Daffodils 7/22/07

Dom walked towards Kel and Neal.

"You killed Bryce, Kel? You killed him?" Dom asked, trying not to display his eagerness or disparity. She turned her hazel eyes towards him, sadness etched deep inside.

"Yeah, I killed him Dom," She turned her back on him and looked at Neal. Kel sighed and began to cry. "But he killed..." She trailed off, wiping her wet eyes. Neal patted her arm lovingly and patiently.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything." He told her, and he felt his heart break as she walked into his arms and sobbed, wetting the front of his tunic.

"You would have lost the baby anyways," Dom said. "Wyldon would never let you be a knight with a baby, unmarried." Kel only sobbed harder at his words, causing Neal to glare at his cousin over her golden head.

"Maybe I would have given up being a knight, for motherhood," Kel angrily told him as she wiped her eyes once more. Dom scoffed at her.

"And give up what you've worked so hard for? Kel, that's why they have charms that keep you from becoming pregnant!" She glared at him, and stepped away from Neal.

"Shut up Dom, it's not like it was your baby anyways!" She snarled at him. "But Neal..." Kel looked at him and her chin quivered.

"I would have loved the baby Kel," he reassured her. "Next time, next time we'll make sure you won't fight an evil man, okay? I promise." He smiled at her slightly, and she giggled despite the circumstances, choking on her sobs.

"Come on Dom," Neal said, leading his cousin away after giving Kel a kiss on the cheek. "Let's give Kel some privacy."

The next morning, Neal felt his heart wrench in two again, and he felt he would never be the same. Kel lay in her bed, wrists slit with blood all around her, and tear stains on her cheeks. On her bedside table, a will was placed and a small piece of paper as well. On it said, "Gone, the pain can only last a little while."

Neal sighed as they carried away Kel's once beautiful living body. "Why did she have to do it?" He heard several onlookers including pages and maid alike whispering. Clearing his throat to usurp the lump of emotions caught in the middle, Neal said, "Disparity could only be the cause of Sir Keladry of Mindelan's death." Neal walked away from the palace, thought stewing around in his head.

His best friend, not to mention lover, one of the most important people in his life was dead. It really placed his life in perspective and not in a pleasant way either. Suddenly, Neal wanted more than anything a life with Kel that was no unattainable. Neal stopped in the gardens only to come across a sobbing Tobeis Boon. He noticed Neal and quickly wiped his eyes and nose on his sleeve. Neal looked at him sadly.

"You've heard of Kel, have you Tobe?" The boy nodded, chin quivering and tears already making good of their second threat began tumbling down his cheeks once more.

"Please, Sir Neal, what is the meaning of a life?" Neal pondered for some time, his thoughts drifting to souls, spirits, and Kel as an ethereal being, until he remembered all the good times with Kel and... She would never come back as a ghost. Neal thought to himself, and he looked, really looked at his surroundings, until his eyes fell upon the palace flowerbeds.

"Daffodils," Neal said, thoroughly convinced.

"Excuse me?" Tobe said, concerned with the mental state of the knight.

"The meaning of life is daffodils, of that I am sure." Neal slightly smiled and held a far-away look in his eyes. "I myself have noticed my growing resemblance to a daffodil." Tobe shook his head.

"Are you okay sir? I know you loved Lady Kel very much." Neal knocked out of his spinning axis, patted Tobe absently on the head.

"I'll take it one day at a time, and so will you Tobe. Remember the good things, the best times, and it will make everything a little bit bearable." He turned to walk away, then stopped and turned around. "Never forget Lady Kel, Tobe, never stop loving her or missing her. I know I won't. But always remember the daffodils, Tobe. Always remember life. Disparity can only be the cause if you don't." Neal walked away, hell-bent on finding as many daffodil seeds as he could and give them new life.