NOTE: THE FOLLOWING WORK CONTAINS (MINOR) SPOILERS FOR THE SECOND STORY IN THE LOST KEY. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I’m a #Keyna shipper-in fact I think I may have originated the ship-but I’ve seen this pairing suggested for her a time or two. Thought I’d try my hand at it.

He remembered the first time he’d seen her like it was yesterday.

The Bracers had been on a perimeter patrol around Halfwind. A party of unexpected rabbits had been spotted, and the elite archery team had quickly closed in. Fortunately, they had quickly recognized Lord Victor Blackstar among the newcomers. Nate had made a point of greeting the citadel lord, and apologized for any alarm.

“You have nothing to apologize for, lieutenant,” Lord Victor said with a smile. “Our scouts made us aware of your presence some time ago.”

“Scouts?”

“My father is referring to us,” said an elegant voice from behind Nate.

Whirling around, Nate found himself facing a pair of black-furred rabbits. One was a buck about his own age, whose amusement at Nate’s obvious surprise was betrayed only by a slight twitch of his lips. The doe beside him, obviously the one who had spoken, was even more composed. In her blue eyes he could see the faintest gleam, but he sensed kindness in it rather than mockery.

As his surprise faded, Nate took in more of the doe’s appearance. She was beautiful, her serviceable traveling dress seeming a perfect complement to her obvious ability. Nate could see that she was examining him in much the same way. That made him wonder what sort of picture he presented, and for an instant he felt uncomfortable.

Remembering himself quickly, Nate extended a hand to the buck. “Welcome to Halfwind, friends. I’m Lieutenant Nate Flynn, at your service.”

“Pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Flynn,” the other buck replied, clasping his hand. “Captain Coleden Blackstar of Kingston.”

Nate nodded, then turned to the doe. Smiling, she held out her own hand. “And I’m Heyna Blackstar.”

Instead of shaking hands, Nate took Heyna’s gently in his own. He then bowed his head over them in a courtly gesture. Looking up into Heyna’s surprised face, he allowed himself a small smile.

By contrast, the day Nate found Heyna in Halfwind’s hospital, he had rarely felt less like smiling in his life. The rabbits of Halfwind had survived a wolf attack, but barely. And only because they had received the unexpected help from a land long ago thought to be mere myth. Help that had been led by Bleston Goodson, the Wayward Prince, and his son Kylen, the betrayer of Cloud Mountain.

However, Nate had little time to consider such weighty matters. Between them, he and his fellow Bracer Kent Halmon had brought a sorely wounded buck in from the field. Following the advice of the medical staff, they laid him on a bed in the hospital. It was only as they stepped away, leaving the doctors to work, that Nate saw her.

Lying on another bed nearby, Heyna had a bandage wrapped around her head. It ran over her left eye to below her right eye, where it seemed tightest. Both eyes were closed, but they opened as if sensing Nate’s gaze. The blue eyes were not bright this day, but filled with a haze of pain.

Moving to Heyna’s side, Nate spoke as gently as he could manage in his concern. “Heyna! What happened?”

“…wolves…broke into…the hospital…tried to…stop them…” Heyna’s voice was faint, and her eyes closed from the effort. “…it…hurts…”

“Don’t worry, Heyna-I’ll get a doctor.”

Unexpectedly, Heyna’s hand shot out and grabbed one of his. “…please…stay…”

Kent, having heard the whole exchange, nodded to Nate and hurried off towards a group of nearby physicians. Nate, feeling that uncomfortable feeling again, nevertheless made no attempt to free himself from Heyna’s grip.

If Nate had to listen to another of Captain Cheltham’s jokes, he thought he might just start a brawl. The idea that the boorish buck might actually be the best living archer in Natalia was growing more and more appalling as dinner wore on. Nate felt tempted to find Jo after it finally ended and give his friend a piece of his mind for roping him into this event. However, Nate was forced to admit that the only buck who might have been more miserable in this situation was Jo.

Nate’s other, and better, comfort was that he was seated beside Heyna. He could tell she was also suffering, though she hid it well. The scar she bore from the attack on Halfwind took nothing away from her poise. For Nate, it served as a badge of honor, much like Heather Longtreader’s split ear.

As Lokson took his turn to make a remark no doubt intended to be witty, Nate could practically see Heyna fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Half-smiling, he whispered to her. “Mind passing the carrots, Miss Blackstar?”

Smirking slightly, as though she knew he was partly trying to distract her, Heyna picked up a bowl and handed it to him. As Nate reached for it, he briefly laid a hand on top of one of hers on the side away from everyone‘s view. Recognizing the move as intentional, Heyna’s expression softened. It was a brief instant, and then Nate adjusted his grip on the bowl and took it from her.

Dishing some of the carrots onto his plate, Nate mused quietly that the old discomfort was barely noticeable anymore.

On what should have been one of the happiest days of his life-of anyone’s life, really-he was in too much agony to enjoy it. Yes, incredibly, the war was over. Rabbitkind had survived. The Mending, or so legend said, was beginning.

But right now Nate could only feel the burns on his face and the wounds on his arm and chest. They had been dressed, and he was lying in relative comfort. In a city that was half-destroyed, however, there were more wounded rabbits than there was medicine to treat them. And so Nate sat, hoping that his exhaustion would eventually overcome his pain and let him sleep.

Footsteps broke into his thoughts, and with an effort he turned in the direction of the sound. To his surprise, he saw Heyna. She carried a large satchel, apparently full of supplies, which she handed to the doctor who was overseeing this makeshift clinic. Then she began moving among the soldiers, offering kind words to those who were conscious, or lucid, enough to register her presence.

When her eyes met the one eye Nate still had left, they widened. She came to his side, her gaze taking in his various injuries. The sympathy in her face was plain, and Nate did not feel weak for receiving it. Gently, Heyna spoke to him.

“How are you feeling, Captain Flynn?”

“…it…hurts…”

Perhaps the Mending had indeed come, Nate thought afterwards. Because watching with his uninjured eye as Heyna took his uninjured hand, he felt like there was indeed hope for his healing.

Lord Flynn was sitting at his desk writing when a knock came at the door. When it was repeated a moment later, he frowned. If it was one of the servants, they would have called through the door after the first knock. But who else would it be?

“Enter.”

The door opened, and there was Heyna Blackstar. It was almost like the day they had first met, except that the two of them were alone. Nate froze in surprise. It had been years since he had seen Heyna.

“You seem surprised, Nate,” Heyna said with a quiet smile.

“Can you blame me?” In spite of her teasing tone, Nate smiled back. Rising from behind his desk, he walked forward to meet her. “Last I heard, you were still out with the Pilgrim’s expedition.”

“So I was-we got back a few days ago.” The two shared a quick embrace, and then Nate gestured Heyna to his desk chair. Pulling up another chair, he sat on the other side of the desk as she went on. “I thought I’d surprise you.”

Nate shook his head. “Still taking innocent rabbits by surprise, I see. I’d have thought you’d have gotten out of the habit by now. Ladies-in-waiting don’t have much call for it.”

“As for that, I haven’t been a lady-in-waiting in some time,” Heyna countered. “Queen Heather released me to accompany the Pilgrim. She also said I was free to pursue some other path when I returned if I so chose. It’s not as though she needs me.”

Frowning, Nate wondered how to respond to that. He knew from experience that Heather had other ladies-in-waiting, and no shortage of does willing to take on the duties. But he didn’t feel like letting Heyna’s self-deprecation pass. Just as he was about to comment, however, Heyna smiled at him.

“Besides…there are other things I’d like to do. Journeying with the Pilgrim was exciting, but I grew to miss Natalia. And it was hard being away from most of the rabbits I care about. Like father, and Emma…and you.”

Like a long forgotten itch, Nate felt a flutter such as Heyna had stirred in him on their previous meetings. He hadn’t felt such a sensation in years. But, as Nate readily admitted to himself, thoughts of Heyna had stirred other feelings in him since their last encounter. Learning that she had missed him was surprising…because he had missed her.

Heyna seemed to see in his eye what he was finding it difficult to say. The kindness he had seen in her so often returned. But there was another feeling present as well, he could now see. A feeling that, he sensed, went beyond mere friendship.

“I’d like to get reacquainted with you, Nate. And…better acquainted, while we’re at it. We’ve known each other a long time now. And perhaps there could be more for us than my duties would have permitted before.”

“Well, Heyna, I-I’m flattered. Truly I am. And I would like to get to know you better as well. But, if I may ask…why me?”

Obviously surprised, Heyna laughed kindly. “Why not you?”

“Maybe I don’t feel worthy of you.”

“You’re a lord, Master Flynn. How could you possibly think yourself unworthy of a lord’s daughter?”

“Ah, but that’s just it, Miss Blackstar. You see, to me, you are no lord’s daughter.”

She stared at him, puzzled.

“To me you are a queen.”

Just as Nate had half hoped, Heyna’s face took on the same expression she had worn in response to his greeting all those years ago outside Halfwind. Then it shifted, becoming the look he had seen during that onerous dinner at Blackstone. “Well, if I am a queen, then I shall make a decree. I hereby proclaim that I wish to be courted by you, Lord Nathanial* Flynn of Cloud Mountain.

“If you have no objections, perhaps we can start with a visit to the Savory Den? Chef Gort’s cooking has been another of the things I’ve been missing.” Both of them laughed at that. Rising from their seats, they walked to the door.

On their way there, their hands met.

*As I’ve done previously, I gave what I imagine is Nate’s full name an alternate spelling based on how Sam spelled the name Lemual.