Disclaimer: these characters are all owned by T.P, I am just using them. Please don't sue me!!!!
A/N this is under the name of magicmagelet, but I want everyone to know that Dain Salmalin was the one who actually wrote this story; I just gave her the ideas and the plot. I feed, she puts them down in pen. Also I hope all you C/K fans aren't to disappointed, but I think Neal is much better for her!


Keladry of Midelan sprawled in a chair, eyes shut. Her head was spinning wildly with visions of huge metal spiders and short, nervous men She groaned. The visions from the chamber have still been haunting her, even though it was a month ago.
"Anything I can do?" Neal asked her. He was eating a slice of blueberry pie. "You know, just a flick and..." He snapped his wrist out and let a flash of green light finish the sentence.
Kel shook her head. "Not really. It's a mental thing. Healers can't do much with that."
"But the Gift can..." Neal persisted.
"No! Neal, this is something that I have to go through. It'll help me later. Just be patient, if you know how to."
"But we're leaving tomorrow. I want to say goodbye today so that..."
"We won't be late. Goddess, you think of nothing else."
Neal's eyes twinkled. "You're being harsh."
Kel felt her heart thud at Neal's words. Does he mean he thinks of me?, she wondered. Instantly, she scolded herself for the thought. You love Cleon, remember?
"I do believe you've distracted me from my misery," she told him with a grin. "Let's go and say goodbye."

Kel split up with Neal so they could have private farewells. She suspected he went along with it for Cleon's sake, but she tried not to think about it.
"Owen!" she called. A squire in his last year looked up from his book.
"Kel! Oh dear, you're coming to say goodbye, aren't you? It's jolly that you and Neal are going on a quest. Will you write to me?"
"Yes, if you'll read them to your cousins. I haven't time to write to everyone, you know."
Owen nodded and promptly dove back into his book. Kel thought about more people to say goodbye to. There was Lalasa, Cleon...was that all?
Kel sighed. It was. All her other friends were off on their own quests. Cleon was still at home only because he had gotten his trip postponed until she left. Kel decided to talk to Lalasa first. Cleon always made her slightly jumpy, for some reason.
"Lalasa!" Kel exclaimed as she entered the crowded shop. Her old maid was sewing something with thin silky stuff. The short girl stood up.
"My lady! You're going? I'm so happy for you."
"I'll write. Say, would you make sure Jump and the sparrows have enough to eat?"
"Oh, of course I will!"
"Bye, Lalasa. I'll write to you."
"Goodbye, my lady!" Lalasa was then swept up in customers. Kel left the shop with a small sigh. No one seemed to have any time for her except Neal...and Cleon, she added guiltily. Even Owen was too busy to have a proper talk. She was about to cry when she caught herself.
I am a lake on a summer day, she whispered to herself as she headed for the knight's quarters.

Cleon was staring out his window. Why do we always have to leave each other?, he sighed. And why Neal? She might fall for him.
"Cleon?" He recognized the voice.
"Kel!" He had her in his arms the next instant.
"Oh, I wanted to see you so much," he told her. "I keep thinking about you leaving. It's torture, Kel."
"Now you know how I felt. Can't you be happy for me?"
Cleon shook his head. "No. I'm too worried to be happy, even for your sake."
Kel sighed. "No one is happy around me anymore."
He tilted her chin up and kissed her by way of an answer. Kel pulled away as soon as he released her. She started to cry and fled from the room.


*****

"Well, it's time to go." Neal informed Kel the next morning. It was dark and foggy. Kel looked back once at the castle. She sighed and followed Neal, leaving Cleon alone and heartbroken.