Chapter 2: Raoul's Rage
Once again, Raoul was throwing his Midwinter parties. Kel, Neal, Merric, Cleon, Buri, and the entire of the King's Own were invited and they all showed up. Raoul and Buri sat on a bench near the fire. Neal and Merric were silently laughing. Those two had been the constant mockery of the court because of the fact that Raoul had been completely against getting himself married. But there they were.
Kel was sitting on the window ledge looking out the window. Owen was having his hand rigorously shaken by Lord Wyldon for surviving his Ordeal and becoming a knight. Kel was just starting to daydream about the tournaments to come when a hand rested on her shoulder. "Opal of my heart…" Kel looked up to see Cleon standing above her with a smile playing across his lips. Kel smiled back and stood up. She crossed the room and told Raoul and Buri goodnight.
Cleon and Kel left the crowded study and walked down the halls. Kel leaned her head against Cleon's shoulder and he sighed. "For once I want Midwinter to be over…"
Kel looked up. "Why's that?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"So we can see if you're going to die a virgin or not." Cleon laughed. Kel elbowed him. "I should have seen that coming." They both laughed.
Kel turned. "Oh look! It's my old room!" Cleon leaned in to read the name on the slate. "Christiana of Riversedge…Looks like you've started something sunrise." Kel smiled. "Good!"
Cleon kissed her. The door creaked ajar and the two jumped apart. Kel sighed. "Come on. Let's go." They walked back down towards the party, but didn't turn into the study. Instead they went to Kel's room. Sitting down on the bed, Cleon sighed. Kel sat next to him. "What's wrong?"
He kissed her. "I'm not upset. I'm just relieved. That whole time I was riding home, I kept thinking that I was losing a girl I loved for one I barely know. And now I have you back." He smiled and Kel blushed. She leaned in. "I love you too."
They started kissing. An all too familiar scene from when they were on progress began when the tunics were discarded. It was then that Raoul opened the door. "KEL!"
The two jumped apart. Cleon and Kel stood up. Kel bowed her head. He was her commanding officer and she had to deal with that. "Yes sir?"
Raoul walked over and picked up the tunics. He glared at Cleon. "Get this on and get to you chambers. Kel-get yours on and come back here."
Cleon wanted to kiss her, but restrained himself so that Raoul wouldn't get much angrier. He muttered to Kel, "Goodnight fair love."
Kel smiled. "Goodnight." She picked up her tunic and put it back on. Returning to Raoul she said, "I'm sorry sir."
Raoul looked at her neck. "For one, you didn't even have your pendant on." Kel felt her neck. Sure enough the fine gold chain wasn't there. Raoul sat down on her desk chair. "Listen Kel. You need to be careful at the palace. You've got the king and queen as well as me, Buri, Allana now and then, and the training master. If you two had…" he trailed off. Then he sighed. "Just promise me that you'll keep that to the camps at tournaments. Or better yet, after you've married."
Kel gasped. "How did you know? We haven't even decided…"
Raoul smiled. "Cleon came to me. He asked me if I thought it would be ok for you two to marry since you're both in the Own…"
Kel could tell that bad news was coming. "What?"
He sighed. "I have to speak with the king."
The lady knight's eyes widened. The king was fair, but… "When?"
"After midwinter. Now, go to sleep. And I don't mean after a stop at Cleon's."
She smiled. "I'll behave. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."