Neal left without fanfare the morning after next. They stood for nearly ten minutes, Xlelon trying despratly not to cry, but not suceeding. Finally, she pushed Neal away, saying,

"Go! Or you never will!"

His horse snorted, commenting that she hoped that was not so, she wanted to run. They both smiled, and Neal mounted. Imrah, who she suspected had been around the corner, suddenly appeared, and they were gone. Xlelon turned around to find Buri looking at her oddly. Xlelon smiled widely.

"Hello!"

The commander shook her head.

"I had no notion." Xlelon blushed a deeper hue then she cared to admit later, and looked down, listening to Buri chuckle. "Don't worry youngster, I was just wondering if he was going to wait until he was old and decrepit."

Xlelon shook her head violently.

"What?"

Buri sniggered.

"Nothing. Have you made your decision?"

Xlelon sighed.

"Right. So that news reached you before the afore mentioned?"

Buri nodded.

"You and him are nothing new, there were bets riding on the both of you."

This put her in shock, so much so that she sunk onto a haybale, much to the amusement of Buri. Xlelon glared at her.

"Thanks so much. And yes I have made my decision."

Buri raised an eyebrow.

"Very good. I suggest you tell their majesties as soon as possible."

Xlelon nodded.

"That's where I was going."

"After you said goodbye to…"

A withering glare from the girl sent the commander into giggles. Xlelon flippantly asked a dog to trip her. The dog replied that she should fight her own battles. Xlelon sighed, and resolved to get Buri back for it. But that would come later, now she was coming up on the king's study. She stopped a moment, smoothed her cloths, checked to make sure her hair wasn't sticking out in a funny direction, and knocked three times.

A clerk answered, looked at her, showed her in and immediately scurried away. There was King Jonathan, looking tiredly at some papers. He perked up when he saw her.

"Xlelon Padrifamay, have you made your decision?"

She bowed and nodded.

"Yes milord, I have."

"And?"

She took a deep breath.

"And I will do my best to serve you as a diplomat to Scanra."

He smiled.

"As will I to prepare you for this undertaking. Please sit down, we have much to discuss."

She sat, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.

~^~

OOOOO now it gets gooooooooooooooooooooooood. On to the next chappie!