Well, second chapter up! I was so excited at all the reviews. I didn't think it would be such a hit. Thanks, guys!


Another crumpled ball of paper bounced forlornly on the floor to join the rest of the pile. Nealan tapped his fingers nervously on the desk before pulling another sheet of parchment toward him. Without looking up from his book, Faleron murmured pointedly, "It's getting late, Neal."

"I know that," Neal muttered with a scowl in his direction. He turned his attention to his window. Sunset had already passed. He bit his fingernails.

"So," Faleron continued, still not looking up, "what are you going to do?"

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" his older companion accused.

"Immensely," he replied without hesitation. "It reminds me how, in spite of the fact you have three years on me, I still have more sense than you."

"You hardly have more sense."

"You don't see me writing bad poetry for my wife's birthday, which, principally speaking, is in four hours."

"That's because you're not married," Neal said haughtily.

"And if you give Yuki your poetry, you won't be either," Faleron retorted. "What a horrible birthday this is going to be for her."

It was very quiet for a moment. Then, Neal asked mournfully, "Is my poetry really that bad?"

Merric sighed and closed his own book. He had tactfully refrained from any reply during the exchange, but found he could not hold his tongue at this and said, "I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but your poetry borders on horrifying."

"Yuki doesn't mind it," Neal shot back grumpily, his pride slightly injured.

"She's sparing you," Faleron informed him kindly.

"Okay," Neal declared loudly, "fine. No poetry. I get the point. What do I do then? Yuki's birthday is tomorrow. If I don't get her something, I'll be a bachelor once again, this time with a four-month-old marriage up my sleeve."

Faleron rolled his eyes at this dramatic speech and returned to his book. Merric said practically, "Why don't you ask Kel? She and Yuki are close, she's a girl, and she knows you well enough that she's probably already told Yuki not to expect anything mind-blowing."

"I'll ignore that last bit," Neal told him, "but only because the general idea is a pretty good one." He rose from his chair and stretched. "Will you help me find Kel?"

"She's probably just in her rooms," Faleron pointed out.

"Kel's never in her rooms before bedtime," Neal rolled his eyes. "It's like blasphemy to her. Gods forbid she rest for an hour. If I've told her once, I've told her a thousand times, she'll be seeing a healer every day if she doesn't slow down—"

"Alright," Merric exploded. "We'll go, just shut up."

"We?" Faleron asked. His cousin glared at him and he sighed, closing his book. "Fine. This is Kel's book, anyway. I might as well return it to her."


"I can't believe we haven't found Kel yet," Neal blurted. "She's the easiest person to find. All you have to do is look for the tallest person in a room. It's usually her."

The mess hall was almost deserted. Only a few stragglers remained, and Kel was not among them.

"I can't believe we're still looking for her," Merric grumbled.

"With you," Faleron added.

Neal stared at him. "You are being unusually malignant this evening," he said.

"I wasted almost an hour looking for someone who clearly does not want to be found," Faleron said dryly. "That's almost an hour in your company."

Neal threw his hands in the air. "I have been the brunt of so many jokes this evening. It's incredible."

"Don't get us wrong," Merric said. "You're an okay sort. Just not when you have marriage problems."

"Cleon would probably know," Faleron said suddenly, nodding toward a large redheaded figure across the room.

"Wait, no—"

"Kennan! Come here a second!"

"You dolt," Neal hissed out of the corner of his mouth, beaming widely as Cleon made toward them. "They're not together anymore."

Faleron looked shocked. "For how long?" he muttered.

"Months," Merric sighed. "Cousin, you are a halfwit."

"I didn't know—"

"What's going on?" Cleon asked amicably. He looked slightly suspicious. "Whatever it is, it can't be good."

"Nothing," they chorused.

Cleon stared.

"Er, well—Neal, here, is looking for Kel, and, er, we—or I, rather, you can stop stepping on my foot, Merric, that would be nice—were wondering if you knew where she was."

Cleon continued to stare. "Why would I know?"

"Because we—okay, I did, there's no need for pinching—thought you two were still…you know…"

"I see," Cleon said slowly. "Well, she was on the practice courts last time I saw her."

"When was that?"

"A couple hours ago, I'd say."

"Fat lot of good that does us," Neal said dryly. "Thanks, Kennan, you've been a great help."

"Who would know where she is?" Merric inquired, purposely interrupting an irritable Cleon.

"We've asked almost everyone in the palace," Faleron grumped.

"What about Owen?" Cleon asked practically.

"He was with Margarry," Merric snickered. "And Wyldon. The Stump looked like he had an ulcer."

"Esmond?"

"A turnip knows more than he does."

"How about Alanna?"

"The dragon?" Neal snorted. "I can't think of a single instance where she ever answered any of my questions. I can't imagine this will be any different."

"There's no one else," Merric said. "Really.

"I can't even find Tobe," Neal sighed.

"Is Tobe that boy who follows her around everywhere?" Cleon asked.

"Like a hound on a leash," the older boy nodded.

"You know," Faleron said, "she could've just gone to Corus. It's not like she's the palace hermit. I'm sure she meets friends there sometimes."

"Well, who haven't we tried?" Merric asked, disregarding his cousin's explanation.

Neal brightened. "I know."


This is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced, Keladry thought in something akin to awe. I never thought anything could feel so beautiful. I'm so warm.

"How's it feel?" His voice was nothing but a quiet murmur, a little sensual.

"Incredible," she sighed, letting her head fall back. "I don't think anything's ever felt this good."

"Why don't you—what's that noise?"

"What noise?"

"I don't know, it sounds like a stampede—"

"Seaver!" Neal exclaimed, bursting through the door. "Thank the gods."

"We have been looking everywhere for someone who might know where Kel is," another voice added. "I know you just got back today, but surely you've seen her somewhere?"

Much to Kel's embarrassment, three more men followed her cursed best friend through the door—Faleron, Merric, and, of all people, Cleon. She kept very still, willing them away with her mind. At the moment, they hadn't spotted her; they had marched right through without looking around. Now their backs were to her, as they faced a very pale Seaver sitting cross-legged on the bed, and she was directly behind them—the slightest movement would have them spinning around to find her in a very awkward position.

Very awkward, indeed.

"K-Kel?" Seaver sweated. "No, I h-haven't seen her recently. Or at all. I don't see Kel. On a regular basis."

Kel rolled her eyes.

"Why, er, do you need her?"

"I need help with Yuki," Neal explained.

"I was helping him search for her," Merric added.

"I have her book," Faleron said.

"I don't know," Cleon said irritably. "I have no reason to follow them here, but they somehow suck you in."

"Like a black hole," Neal offered.

"What in Mithros' name is a black hole?" Merric asked in bewilderment.

"Look, you guys," Seaver interrupted, finally regaining some composure, "I really don't appreciate being barged in on like this."

"I know," Neal said apologetically. "But—well, maybe you can help."

"We're going to be here all night," Faleron muttered.

"Yuki's birthday is tomorrow," he continued, ignoring him. "I don't have the faintest idea what to get her. I've been told my poetry is lacking—"

"Lacking?" Faleron chortled. "I'm leaning toward excruciating—"

Kel stifled a giggle.

"Yes, thank you for sharing, King's Reach—"

"Just check her rooms," Seaver said, a little waspishly. "It's getting late, she's probably there by now. I'm about to go to bed. Good night."

"Should I buy her jewelry?" Neal plowed on. "She was never interested in anything like that, but—or what about clothes? Is there a kimono shop around? She's not too fond of westerner dress, you see—"

"Seaver doesn't know, either," Cleon groused. "No one knows. You're on your own. She can make do with poetry. It's not a big deal."

Maybe it's a good thing we didn't stay together, she thought, annoyed. If I was going to get "pearl of my heart" and "dewdrop" every year, we wouldn't have lasted very long, anyway.

"It is," Neal insisted. "It's her first birthday with me."

"So mote it be," Merric said solemnly.

"You think it's all a big joke, don't you?" Neal glared.

"A bit," Faleron agreed.

"Yuki is much more refined than the clods you're going to eventually wed, I'll have you know. She needs more than what a normal woman does. I have to be the one to give it to her because she won't find it anywhere else. She needs—"

Kel gave up. She was concerned that her friend would have an apoplectic fit if he continued his anxious rant. "For gods' sakes, Neal, just take her on a picnic."

He began to turn.

"A picnic? That's a pretty good idea, I never would've thought—oh, Kel, it's you—aargh!"

"What's wro—dear Mithros' co—"

"Cleon, Merric, don't turn around, Kel's naked—"'

"What—?"

"Why is she—"

"With Seaver—?"

"Are they having sex?"

"You mean now?"

"Yes, Merric," Faleron snapped, "at this very second."

"Obviously not now, you dolt, unless Seaver has some sort of anomaly we and the rest of the scientific world are unaware of—" Funny, she thought, how Neal could make an awkward situation far more absurd than it initially began.

Seaver had his face in his hands. What little she could see was beet-red.

"Stop it, you guys," Kel ordered. "You're overreacting. You can't actually see anything."

"Neal and Faleron said you were naked," Merric said plaintively.

For some odd reason, they all had covered their faces with their hands, despite the fact their backs were already to her. She wondered why they didn't just leave.That would be too easy, Kel thought, half-exasperated, half-amused.

"I am," she admitted. She assumed she was going to be embarrassed, but found she was just aggravated. She didn't think her nudity would cause that much of a stir. "But I assure you, you can't see anything from your angle."

She watched as Faleron slowly turned, risking a glance through his fingers. "She's right. You can't."

Reluctantly, as though they didn't really want to but were somehow pulled by powers greater than them, the other three turned as well. All of them looked absolutely mortified. Kel pictured herself as they must see her: sitting in a tub much smaller than her, brimming with steaming water. Her legs were draped over the side, her toes neatly touching the floor. It was a cramped space for someone of her bulk, so she was forced to draw her knees up, which coincidentally shielded the more significant parts of her person. She had a book propped up on her knees that she had been half-heartedly reading prior to their intrusion.

The most they could see was her legs, arms, shoulders and head; that was why Seaver liked it when she soaked in his basin. He said it was the knowledge that she was naked, but that he couldn't see anything. She thought it sounded a tad silly, but she indulged him, anyway—sometimes he washed her back. And sometimes he did more. But she was positive now was not the time to think about that.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," Merric muttered.

"I can't believe you're looking," Neal snapped. His eyes were shut tight.

Merric was squinting at her, as though ready to shut his eyes again. Maybe he thought she was going to leap out at them.

The image made her let out a strangled sounding snort.

"Are you laughing?" Cleon said, flabbergasted. "This is not a laughing matter at all."

"Why are you still here?" Faleron asked him.

"Why are you still here?"

"I'm not married."

"Why are any of you still here?" Seaver finally bellowed.

"There's a naked woman in a washtub," Faleron said blandly.

"It's Kel," Merric blurted, sounding revolted. "She's sexless."

She decided not to take offense.

"Getout—"

"Okay, Tasride, we're going—"

"And don't say anything to anyone."

"Definitely not—"

They practically fell over themselves on their way out. Seaver looked livid, which was quite a feat. By nature, he was a quiet person. She found that she rather liked this rarely-seen side of him.

"How could you let them see you like this?" he accused. "And the fact that they didn't leave—the nerve of them—"

Kel tucked away a smile. Right now she had to concentrate on soothing him.

It didn't take long. Of course, she had to move to the bed; there simply wasn't enough room in the tub for the both of them.


"Nothing feels better than a hot bath in winter," Esmond said cheerfully, his hair damp from his own washing, as he took a seat next to Neal the next morning.

Cleon accidentally knocked his goblet over.

"Please don't talk," he asked politely.

Esmond eyed him, then shrugged. "By the way, does anyone know why Seaver wanted my extra-large tub? He didn't give me many details—something about his was getting cramped, or something—"

"Esmond," Faleron roared, "shut up!"

Merric debated on asking why Esmond would have an extra-large tub to begin with, but after a glance at Faleron's rather crazed grip on his fork, he decided to save that question for another day.


I feel like a total Esmond basher hahaha. Even though I love him just fine.