Disclaimer: Don't own so don't sue.
Kel woke up early the next morning to the sound of trumpeters sending the call of alarm. Kel jumped out of bed her feet thumping against the cold cobblestones of her floor as she ran around trying to find all her clothes.
She opened the door in a hurry and nearly bumped into Tobe when she saw him. Kel grabbed Tobe's arm and started running towards the watch wall.
From the top of the watch wall the morning rays of sun glistened on the pond beside New Hope the scales of fish sparkling when hit. Kel secured her griffin feather to her forehead and took out her telescope which was one of Lady Alanna's gifts. She put it up to her eyes and followed the commander on watch's finger point towards the refugees- or enemies that were heading towards New Hope. Kel wished Neal was here to make contact with their mage unfortunately Kel only had quite a green healing mage even though they were green they were still doing a good job. She looked at the people among the group and noticed that they were just starting to hoist a flag up- it was white. Kel focused her telescope on the people in the group and noticed that it was one of the rider groups to be exact Evin Larse's group.
Kel had meet Evin while she was a squire to Lord Raoul. He had helped find bandits and centaurs who had raided a village.
Kel signaled to the archers to put down their bows and pointed out the Riders flag and the white flag signaling friends. Everyone let out a sigh of relief happy knowing that they wouldn't have to fight and they wouldn't have to risk losing any more men and woman.
Kel headed back down the steps to the main level of New Hope her brown hair whipping at her face. Since she had gotten to New Hope she hadn't bothered cutting it her hair again the last thing she worried about. It was now at shoulder length much to her displeasure. She now wore her hair in a braid and every time she tried to approach someone to cut it they would turn her away telling her she looked much better with longer hair.
Kel went over to the draw bridge and helped the men lower it down. Kel sent Tobe to the kitchen to tell the cooks there will be more people these next few days for meals.
Tobe ran off reluctantly curios to see the newcomers. The people of New Hope flocked around the entrance like Tobe curious to see the newcomers.
The horses hooves of the Rider group clopped on the wooden draw bridge making everyone move a few feet back as they entered.
Evin in the lead reined his horse in and dismounted.
"Hello, Kel." Evin said shaking Kel's hand. "I and my rider group are here to help you with New Hope. Late-"
"My lady, my lady hello!" A voice yelled.
Kel found her self in a hug. She looked down and saw it was Lalasa. Kel and Lalasa broke apart laughed and Lalasa started crying.
"It's so good to see my lady. How are you at New Hope? My lady look at your clothes they're in terrible shape I shall make new ones for you." Lalasa said wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Lalasa it's so good to see you what are you doing here?" Kel said.
"Woman...how is it they always make such a bid deal out of reunions where's my hello hug?" Evin muttered to the men of his Rider group. The woman elbowed the men that were sniggering and stared at the Lady Knight and her friend.
"My lady I'm here because...because I'm engaged to Evin!" exclaimed Lalasa.
Kel stood the stunned and looked from Lalasa to Evin. Evin had this huge grin on his face that spread from ear to ear and his blue eyes sparkled. Kel looked at her friend who was also grinning.
"Congratulations!" Kel yelled.
Evin came over to his wife to be and kissed her on the cheek.
"We are to be getting married here at New Hope further on in the month. Is that ok?" Evin asked.
"Of course it's ok!" Kel gave Lalasa a hug as she said this and then turned around to face the people of New Hope. "There is to be a wedding in a month which means that this place must be up and running ready to have a wedding!"
The people of New Hope started to cheer making Lalasa blush and a small tint of red creep up into Evin's cheeks.
As the month past many people were in much brighter moods then the month before. They had a wedding to look forward which made everyone happy. There was to be dancing and music and wine.
The patients in the infirmary were also getting better thanks to New Hope's mage healers and the Rider group's healers. Mistress Franche recovered and helped fix up New Hope.
As everyone of New Hope worked they all tried to erase the event of the beginning of the month but the memory of the event never seemed to go away completely. It lurked in the back of most people's mind making a wail of sadness escape widows and those who lost something in the battle at night.
However the battle that Kel missed never left her mind making her always wonder why someone wanted to attack New Hope; whoever it was always seemed to attack while she wasn't there. What could they possible want? Kel thought even though in the back of her mind a small voice whispered you know what they want. Burn them, burn everything try it again. It might not have worked the first time but maybe the magic will wear off. Burn them, burn them.
Kel desperately wished she could burn those papers under the floorboard but every time she tried they never seemed to burn only make the paper turn a browner color.
Kel sighed and thought there must be a way to destroy them, if anyone finds them all will be lost for Tortall.
A week before the wedding Lalasa was fussing over her dress that wasn't quite done and making sure that Kel's bridesmaid dress fit her. Kel had taken a lot of persuading to wear a dress. Evin even stole her sword and griffin feather's to make her agree to wear a dress because he said that nothing was going to ruin this wedding. As Kel's revenge on him without Lalasa knowing she and Evin had a sword fight, Kel beat him, unarming him.
Evin and she would often swordfight, even if it was in the middle of New Hope. It was a game now and they only used dull practice swords that they taught the refugees with so no one would get hurt. The refugees found their fights interesting to watch and more and more people wanted to learn how to use a sword.
As Lalasa finished measuring Kel again Kel snuck out of Lalasa room's and went outside to practice with her glaive. After going to her room to retrieve her glaive she stepped out into the middle of the courtyard Tobe nearly bumping into her as a soldier yelled for him to go get the Lady Knight. Standing in front of Kel was Sergeant Domitan's squad of the King's Own. Dom grinned when he saw Kel. His leg now healed after a month of resting made him able to travel. Kel would have run up and hugged him but she knew that as a Lady Knight you could not go throwing yourself at old friends...or is he more then a friend that small little voice in the back of her mind that troubled her so much said.
Kel told one of her soldiers to lead Sergeant Domitan's mean to their rooms since the majority of them knew where the kitchen and the lavatory was since they had stayed there for a couple of weeks to help build New Hope. Kel lead Dom into the main headquarters where the majority of commanders slept. She lead Dom into an unoccupied room and directed Jake one of the boys who helped run errands around the camp to put Dom's travel stuff beside the dresser.
When Jake left, Dom came over to Kel limping slightly. He looked at her and all the butterflies that he had experienced before when he saw her came flooding back. Her hair now past her shoulder and put into a braid made her look more beautiful then before when she had shorter hair. Small strands of hair where playing in front of her eyes making her blow at them trying to get them off to the side.
Out of nowhere Dom's courage took hold of him and he brushed the small strands of hair out of Kel's face. She looked up at him surprised. In the moment of surprise Dom bent down and kissed Kel on the lips. Kel sat there stunned. Dom's arms guided her up from her seat and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again.
Kel heard a voice in the hall and jumped away from Dom like a scared dear. She left the room gently shutting the door and whispered a small goodbye.
Dom stood there thinking, debating in his mind whether he had ruined his friendship with Kel-forever.
I hope all of you liked this chapter. It's quite long. I'm soooo sorry that I have not updated in such a long while! I have been very busy with school. I will try to update every weekend so on Sunday nights the next chapter will hopefully be up. Please review. Till next time.
ladyknight257