Last Chapter...

Dom looked up. It was nearly dawn. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach, like something was about to happen. After all, they had been there hours, why hadn't anyone come yet? He would have the answer soon enough for soon after, footsteps sounded outside the door...

AN/ Thanks to Imakeladrygirl for telling me that the Scanra capital is Hamrkeng. Also, i know this has taken AGES! but im back on track now, ive got 7 weeks of summer holidays (I hate the hot weather and i live in Australia so im gonna spend as much time as i can inside) so i should be spitting out at least a chapter a week. Thanks to all reviewers!

Chapter 3: Back Home, and Determined People

Raoul's Study

Raoul looked down at his papers. Everything was starting to go wrong. His wedding was in two weeks and his former squire, his best man, his healer, and the crown princess's lady were missing. Missing wasn't quite the word for it. He had a gut feeling where they were. There was only one place. Hamrkeng. Where King Maggot himself was situated. Raoul banged his giant fist down to the table and made a sickening 'crack' noise.

Buri walked in and put her hands on his shoulders. She said, "Sitting here and getting angry isn't going to help Kel and her friends." Raoul looked up at her and sighed. "You know i would go after but after what Kel did last time? She is important to him, and so are his friends. They are important to me but i couldn't just leave. I cant be sure where she is. I just wish i could do something!"

Buri frowned, "I'm surprised Jon hasn't done anything yet. I talked to Thayet yesterday. She said that they were going to send Daine out to find them but that could take days." He got up, kissed his fiances cheek and walked out of the room. "I'm going to see Jonathon now!" He called as he walked away.

Meanwhile, in the room of one of the young knights of Tortall, a gathering of men was being held. The room in question was that of Sir Merric of Hollyrose, a close friend of Kel's. Other guests, included the newly knighted, Sir Owen of Jesslaw, Faleron of King's Reach and colonel Wolset. The general agreement was that a) Kel, Dom, Neal and Yuki were to be found and b) they were going to do it. The knights were having a big discussion to where likely the group would be, but it wasn't until Wolset had run in, and told them where Raoul thought they were. They were planning a rescue like last time: Running off at night, with a note and the plan. Being well equipped with water and food was another thought as well. They were in the heat of their discussion when a young lady appeared at the door. To say that she appeared is incorrect, she made herself known to the occupants of the room that she had listened in to the men's entire conversation. She stepped into the room, and cleared her throat.

"I can organize food, I know the head cook. I can just tell her that i'm planning my journey home. We can leave by the back gate." All of the men, quietened and stared. She was younger, about 16, and had a very familiar face, with very familiar eyes. Emerald green. Wolset stood up and bowed. "My lady Nenala, i understand your grief, and your willingness to help, but you cannot come." Merry stood up, and beckoned at Nenala, "So your a Queenscove?" She nodded and stepped forward more. He turned to the others. "Why can't she come? Theres 4 of us guys, we need a little female company (Nenala frowned and Merric added in) "not in that way! Look, we could pose ourselves as a married couple, and the groom's brothers coming to find a new place to live as...as their homes have been destroyed by the war." He looked around the room, and the only one that didn't seem convinced was Wolset. Wolset looked around at the others, with their pleading eyes and gave up. They would leave that night.

At the same time as the boys were having their meeting, Raoul was busy with the king. He had only interrupted a council meeting, and Jon didn't seem to mind. Raoul got straight to the point. "Your majesty, Jon, i beg you, and you know i don't do this every day, but we need to find Kel and her friends!" Jonathon smiled weakly, and beckoned Raoul into a shadowed corner. "You must understand why no rescue attempts have been made. Of course we have to find her and her friends, they are all valuable to the crown. But, before we find them until we know exactly where they are.

"Daine is on a secret mission in Tyra at the moment, investigating a possible alliance with Scanra. You must understand that if Tyra and Scanra pull their forces together, this war will go on for years yet, and it will severely reduce our chances of winning. She will be back soon, i know it, perhaps in the next week or two. I will give her a few days, up to a week to rest, and then i will send her out to Scanra." Raoul frowned. "What about magic..." He was cut off by Jonathon. "Numair has tried contacting Sir Nealan by magic. There must be a heck of a strong magic barrier around where they are. Hes working on it though."

In Alanna's room, she was talking to George. She sat on their King-sized bed in their sleeping quarters while he paced the floorboards.

"I don't have many agents that far in Scanra, especially not in Hamrkeng, but i am trying."

Alanna stood up and hugged her husband. She looked out of the window, "Im sure you are doing the best you can. I'm ashamed to admit it, but i miss that Meathead ex-squire of mine. I hope that he and his friends are safe, especially Kel."

That night

At dinner that night, the head cook gave Thayet, her majesty, her favourite sweets for desert as usual. Thayet beckoned her to sit next to her and catch up.

"So," Thayet said "How have you been lately?" The cook, Meena, smiled. "Oh, just the usual. The wind down from the ball. Although, i did get an unusual order from Lady Nenala today."

Thayet looked up, interested. "Oh really, what did she want?" Meena smiled sadly, "She is so strained at the moment. She said that she wanted to go back to Queenscove to mourn with her family over her brother's and cousin's abduction.

"The strange thing is, she ordered a lot of food, as if she was leaving with 5 men for weeks. All of it was hard, tough travelling food, hardly fit for her and her two maids-in-waiting to travel for the 4 day ride. But do you know what the strangest thing is?" Thayet leaned forward, frowning. "She refused for her maids to come collect her food. She said that as she leaves tonight she wants the food to be left with the back gate guard to give to her just before she leaves tonight."

Thayet stood up. She looked down at the cook, "Thank you Meena. That is strange. Just one question. When did Nenala want that food at the back gate by?" Meena thought for a minute. "I'd say, about 5 minutes ago? Hey, wha..." She frowned as the Queen suddenly ran through the royal dining room and out into the corridor. Jonathon stood up frowning. He looked at Meena and said, "What do you think got into her?" Meena shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it was something i said?"

Thayet sped up as she ran into the outside courtyard. Nenala couldn't be going to Queenscove to mourn with her family. Everyone except Duke Baird was in residence at the Palace. 'This is going to be interesting,' She thought.

A/N Next chapter will be set in Scanra and we will finally find out who those mysterious footsteps belong to!