---------------PLAGUE---------------
FOUR: Talons
Peachblossom snorted impatiently. Kel patted his neck and shifted to check her sword would slide out easily should she need it.
Nearby, she heard several jeering calls and a mottled assortment of teasing and laughter.
"Gosh, Lerant, you look tired! I wonder what you were up to last night..."
"So, Dom says a mysterious woman came to visit your room--"
"--and apparently you were really secretive about her. So, I think it's a village woman - but Corporal Yannick was just giving a very convincing argument..."
The voices faded away as they turned to face someone riding in to the left. Raoul appeared on his warhorse, black Drum, calling for the men's attention. "We have a large attack near Harrickstone. Mainly hurroks, from what the messenger says, so anyone who's a good shot will need to find a protected place to shoot from." He surveyed the seven squads in front of him, plus Kel and Faleron lingering at the back. "We should expect Stormwings, too. And whatever happens, don't let any near the town. They're evacuating, but some are still injured from last week, and moving the wounded is a slow procedure. The ride won't take more than ten minutes." Raoul looked over the group in front of him sombrely and then gave the command to move out.
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Kel was happily hacking and slashing away at the eagle-lion hybrids that fell at her head when a cracking and then a bang echoed over the usual war-noise. Even the hurroks turned to see what the ruckus was; two massive, ugly giants exploded out the forest in front of them, crushing hurroks and men beneath their feet without thought. Trees from the edge of the woods buckled and collapsed as the giants' arms flailed about. They carried huge spiked clubs.
Kel couldn't watch anymore before the hurroks resumed their attack, but later when the tide of them was slowing, she caught a glimpse of Raoul's bloody lance, shining triumphantly beneath the sun. He had run one of the giants through. The other turned and fled back into the forest, a trail of falling trees and disturbed birds left behind in its wake.
Returning to the battle, Kel was too busy fighting to notice Raoul leave after the giant, but she did notice when Lerant left. "Dom!" she said loudly, shielding her eyes from a drizzle that was just beginning to fall. "Lerant's gone into the forest!"
"Leave him be," came the shouted reply. Dom fought off a hurrok with difficulty.
Kel shook her head. Even if they weren't the best of friends, he'd gone after Raoul, and who knew what kind of other lethal immortals were hiding in the forest? He could get hurt. "I'm going after him."
"Kel--" Dom began, but she'd already begun to ride off.
The rain was falling harder, but the trees provided shelter from the worst of it. Kel could hear Lerant thundering through the thrush not far in front of her. He didn't seem to care that anyone could hear him, let alone anything. Kel sighed, exasperated, and continued to follow. He'll get himself killed, making so much noise! He's lost his mind! she thought furiously. A battle is the worst place to go insane.
Kel pushed Peachblossom to go faster, glad the trees weren't too close together. She took a shortcut and eventually caught up with Lerant in a clearing, fallen trees littering the floor. He had found the giant's path and obviously planned to follow it. Heroics? Kel thought. He's planning to kill the giant himself?
"Raoul!" the standardbearer shouted hoarsely, pausing as his mare sniffed the ground.
Kel slithered out the saddle and took advantage of his lull in movement to chase after him, grabbing his arm and tugging. He fell from the saddle. Half-hysterical at the smell of giant blood, his horse fled through a gap in the trees. Kel's feet sank into the boggy ground.
"Are you mad?!" she cried, trying to keep a grip on Lerant's sleeve. He brushed her off.
"Go back to the battle." His words were calm and deliberate, but he was sweating heavily and a vein on his forehead was bulging.
Kel gritted her teeth. "What in Mithros' name are you doing?! You'll attract the giant shouting your head off like that!"
Lerant glanced at her and replied shortly, "Didn't you hear? The mages say there are at least another three giants in here. Lord Raoul will get himself killed, and I can't let that happen."
Kel considered his relationship with Raoul. It was understandable that he didn't want Raoul to get hurt - Raoul had given him the place in the Own that had probably kept him sane, but still... Kel was also grateful to Raoul for taking her as a squire and teaching her so much, and she wasn't risking her life over him in stupid odds. Raoul wouldn't want that. "So you're going to help him? Alone? Two men can't take on four or more giants!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. "I know you owe him a lot but you'll both get hurt or even killed! Get a grip and think!"
Lerant shoved her away and began to step over a tree trunk. He's getting away! Kel thought, panicking. She grabbed his leg and tugged him onto the muddy floor. And then, suddenly, he was on top of her, looking at her, and then they were kissing.
Kel's mind buzzed with panic. What was she doing? But - she didn't care that she was in the middle of a battle, or that she was rolling in mud, or even that she was kissing Lerant of all people. All that was forgotten. His lips on hers were talons in her stomach, her heart, a ravenous hunger that ripped apart her insides. She was left empty, but desperately, breathlessly craving more.
Some strange, alien emotion rocketed into her body from his, scorching her throat and sending blood screaming to her head. There was nothing like it, Kel decided - not in reality - riding a star, maybe, or perhaps it could be compared to swallowing a rainbow. Is this love? Kel thought dazedly, but couldn't fathom how it could be. It wasn't passion, it wasn't pleasure - it was filling some emptiness deep in her soul, and yet emptying it all out a second later. Her brain told her to keep going, but her body repulsed it.
Kel finally pulled away, feeling like her lungs would collapse if she didn't take in some air. Lerant was caked in mud. So was she. But, as she stared at him, wondering at the effects his swollen lips had had on hers, none of that connected with her brain. She just knew that she had never felt anything like that, and she doubted she ever would again.
"What the--" Lerant began, beet red everywhere the mud wasn't. Kel opened her mouth to warn him, but the giant brandished his club and then everything went black.
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"Hey, you! Get up. We need the bed." Someone pulled her up onto her feet.
Kel's squinted, vision slightly blurry. "My head hurts…"
"We already healed your concussion. Drink this and come back if it doesn't help." A mug was jammed into Kel's hand and she gripped it instinctively. The voice that spoke to her was familiar, one of the healers that often worked with Third Company. Kel was ushered outside. Eventually she wandered to her room and sat on her bed.
The tea she'd been given tasted pretty grim, but it helped her headache. Over the pain, though, was a draining exhaustion from the healing. Kel finished off the drink, put the mug on the floor and crawled under her blankets. It took seconds for her to fall into sleep.
When she woke, her headache had completely faded away. Getting up, she threw open the shutters and peered outside. It looked to be a few hours past midday.
"I can't believe I slept so long…" she mumbled to herself. Once she'd wiped the sleep from her eyes, she changed into a fresh shirt and breeches. She was just neatening the blankets on her bed when someone knocked on her door. "The door's unlocked, come in," she called, picking up the mug and putting it on top of her chest.
"Hi," Faleron greeted. "How are you?"
Kel smiled at him, still a little sleepy. "Good. I think I got hit on the head yesterday, but it's all better now."
He nodded, sitting on the edge of her bed. Kel frowned as the blankets became rumpled again. "Yeah. I heard you went after Lerant and a giant attacked you. Lord Raoul appeared and helped Lerant kill it."
Kel paused, remembering the kiss. What would she supposed to do when she next saw him? She didn't think she liked him like that, and she didn't think Lerant liked her like that either. I guess we'll just agree to forget it ever happened. But – why had it been so mindblowing? Had it been like that for Lerant, too? Kel smoothed her hair and said, "Um, I think I scared off Lerant's horse… did they find it?"
Faleron grinned wolfishly. "Nope," he told her, obviously amused. "But he gets along well with most of the other mounts. Someone died from a wound yesterday. Lerant will have their warhorse."
"Oh." There was a long silence. "Who was it?"
"A new guy. He only joined a fortnight ago."
Kel didn't know him, but any death was sad. They sat quietly for a while.
Faleron broke the sombre silence. "By the way, a messenger is leaving for Corus in a few hours. If you want to send any letters, you should write them now."
"Oh, thanks," Kel said, getting up to find some paper.
"I have my own to write, too, so I should get going," Faleron informed her. Kel bade him goodbye and he left. Then she laid out her writing things on her chest and sat on the bed, leaning over to write.
Dear Neal,
Hello! How're things at the coast? We had some action yesterday – a giant knocked me unconscious. But don't worry; I drank the foul concoction the healers gave me so I'm all better. Other than that it's pretty boring here. Faleron is a lot quieter than I remember… but Third Company is rowdier than I recall. And by the way, when you reply, please don't mention Dom. I'm kind of avoiding him, but don't ask why. So now I'm going to change the subject.
How's Yuki? Have you planned a date for the wedding yet? I want to come (but I don't plan on wearing a dress, if you're wondering). As I'm asking these questions I am therefore expecting a reply. Presuming you aren't so busy fighting pirates that you can't write one, in which case I will personally march over there and make you reply. It's the only thing I'm looking forward to. Things over here are really dull.
If I'm really unlucky, you might be sent with the reinforcements and bring your reply personally. Although I hear Lady Alanna is over there with you, so you'll probably consider yourself lucky to remove yourself from her clutches. Anyway, say hi to everyone over there for me. Hopefully I'll see you soon.
Love,
Kel
She folded up the letter, slipped it into an envelope and sealed it. Telling him not to mention Dom was probably a mistake as it would probably bait him to ask why she was avoiding him, but chances were he would have said something about him anyway. And saying things were dull – that was just folly. She'd been given concussion by a giant and kissed a man who had always been an enemy of sorts. And she was avoiding Dom and at the same time so rushed off her feet with duties and battling that she barely had any time to think.
Sighing, Kel took another sheet of paper and began another letter.
Dear Tobe,
Hello – yes, I'm still alive. Sorry I didn't write earlier. I don't have much time so this will probably be quite short. So, how is your training? Looking after all the Rider horses must be really difficult, especially apprenticed to Stefan. And how are the sparrows? I expect their numbers have grown since I last saw them. Jump seems to like you a lot because you give him so many treats, so I expect he is fat and you are getting along with him very well too. I will probably be at the border for at least a month or two, but I'll visit you as soon as I arrive in Corus. Good luck with your apprenticeship!
Love,
Kel
She was just about to start a final letter to her parents when she was interrupted by a firm knock on the door. Constraining impatience, Kel left her writing things and stepped over to the door.
"Two visitors in an hour. Aren't I popular?" she remarked, if only to hide an intense swell of panic at the sight of Dom in the doorway.
"Can I come in?" he asked. Unusually, he was not sporting the broad grin that usually turned Kel's legs to jelly.
Kel sighed inwardly and let him in. "I have some apple juice from the village, if you'd like some." At his nod, she rummaged in her things, finally pulling out two pitchers and a skin of apple juice. He accepted the drink and looked around for somewhere to sit. "I'm sorry," Kel said quickly, taking a stool from the foot of her bed and putting it in front of her bed. She sat down on the end, opposite him.
He gazed at her very directly, holding his apple juice in his lap. "I get the feeling you've been avoiding me."
"Um, I've been busy," Kel blurted. She didn't even need to say that she'd been hiding from him; that was answer enough. Hiding the look of guilt from her face was too much work, and he'd already guessed she was guilty anyway, so she let it be.
He observed her silently and then jumped to a new topic. "So, how are you? I hear you sustained an injury. Is it better?"
"Yes," she replied, nodding. "I had a headache yesterday, but I drank the tea they gave me and now I'm fine."
Looking at him, Kel felt strangely empty. Then she realised it. The way he gazed at her so directly would have sent her into fits of mad blushing a few days ago. Now she just squirmed under his eyes because she knew she was guilty, certainly not because she found him attractive. He hadn't smiled, but Kel thought she wouldn't feel the familiar butterflies in her stomach even if he did.
"What happened out there, after you went after Lerant? How'd you get injured?"
Kel took a breath. "Uh, Lerant was going after Lord Raoul, to help with the giants. I caught up with him and told him he was mad. And then…" She wasn't sure what to say. Well, mentioning kissing Lerant would be a horrific idea. "…Then the giant attacked. I didn't see until the last minute, though, so it hit at us." Kel took a long draught from her pitcher, trying to moisten her desert-dry mouth.
She hadn't even thought of the kiss that much. There didn't seem much point puzzling over it, as it was so confusing that she thought she'd never reach an answer to why it had happened in the first place. Or why it had felt so -- different. Kel had never felt like that when Cleon had kissed her.
I bet kissing Dom wouldn't be half as mindblowing as kissing Lerant. Kel choked on her apple juice as the thought popped into her head. She quickly put down her pitcher and coughed, letting her throat clear. Half the apple juice was down her front from subconsciously spitting it over herself, and the rest had probably been inhaled and was now sitting leisurely in her lungs. Beet-red, Kel looked up at Dom.
He laughed. "What's wrong?" he asked, voice tinted with amused curiosity.
"Um, nothing. I just feel a bit ill. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone." Dom nodded, still a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes, but he followed her to the door without objection. Kel paused, about to open it. Taking a long, deep breath, she asked quickly, "Uh, do you know where Lerant is?"
Dom shrugged. "Probably in his room. Why, is it urgent? I can fetch him for you if you feel too ill to get him yourself."
Kel tried to push away the furious blushing that was heating up her cheeks. "No, don't worry. I thought I'd see how he's doing, but I have a headache." As an after-thought, she added, "Maybe tomorrow." Perhaps, she thought, that would deter Dom from visiting until then – although there wasn't much point in avoiding him if she didn't even have a crush on him anymore.
"Well, I'll ask someone to bring you some food later," Dom told her, halfway out the door.
"Thanks." Kel suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Can you take my letters to the messenger?" I didn't get to start one to my family. I suppose I'll send an extra-long one next time, she added silently to herself. Having fetched the letters and handed them over, Dom left and she locked the door behind him. Barely knowing what to do with herself, Kel began to put away her writing things.
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Aah! I'm so sorryyy... I didn't realise that I had about ten mocks so this update took forever. I had the Maths Challenge and French and Spanish coursework, too. Peh. School gets really hectic in Year 10... And next week I'm going for the BCG jab (vaccination against TB) and I think I'm one of the few people who has to have it this year. Not fair. (So I'll probably complain about it next update). But I miss netball at school, so that's something to celebrate. I really hate team sports and our netball teacher is really horrible. She makes us do drills until our hands are numb. And, FF12 is coming out on the 23rd. Yeah, you guys in America have had it for ages. I hate you...
Anyway, wasn't this chapter a shocker? Heh. Well, I enjoyed writing it. I couldn't think of any other way to get something to happen between Kel and Lerant, so there we are. If you liked it, please review! I'll be thinking of your reviews when I get stabbed with a huge needle on Monday morning...