A/N: This is a revision of my original. Considering I started this more than a year ago, I certainly hope I've improved since the first version. Bleargh……. Heh.

Basic Summary: It's the wedding day for Yuki and Neal, but something happens that neither of them planned. I smell something fishy, and it's not the reception food.

Disclaimer: Look at the site name. If this belonged to me, I wouldn't be writing on a fanfiction site, I'd be making big bucks in the real world.

NEW VERSION:

Sir Neal of Queenscove was a knight with nerves. If you asked anyone who knew him, they'd probably compliment you on your wonderful powers of observation. (Sarcasm intended.) And of all the people who knew Neal, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan was definitely one of the ones who knew him best. That is why, as she stood outside his dressing room, Kel knew exactly what she would find inside. With a sigh, she poked the door open soundlessly and peeked through.

The first thing to reach her ears was Neal himself, muttering distractedly. "-can't believe that Areida would have to let me know of this 'new book'" at this he scoffed "that she had to show me. 99 Things that Could Go Wrong at Your Wedding, very supportive sister, indeed! Why, oh why, do I have to keep replaying that one about the woman who went deaf due to a grain of rice stuck in her ear?((1)) The food is now potentially dangerous, too! I don't even want to think about what that rascal of a cousin of mine did to me to earn that thrice-cursed nickname at Rosemark-"

"Queenscove, do try not to hyperventilate too much. Think how disappointed Yuki would be if you fainted at the altar. It's times like thease that make it seem as though your brain really is lumpy meat." Kel leaned against the wall, brow raised, in a near perfect imitation of the man opposite her, currently raking his hands wildly through his lightish brown hair. Her drawl had only emphasized her imitation further, speaking just like Neal. Eight years of combat experience had taught Kel when to interrupt brawl. Eight years of experience with Neal had taught her when to interrupt his rants – as well as how to impersonate him.

Despite the fact that Neal was pale and sweating, green eyes feverish and hair resembling part of a tumbleweed, Kel had to admit he looked handsome. In an emerald-green tunic over a pale green shirt, with forest green hose and shoes, he still managed to make a nice picture that several girls would swoon over. (If they had done so, Yukimi noh Daiomoru, his bride-to-be, probably would have started waving her naginata around with a roar of rage, and driven the screaming girls far, far away.) Now she just had to fix the hair part.

"Kel?" Neal seemed at a loss, nearly speechless, which was exceedingly rare in his case. "Aren't you supposed to be with Yuki?" Kel fetched a comb and bowl of water as he watched.

"I thought the same thing with Shinko as I do now: asking me for marriage advice is like a horse trying to raise chicks. I'm not even single," Kel told him. Wetting the comb, she tried to make sense of his hair. "If you muss your hair any more, it will blow away like the weed it resembles" Neal was informed.

While Neal stood there, still nervous, he inspected his best friend. She was clad in two silk kimonos, the outer a mint green with emerald-colored leaves embroidered in patterns, the inner a forest green. Her obi was an eye catching shade much resembling fresh grass, tied stiffly with a wide bow, and it matched the fan tucked within perfectly. Neal could see the ornament hanging out, a jade sparrow, and gulped as he remembered that the pretty fan could most likely cut several of his appendages off. Her hair had grown just long enough to be twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck, and Neal was fairly sure there was a hidden knife somewhere in that stylish knot. In fact, he realized, there were faint outlines of knives in many other places elsewhere in that delicate outfit.

At the moment, Kel was looking at him mock-sternly, dreamer's hazel eyes dancing. Her lilps threatened to curve upwards under her delicate nose. Her muscled arms revealed she was no court lady, but she looked quite decent, if not achieving the "fragile" look. Alanna and the other women had, ahem, persuaded her to wear tiny emerald eardrops. The jewels were actually carved into miniature paper cranes, and upon closer inspection razor sharp. Kel left little to chance. Once the exquisite jewelry had been put into her earlobes and they had removed her gag, she had managed to give the circle of women warriors that advised her an earful on the subject. Neal decided he was glad he wasn't there, but it was worth it. All that green accented her eyes perfectly. 'She'd look good on my arm,' thought Neal absently. As if realizing his previous thought, he stiffened momentarily. (Kel looked at him in puzzlement, having formerly thought that his eyes couldn't get any wider.) He deliberately relaxed, sure that he was just making an sensible observation about color-coordination since the idea of Kel on Neal's arm right before Neal's wedding was just wrong.

Kel clucked her tongue at the utter mess she was attempting to straighten out. Typical Neal, caught up in nerves so as to utterly neglect any neatness of appearance. Though Kel was no typical lady, she took great care to appear immaculate and unflustered as is the Yamani way. She was a tad bit nervous about this wedding, but she hid it behind a still face. She did her best not to think of all the things that could go wrong when her two best friends collided. In the meantime, there was work to be done.

A time later, Kel stepped away from Neal, nodding in approval at his now somewhat tidier hair. "Just calm down, and if I catch you touching your hair you're quite in for it," she instructed him, though she twitched his clothes a bit to add the finishing touch. Giving him a warm smile of reassurance, Kel left the room. Neal continued to watch the door, his comfort before the ceremony gone.

She was making her way down the corridor of rooms that were in use for the occasion when she heard a noise from one of them. She poked her head in cautiously with a rustle of silk.

Kel never saw it coming. Blackness descended, as though she were swimming upwards with leaden limbs. Her eyelids fell; she sagged, and the door clicked shut.