Tobe did his best to calm Peachblossom down. "She's fine!" Tobe grabbed the charger's halter and looked straight into the horses eyes. "She's gonna to be fine! Sir Neal said so."
Peachblossom snorted. Tobe led the horse back to the stalls and began to unsaddle him.
"No. You can't go see her. You won't fit in the tent." Tobe picked up a towel and rubbed it across Peachblossom's sweat soaked sides. "And no, she won't blame you for this either." The boy added.
Peachblossom let out a long sigh and rolled his eyes with relief.
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Daisuke had been on the field when Kel fell. He'd just come from one his own matches, and he was still wearing his armor. Saru was in the stands juggling and singing. Daisuke grinned as he saw her, but as he turned back to the match, Kel was on the ground. He frowned. That didn't bode well. He glanced up at Saru. His monkey looked uncharacteristically worried. He walked over to her. "You haven't been placing bets again, have you?" He asked.
Saru grinned appreciatively. "No, no, nothing like that." She caught each of her instruments and shrugged. "I traveled for a time with the Shang Wildcat, and she always spoke very highly of Kel. I'm hoping to see her win the tournament."
Daisuke gave Saru a sidelong glance. "Is that why you're too busy to watch me?" He asked, with a casualness he didn't feel.
Saru caught his feigned nonchalance. "You've been winning, haven't you?" She replied evenly. "You keep it quiet, but you know how to use a lance. Lord Asano loved western weaponry and taught all his men before--"
She stopped when she saw the sadness in the ronin's eyes. "It wasn't your fault." She added softly.
"That is what the emperor said. That is not what others think." Daisuke's voice was heavy and he wore his very strongest Yamani mask.
"It's what I think." She traced a finger along his cheek. "C'mon, you're in Tortall now."
"With you." Daisuke added.
"Dai…" Saru started. She took a steadying breath. "We're not…it doesn't work, we've tried. Flirting, playing, that's fine with me. But, let's face it. You wander only because you feel guilty about the tragedy you couldn't prevent. Me, I wander because that's how I'm made. When you forgive yourself, you'll settle down." She didn't have to add that she wouldn't. Couldn't.
"Some argue that home is where the heart is." Daisuke replied.
Saru pulled her hand away. "Don't." She said firmly.
Gathering her props, the Shang Monkey made a quick retreat to her tent; trying to forget what her Yamani knight-in-shining-armor had said.
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Once Kel's nursemaids (Neal and the Lioness) had left for dinner, she got up and snuck out of her rooms. It was the last day of the tournament tomorrow, and she needed to know what her body could do. She crept onto the practice courts and swung her glaive experimentally.
Alright. The pain wasn't terrible, but she felt as weak as a newborn kitten. Her breath was still a little short. Healed lungs were supposed to be stronger than the original. She stepped carefully into the first move of her pattern dance.
THWAK!
Kel jumped and looked around for the source of the noise. Across the room, the Shang Monkey was whacking the tar out of a training dummy with her bare fists. The dummy was Yamani variety; it almost looked like an evergreen tree with all its protruding "arms." The Monkey seemed lost in herself, throwing punches and kicks with a speed only a Shang could produce.
Kel walked over and tapped the woman on the shoulder with the glaive. The Shang monkey pivoted quickly and knocked the weapon away.
"Is something wrong? You should've noticed my approach." Kel remarked.
Saru wiped a strand of her hair out of her eyes. "I was trying to block everything out." She admitted. She reached for her towel and draped it over her neck. Judging by the state of her clothes, the Monkey had been on the practice courts for a while. "Shouldn't you be resting?" She asked.
Kel grimaced. "I can't rest when I'm worried. Tomorrow's the big day and I can't afford to lose."
"Why?" Saru asked.
"Because if I fail, I'll lost command of New Hope. "
"And you feel that you alone should carry this burden?" Saru asked.
! Kel paused, thinking. "No one knows the people of New Hope like I do. I'd give my life to save any one of them…and I think they'd do the same for me." !
"You are a Yamani at heart, Lady knight." The Monkey said solemnly. "You have much in common with Daisuke."
The corners of Kel's mouth twitched. "I'm flattered—I think."
Saru grinned and sauntered off the practice courts. Kel stayed and completed her pattern dance. The lady knight felt stronger with every swing.
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On the way back to her rooms, Kel passed the Chapel. A breeze ruffled through her hair, making her shiver. She had an irrational desire to visit the Chamber of Ordeal. 'You're insane.' She told herself sternly. What do you plan to do, go make small talk with it?
Nevertheless, she walked into the room. Everything was as she remembered it, and the door stared at her expectantly. Lady knight. It acknowledged. What brings you here?
Kel shrugged. "I have no idea." She told it frankly. "I spent all of last winter looking forward to being free of you…yet, here I am. I MUST be mad." She also wondered why she wasn't very concerned about it.
The chamber seemed to let out an amused sigh. Come here. It ordered. There is something you should see.
She should have hesitated, she should have walked away. Instead, Keladry of Mindelan stepped inside the Chamber for the third time.
Spidrens were at the gates of New Hope. Fanche and the archers were putting up a strong defense, but the Spidrens were advancing. They'd used all the nets already. Kel looked around for Wyldon, and she saw him—on the ground in a pool of blood. Owen stood over his lord, calling in vain for a healer.
"Stop it." Kel said firmly. "I thought you were past the nightmare phase with me."
This isn't a dream, Keladry. The clan came from across the border, looking for food. Scanrans weren't the only ones looking for easy targets. Your people are well trained, but when Wyldon and Fanche fall, they will have no commander.
"Why would you show me this?" Kel demanded. "Did you want me to suffer?" Kel tried to stay calm, logical. "I can't help them—it'd take a week just to get back there." She blinked back tears.
"I've told you. I don't see your world the way you do. Your concepts of time mean little to me. But, for your sake, I will tell you that this has not yet happened."
"When will it happen? Can I stop it?"
"You have six days, lady knight, to return. If you don't make it, New Hope will be lost."
She stepped out of the Chamber and resisted the urge to spit on its door. The Chamber was trying to be helpful.
Kel stumbled through the darkness, to her rooms to pack her armor, weapons…, and a little white flag with her shield on it. Then she rushed to the stables. Peachblossom and Hoshi whickered their greeting, and Kel threw a saddle on Hoshi. "Sorry, Peachblossom, I need her speed." Kel explained softly.
"Hey, what're you doing here so late?" Stefan held a lamp in one hand, and a pitchfork in the other. He realized he was talking to Kel, and the pitchfork lowered. "You trying to steal your own horse, milady?" He asked wryly.
Kel managed a weak grin. "I have to go back to New Hope, Stefan, it's urgent. If anyone comes looking for me…well, tell them what I told you. Goodbye, Groomsman, and look after Tobe for me, will you?"
"Aye, lady." Stefan nodded. "May Mithros keep you in his grace." He whispered as Kel and Hoshi shrank into the distance.
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Someone galloped past Saru's tent. The Shang had been sleeping lightly, and she awoke as the horse thundered past. She opened a tent flap and caught a glimpse of Kel as the lady knight disappeared into the darkness.
The Shang Monkey frowned. Her gut said Kel wasn't going for a leisurely moonlit ride. Wherever the Protector of the Small was headed, there was going to be trouble. Saru smiled to herself. She was the Shang Monkey. Trouble was her FIRST name. She saddled her director's horse and set off in pursuit of the lady knight errant.
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Dom awoke with a light heart. It was the last day of the tournament, only three matches to go. Daisuke faced Ansil of Groten, and Kel faced Prosper of Tameran. Prosper had been one of Kel's year mates, and Dom felt confident she could win that match. The winners of the semi-finals would then face off. It was only a matter of hours until the New Hope was officially under Kel's capable command—forevermore.
He strolled down to breakfast and kissed his mother on the cheek. "A wonderful morning to you, mother. Father." He nodded.
"Your sweetheart has been doing very well these past few days." Edolie remarked stiffly. It was clear she still didn't approve of Kel, but she also wouldn't dare attack a royal favorite.
"Yes. And she'll finish the tournament today." Dom said confidently. "Excuse me, mother, while I go awaken the fair lady."
Dom jogged through the corridors and came to a halt outside Kel's room. He knocked and waited. Tobe opened the doors, and his eyes were red with exhaustion.
"She done it again." Tobe grumbled. "Went off to save the day, and left me here."
Dom paled. "What did she do?"
"She went back to New Hope. Stefan and Peachblossom said she left in the middle of the night, riding like she knew something bad was going to happen."
It was an admittedly familiar scenario. Kel couldn't resist galloping off to save the meek, especially when it meant sacrificing her personal ambitions.
"Does anyone know what was so terrible that she had to leave?" Dom asked quietly.
"No. But Peachblossom said she smelled like the bad room."
"Bad room?" Dom repeated.
Tobe shrugged. "Horse-speak for the Chamber of Ordeal."
The sergeant moaned.
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Dom pounded on Neal's door. Yuki opened it cautiously, and was instantly swept aside. "Kel's gone." Dom said curtly. Tobe was right on his heels.
Neal rubbed his eyes blearily. "I must still be dreaming. I could've sworn you just said—
"Kel is gone." Dom repeated. He started pacing. "Tobe says that Peachblossom says that she went to the Chamber of Ordeal, then took Hoshi and is on her way back to New Hope."
"She'll lose the tournament if she doesn't show up." Meathead always had a firm grasp of the obvious.
"I don't think she'll make it back by this afternoon." Dom replied dryly.
"Then we need to find someone to ride in her place." Yuki said softly.
The men looked at her, amazed.
"Who do we know that can act like Raoul's best pupil?" Neal asked.
All eyes turned to Dom.
A/N: the stuff between exclaimation points in this passage (Kel's lines) are pretty much paraphrased from a Lioness book. Jon says something similar about Alanna to Myles ( I think). Anyway, this is fanfic, so I doubt I can be accused of stealing from TP any more than I already am but...just wanted to let you know.
