Chapter 36: Aftermath

"AHHHHHH!"

The surprised shriek rang out loudly around the otherwise silent camp, causing many a soldier to wake. Some soldiers were rubbing their eyes and staring tiredly out of their tent flaps when they saw a very irritated squire running after her new ginger cat. The soldiers who were awake enough to see this unusual sight burst into raucous laughter.

Kel, who was poking her head out of the tent she shared with Dom, was extremely amused by the goings on, and yelled out teasingly, "Adalia, why are you chasing after Sati this early in the morning? I never figured you for an early riser!"

Adalia streaked around a few tents, keeping her cat in sight, but managed to call back sourly, "The goddam cat was sleeping on my face!" And then she let out a loud war cry while diving at Sati. She missed and let out a frustrated noise, wringing her hands as her cat streaked off.

Kel snorted and then laughed in full, as did her husband, who was watching the proceedings over her shoulder.

Sati disappeared from sight into a tent not far off, and Adalia jumped up and continued in her pursuit.

She stalked slowly into the tent, and was met with a somewhat amusing sight. Sati was sitting behind Rye, whose hair was mussed from sleep. Rye was blinking slowly, but Adalia ignored him and approached her cat, glaring at her. "Why did you decide to sleep on my head?"

Sati licked her paws and answered primly, 'Seemed like a good idea at the time.'

Adalia made a frustrated noise and rubbed her temples.

Sati was practically no more then a kitten, having just reached adulthood in cat years. She was small for a cat, but Adalia guessed that was more due to a lack of food stunting her growth. She had lighter and darker patches of ginger all over, as well as bright green eyes. Adalia started forward menacingly, "Well, now you know that it wasn't a good idea -"

The end of Adalia's sentence was muffled as Rye yanked her down beside him. She struggled as he pinned her legs and arms, then put a hand over her mouth. He was smiling roguishly as he said, "Don't kill Sati, she was just doing what I asked her to."

Adalia raised her eyebrows, but was impeded from speech by the hand still firmly over her mouth.

Rye winked at Sati and replaced the hands with his lips.

.xXXx.

Ten minutes later Adalia exited the tent with an amused Sati purring on her shoulder, and a much more optimistic outlook for the day. They had been travelling for two weeks, and were due to reach Corus around noon. Adalia and Rye had had to repeat everything that Grenike had said, and Raoul and Kel both thought it was worth looking into his ravings about 'Us' or whatever it was - just in case it had some truth to it.

Kel, who was helping with breakfast, greeted her, "I thought you wanted to kill Sati. It was quiet in that tent for a while, I was going to come in to check you hadn't actually done it; I would miss her."

Adalia coloured slightly and absent-mindedly stroked Sati. Kel let a small smile slip through her mask as a rumpled Rye stumbled out of his tent – the one that Adalia had just left. All the soldiers knew they were a couple, and that the relationship was innocent. Kel had been keeping a close eye on the sleeping arrangements, so sadly they had no time to test out the charm – but neither of them were complaining, as it was just good to hang out together again – ever since Adalia became a squire, they hadn't been able to spend much time in each other's company.

Kel handed Adalia a bowl of something that was edible and sat down herself. Rye quickly swiped a bowl for himself and took space on the log next to Adalia, and they began an animated conversation about nothing in particular.

Kel watched in silence, and she was heartened to recognise the look evident on both Ady and Rye's faces as they teased each other – it was the look Dom gave her, and she felt herself giving him. They honestly loved each other. Kel was happy that they didn't dance around each other like she and Dom had done for ages.

Once they had finished their meal, Adalia turned to Kel and asked, "Oh glorious Knight Master, might I inquire as to the nature of our next journey?"

Kel raised an eyebrow, "I'm not certain, but did you just ask me what we will be doing next?"

Adalia nodded slowly, looking at Kel, "Yes, but my way sounds so much more elegant and dramatic. You take all the fun out of things."

Kel patted her on the shoulder, "Ah, but that is my job, squire. In answer to your question, I guess we will probably be stuck in Corus for a while, but I guess after that we will go help the Own… maybe even the Riders."

"Sounds fun!"

"Keep telling yourself that my crow."

Adalia raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Why would I stop?"

.xXXx.

They arrived gloriously just after noon, and Adalia was ambushed by Kula, Daniel and Nathan, who just happened to be at the palace with their knight masters. Charlie had – of course – been with Raoul, and had already had his chance to berate Adalia for doing something so stupid, but these three found it sufficient to scold her again, if only to make the lesson stick.

They had finally forgiven her, but Adalia had been unable to cajole them into sparring with her, so they spent the rest of the day resting – Ady, Rye and Charlie filled the others in fully as to the details of their most recent mission.

After dinner, Adalia and Rye retired early together.

.xXXx.

A/N: Ok. Very sad, but I have totally run dry as to ideas to fill the last two years. I really wanted to write the Ady/Rye thing, so we all know how their relationship is going (yay!) but next chapter will be my last for this story. It's gonna be an epilogue. Heads up – nothing unusual happens in the next 2 years – all Adalia's friends pass their ordeals, Ady has been training and journeying about with Kel, learning more about battle and covering a few patrols on the Tusaine border - although there was no impending war. I am actually really sad that this story is ending. I do, however, have quite a few ideas about how her knighthood pans out, so I might writ about that – but not for ages.

Heres saying thanks for all my loyal readers/reviewers, I am sorry that this was pretty much a bridge chapter, but I didn't want to go straight to the prologue.

Thanks from Skyflyte12 : )

P.S: To anyone who feels like killing me, I would firstly like to point out there is one more chapter coming, so wait till after that to berate me. Also, you may contrive to take a look at my other stories, I have links to this one in most of them.