Why have I never noticed before that Kel takes up Roald's trick of eating at every table in the pages' hall to get to know other pages by eating at every table in the cookhouse at Haven to get to know the men she will command? I really think this is an overlooked friendship between two very reserved, subtle people. For two people who don't canonically interact very often, there are so many tiny details that put them on the same wavelength, to the point where I would argue Roald is one of Kel's first friends, besides Neal. Roald socialises with all the pages, but he prefers to sit with Kel and Neal to eat, and he's one of exactly two pages to give Kel a Midwinter gift in her first year. (The other is Neal.) Roald avoids spending extra time with his own yearmates, but he turns up to the study group and brings people with him - in fact, he's a founding member of the group. Kel consistently backs Roald when he refuses to exercise royal privilege when he thinks it isn't appropriate. When Roald finally does decide to exercise some royal privilege, he does it by nominating Kel as spokeswoman for the pages who would like Joren and his friends to stop ruining their Midwinter, thanks a lot. When Kel accompanies Lalasa to Joren's trial, Roald goes with them. When half of Kel's friends ride north to war, she chooses to ride with Roald and Neal (at least until she canât stand the lovesick moping any more). And reserved, uncomplaining Roald chooses Kel to vent to about not being permitted to fight for his country.
They're not friends loudly, like Neal consistently starting shit with anyone who gives Kel shit, or Owen literally throwing himself at her for hugs, but they are legit friends.
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