Okay, okay, you know the drill none of this is mine except for the plot so don't sue me for anything ok.
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The next morning Kel slept through to the first bell of the day which woke her up. She was very grouchy due to lack of sleep and for missing her exercises. When she got to breakfast, she saw the effect of the late night on all the squires. Neal basically slept through breakfast before Kel managed to wake him up properly, once they had given their trays into the servers she steered him into her room.
"Neal you know Joren..." she began nervously, unsure of what to say, but was cut of by Neal's drawl.
"Well yeah! Of course I do, it's, unfortunately, a bit hard not to, you know what I mean seeing we've been training for knighthood for how long? And seeing I started before you we have to add on an extra four months.." he didn't get any further in his procrastinating because Kel cut in on him.
"Ohh! Shut up Neal, I've got to tell you something that I don't understand. I am very unsure because of it. What I'm trying to tell you is that, well, Joren's been acting very strange lately."
"And the definition of strange is?"
"Ok, Joren keeps kissing me!"
"Yuk!!!"
"Tell me about it, and he won't even tell me why. One day he gave me this speech about having changed, he didn't pay those men for something personal reasons, just a favor for a friend, etcetera."
"And do you believe him?"
"No! I don't, well he might've changed but I am never going to trust that... that..."
"Blonde Pig!" Neal suggested hopefully, a nasty grin lighting his face.
"No, that creep who payed those men to put Lalasa through what she went through, you know, he admitted to paying them but he said he did it for Vinson of Genlith."
"Well that's something," commented Neal, "You know what."
"What?"
"I wouldn't trust that blonde pig as far as I could throw him."
"Neal, I know you're right but what should I do about the kissing thing?"
"Well, my dear," Neal drawled, "I think it's time to talk to someone who has more experience than I, for, though well educated as I am, I only have 20 years experience and in all my years I have never encountered anything of the like."
"And this someone is..?"
"Personally I think you should talk to Sir Knight Commander of the Kings Own, he could definitely help you sort out the situation."
"Ok, Neal. But if I do go and talk to Lord Raoul, you're coming with me."
"And, why, may I ask, must I come?"
"For moral support. I am going to need it, so will you come." Kel glared mutinously at her friend, promising, in her gaze, a horrible death if he refused to help. She knew he would help anyway but she wasn't thinking straight.
"Ok, just stop giving me that look, you're giving me the creeps."
"Thanks Neal." Kel lurched over to where her friend was sitting and hugged him. Before she let go of him, Kel was utterly overcome by a wave of fright. All this was so scary and confusing, she started sobbing into Neal's shirt. The room was silent of all talk for a while, while Kel sobbed. It was Neal who broke the silence,
"Kel, do you think you could stop saturating my shirt, I was kind of planning to wear it all day but I won't be able to at this rate. Not with you leaking tears all over it."
"Sorry Neal," she replied feebly, "It's just all too much."
"Even for the Yamani Lump, as Joren might put it."
"Yes, even for the Yamani Lump. And if you tell anyone that I was crying you'll pay for it. You know that I kick your bum in the practice courts. If you tell anyone, you will pay for it in bruises."
"Do we start now or later? I'd turn around if I were you, Kel." Kel got up and turned round, dreading what she would see. It was Cleon, staring at her like he'd lost something infinitely precious.
"Cleon," Kel whispered
"Yes," came his, hurt reply.
"It's not what it seems..." It took Kel a few minutes to explain what had happened, in the process having to explain all the Joren stuff. While Kel was explaining this to Cleon, Neal had slipped of, leaving them completely alone.
"Kel," Cleon whispered after Kel had finished explaining things, "Don't take me wrong but, truly, I have been meaning to do this for a long time." And with these last words he swept Kel up into his arms and kissed her passionately. It was a few moments after Cleon started kissing her that, apart from kissing him back, she realized that she wanted this to happen. The sudden realization also came to her that she was no longer in love with Neal.
Weeks passed and Kel and Cleon were getting closer and closer, though they never got any further than intense kissing. Kel again forgot the Joren thing and was truly happy again with not a care in the world.
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