Disclaimer: I don't own Tortall. I don't own Kel, or Dom, or Neal. . . or any other characters in the story. They belong to Tamora Pierce. Yup. That's about it. On with the story!
Chapter 7: Confusion and its Effects
~~~~~~NEAL'S POV~~~~~~
Where could they be? Neal wondered, both Dom and Kel had missed breakfast. He knocked purposefully on Kel's door, no one answered. "Kel! Open up, Mindelan!" Still no answer. Where is she? She has got to be here somewhere.
Neal progressed to Dom's room. He stared at the door for a moment before rapping on the door with his knuckles. He heard a groan. "Dom, I know you're there!" Neal called. "If you don't get up and open the door, I'll unlock it myself!"
"Like you could." Dom said wearily. Neal waited, but Dom still didn't let him in.
Neal shook his head in disbelief. He lives in denial, Neal thought, thinking he is out of reach because he's in a fort. He pulled his Gift together and sent it into the mechanics of the lock. After a moment's time, there was a click and Neal the door opened without resistance.
Neal surveyed the room in front of him. The curtains were drawn so the lighting was dim. Neal could see his cousin lying in bed, trying to sleep. At the foot of the bed was a chest, with Dom's belongings in it. There was a chair and desk, the latter of which was piled high with papers. He had a weaponry cabinet and dresser otherwise. A door led off to the privy.
"Wake up sleepy-head!" Neal said, drawing the curtains, letting the sun pour in. Dom groaned and pulled his blankets over his head. "Honestly." Neal said with exasperation. "How much sleep did you get last night?"
Dom sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Very little." Neal was about to remark when something caught his attention. In the corner of the room, behind the door was a pile of clothes. Neal saw the strap of a breast band poking out from under a dress. Kel's dress. Neal looked at Dom once more. But I thought they weren't lovers! He thought with irritation. "Did you want something?"
Neal looked at Dom for a moment. "I was going to ask why you weren't at breakfast. And why Kel was also absent. But I figured it out."
"I'm sorry cousin." Dom said. "I didn't want her to . . .but she did anyhow." He makes her sound like a whore, thought Neal.
"You didn't want her to, but you let her?" Neal asked, his voice dangerously low. "How could you?"
"How was I supposed to stop her from proceeding? She would have whether or not I tried to stop her." Dom said, a little uneasily.
Neal was about to scream. Dom was infuriating. He figured he should get Dom to get dressed and talk this over with Kel, she couldn't just lay with a man whenever she wanted it would ruin her reputation.
Knowing Dom was watching him; Neal marched over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. He was met by an array of breast bands, women's loincloths, and more of Kel's clothes. "Quite a collection." Neal remarked icily, his cousin blushed. "Shouldn't you give her back her clothes when you've finished with her?"
"What?" asked Dom, seemingly surprised.
Neal's next words were hissed rather than spoken. "I said, wouldn't it be nice if you gave Kel her clothes back when you've finished messing around with her?" His voice grew steadily louder. "You told me you weren't lovers. And you PUNISHED ME FOR IT!"
Dom looked confused. "I haven't bedded Kel." He said bluntly.
Neal didn't believe him. "I don't believe you."
"Gods strike me dead if I lie." Dom said.
He was still there. Still alive. "Then why are her clothes in your bedroom, cousin?" he asked fiercely.
"Because they didn't fit in her bags Meathead." Dom said.
"Bags?" Neal asked, voice a bit higher than usual.
"Bags." Dom stated.
Neal swallowed. He was nervous. Where's Kel? He asked silently. All he could manage to say was "Bags?"
Dom sighed, annoyed. "Bags!"
"Bags you said?"
"Yes you fool! Bags! She was called back to New Hope."
Why did she go without me? He wondered. "Why?"
"Nothing urgent. The man in charge, Merric, has a wedding to attend."
"Merric? Getting married? And I wasn't invited?" Neal asked.
"No, his little sister, Meathead. Then he figured he'd just expand that vacation to check in on things at home, and a court. They just needed a babysitter at New Hope." Dom explained.
"Why didn't she ask me to come?" Neal asked, he was rather hurt.
"Because you were so wrapped up with your lady, she felt bad having to ask. Now go! Leave me in peace."
Neal thanked silently thanked Kel for her consideration; feeling slightly guilty for the things he'd accused her of lately. His thoughts were all remorseful, until he ran into Yuki. Then he thanked the Gods that Kel was so understanding.
"Kel went back to New Hope." Neal informed Yuki. She would be mad if he didn't tell her and someone else did.
"Really?" She asked, not seeming surprised. Curse the Yamanis! He thought. She was always hiding her feelings. Well, always in public. But when they were alone. . . he smiled at the thought. "Why are you smiling Neal?"
Neal stopped smiling immediately. "No reason." He said, knowing he was blushing slightly.
"So why did Kel have to return to New Hope? Without you? Not that I'm complaining."
Neal grinned at the last part. "She knew if she brought me with her she couldn't resist the temptation."
Yuki stared at him. Her face was blank, but he knew that if she could, she'd be rolling her eyes. "Yes." She answered. "I can hardly resist the temptation myself." Neal smiled with pride. "The temptation to hit you that is." His face fell.
"It's true then. You don't love me. Everyone wants to hurt me!"
"See what a said about temptation?" Yuki asked, rapping him lightly on the head with her fan. It hurt; it was, after all, made of metal.
"Ow!" Neal whined.
"Men are so weak." Yuki remarked nonchalantly.
"Weak?" asked Neal. "Then how is it I can do. . .this!" He pinned Yuki against the wall and kissed her. When he pulled away. He continued. "Well? Answer me."
"Because I let you." She said stubbornly, ducking under his arm and continuing the walk. "So why did Kel leave you behind?"
"I don't know." Neal said.
"Yes he does." Someone said. Neal turned to see Dom. His mind raced at what Dom would let slip to Yuki. She had scolded him rather well after he had last accused Dom and Kel.
"Tell me then, sergeant." Yuki demanded.
Dom looked at Neal and grinned. Neal winced inwardly, he was going to get it now. "Don't worry, Neal, I'm family, would I do anything to hurt you?" When Neal opened his mouth to respond, Dom resumed, "I prefer you didn't answer that."
"Sergeant. You don't keep a lady waiting." Yuki scolded lightly.
"My apologies, fair lady." Dom said, bowing. "Kel just gets very tired of Neal's failed poetry attempts." Neal grimaced, relieved all the same. Dom could have said something worse, after all, Neal thought.
"They can't be that bad." Yuki said. She turned on Neal. "I want a poem." Or maybe not.
Dom was clearly amused. "Yes Neal, recite us a poem."
"Now." Yuki said.
"Right." Neal said. "Ode to a Fair Lady." Yuki was waiting. Neal grinned, stricken with inspiration.
"A fair maiden has captured my heart,
She is fairer than every other,
And I'm lonesome when we're apart,
I miss as I would a mother."
Yuki grimaced, Neal changed tactics.
"Her eyes are a sight to behold,
Different from those you most see,
They are deep and dark and cold,
They hold me, and I can't get free."
She was no happier. Neal was panicing, he thought it was fine. He though fast, but failed to come up with anything. But yuki was waiting for more. Ah well, thought Neal, desperate times call for deperate measures. . .
"Her face is a picture of perfection,
All times, but when she's mad,
And then her smooth complexion,
Looks really wrinkled and bad."
"That's enough!" Yuki said. She was upset. The poem can't have been that bad, Neal thought. Ah, but Yamani poetry is different from Tortallan. Why didn't I listen to Kel? Yuki was no longer there, she had stormed back to her rooms, insulted.
Neal looked at Dom, wishing for all the world that looks could kill. "You will pay for that Masbolle!" He hissed. "More so than before. You will suffer terribly." Dom looked worried. As he well should be! Neal thought angrily.
A/N: Don't ask about the poem. My sister got hold of the files and wouldn't let me be until I put a poem in. She likes the PotS books too. And thinks Neal's bad poetry is entertaining. The fact that he suffers a lack of talent in literature, not the poems themselves.
Chapter 7: Confusion and its Effects
~~~~~~NEAL'S POV~~~~~~
Where could they be? Neal wondered, both Dom and Kel had missed breakfast. He knocked purposefully on Kel's door, no one answered. "Kel! Open up, Mindelan!" Still no answer. Where is she? She has got to be here somewhere.
Neal progressed to Dom's room. He stared at the door for a moment before rapping on the door with his knuckles. He heard a groan. "Dom, I know you're there!" Neal called. "If you don't get up and open the door, I'll unlock it myself!"
"Like you could." Dom said wearily. Neal waited, but Dom still didn't let him in.
Neal shook his head in disbelief. He lives in denial, Neal thought, thinking he is out of reach because he's in a fort. He pulled his Gift together and sent it into the mechanics of the lock. After a moment's time, there was a click and Neal the door opened without resistance.
Neal surveyed the room in front of him. The curtains were drawn so the lighting was dim. Neal could see his cousin lying in bed, trying to sleep. At the foot of the bed was a chest, with Dom's belongings in it. There was a chair and desk, the latter of which was piled high with papers. He had a weaponry cabinet and dresser otherwise. A door led off to the privy.
"Wake up sleepy-head!" Neal said, drawing the curtains, letting the sun pour in. Dom groaned and pulled his blankets over his head. "Honestly." Neal said with exasperation. "How much sleep did you get last night?"
Dom sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Very little." Neal was about to remark when something caught his attention. In the corner of the room, behind the door was a pile of clothes. Neal saw the strap of a breast band poking out from under a dress. Kel's dress. Neal looked at Dom once more. But I thought they weren't lovers! He thought with irritation. "Did you want something?"
Neal looked at Dom for a moment. "I was going to ask why you weren't at breakfast. And why Kel was also absent. But I figured it out."
"I'm sorry cousin." Dom said. "I didn't want her to . . .but she did anyhow." He makes her sound like a whore, thought Neal.
"You didn't want her to, but you let her?" Neal asked, his voice dangerously low. "How could you?"
"How was I supposed to stop her from proceeding? She would have whether or not I tried to stop her." Dom said, a little uneasily.
Neal was about to scream. Dom was infuriating. He figured he should get Dom to get dressed and talk this over with Kel, she couldn't just lay with a man whenever she wanted it would ruin her reputation.
Knowing Dom was watching him; Neal marched over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. He was met by an array of breast bands, women's loincloths, and more of Kel's clothes. "Quite a collection." Neal remarked icily, his cousin blushed. "Shouldn't you give her back her clothes when you've finished with her?"
"What?" asked Dom, seemingly surprised.
Neal's next words were hissed rather than spoken. "I said, wouldn't it be nice if you gave Kel her clothes back when you've finished messing around with her?" His voice grew steadily louder. "You told me you weren't lovers. And you PUNISHED ME FOR IT!"
Dom looked confused. "I haven't bedded Kel." He said bluntly.
Neal didn't believe him. "I don't believe you."
"Gods strike me dead if I lie." Dom said.
He was still there. Still alive. "Then why are her clothes in your bedroom, cousin?" he asked fiercely.
"Because they didn't fit in her bags Meathead." Dom said.
"Bags?" Neal asked, voice a bit higher than usual.
"Bags." Dom stated.
Neal swallowed. He was nervous. Where's Kel? He asked silently. All he could manage to say was "Bags?"
Dom sighed, annoyed. "Bags!"
"Bags you said?"
"Yes you fool! Bags! She was called back to New Hope."
Why did she go without me? He wondered. "Why?"
"Nothing urgent. The man in charge, Merric, has a wedding to attend."
"Merric? Getting married? And I wasn't invited?" Neal asked.
"No, his little sister, Meathead. Then he figured he'd just expand that vacation to check in on things at home, and a court. They just needed a babysitter at New Hope." Dom explained.
"Why didn't she ask me to come?" Neal asked, he was rather hurt.
"Because you were so wrapped up with your lady, she felt bad having to ask. Now go! Leave me in peace."
Neal thanked silently thanked Kel for her consideration; feeling slightly guilty for the things he'd accused her of lately. His thoughts were all remorseful, until he ran into Yuki. Then he thanked the Gods that Kel was so understanding.
"Kel went back to New Hope." Neal informed Yuki. She would be mad if he didn't tell her and someone else did.
"Really?" She asked, not seeming surprised. Curse the Yamanis! He thought. She was always hiding her feelings. Well, always in public. But when they were alone. . . he smiled at the thought. "Why are you smiling Neal?"
Neal stopped smiling immediately. "No reason." He said, knowing he was blushing slightly.
"So why did Kel have to return to New Hope? Without you? Not that I'm complaining."
Neal grinned at the last part. "She knew if she brought me with her she couldn't resist the temptation."
Yuki stared at him. Her face was blank, but he knew that if she could, she'd be rolling her eyes. "Yes." She answered. "I can hardly resist the temptation myself." Neal smiled with pride. "The temptation to hit you that is." His face fell.
"It's true then. You don't love me. Everyone wants to hurt me!"
"See what a said about temptation?" Yuki asked, rapping him lightly on the head with her fan. It hurt; it was, after all, made of metal.
"Ow!" Neal whined.
"Men are so weak." Yuki remarked nonchalantly.
"Weak?" asked Neal. "Then how is it I can do. . .this!" He pinned Yuki against the wall and kissed her. When he pulled away. He continued. "Well? Answer me."
"Because I let you." She said stubbornly, ducking under his arm and continuing the walk. "So why did Kel leave you behind?"
"I don't know." Neal said.
"Yes he does." Someone said. Neal turned to see Dom. His mind raced at what Dom would let slip to Yuki. She had scolded him rather well after he had last accused Dom and Kel.
"Tell me then, sergeant." Yuki demanded.
Dom looked at Neal and grinned. Neal winced inwardly, he was going to get it now. "Don't worry, Neal, I'm family, would I do anything to hurt you?" When Neal opened his mouth to respond, Dom resumed, "I prefer you didn't answer that."
"Sergeant. You don't keep a lady waiting." Yuki scolded lightly.
"My apologies, fair lady." Dom said, bowing. "Kel just gets very tired of Neal's failed poetry attempts." Neal grimaced, relieved all the same. Dom could have said something worse, after all, Neal thought.
"They can't be that bad." Yuki said. She turned on Neal. "I want a poem." Or maybe not.
Dom was clearly amused. "Yes Neal, recite us a poem."
"Now." Yuki said.
"Right." Neal said. "Ode to a Fair Lady." Yuki was waiting. Neal grinned, stricken with inspiration.
"A fair maiden has captured my heart,
She is fairer than every other,
And I'm lonesome when we're apart,
I miss as I would a mother."
Yuki grimaced, Neal changed tactics.
"Her eyes are a sight to behold,
Different from those you most see,
They are deep and dark and cold,
They hold me, and I can't get free."
She was no happier. Neal was panicing, he thought it was fine. He though fast, but failed to come up with anything. But yuki was waiting for more. Ah well, thought Neal, desperate times call for deperate measures. . .
"Her face is a picture of perfection,
All times, but when she's mad,
And then her smooth complexion,
Looks really wrinkled and bad."
"That's enough!" Yuki said. She was upset. The poem can't have been that bad, Neal thought. Ah, but Yamani poetry is different from Tortallan. Why didn't I listen to Kel? Yuki was no longer there, she had stormed back to her rooms, insulted.
Neal looked at Dom, wishing for all the world that looks could kill. "You will pay for that Masbolle!" He hissed. "More so than before. You will suffer terribly." Dom looked worried. As he well should be! Neal thought angrily.
A/N: Don't ask about the poem. My sister got hold of the files and wouldn't let me be until I put a poem in. She likes the PotS books too. And thinks Neal's bad poetry is entertaining. The fact that he suffers a lack of talent in literature, not the poems themselves.
