The sun was just rising, a jelly pink morning sky shining through the windows. Alanna's steps echoed down through the hall.
It was definitely a combination of the pinkness and the morning. Things like that really put her off.
Neal tried to look innocent as he toddled on behind her. Well, okay. Maybe invisible would work better. He walked as inconspicuously as possible. He tried to seem smaller than her.
He didn't actually want to make her grumpy. She was helping him. And, as much as he'd hate to admit it, part of the reason he'd ridden back to Pirate's Swoop was to see the tiny, elderly ogre. The other parts, he was currently being shown the way to, in the hope that they would be quiet or far away enough that Alanna could get some sleep.
"How blessed I am this week," she grumbled as they came closer to Aly(that image of fiery beauty)'s door. "Both of you bright, young people decide to turn up in the early morning hours."
"Kel showed up in the morning? I'd have thought she'd have better survival instincts." He said, as politely as things busting out of his mouth tended to be.
"The Lady Knight," she said pointedly, "is an early riser."
"So, in your anger, you lumped the lump in with your beauteous daughter?"
She glared. "Apparently, I showed great foresight. Now, she can chaperone."
She pulled the door open, with slightly excessive force.
..And shut it, very, very quickly. She drew her sword more slowly than that.
… Why?
"They're probably.. in the stables."
-#-
On the other side of the door, Kel was panicking. She wanted to apologise. She needed to talk to the Lioness.
"Just – calm down," said Aly, pinning her to the mattress surprisingly firmly.
Stone. Just stone, water dripping off.
"It's okay," she said, shaking Aly loose. "I have to talk to her." She stepped quickly towards the door.
"You're half undressed!"
"The Lioness is a woman."
"She's my mother."
Kel opened the door.
"Lioness ! Neal!"
She held her shirt closer to her. Her heart sunk.
"Kel. Hey." He ran his fingers through his hair.
She stepped back, towards the safety of the room, and bumped into a more appropriately dressed Aly.
"Neal, go to my room." growled the Lioness, with her hand where her sword hilt should be.
"Yes ma'am." He hurried off, using his long legs far too well for Kel's liking.
"Aly, I need to speak to you. Wait for me.. in the library. Kel, get dressed, and… have breakfast."
Kel, relieved, slipped back into Aly's room, looking down on Aly with pity, before closing the door.
-#-
Neal approached Lady Alanna and Baron George's room, and knocked on the thick wooden doors. He wasn't sure if he was happy, angry or hurt, but he knew, this time, that he was knocking.
"Come in." came the muffled call.
"Hello."
"Neal. Y'didn't bring Alanna back with you?"
"No. She's.." killing one or both of the girls. "talking to Kel and Aly."
"Why?"
"They, they were.. kissing."
"Aly and Kel, now?"
"… Yeah."
-#-