Whoopee! This is long! (maybe not for you but it is for me). And I don't like it, I love it!!
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Chapter 7: A Nice Finish-But Not the End
Kel woke first, cuddled beside Cleon. She closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of closeness. Cleon woke soon after, and gave her a kiss before getting up and dressed. Kel followed suite, not one to dilly-dally.
"You know, I never really thought this would happen," said Cleon as they walked down the stairs together.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, I thought I could just be a swinger all my days, never tied down to one girl-"
"Nice try." Kel said wryly.
"Anyway- I'd like you to meet a friend of mine." He said.
Kel looked curious. "Who?"
"Guess."
"Tell me."
Cleon grinned. "It's not hard. I've been raving about him the moment I met you."
"Not Neal?" Kel asked.
"The very same. He's finally come back from that precious border patrol of his. Speaking of the devil-"
A tall man with brown hair and green eyes approached. "Cleon! You finally found a girlfriend!"
Kel blushed, but Cleon just gave his friend a hearty slap on the back. "Oh, I bet you could tell if I had a girlfriend from a league away and blindfolded. You sure have experience in that field."
Kel snorted, thinking of the wild stories about Neal and his numerous court crushes. "Cleon, won't you introduce us?" Kel said.
"What's to introduce? You all know every embarrassing thing that you both have done, I made sure of that-"
"Cleon!" they both yelled in unison, and the accused grinned sheepishly. "What can I say?"
Neal was a pretty nice guy, but prone to switching scholarly and spouting words like a dictionary. He'd gone to the University until he was fifteen until becoming a page then, and Cleon never could quite get that speck of scholar out of him. They sat with all of Cleon's friends, including Roald and sirs Merric, Seaver, (***and whoever. I can't remember all their names***).
Kel spent maybe two months of bliss there, keeping Cleon in line and coaching the pages when Hakuin felt like a holiday. But when she left yet again, there was none of the sadness and depression of her previous departure. She left with the blessings of her friends, happily riding south to finish her name-year. She couldn't help wondering what her title would be… She didn't think she'd get an immortal, she wasn't that good. But you never know.
When she arrived at Shang, it was somewhat of an anticlimax. She signed in and handed in her keychain, which was validated and tucked away in a drawer. Then she waited the few days until the end of the year, when she would meet up with Renna, Pertro, and Xenophanes for the final test. Everyone knew what the final test was, you were pitted up against a full Shang, and they gauged you on how well you did, and gave you an according animal name. They all tended to be predatory, you knew it was an insult if you got named the Shang Mouse (which has never happened, although there are records of a Shang Deer and that's probably the most derogatory of the lot).
Kel was pitted against- wow- the Shang Unicorn. She thought she fought pretty well, and it was only to be expected that she lost. Though she was startled with the time it took the Unicorn to bring her down.
"Phew. You did good, Keladry," she said, helped her up, and held out he hand. She thought a bit before saying, "I pronounce you The Shang Snow Leopard, for your speed, your catlike grace, and the icy face that shows no emotions." Kel almost jumped for joy. No Shang Mouse for her!
***
"Hey! Kel!" she turned around to see Pertro running for her. "I got named the Shang Basilisk! The Shang Basilisk, Kel! I did it! The Shank Basilisk!" he whooped, grasped her hands and danced her around in a circle. "I'm the happiest man in the world!"
Her other yearmates had fitting titles, too. Renna was named the Shang Fox (surprise surprise) and Xenophanes the Shang Rattlesnake. They threw the customary wild party, which students of other years as well as some previously graduated Shangs joined in. Kel had fun, got drunk, and had an awful hangover in the morning, but altogether it was the most satisfying day she'd ever had.
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Yep. Oh, sorry to disappoint all you unrealistic people who wanted Kel to be the Dragon. It's not happening. Review. Please. And no flames. Please.