Disclaimer: No such luck.

~**~

Part Two: Nealan of Queenscove

~**~

  Neal took of his tunic with a sigh. I'll take this secret to the grave if I don't tell her soon. My speech has left me. I have competition.  This isn't getting any easier.

   Thinking of my feelings made me gag. Would she fall for Cleon as he had her? He probably had the courage to fess up to his own feelings. Would she return them? There was no way for me to know for sure.

  As the sun vanished abruptly under the horizon, the orange and maroons of the sky turned dark, until all that was left was a confused meathead and a midnight sky. I realized I was probably dead on my feet, and I didn't have the luxury of sleeping in late the next day, for I had serving duty - again. And before that? A meeting with Mindelan.   

  I tucked myself into my wool blankets, having not the slightest clue of what awaited me.

~**~

   "Nealan of Queenscove, where are you?" Keladry asked as she looked around for me.

 

    We stood in the middle of an open plain. I starred at her, speechlessly. She could have just walked out of the divine.

  Suddenly – dark!

   The plain and Kel's body fled and I was somewhere else. I was in her soul. Don't ask how or why, I just knew. What I saw there I couldn't fully comprehend, because it was an emotion unknown to mankind, glorious though it was.

   Kel was everything. She was the perfect sculpture of what a warrior and a woman should be. Her true virtues would carry her far, that I could easily see. But just in case I didn't, something was there to remind me.

  A cloud formed under my feet and swept me up into the sky, or what I believed to be the sky. A little taken back, I sat - dazed - and looked down. I passed over mountains at sunset and deserts with rainbows. The cloud and I dropped down quickly and smashed through trees to be in the center of a rainforest. Blooming flowers and rushing water ran under me. The echo of a child's laughter could be heard in the distance.

   Suddenly my travel cloud sped up. The pace increased until the jungle surrounding me was a fluorescent blur of green, yellow, and red. We thrust out of the jungle and spiraled into the sky. By then I was on my knees, with my arms open wide, trying to catch the sweet fresh air. I couldn't help but smile. As we spiraled higher and higher I looked back towards the solid earth. Griffons and tropical birds followed our spiraling tail. Sounds of freedom rang threw the air as the birds sang their proudest harmony.

  My eyes focused on a stallion running along the roaring waters of an untamed river. Running peacefully, the ivory horse looked as if it was riding into battle. My cloud flew down next to it and we ran together, neck and neck. We were less than a foot away from the stallion, never leaving its side. Moments later, we pivoted off to the right, leaving the horse and currents behind. We increased speed until I was looking at a blur once again. 

  The speed deteriorated. My eyes caught a glimpse of Owen tackling Merric. Cleon and Faleron sat in a large oak tree joking. My cousin Domitan and I sat down next to Keladry herself and talked with smiles on our faces. I strained my ears, trying to her "my" conversation, but I couldn't make out a single word. I sighed as we took of yet again.

 

 This time, everything went blank. A black solid room formed with only a stone bench in the center. A small hole in the black room let out a small gleam of sunshine, only enough to allow me to see a figure sitting on the stone bench. Familiarity rushed up when I recognized the body. It belonged to the women I was in love with, Keladry of Mindelan. Hovering above her I frowned. Normally, it wouldn't have seemed strange to see Kel sitting by herself, but here in the darkness, I was pained.

    My cloud lowered and allowed me off. Before I had a chance to thank my cloud for its pleasure ride, [Which didn't seem strange at the time] it vanished. "Keladry, are you all right?" I asked hesitantly. There was no answer. She didn't look up at me.  .

   "She can't see you boy." I covered my ears in shock. That voice hurt, like a pack of wolves. I looked around for a face, but I found none. "You can't see me either boy." Said that womanly voice.

   I figured that if this "voice" could talk to me, than I should surely be able to talk back. "Why can't she hear me?" I demanded.

  I heard a purr of pleasure. I was being mocked. "Surely you realize you are not a chosen, or my daughter."

  Chosen? Daughter? Oh gods.     

  The voice laughed pleasantly. "So you do realize? You are quicker than most of your sex, Nealan of Queenscove."

  Mithros help me. I was having a casual conversation with the Great Mother Goddess.

  "Hardly casual, Queenscove. I don't waste my time to be casual. A daughter of mine is in need. She is in need of you." She answered dryly, reading my thoughts. All good, for I couldn't have talked had I needed to.

   Keladry?

  "Fascinating. My warrior daughters have chosen wisely. Right you are, Nealan. Keladry needs you."

  Huh?

  I heard an exasperated sigh. " And now you're playing stupid. Only your nature, poor thing. You love Keladry."

  Yes.

  "Good, because she needs you."

  She has me.

  "She doesn't know it."  

  I swallowed. Confess to her my feeling?

  "You make this too easy, Nealan."

  I can't.

  Eyes appeared on the far side of the black room. They looked angry. My mistake. "You will!"

  But –

  "You must!"

  I'm arguing with a goddess.

  "Then stop. You will."

   If you insist --

  "Good."  The eyes smiled. Lips formed, and the Mother Goddess walked out of the wall itself. Gods, how she was beautiful.

  Can I do this?

  " I hope so, for your sake."

  How comforting. 

"Why do you think I went to you instead of Kennan?"

Does she –

 "You have to ask her yourself."

There was hope.

 "There has always been hope." She said kindly. "Tell Alanna we are thankful. Her destiny is not over. I have many things planned for my chosen Lioness." She smiled. "And faithful sends his love. Do not fail me, Nealan of Queenscove. She needs you, and you need her."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

   I shook my head. To think I was on a god's agenda. Alanna was to become a knight, Daine was to give guidance from the people, and Keladry – well – her job was to be. But I was to be part of her being.

  The goddess laughed. " You are funny Nealan, you will be good for her." With that she vanished – and so did I.

~**~

  I awoke before daybreak. Good thing too, because the Mother Goddess wasn't patient, or so I heard. 

Do not fail me, Nealan.

 I couldn't get the thought out of my head. I dressed quickly in my favorite breeches and threw on a brand new tunic.  I fixed my hair accordingly and opened the door. Just down the hall. I can do this. 

  On my way to Kel's room, I gleefully ran into the Lioness, walking with a glass mug of sweet tea in her hand. "Neal." She said, nodding towards me.

Suddenly, caught off guard, Alanna sneezed five times in a row. Cursing, she unsheathed her sword and grabbed the charm around her neck. She almost dropped her weapon as her eyes met mine. She paled. "Gods help me. You're glowing green. Your under the hand of the Goddess!"

   I grinned and silently thanked the goddess for allowing me to see Alanna in such a state. My smile faded, and I replaced it with a solemn expression. "Sadly, yes. Seems that I've been sent to help a daughter of hers – Keladry- but we wont go into detail on the reason. Um – and faithful sends his love – oddly enough – and she says you're still needed as her warrior – not surprised."

   I watched in delight as both her sword and her tea hit the floor.

  "Your not one to be clumsy, are you sick?" I asked with a grin. She looked at me in disbelief.

  "In all my years, I have never--." She whispered. "—And you – of all people? Mithros guide us. We all need help." She picked up her sword slowly, and walked away, muttering and swearing.

  That has got to be thee greatest thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I thought.  I remembered my morning's task and began to walk quickly.

~**~

  "Neal, why are you up?" Said Kel as she starred at me. She was fully dressed – as I expected – I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't sleep at all.

  "Kel, it's important. Can I please come in?" I asked nervously.

  Wordlessly, she opened the door wide, inviting me in. 

  "So what do you need?" She asked as she returned to sit on her bed. Mithros, this was hard.

" I'm having a dilemma." I told her. 

  She looked me over and then got up with a sigh. " Just tell her Neal, as long as she's not unattainable. Please tell me its not Daine or the Queen again?" She said, busying herself by putting away some of her books. 

  "No, in fact she's very attainable and it's neither of the ladies you mentioned." I managed.

  She turned around to look at me, book in hand. "Who is it then?" she asked curiously.

    Do not fail me Nealan.

  "You." Thank Mithros – I had said it.

  She starred at me. " It's too early to humor me, Neal." She said.

She must have thought that I was joking around. She kept starring at me. No, she wasn't sure if I was joking. That's why she was looking so uncomfortable.

  I got up, walked over to the door and shut it. "Neal." She said confused. "Open my door." She demanded softly.

  "In a moment." I told her. "I have to tell you something. Kel, I'm in love with you and don't tell me I'm kidding because I'm not. I need you. Gods – I've needed you since the moment I first saw you." I waited.

  I doubted if she heard me, for she was as motionless as stone. "Neal, did someone put you up to this, because if someone did, I wont forgive you lightly." She said.

 "Would you rather I not mention it again?" I said, regretfully.

   She looked at me startled. "I didn't say that. Neal, I --." That was all I needed. I kissed her, gently. As shocked as she was, I didn't want to frighten her. Chances were she had never been kissed like that before.

   I pulled away breathlessly, and looked in her eyes. She wasn't frightened off and she wasn't confused. I couldn't tell if that was what she had wanted or if I had utterly appalled her.

   She looked at me. "Dear gods Neal, your not kidding, are you?" She asked. I didn't give her a verbal answer. Instead, I pulled her lips back to mine. I couldn't help but be intense. To my enjoyment, she [and I could tell] was kissing me back. Well, maybe she had never kissed before, but she was definitely a natural.  She even pulled a little twist on me because afterwards, I was a little tongue-tied.

   "Kel?" I asked her after I had released her. She smiled.

     "What?"

"Do you love me?" I asked quietly.

  She looked over at me and examined me. "I don't know, Neal. But I've been feeling something stronger than friendship the last two years."

  That was more than enough for me.  I gave her a gentle, soothing kiss and pulled her into our second moment.  Goddess was I ever beaming.

~**~

   I revised this because I thought it was too wordy. Hope it turned out for the best!

~Karr

Cheers.