Adventure Follows.
Kel had just finished bathing and dressing when the bell rang for supper. Sighing, she ran a comb through her slick honey colored hair and left her rooms. She walked down the long flagstone hallways, skipping slightly. She didn't know why, but she felt so happy and refreshed tonight. Everything was good. Her dream of becoming the second Lady Knight of Tortall had been accomplished, and she had some of the best friends ever. Blayce the Nothing Man was defeated, Kel could ride with the Own, and weapons practice was going well as she grew stronger every day.
Kel grabbed a plate and piled it with food, smiling at the chefs. She had always respected their work, and soon they were smiling and waving every time she came for a meal. Sliced potatoes covered with a thick cheese sauce and bacon pieces, flip-fried eggs, a large piece of brown whole-wheat bread and cold milk made up her dinner that evening. She spotted her friends at their usual table. It was the same table they had sat at as young pages, and then stayed at as squires. Lord Wyldon often made them move when they were squires to the proper squires' hall, but as soon as they were knighted, they had moved back to their favorite table.
Kel grinned as she sat. She could still remember the look of horror on "the Stump's" face as full grown knights and Own members gently pushed through the little pages to their table. It was special to them though, it held so many memories for all of them. Neal had carved his initials so many times in the underside of the wood Kel thought someday it would collapse from lack of strength. Throughout their page and squire years, Neal's typical infatuation with every court lady that came to know him had gotten their initials carved next to his with a big heart every time. Merric had stabbed his knife into the wood every time his temper got the better of him. Then he would blush and pull it out, trying not to notice the ring of stab-marks left in the wood from all his years. Where Kel sat, the varnish had begun to chip off during her second year, and she often picked at it when she thought or was trying to avoid Neal's inquisitiveness. Thus, the table was quite old and tortured, but anytime Wyldon attempted the persuade the King to dispose of it, he reminded the training master of the loyal table-sitters and refused to replace it.
"Kel! So nice to see you!" Neal said fake enthusiastically.
"Is something bothering you Neal?" She asked sardonically.
"You're late." He replied.
"So? Not like you've never been. Besides, I did have to bathe you know."
"But, Kel!" He whined.
"Neal, you never cared before, why now?" She asked tiredly. Dom's eyes glinted.
"Go on Neal, tell Kel why you've missed her so." He was grinning from ear to ear.
"What?" She asked. A look of happy realization dawned on her face. "Oh! My dear Meathead, is Dom picking on you again?"
Neal went red as Dom snickered.
"I'm sorry, Mother. I knew Neal would need his mommy to keep the big boys away from him, and I took advantage of that." Dom laughed.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you, my dear friend who just happens to be a big strong knight himself, but I was getting ready." Kel said.
"Hmph." Neal replied haughtily. "I thought at least you would defend me from this beast, Kel" He said, indicating his cousin.
"Of course I will Neal! Dom, leave poor Nealan alone. He doesn't deserve this from you. Only I have that right." She smiled, catching Dom's laughing eyes.
"Why! I will have you know, Keladry, that I do not need your protection. I simply hoped you would work your charms on this great oaf here because-" Kel interrupted him.
"Now, Neal, don't get your tightie-whities in a bundle. Dom is going to leave you alone now, aren't you Dom?" She put her hand on his shoulder, laughing, then took it away.
Finished with her meal, Kel excused herself with a lame story about needing even more practice, even though she had just gotten exercise before dinner, and left the hall thinking. The candlelight from their table affected her normally practical self. She practically flirted with Dom!
'Putting my hand on his shoulder and laughing like some ditzy court lady!' She thought. 'Ugh.'
The worst part wasn't even that, which made her shudder. It was that Neal had noticed, and her fears were confirmed as a slow smile had spread across his face. 'Oh no.' She thought. 'I shall never live this moment down. Neal will never let one moment of impracticality from me go.' She gave a deep sigh, and headed for her rooms.
Kel lit a wide and decorated candle on her nightstand, and pulled out her book on the last lady knights of Tortall and it's neighboring countries. Her pillows were propped high on the headboard of her bed, and she sat down for a relaxing night. Something itched at her mind though. She had been worried for Hoshi for several months. The mare was constantly gaining weight, and became sullen and fatigued if worked longer than an hour every day. It bothered Kel, before her mare had had the endurance to last for hours on the trail. She tried exercising her more for a few days to bring up her speed and lung capacity, but it only got worse, and she lessened the workload and fed her more afterwards. Kel decided to give it another week before she called in Daine. It could have just been a particularly nasty summer cold, so she waited. Still, it nagged at her mind, and she planned on visiting Hoshi in her stall that night, just as she had every night for the past two months.
A knock at her heavy wooden door brought Kel out of her worries. She groaned quietly and went to answer it.
"Dom!"
"Kel. I. Mmm. I found this in the practice courts. I believe it's yours?" He asked smiling. She took it gratefully.
"Thanks, Dom. I must have been thinking of other things and forgot it." She replied. They stood in an awkward silence for a moment before Dom asked if she would like to practice with him early the next morning.
She thought back to her plans. Nothing. "Of course! I'll meet you at the sixth bell?" He nodded, grinning as he always did making her feel like she would melt, and left.
Kel examined the pretty knife after she shut her door. It was shinier than usual. 'Oh Dom.' She thought. 'He polished it for me.' Kel sighed. Why did he always have to do that? Just when she could reduce thinking about him to two times a day, he went and did things for her, and smiled like that.
She still couldn't believe she had left one of her best weapons lying in the dust like a piece of cheap metal. Then it hit her. The drawings, the words…'Oh by the Goddess!' She thought. 'The dust!'
Kel sprinted out of her room at top speed, bowling into anyone dumb
enough not to move out of her way. A look of surprise had crossed her face when she remembered, and she didn't think she had ever run faster in her whole life. Her boots clapped loud on the flagstone floor, and she didn't notice as Neal barely escaped her hurling force and Dom saw her run like the devil was after her. Through the double doors, up the hill and around the corner, past the stables…'Almost there!' She thought.
Kel found the practice courts and fell to her knees on the dirt where she had sat after her practice. Her calves throbbed from the sudden stop, but she searched everywhere, looking for the simple little design in the dirt. She was relieved when it seemed to have disappeared, until the twisted shape caught her eye. There it was. Plain as day.
'There was no way Dom missed this', she thought unhappily. 'Oh Goddess'. What could she do? He had already seen it. So, without thinking, she did the natural. Kel swiped away the marks, hoping that by making them disappear, they would disappear from Dom's mind too.
She sat there on her knees, her hands in her lap, staring at the earth where she had ruffled the earth. The stars were bright in the midnight sky, but she
didn't budge.
Dom was confused. Kel had run out of the palace with a look on her face like the King had told her another war was brewing. She had seemed fine when he returned her Raven dagger, but just then? He walked quickly to the grand library's upper level, and peered out the window. He could just make out her dark silhouette against the nearly-gone sun. Her hair fell in her face as she sat on her knees, staring at the ground. Realization hit him, and he smiled fondly. She looked horrified that he may have seen the results of her daydreaming. 'Maybe I won't tease her this time,' Dom thought. 'She looks thoroughly petrified.'
Kel was petrified. Just thinking about anyone else, especially Dom, seeing her 'art', made her cringe. Slowly, she pulled herself of the dirt, not even bothering to dust off. Hoshi needed to be taken care of. She wandered slowly to the stables, swaying slightly.
Kel peeked over Hoshi stall door and gasped. Her beautiful dark horse was laying down on her side. Not even her head was raised, like it was when she was just resting. The mare had her eyes closed, her tail laying straight out, and her legs pulled tight against her barrel. Kel quickly entered the stall and fell beside the pretty mare, stroking her.
"Hoshi?" She asked with a trembling voice. Stefan hadn't mentioned that she was this sick! Kel had no idea what to do. Daine had left for the week to spy as a hawk, Stephan was temporarily replaced with a younger more inexperienced hostler while his wife gave birth to their second child. She could think of no one to help Hoshi. She wrapped her arms around Hoshi's neck and layed down in the soft hay, letting tears run down her cheeks. 'Stone' she thought, but knowing her horse might die, she couldn't help it. After a while, she stopped fighting to remain calm altogether. Hoshi wiggled her lips vigorously over Kel's hair, trying to comfort her mistress, but to no avail. Kel was silent, not wanting to draw attention even at this late time of
night, but the tears still flooded her face.
Gentle but firm hands pulled her off of Hoshi, and into strong arms. It was Dom.
"Kel?" He asked worriedly. 'Oh no.' She thought. 'Oh no. This isn't happening. What is he doing out at this time of night?' She swiped at her eyes fiercely, trying to pretend everything was fine. She smiled, which was soon followed by an unwanted waterfall of tears as she saw Hoshi.
"She's really sick, Dom. I can't help her. Daine is gone!" She said vehemently. He put an arm around her shoulders, and drew into him. She sighed, staring at her horse.
"Hoshi is going to be fine, Kel. She is a strong horse." He comforted her, but Kel was still worried to the point of feeling sick. Nevertheless, the endless bouts of tears had left her exhausted, and she promptly fell asleep on Dom's shoulder.
Kel felt a bit fuzzy. A sweet, musty smell surrounded her as she zoned in and out. She knew immediately she wasn't in her room, asleep. A strange sound had brought her to conciousness. Her eyes peeked open through her lashes, and saw Dom was asleep too. Hoshi was sitting up! Her neck was upright as she layed down, twisted to look behind her. The sound came again, goosh. Hoshi flicked her tail back and closed her eyes. Kel stared.
"Are you okay, girl?" She asked worriedly. Kel rubbed an eye. Wait. 'Was that…?' She wondered if the lack of sleep was affecting her vision. 'Was that a hoof protruding from behind Hoshi?' Kel's eyes widened.
"DOM!" She half-yelled. "Dom get up!" He woke instantly, reaching for his sword with a panicked look on his face. He stopped, seeing her, in Hoshi's stall, with him.
"What the…" He started.
"She's foaling, Dom!" Kel squealed, smiling. Dom instantly snapped up and watched, amazed.
"I'll get hot water and towels," he offered, and was gone. Kel was shocked. One of the younger apprentice-hostlers must have accidentally put Hoshi in the pasture with the other broodmares! All along, she had been worried of cold symptoms and laminitis, but really her mare was just saving energy and eating for a foal!
Dom was back within minutes, a heavy pot of boiling water in his hands, towels draped over his shoulders. He set them down in the opposite clean corner of the stall, and they waited. Neither Kel nor Dom had seen such a thing before, but Kel knew it was something she would never forget.
The foal was out, and Hoshi nuzzled and licked her. Kel and Dom took towels and dipped them in the now-warm pot of water. Hoshi allowed them to gently clean her baby, which Kel later determined was a little filly. They stroked both mother and baby horse, amazed at the new life that had just been brought into the world. She believed Daine called it "imprinting". After a few minutes, Kel cleaned out the messy parts of Hoshi's stall, and she and Dom lay down to leave mother and baby to bond. Within minutes, they were both asleep, laying all the way down in the hay next to the filly and Hoshi, Dom's arm wrapped around Kel.
"Neal!" Lord Raoul called, holding his warhorse.
"My Lord! It's good to see you." Neal replied truthfully.
"Well, how are you son? Got your eye on Lady Amantine?" He asked, grinning.
Neal blushed.
"Ah, yes sir. She is the flower of my heart! The epitome of my dreams, the-"
"That's wonderful Neal" Raoul interrupted. "Listen, would you mind doing me a small favor?"
"Well, it does depend sir, but I will do what I can. You see, if you asked me to go murder myself I would have to-"
"Neal!" Raoul interrupted again.
"Sorry milord. You were saying?" Neal looked somewhat sheepish.
"I was actually hoping to have a jousting match with Kel. I checked her rooms, and the mess hall, and her study. I can't find her anywhere. Could you perhaps saddle her horse please while I warm up Drum here?" He asked. Neal looked a bit green.
"Milord-" He started.
"Not Peachblossom, Neal. He is still recovering from that nail he picked up. Hoshi would be fine." Neal nodded his agreement and left for the stables.
He picked his way along, kicking rocks that got in is way like a child. Passing Peachblossom's stall, Neal gave him a wide birth. He wondered where Kel could be, and reached Hoshi's stall. Staring at his feet, he slowly opened the stall door and entered backwards. He turned around, clucking to the mare, and let out a strangled squeak.
His eyes widened to the size of saucers as he took in the scene. A filly was curled up next to Hoshi, Kel was curled up to Dom. All four were sound asleep. An enormous grin spread across Neal's face as he slowly slipped back out to the practice courts.
"Oh Milord!" He called sweetly. "Milord Raoul! I believe there is something of the utmost importance that requires your noble presence at once!"
Raoul hopped off his horse. "What do you want Queenscove?" He growled.
"Oh I don't know, milord," he said, fluttering his hand like a court lady. "I just saw the most interesting thing regarding your former squire…in the stables. But since you are in a rush, I'll just handle it on my own." He stated happily, turning.
"No! I'm coming." Raoul replied gruffly.
Neal hurried him along into the stables, grinning like a madman. Raoul half expected to see his archnemesis, Joren, dead in the stables. But no. He had said something about Kel. Was she hurt? No, he would never be happy to see Kel hurt. Curiosity was killing Raoul as he approached Hoshi's stall.
"Oh my" His black eyes snapped. To Neal's surprise, the Giantkiller chuckled. And then he laughed. It was a full out bellow, and he wiped his streaming eyes.
"Kel!" He choked. "My dear old squire. Sergeant! Awaken!" He continued to chuckle hysterically as Neal grinned like a fool.
Dom could feel himself tuning into the sounds above him. Despite his wretched tiredness, he recognized Lord Raoul's voice. 'Oh well.' He thought. 'An order is an order.' He opened his eyes and shook the sleep from his head, hair flopping over his face.
"Oh, Domitan!" Raoul was almost merry. Dom did not like the cheerfulness in his voice. Nothing good ever followed that cheeky tone in Raoul's naturally deep voice. He groaned and woke, blinking up at Raoul. Kel woke just then, rolling over in Dom's arms, also blinking up ahead.
'What is going on?' She too recognized Raoul's voice, and his face peering down at her. Neal was there too, grinning from ear to ear. Was she in the infirmary?
"Kel." She heard Dom whisper to her and looked around at him. 'Oh no.' Her eyes flew open. 'Gods forgive me if I ever live through this.' She thought desperately. 'No no no no no no! Goddess, no.' She again looked up at the grinning faces of her sarcastic best friend and old knight master. Dom was rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.
"Milord!" She called up. "Umm…well. I've figured out what was wrong with Hoshi!" She added enthusiastically, hoping to distract them. "She was pregnant! See the filly? Heh."
'Oh gods.' She whispered and flopped back down.
'You said it all,' Dom replied grinning slightly. 'You do know we will never live this one down, don't you?'
Kel sighed. 'Yes, I know.' She glared up at Neal, clearly saying "I will beat you to a pulp if a word comes out of your mouth." Still, she knew nothing she threatened would keep Neal quiet. He was incapable of such things.
Both of them took to examining the little filly, trying to ignore Neal and Raoul in hopes they would go away and forget about it. They didn't.
Okay guys, this chapter was extra long just for you! Now I think I deserve for you to give me some REVIEWS! If you have a specific plot in mind or partial plot you would like to see show up, you gotta tell me!
Honkytonk U