-a/n- EEEEEE! Chapter 70; how exciting is that! Very exciting. Life is just lovely, finished all my farm work, been playing hockey and baking cupcakes. Back to uni at the weekend.

Love to you all,

Confusedknight xx

It took several hours of hard work to tidy up and repair the damage from the battle. After a quick supper the nobles withdrew to the camp's headquarters. Numair sealed the room magically from eavesdroppers with a quick wave of his long-fingered hands and then lent backwards in his chair, arms crossed, listening to what Douglass had to say.

The knight paused, examining the rough-grained table in front of him before looking up at the expectant faces. The enemy have engaged our forces this week at The City of the Gods, Northwatch, Steadfast, Giantkiller, Westrock and Seabeth.' Kel winced; Maggur's forces in the first week of combat had spread along the majority of Tortall's northern border.

'Including our two, there have been twenty-one reported sightings of these metal killing devices in this week alone. Vanget is seeking your counsel Master Numair,' said Douglass, 'Since we have to presume that Maggur is going to continue using these...abominations.' He sighed, his brown eyes worried. 'War's officially been declared.'

'Well that's just lovely then isn't it?' drawled Neal after a moment's tense silence. 'Maggot can send as many monsters at us as he likes, just so long as it's all recorded and official.'

Although Duke Baird frowned at his insubordinate son, Merric, Seaver and Douglass chuckled, and the grim mood lifted slightly.

'Today has proved two things,' continued Douglass. 'Firstly that we are a target in Scanra's eyes, but more importantly that we showed the enemy that we are not going to be easy-pickings. I will be applying to Lord Wyldon tonight for more soldiers, not only to replace Dom's squad but also for extra patrols and defences.'

'Where are you going?' asked Seaver.

'We've orders to return to Steadfast,' said Dom cheerfully. 'Raoul's missing his squire.'

'Kel's going too?' asked Merric in surprise. 'Who's going to lead all the training?'

'I hope,' Kel spoke up, 'That any of you, all of you, would help to continue to train Greenwoods defensive forces. At best you'll be given another thirty men to defend this camp. By the end of the summer you'll have at least six hundred, if not more, refugees. It's grossly unfair to ask so few to defend so many. I urge you to make use of the refugees.' She paused before ploughing on, 'I know many nobles speak badly of commoners but these villagers have lead hard lives. They've lost nearly everything in this war and will fight as hard as any soldier to protect the loved ones they have left. Show them the way and they'll be willing to defend this camp to their last.'

'Once I've spoken to Vanget I'll be making my opinions known to the Council of Lords and the Council of Commons; we have no choice but to move the refugees south. These people, particularly the children are too close to Scanra, too close to Blayce.' Numair spoke in his deep voice.

'Blayce?' asked several men.

'The necromancer we believe to be responsible for the killing machines. As Squire Keladry said, by the summer's end there will be near six hundred refugees housed here, not in a fort, but a camp. And I daresay they'll be another couple of hundred at other places along the border. Think how many killing machines that could make.'

A horrible silence followed this statement.

'These machines can tip the balance of this war, and not in our favour,' Duke Baird commented seriously. 'Have we any news on the location of this sorcerer?'

'Our spies and Daine's helpful little friends have searched the capital Hamrkeng from top to bottom, and he's not there.'

'Scanra's a big place,' Dom said. 'All vast snowy plains and mountains; he could be holed up anywhere.'

'What about near iron mines and forges?' Asked Kel, 'Have the spies searched there? Surely he needs a lot of metal to make these monsters.'

Everyone turned to stare at Kel before looking expectantly at Numair.

'She's got a good point,' said Duke Baird, impressed.

'I don't know,' mused the black-robed mage. 'Last summer three of Scanra's largest mines and forges were destroyed. According to Maggur they were accidental explosions, but our sources say that they happened on the same day which seems a little too coincidental for my liking.'

'I wonder if any Tortallan spies were involved?' mused Dom.

'Or maybe,' said Kel quietly, 'They were local people unhappy with the war and killing machines.' She was willing to bet everything she owned, including Prince and Courage, that it had been Alex's hand had guided the attacks.

Merric snorted. 'They probably revere this mage Blacye, and worship him as some sort of heathen god.'

Kel felt anger surge within her. 'Not if he's stealing their children to fuel these machines,' she pointed out coldly.

'How do you know they're children?' asked Douglass.

'We heard it's voice when we killed our first one,' said Kel quietly. 'It said "mama".'

The men all drew the sign for protection against evil on their chests. Kel, sick to her stomach at the very thought of a man who could slaughter children and enslave their spirits, did not draw the sign. Instead she added Blacye to her list of men she would see dead or die in the attempt.

In her minds eye she saw the innocent, smiling faces of Isra, Hal and Meah, surrounded by their blonde hair, and anger rose inside her. If Maggur was Alex's to kill, then let her have Blayce, by the Gods let her avenge the children of Scanra.

She went to find Neal in the infirmary early the next morning before they left for Steadfast. She was dressed smartly in a Goldenlake tunic over an unusually clean linen shirt.

'Are you all ready to set off then?' The green-eyed healer asked, putting aside the jars of ointment he was sorting.

'Just about.' Kel replied.

Neal made his way over to her.

'You be careful Kel,' he warned, his expression unusually serious.

'I'll be fine,' she assured him, more confidently than she felt.

After a moment's pause he said, 'I'm sorry that we haven't spent as much time together as I would've liked, but with one thing and another.'

'We're at war, Neal,' Kel reminded him gently. 'We could hardly go on long rides with picnics and reminisce about old times.'

'All the same, when this is all over,' he gestured round at the infirmary's freshly cut walls, but Kel knew he meant the bigger picture; Kel's squiredom, the war, their duties. 'I'd like to invite you to Queenscove, to visit my mothers and sisters. We can go for long rides and argue about fighting and vegetables like we used to.'

Kel smiled, 'And you can tell me all about your adventures with the Lioness.'

'And you with Lord Raoul,' he replied. 'And,' his green eyes captured Kel's, 'I'd like to hear about where you disappeared to for all those years.'

Swallowing hard, Kel admitted; 'It's a long story, but one you deserve to hear.'

'Thank you.' Was Neal's simple reply.

They cantered most of the way back to Steadfast and arrived tired but safe, later that day. Raoul and the rest of Third Company greeted them warmly. Several changes had been made to the fort whilst they'd been away; extra watch towers and stables had been erected. Raoul told them that they'd been joined by Second Company of the Own and an extra company of the regular army.

Headquarters had been extended and Kel now found that she'd been given a small box room near to Raoul's on his request; so that he didn't have to find a woman to go and summon her from the barracks everytime he needed her.

After months of sleeping in barracks, Kel found the quiet of her own room strange but calm. She felt she could relax, let her guard down every once in a while, pray for Alex's safety without interruption.

Kel quickly learned that the war this summer was going to be full-on. It was but the next day when they drove off an attack from two hundred armed Scanrans, and four days later the enemy returned again.

Over the next six weeks they engaged the enemy several times, with varying successes. Once or twice, meeting the Scanran forces head-on had such an impact that the soldiers turned on their heels and fled. Sometimes the drawn out battles lasted for hours. On other occasions it simply required archers and mages to pick off small forces that attempted to penetrate the fort.

Kel remained at Raoul's side through all of this, his small and steady shadow. Sometimes she would stand next to him on the battlements, listening to his impressive voice boom out instructions to the forces. On different occasions she would be riding next to him, in the thick of the fighting.

The enemy invariably bought killing machines with them and whenever Kel was part of the force sent to trap one of the metal monsters she had to fight against waves of her own chilling fear.

As the days lengthened and warmed the army at Steadfast continued to suffer steady losses, including a young corporal from Dom's squad and two knight friends of Raoul's. All in all, Raoul told Kel privately, they could be doing a lot worse.

One morning Kel was woken by a tumultuous crash. Disorientated in the semi-darkness she pulled on her boots and snatched up Courage before cautiously opening the door to her room. At that moment Raoul's door was flung wide open to reveal her dishevelled knight-master.

'What was-'

But Raoul didn't even stop to hear Kel out, he was off down the stairs, jumping three steps at a time in his haste. Kel, thankful that she'd learnt to sleep in breeches after the Goastrack incident, followed him.

The first thing that hit Kel when she stepped out into the cool morning air was not just the smell of burning wood, but the acrid tang that told her blazebalm was involved. There was another almighty crash somewhere to her right and flames danced in the dim light. Shouts and cries echoed all around her as confused, fearful men spilled out of the barracks like ants from an anthill.

The breeze brought with it a particularly strong smell of blazebalm and as the scent filled Kel's nostrils she found herself transported back to some five years previously when she'd been stumbling around a city under siege. She could see the flaming buildings, the heat, the screams, Rhonda trapped beneath a collapsed building...

Her head felt light as the scene swam before her, she swayed, fear momentarily overcoming her.

'Kel!' Raoul was speaking to her. 'Kel!' strong hands were shaking her.

Slowly, and feeling nauseous from a mixture of fear and inhaled smoke she focused on what was in front of her; an anxious Raoul.

'Sorry,' she croaked.

'Come with me,' he said urgently. 'We need to see how many of them are out there.'

'What about evacuating?' Kel could hear the crackling of flames.

'The mage's protection charms should hold,' replied Raoul. 'The fire damage should be limited.' There was another deafening crash. 'Of course large boulders will still smash this wooden pen to pieces.'

Flyndad Whiteford came hurrying towards them. 'Ready the whole company,' commanded Raoul without hesitation. We need to destroy those catapults. Any mages send them to Master Harailt.'

Knight-master and squire scrambled up the watch tower attached to the outer wall to survey the extent of the situation they had found themselves in. Enemy lines were gathered in the trees less than one hundred yards away. Even in the dim light Kel could see three catapults spread amongst the neatly assembled red companies.

'How did they manage to transport the catapult's, milord?' asked a sweating guard, his face ashen and wrinkled with worry.

'Must've carried 'em here in smaller pieces,' answered a second guard, spitting on the walkway in disgust.

'Any signs of the killing machines?' asked Raoul.

'None as yet, Sir, but they've barely moved from the trees.'

'We should've had word that this attack was coming,' growled Raoul in frustration.

Down on the ground inside the camp's walls the forces were assembling, the royal blue of Second and Third companies of the King's Own particularly prominent. Raoul was hollering instructions down the company commanders and bands of silver-encased knights. From his position on the wall he was describing battle formations and the positions of the enemy forces. The plan was to distract the Scanrans for long enough to let the mages deal with the catapults.

Even as Kel surveyed the fort boulders, blazebalm and other debris were being hurled long over her head to crash into the buildings or just as often empty air was thick with shouting and smoke, she felt useless; she should be riding out as part of the great column now streaming from Steadfast's main gates.

'Kel,' Raoul turned to her at last with instructions. 'Ready Drum and Prince, find a standard bearer, anyone who's free to help you bring my armour up here I'm-'

He was interrupted by an unintelligible shout and then, suddenly the floor disappeared from underneath Kel's feet. Rather than plummeting down she was flung backwards as the force of the projectile's impact was dissipated. In the split seconds of flight splintered wood and other shrapnel bombarded her. She hit something very solid, there was pain for an instant and then nothingness.

Kel regained consciousness several times over the next few minutes; as someone pulled her from the wreckage of the watchtower slapping her face over and over. Tasting blood in her mouth she coughed weakly before sliding into blackness again. Smelling salts in the infirmary had a more lasting effect and Kel, completely dazed lay like a limp rag doll, the only movement the ragged rise and fall of her chest as she struggled to cope with the pain that seemed to puncture every cell in her body.

Firm hands stripped her down to her underwear, cutting away the shreds of her shirt, feeling and probing, and causing Kel to whimper in pain. Words from their mouths floated around her head, utterly meaningless. A face appeared before her. She knew that face. But there was something wrong. Faces shouldn't be completely scraped raw and bloody on one side, or have noses at funny angles. Kel's stunned brain struggled to make any sense of anything.

Someone was lifting her into a sitting position on the table, bracing her. She wanted to speak in protest and realised with a mild surprise that her voice seemed to be working of it's own accord, mumbling over and over, in Goddess only knows what language.

The hands on her arm pulled and manipulated and pain exploded along her right shoulder, blocking everything else out. She was shouting now, screaming even, as they re-set her dislocated joint. She welcomed the relief as her eyes drifted shut again.

Her nostrils stung, why couldn't they just let her sleep?

'You've got to stay awake, Keladry,' said someone firmly. 'Can you do that for me?'

Some dark recess of her battered mind seemed to think that nodding was an appropriate response. The movement caused an increased thumping resound around her skull.

The clamour all around was terrible, people moving at the corners of her blurry vision made her feel nauseous. Moments later she was actually vomiting, someone grabbing her so that it splattered onto the floor and not her own lap.

'Easy, easy,' someone was murmuring, wiping off her mouth and laying her down on her left side. Cool hands pressed themselves to her temples and the world seemed to pulsate slightly less, her vision was clearing slightly.

'Is that better?'

'Mnhmm,' she croaked, finding a voice that was a lot hoarser than hers usually was.

'I'm going to try and make you more comfortable, Keladry, but you've got to stay awake. It's extremely important.'

Important, important, important, the word bounced around her skull, she hung on to it, fighting to stay awake as the healer daubed at her side. She could see bloody water running down her stomach as he sponged her off. Fingers poked at her ribs, finding the two cracked ones and starting the healing process. Soft bandages were wrapped briskly around her torso from breast to hip whilst firmer strappings were placed on her damaged shoulder.

The tight material binding her head was uncomfortable and she lifted a bruised and bloody left hand to try and loosen them, but a large hand gently stopped her from doing this. Kel turned her head slowly and discovered that she could now put a name to the scraped face; Raoul of Goldenlake. He too had now been bandaged around head and torso, the fabric very white in comparison to the dirty, bloody skin of his face and arms.

Blood still dripped slowly from the end of his nose that had now been set and two bruises were blooming spectacularly around either eye as a result.

'What happened?' whispered Kel, the details of her admittance to the infirmary were eluding her.

'A catapult destroyed the platform we were standing on,' Raoul replied thickly. He let go of her hand and set about pouring Kel a glass of water.

She swilled the first mouthful of water around and spat it out onto the floor, trying to rid her mouth of blood and vomit. The second and third gulps soothed her raw throat. Settling back against the bed's headboard, she fought not to cry out or groan at the smarting, aching and throbbing that plagued every inch of her.

'Here,' Raoul picked up Kel's torn, dusty breeches from the end of the bed. It was only at this point that Kel realised vaguely how little she was wearing. The healer returned, helped Kel into the breeches and handed clean shirts to both squire and knight. He also examined both of their eyes before pronouncing that there was little else he could do without wasting his gift. Already the infirmary was looking quite full, new men entering every five minutes or so.

After he'd dashed off to stop major bleeding from a soldier's leg wound, he bought Kel and Raoul some tea to help ease their concussion. As foul as the herbs tasted, Kel felt it starting to work within quarter of an hour; her head cleared enough to let her sit up and struggle into the large undyed shirt that the healer had presented her with. Kel didn't even want to attempt moving her shoulder and left it strapped in position underneath the shirt, giving her a bulky, lopsided appearance.

'I'm going to see what's happening,' announced Raoul, carefully standing up, wincing in pain as he did so.

Kel also struggled to her feet.

'Oh no you don't -' he began.

'I'll be fine,' said Kel, pronouncing each word carefully. She took up Courage in her left hand and took a wobbly step forward.

Raoul looked for a moment as though he was going to attempt to stop her. Their eyes met briefly and Kel saw Raoul give in, he extended an arm to help steady her as they left the infirmary. Busy with at least six other patients, the healer didn't notice them leave.

They hobbled through the fort, past damaged, smoking buildings to the assembly space by the gate. Here men were gathered, sweaty and bloody, either patching up superficial wounds or taking a breather whilst they re-grouped.

Raoul's second-in-command, Sir Kendal of Blue Harbour was giving the orders. As he sent fifty or so men galloping out of the fort, he sagged sideways against the fort wall, draining a water skin.

'How goes it?' asked Raoul

Sir Kendal made no comment about the ragged appearance of the Commander and his squire and instead proceeded to fill them in on the battle so far.

'We've destroyed all siege weapons fairly easy -their magical defences were poor and no match for Harailt and his men. Our hit-and-run attacks are doing a fair amount of damage out there, but their numbers are great and every time they unleash a killing machine our battle plans disintegrate and casualties increase.'

'Have we called for aid?' rasped Raoul.

'Harailt has called for Master Numair and has sent word to the other forts. Giantkiller's also calling for aid but we're barely keeping above water as it is. I daren't risk sending aid until we've beaten back this pox-ridden army.'

Kel followed Raoul back to headquarters apprehensively; for all her courage and determination, she wasn't sure if she had the co-ordination or balance at the moment to even sit on a horse, let alone fight a battle from one.

She pulled on chain mail, almost passing out with pain as she slid her injured arm into the sleeve. With difficulty she strapped a wristguard to her left forearm. Kel used a belt to fashion a more robust sling for her right arm and then picked up her helmet.

She made her way to Raoul's door. Looking in, she saw her knight-master struggling to do up the plates of his armour, face contorted with pain. He was panting slightly.

'Here, let me,' said Kel quietly.

Raoul tried to iron the traces of discomfort from his features. 'No way,' he said firmly, looking at Kel fully kitted-up with her damaged arm.

'I can fight just as well with my left arm,' she argued.

'You've been badly hurt,' Raoul retorted, 'I can't let you ride into battle.'

'And you're not injured at all,' said Kel tartly.

'It's different,' protested Raoul. Kel held his gaze until he sighed, 'The healer's going to kill us both when he finds out.'

'Just so long as it's quick,' replied Kel, setting her helmet onto her bandaged head. 'I wouldn't want to suffer.'

Snorting, Raoul copied her movements, adjusting the helm gingerly. 'May Mithros save us,' he muttered, holding the door open for Kel.

Someone had readied Prince and Drum, so that they simply had to mount up. Both struggled onto their horses, Kel feeling like the whole of her right side was on fire. Glad that no one could see how her eyes watered with pain through her helmet, she tied the reigns in a knot so that she could hold them easily with one hand. When time came to fight she'd have to rely on her legs to manoeuvre Prince. This would be a completely crazy stunt if she didn't know Prince as well as she did.

Raoul began to direct their forces into more effective formations, using a standard bearer to relay the orders to save his damaged voice. Several times they led Second Company in great sweeping arcs, engaging the enemy for ten minutes at a time and then pulling back, providing relief to struggling Tortallan lines. The jostling of riding caused almost unbearable pain in her shoulder. Luckily her cries and half sobs were muffled by the clamour of battle.

Just after midday, when the fight for Steadfast had been raging for over six hours, there was a great trumpeting and blue troops rode in from the west. Raoul, who was observing the battle from the wall squinted through a spyglass, his puffy eyes making it difficult to see through the lens.

'Unless I'm completely addled, which given the circumstances isn't unlikely, that's Alanna down there.'

'Isn't she meant to be in command at the coast?' asked Kel slowly, the fanfare not helping her pounding head.

Raoul passed Kel the spyglass. Through the round tube Kel watched a small knight in shining mail lead a charge into the army. Though she held her sword aloft it was purple fire that streamed from both hand and sword that caused the most damage. It enveloped the nearest killing machine, crushing it until it crumpled lifeless to the floor. Moments later waves of soldiers scattered, their weapons suddenly too hot to even hold.

Silver magic intertwined with the amber and Kel realised that Master Harailt must've realised Lady Alanna was nearby and summoned her to the battlefield. Together they took out machine after machine. From this distance it looked easy, effortless. Kel found a wave of jealousy surge inside her; the Lady Knight could dispatch these horrors so easily. She'd heard tales of the Lioness's gift, but to see it in the flesh, so powerful and destructive was another matter entirely.

'I thought healers could only manage small, delicate magics?' croaked Kel as they climbed back down onto their horses.

'There's nothing small about Alanna's gift,' replied Raoul. 'She's blessed by the Goddess.' He shrugged. 'She doesn't often do battle magic or sorcery, but I reckon she's the closest match to Master Numair you'll find.' Looking sideways at his battered, downcast squire, he said consolingly, 'Alanna once told me that she was warned to heal all she can to pay for the lives she takes. Such a Gift comes with considerable burdens.'

They wheeled the horses around, collected half a company and charged again, Kel gritting her teeth; she didn't know how much more of this she could she ran a Scanran axe-man through, hating the look of terror on his face as he dropped to the ground.

The arrival of reinforcements and the deaths of the killing devices renewed Steadfast's warriors and within half an hour the Scanrans had fled, disappearing into the forest. The Tortallans picked their way slowly across the battlefield, aiding injured comrades as they went.

Kel and Raoul rode to Lady Alanna, who was crouched over a fallen soldier. His bloody hands clutched at her arm until suddenly they fell limply to the ground. The Lady Knight stood up, turning to face them with hard violet eyes. The man on the ground behind her did not move. Up close the Lady knight was grey-faced and sweaty. Raoul dismounted stiffly, standing tall and not betraying any of the pain Kel knew he was feeling. Alanna managed a weak smile and grasped arms with Raoul.

'Good to see you,' said the Knight Commander, meaning it.

'We're in stalemate up at Frasrlund,' Alanna said disgustedly. 'Luckily we were on our way to Northwatch when I heard Harailt's call.' She wiped her bloody sword on her boot and sheathed it. 'My men and I are under your command,' she said seriously, deferring to her older and larger friend.

'We need to scout the area for further danger, secure the fort, clean up this mess, and make contact with Mastiff and Giantkiller,' said Raoul, suddenly business-like.

Alanna got out her sword and seemed to stare at the flat of the blade, her face was concentrated at faint wisps of purple danced along the blade. After a couple of minutes she declared, 'Unless there are exceptionally good disguising spells in place, there are no Scanran forces in a mile radius.'

'That's a start,' said Raoul, relief in his voice.

'I will contact the other forts if I can,' said Harailt in his quiet voice.

Raoul nodded his approval before addressing his second-in-command; 'Kendal, I need half your men searching for any survivors,' he cast a hand around at the bodies strewn across the now still field. 'Tortallans to the infirmary, Scanrans to a holding cell. The rest of your men can start to pile up the Scanran dead. Find Flyn and tell him Third Company are collecting Tortallan dead. Ulliver -' Raoul now addressed the man in charge of Second Company of the King's Own, 'Start organising repairs, most importantly to the outer wall and patching up the barrack roofs.'

'I'm going to help in the infirmary,' Alanna announced, wiping her red hair from her forehead.

'Sir?' Kel asked once everyone else had moved away to start their tasks.

'I need a list of the dead,' said Raoul heavily. 'When Third Company start piling them up. Ask a representative from each company to help you identify them. If that fails then their sword should have an engraving of their name.' Kel nodded sombrely. 'Come to my office when you're done.'

Trying to write without moving her shoulder at all was extremely difficult, but at least Kel could sit down whilst she completed her task. Whatever potion the healer had given her was beginning to wear off and the nausea was returning.

The losses had been heavy; one-hundred-and-seven men, a figure that was likely to rise when some died of their wounds in the infirmary. They'd lost more than a whole company in a single day.

Clutching the list convulsively in her left hand, she staggered to her feet. Every step was a battle to remain upright in a world that tilted and span before her very eyes. The stairs up to Raoul's rooms presented a big challenge and Kel found herself practically crawling up them. Hoisting herself back onto two feet Kel shuffled slowly along the corridor, using the wall as a guide and entered Raoul's room. She carefully set the list down on his desk and then stumbled into a chair, sitting down heavily. Kel wearily removed her helmet, trying to ease the throbbing feeling that had enveloped her whole head.

'Thanks,' said Raoul, not lifting his bandaged head from his hands.

'Has there been news?' asked Kel tentatively.

'Mastiff's fine, turned back a small army earlier this morning. They're riding to Giantkiller as we speak.'

Lady Alanna entered a few minutes later, devoid of armour and wiping freshly washed hands on her sweat-stained shirt.

'They've got it under control in the infirmary,' she said, sitting down on a chair with a groan. 'Goddess what happened to you two?'

Kel realised dimly what a mess she must look, since Raoul looked awful.

'We were on the watchtower when it collapsed,' said Raoul, lifting his head with an effort. There was a trickle of blood running from his nose and half his face was still grazed horribly.

Alanna leapt up, 'Why aren't you in the infirmary?' she demanded, glaring at her friend.

'In case you hadn't noticed we've been a bit busy.' Replied Raoul.

'If you've hit your head then it could be a lot more serious than you think,' said Alanna her hands reaching for Raoul's curly-haired head.

'See to Kel, she's worse than I am.'

'Mm fine' slurred Kel, she had her eyes half-closed; the light pouring in at the window was hurting her eyes.

'Mithros and Shakith!' Alanna swore, 'You let her fight like this?'

'She insisted, the healer gave us both a tea, but I think it must be wearing off.'

'Clearly,' snorted Alanna. 'And a tea doesn't cure concussion Raoul, even you should know that.'

Alanna peeled open Kel's eyelids and peered intently into her hazel eyes whilst simultaneously feeling for Kel's pulse. Laying two hands on Kel's head Alanna poured her Gift into the lady squire. Kel's head went blessedly cool and her mind cleared; it felt like someone was removing heavy weights from her skull. Alanna checked the bandages around her head and seemed satisfied.

'Thanks,' said Kel, embarrassed now she could think clearly again.

'You're going to have a sore head for a couple of days,' Alanna warned, 'Concussion is tricky to manage. You'll need a healer to keep an eye on you.'

Alanna turned back to Raoul.

'Look at Kel's shoulder too,' Raoul said stubbornly. 'It dislocated in the fall.'

Swearing and muttering about people who should remain in infirmaries once they'd been admitted, Alanna set about removing Kel's make-shift sling.

'I can't work with the mail on,' said Alanna as she helped Kel to lift the metal shirt over her head and carefully off of her arm. Alanna slid callused hands inside the collar of Kel's shirt and gently prodded and squeezed Kel's shoulder. Kel screwed up her face in pain. A minute later and Alanna's gift brought relief, knitting together the damaged ligaments and tendons, removing the swelling.

'Any other injuries?'

'I think the healer already fixed my ribs. Apart from that it's just scrapes,' Kel said quietly.

Alanna turned her attention to Raoul.

'Your face is a mess,' she told him bluntly.

Alanna fixed his head and then paused to gulp some water; if Kel were to hazard a guess, Alanna was nearing the end of her Gift.

'Anything else?' She asked, 'And for the Gods' sakes don't lie to me!'

'I have quite a deep wound on my side,' admitted Raoul. 'Landed on a sharp piece of wood.'

Alanna unwrapped the lower half of Raoul's bandaging and Kel had to wince. Raoul's flesh was a mess of bruises and grazes. Kel had a horrible feeling that she too would look like she'd been chewed on and then spat out by a kraken. Just below his ribs there was a large wound which Alanna sealed in seconds.

'Now that I know neither of you are going to die on me, what news from Giantkiller?'

'Nothing,' said Raoul worriedly. 'Wyldon's riding there now.'

The three of them were joined by Harailt, Flyndan, Kendal, Ulliver and several others. Kel gave up her seat for one of the commanders and sat on the floor, leaning against a crude chest of drawers. She had a cloth and scrubbed intently at Courage's blade. The soldiers sat in grim silence, all preoccupied with their own thoughts.

'Harailt?' asked Kendal in a strained voice.

'I'm sorry,' replied the weary mage. 'I can't.'

Alanna sprang to her feat. 'And I can't wait anymore.'

'No,' Harailt emplored her, 'You've used too much.'

'Pox curse it,' snapped Alanna, 'I've used more before.' She clutched convulsively at something at her throat. 'Great mother guide me,' she said in a softer tone.

Alanna set her sword on her lap and began to scry. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled down, but she didn't stop to brush it away. The knight's forehead was screwed up in a frown and Kel could see close up that the lady had small wrinkles at the corner of her eyes.

There was a sort of pressure building in the room and Kel swallowed, trying to pop her ears. At last, when she thought she could bear it no more, Alanna's sword clattered to the floor as her hands dropped, the violet Gift vanishing.

She managed two words before slumping forward in a dead faint; 'Giantkiller's fallen.'

'I thought I'd be seeing you,' said the grey-haired woman, setting down the pan she was holding. 'And the answer is still no.'

'You're now on the run from the biggest army our country's ever seen,' pointed out Alex, perching on the wooden table.

'You got my daughter killed.'

Alex bowed his head. 'A lot of people have died for our cause. Even more have died unwillingly for Maggur.'

'I don't want to die for anyone,' said the lady bitterly, 'I just wanted to live out my days in my town with my family.'

'We don't always have the choices we want,' said Alex, hardly. 'The time will come when you have to choose a side.'

'So why should I chose the loosing side?'

'Because we will hold out.'

'Yes?' said the lady sceptically. 'Your pretty speeches won't work on me young man.'

'We need you,' replied Alex bluntly. 'I need someone powerful to co-ordinate our network of mages. News is far too slow in reaching us. Word is you can contact your cousins in Hamrkeng even from up here.'

The mage paused. 'And that's all it would be, communication?'

'I swear to you, all I need is information passed from all sides of the country to the other. I won't ask for any war magics.'

The lady turned her sharp green eyes on him. 'I'll hold you to your promise.'

'I wouldn't dream of tricking anyone as powerful as you,' said Alex drily.

'Wise move.'

'Can you really reach Hamrkeng?'

'As sure as the sun'll rise tomorrow.'

'I've a friend there, his name is Feipt and he's got a small net of mages in the south. Can you ask him if there's any news of Blayce?'

Alex sat down to wait, struggling to suppress the cough that had plagued him for the last month. Ten minutes later he had his answer;

'He's not at Miltrak; he must be further south; Hastanne, Ratthausak or Dundine.'

They were getting closer to tracking down Blayce. He would set off for the South tomorrow.

Once Alanna had been revived, the uproar calmed down and they realised that there was nothing they could do apart from pray for the dead, their gathering dispersed. Kel tried to block out the thought of hundreds of dead strewn about the fort that they had built...The thought of how close Steadfast had come to falling itself. A few more killing machines and without the arrival of Alanna's reinforcements...

She got shakily to her feet. 'Anything else my lord?'

Raoul shook his head dumbly.

She had made it to the door when he said quietly, 'Thank you.'

'For what?' Kel's head couldn't fathom what she'd done to receive thanks.

'Again you went above and beyond your duties, even though you were injured. You showed courage and selflessness above what many fully fledged knights do.'

'She's learning from the best, Raoul,' said Alanna wearily from the corner.

Kel slipped away whilst her knight-master was distracted. She need to lie down, she needed to cry for the dead, she needed to pull herself together because the Tortallan border was hanging on by a thread and she'd promised Alex that they'd hold back Maggur.

-a/n- I enjoyed writing this chapter. I like imagining how harsh the war really was, when not set back in a refugee camp like Kel was in 'Lady Knight'. And I hope you liked the glimpse of what Alex is up to. It's really not long until the reunion many of you are rooting for!

So what'd you think? I'd love for you to leave a review, pretty please...I usually only get feedback from about three percent of readers, which makes me sad.

Hopefully I'll get another one up soon -the next chapter has been planned for quite a while!

Confusedknight xx