Squire Keladry of Mindelan couldn't sleep. She usually was a good sleeper, in fact, she usually feel into bed exhausted. But not tonight. No, tonight she was lying wide awake in her room staring at the ceiling which was quite boring, as the ceiling was blank and empty.

Unable to take it anymore, she stood up and started to pace the room, winding her fingers around her thin nightdress -- which she probably wouldn't have dared wear in public because of both its not-so-thick-thickness and the relatively low cut which bared her collarbones and a good deal of tan skin below that. She paced some more. No, that didn't help.

She tried counting unicorns. Nothing.

She tried counting spidrens, but the problem with that was she shuddered every time she counted one.

She tried thinking of something, anything -- nothing.

This really was NOT working.

Frusterated, she kicked the table. Which resulted in the table falling over and she toppling backwards, which in turn knocked over her bookshelf.

"Damn!" she yelled before she remembered that the rest of the squires were asleep. Uh-oh. She stood there silently for a moment and had climbed back into bed again when the door suddenly opened.

"Kel?" a drowsy voice inquired. "Are you all right?"

Standing in the doorway was Nealan of Queenscove, looking very much like he wanted to crawl back into bed but at the same time his green eyes were wide open.

"Im fine Neal," Kel said gently. "Go on back to bed."

"Too late for that," said Neal cheerily, waking up the rest of the way. "You've gone and woken me up."

Kel smiled.

"Don't go apologizing or anything," Neal said agreeably. "I don't care."

He sat down on her bed and bounced happily. Kel shook her head. How on earth did she ever fall in love with him? He was completely and totally insane.

Laughing, she sat up.

"What's so funny?" Neal asked. "Me?"

"Actually, yes. I was recalling how crazy you are."

"Yes, that's me," sighed Neal in a strangely blissful manner. "Utterly manical, I am."

"I noticed."

"No friendly support?"

"Not when you're bouncing on my bed, no."

"Oh do shut up."

"You're annoying."

"I know," Neal agreed. "I'm annoying. And that's why you love me, right?"

Kel's heart stopped for a minute before she realized he was only joking around.

"Right, Neal. Whatever you say."

"Kel, I'm hurt."

"Oh dear. Well, you're a healer. Heal yourself."

"Even as great a mage as me can do nothing for a broken heart," said Neal, clasping a hand to his chest.

"Ah, so now your heart's broken. Goddess, isn't this a horrible happening."

"Kel, shut up -- KEL! What on EARTH are you wearing?"

"Huh?"

"Look at yourself!"

Kel looked. She had forgotten how thin the nightdress was well, at least she had on a breast band underneath. Still

"What am I wearing? Nothing!"

"Ah-ha, nothing, eh? I'd like to see that"

Neal dove for her, but Kel squirmed away.

"Shut up Neal!"

"Hey!" Neal said, jumping for her.

Kel rocketed from the bed and an for the other side of the room, Neal following her.

He pinned her against the corner.

"Surrender, my dove!" he told her gleefully.

"Never!"

He caught her before she could dodge again and trapped her with his arms.

"Let me go!"

Kel ducked his elbow but he began to tickle her until they were both on the floor laughing helplessly.

Neal stood once he had regained composure and he held out a hand to Kel, who was still giggling madly.

But at some point the look in his eyes quickly changed from laughing to something that Kel couldn't identify completely she had her suspicions, but no this was Neal

That look was enough to stop Kel's giggling immediately.

Neal pulled her the rest of the way up and they discovered they were in a very difficult position: Kel was against the wall and Neal was in front of her and neither one could easily move away.

Neal, however, was intelligent enough to realize the predicament's upside if there was one.

He placed his fingertips on the underside of Kel's chin and tilted her face up towards him. Neal's touch was almost enough to make Kel giddy -- and uneasy -- but she refrained from moving away.

"Kel," he said. His voice was soft and husky, the underlying baritone bringing itself out to vibrate his voice. "Kel."

"Yes, we've decided that my name is Kel," she agreed with a weak laugh. Her attempt to make him chuckle and perhaps let of of her chin so as she could be more relaxed went unnoticed.

He let go of her chin with a single finger that traced her cheekbone. Kel was getting VERY uncomfortable. She wasn't used to young men of the squire-hood, especially Neal, being particularly caring towards her. Neal was a wonderful friend that you could depend on, but he wasn't always very considerate.

"I think -- I think you've grown up before my very eyes, Kel -- and I haven't noticed" His voice was soft. "How long have you been this mature?" he whispered, replacing the fingertip on her chin and tilting her face up just slightly so that his emerald gaze locked her.

"Forever," said Kel with a trace of bitterness in her voice. A tear gathered n the corner of her eye, and Neal wiped it gently away. No more tears came.

Kel wasn't used to crying behind her calm Yamani mask. The habits must have worn off slightly.

Neal drew his finger down her nose until it reached her lips, at where he put it back in alignment with the others.

He leaned closer and closer and when their lips were only an inch away, he stopped.

"I'm sorry, Kel, I didn't mean to--"

He straightened and let go of her chin, turning and walking to the door.

Immediately before he left, a timid voice that was most uncharacteristic of Kel rang out.

"Neal?"

Neal turned, green eyes filled with a strange light.

Kel was standing away from the corner a little ways, eyes questioning and unsure, hands clutching a necklace charm he had never seen before.

"Yes, Kel?"

"What -- what were you about to do?"

A small smile graced his features.

He strode over to her and cupped her face in his strong hands.

"This."

And then suddenly her lips were brushing his lips and they were undoubtedly kissing, with the tang of hesitation laced throughout the gentle kiss.

They drew apart for air a second later, but that itself didn't last long. Within moments they were kissing again, but the earlier hesitation was gone and the passion was quite obvious enough.

There was nothing else existing in the world for the two young people except each other and they weren't even worried about air. They just kept their mouths on each other's for ever and ever and ever

They were practically completely still, welll aside from the fact that Kel couldn't decide to put her arms, so they were slowly moving from his lean hips to his broad shoulder to his neck before she just buried them in his tousled brown hair.

And then, of course, nothing was COMPLETELY still, the world was spinning and it was all they could do to just hang on to each other and hope hat they didn't fall over.

They stood like that for a long time, kissing and at other interludes holding. Kel and Neal were unaware of everything in the universe (in fact, if the Stump walked in right then and screamed at them, they probably wouldn't have noticed), for all that existed was themselves and each other and the kiss.

It wasn't just a kiss, actually, but a flood of emotions and feelings which had never before fully been expressed. And gradually they learned that each of them had a lot of hidden feelings.

And so their hearts were loudly and insistently pounding in rhythm and their bodies were pressed together, melted into one soul, held together by the undying bond of sweet love which has touched so many before.

Then they broke the kiss.

Neal smiled uneasily, almost shyly, and it was nothing like his usual sarcastic grin. His emerald eyes were lit with an unusual fire, the fire which was laced with many different emotions some Kel was afraid to see.

There was silence in the air for a long, long minute, until Kel spoke.

"Neal, you'd better go before anyone else wakes up."

"But what do I care about anyone else?" Neal asked, tucking a strand of light brown hair behind her ear.

"I did think you cared about the Stump," Kel answered, a glint in her hazel eyes.

"Damn that man," Neal whispered. "A good-night kiss, then?"

And so Kel gave him one, but it was quite a bit shorter than the other one.

"And Kel? From now on, consider wearing a more decent nightdress. In case anyone barges into your room at night," Neal teased before he leaped out the door.

A slightly (if not much more) delirious Kel climbed into bed once again.

And she dreamt of Neal.

* * * * * * * *

The next morning, Kel woke up and instantly remembered the last night.

"Dammit," she muttered. It had probably been a dream but in a dream would she fall over a bookshelf? She checked for a bruise. It was there.

She ran for Neal's room after dressing.

"Neal?" she asked. He was cleaning his sword.

"Yes?" he responded without looking up.

"Neal, I had a dream last night and we well, we sort of well actually"

Kel was usually not speechless.

"I had the same dream," replied Neal. "We kissed."

"Yes, that's it," Kel agreed.

"Right."

At last he stood up and walked over to Kel.

"Did you like the dream?" he inquired.

Kel went breathless.

"Yes," she answered. "I liked it."

"Would you like to do it again?"

"I think I would."

They kissed again and now it was quite obvious it was not a dream.

When they seperated, Neal let go of Kel and started to pace.

"All right," Neal said in a very different ton of voice than a minute ago -- this one sounded like he was trying to debate with himself (which Neal tended to do a lot). "Now, Kel."

"Yes?"

"The thing is -- no. Well, you see -- wait. All right, Kel --" Neal stopped. "Damn it all, Kel, I love you!"

Kel was speechless for a second before she spoke.

"Neal, I love you too."

Neal walked over to her and stared at her disbelievingly.

"Kel, do you even know what love is?" he asked ina halting sort of way.

"I think so."

"I know what it is."

"Then what is it?"

Neal stopped before he began:

"Love is having your heart beat when the other person is close, and having your pulse race when they touch you, and dreaming of them, and -- and --"

"And you would give your life for them, and you scream out in agony when they get hurt," continued Kel, "and feeling miserable when they talk of their latest crush, and wanting to just hold them forever and ever and never let go"

There was silence which was broken by Neal:"Do you love me, Kel?"

"I love you," Kel answered.

Neal seemed awestruck by this fact and he was dazed for a moment. Then he inquired (still unable to grasp it), "Do you really?"

"Yes, I do. But words alone cannot fully express the endless excellence of true love."

"Then what can?"

"Nothing. Except this."

And so Kel caught Neal up in a deep kiss. After about ten minutes, Neal murmured around Kel's lips, "That was by far the most eloquent thing you've ever said."

"Which one, the phrase or the kiss?" mumbled Kel in return.

"Have to think about that a little, actually"

"Thinking can wait."

So they kissed some more.

~ * ~

At the same time, a gang of fifteen-year-olds (in addition to one or two fourteen-year-olds, an eighteen-year-old, and two or three seventeen-year-olds) were creeping -- well, actually, as they were boys, barrelling seemed more appropriate -- along the halls.

"It's nearly breakfast," whined a particularly chubby one.

"Shut up, Owen," returned a freckled lad. "It's not OUR fault you decided to stop your kipping and come with us."

"I was not kipping," Owen said sullenly.

"Right. Actually, you were. Both today and yesterday on your horse at riding class," a big redhead laughed.

"Oh, shut up, the both of you. We need to find Kel and Neal unless they want to have punishment work."

"Well, they weren't in Kel's room, or the library, or the dining room," Owen said. "And the door to Neal's room is closed, so they can't be in there."

"Unless young Nealan and Keladry are disobeying the rules," the redhead said with a mischevious glint in his eyes. "Come on."

They opened the door to Neal's room to see a very strange sight: Neal and Kel kissing, with Neal's sword unsheathed dangling by his finger.

The entire party of boys silently contained giggles.

"Oh, sorry," the redhead said innocently. "Were we interrupting you?"

He he. Did you like? Very mushy, I know. So, review please. There's a sequel if you want. Do you want? Hm? Bye! And don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: Nothing except all the mush - which I'm sure no one wants - belongs to me. It's already been claimed, sadly, by that wonderful genius Tamora Pierce.

Review!!!!! That IS what that box right down there is FOR!!! Thank you!!!