Post by opalgirl on Mar 8, 2010 12:20:41 GMT 10
Title: Odd One Out IV
Rating: G
Length: 466 words
Competitor: Buri
Round/Fight: 2/D
Summary: Part IV of a Kel-has-joined-the-Riders series of AU oneshots. Neal drops in, in this one.
Notes: Kel didn't get tossed from page training, in this universe - she didn't go. I'm in Buri's perspective, and Buri doesn't know why, making it so I don't know either.
The Lioness and her squire joined their company for a short time, three days after the run-in with the bandits.
“Trailing along behind the Progress, no doubt,” said the Champion, stretching. “I’ll take your report, though. Queenscove, come here.”
Buri raised her eyebrows as she got a proper look at the lanky young man. “His Grace did let you out of Corus with his son?”
Alanna glowered at her. “And they let you out into the wilderness with a group of trainees?”
“My lady?” prompted the squire, standing at ease.
“Stop standing about and see if you can’t make yourself useful – the trainees are pitching camp.”
Kel blinked, as someone pried the mallet from her fingers. “Mithros, girl, if you keep that up, you won’t have fingers left,” said a light male voice. “Were you always such a disaster with a hammer?”
“Yes,” cried someone else, unseen, “she was.”
Kel kept a scowl from her face and looked up at the interloper. Lanky, with messy brown hair and green eyes, he wore a sword as if it were part of him. The badge on his sensible summer tunic was that of a gold lion rearing on a red field.
“Squire Nealan of Queenscove at your service,” he said, plainly hinting for her to introduce herself.
Kel swallowed. He was the Lioness’s squire. “Keladry of Mindelan,” she said, when she’d contained herself. Then she remembered and bowed to the appropriate degree for the daughter of a baron – even one in royal favor - greeting the son of a ducal house.
The squire looked at the scene before him and shook his head. “Where may I be useful, Trainee Keladry?”
She studied him, thrown off by his behavior and dry speech. “If I’m such a disaster with a hammer, Squire Nealan, you can beat the pegs into the ground.”
“She’s not ten feet tall, like the stories would have you believe,” Buri murmured. It was shortly before dawn, and she was up out of long habit, while most of the camp still slept. Trainee Keladry, who was now known among the recruits as simply Kel, had been up and practicing when she’d emerged from her tent.
“Hmm?” Keladry said, quietly, plainly distracted.
“The Champion – she’s not really ten feet tall.”
There was a wistful, almost hurt expression on the young woman’s face, just for a moment. “When I was little, I wanted to be her.”
Buri smiled. “You weren’t the only girl who wanted to be the Lioness.” She almost wanted to ask what had stopped Kel from entering page training, but didn’t want to pry. The younger woman kept her privacy, and Buri respected that. If they were going to be up around the same hour routinely, they might get to know each other better.
Rating: G
Length: 466 words
Competitor: Buri
Round/Fight: 2/D
Summary: Part IV of a Kel-has-joined-the-Riders series of AU oneshots. Neal drops in, in this one.
Notes: Kel didn't get tossed from page training, in this universe - she didn't go. I'm in Buri's perspective, and Buri doesn't know why, making it so I don't know either.
***
The Lioness and her squire joined their company for a short time, three days after the run-in with the bandits.
“Trailing along behind the Progress, no doubt,” said the Champion, stretching. “I’ll take your report, though. Queenscove, come here.”
Buri raised her eyebrows as she got a proper look at the lanky young man. “His Grace did let you out of Corus with his son?”
Alanna glowered at her. “And they let you out into the wilderness with a group of trainees?”
“My lady?” prompted the squire, standing at ease.
“Stop standing about and see if you can’t make yourself useful – the trainees are pitching camp.”
***
Kel blinked, as someone pried the mallet from her fingers. “Mithros, girl, if you keep that up, you won’t have fingers left,” said a light male voice. “Were you always such a disaster with a hammer?”
“Yes,” cried someone else, unseen, “she was.”
Kel kept a scowl from her face and looked up at the interloper. Lanky, with messy brown hair and green eyes, he wore a sword as if it were part of him. The badge on his sensible summer tunic was that of a gold lion rearing on a red field.
“Squire Nealan of Queenscove at your service,” he said, plainly hinting for her to introduce herself.
Kel swallowed. He was the Lioness’s squire. “Keladry of Mindelan,” she said, when she’d contained herself. Then she remembered and bowed to the appropriate degree for the daughter of a baron – even one in royal favor - greeting the son of a ducal house.
The squire looked at the scene before him and shook his head. “Where may I be useful, Trainee Keladry?”
She studied him, thrown off by his behavior and dry speech. “If I’m such a disaster with a hammer, Squire Nealan, you can beat the pegs into the ground.”
****
“She’s not ten feet tall, like the stories would have you believe,” Buri murmured. It was shortly before dawn, and she was up out of long habit, while most of the camp still slept. Trainee Keladry, who was now known among the recruits as simply Kel, had been up and practicing when she’d emerged from her tent.
“Hmm?” Keladry said, quietly, plainly distracted.
“The Champion – she’s not really ten feet tall.”
There was a wistful, almost hurt expression on the young woman’s face, just for a moment. “When I was little, I wanted to be her.”
Buri smiled. “You weren’t the only girl who wanted to be the Lioness.” She almost wanted to ask what had stopped Kel from entering page training, but didn’t want to pry. The younger woman kept her privacy, and Buri respected that. If they were going to be up around the same hour routinely, they might get to know each other better.