Keladry of Mindelan overviewed the sight before in silence as she stood aloft the walls of New Hope. The woods were deserted of enemies ever since the turning point of the war but one thing was still nagging her mind.
Neal.
~*~ Three months ago ~*~
Kel was talking lightly with Yukimi noh Daiomoru in Yamani when someone rapped smartly at her door. Opening the door to a messenger from the looks of his uniform, he gave a short bow to Kel. "Is Yuki with you, Protector of the Small?"
Keeping in the sigh of her "title", Kel saw from the corner of her as Yuki slowly got to her feet. Giving a bow with her palms pressed on her thighs, she said with an accented lilt to her Common, "This is she."
The messenger cleared his throat and gravely said, "I'm sorry to inform you that you're betrothed, Nealan of Queenscove, met his death a week ago at the coasts of Scanran." His face became sober. "His body is yet to be retrieved, but it's been assumed that the ocean swept any traces of him away."
Yuki's face revealed nothing but her hands shook. "This... cannot be possible..." She swallowed hard. "We... were to be wed when he returned from his mission..." Suddenly, her vision blurred and dizziness tromped through her head.
Kel gasped, "Yuki!" when the Yamani crumpled to the floor in a faint.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
Growling, Kel thought frustratedly, 'God dammit Neal! How could you be so stupid?'
A hand pressed on her shoulder and she smiled briefly up into Dom's blue eyes. He searched her face and noticed the mulish look in her face. "Kel... don't you... don't you _dare_ go out and look for him! He's dead and you have to accept that!"
Her usually dreamy hazel eyes were hard. "I know he's still alive. Don't ask me how I know, I just know it." She bitterly spat at the floor. "Don't worry Dom. New Hope may function well without me but I'm still working on Serene Light. It's a far cry from defending itself and I need to be around to show them the ropes." Rubbing her temples, she softened. "Gods curse it, he was such an idiot."
Dom patted her arm. "It's been hard on all of us. C'mon, his Majesty requires us at the ball tonight."
"Shit..."
---------------------------
"Change out of that shirt and wear this one," Kel ordered. "And stop gawking! I am a girl, you know."
Tobe obeyed as he changed in the dresser room and she heard him say, "Well, Lady, it's not like you've ever worn a dress before. Especially one that _showed_ that you're a girl."
Fire rose to her cheeks. Trust Tobe to be frank. Bitterly, Kel thought that the red dress was the same but Lalasa insisted that it was the only size available at short notice. Kel suspected that Lalasa had worked on this for weeks knowing very well about the ball and feigned ignorance. She sighed; at least she wasn't wearing any face paint. Her hair was still as short as ever and that couldn't be changed. Tying a loose, darker red burnoose around her neck, she formed a hood and hid Griffin from view at her side.
According to Myles and Raoul, assassination attempts of the King were higher from the resulting war. Scanrans have already brutally mutilated several of their knights; who was to stop them from the King himself?
When Tobe came out, she inspected him, tweaking tunic and fixing his collar. He grinned up at her. "No need to dawdle, miss."
She ruffled him on the head. "Don't get smart with me. Have you sent the message to Yuki?"
Tobe nodded solemnly.
Kel scribbled out a note that read, 'Lalasa, we've left early, and thanks for the clothes. Love, Kel.' Leaving it on a table, she and Tobe left Lalasa's closed store (she was out visiting a customer) and she suddenly groaned. At Tobe's inquiring look, she explained with a smile, "I can't exactly ride in a dress now, can I?" She eyed Peachblossom and Hoshi. "Mount up. I'll just have to ride with my legs off to one of his side."
----------------------------
Sipping her drink, Kel's eyes roamed the ballroom and her brows furrowed in concern. She saw Yuki had decided to attend but her once lively eyes were now dull. Prince Roald's wife, Shinko was doing all she can to engage Yuki in a conversation but it looked like Shinko was doing all the talking.
"Hasn't anyone told you you're supposed to be dancing at these things?"
Kel looked at the outstretched hand and her eyes traveled to a familiar, handsome face.
"Faleron! I thought you were still on patrol." She curtsied and took his hand.
His eyes laughed at her. "You'd make a decent court lady, Kel."
She retorted, "For that, I'm purposely stepping on your toes."
They fell into idle chatter, but Kel's eyes strayed every now and then to King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. She measured the surrounding nobles and noticed Raoul doing the same thing. She grinned and felt better; many people were keeping an eye for the King and Queen's safety. To their sides were other rulers from different countries. Turning her head back to Faleron, she was surprised to see Dom instead. "When did we change partners?"
He winked at her. "You should pay more attention then, and how come you never told me you could dance?"
Regarding him, Kel decided he didn't know and inwardly smiled. She said lightly, "Excuse me, Seargent Dom, but I believe I will return you to your adoring ladies. I must go check on Yuki." She sweeped another curtsy.
Halfway there, hysterical screaming rippled through the air. Kel swiftly drew her sword; many knights also did the same. Finding the cause of the chaos, Kel saw a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man blundering about the ballroom. The nobles and ladies drew away at each step he took and Kel shouted in Scanran, "Not one more step....!"
He grinned horribly and rasped out in a voice unlike his own, "He is there. You know what you must do." His eyes were locked with Kel's and he cackled. "Unless you want him to become like me."
Weaving out of the crowd, she grabbed him by the shirt. "What do you know of him? Where is he?!"
It was too late. His throat had closed up, and he gasped for air before his eyes turned glazed and Kel threw him down, disgusted.
Tobe took her by the arm and Kel grinned ruefully down at him. Palace guards took the dead Scanran away and the ballroom returned to normal, now alive with gossip.
Merric asked her with worried eyes. "What was that all about?" Her other friends pretended they weren't listening as they chattered quietly among themselves, picking at the food.
She shrugged behind her Yamani mask. "One of Maggur's messengers. Pardon me, Merric, but I require an audience with the King." Making her way to the King, she noticed gratefully that Queen Thayet had drawn the nobles and rulers away from Jon.
At his side, she casually picked a grape and turned her head away, pretending to be interested in the dancing couples.
"You do know that this is most likely a trap?" It was Jon who was studying his cup and smiling at the passing nobles. "There are risks involved that all say I should not let you go in there alone. You would most likely lose your life. what do you think, Lady Knight?" he asked from the corner of his mouth.
Kel chewed thoughtfully on the grape and her eyes fell upon her friends. Quick-tempered Merric, easy-going Faleron, jolly Cleon with his shy wife, Tobe who stuck to her like a shadow, fliratious Dom, energetic Owen, and many others, all who knew Neal in one way or another. Her gaze finally fell upon the quiet Yuki, and she saw her hurt, the pain and sadness that burdened her.
Picking another grape, she said lightly, "I think, it's time to go on with the plan."
A/N: Even I don't get what just happened. ^^ R&R plz!
Neal.
~*~ Three months ago ~*~
Kel was talking lightly with Yukimi noh Daiomoru in Yamani when someone rapped smartly at her door. Opening the door to a messenger from the looks of his uniform, he gave a short bow to Kel. "Is Yuki with you, Protector of the Small?"
Keeping in the sigh of her "title", Kel saw from the corner of her as Yuki slowly got to her feet. Giving a bow with her palms pressed on her thighs, she said with an accented lilt to her Common, "This is she."
The messenger cleared his throat and gravely said, "I'm sorry to inform you that you're betrothed, Nealan of Queenscove, met his death a week ago at the coasts of Scanran." His face became sober. "His body is yet to be retrieved, but it's been assumed that the ocean swept any traces of him away."
Yuki's face revealed nothing but her hands shook. "This... cannot be possible..." She swallowed hard. "We... were to be wed when he returned from his mission..." Suddenly, her vision blurred and dizziness tromped through her head.
Kel gasped, "Yuki!" when the Yamani crumpled to the floor in a faint.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
Growling, Kel thought frustratedly, 'God dammit Neal! How could you be so stupid?'
A hand pressed on her shoulder and she smiled briefly up into Dom's blue eyes. He searched her face and noticed the mulish look in her face. "Kel... don't you... don't you _dare_ go out and look for him! He's dead and you have to accept that!"
Her usually dreamy hazel eyes were hard. "I know he's still alive. Don't ask me how I know, I just know it." She bitterly spat at the floor. "Don't worry Dom. New Hope may function well without me but I'm still working on Serene Light. It's a far cry from defending itself and I need to be around to show them the ropes." Rubbing her temples, she softened. "Gods curse it, he was such an idiot."
Dom patted her arm. "It's been hard on all of us. C'mon, his Majesty requires us at the ball tonight."
"Shit..."
---------------------------
"Change out of that shirt and wear this one," Kel ordered. "And stop gawking! I am a girl, you know."
Tobe obeyed as he changed in the dresser room and she heard him say, "Well, Lady, it's not like you've ever worn a dress before. Especially one that _showed_ that you're a girl."
Fire rose to her cheeks. Trust Tobe to be frank. Bitterly, Kel thought that the red dress was the same but Lalasa insisted that it was the only size available at short notice. Kel suspected that Lalasa had worked on this for weeks knowing very well about the ball and feigned ignorance. She sighed; at least she wasn't wearing any face paint. Her hair was still as short as ever and that couldn't be changed. Tying a loose, darker red burnoose around her neck, she formed a hood and hid Griffin from view at her side.
According to Myles and Raoul, assassination attempts of the King were higher from the resulting war. Scanrans have already brutally mutilated several of their knights; who was to stop them from the King himself?
When Tobe came out, she inspected him, tweaking tunic and fixing his collar. He grinned up at her. "No need to dawdle, miss."
She ruffled him on the head. "Don't get smart with me. Have you sent the message to Yuki?"
Tobe nodded solemnly.
Kel scribbled out a note that read, 'Lalasa, we've left early, and thanks for the clothes. Love, Kel.' Leaving it on a table, she and Tobe left Lalasa's closed store (she was out visiting a customer) and she suddenly groaned. At Tobe's inquiring look, she explained with a smile, "I can't exactly ride in a dress now, can I?" She eyed Peachblossom and Hoshi. "Mount up. I'll just have to ride with my legs off to one of his side."
----------------------------
Sipping her drink, Kel's eyes roamed the ballroom and her brows furrowed in concern. She saw Yuki had decided to attend but her once lively eyes were now dull. Prince Roald's wife, Shinko was doing all she can to engage Yuki in a conversation but it looked like Shinko was doing all the talking.
"Hasn't anyone told you you're supposed to be dancing at these things?"
Kel looked at the outstretched hand and her eyes traveled to a familiar, handsome face.
"Faleron! I thought you were still on patrol." She curtsied and took his hand.
His eyes laughed at her. "You'd make a decent court lady, Kel."
She retorted, "For that, I'm purposely stepping on your toes."
They fell into idle chatter, but Kel's eyes strayed every now and then to King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. She measured the surrounding nobles and noticed Raoul doing the same thing. She grinned and felt better; many people were keeping an eye for the King and Queen's safety. To their sides were other rulers from different countries. Turning her head back to Faleron, she was surprised to see Dom instead. "When did we change partners?"
He winked at her. "You should pay more attention then, and how come you never told me you could dance?"
Regarding him, Kel decided he didn't know and inwardly smiled. She said lightly, "Excuse me, Seargent Dom, but I believe I will return you to your adoring ladies. I must go check on Yuki." She sweeped another curtsy.
Halfway there, hysterical screaming rippled through the air. Kel swiftly drew her sword; many knights also did the same. Finding the cause of the chaos, Kel saw a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man blundering about the ballroom. The nobles and ladies drew away at each step he took and Kel shouted in Scanran, "Not one more step....!"
He grinned horribly and rasped out in a voice unlike his own, "He is there. You know what you must do." His eyes were locked with Kel's and he cackled. "Unless you want him to become like me."
Weaving out of the crowd, she grabbed him by the shirt. "What do you know of him? Where is he?!"
It was too late. His throat had closed up, and he gasped for air before his eyes turned glazed and Kel threw him down, disgusted.
Tobe took her by the arm and Kel grinned ruefully down at him. Palace guards took the dead Scanran away and the ballroom returned to normal, now alive with gossip.
Merric asked her with worried eyes. "What was that all about?" Her other friends pretended they weren't listening as they chattered quietly among themselves, picking at the food.
She shrugged behind her Yamani mask. "One of Maggur's messengers. Pardon me, Merric, but I require an audience with the King." Making her way to the King, she noticed gratefully that Queen Thayet had drawn the nobles and rulers away from Jon.
At his side, she casually picked a grape and turned her head away, pretending to be interested in the dancing couples.
"You do know that this is most likely a trap?" It was Jon who was studying his cup and smiling at the passing nobles. "There are risks involved that all say I should not let you go in there alone. You would most likely lose your life. what do you think, Lady Knight?" he asked from the corner of his mouth.
Kel chewed thoughtfully on the grape and her eyes fell upon her friends. Quick-tempered Merric, easy-going Faleron, jolly Cleon with his shy wife, Tobe who stuck to her like a shadow, fliratious Dom, energetic Owen, and many others, all who knew Neal in one way or another. Her gaze finally fell upon the quiet Yuki, and she saw her hurt, the pain and sadness that burdened her.
Picking another grape, she said lightly, "I think, it's time to go on with the plan."
A/N: Even I don't get what just happened. ^^ R&R plz!