Fanfic

Kel hadn�t noticed that Dom had watched every motion, every punch and kick. He had seen her sit quietly, softly looking at the glaive and allowing a single tear to fall. He knew what the weapon meant to her, but knew this was not a moment when she needed him. This was a quiet moment for her to gather herself to speak to her troops.
They were technically Raoul and Buri�s troops, but they all deferred to Kel automatically, it was her right to lead this campaign.

As she took her breakfast, she looked around. Buri was beckoning to her. She sat next to Neal, who gave her a smile and held up his fork. It had broccoli on it. She smiled slightly, knowing her nerves were showing a little.
�Do you want to speak to them?� Raoul asked.
�Okay, but in a few minutes?�
Raoul nodded and looked at Alanna, who asked Kel, �What do you think we should do?�
�Leave soon.� Heads nodded within hearing. �I know a place in the woods near Mindelan � a meadow we can all camp with a waterfall within walking distance. We camp there tonight, check the situation and finalize our plans. If we leave in two candle marks, we should get there by three candle marks after noon. That way, we have plenty of time to prepare.� Her voice was grim.
Dom slipped in beside Kel. �Are you going to speak to them?�
Kel nodded and slipped out of her chair. She had wanted Dom to be there, looking at her in that way he did, the way that said he had faith in her.

Kel gathered her nerves and stood on steady legs. As she walked to the centre of the clearing, the only place where everyone could see her, silence fell.
When she was sure she had everyone�s attention, Kel spoke.
�I know why you�re here � most of you because the King ordered you. I�m speaking to those from Mindelan, the army volunteers. I know how you feel, but there is something you must understand: this is not about revenge.� Some of the men growled, clearly not happy.
One man shouted, �Maybe not for you! It�s not your home!�
Kel turned around to look him in the eye. After a moment, she recognized him. He clearly didn�t recognize her. �I know you, Sergeant Brookwell. You had guard shift on a Monday morning and hated it, because you liked to drink on a Sunday �the only day you didn�t have a shift. Might you remember taking pity on a ten year old silly enough to lose her quiver and be too scared to get it because of her brother�s ghost stories?�
Brookwell�s stared in shock at Kel, then swiftly bowed � deeper than he should have. �Lady Keladry? My lady, may we follow you into battle and beyond. I am sorry for your loss. May the Black God grant good souls rest.� And then he sat, as quickly as he stood.
Everyone turned to Kel in astonishment, now realizing who she was.
Kel fought not to show weakness, although her breath caught in her throat and her hands shook. When she could trust her voice, Kel spoke again, in a voice that stunned everyone in its resolve and its pain. �Mindelan is my home. My parents and brother are dead, defending that home. My family still defends it. I plan to join them. But, this must be done properly. A half-baked rescue is worse than none at all, and they cannot wait for a second wave of reinforcements, if we had any to give.
�This is a breach in the wall that has stopped Scanra. If they can secure Mindelan, they are positioned to invade Tortall. This cannot be about revenge.
�Break the camp quickly, and we will reach Mindelan tonight. Tomorrow, we retake what is ours.
�We must succeed, for Mindelan and Tortall.
�For the love of your people and your land, we must not fail.�

Dom knew from the enraptured faces and grimly determined looks of the soldiers � man, woman, rider, army or Own � that Kel had captured them. The steel in her eyes; the strength in her voice and her belief in them rung out across the clearing. They would follow her to battle, death and beyond.

As Kel had struck her tent, Raoul and Buri approached her. �Yes? What can I do?�
Buri had smiled softly. �They follow you, Kel.�
Kel had waited for the real meaning of that to sink in. �No, no, no! I�m too young � way too young for that type of comm-�
�Northwatch fell.�
Kel had dropped the pack she had been holding, the men around her made the Sign.
Northwatch was the key to the border defence. �Buri and I are needed at the border. We�re leaving you at the Great Road,� Raoul continued. �You take overall command. Evin, Dom and Brookwell have their groups when you aren�t there.�
�How much of our force do you need?� Kel asked them.
Buri answered, looking grim. �One rider group and five squads of the Own. We�re to leave all of the normal soldiers here � they aren�t what are needed. We�re to cover the gap without a fort while General Vanget � he�s a haMinch � clears up the area.�
Kel nodded. �Daine and Numair?�
�Numair is to go with us, but Daine�ll stay with you. Alanna, too,� Raoul replied.
�We don�t like this either, Kel �� Buri said, hugging the younger, taller girl.
�It�s alright, its your duty to go,� Kel replied evenly.
After hugging Raoul, Kel finished clearing and went to the meeting area, where Dancer waited, his tack in place. They were on their way.

As half the army followed the Great Road to Trebond, Kel led her fighters into the forest near Mindelan. Scouts reported back that there was no Scanrans in the immediate area, so Kel called a halt when they reached the meadow. No fires were lit, no tents put up. They would sleep in their bedrolls tonight, ready to move at a moments notice.
The commanders met below a tall oak, now reduced to Kel, Dom, Alanna, Neal, Evin and Brookwell. After discussing the outline for the battle based on the scout reports, they headed to their bedrolls. Kel and Dom slept under the tree, spooned lightly against each other, when a scout brought a messenger in, blindfolded.
�Explain,� Kel said, in no mood to be polite. The scout pushed his partner forward, who glared at him then explained. �We found him on the road, and were about to shoot him, but he was waving a white flag around, so we thought we�d better talk to him.
�So we knocked him on the head, called healer Nealan, who said to bring him back here.�
Kel looked at Neal.
�He isn�t magicked � I made sure. I gave him some truth potion, and asked Daine to scout with the animals to make sure he isn�t followed,� he clarified.
The captive was stirring. Neal bent down to talk to him. �How are you?�
�Not good. My head really hurts and I think my wrist is broken. Also, I-�
�Neal, can you take care of his headache and wrist, please? Let�s make our guest comfortable,� Kel frowned. The man was talking in an expressionless voice, and his eyes were glazed over, the effects of the truth potion. Looking closer, she realised he couldn�t be more than fifteen.
�Better now?� she asked.
�Much,� he said, relieved.
�What�s your name?�
�Makkan.�
�Just Makkan?�
�Yes.�
�Why did you want to find us?�
�To deliver a message.�
�Who from?�
�King Maggur.�
�Really?�
�He told me it himself, through a magic mirror.�
�What do you think of Maggur?�
Makkan smiled adoringly. �He is our savoir. I would die for him, and will live my life for him.�
Kel couldn�t help looking at Neal with raised eyebrows. He looked puzzled, and twiddled his fingers, then shook his head to indicate that no magic was involved.

�What�s the message?� Smiling like a messenger of God, he spoke in a high, sing song voice, obviously speaking something committed to memory.

�Unless the following terms are met, King Maggur of Scanra will demolish every building, sow every seed with salt, slaughter every animal, burn every tree and plant and kill every man, woman and child within fief Mindelan.
�His Majesty demands the immediate and unconditional return of his betrothed, the Mage Princess Jodanyai of the Copper Isles from the grasp of the vile Tortall.�

Then, Makkan began to glow, first dimly, then like a torch, until no one could bear to look at him.
A rushing sound could be heard, and when they looked again, Makkan was no longer there; all that remained was the odour of burned flesh a faint cloud of ashes.