Hey guys, yeah, it's me again. I'm sorry I haven't updated for like 3 years. Ok, not 3 years. But you get my drift. But I haven't got that many ideas for this anymore…..I'll try my best though! Well, hope you enjoy this :)

Chapter 11

Relief flowed through all of them, being able to see broad daylight once more. That is, until they heard a crash and a scream behind them.

A rock fell and crashed to pieces, narrowly missing Wolset's arm. A bloodied figure was thrown onto the rocks. At a closer distance, Dom saw it was actually Serena. That must've hurt. Worried, he and the others rushed up to her, checking her breathing to make sure she was alive. She was breathing alright. Because of the pain, she practically screamed her head off. Looking up, Dom estimated that she had fallen at least 5 feet off the rocks above them. Ouch. That would hurt. He hoped the coldness would numb some of the pain.

"Come on boys, we have to take her to a healer fast. She's losing blood. And I think she has about 5 broken bones." He called out, draping her slim body over his right shoulder. He ordered Wolset to climb down, and then gently handed Serena to him.

"Dom, would Corus be closer or New Hope?" Mikhail asked.

"Uh...I didn't think about that…" was the reply. After a moment of thought, he spoke once more. "We best get back to New Hope. Uncle Baird said he would visit Neal, so he should've arrived yesterday or this morning. He would know what to do."

Serena rode with Dom, though he protested until Wolset threatened him that if he didn't he would have a very long winter. With Serena being looked after by Dom on Sunflower, the squad made their way back, covering as much land as possible in one day. They only stopped occasionally for food and to water the horses. At sunset, they reached New Hope hungry, thirsty and tired from a hard day's ride. None of them realised the spidren hiding in the shadows.

"Ohhh, I am gonna get him SO bad, he won't know who he is!" Kel screamed when a bucket of ice fell on her head. "Argh! This – isn't – coming – off!" she shrieked, tugging at the metal keeping the ice on her head. "He is so dead!"

The bucket shone a bright, unnatural shade of violet and expanded, lifting off Kel's head and scattering ice shavings everywhere. "Don't waste your energy on those numbskulls. Can you please get someone to show me to my rooms?"

"Oh! Alanna! I didn't know – " Kel said, startled.

"Yes, I know. Short notice. Jon gave me an impossible assignment" the red-head replied grumpily. "I forgot how cold it gets up here" she shivered, despite wearing maybe 5 layers of clothing.

"Sorry, Alanna. Umm….what did the King want?" Kel questioned.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out" the older woman replied mischievously. She winked at Kel, which made her even more suspicious.

"Uhh…ok…well. Would someone like to show the Lioness to her rooms?" A girl was pushed forward by the other servants, and Kel smiled warmly at her. "Give her the second room on the right in the guests' wing. Thank you. Julia isn't it?"

Julia nodded awkwardly and ushered Alanna to her rooms, leaving Kel wondering what could be so impossible that even the famed Lioness didn't want to do it. Didn't Alanna love going on missions? Why was she so upset about this one then? She decided it must be the cold.

Midday saw Kel talking to an herbalist from the village, and exchanging a few copper bits for a package. A few minutes after their midday meal, Neal came stumbling out, proclaiming his love for every second girl he saw. Fanche walked past him, not knowing about his new…behaviour…and received a choking bear hug. Yuki then came rushing out, whacking Neal on the head with her shukusen, apologising to Fanche at the same time.

"I'm so sorry Fanche. I don't know what's gotten into him…" she said, trying to hide her laughter behind her Yamani mask. The other woman didn't care, and burst out laughing.

"I think I know what's happened to him," she replied, getting her a look from Yuki.

"Is it contagious? I don't want to catch whatever he has…." Yuki took a step away from her husband, but was pulled back by him.

"No, Lady, he's under a spell. Someone must've slipped a love potion into his drink"

The word made Neal turn around, facing Fanche. "Did you say, the word, LOVE?" he said, shocked. "You said it, didn't you?" he pointed an accusing finger at the woman, who only laughed at him. After a whack on the head from his wife, he calmed down…slightly. Even the Yamani had trouble hiding her laughter.

"Where's Kel?" she asked, looking around. "I can't believe she is missing this. Neal, go find Kel." She ordered, pushing him in no direction in particular. "Oh wait. On second thought, Neal, come with me" She dragged him by the collar of his tunic, all the way to Raoul's rooms.

She knocked on the door, and heard thumping and crashing on the other side. "Lord Raoul? Are you alright in there?" She asked shyly, opening the door just a crack.

Raoul froze in his tracks and smiled at Yuki innocently. "Oh hello Lady Yukimi. Yes, I'm fine." He assured her. "Just a bit…stuck" he attempted once more to tug his armour off, and ended up landing quite hard on his back side. "Ow. Yuki can you help me up?"

A drugged Neal chose that moment to run out of Yuki's grasp and jumped onto Raoul's lap, hugging him and proclaiming his undying love for Raoul. The older man looked at Yuki for an explanation, and she replied with "love potion."

"Raoul, I didn't know you were such a good dancer" Alanna chimed in.

"What? You saw that? How? Why didn't I see you?" Raoul gasped, while trying to lever Neal off him.

"I have my ways. If I told you everything then my life would be boring," was the reply. After a thoughtful moment, the short knight continued. "So why were you dancing again?"

"I wasn't dancing. I was trying to get my armour off!" Raoul yelled.

"Have you gotten that used to Kel being your squire that you forgot how to take off your armour? And why are you wearing armour anyway?"

"I was uh…..I got new armour…?"

"Nice try Raoul. You've had the same set of armour since you were knighted. Face it, you haven't been growing." Alanna smirked.

Raoul shut his eyes together tight, breathing deeply. "No, ok, I didn't get new armour. Kel said there was a bandit attack so I was in my armour and running down to the stables, until I realised no one else was coming. And then everyone started laughing at me. And then I couldn't get my armour off." He opened his eyes to find his audience on the floor. Laughing.

"What's so funny?" he caught onto their laughing too, not knowing that they were laughing at him…

"Oh Goddess, this is the best day ever! First Kel gets a bucket of ice on her head, and then Neal is enchanted by a love potion and now you have your armour stuck onto you. Wait…"

"KEL!"

So, how was it? Tell me what you think, and if you're REALLY nice, maybe you could drop off some ideas for me? I'll put your name in my next chapter!

Well, here's a list of thanks to people who review:

If you review, you get your name here too. And you get brownies :D *hint hint*

Fantasy's Whisper (x7), TheWackedOne (x2), Trisana Sarrasri (x2), Spazzysassyangel (x2), Addicted2TPierce (x2), Jas (x2), WAFFLESxARExUS, Abyssgirl, Areo13, The Last Skylark, Arianna Cullen, Sarahcullen4eva, 4-eyedDragon