Title: Trust Betrayed
Author: jessalae
Disclaimer: All characters, places, and things that you recognize belong to Tamora Pierce. Aludra belongs to me.
A/N: "-…-" is thoughts
-o-o-O-o-o-
"Keladry! Lady Keladry!" The speaker deftly wove through the crowded hall towards the waiting Kel. In a matter of seconds the woman arrived in front of the Lady Knight. Kel took in her dark brown hair and deep green eyes, wondering who she was. She looked somewhat familiar…
"Allow me to introduce myself," the woman said. "I'm Aludra of Queenscove. I believe you know my brother?"
"-Her brother? Neal has a sister?-" "Yes, I do," Kel replied bewilderedly. "Pleased to meet you."
"Neal hasn't introduced me to you before, I know. He and I never got along very well."
"Yes…"
"Anyway, I was just going to visit my father and I thought I ought to say hello. I really must get to the healer's wing, though. I'll see you around, I suppose!" Aludra walked a few steps away, fading into the crowd, before looking over her shoulder at Kel.
"Oh, a word of advice – watch your friends. People may not think of you quite the way you thought they did." And with that, Aludra disappeared.
Kel stood in that spot for a long moment, pondering.
-o-O-o-
Dear diary,
I met Neal's sister today. Yes, he has a sister. Apparently they don't get along well, so he's never introduced her to me. Strange, I know, but that's Neal.
Anyway, her name was Aludra, an she was very mysterious. She said, "people might not think of you the way you thought they did." All I can infer from that is that someone either likes me that hated me or hates me that liked me. Maybe some conservative has changed his ways? No. Have I done something to one of my friends? Neal has been acting strangely lately.
Then again, it could be somewhat dislike to hate, or like to love. Maybe that's what she meant. Could she have been talking about Dom? She's his cousin, so there's a good chance that they're close. I should talk to him about it.
-- Kel
-o-o-O-o-o-
A/N: Wow. I seem to be on a roll here, even if the chapters are shorter than usual. Keep those reviews coming!
-- jessalae