A/N: I'm sorry that it took so long to update. I got a mini-writer's block (not the version where I didn't know what I wanted to write, but the kind where I was bombarded with 12 other ideas, and this one slipped while I worked on them. Oops.) Not that people minded. I know KC is not a preference around here, but I liked him. (although the more I re-read POTS, the more I like KN…)
Thanks for your patience. –L.O.B.
Review Returns-
Cloverluck11- thank you for your review. I'm sorry that I didn't update sooner. Thanks for reading!
QTKiiT- Thanks. Please keep reading.
X17SkmBrdchichzxx- Sorry about Cleon. He's not in this chapter. Thanks for reading.
Book Two of Keladry, Lady Knight
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Chapter Four
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January, 461
New Hope
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When Kel was to return to her post, she rode north with the Lioness, who was also on her way back from leave. Kel was glad to be able to spend some time with the woman that had been her childhood hero.
Alanna was greatly impressed by Tobe's faithful service to Kel and young Lilla, even though he thought it was funny to call the Lioness' horse so that it trotted in circles against its master's will. One time, the horse reared onto it's back legs, and Alanna, unprepared and eating an apple, tumbled to the ground. Kel bit back laughter as she helped Alanna to her feet. Later, in private, she scolded Tobe. That was the end of the horse tricks.
Kel had thought that it was cold in Corus, but as they traveled north, she was reminded of what the real meaning of 'winter' was. Apparently, she was not the only one who would rather have been at home, in a warm bed.
"Curse the cold," Alanna said wistfully. They had stopped to build a fire and warm up. Lilla, who stood beside the short woman, holding her hands closer to the flames, looked up at her. "I've always hated winter and I always will."
Out of curiosity, Kel asked her companion's advice about Lilla's Gift.
"She didn't even know she had it," Kel finished. Alanna across the fire at Tobe and Lilla, who were roasting pieces of cheese, skewered on sticks.
"Lilla should train with Neal," Alanna suggested to Kel. "She may be of some help to you in the future."
Kel pondered what the Lioness had said. It seemed only logical to train Lilla as a healer. She made up her mind to speak to Neal when they got back to New Hope.
When the reached Fort Steadfast, their paths parted. Alanna departed immediately, but Kel stayed for two days to let Tobe and Lilla rest. She knew that there would be plenty to do when they got back to New Hope. She visited with friends from the King's Own, including Dom and Lord Raoul.
Just as Kel was gathering their things together to set out for the last leg of the trip, Owen rode through the gates. He had been sent north just two days after Kel left.
"Thanks for waiting," he joked. Kel put her bags back in their room and hung around while Owen got his orders.
He was grinning when he left the office.
"I assume you like your post," Kel said with a smile.
"You could say that, Commander," Owen returned. "I'm gonna be shovelin' snow at New Hope."
"I think everyone will be shoveling snow," Kel said with a sigh, glancing out a window as a light sprinkling began to fall. "I suppose we should get going, Owen."
"Well this will be jolly!" he said.
As it turned out, there was plenty of snow to shovel. The gates of New Hope could barely open as the flurry turned into a blizzard. Kel was glad that wars weren't fought in the winter.
Kel hurried to make sure that the refugees were safe in their wooden barracks. They were well supplied with food and firewood. Kel walked through each of the barracks, greeting her friends and charges warmly, handing out spare blankets and . It was over two hours before she returned to the headquarters. As soon as she did, she was tackled by Loesia and some of the other orphans who lived there with the officers.
Kel grinned and laughed for a few minutes before disentangling herself from the group of children. As she kneeled to listen to their chattered stories Kel felt eyes upon her, and looked up to see Irnai, the child-seer. Kel smiled and went to sit beside the girl.
"You know, you can join them," she said quietly. Irnai grinned, and ran over to Loesia and Tobe. Kel watched from the sidelines, Lilla on her lap. Merric brought her a bowl of stew that had been warmed over the fire.
"Thanks," she said with a smile, giving Lilla the spoon.
"You really made their day," Merric said, looking to the children. They were happily playing with toys or sucking on candy.
"They deserve it," Kel said. "They have a harder time here than any of us. While we can remember our cozy, warm fiefs, they have nothing; no home, no family but each other, and us." Kel glanced around at her friends. "The poor dears."
"Kel even protects the small ones from boredom and depression," Owen added.
"I can't believe you found another one," Neal said as Lilla climbed from Kel's lap to Owen's.
"I couldn't leave her to a drunken peddler," Kel protested. "Besides, Neal, she has the Gift. Tobe spilled Cleon of Kennan across the floor, and Lilla healed a scrape."
"Cleon?" Neal asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Kennan was destroyed in a flood. His betrothed died," Owen answered. "Cleon was simply bringing his mother to stay at the palace."
"He came to say hi, and surprised Tobe, that's all," Kel said, anxious for the conversation to come to an end. "Anyways, I brought gifts for the other children, as well, and Lalasa sent as much cloth as she could spare."
To her relief, Neal and Merric left the topic alone and started drilling Owen about his Ordeal. They stayed up later than they should have, catching up. But the snows showed no signs of stopping anyway.
To conserve wood and heat, everyone in the headquarters was to sleep in bedrolls placed around the common room. Even though they were anxious about being snowed in, the murmuring voices were peaceful. Kel fell asleep listening to the mix of deep tones, broken with occasional chuckles. She was warm, surrounded by Jump, sparrows, and Lilla.
It was three days before the snow stopped. Once it did, the cold winter sun came out, and from her own room, Kel could see that the snow nearly reached the second story windows. It took several hours to work the door open. In the end, Merric and Neal maneuvered themselves out the window, wearing big, basket snowshoes. They carefully dug out the door, and the officers got shovels and began to make a path to the barracks, and to the latrines.
The children helped out as much as they could, but Kel kept sending them inside to warm their tiny fingers. She ended up setting them to hot cocoa duty, brining warm drinks to the workers.
Three hours passed, and they only managed to move a few feet of snow.
"This is useless," Merric said, sitting down on a block of snow that almost resembled a throne.
"We have to keep try-" Kel began, but she was interrupted by the cry of a black hawk. It flew into the open window, and a few moments later, Numair Salamín came out of the main doors, dressed in a shirt and breeches that looked suspiciously like Neal's spare set. Kel offered the mage a cloak for warmth.
"I believe that I can help," Numair said. He closed his eyes in concentration. Black fire shot from his fingers. It moved through the small village, melting the snow in it's tracks. The water flowed down the steep hill, dropping to the frozen river below. When the fire vanished, a cheer rose up from Kel's diggers.
"Thank you, Master Salamín," Kel said, turning to the mage.
"There's no need. Daine and I always think of you at times like this. It was the least that we can do."
…..
Three weeks after the snowstorm, a messenger came to New Hope with a letter for Kel. It was from Buri, who was uncharacteristically distraught. She wanted to know where her husband was. The army was side-stepping the issue. Apparently even Queen Thayet and her husband avoided the topic. Buri knew as well as anyone; that could only mean one thing.
Lord Raoul was missing.