Show


Over the next two weeks, she noticed small changes in the pattern she had fallen into. She still rose before dawn to practice her glaive, and then to train with the other soldiers on unarmed combat, followed by sword practice. During the day, she still read, talked with her friends, rode, or helped with the work to be done in the fort. Now, evenings were spent, quietly, with Dom, or her other friends. She found it a nice change to talk to Dom, who was both fun and sophisticated at the same time. There were three more skirmishes during those two weeks, but none were extremely serious and the Tortallans came out victorious in all of them.

That particular afternoon, Kel was brushing down Peachblossom after a ride with Neal and Merric. They were chatting idly when horn calls sounded from the walls of the fort. Instinctively all three looked up, and relaxed again as the sound for "friends" was heard.

"Wonder who it is this time?" Kel turned towards the gates, questioning.

"Look," Neal jerked his head towards the flagpoles as an answer. The others did, curious.

Two flags flew up above the grounds. One was a silver crown and sword against a deep blue field- the Tortallan flag. The other was the emblem of the King's Own. As they watched, a third new flag climbed the poles. When it reached the top, the wind caught it and unfurled it, revealing a gold cat on a red background.

Neal sighed with mock-happiness. Extremely dry, he commented, "Joy. The Lioness is here. Excuse me while I go hide in my room."

Kel laughed and shoved him a little, turning back towards the gate to see the other lady knight ride through the gate on her black-and-gold mare, followed by roughly fifty men. She held up her hand and stopped the others, then urged her own horse forwards at a slower pace.

Reaching the flagpoles, she dismounted and started leading her horse towards the stables. They three younger knights all bowed as she reached them, although Neal, as Kel noticed, looked less than courteous about it.

"Hello," she greeted as she came closer. On foot, the Lioness was a full head, if not more, shorter than Kel. "Keladry, it's good to see you again." Kel smiled as Alanna turned to Neal, her expression turning into one of mock-distain. "Don't give me that look, Neal, I don't like seeing you again either." They all laughed, and the potential tension in the air eased.

The lady led her horse into the stables, and then made her way back towards the commander's quarters.

"Alanna!" Raoul's voice cut clearly across the clearing. The Lioness grinned and walked briskly to her old friend, clasping hands with him affectionately. "Raoul."

"Heading up to Fraserlund?" Raoul scanned the assembled men, a slight frown flickering across his face, "Fifty men? I though Vanget wanted..."

"He did want me to take a hundred, but that'd leave the coast even less protected than it was before. Fraserlund has as many people as it needs, in my opinion. All he ever thinks about is protecting the border, whilst the coast and refugee camps don't get nearly enough armies."

Raoul gave a lopsided grin. "So you made your own call, despite Jon's express orders to let the general decide on placement and division."

Alanna made a face. "It was necessary," she protested, a little defensive, "even if Jon is going to have my head for this."

"He won't hurt you. Much," Raoul teased, then beckoned, "come and I'll fill you in on what's been happening."

As the lady knight followed the knight commander, Kel's eyes were drawn to a certain couple sneaking away for a welcome in a lover's fashion. The Wildmage had been overjoyed when she heard that Numair would be arriving that day, but overjoyed didn't begin to describe how she looked just then.

"Magelet, I've missed you," Numair muttered as he pulled Daine aside.

"You too," she planted a kiss on his cheek, smiling at him lovingly, "every time I see you go off on a mission I worry about you."

"As if I don't worry about you more?" Numair teased, twitching her nose.

"How goes all on the coast?" she wanted to know.

"Same-same," the black robe answered, "though if my information is correct, there will be serious trouble here soon."

Daine looked up at him, worried. She didn't like the sound of that. "Trouble?"

"Speaking of that, I'd better go speak with Raoul," he said, then smiled ruefully at the disappointed expression on her face, "we'll see each other again soon enough."

She smiled at him. Only after he'd turned around did she let it fall off her face, to reveal her worry that something may be seriously wrong.

)O(

Kel sat between Dom and Daine, listening to Raoul as he explained their latest situation. From Numair's information, the Scanrans were planning a full-out attack the day after. And this, as Raoul stressed, was not just a skirmish; it was most likely going to be a huge battle.

Kel listened. She was calm, as always, but she couldn't shake a very bad feeling. She knew it was dumb, and most likely wrong. She knew Neal would laugh if he thought she was trying to foretell. But she couldn't help feeling very, very bad about the upcoming battle.

The weirdest thing was, she had absolutely no reason for feeling this way.

)O(

Okay people, this is the part where the prologue fits in. So, if you're confused when reading the next chapter, go back and read the prologue. It'll help.