Chapter Four (Wahoo)

Kai went back to her old apartment, which was in an inn so dirty and unpopular that the room hadn't been rented even in the flurry of activity of Midsummer. She was able to convince Danai by this that she really wasn't ashamed of her life on the streets; after all, who would go back to a life they hated if they had the opportunity to live in the palace, even as a maid? Kai returned to her dancing, minus the ankle that she had twisted in her unfortunate fall, and, for her, at least, the chaotic events of that very long Midsummer's Day were quickly lost in the bustle of normality.

Kel's POV

Day after Midsummer

Kel had noticed throughout class that some people seemed very distracted that day. Zhahir and Ferdon, some of Joren's other remaining friends, were making faces at one another between bouts of studious stares at the pages of notes on the table in front of them whenever the teacher happened to glance in their direction. Kel did not like the expressions on their faces as they mouthed jokes to one another and attempted to contain their laughter.

Her glance quickly moved, settling instead on Faleron, who looked very thoughtful, even though she was certain that he had no idea what the teacher was saying. She hid a smile with her mask and nudged Neal, nodding at Faleron. Neal grinned openly, obviously very amused, but she couldn't imagine why. She found it odd that Faleron, who was normally so studious, could be occupied by something else. Kel wondered if it was Joren becoming a murderer, since that had clung to her mind since yesterday.

All last night she had been haunted by the sight of the dead man's body, Joren's bloody sword, and his expression of disgust as he turned away. Could he really not feel anything for the man he had killed? Wasn't he at least guilty that he had used his palace training to take advantage over the people that he was supposed to protect?

The teacher, Kel saw as she finally resumed paying attention, was waving his arms about as he shouted about a battle that had taken place at least a century ago. "Ten thousand soldiers from Tyra," he was saying, "met the Maren army where the river bended. The leader of the Marens was an experienced general from the Great War, which had taken place three years before this."

Kel didn't normally approve of daydreaming, but she found it to be necessary just now, as she had only had a little sleep last night, as she suspected many others had by their drooping eyelids and studious postures, slouched over their papers. After an exciting Midsummer, it wasn't uncommon for people to come laughing back through the halls, talking noisily or yelling goodbyes to one another, so even those who had retired early last night were tired.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kel watched as the note was passed between the four boys, each waiting until the teacher wasn't looking to fling it at the next person. Then, Ferdon misjudged his throw, and it ended on the floor, next to Neal's chair. Grinning at their murderous expressions, he picked it up while the instructor was facing the blackboard, and slowly unfolded it, watching as their faces reddened.

"Neal," Kel hissed, poking him. He read it anyway, and then passed it to her. Kel normally would have disdained doing anything so low as that, but instead, perked by recent events, her curiosity won and she peered at the messy handwriting, recognizing the first as Zhahir's by the size.

Do you all know the plan? he asked on the note.

When? The word was boldly written, and dark, so she figured it was Din's, one of the other boys'.

Three days, answered the next one, who she guessed was Ferdon.

At that old common inn? That's where we're meeting the others? another asked, but Kel couldn't tell whose writing it was.

The inn we followed them to, thickhead. That comment was definitely Zhahir's.

Then we need another plan for the others, Din said.

We have a plan for them. Don't worry about it and leave it to us, Ferdon answered. That was the last comment on the note.

Kel put it down, slightly confused. They hadn't said enough for them to have any idea what they were talking about. What were they planning? And who were the others? Who did they follow?

The bell outside tolled, signaling the end of class. They filed outside, Kel quickly hiding the note in her belt pouch, but apparently the others hadn't seen Neal pass it to her.

"Where is it, Queenscove?" demanded Ferdon.

"Where is what?" he asked innocently. Then he widened his eyes comically. "Oh you mean the note, right? I threw it away. It wasn't important, was it?"

They were all scowling at him, but Zhahir answered, "No it wasn't. Come on guys, we're leaving." The four stomped off, talking quietly.

"That was weird," commented Owen.

"We're wasting our time," Kel pointed out.

They started walking towards the courtyard, but Faleron left, saying he had to check on Kai. Kel sat with her friends, opening her notes to her homework. Or where it should have been.

"Darn. I left it on my desk," she muttered, standing. "I'll be back. I need to go get my math," she explained.

Neal grinned. "Miss Perfect left her homework? How uncharacteristic! Where would that be?"

Kel sniffed. "My desk." She walked away before they had time to think of something else to respond to that with, but she knew that when she got back there would be many jokes made, and she could guess right now that none of them would be funny.

Her room was slightly before Faleron's, but she could see Lalasa standing in his doorway, appearing to have been crying. Concerned and puzzled, Kel walked over, wondering at the oddity.

"…I got the housekeeper to open the door," the maid was saying to Faleron as Kel walked up. Seeing her, Lalasa looked like she would burst into tears again, but composed herself. "She wasn't in there," she finished to Faleron, who was also looking decidedly pale.

"Kai?" Kel asked. Lalasa nodded. "Do you think she was kidnapped…" her voice trailed off at Lalasa's expression.

"See, this morning, she had a little run-in with the Bahzar, um…Zhahir…but I helped her," she said quickly as both squires frowned. "She wasn't hurt or anything. Zhahir might have been, he tried to attack her but she was running away from him when I trapped him with a blanket," she said, blushing a little. "I told her I'd meet her here at noon…"

"Which was half an hour ago," Faleron said.

"And I got here and I knocked and knocked but nobody opened it so I called the housekeeper and she wasn't there and what if they came back and I was too late?" she cried, looking at Kel as if expecting an answer, which Kel didn't have.

"It's all right. It's not your fault," Kel said comfortingly. "Faleron, go look for some evidence to prove that Joren's friends did it." He nodded and disappeared into his room. Kel tried to console Lalasa as best as she could, and then sent her out to the market with some money to buy something for herself, and giving her the rest of the day free. Kel knew that she wouldn't spend it, Lalasa would simply hide the money away with the rest of her wages, but she also was aware that Lalasa had other friends outside the palace gates who were probably much better at cheering people up than she was. Her maid sniffed a little and left.

Kel went into Faleron's room, wondering if Zhahir or whoever else was involved had left vestige of their presence. She found the other squire staring into the smaller chamber where Kai had previously slept. Kel stopped, studying the bare walls and shelves.

"She left," Faleron said, turning to her with angry, flashing eyes. "By herself. No kidnappers."

"You don't know that," Kel said dubiously. "Her things may have been taken too if she was kidnapped."

"Maybe, but the window's open, and look," he said, pointing to where there was a piece of cloth caught on the rough sill. It was thin and flimsy, a cheap type of cloth commonly worn on the streets only if you could afford no better. But it was too bright to be anyone but a performer's attire.

"Maybe she did leave," Kel admitted reluctantly. Then the entire situation hit her. This commoner; though she normally shuddered at judging people by their classes, she was too mad right now to stop herself; had been offered protection by them, and instead of being thankful, she had run away. Later Kel would admit that most of her negative feelings had been spurred by Lalasa's reaction and Kel's own guilt at having left her and the possibility that she may have been stolen from the very place she was supposed to be safer. Now, however, she felt herself snap. Swearing in Yaman under her breath, she whirled around and left.

She stormed through the halls, holding back more outbreaks of swearing until she had calmed slightly. Then she realized that she had never gotten the homework that she had originally left to get, and had to go all the way back to her room to get it. Muttering, she turned, almost colliding with Neal.

"Whoa, what's wrong with you?" he asked. "Did Joren come back?"

"No," she replied, slightly annoyed again as she pushed past him to return to the squires' section of the palace.

"Ok," Neal said, jogging to catch up with her. "Then what's wrong?"

"That street dancer from yesterday…left," she snapped.

"Is that it?" Neal asked calmly, stopping. Kel turned to stare at him. "She's a free person Kel. Even if you think she might be better off here that out there, you can't just keep her hostage."

Kel started. "Is that…oh darn, I hate when it when you're right. It's just that it got Lalasa all upset because she thought Kai was kidnapped by Zhahir or someone and she was blaming herself. Oh, I feel so guilty," she said quietly.

"You were just trying to help," said Neal.

"All right, I have to go back for my math assignment. Want to go talk to Faleron since you're in such a helpful mood? He looked a little…angry when I left."

"Like you?" Neal teased. "Finally showing some emotion."

Kel felt her lips slid into a smile and sternly ordered them back down. It would give her friends years of enjoyment if she started letting her mask slip too often.

"Well, if it will make you happier," Neal declared dramatically, throwing an arm around her shoulder, "Then I will go speak to him. But he won't listen to me anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Kel laughed. "If no one around here listened to you, we'd all be walking around in silence!"

Neal frowned. "Is that some elaborate way of saying I talk too much?" he demanded.

"No," Kel replied earnestly, shaking her head. They started walking down the hallway.

"I should hope not," Neal announced, "For it would not do for you to be spreading lies about me!"

At that, Kel simply could not keep her mask up any longer and succumbed to laughter.

No that was not it! Even if you insist that you were not celebrating, I know what you were all thinking. Too bad. The story will go on! Ok, that was weird; I shall refrain from using further phrases like that (hmm…kind of self-contradicting. O well) Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers, can you believe it? Fifteen reviews! Wow, I feel like…sugar! Sorry, it's a little late and I just had some chocolate. I should go get some more... Oh yes, stay on topic. What was I going to say? …Oh yeah…Review please! It may be life-or-death! (or...it may not, but you shouldn't take that chance!)