This was written for the Seanfhocal Circle at The Dancing Dove, as a present for our admin’s return from vacation. (Caitlin is quite the fan of this pairing.)  So, Caitie, this one’s for you!

 

Tortall and its inhabitants belong to Tamora Piece, and are used with her direct permission.

 

The Knight’s Return

 

The castle was small, but the banners that waved from the highest tower gave it a degree of friendliness she never thought she would see emanating from a structure of stone and mortar.  The newly risen blue-and-cream pennant caught in the breeze, flapping about madly.  She felt a jolt of affection in her heart--a surge that was becoming more and more pronounced, in ways she never thought would ever happen. 

 

Too much time had passed since her colors had last flown over this particular fief.  It reminded her of the first time--only two short years before--she’d had the honor. 

 

Home.  Not the place where little ones were raised, or where brothers and sisters milled about, or where sagely parents offered nuggets of wisdom.  Home was where a lady knight could rest.  With peace and quiet.  Well, relatively speaking.

 

“Kel, you’re back!”  The cry came from the western wall, where a solitary figure perched on the wall, waving madly.  With a flash he was gone, running toward the steps and through the keep.  And she knew, from two years of practice, exactly how many seconds he would take to reach her.

 

She dismounted and unbuckled her sword.  It wouldn’t do to injure anyone.  With a grin, she handed the weapon to her squire.

 

“I think you’ll want to brace yourself,” the younger girl chided.  She’d seen homecomings like this before.

 

Thirteen.  Twelve.  She could hear the servants and animals in the castle yard, reacting to the disruption.  Eight.  A surprised yelp implied that he’d run into someone.  Six.  A streak of red came racing toward her, and Kel fought the urge to giggle.  Three.  Two.

 

“You said it’d be another month!” he cried happily, wrapping his arms around her tightly.  “Gods, I’ve missed you, Kel!”  She leaned her head against his as they embraced, reveling in the feel of his curls against her cheek. 

 

“I’m glad to be back,” she said softly.  She still marveled at her erratic heartbeat whenever they touched--something she’d felt before, but never so consistently.  She pulled back to look into his playful grey eyes.  “Once you’ve known the madhouse that is Jesslaw, it’s impossible to stay away for too long.”

 

The end.