Chapter Fifteen: The Fight

A/N: I remembered the author of The Cry of the Icemark! Stuart Hill. Now for the story.

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Alina: Xaver made a face. "Jupiter is attacking once again. Thankfully they usually give us enough time to get ready to go before they start killing people. Maybe you will have better luck than we do and figure out why they're attacking."

Jonathan stiffened at the word 'luck.' "There's no such thing as luck," he muttered. I rolled my eyes.

Que smiled at him, then turned to me. "Come, I will show you where your armor is." She led Jonathan and the rest of us to a large room near the rear of the throne room, gesturing to the armor lining the walls. "You will have to help each other into it, most likely. It's kind of awkward to get into by yourself."

I grabbed my armor, noticing that Kenneth's was beside it. Que and Jonathan were helping each other, and I sighed, turning to Kenneth. "Will you-?" I started, but Kenneth had already started buckling the straps that I couldn't reach. "Thanks," I added, smiling gratefully at him. With a jolt, I remembered that we were matched. Hopefully that wouldn't mess up our friendship...

I helped buckle those hard to get to straps on Kenneth's armor, then we both went to help the others. I strapped on my final gauntlet, the burnt orange glow of protection appearing on my exposed arms and legs. After fastening on Adair's armor, I took a deep breath.

"Que?" I asked, making the girl look up. "Where are the dragon's armor?"

"Outside. Come on, we have to hurry," Que added, taking off at a run. I followed. Javis was outside, her scales a much paler blue, signaling her fright.

Alina? What's happening? Why are you in armor?

"No time to explain now, Javis, just come over." I grabbed the burnt orange faceplate and carefully fitted it over Javis' head. That was really the only place that their scales didn't protect. I stepped back to take a good look at my dragon. The faceplate had our standard, a dragon flying as if seen from below, and fit Javis well. I smiled at her.

Que looked over all the dragons. They were all armored up, and she nodded in satisfaction. "All right, let's go. You will fly above a regiment of troops, diving and flaming at the enemy. Remember, our intention is to drive the Jupiterites off, not kill them. The older members of the group will team up and protect four regiments. The younger members will each protect only one, smaller, regiment." the gong sounded again, twice this time. "That's the signal that the enemy is moving in, and also our cue to start making our way to the battlefield. Good fortune to all of us," Que finished solemnly. Then she broke out into a grin. "Oh, and by the way, try not to die."

"Oh, don't worry," Jonathan replied. "I'm not to keen on that idea." He swung onto Trahern, who took off. Que went with Jonathan, I went with Kenneth and Kendra and Haley went together. Conan and Javis flew strongly, following the other dragons to the battlefield. We veered off in different directions, each to our own group of regiments.

The two armies were lined up facing each other, and both looked up when the dragons shadows passed over the field. A cheer went up from Neptune's side, while the Jupiterites just looked surprised to see so many of us.

Jupiter began the army with a surprise charge. Javis dove, breathing out a long tongue of fire that hit the ground right in front of the forerunners, making them halt suddenly, trying not to be hit. Conan followed Javis, twisting as a large rock hurtled up into the air towards him. In the distance, I saw other dark forms diving, flaming and avoiding missiles as well. I could tell the dragons apart, except for Trahern and Oriana. They were to close in color and I was to far away to really be able to be sure.

The regiments Kenneth and I were protecting/leading rushed forwards, now that the Jupiterite charge was thwarted. The first fourteen or fifteen Neptunian soldiers were wounded, but years of defensive/offensive training had made it's mark; Neptune was hard to beat on the battleground. I was surprised at Neptune's ferocity, though. The goal was to drive the Jupiterites off, not kill them, according to Que, but the soldiers were duking it out amongst themselves.

An arrow flew up, Javis banking sharply so that it missed her wing, and I saw Kenneth and Conan swooping down low over the Jupiterite army, who instinctively ducked. I smiled at that. Obviously the Jupiterites were unused to dealing with more than three or four dragons. Now they had nine more to deal with. I didn't see Kerina or Quillan anywhere, and I assumed that they were either leading a group of regiments farther away, so I couldn't see them, or they were helping Amara get the knack of her job.

With a cry of victory, the Jupiterites gained the upper hand, pushing the Neptunian soldiers backwards. I pressed my lips together. "Not while I'm alive and breathing," I muttered, and asked Javis to dive. Snapping her jaws open, she breathed a long tongue of fire down on the Jupiterite soldiers, who flinched as the flame neared them. Javis had, of course, not meant to hit them, merely drive them off.

The battle went on like that for a while, then Jupiter's side retreated.

While doing a flyover, Kenneth squinted down towards the ground. I followed his gaze and saw a small group of Jupiterites in the middle of a small rock formation, surrounding a lone Neptunian. Kenneth's eyes widened, and Conan went into a steep dive. With a sigh, I asked Javis to follow.

Conan landed, Kenneth leaping off as soon as the dragon had all four legs on the ground. Javis was more wary, circling around so we could see. Together, Kenneth and the single Neptunian faced the group of Jupiter's soldiers. Kenneth whirled his laser sword in a defensive move as one of the soldiers rushed at him. Leaping nimbly aside, Kenneth avoided the blow. The Neptunian had taken care of nearly half the soldiers before Kenneth had joined, and together they took out the remaining five. The Neptunian soldier ran after two Jupiterites who were making tracks, but Kenneth stayed to make sure no one else needed help. He'd taken off his helmet, and was holding it under one arm.

Suddenly, I noticed the last of the soldiers get back up, and draw a small dagger. A warning my father had given about the armor we wore floated into my mind: "There is one alloy of metal that can penetrate the protective shield. Not many people know about it, but if they do, you have a very dangerous threat." "KENNETH!" I shouted, trying to warn him, but we were to high above the ground for him to hear. Feeling my panic, Javis dove towards the two men, but too late. The knife was plunged into Kenneth's back, making him jolt forwards in surprise and pain.

Javis landed, and I leaped off before she was even all the way on the ground. The Jupiterian had obviously used the last of his strength to do the deed, and he was on the ground, dead. Kenneth was on his hands and knees, his face white with pain. I knelt next to him, putting my hand on his shoulder.

He raised his face to look at me. "Alina," he whispered, trying to smile through the pain and failing. "I think I'm dying." He said this as he were commenting on the weather, but I could see the fear deep in his eyes. They were clouded, the pain taking a huge toll on him.

I shook my head. "I won't let you die, Kenneth!"

Kenneth managed a smile this time. "Alina, sweetheart, I don't think you have much choice in the matter." At this point, I didn't even mind the 'sweetheart' part. I just wanted to save him. As if his strength was suddenly drained, Kenneth collapsed on the ground.

I screamed. "NO!" Bending over until my forehead was resting on one of his shoulder blades, I closed my eyes. "Please, Lord, don't take him from me!" I prayed. "I can't lose him, he's one of my best friends!" I could hear Kenneth's breathing becoming more and more ragged, and I knew that he didn't have much time left. He had gone unconscious, thankfully, so at least he wasn't in pain anymore. His form blurred in front of me as tears filled my eyes.

Then I felt someone move me a few feet away from Kenneth. I fought them, looking up to see a dark-haired young man holding me back from another young man, this one with blond hair. The fair-haired man knelt by Kenneth, removing the knife, placing one hand on his back and closing his eyes. I could just barely hear him muttering words that I vaguely remembered from somewhere. It hit me: Paulini's book, Eragon. The words Eragon used to heal.

The blond-haired man looked up, smiling at me. "He will live," he said simply, then he gestured for the dark-haired man to let go of me.

I sat on the ground, watching the two young men go. They disappeared quickly, but not before I saw the red and blue dragons taking off. Eragon and Murtagh had saved Kenneth. I smiled after them, then turned back to Kenneth. Grabbing the knife, I stuck it carefully into my belt, intending to bring it back to my parents so they could analyze it and make a protective shield that protected you against this alloy of metal.

I sat cross-legged near the unconscious form, waiting for him to wake up. With a jolt, I realized that my hand was on his back, but I didn't feel like removing it. Since he was unconscious, I didn't have to worry about him. Eragon had told me he'd live. If he didn't, I'd simply find out where Alagaesia was and go kill him. Who cared what Arya would do? She wouldn't even admit to liking Eragon. I rolled my eyes at her stubbornness, but then it hit me: I was doing the same thing. I would never had admitted to liking Kenneth, not even to my diary. I didn't know if Arya had a diary, but if she did, I was pretty sure she wouldn't have written anything about Eragon in it.

I shook my head, realizing where this line of thought was going and not really wanting to think about it. So I like Kenneth, I admitted to myself. Of course I did. He was my friend. No, my Inner Self, the one I talked to a lot, corrected. You like him because he's polite and nice. And cute. I shook my head, not bothering to reply. Although, I thought, he was kind of cute. Now that my Inner Self mentioned it. I groaned, and rested my forehead on one hand, the one that wasn't on Kenneth's back. I was hopeless.

Kenneth sighed and rolled over onto his back. I didn't move my hand, just let my fingers skim over his armor as he moved. His eyes slowly opened. "What happened?"

I smiled. "Someone healed you."

Kenneth's eyes registered shock at that. "Really?" I nodded. "Who?"

I bit back a laugh. "You'd never believe me if I told you."

"Try me." So I explained about Eragon and Murtagh being real, and how they'd come and healed him. Kenneth didn't seem surprised. "I saw Galbatorix flying by earlier today."

I threw up my free hand. "Am I the only one who wasn't aware that Paulini's characters are real?" I fake-pouted at the injustice of that. Kenneth shrugged, then his eyes widened and flicked downwards. I followed his gaze until I saw my hand resting on his shoulder. I hastily removed it. "Well," I said defensively, "I was worried about you."

"You were worried about me?" Kenneth seemed more curious than uncomfortable at the physical contact. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Because you're one of my friends, and I didn't want you to die."

Kenneth smiled a little. "You consider me a friend?"

"Of course I do. What else would I consider you?"

Now it was Kenneth's turn to shrug. "I don't know, I just wasn't expecting you to say that." At my questioning noise and raised eyebrow, he added, "I'm not sure what it was, exactly, that I expected you to say, but it wasn't that."

I removed my helmet, placing it carefully on the ground next to me. My hair was starting to fall out of the hasty braid I'd put it in after donning my armor, so I just took out the hairband and let it unravel the rest of the way. "Did you want me to say something?" I asked mischievously.

Kenneth rolled his eyes, smiling a little more. "Not...especially..." he said, his voice trailing off suggestively.

I slapped at his arm, knowing that I couldn't hurt him while the protective shield was up, unless of course I used the knife. But I didn't want to hurt him. "Tell me, since you obviously wanted me to say it."

Kenneth raised his chin and closed his eyes. "Never."

I got onto my knees, then before Kenneth could react, I'd straddled him and was pinning his arms down. "You tell me, young man, or I won't move."

Kenneth sighed, as if defeated. "Well," he said, as if he were going to continue, and I lessened the pressure some. He reacted quickly, prepared this time, and before I had time to register what had happened, we were in the opposite position, except for the fact that Kenneth's hands were on the dirt on either side of my neck instead of my shoulders.

"Hey!" I yelped in surprise. Then I relaxed a little. "Umm," I added quickly, "to anyone flying above, that is a very suggestive position."

Kenneth didn't move. "Let them think whatever they want, Alina." I looked up at him in what I hoped was a hurt way, but my ruse didn't fool Kenneth. "Give it up, I'm about to tell you what I wanted you to say. What I hoped you were going to say." Here he paused.

"Go on. What you hoped I was going to say..." I prompted.

Kenneth smiled evilly. "Ah, I forgot what I was going to say."

"No you didn't!" I shrieked playfully. I grabbed onto his wrists, trying to budge him, wishing that he wasn't so much bigger than I was. I changed tactics when Kenneth didn't move. "Please tell me?" I asked very politely.

Kenneth shook his head. "You are something else, Alina." I blinked innocently at him, putting on my puppy dog eyes as I continued to silently implore him to tell those secret words. Finally, he spoke. "What kind of friend?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"What kind of friend?" Kenneth repeated. "You remember, earlier you said-"

I cut him off. "Yes, yes, now I remember. Sorry, Algebra fried my short-term memory." I paused, thinking his question over. Then I decided to pay him back a little. "I don't think I shall tell you," I said as haughtily as I could with him straddling me and pinning me to the ground.

Kenneth groaned, but didn't move. "Payback, eh Alina?" I nodded. We were silent for a moment, then Kenneth spoke again. "Are you...are you upset that we're Matched?" Somehow he managed to put a capital letter on his final word.

I half-shrugged. "Not especially. I mean, at least I know you. Jonathan had never met Que before we came to Neptune. I've known you for nearly two months." Goodness, had we really trained for two months?

Kenneth licked his lips, trying to get his next sentence out. "Do you even like me?"

I was shocked at this question. "Of course I do! If I didn't like you," I said reasonably, "would I have been worried about you when that soldier stabbed you with the knife? Would I have cried when you were unconscious?" Oops, my Inner Self said evily, he wasn't supposed to know about that one. Oh well, too late now.

"You cried?" Kenneth sounded as shocked as I'd felt at his earlier question. "Really? Because you thought I was going to die?" I grudgingly nodded. With a trembling finger, Kenneth gently touched below my eye. He must have felt the salt from my tears there, since I hadn't bothered wiping them away, and his gaze moved back to mine. "You didn't have to cry," he whispered.

My heart had sped up when Kenneth touched me, and now I forced it to slow down. I wasn't ready for another relationship, not when the last one had hurt me so badly. Kenneth's eyes widened as Conan spoke silently.

"You're hurting," he said softly, his eyes full of sympathy. "Some jerk hurt you." Could Conan read my mind, or was Javis telling. Wait, how could she know? She hadn't been alive!

I nodded, feeling a very tiny tear in the corner of my eye, but not blinking it back fast enough. Kenneth touched it as it worked its way down my face. He was so sweet, just like my Inner Self had said.

"Is that why you're so hesitant?"

That got my attention. "Hesitant about what? Getting into another relationship? I guess so. D'you know what happened to me?" Kenneth shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine. I took a deep breath. "I was twelve, much to young to be in a relationship like that, but I was in school, so no one was there to stop me. I liked this boy named Nicholas, and he said he liked me to, but then, after maybe a month, I caught him with the most popular girl in school. It hurt like anything, but I learned a good lesson." My eyes narrowed. "You can't trust anyone. Especially not the ones you love. I mean, the ones that aren't related to you." I laughed humorlessly. "That was why Mom and Dad decided to homeschool us, actually. That and because people were bullying Adair and Amanda."

Kenneth looked angry. "Like I said, some jerk hurt you and now you're afraid of getting in to deep. Correct?" I nodded. He sighed. "Look, Alina, since we're matched we're doomed to be together, right?" I nodded again. "But you have a choice. Your father said you don't have to marry anyone you don't want to. So we don't have to get married." I opened my mouth to say something, but Kenneth put his hand over it. "Please, wait until I'm finished. Where was I-oh yes." He took a deep breath, then spoke in a very low voice. "If we do get married, I promise that I will never, ever, hurt you. At least not intentionally. You deserve much better than a jerk with a weakness for a pretty face."

He was even sweeter than I'd first thought. My eyes filled with tears just because he was so good. Kenneth drew back in surprise, and I sat up, pulling my knees against my chest and crying.

I felt Kenneth's gentle hands on my shoulder, and I turned to collapse into his arms. "Alina?" I couldn't speak, so I didn't even try. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay." His fingers hesitantly stroked at my hair, and I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to get my tears under control. When I pulled away slightly, Kenneth tipped my head up so he could get a good look at my face. "What was that all about?"

I shook my head. "Because I never expected that." Kenneth raised an eyebrow. "Well," I said defensively, grinning, "I didn't."

Kenneth threw back his head and burst into laughter. "Alina, you are something else." He repeated his phrase from earlier, which made me laugh as well. After standing, Kenneth offered his hand to me. I hesitantly took it, and Kenneth helped me to my feet. "I love you."

"What?" I asked. He hadn't said the words as if telling me that he loved me.

"That was what I wanted you to say. Remember, I wouldn't tell you?"

My heart trembled. "Is that all you wanted to hear me say?" At his nod, I stepped forwards and put my arms around his neck. "I love you," I said with a grin.

Kenneth shook his head at that, but he smiled as well and I felt his hand on the small of my back. His other hand was back on my chin, lifting my face so he could look me in the eye. "I love you, Alina." Then, slowly, ever so slowly, Kenneth bent his head over mine, gently touching my mouth with his own. My heart skipped a beat at this, then resumed it's natural rhythm.

Finally, Javis remarked to no one in particular. Then, in response to something Conan must have said, she answered in a secretive tone, She's liked him ever since she met him. But she never would have admitted it.

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A/N: Well, there it is: chapter fifteen. Sorry it took me so long, but the chapter is seven pages long on OpenOffice and it took me a while to get enough time to work on it. Anyway, thanks to anyone who reviewed, they are much appreciated!