Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I like a large amount of others wish I owned Neal but sadly enough I don't. They are Tammy's.
Ok People if you read the Authors Note before this you'd know that this is a revised version of this story.
Chapter One--- Meetings
"I'm sorry" Kel's mother put an arm around her.
Kel put her on her Yamani mask. 'smooth, calm'. "It's ok."
"You can still go." He father suggested looking at her over his paper covered desk.
"And be on probation for a year? No." Kel replied irratatedly.
Five years later
"I'd be a squire." Kel muttered to herself for the thousandth time as she wandered through the wood. She wanted to get away from camp for awhile. She looked around it was fall everything looked dead. As she paused and heard dry leaves crunch. She spun around and flipped the person behind and holding her dagger to their neck.
"Well hello!" was the choked sputter. "I saw you wandering alone and wondered if uh." he paused. "Could you uh..."
"No." she replied quickly looking down into a wide pair of bright green eyes.
"Oh well ok." He looked at her. "I just saw you walking alone and wondered if you needed help or were lost." he finally managed.
"No I'm perfectly capable of handling myself thank you." she said. She slid the knife away from him sliding it back into it's sheath. She stood up gracefully still watching him.
"Ok." The man looked a few years older then herself with brown hair, green eyes, and arched brows. "I'm sorry." he muttered. He slowly and hesitantly pushed off the ground
"What are you doing out here?" Kel asked eyeing him with mild distrust.
"Me and my knight master went for a ride. Speaking of we got seperated, have you seen her?" he paused. "She's short red hair purple eyes."
Kel stared at him wide eyed. "Lady Alanna!"
"Yea that's her." the man said dryly. "So you haven't seen her?" Kel shook her head numbly. "Oh sorry I'm Nealan of Queenscove." He held out a hand.
Kel took it. "Keladry of Mindelan."
"Hey you were supposed to be knight!" he exclaimed. "My father told me about you! You didn't train because you were going to be on a year probation."
She winced and shifted uncomfortably. "Yes Sir Nealan."
Neal winced in turn. "Please call me Neal my least favorite aunt calls me Nealan." He shuddered slightly.
Kel nodded slightly. "Ok. Neal."
"Where are you headed?" he asked. "And why are you wandering alone?"
"My group is headed to Corus." she replied."I wanted to go for a walk."
"Oh! Have you seen a group of Shang warriors headed to stay at the castle?" Neal asked suddenly.
Kel tugged the ponytail her hair was in tighter it had grown out. "I'm a trainee in it." she stated flatly. "Enless there's another shang band around here."
"Your a Shang!!!" Neal asked excitedly.
"NEALAN!" a voice rang. "Stop patronizing the woman." The Lioness rode to them holding the reins of Neal's horse. "Hello Miss.... who are you?" Alanna asked.
"I'm Keladry of Mindelan, Sir Alanna." Kel said with an awkward bow.
"Mindelan!" Alanna exclaimed. "You wanted to be a knight! You know I'm still mad at Jonathan for that."
"Yes m'am." Kel said quietly with a slight sigh.
"Sorry about that probation thing." Alanna said jumping off the horse. She was a lot shorter then Kel thought. Alanna smiled. "Men!" Kel laughed slightly.
Neal glanced at the two of them. "Excuse me. I'm not here."
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm Alanna." Alanna said quite informally. She held out one gauntleted hand.
"I know." Kel replied taking the hand hesitently.
"She's in the Shang band." Neal put in leaning on a tree boredly. "Now could we get moving...somewhere. Anywhere."
Alanna swung up and cuffed Neal in the back of the head. "Your a Shang! Good! Good group of people." she said with a nod. "May I speak to the leader of the group."
Kel nodded. "Yes. Follow me." she turned on her heel and headed back the opposite way.
After dark Alanna was still talking to the leader and Neal sat under a tree watching Kel practice with her glaive. "You fight with a glaive?" Neal questioned. "I thought Shang used their limbs."
"Shang are trained in weaponry too.They are just known for their bare limb fighting the most. However I spent some of my childhood in the Yamani islands." Kel said her limbs blurring as she swung. Neal nodded and watched her grace in silence. Kel stopped and sized him up a moment before lifting her staff from a pile of practice weapons. "Care for some practice Sir Neal?"
Neal stared at it. "Practice." he repeated. "Sure." Kel tossed the staff at him, set her glaive down, and picked up her spare staff.
"Ready?" she asked. He nodded and advanced. Neal swung and Kel blocked. He came at her again and she hooked her staff under his and swung it away from him disarming him.
"Wow." Neal stared at her as she picked it back it tossing it to him. "Not bad."
"Ready to give it another go?" she asked getting into stance. He nodded his cheeks pink. Without warning Kel advanced. She was quick and swift.
Strike, block, strike, block. As she attacked Neal tripped over a root and toppled over.
"Nealan!" the Lioness' voice barked. "Careful or you'll kill yourself without her help." Neal turned a startling shade of red and coughed getting up. Kel looked at him, biting her tongue to keep from smiling. "Go at him again." the lioness said swinging herself up onto a fallen tree. Kel looked to Neal whom was glaring at the lioness. "Come on Queenscove." Alanna yelled.
He turned to Kel. "Come on." he sighed getting into a defensive position. Kel went after him again.
Strike, Block, Strike, Block.
Kel faked to the left and then hit Neal on the right with a distinct, Crack! Neal yelped. "Oh!" Kel said. "I-I'm sorry."
Alanna was at his side. "Did they teach you nothing." she asked Neal with a grin. "
Neal glared at her between flinches. "You provoked her. If you hadn't shown up I would have been just fine. You're a jinx."
Kel grinned sheepishly. "Are you ok?" she asked standing at his otherside.
"Oh he's fine just a cracked collarbone. I can fix this." Alanna answered with a shrug.
Neal glared at Alanna. "I could have a mortal wound and you'd still say 'Oh he's fine'"
"I would not!" Alanna snapped tartly. She led him back toward the camp.
That night they sat outside around a fire eating. Kel sat next to Neal. "I'm sorry about your collarbone." Keladry said quietly. Neal looked at her nodded indignantly without a word.
"Ignore him he's a dramatic." Alanna said taking a seat to Kel's other side.
"I resent that!" Neal exclaimed. "I am not a dramatic."
"Yes you are." Alanna laughed and started to eat. Ignoring an angry glare from Neal.
"Ready to give it another go?" Kel asked grinning her hazel eyes meeting Neal's green ones.
"You're kidding." Neal exclaimed eye wide. He narrowed them quickly. "Do you enjoy my pain Lady Keladry?"
"Kel." she replied. dryly. "I'm no lady, Sir Nealan". Neal snorted.
"Excuse me a moment." Alanna said pushing herself up and dusting her clothes off.
"Gladly." Neal grunted receiving a swift smack on the head. They sat in silence examining each other.
"What's the palace like?" Kel found herself asking. "My father said it was a miserable rat warren."
Neal shrugged. "It's big."
"You'll find out soon enough." Alanna said walking up. "And Queenscove can't you answer better then 'It's big'?" Neal shrugged receiving yet another smack on the head. "Ow!"
Kel smiled slightly then looked to Alanna. "I'm going to find out?"
"Ah, yes you will be staying there a while." Alanna answered. "Just as a guest. Kalerik said you could finish your training there if you'd like to."
Kel nodded thoughtfully biting her lip. She smiled slightly to Alanna and Neal. "I think I'll be off to bed. See you the morning Sir Nealan. Alanna." she nodded to each in turn.
"Goodnight Lady Keladry." Neal retorted.
Kel changed into her pajamas and climbed into the tent she shared with her best friend Tyana.
"So who's the guy?" Tya asked excitedly as Kel entered the tent. She sat up grinning.
"Who?" Kel asked sliding into her bed roll.
"The guy you were talking to at dinner." Tya went on. "That hansom man with the green eyes."
"Oh him, that's Neal." Kel responded yawning, she wanted to get to sleep. Yes Tya was a great training partner but she could talk for ages.
"Neal?" Tya asked. "Who is he though? Come on Kel."
Kel sighed. "He's Nealan of Queenscove the squire to Alanna. You could have come over to talk to him you know."
"He's only a squire?" Tya asked raising an eyebrow. "He looked older."
Kel growled. "I told you what I know. I'm going to sleep now." with that said she rolled over and closed her eyes.
The next morning Kel was up before anyone else. The sun was just beginning to rise. She snuck off to the field she had practiced in yesterday and began her pattern dances.
Neal awoke early. As he wandered out to feed his horse before they left he saw Kel. He stood there and watched her gracefully practicing with her glaive. 'Wow a person would be more caught up in how she moved they wouldn't even have noticed she'd cut them into pieces.' he thought. He watched her a few more minutes until he noticed her slow, then he walked quickly to the makeshift stable.
Kel paused she thought someone was watching her. She turned around and no one was there. She shook off the feeling and went to get cleaned up. As she returned to camp only a select few had risen. They were checking to make sure they had packed their things and their horses were all well. Neal was among them. He was sitting by the charred remains of the night fire. "Sir Neal what are you doing?" she asked.
"When's breakfast?" Neal asked eagerly looking up at her.
"Are you waiting to be served?" Kel asked raising an eyebrow. She set the end of her glaive on the ground and leaned on it.
Neal looked at her turning pink and rather flustered. "Well I-"
"I'll make it now." Kel said grinning. "Now grab the bundle of wood over there." she pointed.
"Ok." Neal responded standing up stretching out his tall form. "That I think I can do."
Kel watched him stand up studying his form. 'What are you doing' her mind snapped. "I'm being like Tya," she muttered.
"What was that about me?" a light voice said behind her.
"Hello Tya." Kel said grinning. She turned around to face her friend. "Sleep well?"
"That Neal is very cute." Tya smiled mischievously. "Think he'll go for me?"
"I don't know." Kel said. "More than likely every other guy does."
"Well when you say it like that you make me sound like a harlot." Tya complained. You wouldn't be able to tell by seeing her or talking to her but Tya was a good fighter. She was tall and slender. She had tan skin with bright blue eyes and long black hair. She was pretty.
The sound of sticks hitting the ground followed. "There I got the bund-"Neal began but froze when he saw Tya.
"Sir Neal this is Tyana, Tya this is Neal." Kel said briefly and began to arrange the wood for the fire.
"Lady Tyana." Neal bowed staring at her.
"Oh don't bow Neal," she giggled. "Call me Tya."
"Ok Tya." Neal smiled. Kel muttered to herself as the fire began to blaze.
"Care to go for a walk." Tya asked with a sweet smile.
"I was helping Kel." Neal looked at her questioningly.
"Are you asking me?" Kel asked. "Go ahead I didn't have help before I don't need it now." Neal turned back to Tya and nodded holding out his arm. Tya giggled and looped her arm through his.
About an hour later the Lioness walked out. Others had gathered around and were eating as they packed or chatted quickly. "Oh food." Alanna said happily. She scanned the group until she found Kel. "Ah Kel have you seen my squire?"
"He went for a walk with Tyana a friend of mine." Kel said between bites. She stretched her arms.
"Neal miss food?" Alanna said in player astonishment. She got some food for herself.
Kel grinned "Well they went about an hour back. Maybe their lost." she supplied.
"He better get back in time or I'm leaving him." Alanna answered flatly.
"You wouldn't leave me." Neal's voice said behind them. Tya took a seat next to Kel helping herself to food.
"Yes I would." The Lioness answered. "Life would be easier without your tongue."
"No you wouldn't you'd have too many problems from me father." Neal said smugly. "And you're one to talk."
"Your my Squire. Here eat." Alanna said thrusting a plate at him. Neal glared at her but happily sat down with the plate.
"Have a nice walk?" Kel asked cleaning off her glaive.
"Yes." Tya said laughing. "Sir Neal is very..uh."
"Dramatic." Alanna supplied taking a bite of some dried meat.
"Well sort of." Tya said meekly grinning at Neal.
"I am not!" Neal exclaimed throwing his arms up. "Are you all gaining up on me?"
"Of course." Alanna said in a shouldn't-that-be-obvious tone.
Ok People if you read the Authors Note before this you'd know that this is a revised version of this story.
Chapter One--- Meetings
"I'm sorry" Kel's mother put an arm around her.
Kel put her on her Yamani mask. 'smooth, calm'. "It's ok."
"You can still go." He father suggested looking at her over his paper covered desk.
"And be on probation for a year? No." Kel replied irratatedly.
Five years later
"I'd be a squire." Kel muttered to herself for the thousandth time as she wandered through the wood. She wanted to get away from camp for awhile. She looked around it was fall everything looked dead. As she paused and heard dry leaves crunch. She spun around and flipped the person behind and holding her dagger to their neck.
"Well hello!" was the choked sputter. "I saw you wandering alone and wondered if uh." he paused. "Could you uh..."
"No." she replied quickly looking down into a wide pair of bright green eyes.
"Oh well ok." He looked at her. "I just saw you walking alone and wondered if you needed help or were lost." he finally managed.
"No I'm perfectly capable of handling myself thank you." she said. She slid the knife away from him sliding it back into it's sheath. She stood up gracefully still watching him.
"Ok." The man looked a few years older then herself with brown hair, green eyes, and arched brows. "I'm sorry." he muttered. He slowly and hesitantly pushed off the ground
"What are you doing out here?" Kel asked eyeing him with mild distrust.
"Me and my knight master went for a ride. Speaking of we got seperated, have you seen her?" he paused. "She's short red hair purple eyes."
Kel stared at him wide eyed. "Lady Alanna!"
"Yea that's her." the man said dryly. "So you haven't seen her?" Kel shook her head numbly. "Oh sorry I'm Nealan of Queenscove." He held out a hand.
Kel took it. "Keladry of Mindelan."
"Hey you were supposed to be knight!" he exclaimed. "My father told me about you! You didn't train because you were going to be on a year probation."
She winced and shifted uncomfortably. "Yes Sir Nealan."
Neal winced in turn. "Please call me Neal my least favorite aunt calls me Nealan." He shuddered slightly.
Kel nodded slightly. "Ok. Neal."
"Where are you headed?" he asked. "And why are you wandering alone?"
"My group is headed to Corus." she replied."I wanted to go for a walk."
"Oh! Have you seen a group of Shang warriors headed to stay at the castle?" Neal asked suddenly.
Kel tugged the ponytail her hair was in tighter it had grown out. "I'm a trainee in it." she stated flatly. "Enless there's another shang band around here."
"Your a Shang!!!" Neal asked excitedly.
"NEALAN!" a voice rang. "Stop patronizing the woman." The Lioness rode to them holding the reins of Neal's horse. "Hello Miss.... who are you?" Alanna asked.
"I'm Keladry of Mindelan, Sir Alanna." Kel said with an awkward bow.
"Mindelan!" Alanna exclaimed. "You wanted to be a knight! You know I'm still mad at Jonathan for that."
"Yes m'am." Kel said quietly with a slight sigh.
"Sorry about that probation thing." Alanna said jumping off the horse. She was a lot shorter then Kel thought. Alanna smiled. "Men!" Kel laughed slightly.
Neal glanced at the two of them. "Excuse me. I'm not here."
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm Alanna." Alanna said quite informally. She held out one gauntleted hand.
"I know." Kel replied taking the hand hesitently.
"She's in the Shang band." Neal put in leaning on a tree boredly. "Now could we get moving...somewhere. Anywhere."
Alanna swung up and cuffed Neal in the back of the head. "Your a Shang! Good! Good group of people." she said with a nod. "May I speak to the leader of the group."
Kel nodded. "Yes. Follow me." she turned on her heel and headed back the opposite way.
After dark Alanna was still talking to the leader and Neal sat under a tree watching Kel practice with her glaive. "You fight with a glaive?" Neal questioned. "I thought Shang used their limbs."
"Shang are trained in weaponry too.They are just known for their bare limb fighting the most. However I spent some of my childhood in the Yamani islands." Kel said her limbs blurring as she swung. Neal nodded and watched her grace in silence. Kel stopped and sized him up a moment before lifting her staff from a pile of practice weapons. "Care for some practice Sir Neal?"
Neal stared at it. "Practice." he repeated. "Sure." Kel tossed the staff at him, set her glaive down, and picked up her spare staff.
"Ready?" she asked. He nodded and advanced. Neal swung and Kel blocked. He came at her again and she hooked her staff under his and swung it away from him disarming him.
"Wow." Neal stared at her as she picked it back it tossing it to him. "Not bad."
"Ready to give it another go?" she asked getting into stance. He nodded his cheeks pink. Without warning Kel advanced. She was quick and swift.
Strike, block, strike, block. As she attacked Neal tripped over a root and toppled over.
"Nealan!" the Lioness' voice barked. "Careful or you'll kill yourself without her help." Neal turned a startling shade of red and coughed getting up. Kel looked at him, biting her tongue to keep from smiling. "Go at him again." the lioness said swinging herself up onto a fallen tree. Kel looked to Neal whom was glaring at the lioness. "Come on Queenscove." Alanna yelled.
He turned to Kel. "Come on." he sighed getting into a defensive position. Kel went after him again.
Strike, Block, Strike, Block.
Kel faked to the left and then hit Neal on the right with a distinct, Crack! Neal yelped. "Oh!" Kel said. "I-I'm sorry."
Alanna was at his side. "Did they teach you nothing." she asked Neal with a grin. "
Neal glared at her between flinches. "You provoked her. If you hadn't shown up I would have been just fine. You're a jinx."
Kel grinned sheepishly. "Are you ok?" she asked standing at his otherside.
"Oh he's fine just a cracked collarbone. I can fix this." Alanna answered with a shrug.
Neal glared at Alanna. "I could have a mortal wound and you'd still say 'Oh he's fine'"
"I would not!" Alanna snapped tartly. She led him back toward the camp.
That night they sat outside around a fire eating. Kel sat next to Neal. "I'm sorry about your collarbone." Keladry said quietly. Neal looked at her nodded indignantly without a word.
"Ignore him he's a dramatic." Alanna said taking a seat to Kel's other side.
"I resent that!" Neal exclaimed. "I am not a dramatic."
"Yes you are." Alanna laughed and started to eat. Ignoring an angry glare from Neal.
"Ready to give it another go?" Kel asked grinning her hazel eyes meeting Neal's green ones.
"You're kidding." Neal exclaimed eye wide. He narrowed them quickly. "Do you enjoy my pain Lady Keladry?"
"Kel." she replied. dryly. "I'm no lady, Sir Nealan". Neal snorted.
"Excuse me a moment." Alanna said pushing herself up and dusting her clothes off.
"Gladly." Neal grunted receiving a swift smack on the head. They sat in silence examining each other.
"What's the palace like?" Kel found herself asking. "My father said it was a miserable rat warren."
Neal shrugged. "It's big."
"You'll find out soon enough." Alanna said walking up. "And Queenscove can't you answer better then 'It's big'?" Neal shrugged receiving yet another smack on the head. "Ow!"
Kel smiled slightly then looked to Alanna. "I'm going to find out?"
"Ah, yes you will be staying there a while." Alanna answered. "Just as a guest. Kalerik said you could finish your training there if you'd like to."
Kel nodded thoughtfully biting her lip. She smiled slightly to Alanna and Neal. "I think I'll be off to bed. See you the morning Sir Nealan. Alanna." she nodded to each in turn.
"Goodnight Lady Keladry." Neal retorted.
Kel changed into her pajamas and climbed into the tent she shared with her best friend Tyana.
"So who's the guy?" Tya asked excitedly as Kel entered the tent. She sat up grinning.
"Who?" Kel asked sliding into her bed roll.
"The guy you were talking to at dinner." Tya went on. "That hansom man with the green eyes."
"Oh him, that's Neal." Kel responded yawning, she wanted to get to sleep. Yes Tya was a great training partner but she could talk for ages.
"Neal?" Tya asked. "Who is he though? Come on Kel."
Kel sighed. "He's Nealan of Queenscove the squire to Alanna. You could have come over to talk to him you know."
"He's only a squire?" Tya asked raising an eyebrow. "He looked older."
Kel growled. "I told you what I know. I'm going to sleep now." with that said she rolled over and closed her eyes.
The next morning Kel was up before anyone else. The sun was just beginning to rise. She snuck off to the field she had practiced in yesterday and began her pattern dances.
Neal awoke early. As he wandered out to feed his horse before they left he saw Kel. He stood there and watched her gracefully practicing with her glaive. 'Wow a person would be more caught up in how she moved they wouldn't even have noticed she'd cut them into pieces.' he thought. He watched her a few more minutes until he noticed her slow, then he walked quickly to the makeshift stable.
Kel paused she thought someone was watching her. She turned around and no one was there. She shook off the feeling and went to get cleaned up. As she returned to camp only a select few had risen. They were checking to make sure they had packed their things and their horses were all well. Neal was among them. He was sitting by the charred remains of the night fire. "Sir Neal what are you doing?" she asked.
"When's breakfast?" Neal asked eagerly looking up at her.
"Are you waiting to be served?" Kel asked raising an eyebrow. She set the end of her glaive on the ground and leaned on it.
Neal looked at her turning pink and rather flustered. "Well I-"
"I'll make it now." Kel said grinning. "Now grab the bundle of wood over there." she pointed.
"Ok." Neal responded standing up stretching out his tall form. "That I think I can do."
Kel watched him stand up studying his form. 'What are you doing' her mind snapped. "I'm being like Tya," she muttered.
"What was that about me?" a light voice said behind her.
"Hello Tya." Kel said grinning. She turned around to face her friend. "Sleep well?"
"That Neal is very cute." Tya smiled mischievously. "Think he'll go for me?"
"I don't know." Kel said. "More than likely every other guy does."
"Well when you say it like that you make me sound like a harlot." Tya complained. You wouldn't be able to tell by seeing her or talking to her but Tya was a good fighter. She was tall and slender. She had tan skin with bright blue eyes and long black hair. She was pretty.
The sound of sticks hitting the ground followed. "There I got the bund-"Neal began but froze when he saw Tya.
"Sir Neal this is Tyana, Tya this is Neal." Kel said briefly and began to arrange the wood for the fire.
"Lady Tyana." Neal bowed staring at her.
"Oh don't bow Neal," she giggled. "Call me Tya."
"Ok Tya." Neal smiled. Kel muttered to herself as the fire began to blaze.
"Care to go for a walk." Tya asked with a sweet smile.
"I was helping Kel." Neal looked at her questioningly.
"Are you asking me?" Kel asked. "Go ahead I didn't have help before I don't need it now." Neal turned back to Tya and nodded holding out his arm. Tya giggled and looped her arm through his.
About an hour later the Lioness walked out. Others had gathered around and were eating as they packed or chatted quickly. "Oh food." Alanna said happily. She scanned the group until she found Kel. "Ah Kel have you seen my squire?"
"He went for a walk with Tyana a friend of mine." Kel said between bites. She stretched her arms.
"Neal miss food?" Alanna said in player astonishment. She got some food for herself.
Kel grinned "Well they went about an hour back. Maybe their lost." she supplied.
"He better get back in time or I'm leaving him." Alanna answered flatly.
"You wouldn't leave me." Neal's voice said behind them. Tya took a seat next to Kel helping herself to food.
"Yes I would." The Lioness answered. "Life would be easier without your tongue."
"No you wouldn't you'd have too many problems from me father." Neal said smugly. "And you're one to talk."
"Your my Squire. Here eat." Alanna said thrusting a plate at him. Neal glared at her but happily sat down with the plate.
"Have a nice walk?" Kel asked cleaning off her glaive.
"Yes." Tya said laughing. "Sir Neal is very..uh."
"Dramatic." Alanna supplied taking a bite of some dried meat.
"Well sort of." Tya said meekly grinning at Neal.
"I am not!" Neal exclaimed throwing his arms up. "Are you all gaining up on me?"
"Of course." Alanna said in a shouldn't-that-be-obvious tone.