"You what?!" Neal exclaimed in horror as he watched Kel pack her clothes
and weapons.
"I have to go east, as the Great Mother said."
Neal paced the room impatiently. "But why? And why you? Why can't Alanna go on her own?"
"Are you implying that I'm not worthy enough to journey with her?"
Neal blushed at his mistake and began to stammer. "You know that's not what I meant! Isn't Alanna her chosen knight? Why do you have to be dragged in this mess?"
"Stop fussing like a father who's about to let his daughter go on a journey unprotected. Gods are unpredictable. Like Sir Myles said too many times, we don't ask them to meddle with our life but they will do it anyway."
Neal sighed heavily. "Then just wait a minute," and he dashed out of the room. A moment later, he came back with a small container. "It's some of my best healing salves. Use it when you need it most. God only knows how much trouble you'll get into."
"You sound like a mother hen, fussing about Kel like that," a bemused voice remarked from the doorway.
"An old lady like you shouldn't even think about going on adventures," Neal retorted.
Alanna grinned brightly at her ex-squire and tussled his hair. "I'm not old yet lady-buck. I can still leave you lying in the dust in any duel."
Kel packed the last few things she needed. No need for any personals, she thought as she looked at her mirror and feminine utensils. She grabbed her glaive and the balm and faced neal. "If Sir Raoul comes looking for me..."
"I know. Tell him you're on a mission with Lady Alanna... I'm going to miss you Kel."
There was a pause between them.
"Just eat your vegetables and watch your tongue. That tongue of yours gets you in a lot of trouble. I'd hate to come back and hear that you were killed in a duel because your sharp tongue insulted someone's honor," Kel advised softly, holding down the lump that was clawing up her throat. She smiled weakly.
Neal suddenly grabbed her tight and encircled her with his arms. "Stay safe. I will never forgive you if you die," he whispered into her ear.
Kel looked at his brimming eyes and smiled. "You know me," and walked with Alanna.
8 "Looks like my ex-squire thinks of you more than just a friend," Alanna commented as they began to set off to the east blindly.
Kel blushed fiercely and tightened her rein on Peachblossom. He shook his mane and twisted his neck around, as if to reprimand her for tightening her grip.
"Sorry," she apologized as she loosened her grip.
"Neal and Raoul. Quite a selection."
Kel stopped Peachblossom. "You know about Sir Raoul?" she asked in dismay.
"Who do you think made him that broth to clear up your head?" she grinned wickedly.
Kel remained silent.
"Which reminds me... What are you doing, drinking yourself silly?"
Kel urged Peachblossom to trot again, finding words to explain. "...It helps me-"
"Forget? Kel, drinking never completely erases your pain away."
Kel shrugged nonchalantly and ignored Alanna.
"Well, we don't have to bond and have a heartfelt conversation immediately."
"I have to go east, as the Great Mother said."
Neal paced the room impatiently. "But why? And why you? Why can't Alanna go on her own?"
"Are you implying that I'm not worthy enough to journey with her?"
Neal blushed at his mistake and began to stammer. "You know that's not what I meant! Isn't Alanna her chosen knight? Why do you have to be dragged in this mess?"
"Stop fussing like a father who's about to let his daughter go on a journey unprotected. Gods are unpredictable. Like Sir Myles said too many times, we don't ask them to meddle with our life but they will do it anyway."
Neal sighed heavily. "Then just wait a minute," and he dashed out of the room. A moment later, he came back with a small container. "It's some of my best healing salves. Use it when you need it most. God only knows how much trouble you'll get into."
"You sound like a mother hen, fussing about Kel like that," a bemused voice remarked from the doorway.
"An old lady like you shouldn't even think about going on adventures," Neal retorted.
Alanna grinned brightly at her ex-squire and tussled his hair. "I'm not old yet lady-buck. I can still leave you lying in the dust in any duel."
Kel packed the last few things she needed. No need for any personals, she thought as she looked at her mirror and feminine utensils. She grabbed her glaive and the balm and faced neal. "If Sir Raoul comes looking for me..."
"I know. Tell him you're on a mission with Lady Alanna... I'm going to miss you Kel."
There was a pause between them.
"Just eat your vegetables and watch your tongue. That tongue of yours gets you in a lot of trouble. I'd hate to come back and hear that you were killed in a duel because your sharp tongue insulted someone's honor," Kel advised softly, holding down the lump that was clawing up her throat. She smiled weakly.
Neal suddenly grabbed her tight and encircled her with his arms. "Stay safe. I will never forgive you if you die," he whispered into her ear.
Kel looked at his brimming eyes and smiled. "You know me," and walked with Alanna.
8 "Looks like my ex-squire thinks of you more than just a friend," Alanna commented as they began to set off to the east blindly.
Kel blushed fiercely and tightened her rein on Peachblossom. He shook his mane and twisted his neck around, as if to reprimand her for tightening her grip.
"Sorry," she apologized as she loosened her grip.
"Neal and Raoul. Quite a selection."
Kel stopped Peachblossom. "You know about Sir Raoul?" she asked in dismay.
"Who do you think made him that broth to clear up your head?" she grinned wickedly.
Kel remained silent.
"Which reminds me... What are you doing, drinking yourself silly?"
Kel urged Peachblossom to trot again, finding words to explain. "...It helps me-"
"Forget? Kel, drinking never completely erases your pain away."
Kel shrugged nonchalantly and ignored Alanna.
"Well, we don't have to bond and have a heartfelt conversation immediately."