Chapter 24: Straight Answers

Kel woke up at her usual early hour that morning. She picked up her glaive and opened her tent flap, stopping for a second to take in the quiet that only existed in the early morning. She took in all the tents, snores escaping from various flaps. Glancing at the tent next to hers, she got a stab of shock to see that Adalia's tent was open, and the girl was not there.

Cursing to herself, she frantically followed the light trail of Adalia's footprints, calmed somewhat by the fact that there were none other in sight. Rules out the possibility that she was taken. She thought with relief.

Making her way out of the wood, she glimpsed her errant squire, moving through sword drills, her blade flashing at a remarkable pace. Every time she saw this girl's abilities she couldn't help but catch her breath in wonder. It was… remarkable. She decided not to interrupt, and instead picked a spot where she could start a pattern dance and keep the girl in sight.

She was practising intently when she noticed that men in the camp had started to observe the fifteen year old's actions. She had now moved on to hand-to-hand moves, going through them with a practised ease that usually only came from those of the Shang order. She smirked, about time they realise that she can do more than make jokes.

A great deal more men had gathered and were watching silently from the tree line when Adalia stopped and turned around, approaching the lake. Kel had finished her glaive exercises a while ago, and was relaxing on a rock, having joined the observers. It had become apparent that the girl hadn't noticed their presence, and quite frankly, she doubted the men would enlighten her.

Kel was smiling happily, slowly getting to her feet, when she heard something that sent a shiver up her spine. It was a loud bull cry, sounding on the edge of insanity. It rang out from the tree line, just before a seven-foot fully-grown Tauros – half bull, half man – burst from the trees. It came from a spot much closer to the girl at the water, who was slowly turning around, and upon seeing the bull froze.

Kel burst forward, desperately trying to get to the girl before the Immortal did, even as she did, knowing that it was no good. The men who were watching her were right at her back, grasping swords or spears, going to help the girl who had looked like some kind of war goddess, going easily through complicated movements perfectly, black hair escaping from a clip that it had been secured in.

What they saw next shocked them almost as much as the Immortal bearing down on the girl.

They stared on, helplessly sprinting towards her, watching the horror scene play out before their very eyes.

Adalia, abandoning the second of being frozen in place, looked about for her sword. Cursing, she saw it abandoned with her sheath a few metres away. Rules that out… It's too big for me to have a chance in hand-to-hand… I need to kill it before it gets close enough to…Adalia wouldn't allow herself to think about what that thing wanted to do with her.

She ran her hand through her hair. It snagged on the clip secured there. Thank the Goddess!

The Tauros was getting closer, as were the rescue party, when they saw Adalia detach a piece off her clip, flinging it at the Immortal, which collapsed mere metres away from the girl. Adalia walked casually up to the Tauros, nudging it with her foot.

"What the…" Kel yelled.

Adalia looked up, surprised to see her knight master and at least twenty soldiers charging towards her. She smiled thinly and waved.

Kel reached her and swept her into a bone-crushing hug, "Never again." She said firmly.

Adalia nodded minutely, and then turned with Kel to inspect the Tauros.

Kel's eyes widened in shock. There was a dagger imbedded in the beast's windpipe.

Adalia, shaking slightly, moved around and pulled the tiny dagger from the monster, and took it to the stream to wash away the blood.

Relief overpowering shock, Kel examined the men, who were watching the girl with newly found awe and respect clear in their eyes. "You and you." Kel pointed to two men who were close to the beast. "Collect some wood so we can light this thing up." They nodded and ran off.

Adalia returned, twirling the now clean dagger in her fingers, smiling sheepishly. Kel silently held her hand out for it, and she handed the dagger over, carefully looking at her boots.

Kel shook her head, "How is it that I didn't know you had this?"

"You never asked." Adalia said, carefully continuing to examine her boots. She didn't know which way this would go; being a squire, daggers were generally frowned upon, as they were generally the weapon of choice for thieves. For her, they were something that allowed her to remember her mother, who had taught her the use of them. And now Kel had to admit they were useful.

Kel shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips, "Thank the goddess you had this on you. Any others I should know about?"

Adalia accepted her dagger back and inserted it back into the remainder of the clip, making it seem once again to be an innocent girlish trinket. She smiled innocently and fingered the amethyst around her neck, "Not at this moment, but you have to admit they are handy."

Kel rolled her eyes, "Just when I think I'm going to get a straight answer…Come on everyone, it seems as though my squire has taken care of the Tauros. We will do one last sweep of the area and then return to Corus."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Adalia quickly got over the shock of being set upon by the Tauros, apart from the occasional nightmare.

She noticed that the men treated her differently from that day. Although there were still men who she knew were spreading rumours about her, calling her malignant names, ect ect there were many who seemed to be uninterested in these things, and she made quick friends among the soldiers.

They investigated every kind of attack that Adalia could imagine, and quite a few she couldn't. Adalia was suspicious of the fact that they only seemed to stay in one place for a day or two, and then moved on.

It had been three more months, and Adalia and Kel had just caught up with Third Company, coincidentally just before the First Company, which they had been travelling with, were called to join the Great Progress (much to both the women's satisfaction) and Adalia was plodding along on Anika, excitedly searching for a familiar face amongst the party at the front.

She followed Kel closely as Peachblossom cut a large line through the ranks of men on horseback. She noticed her knight master's delight at seeing her husband, Dom, with appreciation. Kel had gotten…sad at being away from him for these past months, although she hid it really well behind her Yamani mask, and Adalia was looking forward to the break that would be inevitable with her knight master occupied.

Adalia herself was in a decidedly black mood, having been beaten constantly by Kel with the glaive and the lance, but she was looking forward to seeing Charlie (she knew that Kel was as well). It had been months since she had seen him, and she had been delighted to discover that Raoul had decided to join Third Company for the time being.

Everyone knew that he had given up the position of Commander to the Own to Dom, but he was still largely involved with them, and was able to ride with them when he wished to. Everyone knew he had joined them again to avoid the Progress; otherwise he would have been forced to stay with it the whole time.

Adalia grinned mischievously when she spotted Charlie and manoeuvred Anika next to Tunza, and poked him on the back. "Hi."

His head whipped around, and upon spotting Adalia he grinned, "Hey cub how ya goin'?"

She scowled at him, "Why do you call me that?"

He rolled sapphire eyes, and explained slowly, "You are a lioness cub, thus the name. I think we have been through this before."

Rolling her eyes in return, she cast around for a subject, "So. What have you been doing?"

He chuckled, "Avoiding royal messengers, with varying success. I think his Majesty put a tracker on Raoul. Not a bad idea in my opinion, but his nose seems out of joint." He nodded towards his knight master, who was currently greeting Kel.

"I heard something of the sort in Corus. We on the other hand have been having marvellous success. Haven't joined it once." Adalia responded teasingly.

"I think the whole Realm knows. Ok, that's beside the point. I would have thought you'd have been caught by now. What have you been doing?"

Adalia grinned and related her travels, and in turn heard about the antics of Lord Raoul.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The Company just happened to be starting on the road a week after Kel had joined them, when someone very unwanted arrived next to Lord Raoul.

Adalia was surprised that no one had seen him flitting between the men, but when the man took off a band he had been wearing around his neck, Raoul almost fell out of his saddle. Must have been spelled to be invisible… good idea. I think, No – I know that he would have ran away otherwise…

Adalia was smirking when she saw the messenger shove a Royal looking letter into Lord Raoul's hand. He was visibly furious, and his companions all moved out of his way as he opened the letter. The messenger slipped back on the necklace, but he just stayed in the same spot, nervously watching the knight.

He scowled when he read the letter, and scrunched it up in his hand. He looked at Kel, and then seemed to get an idea. He ambled over to her, "The King asks for me to find the Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelain and Masbolle, and then join the Progress, travelling as fast as the horses will allow."

She looked at him speculatively for a moment, and then seemed to catch on to what he was saying, and she swung up onto Hoshi. "I don't feel found, do you, Adalia?"

Having caught on to what they were saying, Adalia smiled mischievously, and saw her part in this. Looking behind Raoul, she pointed and yelled, "POSSUM!"

Raoul, the messenger, and the company gathered turned quickly around. When they realised what she had said, half the men burst out laughing. They span around, only to see the Lady Knight and her squire galloping off, following the road out of their sights.

Raoul pretended to sigh, "Looks like I will have to go find the Lady Knight before we can join the Progress."

The men present started laughing again. "Come on, Charlie." The messenger took off the charm. He was scowling at them. Raoul, catching the look said sorrowfully, "You never know, with Lady knights. Sometimes they are found, other times they aren't."

Down the road, both Knight and squire were laughing uncontrollably; Kel at the outrageous stunt that her squire had pulled, Adalia at the hilarity of so easily fooling them.

----------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, Kel had to allow herself to be found, and exactly two weeks later Kel, Raoul, Charlie, Adalia and a very nervous Royal messenger were approaching the long and dusty line of the First Company, along with many other nobles, including most of the Royal family.

Adalia, this time on Sora, tried to hide between Kel and Raoul as they approached the King and Queen. Raoul sidled up to take the place next to him. In a man of lesser standing, the look on King Jonathan IV would have been called a scowl.

Raoul looked sorrowful as he kept pace with the King, "Sorry, Majesty. It took me a while to find the Lady Knight." He bowed in the saddle.

Adalia thought the King would growl at him, but he said stiffly, "I thought it may be that. Stay with the Progress until further notice. It is the same for Sir Keladry."

Raoul made his exit, scowling as he returned to Kel and the squires, and informed her of this development. His expression turned to a pout, "Last time I got away because he didn't say I had to stay, just Second Company." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "He is getting better at not leaving loop holes."

Kel grinned slightly, "Or maybe you are getting worse at finding them."

Raoul raised his eyebrows at her, but didn't say anything. Kel nudged Hoshi out of the procession, Adalia, Raoul and Charlie close behind. They waited until the last soldiers had gone past, and then started ambling after them.

---------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: Not TP

I hope it was worth the wait, or that u enjoyed it. Plz R&R