(-a/n- Thanks, firstly for all the truly splendid, encouraging reviews and secondly for being so understanding about my limited free-time and therefore slow updating. I'm on a high as I've had my school's 'Gala Concert' which was in memory of our headmistress who died from cancer last year. Everything went so well, the theatre was almost sold out! So that's an audience of about 900 people! (For those of you that asked, I played the flute in various bands and the orchestra.)
I wrote this chapter mainly last night, but I didn't get round to finishing it so I decided to do so now, to get it posted tonight. But I'm so tired now; I spent ten hours at the theatre rehearsing and then straight into the concert…-yawns- …I hope you enjoy. )
Devouring Sarcasm PhantasmYeah, it is similar to Lalasa. But Kel obviously won't meet Lalasa so yeah…it was sort of a replacement. Thanks for reviewing :D
bookworm-4-ever2012Fabulicious is a cool word…hehehe thanks for reviewing :D
NyleveThanks :P
On top of cloud 9I did love my wonderful long review thanks ;D I'll send ya some pictures when I can get them off of my friend's camera! Lol! It was so funny!
katiebug123Thanks! Yeah I do love fanfiction for that reason; you can write, get feedback and then improve :D
TrackdogThanks :)
Fjk Thanks for reviewing :D
inuyashaswife12At the moment I'm doing the 'winter-sports', hockey, netball and swimming. The rehearsal was very long because we sound terrible…lol :( hehe ah well…
All Hail TPthanks ;D
x17SkmBdrchiczxxIf you check your reviews on you fanfic you should find lots of reviews, as I realised yesterday evening that you had updated about sixteen chapters which I hadn't read…lol. Anyway…yeah being a hobbit was so fun :D I've been playing tons of netball, hockey and also swimming loads at the moment. Thanks for the lovely long review :D
YabberliAww dear…I hope your legs are feeling better :D What's the difference between winter and spring sports?? In my school they are the same…
Justanotheraddiction Thanks ;D
theknightofkonahahehe…okay.
Hasamakimmm! I love cookies :D
Mrs. Dom Masbollemmm… the name is a problem…because initially I didn't want her to assume a false name but then the way that things turned out in the future plot (which floats around in my head, conveniently surfacing when I'm bored out of my mind, i.e. French lessons…) she will need a good name…hmmm…Anyway thanks for reviewing :D
Rosie lol 'fallen' fix, thanks for reviewing :P
Pie of DoomehKel is probably my favourite book character, possibly tied with Remus Lupin though :D
AmericanElementallol, thanks, I'm glad you like it :D
the. dead. addict.I know the feeling, I'm so so so so so sleepy…Anyway thanks for reviewing despite your tiredness :D
Erythahehe I'll try…
Grace of Masbolle Thanks!
AJHHr12Thanks ;D
brezzybrezno, for now Kel's true identity will stay unknown. Thanks for reviewing (as always :D )
Me Thanks !!!
mangoladyThanks for reviewing :P
Love's a four-letter wordBasically I'm in several different groups; orchestra, wind ensemble, swing band, the pit orchestra etc. And it's all for a big concert which my school is holding on Sunday, in memory of our late headmistress…
alynawatlovershehehe…I know it's sad ;(
SaphirePhoenixlol. Thanks for reviewing :D
ella plain and simplelol thanks so much!
I love Fallen! I like the name :P hehehe thanks for reviewing :D
Erynfaeryeah fanfiction is a brilliant way to relax. I find that it also probably saves me money too as I don't have to keep buying (as many :P) books…lol…Thanks for the shower of karma and the nice long review!
Dom-Basher CHAMPIONOh indeed! Teeheehee
oirishgoddessOur music teacher goes mad with rehearsals when we have a big concert coming up…
epobbpThanks!
Herald-Mage Saskia Thanks :D
Confusedknight xxx
Kel had broken the news to Fanche that she was leaving and despite being sorely tempted to stay, she knew that if she didn't leave now then she never would. On the Saturday morning she rose as she always did and made her bed for the final time.
Fanche insisted upon giving Kel a gigantic breakfast. They ate in silence; no one really knew what to say. When everything was cleared away Kel pulled on her cloak. She decided to travel light, taking only the clothes on her back and a sword. Fanche tried to press some copper nobles into her hand, but Kel refused to accept the money.
'I'll be fine,' she told Fanche, although in truth she had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do.
Kel hugged Layla and Fern and shook hands with the two men. When she came to say goodbye to Fanche, she was engulfed in a bone crushing hug. When they separated, silence hung between them. Not wanting to prolong the awkward moment Kel thanked them one last time and began to walk down the dirt-beaten track.
Fanche watched the figure of Kel move further and further away, her small legs marching her determinedly onwards; into the unknown. And Fanche wondered for the thousandth time just exactly who the extraordinary girl was, that had walked into her life for a few months.
Gothar reckoned that Kel would be back in a few days, hungry and dirty. But Fanche knew in her heart that Kel lived to a different agenda than anyone else she had ever met. She seemed to be so young and yet so determined to do whatever it was she wanted to do. At that moment Fanche knew that if she didn't ask now, then she would regret it forever.
She called, 'Who are you?'
Kel turned slowly, her face unreadable. Then she smiled.
'Kel, just Kel,' and with a little shake of her head she turned and walked out of sight.
Kel was still following the same road five hours later, and was now searching for signs of a settlement, where she might spend the night. She had been doing odd jobs around the village for several weeks and had a little money, enough to buy her some bread. It was a warm night and after buying a hunk of slightly stale bread, she waited for darkness to fall before sneaking into a barn for the night. If all went according to plan she would be gone before morning and the farmer need never know that someone had visited in the night.
Sure enough Kel left early the next morning and after sweet-talking a wagon driver, had managed to get herself a lift, sitting among sacks of sheep's wool.
She continued to travel, in no particular direction whatsoever, for the next four days. Whenever Kel entered villages she was careful to hide her sword nearby so as not to attract attention; a homeless girl didn't carry a sword. Although she ate sparingly, the little supply of money that she had, ran out. By the end of the day, Kel was fiercely hungry and driven by her hunger, begged at some houses to be given some scraps of food.
Unlike the Weir's, these people had no wish to share their food with a stranger and turned her away. Tears stung her eyes as she went to sleep that night, her stomach painfully empty. The following morning she walked miserably on to the next village, hoping that perhaps they would look more kindly on her. She was wrong.
By the afternoon Kel began to feel faint with hunger and the heat wasn't helping. In desperation Kel sought out the baker's shop and on the pretence of checking a price, she snatched two buns off of the shelf. Kel had never stolen anything before in her life, but the sheer, maddening hunger pressed her onwards. She turned and began to walk out of the shop, hardly daring to believe her luck when the paunchy shop-assistant shouted;
'Stop that girl! She's a thief!'
Panicking, Kel began to run, dodging between people, sprinting this way and that, through the large village. Eventually she lost her pursuers. Delving her hand into her shirt she pulled out on of the rolls and bit of a huge mouthful, chewing eagerly.
Kel was just finishing off the first roll when a shadow fell across her vision. She looked up into the face of a burly teenager who was advancing menacingly up the alleyway. Turning away from him, she saw a similarly built boy, coming up the alleyway from the opposite end. She was trapped.
Kel ran for it, pushing the teenager out of the way. Unfortunately his hand clamped down on her arm and jerked her backwards. Off-balance Kel couldn't perform the counter-move to throw him off. By then it was too late; his other massive hand caught her other arm, twisting it round behind her.
'Right, you're coming with me,' he grunted. 'My ma works hard in that shop to keep us afloat and any thieving urchin is gonna be punished.'
The punishment in the North Kel discovered, was not that of the Magistrate's court. Kel found herself being tied to a post in the middle of the square, so that her back faced the gathered onlookers.
'Let her be an example to all who think that they can steal and get away with it,' cried the Baker's wife piously.
'Give her ten,' cried someone in the crowd.
'Yes, ten,' agreed another, and soon the crowd was chanting 'Ten, ten, ten, ten.'
Tied up as she was, Kel couldn't see the baker's son advancing, but she felt the searing pain as a whip lashed against her back. Gasping in pain Kel gritted her teeth, forcing herself to resume her Yamani face.
Kel wondered vaguely, as another blow landed on her back, whether the villagers enjoyed watching this barbarity. But she supposed that up here in the North, where some nobles had probably forgotten about some of the towns that they were supposed to supervise, the villagers had to hand out their own methods of punishment.
The third lash hit her already tender skin and Kel screamed inside her head, but she didn't let any trace of expression cross her face. Unfortunately this spurred the Baker's son onto swinging the whip harder still, and the toughened leather, with small barbs studded along it, lashed into Kel's back again and again.
Eventually the tenth stroke landed and Kel breathed a small sigh of relief. Then to her dismay she felt the whip lash once again. Through the pain she could hear a man speaking.
'Enough son, she's had her punishment, let her go.'
Sure enough a few moments later, the bonds tying her were loosened and she straightened up. Pain laced through her back and she swayed. Somehow she managed to sneak away through the jeering crowd, humiliated and still hungry.
Once out of the village, she took a few deep breaths, calming herself. Now more than ever she wished she could return to Fanche and the homely farm. After a brief walk she found her sword, concealed in the bushes and strapped it back onto her waist. It was early evening and Kel didn't have anywhere to sleep for the night. Hopelessly she looked around at the forest on either side of her.
Suddenly she noticed a man walking down the road towards her. He was tall and muscular, with messy blonde hair. Behind him he led a gigantic chestnut horse. Kel loosened her sword in her scabbard; she wasn't going to take any chances with this stranger.
As they drew near his hazel-green eyes seemed to take in her appearance; from her dusty leather shoes, to her knotted hair and sweaty forehead.
'Nice evening,' he called out in Common.
Kel said nothing. She was staring at the sword on his hip. He followed her gaze and drew his sword, examining the blade lazily.
'Good sword this, I bought it in a market, lovely chap who sold it to me, his son had been a blacksmith for a while…' he trailed off, staring at the sword which now lay naked in Kel's hand.
'I meant no harm little one,' he called out.
'Then continue on your way, I'm not in the mood to talk to strangers,' Kel replied, also in Common.
He was still looking at the sword in her hand.
'Is it yours?' he questioned.
Kel nodded again, unsure of how to act around this stranger. He didn't act like a Northerner; he was too open, too friendly. This caused Kel to keep up her guard.
The man however seemed perfectly at ease. He tethered his horse to a tree, and began to set up a camp in a small clearing on the roadside. Kel watched uncertainly. Her instincts were telling her that she should probably get going, but her curiosity held her in place.
He set up the camp with an air of a frequent traveller, erecting the tent quickly and removing the saddle and packs off of his horse. He rummaged in his packs and drew out some packages wrapped in paper. He gestured to her and Kel scooted a little closer, her sword still drawn.
'You look half starved,' he commented, 'I've some food going spare.'
Instantly Kel's mouth began to water, but she hesitated. He noticed her reluctance.
'Look,' he said, unbuckling his now sheathed sword. 'Now you're armed and I'm not.'
Under normal circumstances Kel would've been more cautious but she was so hungry that she sat down on the grass and snatched up on of the proffered packages. Tearing off the paper she bit into a bread roll, stuffed with some kind of meat. It was tough, but to Kel it tasted like the best thing in the world.
He watched her eat, munching on his roll with slightly less fervour. When Kel licked the last few crumbs off of her fingers he tossed her an apple which she also demolished.
When they'd both finished he also found a gourd of water which he offered to Kel. Kel sniffed the water gingerly, trying to detect if he had tampered with the water. Laughing at her antics the man took the water off of her and drank deeply from it, before passing it back to her.
'No poison or drugs,' he said smiling.
When Kel had drained the last drop of water from the leather pouch, she looked confusedly at the handsome, kind, easy-going man who sat in front of her.
'Why are you being so nice?' she said bluntly.
He chuckled for a moment and then said seriously, 'I saw what happened to you in the town.'
Suddenly Kel felt very ashamed of herself.
'I didn't want to steal, really I didn't,' she insisted, 'But I was so-'
'Hungry.' He finished. Kel nodded in agreement.
'I figured that you weren't exactly a hardened criminal,' he explained, 'I went hungry for a while once…' he trailed off, 'Lets just say that I've no wish to repeat the experience.'
'Well…um…thanks,' said Kel, 'I wish there was a way in which I could repay you.'
He stared at her for a while, almost as though summing her up.
'I'm a curious person,' he said slowly, watching her shrewdly. 'And when I see a girl who can bear eleven whip lashes without so much as making a sound or spilling a tear, I want to find out more. Then when I saw you with the sword, I was even more interested.'
Kel didn't know what to say.
'Can you use the sword?' he asked her.
Why does everyone always ask that? Kel wondered silently, nodding at the man.
'Show me,' he challenged, getting up and picking up his own sword and unsheathing it. Kel scrambled to her feet, ignoring her smarting back and faced him. They moved out of the way of the makeshift camp.
'Guard,' said the man to begin the bout.
Kel watched the man intently as they circled each other, looking for any sign or hint that he was about to move. He's testing me, she thought, he wants me to make the first move. And they continued to circle, eyeing each others blades. Kel decided that if he wanted a demonstration of what she could do, then by Mithros she'd give him one.
Kel cut in low with her sword and then darted round to the left. He blocked, as she'd expected him to and they broke apart. Kel swung again, this time in a wide arc, her arm naturally repeating the movement which she had practised over and over. As he realised that she had been telling the truth he began to return the attacks, forcing Kel on several occasions to take the defensive role.
They continued to spar, neither aiming to hurt or injure the other, but merely to disarm them. Eventually, he pulled off a complex manoeuvre that sent her sword spinning into the air. Kel leapt aside, dodging his blade which tried to force her to yield. She ran to her sword and picked it up again.
The man watched the tiny girl in front of him, as they circled once more. Her face was completely blank, the picture of concentration. Let's see how good you really are.
He attacked again, and Kel sensed a change in the momentum of his attack. He gave no warning and attacked like a sledgehammer, driving her backwards. At first she defended strongly but as the intensity of his attack continued she only just managed to perform the right block in time. His blade was a blur, perfecting moves the likes of which Kel had never seen before. As her blade flew out of her hands once more, she found his sword-tip at her nose.
'I yield,' she said in common and he lowered his blade.
He bowed to her, before retrieving her blade and examining it in silence. Kel watched him, open-mouthed. The laid-back, unassuming man before her was a master of the blade. He passed her sword back to her, which she sheathed, still saying nothing. Then finally Kel said weakly.
'Where did you learn to fight like that?'
'I could ask the same thing of you.' He stated calmly.
Kel bit her lip; she had no intention of revealing that to anyone, it would involve too many awkward questions. After a few minutes silence, Kel said abruptly.
'Teach me to fight like that.'
This shocked the young stranger, more than anything else she'd said or done that evening.
'What did you say?'
Kel ploughed on, 'I said teach me to fight like that.' He listened to the half-concealed desire in her voice. Why did this girl want to learn to fight so badly?
'How would you pay me?'
Immediately Kel's face fell and she resumed her Yamani mask.
'I could be your servant…' she trailed off. It was stupid, thought Kel, I'm just grasping at straws because I've got nowhere else to go.
He studied the girl that sat before him long and hard. To be honest with himself he had never before had any thoughts on taking a servant. It would be too dangerous. But looking at the girl before him, would life as a homeless waif be any better?
'Alright then,' he said slowly, 'I'll make you a deal. In return for me teaching you swordplay, you will be, not so much of a servant, but more of an assistant.'
Kel's heart soared and she nodded eagerly.
The man continued, 'It will be dangerous though. I don't have a regular job; I go where I'm paid to go, to meet who I'm paid to meet. I…gather information-'
'You're a spy,' said Kel bluntly.
'Spy is such an un-eloquent way of putting it, but if you insist, then yes I am a spy,' he sighed dramatically.
At that moment this blonde stranger reminded Kel so much of Neal that she had to fight of a grin.
'Who do you work for?' asked Kel.
His hazel eyes gave her a penetrating look, eventually he said, 'The Whisper man.'
Kel stared blankly back, 'What I meant was, which country does your 'information' benefit?'
'Tortall.'
'You speak Tortallan?' asked Kel reverting to the aforementioned language.
'Amongst others,' he replied, also in perfect Tortallan.
'And are you Tortallan?' Kel asked, wanting to know more about the stranger who, although she didn't know it, would change her life forever.
'Over the next few weeks I'll be teaching you a lot more than swordplay,' he said, seeming to ignore Kel's question. 'You will work hard or the deal is off, in my line of work, one error, one slip of the tongue can get you killed. Before, I've always worked alone, preferred it, found it easier. But things are getting more and more difficult, lone travellers look suspicious. But an uncle travelling with his niece attracts far less attention don't you think?'
'And if you ever want to find out anything, you always go to the maid's quarters,' said Kel.
It took him a split-second to understand what she was saying and then he broke into a broad grin.
'Indeed you do. So there you have it, as my assistant you will pose as my niece, daughter, maid…and either enable me to gather information or you will be doing a bit of spying yourself. Anything you hear or see comes straight to me; you will not withhold any information from me. As for personal secrets, you don't ask me and I won't ask you.'
This made sense to Kel, life would be much easier if they weren't trying to pry into each other's pasts.
'Can I at least know your name?' she asked.
'I go by many names, and so will you in time. But you can call me Alex.' Kel noted his careful phrasing 'you can call me,' rather than 'my name is.' And she was about to think up a false name to go by when suddenly an idea struck her. He would be expecting her to invent a name and she remembered something which her brother had once taught her, keep a lie simple and as near to the truth as possible.
'You can call me Kelly, or Kel,' she said, pretending indifference.
She turned to the beautiful chestnut horse and stroked its muzzle gently.
'You're beautiful, yes you are,' she murmured. 'What's his name?' she called over her shoulder.
'This is Prince,' said Alex's voice which came from just behind Kel. She jumped; Kel hadn't heard him come up behind her. She turned around and sure enough Alex's large frame stood just behind her. Prince stepped forward, nuzzling his master.
'Kel,' said Alex, 'Let me take a look at your back, for you.'
'No it's alright,' said Kel who's back was now only throbbing dully.
'I can't teach you sword play if you're injured,' he stated and he led Kel by the shoulder back to his packs and pulled out some linen and a pot of ointment.
'Let me have a look then.'
'It's not proper,' mumbled Kel coyly.
'Come on,' he repeated, 'You're not some soft noble woman who cares about 'her honour'. I promise you that I have seen a girl's back before.'
Reluctantly Kel tried to lift her shirt over her head, but found that it pulled painfully at her back. She swore in Yamani.
'What did you say?' asked Alex suddenly.
'Nothing,' mumbled Kel.
'You speak Yamani.' It was not a question. But Kel nodded in confirmation.
He gave her another one of those piercing looks.
'The more I seem to find out about you the more you intrigue me.'
And carefully he began to peel away her shirt from her blood-encrusted back. When the shirt was off, he washed away the dried blood, soothing ointment on the multiple bruises left by the whip. Alex then wound clean linen bandages to stop any more bleeding.
'There you go,' he said, tying off the bandage with a flourish. 'I'll get you a clean shirt.'
Alex rummaged in his bags for a shirt and having found one, turned to face Kel. This time it was him who swore loudly.
'How did you do that?'
Kel looked down to the ugly scar across her chest; the only remaining physical reminder of her encounter with the Tauros. But she didn't say anything. Sensing that this was one of those 'personal secrets', Alex let it drop and handed the small girl the shirt which would undoubtedly be far too big.
By now it was getting dark and Alex placed all of his possessions inside the tent. Kel hovered, unsure of what to do.
'Are you coming in or not?' he demanded from the entrance.
Kel reluctantly entered the tent and settled down underneath a blanket which he had given her. Soon she was fast asleep. Alex watched his small, sleeping assistant with a smile upon his face. Kel would do just fine, once she'd been trained up a bit. Then he too settled down to sleep.
(-a/n- Nice long chapter for you all. So...what did you think? ...Kel's gonna learn to be a spy...Please review :D ...It'll make your sleep deprived author very happy ;D )
Confusedknight xxx