A/N: I have been busy lately, but look out for my next story soon.  Very soon.  I hope I didn't make anyone (Kel) out of character.  I hope not, because I can picture her doing this.  She doesn't hate Cleon; she's just been spending too much time around the Dynamic Duo.  I have to go.  I'm tired.

  Dedication: To all those who dislike/hate Cleon.  I don't think he's too bad.  Once you get over the whole idiocy thing.

  Disclaimer: I don't own anything.  Nothing in this entire story is mine except for the plot...  And the pies.

  HEY!  Read my other story, Matchmaking Boy.  Please?



CHAPTER 5: Cleon

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~





 Kel stared at him.

"  So this is all your fault, you started it all?"  She stood up and hauled him to his feet by his collar.  "This was all part of some elaborate hoax that you and Raoul have going?"

  She gave a soft scream of frustration and released him abruptly; she began to walk back to her rooms.  Trying to control her anger, she didn't even notice him walking beside her until he tried to apologize.  Under different circumstances it would have been funny, watching the normally calm Sergeant trying to act contrite, not even sure if she was listening.

  Finally, he gave up trying to get her attention and just watched her, as she gave no emotions away, though only a fool wouldn't be able to tell that she must be upset.  When she reached her door he took her by the shoulders gently.

"  Kel, I'm sorry you had to lie to Wyldon, that wasn't part of the plan. You've been under a lot of pressure lately, and I thought this would be a good way to get you to have some fun."

  Her expression softened and she sighed wearily.  He had a pleading look in eyes that made her heart melt.  She cursed him mentally, but she wasn't mad any more.  He had meant well, even if his idea of fun was a little warped.

"  What I would like to know is how you gave him a pie without him becoming suspicious."  She asked, silently acknowledging his apology.

  His face lit up, reminding her of a little boy who just found a piece of candy.  He offered his arm and began to steer her to Neal's rooms, to tell him of Wyldon's entrance.

  When they reached the door, only four doors down, they tapped politely.

  There was no answer from the other side.

"  Neal?"

  Still no answer.

"  Neal, are you in there?"

  He wasn't answering.

  Dom shrugged, and they turned away to run head on into Neal and Yuki.  They were just standing in the middle of the hallway, kissing with an air of desperateness.

Please!  Kel thought.  Get a room.

"  Please."  Dom said, literally echoing her thoughts, "Get a room."

  Did I know he could do that?  She asked silently and giving him an odd look.

  The couple broke away slowly, unconcerned by Dom or Kel's presence.

  While they muttered sweet nothings of goodbye to each other, Kel tried to keep her lunch down.

"  Is it just me, or are you feeling sick as well?"  Dom asked her casually.

"  I don't know, I think it's rather romantic."  She told him, knowing the reaction it would evoke.  He gave her a disappointed look, as if to say 'Not you too!'

  She giggled subtly by covering her mouth.

"  Kel," Yuki said, coming as close to squealing as Kel had ever seen any Yamani come, "We have to go pick up our bridesmaid dresses from Shinko's rooms."

(A/N: Don't Leave!  I'm not turning this into a 'Let's go Shopping' chapter.)

  Kel sighed jadedly.  "Do we have to go right now?"

She had been having a nice time so far.  Except for the whole pie incident.  At Yuki's glare, she grudgingly agreed.

"  Bye."  She told Neal and Dom forlornly, before being dragged off by the fashionable Yamani.

  The dresses weren't as bad as they could have been.  She scrutinized them fiercely before agreeing to wear one.  There was no pink, no Carthaki taffeta, just a simple design with modest cuts.

"  I can live with it."  She told the Princess and her other bridesmaids.  Relief was obvious despite their training.  Kel felt a little guilty.  Had they compromised their style to fit her likings?  Well, it was too late now anyway.

  The women insisted she stay for tea, but Kel politely declined, knowing they would discern that she wasn't trying to be rude.  She walked all the way back to her rooms with nothing of importance on her mind.  She had become quite the matchmaker, she realized.  First Roald and Shinko, then Raoul and Buri.  It seemed everyone she knew was getting married, whether or not she had set it up.  Neal and Yuki, Cleon and that rich heiress.  Who was next?

  She opened her door quietly and carefully hung the dress in her closet.  She jumped when she saw Neal and Dom sitting in chairs, the picture of guilt. Their hands were behind their backs and Neal was whistling softly.

"  Spit it out."  She told them calmly.  "And save the act of innocence, I won't buy it.  Skip to the truth."

  They looked at each other, and then her, with wide, naive, eyes. They looked so alike she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from laughing.

"  Spill it, now."  She demanded again.

  Dom sat back, then grinned sheepishly and pulled a small, square box with a delicate ribbon from behind his back.

"  It'll squirt cake frosting onto whoever opens it."

"  Who would that 'whoever' be?"  Kel asked slowly.

"  Read the card."  Neal told her eagerly.

  She raised her eyebrows at him before reading aloud:





Dear Cleon,

Congratulations on your recent betrothal.  We want to give you an early present.  It's nothing much, but we think you'll like it.

Neal and Dom





" I can't believe you two!  I'm glad I caught you in time."  She scoffed.

"  So, you can stop us?  Neal asked gloomily, scuffing his boot on the floor.

"  Stop you?  Mithros no! You forgot to add my name!"

  Ignoring the confused looks she was receiving, she scribbled her name under Dom's and jogged out of the room, presumably to drop off the box.

  The two men stayed where they were for a moment, trying to analyze what had just happened.

"  I think we've had a bad influence on her."  Neal said at last.  Dom nodded vigorously.

"  Hey Kel!  Wait for us!"



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


" You didn't have to got me anything."  Cleon protested as he took the box from Kel.  Behind her, on either side, Dom and Neal offered their best wishes, then urged him to open it.

  He took the paper off, read the card and gently laid it aside.  He was finding this all very   bizarre.  He hadn't seen Kel so happy for a while, and he guessed it had something to do with Dom.

  Kel watched interestedly as he lifted the lid.

  Nothing happened.

  He examined the device inside and smirked.  He seemed to have guessed what it was.  The lump of frosting was a giveaway.

"  I guess this was supposed to turn out-messier?"

  Kel nodded mournfully, but Dom and Neal remained grinning.

  Footsteps were coming towards them.  Lady Ermelian of Aminar, Cleon's betrothed, came in and stopped when she saw Cleon's friends.  She smiled politely and nodded.

"  Cleon, I got a note saying you wanted to see me- what's that?"

  She leaned over his shoulder to get a closer look.  Kel heard a click and the box exploded into a frosty mess all over Cleon and Ermelian.

  They all waited for her reaction.  Then she giggled delicately, wiped the icing from her eyes, and put it on Cleon's head.  He still didn't comprehend what had just happened.

  They quietly exited to the sound of laughter.  Another match making job done well.  Neal smirked and slapped his hands together, signaling a job well done.  Dom followed suit, but Neal's smile was wiped off his face by a recollection.  He whacked his forehead and took off in the direction of Yuki's rooms mumbling about tardiness.

Kel and Dom simultaneously shook their heads sadly, and continued to their rooms.  Kel's was first.

"  Thank you a lot, Dom.  I haven't had so much fun in a long, long time."  She told him sincerely.

"  No problem.  It was my pleasure, and you definitely deserved it."  He benignly told her.

"  I'll never forget today, no matter how hard I try."  She joked.  "And next year, we'll plan Raoul's surprise together."

"  Deal."  He said.

"  Oh, and Kel?  A word of warning, Lord Raoul hasn't gotten revenge on you yet, so watch out."

  She grimaced, and then smiled.

  They reached her door and met each other's eyes. A silent understanding passed between them. They didn't need to say anything, they knew. He touched her arm in an unvoiced goodbye and left.

  Kel opened her door quietly and sagged against the entrance.

"  I love you Dom."  She said, finally getting out in the open what she had hidden for so long.

"  I love you."  She repeated again, before sinking into a chair with a paper and quill.





Note to self: (She wrote)



Don't open anything from Dom or Neal this Midwinter.

















A/N: Okay, there's one more part after this, so don't forget to review.  The next chapter is very... Raoul.  So if you hate Cleon, you probably (I hope) liked this, and if you love Raoul's dominant evil side, you'll like the next part.

**Valencia