~My deepest apologies about disappearing for some time. However, summer's approaching and the horse show season started as well as a lovely proposal by my partner. insert girly squeezing and bouncing around here So things have been a touch hectic in a whirlwind of trying to plan for next fall and find the perfect dress and everything else! Hope this makes up for it, and thanks all for your heartfelt reviews. Your honesty and opinion means so much to me!

~As for those who love and hate the Zamos/Kel tension well… I can't say anything without risking ruining it but your input –WILL- matter and sway what it to come. So keep those reviews, opinions, and reasons why you do or don't coming!

~Also on sadder note, Game of Thrones Season ending made me sad. I envision Jaqen very much as Xamos type figure down to the looks. Sadly, he will be missed.

~Also, just logged in to read about Image Manager for covers of our stories! What would -you- as the reader find visually appearing as a cover. Let me know and maybe I'll whip something up! Ideas people!

HuginnsMuse

Chapter 14

It was just past dawn when Westly entered the tent with a tray of food in his hands. He froze at the site of Kel's bare shoulders cuddled up against Xamos's bear chest together in bed. He felt his blood start to boil as he placed the tray down only to see Xamos ease out of the bed. He was still wearing his pants, and when Kel rolled over in his absence he noticed she was still wearing her under shift and a sheet had separated them.

"You." He muttered as the boy neared him.

"I'm not the cad you think I am." Xamos growled as he picked up his discarded shirt and slit it over his head.

"The maidens want to leave in two hours' time." Was all Westly could manage to say before Xamos nodded in response.

"She'll be up and ready then. Have someone saddle her new beast."

"How is she?"

"Broken. The maidens will put her back together though." He said reaching for an orange. At first Westly was going to protest however he allowed him.

"You care for her don't you?"

"She's our prince's sword sister. I am their shield." Westly just shook his head as he started out of the tent when the boy's words hit him, 'their'. Smiling to himself he took a few more steps past then tent before yelling out for a youth to come help him saddle horses.

"Be careful with him, he's still a touch green I've no idea what will spook him." Westly had started to drill Kel as she saddled up Zeph for the first time. The massive horse waited patiently, almost giving Westly a flat look as if he knew what the man was saying. Frost couldn't help but giggle as she worked on strapping her own bags to her saddle. "And keep your chin up, maybe we'll come visit you this summer if Balt lets me and the lady sneak away for a little bit." He finished as he laid a hand on her shoulder and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"Your acting like I'm disappearing, I'm just headed back to the village and then summer training nothing dangerous or special Westly!" She laughed grabbing his beard and giving it a tug. The man swatted at her hand before standing to his full height. It was then that he spotted the Knights and a few others from Tortall entering the field. They were early to pick up their string of horses, and he had been hoping the Maidens would be off before they had a repeat of last night. Raoul stopped first clearing his throat as he looked to Kel.

"My lady, my deepest apologies for my companion's actions the night before. I trust you have it in your heart to accept their apology and understand the pain at loosing such a dear friend, I fear they see her around every turn lately." He seemed stiff to her, as if Neal or someone else had written up such a apology for him to read and present her with. Westly's hand did not leave her shoulder as she faced them with a stubborn chin raised, her animals must have sensed the tension for Onna had moved to her side leaning against her leg as if offering her support while Zeph's ears were pressed flat against his broad skull.

"There is no reason to apologies for such actions, if it were I in their shoes I would never stop looking for such a friend." She answered with each word short and crisp trying to not let the site of Dom standing their head down and hands folded like some beaten dog get to her. "But I stand true to my statement, the woman you know as Keladry is gone. I am truly sorry for your loss and to bear such bad news in such a manner. However you would do best to teach that one how to approach a woman, I fear around these parts she's more likely to gut him rather than fall into bed with his silken words." Raoul looked to Dom then as the Maidens and men with Westly did their best not to snicker. The teasing seemed to calm Raoul as slowly his shoulders started to sink.

"See, around our part's we have a challenge for any man wishing to court our sisters." Haden spoke up as he shifted his weight to the other foot, not far behind him stood Ian and Kelland. "Firstly, the man must best her brothers." He looked to Ian who raised his chin defiantly. Raoul's eye perked at the twins standing side by side, near mirror images down to their weaponry. "So that means both of us."

"An interesting way to weed out those who truly care for your women, instead of those who just want the title." Neal's scholar side had jumped into play then; Kel could see the gears turning in his head as he focused on remembering everything. So little was known of Gaul's customs to bring anything back to Tortall for the books would give him fuel for his fire.

"Then the father." Westly chuckled as Dom visibly took a gulp then. "Followed by the woman herself. And trust me; she's deadly with a blade and pike." He messed Kel's hair as she just glared up at him.

"Well then, if you lads are done comparing whose cock is bigger." Frost cleared her throat as she slid up and into the saddle breaking the sudden silence. "We've got to get headed out, much to do and all."

"Travel well, and thank you for the warning." Raoul called out as Westly joined them and offered a hand in peace.

"And we should be getting you your horses." The two men just nodded and started off toward the pens before Kel collapsed back against Zeph, the horse turned to look at her as if waiting for her to fall. Westly was barely out of earshot when Kel suddenly found Xamos standing next to her, his sudden appearance caused her to nearly jump up and away from him.

"Didn't mean to spook you." He said gently as she shook her head and gave him a playfull shove, the smile returning to her face then.

"I've got to get going." She started to grab Zeph's reins and toss them over the saddle crest before Xamos grabbed her hands and forced something into them.

"I know, but these are for you. A gift of sorts." He started as she looked up at him ready to ask why. He cut her off before she could speak however. "I do not know your birth day, you've never given me the luxury of knowing such. So, I took the day you left for Gaul as the first day of your rebirth." She could see the curl of a smile at the corner of his lips, he was proud of himself. Was this the first time he had ever given someone a gift not being obligated by some season? Thoughts raced through her head as she nodded, still to lost to speak. Had she really been here a year already? "I've one more gift, if you will let me." He said gently as he took the wrapped gifts and put them in her saddle bags. She said nothing as he started to help her mount, cupping her hand so she could get onto her beast of a horse without having to jump. Once settled there she looked down and couldn't help but return his smile.

"I trust you, you know that." She laughed then as he pulled her down till she would nearly have spilled from the saddle and kissed her. The entire motion made her eyes go wide before she melted against him, almost forgetting to keep her legs tight around her horse to keep from falling. The entire world around her spun before fixing itself as he pulled away to press his forehead to hers.

"Stay out of trouble." He muttered before slipping back and out of her reach. They stood their eyes locked for a moment before he turned to leave jogging toward the paddock Westly had wandered into. Frost cleared her throat then.

"Shall we?"

"Open it up!" Ashely was the first to break as the party had stopped for a late lunch. The small clearing was enough for a quick fire, fresh fish and the horses to graze. None of the older women had mentioned the packages or the kiss back at the faire, then again they may have been wise enough to keep their mouths shut until Kel was ready but as usual friends and their curiosity lead the way. The minute she burst the other women flocked around Kel who paused mid bite to stare back at them. Onna took the moment to sneak the bit of fish from the woman's plate.

"I thought…"

"Thought nothing, we want to see come on! How come you didn't tell us it was your year anniversary!" Frost chimed in this time huffing as she nudged Kel's bags. "Now, you tell us or we may just tell all the maidens about the horned man winning your heart."

That was enough to get Kel to roll her eyes and pull the larger of the two packages from her pack. From the weight and balance of it she knew it was a weapon of sorts before even pulling it free of the wrapping. It's sheath was simple black leather, the hilt polish black stone with silver wrapped wire to hold a grip though the pommel was interesting as it was a howling wolf head. From a distance one wouldn't notice the detail work but in her own hands it was impeccable down to the fur grain. She withdrew the blade and looked it over as one of the men let out a whistle. The steel was near black, almost the color of her long sword from Raven's Armory. Turning it over she found a simple mark, the silhouette of two dragons shaped in a heart.

"Know the armory?" She asked the man that had whistled as he simply nodded.

"Put it this way lass, it wasn't a last minute idea from the looks of it." Was all he said before returning to his meal.

The next item was much smaller and all the women huddled around as she produced a wooden box. Turning it over she let her fingers brush over the latch before flipping it open and staring with her jaw open. She was never one to receive gifts, never mind such lavish ones. The last person to give her gifts had been the Lioness, her Knight Master and parents when she received her shield. But this, this was nothing useful like the blade, this was something else entirely. The necklace looked delicate, with swirls of silver wire that burst into tiny flowers while tiny wolves seemed to be running between them. If one were to look at it as art it would seem like wolves running through a field of flowers or thick woods, were as jewelry it flowed and was both delicate and fierce to see wolves on the hunt. The eyes were some light yellow gem that twinkled when the light hit it just right. Kel couldn't find words to express how she felt just then, as her callused fingers ran over the wire and gems. It was on a tiny petal she found the makers mark, two initials being 'XD'.

"X D, do you know the maker as well?" All the women shook their head as once again the man eating just chuckled.

"Some men like to carve, others make weapons. Seems your wolf has a talent for fine detail, or at least the patience. Think of it, X D, Xamos Dantes." He turned to look at Kel then. "Told you his gifts were not last minute. The Horned one never goes to faire; there was good reason this year apparently. Think on that little lass." With that the women slipped away to leave Kel with her thoughts before they would continue on. It did leave her with much to think about.

"I can't believe she's dead!" Dom snapped as he paced Raoul's office back in Corus. He was not alone as Neal, the Lioness, King John, Diane, Numair and Wyldon all sat in the office listening. "I won't believe it, that woman doesn't know our Kel if she thinks she's dead!"

"A lot could have happened Dom. Maybe it's not their fault. I've seen their land it's fierce and the people loved her." Diane pleaded with them. "We can't tell the people otherwise they may try and rise up against Gaul. We will not survive such war."

"And why not? There savages, every last one of them!" Dom spat turning on her then. "I don't know what you saw, but what I saw was complete different. Who will they take next, if they took Kel who says it stops there."

"He is right at that, if they did take Kel then we risk them doing it again." Wyldon sighed heavily as he ran is finger through his hair. "Again lad, what did she say word for word?"

"The woman you know as Keladry is gone. She said the night before that Keladry was dead." Neal groaned before Numair cleared his throat, his eyes locked on Diane then.

"Diane, you said they were honorable folk but sly?" His question hung in the air then as Diane just nodded. "Think of the wording, Kel went there to learn to be one of them and protect us all from what's to come? Who says Kel has not changed in which the statement the woman you know as Keladry is gone. If she's changed because of her ventures that statement is true the old Kel may be dead but given birth to the new one. We must not give up hope and pray that these words and tricksters games are true."

Numairs words hung in the air as they all sat around looking at each other. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife and it was Jon who sat up and looked to Diane shaking his head. She slumped her shoulders forward before rising.

"Did the woman have a wolf? She would still have a dark coat."

"Yes, she called her Onna. Something about the highest blessing from the priestess." Neal started before Dom caught on.

"Also said she was the princess's sword sister, but called the horse man father…." Dom muttered as they both looked to each other then back to Diane. She simply raised her hands as they and the rest in the room put two and two together.

"In the Isle's Onna means little woman." A man's voice said from the doorway causing everyone to turn. Piers was standing in the doorway, slumped against it and from the ashen color of his skin compared to the curl at the corner of his lips he had heard most of the conversation. "It's a term of endearment." He nearly laughed then as Raoul shook his head.

"Think of it Neal, she was the same for years with you. But image being trained as a woman, growing your hair out. What would Kel look like, how would she act around friends, what would she do to protect her people and innocents?" Piers asked as it left both boys baffled and staring at each other as they knew the answer. Dom was the only one who managed to break the silence, only to be followed by snickers from the rest others.

"I feel, like a idiot."