell me what's on your young mind."

"Joren is not him." She hesitated. "It's someone else, someone with a strong gift, who is strong enough to kill Gods, who is strong enough to attack Tortall. It's the Master, George. He had abducted Joren and is in the enemies lines."

George sat still for a while; Kel could see his mind working and absorbing what she had told him.

"So you are telling me, our enemy is in this fort and he is in disguise as Joren. How clever of him, disguising the wolf as a sheep in a flock. Now answer one question for me Kel. Why, out of all the highest nobles, did he pick Joren and not anyone else, such as Wyldon?"

She sat there thinking about it. She tried to predict when the Master abducted Joren. She began to recall any out of character actions made by Joren which could mean that it could have been the Master. It hit her, which the time when Joren was completely out of character, and has been since was when he kissed Kel for the first time. It also hit her that if it was the Master who kissed her and declared his love. Then it wasn't Joren, therefore it could only conclude to one thing which made her heart cry. Joren doesn't love her.

"The Master chose Joren, because of me." She replied in a low whisper. She let emotions go and held her head in her hands. Life was complicated as it was, but another layer of complications has been added when the enemy decides to play with your emotions. George handed over a handkerchief, which she tried to mope herself up with. She gradually pulled herself together, as she realised now was not the time to be mourning over petty feelings when the whole realm could be at stake.

"Well would you like the other details on why Pirates' Swoop was not directly attacked?"

She began to explain the reasons of why Pirates' Swoop was so quiet from the war and how come Shineal didn't reach her to notify her earlier. She also explained where Joren could be. Soon George and Kel spent the whole afternoon planning on how to get Joren back without the Crown's aid, as it already have enough on their plate to deal with.

When Kel went to see Joren – the Master under thick magical disguise – that night, she agreed to George that she would have to act normal or that could trigger the enemy's alarm. This includes pretending she still loved him as if he really was Joren.

She went into her rooms, when a pair of strong arms embraced her from behind.

"Where have you been my love?" He asked, whilst kissing her neck.

"I've been to see George."

"Why did you see George? Why did you leave the bed so early, and leave me cold?"

She turned round and looked into the blue eyes but found they varied from the blue colour she loved to the mysterious pool of grey, the true colour of the Master's.

"I see someone is jealous." She brushed her lips against his, and found that the feeling she felt when she kissed those lips was dead.

"You can't blame me for not though." He went on with his work, and they were at it as if Kel was still oblivious to the truth and as if the Master was oblivious to the truth that she knew his identity.

AN: I'm so proud of myself. This is the third uploading I have done in a week! But on the other hand I'm supposed to be revising for my mocks, which makes me not so proud of myself.

It's a week and a day or so till Xmas!! So Merry Christmas everyone! And mistletoes for everyone! To wish everyone get's lucky to kiss someone really nice.
Thanks for reviewing: oceanspike, Allimba, alianne of conte, dreamerdoll, ubiguitous girl, soccerchick-08, Mystic Moon Empress. Alenor, Aly Spy, Alcapacien, FanFictionFantom, VampiricEternity, nobody, Darking Queen, parcheezie, Ti-Ti & Joren's Kel.

By the way, I hope the Kel explaining to George bit explains the plot to all you confused readers.
Well that's it, and check out my brand new other fic about Kel who is a photographer, and a really fit model who is.....very sexy and gorgeous!
Love you all!
Take care!