" Before you explain." Numair yawned. " Show me where I can sleep."
" You're less than 400 yards from the castle!" Cleon exclaimed.
" Yes. And I'm tired, deadhead. Now where can I sleep?" He growled back. Neal, Roald, and Cleon exchanged looks while Jonathan argued with Numair. Eventually, Numair left. Muttering about pigheaded King Prigs.
Roald let out an exasperated sigh. " Any time." Jonathan threw up his hands, and looked helplessly at Neal and Cleon.
"I didn't know anything about this, don't look at me." Neal cried defensively.
"I've been dead. You explain. It was your plan."
"Now, see that's where you're wrong." Jon said, practically whimpering. " Thayet and Numair actually came up with the actual plan and such."
" So stop whining and let me explain Jon." She spoke up from the doorway, hands on her hips.
The King turned a ghostly shade of white. " Th-Th-Thayet dear. I didn't know you were here."
" Obviously." She breezed in, shooting Jon a glare that could've won the entire Immortals war in 5 minutes, and sat down. " Now. Where to start, where to start.... Ahh yes..." But she was cut off by the ever-sarcastic Cleon.
" Wait a second. Should we be getting comfortable, or is this gonna take like 5 minutes...?" He clammed up near immediately from the stares around the room that comment generated. He sunk into a chair." Nevermind."
" Now then. Kitten was the first to actually figure out the Simulacra thing. Which still mystifies me, so don't ask me to explain it, and if you ask Numair the only words you'll understand are "the" and "it." So we sent you to find out who was behind it, and put Cleon under a very strong sleeping spell, to make him look dead." Thayet's explanation when on and on. They all listened attentively, no one asking any questions. When she was done they all sat around in stunned silence.
" And Merric?" Kel asked quietly from the doorjamb everyone started. They had thought she was still asleep. " Well?" She pressed.
"We didn't plan that one. Nor did we expect it." Jon mumbled hoarsely. " I'm sorry. But on a happier note, you're home. I assume you all would like to go to your respective rooms?"
Kel nodded coldly, and walked out. Everyone still in the room, glared at Jon and filed out silently after Kel.
"WHAT?!?! WHAT DID I SAY?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
" Kel!" Roald and Neal called. She stopped dead in her tracks, and spun around.
" What?" She growled.
The two looked taken aback. " Um.. do you want to talk about it?"
" Or just smack us...?" Neal supplied.
" Slapping all of you has crossed my mind, so don't you dare tempt me Nealan." The edge in her voice was sharper than any steel that money could buy.
"Ouch." Neal winced.
"Look Kel, Pleaseā¦" Roald faltered as she shifted her icy gaze on him.
"Please what? Listen? I've listened to my fair share tonight, thank you. I have nothing to say to any of you. Just like Merric has nothing to say to anyone, ever again." She scowled openly. " Look, I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you, but I have never been more angry with anyone in my life than I am with you people right now. So if you'll excuse me Nealan, your Highness." She bowed stiffly, and all but ran up to the castle.
" I think I'm beginning to understand." Neal muttered.
" Understand what?"
" Why people wait to get married. And why none of us ever have any luck with girls."
Roald managed a grim smile." Kel isn't your average girl."
" And you aren't your normal teenage boy. Roald, you realize that you still have to marry that Yamani Princess, right? You can't marry Kel, your parents won't stand for it, and I doubt the Yamanis' will go for marrying a prince to Kally." Neal pointed out.
" Yes, I know. I just don't want to hurt her." He replied, looking up at the palace walls.
" I think we've already done that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the next few days, Kel stayed in her room. The only people she would see were Lalasa and her family. However, the Thursday after they got back, Merric's funeral was held, and Kel showed up wearing an elegant black gown. She looked so upset, people were afraid to talk to her.
Afterwards, she fought the crowds headed to give the family their condolences, and headed for the door instead. She was nearly to her bedroom, when three hands grabbed her shoulders. She was about to flip the people, but she recognized their grips. Neal, Roald, and Cleon held her from behind.
She spun around. " Let go of me."
" No." Neal told her stubbornly.
" We won't let you go until you tell us what's wrong." Cleon finished. She glanced at Roald, who nodded gravely.
" Fine. Be that way. But let's go somewhere private." She led them to a small library that none of them had ever seen before.
" Sit." She told them sternly, nearly resembling the Stump's grave manner. " Now, what do you want to know?"
" Why are you mad?"
" I'm mad because no one had the decency to tell any of us what was going on. I'm mad because I didn't see Jareck for what he was, and now, one of our friends is being lowered into the ground. I'm mad, because I can't figure out how I feel about every single one of you. I'm mad, because I'm so confused that I could shout." She stood there, arms crossed. " Happy?"
Roald shook his head. " What can we do to help?"
She gave them a small smile." You can leave me alone until further notice. If you guys have forgotten, we have yet to get knightmasters, that was just a trial service at midwinter. Not the real thing. So all of you can just leave me be." With that, she left the library, and went to her rooms to change and go run at the quintain a few times with Peachblossom.
"Well. She told us." Roald said as optimistically as he could manage. The other two grumbled agreement. He sighed. " Come on then. Let's go."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When he'd gotten the third offer, he'd nearly ran straight to Kel to ask her what she thought, but remembered halfway to her room that she wasn't welcoming his company. He'd walked a little less happily back to try and solve his dilemma on his own.
Meanwhile, Kel focused on training, trying to ignore the fact that none of the knights seemed to want to have the Girl as their squire. Thinking of it just made her upset. So upset, that for the first time in a long time, she lost her concentration while running at the quintain, and was buffeted by the sandbag. Shaking her head miserably, she led Peachblossom back to the stable and thoroughly groomed him before heading up to her rooms to get paper, pen, and ink.
She shoved the materials into a bag, and wandered towards the kitchens to get some munchies. She wasn't planning on sticking around for dinner. After getting all she could from the cooks (a little jerked beef, two rolls, and various fruits), she headed towards the Curtain Wall. After her affair on Balor's needle some time before, her fear of heights had all but vanished.
After climbing the wall, she staked out a place where she could sit, write, and stare out over the distance. She pulled out one sheet of paper, grabbed her pen, and began to write.
I suppose it's all my fault. Falling for the three of you. The only thing is, I'm not sure I've gotten over the other two. It's nerve-wracking to think that I have to choose between my best friend, my prince, and my friend. I'm not sure I can do it and not make someone feel horrible.
She paused, trying to think of the best way to phrase this.
It's the hardest decision I'll ever have to make, and I'm scared. Yes me; the Yamani Lump is scared. You each have something that's so unique.
Neal, your sarcasm( Among other things). Cleon, your humor and sensitivity. Roald, your understanding and so many other things. Each of you has qualities that I could elaborate on for hours, but I won't.. I won't make this harder than this already is, as if it were possible.
A strong hand rested on her shoulder. Making her jump.
Raoul smiled at her. " Might I have a word?" She nodded, and thrust the pen and paper, back in her bag.
" I meant to ask months ago, but would you be my squire?"
Kel gaped at him, trying to fully absorb what he had just said.
" Me? Why?"
" Why ask why? I'm just asking." He smiled at her, amused by her disbelief. " Well? What do you say?"
Kel nodded blankly." Of course I'll be your squire."
A grin lit Raoul's face. " Great. Now, let's talk about the arrangementsā¦" Kel could hear him, but inside she was thinking that this was the perfect opportunity.
