Scenario 2- ''My First Crush was On...''
Neal's daughter, Konisali, had a problem only her Aunt Kel would know how to solve.
Aunt Kel, after all, was a page before, the first female page in centuries, so she would understand it. Just as she understood all the problems in a girl could have tackling a world dominantly male.
''Aunt Kel, I... have a little bit of a problem,'' she began, ''can I talk to you alone about it?''
The older woman nodded, as Konisali led her to her bedroom.
''Alright, Koni, what is it?'' she asked, concern in her voice, ''are those boys teasing you again?''
''It's fine, I've got them,'' she said, dismissing them with a wave of her hand, ''no, it's something else...''
Kel saw the dreamy look that entered her eye, knowing specifically what caused it. She had that same look, 22 years before, when thinking of a certain lanky, green-eyed page.
''Uh- oh. Is it a boy?''
''Yes! You know Alax?''
''The boy who sponsored you, right? Your best friend?''
''Yes, him. Well, last year he only felt like a friend to me. But after I started liking boys as more than friends... somewhere along the line, I started liking him as more than a friend, too...''
''So you're having your first crush?''
''I think so... ''
Kel smiled. ''When did you come to the conclusion you had a crush on him?''
''I don't know when but... Whenever I look into his eyes, my heart beats really fast and my legs feel like they're going to collapse from under me. Oh and the thought of his eyes...''
''Ah, that's a crush. I felt the same way.''
''What should I do? Tell him? Keep it a secret? Just wait to see what happens? It's been a year and it's not fading...''
''Well, I didn't tell my first crush, because I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship... and I figured if we weren't that then I at least wanted us to be friends. At that time, I think, it was the right decision. At the time it felt like it would never go away, but it did, eventually. Though saying that, I don't know what things would of been like if I had told him. Not telling him always made me wonder what he would of said to it.''
''So I shouldn't tell him?''
''I think you should wait. Boys are so much slower than girls, and he probably doesn't like you yet. But wait a year or two, and he might. You can decide then, if you still have the crush.''
''Did you have the crush on that guy by then?''
''Yes. I had that crush for most of my page years.''
''When did it go away?''
''When I fell for his cousin. I was a squire by then.''
''Who was the guy you fell for?''
Kel smiled impishly. ''Your father. You're the first person I've told- I don't think I've even told him. ''
''You had a crush on me as a page?'' Neal asked from outside the door, blowing his cover.
''You were eavesdropping on us, Neal?'' Kel asked, her voice annoyed.
Koni's face turned red.
Neal entered.
''I was just outside when I heard Koni talking about a boy,'' Neal said, ''I was going to go in, but then when Kel started talking, I was curious so I didn't.''
''How much did you hear?'' Kel asked.
''Enough. What's that boy's name? I should go in and teach him a lesson...''
Koni's face turned redder.
''Just to let you know, Koni, if he pursues a relationship with you anything beyond friendly, I'll...''
''Neal, that's enough!''
''What? I'm only protecting her. I'm the father, she's the daughter and he's the boy. You know how that works...''
Kel rolled her eyes.
''So I'm curious... You really had a crush on me?'' His eyebrows lifted in amusement.
''As a page, yes. I had a crush on you as a page.'' Kel's eyes shined with just as much amusement.
''Really?''
Kel nodded.
Neal laughed, and when he did, she rolled her eyes again.
''Come on, Koni, if you want to discuss this someplace else, we can.''
''Wait a minute,'' Neal said, ''I already told you. Forget it. She absolutely, positively CANNOT pursue this guy...''
Kel felt the urge to laugh at him and slap him in the face at the same time.
As his oldest and only daughter, Neal was extremely protective of his daughter( it didn't help that Koni was the spitting image of Yuki). This protection was both funny and annoying.
''Neal, shut it. This is none of your business.''
''None of my business! She's my daughter...''
''Yes but this is her life, not yours.''
Seeing that Neal was properly speechless, Kel turned to his daughter.
''Koni, do you want to go someplace else and talk about this?'' she asked the girl.
''No, thank you, I think I think I have a good idea what to do.''
''If you're only saying that because of your father, I can take care of him.''
''No, really I think I know what to do now,'' Koni said, smiling, ''thank you Aunt Kel.''
''Sure thing, kiddo,'' she said, ''if you need any more advice on anything, I'll be more than willing to give you some.''
''If that's anything besides never, ever having a boyfriend...'' Neal began.
''Papa, you know that's not going to happen,'' Koni said, winking at Kel( who then winked back).
''We'll see about that,'' Neal said.
''One more question,'' Koni said, ''did the crush with Uncle Dom fade, too?''
''Yes,'' Kel answered, ''when I developed a relationship with another squire.''
She was partially telling the truth. When she was with Cleon it was gone, but when she wasn't it was there.
The crush with Dom was on and off. She had an infatuation with him as a squire, but it went away after another boyfriend and an eventual husband( who died at battle soon after they got married). Now it was back and stronger than ever. But that bit of information was nothing, she would tell Koni.
''If you talk to her about that, I'll kill you,'' Neal said.
Kel and Koni passed mischievous glances to each other.