Disclaimer: I own no characters, places or anything of the like. Yet.
Here it goes . . .
Chapter 2
Later that morning, as Kel was sitting at her desk, a messenger knocked on her door. This will probably be the message from the king, she thought, glancing at the bags she had already packed and left sitting by the door of her room.
She was right. After tipping the messenger, Kel broke the royal seal, but before starting to read the letter, called to the messenger halfway down the hall.
"Could you go and get Sir Nealan for me? This is for him also."
The boy bowed and ran to get Neal. Kel packed up the rest of her last minute items, then sat on her bed and stated reading.
Lady Keladry and Sir Nealan,
I ask you to come to the palace as soon as possible. Temporary replacements for your post are on their way. I will expect you by the day after tomorrow, if not earlier.
Sincerely,
Their Majesties
King Jonathan and Queen Thayet
Kel finished the letter just as Neal walked in.
"Here." She said, handing him the letter. He read it silently as Kel waited, noticing that he held Yuki's letter in his other hand. She grinned wickedly and as soon as he was done reading, tapped the pink letter.
"Miss her so much you have to carry it with you everywhere?" Kel teased him, and to her surprise, he blushed.
"No! There's something in it I wanted to show you." Kel sighed,
"Well, then let me see it" He blushed again and grinned sheepishly. Wow, Kel thought. There must be some pretty interesting stuff in there. I should get ahold of it, and send it to Dom for some blackmail material. An image of Dom popped unbidden into her head. She could see him in her mind's eye. Blue eyes alight and sparkling, lips curved in a smile, - Neal shook her shoulder, breaking through her thoughts.
"What were you thinking of? Your eyes glazed over!" he exlaimed. Kel blushed and shook her head, trying to hide behind her Yamani mask, but failing.
"Nevermind. You were saying?" Neal paused.
"Oh yeah. Yuki said something in this letter about. . . ah, here it is. It says: I wish you could be at the palace. There's this new man who has been talking to the king for days now. He says he's from Tusaine and is a prisoner of war. Supposedly he got caught by some Scanrans making his way to Tortall for some important peace message for the King. All I know is that none of the men like him.
Neal, I know you wouldn't like him, but I still wish you were at the palace. Remember that time when we-" Neal abruptly stopped reading and blushed, folding the letter and placing it in his tunic pocket.
"Anyway," He said, trying not to notice Kel snickering under her breath, "this guy might be why we are being called to the palace." Neal turned to go, and Kel couldn't resist. She silently reached out her hand, then eased the letter from his pocket.
"At least you'll get to see Yuki!" she called then collapsed, laughing as Neal stalked out of her room, slamming the door behind him.
Kel carefully folded up the letter, then picked up her bags and headed for the main gate, to leave for Corus as soon as possible.