A/N Thanks to the people who reviewed and got me to write more! Thanks
especially to the girl who said I write like Tamora Pierce, that was the
nicest compliment, hope you enjoy the chapter! Also, don't worry, this
chapter is a little sad, but it'll work out!
Disclaimer-I do not own any of the characters (although I wish I owned Neal) they are all created by Tamora Pierce, and this plot is all I have created.
Kel leaned against her closed door, and took a deep breath. Why did she feel like this again? She was involved with Cleon, he loved her, and she thought she loved him. What then was this fluttering in her chest? She felt as out of breath as if she had run a marathon.
"You love Cleon" she told herself firmly, ignoring the wicked gleam of Neal's eyes as they danced in her mind.
Meanwhile……..
Cleon studied the girl from across the room. His mother had told her that his betrothed was to be at this party, but he hadn't seen her yet. The Rider girl he was looking at suddenly got up and made towards him. Close up, she was dainty looking. She had golden hair and gray eyes. A dusting of freckles covered her snub of a nose. Cleon laughed inwardly, how could this girl be a Rider? She glared up at him.
"Is there something you find amusing, my lord of Kennan?" she inquired
Cleon coughed to cover the laugh.
"N-no my lady" he smiled "I wondered who you were, and truth be told, I'm glad you came over". What was he saying? He wasn't glad, he shouldn't be flirting at all, with Kel waiting for him in Corus.
A genuine look of shock passed over the girl's face.
"You don't recognize me?" she asked, a little amusedly.
"Should I?" asked Cleon, although there was something familiar about the laughter hidden in those gray eyes, something…
"AMELIA?" he practically shouted
"Shh, quiet, you want everyone to know?"
"But, you're, I mean you've…" Cleon was struck dumb. This was his betrothed, the heiress, and future lady of Kennan. But it wouldn't be so bad, he thought. Amelia was beautiful, and she could fight. She made him laugh. But, he sighed inwardly as Amelia led him onto the dance floor, what was he to tell Kel?
Dear Cleon,
Hope you're having a good time in Kennan. Say hello to your mother from me. Hope to see you soon.
Kel
Try as she might, Kel couldn't bear to write the word love. Even she could tell her short note was a sad attempt, but she wasn't much of a letter writer anyway. She sighed, it was late, and she did want to attempt sleep. She leaned back in her chair, and almost fell backwards. To her dismay, a quiet chuckle came from the doorway. Neal!
"Graceful as always, Lady Knight" he smiled
Kel chose to ignore that remark.
"What are you doing up so late Neal? You need your sleep" Kel cringed inwardly, why did she have to say that? She didn't want him to think she'd been worrying over him.
He smiled a little oddly at her, there was something in his eyes, those green eyes that were always so full of light and laughter, and he looked sad. If it were up to me, Kel thought, those eyes would never look sad. But she said only
"Neal, is anything the matter?"
"No Lady Knight, but I came to tell you…" Say it! He thought sternly to himself, tell her!
Kel looked up at him with so much liking that he wanted to cry.
"I came to tell you that… I'm leaving the palace on a distress call from the lake region around Tirragen. I'll be gone for at least two days"
Kel forced herself to smile, although she felt like she was drowning.
"Two days isn't so long, I'll write to you" she said, although her heart was screaming at her to throw her arms around him, to kiss him and tell him she had always loved him.
"Well, goodbye then" said Neal, suddenly awkward, and he turned and left. What did you expect, he lectured himself, you were a coward, you should have told her. Now she'll never know and she'll forget about you when Cleon comes back. Little did he know his love and companion, in the next room, was thinking the very same thing.
Disclaimer-I do not own any of the characters (although I wish I owned Neal) they are all created by Tamora Pierce, and this plot is all I have created.
Kel leaned against her closed door, and took a deep breath. Why did she feel like this again? She was involved with Cleon, he loved her, and she thought she loved him. What then was this fluttering in her chest? She felt as out of breath as if she had run a marathon.
"You love Cleon" she told herself firmly, ignoring the wicked gleam of Neal's eyes as they danced in her mind.
Meanwhile……..
Cleon studied the girl from across the room. His mother had told her that his betrothed was to be at this party, but he hadn't seen her yet. The Rider girl he was looking at suddenly got up and made towards him. Close up, she was dainty looking. She had golden hair and gray eyes. A dusting of freckles covered her snub of a nose. Cleon laughed inwardly, how could this girl be a Rider? She glared up at him.
"Is there something you find amusing, my lord of Kennan?" she inquired
Cleon coughed to cover the laugh.
"N-no my lady" he smiled "I wondered who you were, and truth be told, I'm glad you came over". What was he saying? He wasn't glad, he shouldn't be flirting at all, with Kel waiting for him in Corus.
A genuine look of shock passed over the girl's face.
"You don't recognize me?" she asked, a little amusedly.
"Should I?" asked Cleon, although there was something familiar about the laughter hidden in those gray eyes, something…
"AMELIA?" he practically shouted
"Shh, quiet, you want everyone to know?"
"But, you're, I mean you've…" Cleon was struck dumb. This was his betrothed, the heiress, and future lady of Kennan. But it wouldn't be so bad, he thought. Amelia was beautiful, and she could fight. She made him laugh. But, he sighed inwardly as Amelia led him onto the dance floor, what was he to tell Kel?
Dear Cleon,
Hope you're having a good time in Kennan. Say hello to your mother from me. Hope to see you soon.
Kel
Try as she might, Kel couldn't bear to write the word love. Even she could tell her short note was a sad attempt, but she wasn't much of a letter writer anyway. She sighed, it was late, and she did want to attempt sleep. She leaned back in her chair, and almost fell backwards. To her dismay, a quiet chuckle came from the doorway. Neal!
"Graceful as always, Lady Knight" he smiled
Kel chose to ignore that remark.
"What are you doing up so late Neal? You need your sleep" Kel cringed inwardly, why did she have to say that? She didn't want him to think she'd been worrying over him.
He smiled a little oddly at her, there was something in his eyes, those green eyes that were always so full of light and laughter, and he looked sad. If it were up to me, Kel thought, those eyes would never look sad. But she said only
"Neal, is anything the matter?"
"No Lady Knight, but I came to tell you…" Say it! He thought sternly to himself, tell her!
Kel looked up at him with so much liking that he wanted to cry.
"I came to tell you that… I'm leaving the palace on a distress call from the lake region around Tirragen. I'll be gone for at least two days"
Kel forced herself to smile, although she felt like she was drowning.
"Two days isn't so long, I'll write to you" she said, although her heart was screaming at her to throw her arms around him, to kiss him and tell him she had always loved him.
"Well, goodbye then" said Neal, suddenly awkward, and he turned and left. What did you expect, he lectured himself, you were a coward, you should have told her. Now she'll never know and she'll forget about you when Cleon comes back. Little did he know his love and companion, in the next room, was thinking the very same thing.