Disclaimer: All characters except Layissa belong to Tamora pierce and the Protector of the small series. I claim no possession over anything but the plot. Its base, world, etc. are all from the above and are not my own.
Author's note from Erkith: It's been over a year since I started this fic! I have good news. As I should after such a long absence. This chapter "The Perils of Wine" is 3,529 words long. My longest ever! As an added bonus to this long awaited chapter I have done two things: I have not made the ending a cliffhanger: p AND drum roll please... SECRET REVEALED! To all my avid readers and my wonderful reviewers... thank you so very much.
Erkith
The Perils of Wine
The great hall at Steadfast was almost twice the size of New Hope. The walls were tidy; no posters or children's drawings were pasted haphazardly to its sleek walls. Instead of children's laughter or town chatter it was filled with war humour and bawdy jokes. It was what every knight should be used to – it was almost unnerving her.
Perfect, Kel, she thought. Give them another excuse to think you're weak. As if being carried in and smothered by Dom weren't enough! Now you're balking at a few off-colour comments.
She barely felt herself being guided through the hall by the elbow. The coarse noise of the hall offended her senses. Her stare was unblinking, uneasy, like someone who walks into their apartments anticipating a quiet night, and enters to find a dozen visitors. She wished for a moment that it were, for then she could simply toss them all out. She wanted to run.
You coward. Kel, when did you become such a useless... You're even leaning on his bloody arm! She tried to jerk away, but the grip on her arm tightened.
"If you're demeaning yourself, Kel, I will hurt you. It is no crime to accept the aid of a friend."
He steered her to a table. And, by thrusting a chair underneath her, he successfully forced her to sit. She muttered a muffled thank you. She looked across the table to meet the amused eyes of none other than her former teachers Lord Wyldon and Lord Raoul. She nearly groaned – of all people to witness her weakness... Queenscove and Masbolle sat down on either side, and she gave them a confused glance. She was surrounded by allies – friends? – No, allies. Kel reached for her spoon, using the excuse to look at the others who shared their table – conservatives... all of them. Oh.
"Stew, Sir Keladry?" Wyldon asked. Wicked humour danced in his eyes; he knew she'd figured it out.
"Just broth thanks," Was what Kel meant to say, for her stomach had difficulty keeping anything down. But she sat there in simple, outraged shock as she listened to another voice say it. A bowl of soup was set down in front of her.
"Vegetables, Sir Keladry?" Raoul asked.
Lips twitched. "Absolutely," Dom answered again. He took the offered plate and served her.
Kel was vaguely aware that the table was now silently assessing her. Most of her attention, however, was focussed on resisting the urge to throttle the sergeant beside her and ignoring Raoul's cocked eyebrow over her unusual compliance. He had frozen comically with his mutton halfway to his mouth.
"Wine, Lady Keladry?" The unnatural emphasis did not go unnoticed. Raoul and Wyldon set down their forks loudly; Neal clenched his hands into fists, and Dom stiffened. A long silence followed. Not a soul in the entire Hall moved.
What is it about me that invites this sort of trouble? Kel thought gloomily.
The conservative who had spoken – or rather sneered – looked around a bit nervously. He had not counted on the rest of the Hall being so well entertained. "Wine?" he repeated. He tilted the bottle towards her as if his offer hadn't been half as insulting as it had been.
Does he think I'm stupid? She wondered. Probably.
"No."
"Yes."
Kel glared at Dom.
Apparently their contradiction fuelled his confidence, for the conservative said, "Am I supposed to obey you or your lover, Your Ladyship? Quite frankly, I'm not sure who dominates."
That got them up. All four men stood. Kel, used to such behaviour in defence of her honour, pulled her friends down and kicked the two across from her under the table, momentarily forgetting who they were. Sit, she thought, as she watched them struggle between what they wanted to do to him and her silent request. Aren't men wonderful?
Kel turned to the idiot who dared anger four fully trained knights and a prominent soldier, and she recognised him. It couldn't be. She made a quick study of his face, not liking what she saw. Her Yamani mask slid automatically into place. The hair was slightly different, but the jaw was unmistakably the same. Stone Mountain.
"Quit frankly, Sir, the domination of my love life or lack there of is as irrelevant in this issue as your savvy in politics or lack there of. I shall take that wine now."
Stone Mountain's eyes were focussed with fury. She was making him look like an unreasonable greenhorn of a politician. It was intolerable. "Very well." He poured her some wine, slapping the goblet down. A bit of red splashed over the rim. "Queenscove, would you like some?" The attempt to dismiss Kel was miscalculated.
"No. I'm a mage. And we don't indulge ourselves in bubbles of any sorts beyond the bath. Although I'm sure we could find you some pink bubbles if you'd like them..." Neal's comment caused laughter to bounce around the hall, and Stone Mountain developed a sudden fascination with his plate. After a while, the soldiers and knights went back to their meals.
"Kel." Dom said quietly. "You don't even like ale."
"It's not just that I don't like it..."
"I know. It also makes you dizzy and a bit sick, which doesn't help your argument, since you're already feeling both! You are not going to drink wine, which is stronger."
She picked up her goblet and toasted his concerned face. He plucked it out of her hand and set it back down. She looked up at him angrily and was unsurprised by the frustration written in his face. The sergeant's jaw was clenched, as if biting down a particularly nasty comment. Good, she thought with some satisfaction. I'm happy that you're frustrated, Dom. You've been treating me as if I was as infirm in mind as I am in body. Smug, she gave him a small smile, watching, fascinated, as his eyes locked on hers and flared with temper.
Blue fire, Kel thought. Hot flame burning through every resistance. Raoul, Neal, and Wyldon ceased to exist; the conservatives did not fill the table. Even his voice faded out.Her whole world closed to all but those eyes, and she lost everything to them. His piercing blue gaze penetrated so deep it robbed her of any thought. The focus which she treasured so much in him as a friend – the look that said 'I'm listening' with a single-mindedness that excluded everything else – was so much more powerful now. It made her feel weak and utterly, unforgivably feminine.
"Kel?" Dom asked.
She blinked, snapping back hard. Great! Kel thought. He'd been talking to her. To stall she picked up her goblet and sipped, forgetting it was wine.
One red droplet clung to her lip. She caught it with her tongue.
Dom's gaze dropped to her mouth.
Suddenly, it became much harder to breathe. There was a tightness in her chest, squeezing the air out even as she sucked it in. The air seemed weighted, as if his gaze held some power that pulled it beyond her reach. She wished fervently that it wouldn't; she needed air desperately. It was a neat trick to rob one of speech by stealing one's breath. No wonder the most composed of court ladies trip over themselves, Kel thought distractedly.
To steady herself Kel took another small sip from her goblet – it proved a mistake. Abruptly, the world began spinning madly. Her head pounded viciously, making her even dizzier. She pushed up from her chair, intending to run out of the hall before anything worse happened. She only made it three steps before she fell...
Warm arms caught her. She never hit the floor's hard, unforgiving tiles. Instead, she was curled into a hard, muscular chest. Though half-unconscious, she vaguely registered surprise that she was being carried so easily, for she was no featherweight. She could also feel the prickle of many eyes watching her, and raised her hand to the man's chest to tell him she could walk. But she could barely lift the hand, and it fluttered harmlessly against his chest.Kel snapped awake. How many times am I going to have this dream? She asked herself in frustration. 'The incident with the wine' as Dom liked to call it, had been weeks ago. But it was yesterday; it was only minutes ago. She could still feel the prickle of wine flooding her system, the overpowering dizziness, and worse – being pressed up against that body.
She wished she could forget some of it. All of it. Or, at the very least, that there was someone she could talk to about it, but there really wasn't.
Lalassa and Shinko were still in Corus. Yuki had finally moved into New Hope. Daine had disappeared on some mission, apparently, because no one knew where she was – not even Kel's sparrows. And Goddess knows where Alanna is! If I could even talk to Alanna about this stuff... she thought wistfully. Suddenly she realised the irony. Goddess knows? Given that she was Alanna's patron goddess, it seemed likely that she did indeed. Although, what good that did Kel was lost to her.
Could she tell Neal? Yeah, right. That'd be a wonderful idea. She could just picture it: "Oh, and by the way, Neal, I think I'm falling in love with your cousin." Kel shuddered slightly. That was not a reaction she wanted to see – ever.
Well, then who was she to tell?
Annoyed, she sat up, stared and started counting in disbelief. There were twenty sparrows, two dogs (Jump and one who looked suspiciously like Wyldon's wolfhound), four cats, and Daine's little dragon – Kitten sitting in her room.
Carefully getting out of bed, so as not to disturb the birds perched on her covers, Kel asked the question foremost on her mind. "What are you all doing here?"
They cocked their heads as if to say: Didn't you call us?
Kel sighed. "I suppose I did," she said and began to talk.
Animals were surprisingly good listeners. Kel had this thought as she brushed Hoshi's coat, running the brush over it until it gleamed. Hoshi butted her gently and looked at her quizzically as if to say, "Yes, of course we are. Didn't you know that yet?" Kel laughed.
"Are you sure about this Magelet?" Numair asked Daine as they both got dressed.
Daine spared him a look.
They had both just landed and transformed, leaving them naked in their chambers – not something that worried them too much. The minute the disorientation had subsided the two were hurriedly throwing on clothes. They were on a mission. A mission to help Kel...
"Okay. So you know what you saw, but so do I. I've never seen so much as a glimmer of it around her. Don't you think that's something I would notice?" Numair asked, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "Have you seen it before?"
Daine shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe she grew into it," she offered.
"Unlikely."
"It's happened. Haven't you read The Scrolls of TardMagid?"
"I gave it to you, darling. Of course I've read it." Numair kissed her lightly.
"Well. It happened to him! I could happen to her..."
"At her age...?" The pained look she gave cut at him. He sighed. "I know she's your friend, darling, but I have no idea what we'll find... You've got to stay calm and not give us away. Whatever this is, we don't want her getting suspicious about it."
Daine frowned. She could see his point but still... this whole affair was very confusing.
Numair wrapped his arms around his wife fondly, and pressed an affectionate kiss to her head, enjoying on some obscure level a deep sense of pleasure. Mine, he thought. These thoughts were fleeting as most of his mind compared what he knew of Keladry of Mindelan next to what Daine had told him. Did his lovely wife realise what this would mean? For Kel? For her Family? For Tortall? It was so unlikely that "unlikely" did not describe the chances accurately. It was past words like "unlikely" and "improbable" – in fact, it verged on damn near impossible.
But if it were true...?
"Daine, see is Whisp can find Kel for us. It is essential that we get this settled now."
A quarter of an hour later, Cloud's daughter, Whisp, led them to the edge of a clearing. There they lay out of sight, watching as Kel and Dom discussed the trip back to New Hope. Numair squinted against the sun, but he didn't see what he was looking for.
"Daine. Do you see anything?"
"I see that those two are so far in denial it's stupid." Daine retorted.
Numair looked at her with disbelief. "You're worrying about this now?"
"Why not?"
He gave her an incredulous look. Why not?
"I guess there's some truth to rumour then," Daine speculated, ignoring her husband's reaction. "Raoul told me Dom's been acting strangely. And apparently, He's been all but chasing the court ladies away... heard Thayet comforting some lovestruck girl who was complaining about it. And Kel! Goddess only knows how long it's been since she's had a good strong man around," Daine said matter-of-factly.
Women! "We're in the middle of something right now! Save your concern for their respective love lives for a more convenient time!"
"Darling, love doesn't work that way. There is never a right time." She looked at him and nearly burst into laughter. His eyebrows were drawn into a sharp frown.
"So now you're instructing me on love?"
"Why not? Men are stupid about this stuff."
"I waited, and look what it got me," he bragged and tweaked her nose. "I know how love works. I waited. Now can we get on with our mission?"
"Of course, but if I hadn't I hadn't hit you over the head with it we'd still be waiting." He started to protest, and she pressed a hand to his lips. " The mission."
Now she remembers. He rolled his eyes.
Daine looked at Kel – really looked at her. She saw none of the tell tale glow she'd seen in the stables. The bronze core was gone. "It's not there."
Daine turned back to the couple now tossing breadcrumbs to the fish. Sleek orange bodies breached the surface of the pond to catch them in mid air. Hearing the joyful activity beneath the water's surface and Kel's laugh, Daine was hard pressed to decide who was enjoying the activity more.
She leaned forward again; straining her eyes to the slightest hint of what she was looking for then sat back defeated. "Numair, I don't see it. Maybe it really was just exhaustion on both our parts."
"Go distract her." He thought he saw a flash of something. Did he? He shifted and bumped into Daine.
Daine was looking at him as if he'd grown another head. "Distract her? Wha... how?"
Numair refused to waste any more time explaining. He sighed. "See if you can get her to talk about her animals or something."
Daine marched off to where Whisp was grazing. "See if you can get her to talk about her animals." That man was going to learn to control his tone if wanted to live. She'd had it up to here with his bloody orders!
"Alright, sweetheart, we're going to go around and come in like we've just come from the castle. We're going to pretend we like that idiot of a man and listen to him.
"Stork man giving you trouble?" Whisp asked curiously as she set out in a wide circle. "I could bite him for you."
Daine paused. It was such a Cloud thing to say. "You're a lot like your mother."
"I am?"
Daine laughed. Whisp sounded delighted at the thought.
She was having fun. It had been so long since she'd had simple fun. Archery and other war games had a darker aspect to them. They were fun, by no means would Kel argue that they weren't, but they lacked the innocence... an innocence that was almost healing. This is why people have pets, she realised, this is what makes them worth all the effort and pain. It wasn't just the companionship or a love of animals; it was the sheer beauty of innocence unspoilt.
She looked over at Dom. He was trying to invent new ways to throw the bread.
"Dom?"
He arched a brow.
Laughing, she placed a piece on his head. "Try that, Sergeant."
"You couldn't have been more original, Kel," he said sarcastically. His heart picked up a beat. She was standing awfully close. Mithros. Keep it light, Dom.
She stepped closer and leaned in to his ear. "On the bright side, now I can call you 'Breadhead.'"
"Breadhead."
She laughed, and with on hand steadied on his chest, rested her head on his shoulder. Dear gods, Kel. Are you trying to kill me?
"I can't wait to tell Meathead. He'll NEVER let it go."
Kel leaned back and swept a lock of hair out of his eyes. Her hazel eyes sparkled with her laughter. The unholy amusement on her face nearly undid him. "Kel I..."
They both turned to see Daine and Whisp entering the clearing.
It was as if he'd been dumped in a mountain lake. Daine's arrival had snapped him back. You're acting like a bloody idiot! Dom scolded himself. You're behaving like some untried boy who's never touched a girl. And he was far from that.
The two girls laughed and separated a bit from Dom and Layissa who had been lying in the shadows. Dom watched Daine glance several times at some thick bushes at the edge of the clearing. Was someone there? He wondered. Did it matter? He gazed at the two girls and knew with dreadful certainty that he was going to be here a long time.
With a groan, he sat down and leaned against the tree, closing eyes. He replayed the last couple minutes in his mind. He'd nearly kissed her. So close... STOP THINKING ABOUT IT! This is Kel. Kel your friend Kel. Kel Meathead's best friend Kel. Kel Raoul's surrogate daughter Kel. Kel who fights bullies, bandits, centaurs, Scanrans, killing machines and Blace Kel. Kel who took in strays and protected the weak Kel. Kel who was going to kick his butt all the way to Carthak and back if he treated her any differently Kel. STOP! STOP! STOP! Kel. Beautiful beautiful Kel. Ahhhhhhhh! He was doomed.
Great Gods help him. He'd nearly kissed her."Nice distraction tactics, Breadhead."
Dom scowled. "Shut up, Layissa."
Over dinner, Numair questioned Kel about her mystery illness. From what she and Neal told him, her symptoms were exhaustion, chronic illness, loss of weight, dizziness, fainting spells, sudden fevers, and an aversion to wine. The classic signs. It was textbook.
"The wine makes you dizzy, right?" She nodded.
"But it always has a little."
Well that's interesting, he thought. "But it's worse now?"
"Yes..."
Damn. "How much worse?"
"Well, last time I had a sip I had a relapse. Neal nearly drained himself getting me back."
Numair rubbed the bridge of his nose. Shit.
"What is this, Numair?" Kel asked. "Why all the questions?"
Please let it go.
She looked around the table suspiciously. Her eyes narrowed on Dom and Raoul. "You have something to do with this."
"For once," Dom said with a grin, "I can honestly say that we have nothing to do with it."
"Neal, can we talk outside?" Numair asked quietly. At the healer's nod, he said, "Kel, if you'll excuse us? We have to..."
"Sit." Numair looked at Neal. Neal looked at Numair.
"Kel, I..." he tried again.
"SIT." Kel commander's voice echoed through the room. "No one leaves this room until I get an explanation.
"Kel." Numair said, bracing himself. He did NOT want to be the one doing this. "I know what's making you sick."
"You're not a healer."
"I know and most healers couldn't tell you what I am about to. Kel there's too much energy in your body."
"What are you saying?" Kel asked, unsure.
"Kel, you have magic."
There was a stunned silence.
"I do not. Check the records. I've been thoroughly screened again and again for the Gift. You don't know the extent to which these exams went."
"Actually, Jon read them to me this morning. And I agree that you do not have the Gift, nor do you have the Sight."
"So you're saying that I have wild magic?"
"Actually, Daine and I checked you for wild magic years ago..."
"What ARE you saying?" Kel's voice was steady, but her hands were shaking visibly.
"I'm saying that it's magic so foreign and elusive that I can't tell you what it is."
Numair closed his eyes. "Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, by the order of His Royal Highness Jonathan of Conté, the King of Tortall, you are to report back to Corus – immediately."
As she stormed out, he caught another glimpse of that strange, foreign energy flaming out ready to burn them all to the ground. Numair Salmalin, the most powerful mage in Tortall, shuddered.
A/N: THIS IS NOT THE END. MORE SOON! And by SOON I do actually mean SOON. If you'd like me to update The Spy first LET ME KNOW! And please review. I read them over when I get stuck – they really do help.
Ann: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying it and hope to hear more from you later.
Jtaandlca: lol I promise I will finish it. I warn you that it gets complicated and it might be a while, but it will be finished.
Queen Tigress: Wish granted... sort of. : p thanks for the lovely review.
Elvira: Updating! finally! rolls eyes at self
DaughterofDeath: I know, I know, now you want another one : p sorry for the wait.Okaliedokalie: Extremely sorry about the wait, but you got the other part. I'll try to speed up.
Goddess of the Moon: Late is better than never? I hope so. And I spared you a cliffie.
DomisMINE: Updating. More throughout the summer. Promise.
Caremel: Thanks for the insightful critiques. Glad to know someone likes the slightly altered Kel.
Eveiveneg: Well you sort of know what's wrong... : D
CTHKSI: You're back! Yay! At some point you disappeared and I was sad. You always write such insightful reviews. Please stay!
Himura Arashi: Scratch the hurry, but I did update : D
Rubber Duck: You there! Have you updated yet? Lol oh I should talk having not updated since february! Did you get the wine glass thing?
Lady Cass: Hope you're a bit less confused. Lol I know it's getting complicated isn't it?
Emerald Angel6492: I want you to know that I thought about you. I'm not kidding; I did. I really wanted to post a reply to my one lonely flame in my author's note but... I didn't. lol I wrote a bloody essay. And for once no cliffhanger : p
Megan: When you learn how to write a constructive review please review again. Your review was a flame, and I would prefer that you call it such in future if you feel the urge to tell me how much my story sucks again. If you have a problem with this, by all means tell me. I'll send you my pretty little essay on your flame.
Elf warrior princess: More? Lol
Sheyana: what do you think? Lol confused? Me too!
Queenofdakittys: Hope you like this chap to...
AngelWing78: I'm afraid the update wasn't exactly soon... lol hope you're not too mad and still read it...
Soccerchick-08: Hello there! Been so long. I promise you that I will finish this story – even if I have to live in isolation for the next four years of my life... if you're still confused by the wine thing let me know... I'll track down the quote. Oh, and I do speak french ; )
Jamie Lee: lol so enthusiastic! ASAP? Err... I'm not so good with ASAP if you've read any of my apologetic author's notes... but please keep reading:D Thanks for kicking my butt in gear!
Atlanta Enchanted: lol wow did I grant both wishes? Daine and Numair, yes. Dom... sort of? Lol you always seem to know what I'm up to...
MysticMoonEmpress: lol unfortunately it's more what he trying NOT to do : p
FairyDust4Ever: ASAP? Oh dear... I'm going to be such a frustration for you... lol
Crystaltambaia: Astounding compliments! Thank you! You've no idea how difficult it is for me to write scenes like that... so sorry about the delay. My plan is to update at least once more this month... my plan lol
Tattooed Goddess: wow! I'd forgotten you asked for the wine glass incident...
Alyios: I'm having so much trouble with The Spy... I think I'm going to have to do a rewrite on the second chapter... sigh
Wake-Robin: My friend, you have NEVER been that innocent. : P Oh, I am SO going to figure out what you're up to!
Indigo Feline: lol the apostrophes are only annoying to read. They sound lovely. I have time now to do some BETA stuff if you like.
Alenor: Well now you sort of know... or at least as much as Daine... probably less than Numair...
Hessel: It is original, but it is an established writing style. It's called a stream of conciousness. The idea is that you start with one thing and expand in thought pattern by association. I can explain more in an email if you're interested.
Chisakami Saiyuki: OMG don't get ME started. I have rhyming stages too they drive me MAD! Lol my sympathies!
The ORIGINAL Meathead: let me anticipate the reaction...FINALLY! It's been way too long since I've updated hasn't it?
Lady Angelique of mystiqu: LOL I agree! SO far in denial. I adore that egypt analogy!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!
Erkith