The door to Raouls room started opening.
Anders leaned against a post. "Kel… "
"What" Kels head popped back through the door, looking at everyone one gathered she grinned, and opened the door fully, "I brought food, anyone hungry?"
The group gathered, stared for a moment as Kel brought food inside. As she placed the food on the desk it was as if the spell had been broken. Neal stood up and stretched his arms out wide, Alanna about to stand up quickly ducked, narrowly avoided a whack across the head.
"Watch where you're going squire." Alanna shoved Neal, Neal quickly pulled his arms back in.
"I'll have you know I am a full bloodied knight, no longer your squire." Neal replied haughtily.
Raoul pushed past the argumentative knights and headed over to King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. Jonathan looked up at Raoul and nodded a greeting, "Sorry Raoul we cannot stay any longer, it was miracle we could stay for this long without the nobles creating an uprising." He remarked, his face still but his eyes danced with mischief.
Raoul simply nodded and went to stand with Dom to discuss matters of the Third Company.
Jonathan and Thayet said their goodbyes and left. Everyone understood, it had been surprising they stayed as long as they did. As everyone ate lunch and talked to one another, Kel stood to the side. She watched as people traded jokes and insults, but her eyes were following Dom. Every time his blue eyes met her it sent shivers up her spine, every time he smiled she could feel her insides melting. Kel shook her head, she had to stop acting like a love struck puppy. Putting a smile on her face she walked over and joined Neal's group, she could hear laughter as Alanna and her former squire fought like cat and dog.
"Tomorrow, noon, on the practice courts."
Neal threw his hands in the air, panic across his face," Must I always live among such brutes who persist in whacking me swords every chance they get."
Alanna had mirth throughout her body . "Of course you must." Neal groaned and slumped back into his chair.
Everyone in the room laughed at their antics, Kel shook her head at Neal's folly and headed over to meet the stranger she had seen earlier.
Walking up to him, she had time to look at him properly. He was handsome, with bright head hair, even more so then Alanna's. He had hazel eyes and a strong nose, he was tall, slightly taller then even Kel and he had an easy grin that was infectious. Kel knew enough about Thom from his mother and father to recognize him, and seeing him side by side to his parents it was easy to tell he was related.
Kel thrust her hand out, "Keladry of Mindelan, pleasure to meet you." Thom took her hand warmly and shook it, sending shivers up her spine. Kel shook her head, what was wrong with her?
He grinned crookedly "Thom of Pirates swoop, the pleasure is all mine." He looked back to where his mother was now eating .
"I heard about you, mother often send letters and Neal would tell of your tales." He looked back to Kels face "I heard you would be ten feet tall and have a wolf who would attack any who looked at you, not this beaut." He held his hand out for Jump to smell.
Kel nodded and smiled, a little ruefully, Neal would put it like that " Me and my little wolfie are not quite that big."
Jump trotted over and looked at his hand, he looked up Keladry who nodded. Jump sniffed his hand, deciding he liked what he could smell he promptly jumped upon him and proceeded to lick everything he could reach.
"Ahhhhh!" Thom held up his arms and tried to push Jump off in a vain attempt to fend off the attacks, Kel upon seeing a grown man helpless against the ground, being licked by a dog, lost herself in a fit of laughter. Jump after deciding he had licked him enough barked at him and rolled over ,begging for his stomach to be scratched, he looked like a puppy, not the battle hardened veteran who had taken down dozens of men. Thom wiped the slobber off his face and stared up at the ceiling, Kel wiped her streaming eyes and offered him her hand.
He grabbed it, thankful and felt himself pulled up.
"What a first impression, huh." Thom smiled, an easy grin on his face.
Looking around he saw his mother and father staring at him knowing smiles on their faces, shaking his head at them he turned back to Kel.
She had knelt down and was scratching Jumps belly, "I think he likes you." She grinned warmly up at him.
"Apparently," he drawled.
Kel stood back up, putting on a diplomatic face she asked politely "I heard you were at university, how are your studies going?"
Thom heard the politeness in her voice and guessed she didn't really know much about him. "Well enough, I have just ..." Kel and Thom wandered away talking amicably.
Alanna turned to her husband, eyebrow raised "That went well, don't you think?"
George grinned "Well enough me fiery Lioness." he bent down and gave his fiery lioness a kiss, before turning around and addressing the room, Alanna behind him.
"Now that refreshments are done, back to the story." He clapped his hands together before picking up the first scroll. As the group settled down he began to read, his voice drawing in everyone who listened. "A Dream"