Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns the characters and the books.
A/N~ I have my laptop back, so I can write again without anyone bugging me for the computer. Of course it means I'm typing on notepad again, I must really get a better program. Well, while reading through some past chapters to make sure that I'm getting some things right I found a sentence that I found quite amusing, and from the looks of it I never quite got the idea right." I'm Prince Roald but it seems I must take my leave to pack." said by Kel. I cannot believe I let such a mistake slip through my editing.
Chapter Seven
Kel's POV
"Time to get up people." I heard a voice say.
I looked up to see Dom sticking his head inside the tent. "Do you normally wake Kel up like this when she is travelling with the Own?"
"Not at all, I the proof that you were separated for the night. It's nice to know someone that someone can truthfully swear to it."
I was surprised that I hadn't woken up myself; normally I was up by dawn. "No one is going to believe anything you say Dom, no matter what you swear by. What time is it anyways?"
"About an hour before dawn. Either way the sun is not out yet and you may want to hurry up and get ready, you know Lord Raoul is never in a good mood when he has to get up this early."
"Do you know why we are up this early?"
"Training, getting up before dawn, taking down camp and setting off with breakfast at hand, although I believe they are going to let us eat before we set off. You might want to start getting ready."
I climbed out of my bed roll as Dom left us alone. From my pack I pulled out a comb and ran it through my hair.
"For all your being tough you sure take care of your appearance Kel." said Joren.
"With hair this long it is better to run a comb through it rather than let knots form over days of work. Not as painful, you have your own comb anyways so you can't claim that I'm being all girly, or else you must admit to being girly yourself."
I knew I had hit one of his soft spots. He had always hated be told about his girly looks. I straightened my tunic and picked up my pack. Theo was still half asleep in his bed roll. Passing him I kicked his legs, not painfully hard, but hard enough to wake him up. "Hurry up, your slowness affects us all. For as much as you might hate waking up, it's a hell of a lot better than being asleep when your enemy happens upon your camp because you weren't moving fast enough, all because you were tired."
I left the tent and placed my pack against the tree. I sat down next to it waiting for Joren and Theo to come out. Raoul came out from the tent next to ours. "Relaxing already Kel? You tent isn't even down yet."
"I'm waiting for the boys to finish up. One would think that since they are guys they would get ready faster than me who is a girl. People should start rethinking these ideas."
"It all depends on the girl Kel. One wearing dresses takes longer than one wearing breeches."
"I was always ready along with the boys, even when I was wearing dresses to dinner, sir."
"Well then you shall make your husband happy one day. The one complaint I always hear is how long it takes their wife to get ready, and that they are only done just in time to b almost late."
"I think it is a little early to think like that sir. You should worry for yourself first. You will be married before me most likely, if only to get the mothers off your back."
"Don't think of me as so cold hearted Kel. Anyways the woman would have to be a strong one, all the displeased mothers will put her down and try and make their own daughter seem better. Now no more talk of marriage pushing mothers. I didn't come out into the woods to talk about them."
"To escape from them is more likely." I muttered under my breath.
"I'm surprised how much being with the Own is changing you; I never expected to hear something like that come from you."
"I think it is just the time of day and my being so tired that is letting me act like this. I apologize for what I said sir."
"No worries Kel, truth be told I needed a reason to escape the two balls being held in the next couple of days, although I wonder what King Jon will do without his pages to serve at the suppers first, as well as all the squires being gone."
"There are people who work in the castle, and they do as much during any feast that occurs when we are gone."
"That is true, now if you excuse me, I must go in search of food."
Joren and Theo stepped out of the tent as Raoul walked away. "I thought that Dom said Lord Raoul is never in a good mood about being up early."
"I think why he has chosen this week has so much hapiness in it for him that it out weighs his dislike of mornings, especially since nothing was said against his leaving."
"Nothing was said against his leaving?" asked Theo.
I looked over at him. "One thing you must learn is how you knight master acts. In my case I know that Sir Raoul does not like attending formal functions and will avoid them at all costs. On the other hand King Jon and Queen Thayet are always doing their best to force him to go. With two events coming up in the next couple of days, he created this training excuse to get away from the castle and any social details."
"You know, most people have a normal knight master, unlike you and Neal. They don't have to worry about little details such as those. They only really need to know is a knight's preference when it comes to certain things, like if they want help preparing before a match or not. Most people do not have an in-depth look at their knight master's social behaviour. Although Sir Raoul is known for his."
"Either way you need to know the details about your knight master's preferences."
Theo nodded. Together the three of us began to take down the tent. It was mindless work and my mind began to wonder towards thoughts of Roald. He had said he was trying to change the situation he was in. At this point there really is no way, not without ruining all the work my parents had put into creating this agreement between the two countries. To try and call off the wedding could lead to problems. I could only hope that he wouldn't try to do something stupid.
With the tent packed up the three of us headed towards the fire to get our breakfast, which consisted of boiled oats. It's not so much that I would like to complain about the meal, but it is much simple than what I had been eating for the past while. "Certainly not what we have been eating lately, huh Kel?" Merric said voicing my thoughts.
"Much simpler, although at least right now I don't have to force anyone to eat their vegetables."
"Ah, but the choices we had there, I would love to see something like that again."
"Well it did seem they always had extra food, and no worries about making sure it was all eaten and not wasted."
"The wonders of advancement. I would if with magic we can find a more convenient way to do the same thing?"
"Maybe someday, but for today we have boiled oats and a forest to walk through."
"Did you happen to bring any of your work with you?"
"I brought the lists I'm creating. Last night I finished the lists of disappearances and re-appearances, now I'm looking in similarities in location. I also believe it would be best to find out where they were last seen, or the last place they were planning on heading, of course we will have to be careful with that, most people won't like talking to a squire or knight."
"I'm starting to feel so useless. Have Roald or Neal contributed anything yet?"
"No both of them were quite busy before leaving; I hadn't a chance to discuss anything with them. I figure work with what I have now, and report my findings. If you would like you can help me out during this exercise. Some of the list of people who disappeared included their place of residence at the time. That might hold some clue as to where the next people might disappear from."
"Tell me when you're working on it and I will give you any help that I can."
With breakfast done and all the tents packed up we left again in the order we had been walking the day before. I stayed closer to the back of the group, away from the three who had tried to scare me the night before. Joren had been walking beside me silently for almost two hours before he spoke. "So, what were you and Merric talking about at breakfast?"
I nearly let a look of surprise fall onto my face, he couldn't have been thinking about that for the past two hours could he? "About the food we had eaten while we were away, as well as the mystery that has been placed before us. He hadn't realized I had finished the name comparison. He wants to help me while we are here with training. It is better to have at least two of us looking at the information we have."
"Wouldn't a third mind be even better?"
"Yes, but both Sir Raoul and Lord Wyldon are so busy I couldn't dare ask one of them to help out."
I laughed at the look of disappointment on Joren's face. "Yes your help would be appreciated, although you must swear to secrecy."
"I solemnly swear to not tell another soul of the work we are doing other than you, Merric, Roald and Neal. Although I'm sure the last two will be displeased with this idea."
"Merric might be against it to, but if I trust you, they will have to listen to me. Anyways, I'm the one with the book."
"How did you get that book anyways?"
"Luck. One of the teachers at the school travels to teaching fencing. He happened to have come from here and was willing to get a copy of this book for us. Normally when one returns they are to destroy the book, but in our case we have the king wanting us to find out why."
"It most likely takes a lot of power to do so Kel."
"That's just it though, it may take a lot of power, and I'm not sure since I never did ask Sir Alanna, but it can be done by human mages."
"Are you sure it is not the gods themselves. They very well could have given Alanna the power to get you back."
"But then why would they have sent us there in the first place?"
"I am not one to try and answer questions about the gods doings, if it is so. Of course if it is a mage, what can they gain from all of this, and how did they manage to send you Roald, Neal and Merric?"
"See that is the problem. Our common connection before disappearing is going to see Roger and if it does take a lot of power, he wouldn't have been able to do so since the limitations have been placed on his magic."
"Mayhap he had help from someone else."
"Anyone who helped would find themselves punished though, it may not be kidnapping the prince, but it is close enough."
"Who would have expected Alanna to be able to find you and bring you back? It is not common magic that she used is it?"
"I wish I knew. It's not like I can talk to her in private, to many people will speak against it. That and I have to wait until I can see Neal again to get him to ask her these questions since it is not something I can send by letter. Of course I may be able to speak with King Jon but that will have to wait until I get back."
"Well then, maybe along with looking at where the people originally came from you can also look for reasons why you might have been sent away, who could gain from it."
"Four random pages, well maybe two random pages, the Girl, and the Crown Prince. There are many people who would want me out of the castle, and maybe Roald as well, seeing as his family is for changes."
"See, so there is a chance the person who did this is a strong conservative."
"Yes and how many of those are there in our country?"
"True, but you may be able to narrow it down, you just need to think."
We walked out from beneath the trees and into the clearing where we would be spending the next couple of day. I recognized it from my page days. Only if I recalled correctly it only took us a day to walk here. I looked at Raoul who noticed my looking around at the clearing. "You recognize this place Kel?"
"Came here once as a page. Although if I recall correctly it didn't take us as long to get here."
"Well since we did happen to leave a little late, we had to go along a different way since we needed a clearing to set up camp in last night."
"If only sleep was extremely important to some people."
"Kel, what I told the Own applies to you as well."
"I know, but most of the pages probably know by now that we left after you got to sleep in."
"No one should mention it near me then."
"Does that mean we can tell stories as long as you're not near enough to hear?"
"My hearing extends to great distances, especially when pages come to ask if certain events are true."
"Well then I shall be sure only to tell the stories to those I trust to keep quiet."
"Will you be able to lie to me about it later if I asked?"
"I should not sir; I can only hope you will be understanding sir."
"Go help set up your tent squire, afterwards I want you and your group to find wood for tonight's fire. Everyone should be ready for a meal by the time they arrive and we wouldn't want to keep them waiting long."
I bowed my head slightly and left to help Joren and Theo set up the tent. Merric and the other three were setting their tent up next to ours. When we were nearly finished I passed on the order in a voice loud enough that I would only have to say it once. When our tent was done I placed my pack inside and went over to the other tent. Joren and Theo were helping them drive the stakes into the ground. "Would you guys like me to place your stuff in our tent?"
Both of them replied yes so I left to do so for them. I heard Caleb mutter, "Can't even help sent up a tent?"
I was willing to ignore the comment and leave the guys to finish up when I heard a thud. I turned to see Caleb on the ground with Joren holding him down. "You will not speak like that again, understand. Be happy she is so good at controlling her emotions, or you would be wishing you had a palace healer for you wounds. Next time I hear something like that, I will do my best to convince her to beat you up before this exercise is over."
"Joren let him go. I can withstand such a simple comment. It is quite uncreative, something he probably overheard in the castle adjusted slightly to fit this moment."
Joren applied a bit of pressure to Caleb's neck before letting him go getting up Joren came over to me, "Sorry Merric, but I think you guys are going to have to finish by yourselves. We should have enough time to arrange our tent for tonight while you finish up. Seeing as you have such weak help."
Theo let go of the rock he had been using to drive the stake into the ground. He stood up and walked over to where Joren and I were standing. We were beginning to walk away when I heard Merric say, "It would be faster if you helped, but I understand your hope to be done quickly. I tell you when we are done this and ready to go find wood."
I could tell from Merric's voice that he wished he didn't have to stay as well, but he couldn't leave the three guys alone, especially since he was staying in the tent they were setting up. Inside our own tent I sat down next to my pack and pulled out my bedroll. I placed it along one side of the tent making sure it didn't touch the tent itself. Joren and Theo placed there packs next to mine and laid their own bedrolls on the other side. As we finished straighten up all our stuff Merric's head popped into the tent. "Ready to go?"
I crawled out of the tent after Joren and Theo. Together with the other three we went into the woods to find some branches for kindling. I had to remind both Joren and Merric that the clearing would have the basic wood for the fire already since it was often used as the last stop before people travelled onto Corus. It didn't take us long before we were back at the camp with our arms full of branches ready to use. We placed them with the wood, before bringing some to the fire pit. While we were laying them inside Dom came over with a piece of flint and a stone. He had just begun to strike the pieces together when Wyldon's voice cut across the noise of the camp. "Wait until all the pages can be there to observe this."
I could tell Dom wanted to make a remark about this even though he knew he wouldn't be able to. I placed my hand on his shoulder and raised my eyebrows. "I know, I know, we can't corrupt the minds of the young ones, just once I would like to say something back to him."
"Most of us would. Just remember to hold your tongue until he can't hear."
"Is that how you manage to keep so calm all the time, just hold your tongue, knowing you can say whatever you want later?"
"No, I use a trick that I learnt in the Yamani Islands. I can teach it to you some time if you would like."
"It seems that such knowledge could be very useful. It might teach me to be calm enough to think before I speak."
I laughed at his bringing up yesterday's argument. "So you finally agree. No, today should be proof that I think before I speak."
"Fine then, you think before you speak when you fear the consequences that come with your speaking freely."
Dom smiled at me and I smiled back. I looked up to see Wyldon heading our way. The pages were doing so as well. "Thank you for waiting," turning from us he began to speak to the pages, "It is important that you learn how to start a fire without magic. I'm not saying that using magic to start a fire isn't useful knowledge, but you never know when you will be travelling without a mage, or when the mage you are travelling with becomes burned out and you need to rely on your tools and yourself to create a fire. We shall have a demonstration tonight, after this; you shall be working in pairs to start the cooking fires yourself. I suggest you watch closely because I know that the others here will not be happy when they have to wait longer for their food because you cannot start a fire with a piece of flint and a rock. If I hear of anyone using magic to start a fire during their turn they shall be punished."
He stepped aside so that Dom was visible to everyone. Standing the closest to him I was the only one who heard Dom say, "Never thought I would be starting a fire for an audience."
I kept silent, not knowing if he meant for me to hear it or not. He held up his hands to show how he was holding both the stone and the flint. He began to strike the flint with the stone holding it close to the dry grass that had been placed close to the twigs. His first movements were large and exaggerated, showing how the rock should hit the flint, before he began making small quick moments that would actually start the fire. Once he had a small fire in the pile of grass he took one of the small twigs and held it close letting it catching on fire. He lit the other twigs using the first one before dropping it on the pile of wood. Soon the flames were well enough to begin cooking over. The pages were given time to finish setting up their tents while food was placed out to be cooked. "Where you ignoring my comment on purpose Kel?"
"I wasn't sure if I was suppose to hear the comment or not. I figured there is no harm in me not saying anything."
"If you had responded, what would you have said?"
"I'm not sure, maybe something about you and your love of having an audience."
"That is only when I'm telling a story, then I rarely embarrass myself. I'll see you at supper; I don't think I should trust those setting up my tent to do so properly."
I nodded at him and watched him walk away. "Are you over him yet?"
"No, although if this exercise is eventful enough it may keep him out of my head for a few days."
"Just checking, I don't want to lose to someone else since I hadn't notice you were over him yet and the other person did."
With that Joren left me by myself. He couldn't have really meant what he said could he? Forget having an eventful exercise, the questions Joren keeps leaving with me are enough to confuse me out of remembering anything.
A/N~ A longer update then I planned on, but when I was ready to switch over to the other computer to upload this from I couldn't because it was in use. But here is the nice update now. My thoughts after writing this chapter- Joren or Dom? Dom or Joren? Tell me what you think.
