DISCLAIMER: All these characters, places, and things belong to Tamora Pierce. This disclaimer goes for all the chapters in the story.
"Kel, you've barely touched your dinner. What's wrong?" There was concern in Neal's eyes.
"Oh Neal, I just can't stop thinking about Merric and Cleon. What if something has happened to them? I'd never feel right. I'm stuck here in bed, while they're less than a mile away, fighting for their lives. Those Scanrans can be nasty!" Though she was ill, Kel still had the same old fire down deep inside.
"Kel," Neal sighed, "Cleon and Merric are seasoned knights. They know what to expect and what to do. So do you and I. In a few days you'll be ready to fight."
Neal didn't like to lie, but also didn't want to tell Kel she was near death. He, one of the best healers in the land, had not been able to cure her after nearly 3 weeks. Even his father, Duke Baird had tried his hand. Nothing worked. They suspected the Sweating Sickness, but for that there was only one cure. Vervain, a rare herb, was the only thing that could save Kel's life. However, the process of using vervain was tricky. If Neal was successful, both he and Kel would survive. On the other hand, if he messed up, he would take his life and Kel's. However, a lovestruck Neal was willing to take this risk for Kel. His father had set out to get the vervain just this morning. All Neal could do was wait and pray, hoping it would come soon.
***** 4 days later *****
Neal sat on the edge of Kel's bed, palms sweating. The vervain was beside him. Kel's condition had worsened over the past few days. She was no longer responsive. Well, he thought, it's now or never. If I don't do this now, Kel will die. Aqua flames gathered in his outstretched palm. He threw them into the fireplace and took a deep breath. Slowly he walked closer to the blaze and knelt. He prayed, and stretched his arms into the fire. Neal bit his lip to keep from screaming. The fire was painfully consuming him, bit by bit. He closed his eyes and...
Neal looked around. He was in a charcoal black tower of some sort. He looked up. A sign bearing the word 'life' hung at the top. His stomach flip-flopped. Neal looked down. He could see Keladry near the stone bottom, where a sign reading 'death' was. Neal himself was floating between life and death. Using the last reserves of his magic, he called to Kel. She began to float upwards, towards life. Neal outstretched his hand, waiting for her. "Kel, Kel," he called. When she had almost reached him, a large black figure came in between them. It was a horrible feeling, being this close to the Black God. Neal shook his head. "You can't have her. Too many people love and care for her. Do you realize what a horrible thing you would be doing by taking her life?" The Black God nodded, as if he understood. He stepped to the side. Neal grabbed Kel's hand and pulled her up and up...
"Neal? NEAL? Snap out of it Neal." Everything Kel tried did not work. Neal had been unconscious for several days. She herself had taken a day to regain strength. Now she was healthy, alive, and well. Duke Baird had told her what Neal did, and she couldn't believe it. Neal had cared about her so much that he risked his own life to save hers. Kel had time to think about this. At first, she had thought that she loved Cleon. But now, she was not so sure. Neal obviously cared about her a great deal. Not even Cleon, at this stage in their life, would do such a great deed. Suddenly, Kel had an idea. She walked over to Neal, knelt down, and gently kissed him. Neal woke up, his eyes wide.
"Kel? Is that really you?"
"Of course silly. Who else did you think it was?"
"Kel, I just had the weirdest dream. Don't laugh. Please."
"I won't, Neal. Promise." Kel had an idea of what Neal's dream had been.
Okay, Neal thought, here goes. "I had a dream...that you kissed me."
"Neal, that wasn't a dream," Kel said. She waited to hear his reaction.
"It wasn't? But...I...." Neal stuttered. "You don't even love me!" he burst out.
"Neal," Kel began, "All these years, I've had the wrong idea. I do, Neal, with all my heart."
"Kel, you've barely touched your dinner. What's wrong?" There was concern in Neal's eyes.
"Oh Neal, I just can't stop thinking about Merric and Cleon. What if something has happened to them? I'd never feel right. I'm stuck here in bed, while they're less than a mile away, fighting for their lives. Those Scanrans can be nasty!" Though she was ill, Kel still had the same old fire down deep inside.
"Kel," Neal sighed, "Cleon and Merric are seasoned knights. They know what to expect and what to do. So do you and I. In a few days you'll be ready to fight."
Neal didn't like to lie, but also didn't want to tell Kel she was near death. He, one of the best healers in the land, had not been able to cure her after nearly 3 weeks. Even his father, Duke Baird had tried his hand. Nothing worked. They suspected the Sweating Sickness, but for that there was only one cure. Vervain, a rare herb, was the only thing that could save Kel's life. However, the process of using vervain was tricky. If Neal was successful, both he and Kel would survive. On the other hand, if he messed up, he would take his life and Kel's. However, a lovestruck Neal was willing to take this risk for Kel. His father had set out to get the vervain just this morning. All Neal could do was wait and pray, hoping it would come soon.
***** 4 days later *****
Neal sat on the edge of Kel's bed, palms sweating. The vervain was beside him. Kel's condition had worsened over the past few days. She was no longer responsive. Well, he thought, it's now or never. If I don't do this now, Kel will die. Aqua flames gathered in his outstretched palm. He threw them into the fireplace and took a deep breath. Slowly he walked closer to the blaze and knelt. He prayed, and stretched his arms into the fire. Neal bit his lip to keep from screaming. The fire was painfully consuming him, bit by bit. He closed his eyes and...
Neal looked around. He was in a charcoal black tower of some sort. He looked up. A sign bearing the word 'life' hung at the top. His stomach flip-flopped. Neal looked down. He could see Keladry near the stone bottom, where a sign reading 'death' was. Neal himself was floating between life and death. Using the last reserves of his magic, he called to Kel. She began to float upwards, towards life. Neal outstretched his hand, waiting for her. "Kel, Kel," he called. When she had almost reached him, a large black figure came in between them. It was a horrible feeling, being this close to the Black God. Neal shook his head. "You can't have her. Too many people love and care for her. Do you realize what a horrible thing you would be doing by taking her life?" The Black God nodded, as if he understood. He stepped to the side. Neal grabbed Kel's hand and pulled her up and up...
"Neal? NEAL? Snap out of it Neal." Everything Kel tried did not work. Neal had been unconscious for several days. She herself had taken a day to regain strength. Now she was healthy, alive, and well. Duke Baird had told her what Neal did, and she couldn't believe it. Neal had cared about her so much that he risked his own life to save hers. Kel had time to think about this. At first, she had thought that she loved Cleon. But now, she was not so sure. Neal obviously cared about her a great deal. Not even Cleon, at this stage in their life, would do such a great deed. Suddenly, Kel had an idea. She walked over to Neal, knelt down, and gently kissed him. Neal woke up, his eyes wide.
"Kel? Is that really you?"
"Of course silly. Who else did you think it was?"
"Kel, I just had the weirdest dream. Don't laugh. Please."
"I won't, Neal. Promise." Kel had an idea of what Neal's dream had been.
Okay, Neal thought, here goes. "I had a dream...that you kissed me."
"Neal, that wasn't a dream," Kel said. She waited to hear his reaction.
"It wasn't? But...I...." Neal stuttered. "You don't even love me!" he burst out.
"Neal," Kel began, "All these years, I've had the wrong idea. I do, Neal, with all my heart."
