*By yon bonnie banks
And by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines
Bright on Loch Lomond*
Neal looked at Kel. How could this hurt so much? She was his best friend. She was getting married. She was happy.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. He looked at the other people milling around. He was best man. Why did they have to pick him? One of Kel's sisters--Adie, he remembered, was the Maid of Honor
"Neal, do I look all right?" Cleon asked, coming up to him.
Neal sighed. "Yes, Cleon, for the eighty-millionth time, you look fine."
Cleon grinned. "Thanks, Neal. You know how much this means to me."
"Whatever. Listen, I'm gonna go talk to Kel, okay?"
"Sure, Neal."
Neal walked down the hall. He knocked on Kel's door. Orie opened it. "Oh, hello, Neal," she said.
"Hi, Orie. Is Kel here?"
"Yep. She's over there."
Neal went over and sat down beside his best friend. "Nervous, are we, Kel?" he teased, looking at her.
Kel grimanced. "Very funny, Neal."
"Listen, Kel..." He stopped. How was he going to say this? "Will things change between us? When you're married?" *To one of my best friends,* he thought bitterly.
Kel studied his face. "Neal, of course they won't!" She exclaimed.
Neal sighed with relief. "Good. I'd better get going, okay? See you at the alter!"
*Where me and my true love
Were ever wont to be,
On the bonnie bonnie
Banks of Loch Lomond.*
Neal walked down the aisle beside Adie. When he got to the alter, the groom was already waiting. He left Adie and went to stand by the other guys in their study group.
He gasped when Kel walked down the aisle. She was beautiful. Neal's heart ached. *Why did I pretend I liked Daine and Uline? I was crazy. There was a goddess in front of me!*
*Oh, you take the high road
And I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland
Before ye.*
Neal was lost in thought during most of the ceremony. Why couldn't he have told Kel? Why? The only thing he caught was at the very end of the priestess's speech. "I now pronouce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Neal was close to tears as the bride and groom walked out of the temple. *Face it, Neal,* he told himself. *There's nothing you can do. Now she's married. You lost your chance.* And he watched unhappily as Roald and Keladry of Conte walked away.
*But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie bonnie
Banks of Loch Lomond.*
Author's Note: HAHA! Sorry, I just HAD to do that! Had ya fooled! Consider it an early April Fool's Day prank (my favorite holiday.) I was gonna do Joren, but then I thought that was too mean! Anyway, the song is called 'Loch Lomond.' It's a traditional Scottish song, I love it, and it's very pretty. It also fit the story wonderfully.