Work Text:
New Hope
28th October, 460 H.E
Kel was slumped over her desk, a pitcher of water sitting to one side and a stick of paperwork in front of her. It was late evening and she wanted nothing more than to go to bed. However, the paperwork wasn’t going to do itself. Her hands were stained black with ink, a fact that she found humorous in her fatigued state. To think that she’d once dreaded the prospect of becoming a squire to a desk knight and yet here she was, doing paperwork till her hands were black with ink.
The lady knight chuckled softly, leaning back and stretching her back with an audible crack. Gods she was tired. If only this Goddess cursed war would end already. Though Blayce might be dead, the war was still going strong. Combined with the sheer effort involved in establishing New Hope, she’d forgotten what it felt like to be well rested. When she did sleep, numbers of supplies and paperwork haunted her dreams. In her office there was a stack of unopened letters from her friends – she simply hadn’t had the time to read them.
To be honest, she still couldn’t believe she was even alive. When she’d returned to Tortall with her band of refuges, she’d fully expected a sentence of royal treason. It had been a choice she’d made in full awareness that the king would probably order her execution. Yet instead Lord Wyldon had apologised to her and had handed her the job of building a new camp for the now homeless former residents of Haven.
A sharp knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts and she shook her head as if to clear it.
“Come in,” she called. The door opened to reveal a welcome sight. Neal stood framed in the doorway, as lanky as ever. A broad grin breaking across her face, she stepped out from behind her desk to hug her best friend. When the embrace ended she laughed.
“Miss me?” Neal asked, smirking. Though he was almost twenty three (and Gods, she was nineteen now, wasn’t that terrifying?), he was still in many ways the same snarky page who’d sponsored her all those years ago. In response she punched him in the arm, chuckling at his exaggerated wince.
“I didn’t know you were coming-”
“It was meant to be a surprise. I’m staging an intervention!” he proclaimed grandly. kel regarded him with an unimpressed expression, hands positioned firmly on her hips even as Neal slung an arm around her shoulders.
“An intervention. Dear I ask why?” she muttered. Neal simply shook his head, and started pushing her towards the door.
“Why, to get you out behind that desk you’ve chained yourself to, of course. Without my timely intervention, you’ll end up as fat as Sir Myles and we can’t have that,” he replied, now dragging her down the corridor to her private rooms. “I asked Tobe to send up some food as well – he said you haven’t eaten dinner,” her friend continued, oblivious to the uncharacteristically dirty look Kel was sending him. A few moments later, he all but pushed her into her rooms.
All her complaints died on her tongue as she took in the warmth of the fire crackling in the hearth, and the smell of food. Tobe stood in the corner. He dipped at nod at Kel and Neal before leaving the room.
Giving up all pretence of resistance, Kel sunk into her favourite chair, Neal plonking down opposite her. Giving a satisfied groan, she took a minute close her eyes and just bask in the fire warmth. The fact that Neal managed to keep quiet was a miracle that she greatly appreciated.
When she finally opened her eyes, she found her friend grinning at her “better?” he asked, and she had to nod her agreement. When her continued to smile at her, she shot him a Look. That smile was downright suspicious, and she was too tired to play games with Neal.
“What is it?” she asked.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, with a look so innocent butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. She knew better. Crossing her arms, she simply looked at him and waited. She it wouldn’t take him long to crack.
“You haven’t been reading my letters have you?” he asked and she felt a small pang of guilt the she quickly quashed. She simply hadn’t time to read them, not when he’d marked them and non-urgent. At her lack of response Neal threw up his hands dramatically. “I knew it!” he cried, “You really don’t know.”
Kel’s patience was, by this point, running very thin. She was tired and hungry and Neal was being very, very irritating. Knowing it would get her answer quicker, she remained impassive and quiet. When Neal realised she wasn’t going to play his game, he gave a sigh of defeat.
“Alright, alright! Fine, I’ll tell you – there a new female page,” he said, and grinned.
Kel stared at him, mouth agape. Her brain stuttered as she tried to process what neal had just told. A female page? Slowly she began to smile and Neal took this as a sign to continue speaking.
“Her name is Alisa of Blue Harbour. She’s eleven. The Lioness is thrilled,” he said, shuddering at the last part. Kel’s lips twitched. Given the Lioness’ infamous temper she supposed for Neal it was strange to see his former knight master so cheerful.
Blue Harbour. For some reason the name range a bell, if only she could remember where she’d heard it before. Suddenly her eyes widened. The girls she’d met during the progress had been from Blue Harbour! Alisa must’ve been the name of the younger sister, the one she’d thought might actually end up training. Her smile widened. This was the best news she’d heard in days.
Her good mood continued for the rest of the evening, and she and Neal talked deep into the night before he finally excused himself to his bed. Kel stayed up for a while longer, staring into the flames, deep in thought. A female page…
The lady knight began to smile as she contemplated what the future might hold.
Goddess bless you, Alisa of Blue Harbour, Goddess bless you.