Hey guys!!! See, I'm a good girl, I'm putting my chapter up nice and promptly after LJ's done hers! Don't you all love me? Don't u all think I deserve a MEDAL???

Ok, that was annoying. I didn't write anything at the beginning of my last chapter. Just a disclaimer. Wow, what a loser I am. Yes I know that wasn't proper grammar, I'm writing u guys a fanfic with grammar, so it can have a rest for a moment. Please note that I do actually have my own account, (Rogue Wildmage. Plz check it out) and I'm very sad because I posted up a chapter of my own fic the other day and NO-ONE has reviewed it yet! L It's very sad!!! So please check it out, and review so I can keep writing. It really is quite depressing not to get ANY reviews.

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, dun copy da fic, blah blah blah…you know the deal. No I don't own the characters, though I would like to own Neal (as his usual sarcastic self of course, not as his loser self that is him in this fic)

[[Chapter 4 – Sir Nealan, and other mysteries of the world]]

Seems I'm lost in my reflection,

Find a star for my direction,

For the little girl inside,

Who won't just hide,

Don't let me see mistakes and lies,

Let me, keep my,

Faith in innocent eyes…


Delta Goodrem "Innocent eyes"

Kel was dancing. She didn't dance much. Being a lady knight she was rarely invited to. However when she did, she usually felt about as graceful as a dying stormwing.

But this was different. This felt…beautiful. She felt an odd stirring in her heart that she recognised. Like it was an old friend, familiar, but unfamiliar, known….but forgotten. She just wasn't sure what to make of it anymore, yet she knew somehow that once it had been as natural to her as breathing.

She looked down and saw she was dressed in green, in a light, dainty fabric that somehow seemed part of her as she swayed. The music ebbed and flowed, filled her and satisfied her. All in all it was an odd feeling, and yet she liked it. She just wanted to feel this way forever.

Suddenly she started to spin again, but with more purpose this time, as though to a destination, and suddenly she heard a voice calling her name, soft and insistent, just as she glimpsed those eyes….those beautiful green eyes…

"Kel" a voice hissed loudly, jerking her awake. Opening her eyes, she found her nose about three inches away from Neal's. It was quite disturbing, she didn't know what it was, but she assumed it was the eyes. They were…entrancing…she could sit here and stare at them forever…she didn't need anything else…his eyes made her feel-

"Kel" Neal whispered, waving a hand over her face. Kel blinked and realised what she had just thought. Groaning silently to herself, she sat up and swung her legs out of the bed, watching as Neal moved his band from beside her and plonked himself down on her bed. Just for a moment it reminded her of old times, of when they were pages, back then they had spent hours in her rooms talking together. Then they had grown up and Yuki had begun to take up all of Neal's time. Why had he picked today to take a stroll down memory lane?

Glancing out of her window as she crossed the room to her dresser Kel noticed that light was already streaming through her window. She had overslept. Must have been that dream she was having. But what had happened in the dream? She strained her brain but couldn't remember. 'It was a nice dream though' she mused 'if only I could remember…' her thoughts trailed of as she looked over to Neal, who was sitting cross legged on her bed and looking at her with a dreamy look on his face.

"What?" she asked, in what she hoped wasn't an angry tone. She wasn't angry at him. Just curious. Curious as to why he was in her rooms. Curious as to why he wasn't with Yuki, and curious as to why he didn't seem to want to talk. She knew he wasn't a morning person, and she was happy to be there for him, especially so soon after his cousins death, but she would have though, with his love of talking, he would have offered some sort of an explanation by now…

"Kel" he began in a measured please-don't-ask-questions kind of way "What would you do if you'd been dating a guy for a while, say a few years even…and he told you…told you… he didn't want to marry you?"

Kel was taken aback. What kind of a…? Who did he…? Why was he…?

"Well..." she mumbled, pulling on her Yamani mask as quickly as she could. "I guess I'd…" Kel struggled for control. She couldn't let this be like old times. She had to control herself. She couldn't just say…

"You'd hate him, wouldn't you?" he asked, looking pained. She could see in his eyes that this story wasn't altogether hypothetical.

"Well…well yes..." she said, looking him straight in the eyes. They were such beautiful eyes. She felt that feeling coming over her again. That…spell…it was in a way something about his eyes was truly hypnotic.

"Ok" said Neal, looking at the ground. Kel eyed him suspiciously. She was fairly sure he hadn't woken her up just for that. He wasn't the type of guy that would start rumours over 'hypothetical questions.' She knew he cared about her reputation. Or he used to.

"So Kel," he asked, apparently having decided that particular (rather uncomfortable) conversation was over. "What are you doing today?"

Kel stepped into Lalasa's shop, Neal following behind her.

"I can't believe you're taking me to a dress fitting!" groaned Neal. Kel grinned. She loved it that he felt he could moan at her again. Kel giggled at how stupid that thought had sounded, even to herself.

"Well you did say you'd do anything I was doing" she grinned. Turning around, she saw that Neal was smiling too. The first real smile she'd seen of him since Dom died. Seeing him smile only made her happier. Maybe he'd be ok after all.

The carriage ride over had also been positive, for the first time in a year, Kel had really had a chance to talk to her best friend. He'd been himself, and they had talked and laughed. It seemed stupid as Kel thought it, but for her, right now, it was a big deal.

"Yeah…" He whined "But I didn't think you'd be doing this! Can't you reschedule the appointment or something?"

Kel turned around to face him with a sarcastic look on his face. Geez boys could be stupid sometimes. "Do you know how hard these appointments are to get?" she asked.

"Ummmm…No?" he said.

Kel rolled her eyes and continued on into the shop. She wouldn't even be here if Lalasa hadn't bribed her.

"You still don't have a man in your life, my lady" she had begged "and you've done so much for me, let me make you a beautiful dress! Maybe you'll meet some nice men at the ball?"

She'd seemed so keen on the idea that Kel had finally given in.

Calm down, she told herself just so long as she doesn't make me wear a corset, it will all be ok.