After giving Tobe the evening to recover, Kel crept into his room. He was asleep on the bed. Kel sat down next to him. His sandy blond hair crept into his eyes. Kel brushed it to the side. She sat there watching him. He seemed alright, no tear lines or red eyes. About ten minutes later, she snuck out of the room.

Kel walked into the mess hall for a late dinner. Faleron was sitting by himself. She grabbed her food and went to take a seat by him.

"How was your first day?"

"Um, it was different."

"Would you care to expand on that idea? Different?"

"Usually several old ladies don't yell, I would actually call it screeching, anyway, a bunch did because of this chicken. I didn't quite follow that conversation. After that I got the privilege of cleaning the latrines. I would have to say those were my favorite parts. Ah, but now I am talking to you so this would push those events to a pitiful number 2." He was grinning at her.

Kel swallowed her mouthful of stew and said, "If that was a compliment you really ought to work on that aspect of your life."

"Hey. If I would have gone with my original plan in like I would be a superb compliment giver."

"Really and what would that be? A player?" Kel made a face.

Faleron blushed a little, "Maybe . . . I know I'm too much of a bore to do that, but I did want to for the longest time. I thought it would be fun and exciting." She was a bit embarrassed that she made fun of his old dream.

"Come on, you aren't a bore. You're just too well-mannered, respectable, and kind to be a player." Kel tried to redeem herself. "How did you start dreaming of being a player in the first place?"

"When I was five years old, I went to a play. This was the first one I was allowed to go to. Uncle John, that's Merric's father, he took us to the play outside of their fief. We spent a month pretending to be players. He gave up on it, but I still wanted to. Later I realized that I would never be able to do that," he explained.

Kel sighed, "It's kind of like Tobe. Maybe I should bring some food up for him. Or maybe you could bring him some food. Then you might talk to him," Kel asked tentatively. "I wouldn't be able to tell him that it is going to blow over. I always knew what I wanted to be. He would trust you more because you had your experience wanting to be a player. Plus you are a man. I think it would mean more from you."

"But this was different-," he stopped midsentence when he saw the pleading in her eyes. He saw that this really mattered to her, and she needed his help. "Alright I'll do it."

Kel opened her mouth to say something when a young man came up to her, "Lady, there is an argument that the judges can't settle. You are needed immediately."

"Faleron, thank you so much."

He walked up to Tobe's room. All the way he was thinking on what he should say. It was difficult because he didn't know the kid. Had he known Tobe better, it would have been a lot easier. Knocking softly on the wooden door in front of him, Faleron shifted from foot to foot. The door opened a crack and a little head popped out.

"What do you want?" Tobe mumbled.

"I've got some food for you. Would you let me in?"

"Lady asked you to come here didn't she?"

"Yes. She did. Kel thought that it would be better if I talked to you."

Tobe assessed the knight by looking him over and then looking into his eyes. He opened the door wider, then stopped. "You can't stay if you are going to lecture me."

"Don't worry, I won't. I never like being lectured when I was younger. Gods, I still don't."

Tobe let him in. They talked for a long time. Not even mentioning music or minstrels for half of an hour, once they were both comfortable talking to each other. Needless to say, Tobe went out and played with his friends the next day.

Faleron stepped out of the headquarters building. It was his turn to sentry. As he walked he said hello to several people. After being at New Hope for a month, he wasn't such a stranger. The people got used to him and actually talked to him.

"Hey, Sir Faleron" There was a soldier walking up to him at his post.

"What can I help you with?"

"I've got a question for you," the soldier seemed bit mysterious, and mischievous. "Me and the boys were wondering if you were in love with Lady Kel."

Faleron sputtered a bit, "What! Where did that come from, and why would you think that?"

"I dunno. You spend a lot of time together. You do act differently around her. We just thought it would be really great if you did, but since it seems that isn't the case… Sorry for wasting your time sir."

Did he really act differently, in love, around Kel? He supposed it was true, they had known each other since they were pages. That gave them a special connection with each other. He also respected her more than he did others. He wanted her to think highly of him and to be happy. But did he love her? Of course, but only in a friendly way. Or was it more than that? "Gods curse that soldier. He got me all confused." Fal thought angrily. He stood there in his spot just thinking. The thoughts in his head were going crazy. "I want her to be happy. No, that's not right. I want her to be happy with ME." Fal was shocked at what he just thought. He did love her.

As if the gods were trying to prove something to him, a woman walked by. It wasn't just any woman, it was a the type that a month ago would have caused him to feel carnal. Now all he did was compare her to Kel. Maybe she was the most beautiful thing here, but she probably wasn't nice, or caring or anything even close to Kel.

Over the next few days, Fal grew used to the idea of being in love with Kel. He even started to enjoy it. He subtly started flirting with her. She didn't realize it of course. But it helped him.

Kel had too much work. They were very short on supplies at the fort. She had to take stock of everything, then decide how much would be needed over the summer. It was a very tedious job.

Kel sat at her desk doing the orders for this. The small candle flickered in the darkness, illuminating her papers. Exhausted, she leaned back, closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. It was silent except for the sounds of crickets and birds outsiede. Well aware of her growling stomach, she stood up and turned around. Kel let out a short scream, there was someone in her room.

"Geez Kel. What was that all about," Faleron grinned at her reaction.

"Faleron of King's Reach, that was a mean thing to do. How in Tortall did you get in here?" She stepped up to him and punched him lightly.

I was very quiet, milady knight," he let out a short chuckle. "You scream like a such a girl!"

"Well I should, because last time I checked I was a girl." She gave him a look of mock annoyance. As she watched hi, the amusement left his eyes and a different look came into them, his smile faded and changed into a slight smirk. Faleron looked her up and down once, quickly and said, "Oh, believe me, Kel, I have noticed." Just as fast as all of this happened, his face went back to the smiling amused look. "I came because you need to come to dinner."

Kel was still a bit baffled by this. "Was he just flirting with me?" she thought in wonder. Looking up Kel saw the object of her thoughts looking at her expectantly. "Dinner, yes, I was just getting up to go."

"I know," He smiled again.

Later that night Kel was lying in bed thinking about what had happened earlier in the evening. That look on his face was so strange and foreign. It made her uncomfortable, but deep inside she was happy that he did. Then Kel remembered his smile. He always had been handsome, even when they were pages. He was always very nice, one of the first to accept her. "Who ever his lady is, is a very lucky lady." Kel tried to get to sleep, but couldn't. Her thoughts kept traveling to the way he looked her up and down. She rolled out of bed and stood against the wall so she could see most of herself in the mirror. The moon light gave her enough light to see. Kel studied herself, wondering what he had been looking at. She had hardly any figure, wide shoulders, and a thick waist. Definitely no hourglass figure, but it wasn't like she was fat. Had she been short it would look as though she was fat, so being 5' 11" was helpful in that way. In Corus a good amount of the men were shorter than her, but up there in the north more were taller than shorter. Fal was one of her friends that had always been taller than her. Her eyes, nose and mouth were the only features that might be considered pretty. The thing was, they didn't look right with the rest of her. Still not sure of what Faleron had been appraising, Kel retired to her bed and stayed there for the rest of the night.

Hey: this was a hard chapter to write because I need something to go here and I need something that can run easily into the next. I have the rest planed out well enough. Thanks for reading.

Lady Knight 1512 – Are you Australian? I noticed that you spelled realized with an s instead of a z. I have a friend that is from Australia and she does that too. Just wondering. But thanks you're a dear. I feel like I converted your religion. I totally agree that any couple can be good if well-written.

Secret Agent Angel, Jeweled Rose, StarGazer89, beaver, FanFictionFantom, Lady 0f Masbolle, and Evilstrawberry thanks also. I didn't know so many people liked Faleron this much. It's never done so I didn't think people did.