Chapter 12 - Waking
Disclaimer - Tortall and its characters are the property of Tamora Pierce.
Kel's mind replayed the scene in her head. They beat her again and again, taunting her, hurting her. She held her Yamani mask tight; she wouldn't let them see her pain. Finally, Vinson threw another punch at her head and everything faded to black. But this time it didn't. This time, as the blow came to her head, she felt the softest kiss upon her hand. Startled, Kel's eyes flew open. Her wrists and ankles were no longer shackled. Vinson and Garvey were gone. Looking around, she saw Joren holding her hand. "Where am I?"
"The healer's wing. How do you feel?" Joren sounded concerned.
"I'm fine." Kel was feeling a bit more awake now, although she was a little thirsty. "May I have some water?" He handed her a glass and she drank greedily. Her limbs protested as she tried to sit up. "How well am I?" she asked cautiously.
"Duke Baird said no knight training for most of the winter. You're as weak as a kitten," he said lightly.
Kel sighed, her fingers stroking the glass. "Not that it matters. Soon I'll be finished with knight training anyway."
"Actually, Kel, we need to talk about that."
She looked up at him, confused.
"You're alive and well, but the baby," he took a deep breath, "the baby didn't make it."
Kel's head spun. "No," she whispered, "you're lying."
"I'm sorry, but it's true." Joren moved to sit behind her on the bed and held her. It was too much for Kel. First Vinson and Garvey's attack, and now this…tears formed in her eyes. She buried her face in Joren's shirt and began to cry. Joren held her silently, stroking her hair. Neither of them noticed Neal standing in the doorway, gaping at the sight before him.
Finally, Kel lifted her head. Still stroking her hair, Joren kissed her forehead. "It will be alright, Kel."
"I know." She looked at him in silent question. Understanding what she wanted, he kissed her softly, pulling her closer. Kel kissed him back, grateful for the warmth and comfort that flooded her. Slowly she sank into him, into the familiarity of his body. Her hand slipped under Joren's tunic and he inhaled sharply as her hand touched his stomach. Gently pulling away, he brushed his lips against hers and resumed holding her. "How did they get you?" he whispered against her hair.
"I was walking from the temple when something heavy hit me from behind. Then I woke up and I was chained to the wall. You know what happened next."
Joren nodded. "Wyldon wants to know who did it."
"You didn't tell him?"
"That .was for you to decide. They said that if either of us said anything, they would kill Lalasa. I couldn't take that risk without your permission. She is your maid, your property, not mine." Kel nodded thoughtfully. "I also asked Lord Wyldon to ask Neal to look after Lalasa."
"I can't take that risk. Soon I will be a squire, then what will happen? I can't always be watching Lalasa."
"They'll be in the mines by then."
"That doesn't mean they can't hire somebody to kill her." Joren fell silent, her comment reminding him of his plan to get rid of Kel.
"You're right," he conceded. "You'll be a squire. But you don't have to do this, you can still leave."
Kel scowled at him. "I still want to be a knight, Joren, I'm not leaving."
"Are you sure I can't convince you otherwise? It isn't as if you couldn't attract a husband, Kel. You could marry someone like Raoul or Cleon or one of those other big fellows. But what if you get maimed or scarred? Nobody will want you then."
Looking at the ground, Kel replied blandly, "I'll marry who I want, when I want, if I want. And my marriage prospects are none of your business."
"Lump."
"What?"
"You're being a Lump again," he said waspishly. "I'm not your enemy, I'm trying to think of you."
"You are not. You just want me to leave because of your ridiculous conservative principles."
"At least I have principles."
Kel had had enough. "Go."
"What?"
"Go. I need some rest."
"Duke Baird said somebody had to stay with you."
"Get Neal then."
"Fine." Joren's eyes glittered dangerously.
"What are you doing here, Joren?" drawled Neal as he walked into the room.
"Watching Kel. Seeing as how you weren't able to come by," Joren replied, slightly defensive.
"How are you feeling, Kel? I'd have come earlier, but you know what the Stump is like. He said only I could come by." He grinned wickedly. "Cleon came back today too. He said to tell you that your absence was like the emptiness of the desert, oh pearl of my heart," he drawled in a player-like manner. Kel grinned, forgetting Joren.
Joren watched Kel's face light up as she and Neal talked, feeling a small pang of an emotion he could not place. Now it seemed he was back to his original plan once again. But as he watched Kel smile and laugh with Neal, he almost, almost, wished that he were the one she was smiling at and laughing with. His ice-blue eyes flashed dangerously as he left the healer's wing.
A/N - A big thank you to all the people that reviewed and to Cesy and Tuathail for betaing. Please review! .