AN: This will probably be a twoshot, if I ever actually get around to it. If not, then enjoy!
Oh yeah. I'm not Tamora Pierce.
Neal paced his room, in high dudgeon. Spotting a sparrow perched quizzically on the window, he addressed his frustrations. "Less than a year! I am getting married to the love of my life in less than twelve months and Keladry has to choose NOW to go off on an adventure in Carthak? And she took my cousin with her, without so much as a word of warning! What if they get stuck there? They could be hurt! Or worse!" He flopped into a chair dejectedly, heaving a huge sigh as he did so.
The little bird on the sill gave a small cheep. Neal took it as encouragement. "Lady Alanna is in town and she's threatening to spar with me, Father has taken all five volumes of A Treatise on Immortals from the library to study, and Yuki left three days ago to fetch her family from the Isles and I miss her." The last bit was said very quietly.
Combing a hand through his hair, Neal jumped back up to pace again. The sudden movement startled the sparrow and it winged away. "Thanks for listening," Neal muttered crossly. "I should go talk to Father. See if he's done with at least the first volume. Maybe I should go spar with Alanna. That'll teach Keladry to go off without me. I'll get cut to pieces and she'll miss it" Without a clear plan, full of distractions and dire threats, Neal grabbed his coat and stalked out the door.