DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything by Tamora Pierce. All right?

Lady Warrior

Kel couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stared at Lord Wyldon of Cavall. She had spent the entire year as a probationary page and had worked hard to prove that girls could become knights.

"Now, I suggest you pack, you are to leave immediately. I have an escort waiting to lead you to your home" Lord Wyldon couldn't look at the girl. Instead, he stood and looked at one of the pictures on the wall.

"Of course Lord Wyldon." Kel said in a monotone voice. She stood and left the room, forgetting to bow. Her head was foggy and she couldn't clear her mind. She kept thinking over what Lord Wyldon had said.

"You are to go home immediately. You have distracted the boys long enough." Kel could feel tears threatening to leak. She fought with her emotions and won. By the time she made it back to her room she had her Yamani mask back on. She could hear her friends in Neal's room laughing and talking. She didn't want to go there, so she went straight into her room and locked in behind her.

As soon as Kel finished packing she changed from her pages clothing to her extra set of practice clothes. She brushed her hair and locked away the rest of her belongings. When Kel opened the shutters on her windows, a large cotillion of birds swarmed her. She looked at Crown and sat on her bed. The sparrows landed on her shoulders and she began to cry. She cried because life wasn't fair and that she let all the girls of the realm down.

A knock at the door brought Kel to her senses. Thinking it was her escort she hurriedly opened the door and almost slammed it shut when she saw who it was. Neal stopped the door from being slammed and slipped into Kel's room.

"Kel, I just heard and I came straight here." Neal said quietly. He pried Kel's fingers off the doorknob and closed the door. She was about to protest when she looked into Neal's eyes. She was unable to be strong anymore and she burst into tears.

"Shh." Neal wrapped his arms around his best friend and looked around the room surprised. It was the first time he had ever seen her cry. "It's alright." Neal stroked his friend's hair and held her tight.

"Neal, he is sending me home tonight!" Kel sobbed as she had given up on keeping her emotions in check. She was vaguely aware that Neal's shirt was getting thoroughly soaked.

"What? That Stump!" Neal swore many words that Kel didn't know that he had known. Neal led Kel to her bed and they sat together and just remained quiet until Kel's sobbing stopped.

"I didn't want to tell everyone, but I can't just leave without saying good-bye." Kel said wiping her face with the end of her sleeve. She looked sheepishly at Neal's shirt. He just ignored it and looked straight at Kel.

"You have to face them." Neal strode over to Kel's door and opened it, the hallway was clear. "Come on." Neal led them to his room and opened the door. The laughing instantly stopped when they took a look at Kel and Neal's soaked shirt.

As soon as Kel said good-bye to her friends she had made up her mind about something. She dragged Neal with her back to her room. When the door was closed she looked at Neal and he could see determination in her eyes.

"Neal, I have made up my mind. I don't want to be escorted home like some beaten warrior." Kel said, she began to pace her room with her hands behind her back. "I am going to run away. I just need the help to get away."

Neal looked at his friend. "Right. I think I know who can help. We don't have much time." Neal left the room without another word. Kel looked at the closed door confused. She went to the shutters and closed them. She was about to recheck her packing when Neal returned. She was about to ask him what was going on when she saw that there was a tall man following him.

"Kel, this is George." Kel's jaw dropped but she quickly closed it, her mask back in place. This was Baron George of Pirate's Swoop, the Lioness's husband.

"Your Grace." Kel was about to bow when Neal grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

"No need for that." Neal said as he gestured to George. "He doesn't like it. And his business here is not for his title, but to smuggle you out of the castle." Kel didn't think she could be thoroughly shocked by Neal, but she was. Her big eyes drew a chuckle from both men.

"So Lady Keladry, or Kel." George corrected himself as a strangled sound escaped Kel. "Where would you like to go? I think that the best bet right now would to get you to Pirate's Swoop. Alanna can help us when we get there." Kel looked confused but Neal raised his hand stop her protesting.

"The Lioness and George have been suspecting that the Stump was being coerced by some conservatives to keep you from gaining your shield. So they have been making plans all year long." Neal said with a large grin. It seemed that he had known about the plans all year.

"Okay. We will have to send a letter to my parents as soon as we get there." Kel said. She picked up her trunk and the two men led her through old hallways and in a few minutes they were at the stables. Neal led her to Peachblossom's stall and began to saddle him; surprisingly he didn't try to bite Beal.

"I can't take Peachblossom, he isn't my horse." Kel said sadly, she didn't want to have to say another good-bye.

"That's silly Kel. He is your horse." Neal said as he drew out a stack of papers from a corner of the stall. When Kel studied them she could see they were ownership papers.

"How?" Kel asked as Neal took her trunk and hooked it to the saddle. (Well, how else is she going to take it?) George had come into the stall and was leaning against the entry.

"Well, Alanna and I thought maybe you would like a late birthday present." Kel looked like she was about to pop with all the news she was receiving. George just chuckled as he left leading his horse outside the stables. Neal grabbed peachblossom's reins and left the stable while a bewildered Kel followed.

"This is good-bye dear Kel." Neal hugged Kel one last time and stepped back. Kel saw tears in his eyes.

"Oh Neal. I will write often!" Kel said as she mounted. She wiped rogue tears that were falling from her eyes. Neal smiled a watery smile and waived a good-bye as the two left the palace. Kel watched Neal until they exited the gates and he disappeared from view. As soon as they were outside the city walls George led them into a gallop. They rode until sun down and stopped to eat.

"We are going to ride all night. I hope Peachblossom is up to it." George said as he ate some dried jerky. Kel had been wanting to ask him a question that been nagging at her for the entire trip.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Kel asked quietly watching the horses.

"Alanna and I want you to succeed. You were brave enough to fight diversity and overcome all they said about you. Kel, you truly deserve to become a knight." George said as Kel's throat caught. She was getting such praise from her hero's husband.

"How do you know I deserve it? What if Lord Wyldon was right?" Kel said, finally voicing her fears that had plagued her all year.

"I know because I see in you the same spunk that Alanna had when she first started as a page. Alanna knows because she has been in your shoes." George said and stood up. "We had best get going."

Late the next evening saw them riding into the gates of Pirate's Swoop. Kel worried about Peachblossom, since he wasn't really made for such a ride. As soon as she thought this all of her fears were dissolved when one brunette made her way to them.

"Daine!?" Kel said surprised. It seemed that many people were in on the plan.

"Hello Kel. I will take Peachblossom and don't you worry." Kel dismounted and Daine led the horse away. Kel couldn't believe all the support she had gotten. She knew her friends at the castle supported her, but didn't know anyone else was. All the taunts from Joren and convinced Kel that no one else wanted her to succeed.

"Hello Keladry." Said a feminine voice behind Kel. She turned to look into a pair of purple eyes. Kel was surprised to see her hero right in front of her.

"Why?" Alanna looked at the girl and smiled sadly.

"I knew that the conservatives were working on Wyldon and that I would have to intervene." Kel looked flabbergasted.

"But, why didn't you come to the palace?" Kel's pent up worry burst out. Did she want to be the only female knight? Did she think that Kel wasn't worth it?

"Because Wyldon had the King forbid me from seeing you." Kel looked up sharply. She had been studying her boots.

"Oh." Kel said and just looked around the courtyard she was in. Her stomach growled telling her that she was hungry. The Lioness smiled and led Kel into the building.

"Lets get you some food, it wouldn't do that the next female knight starves to death."

Please review! I wrote this story a long time ago, and I just got the guts to post it! Please review! I will update soon, I just have to separate the chapters a bit!

Always

Macko