Story: Trick of Fate
By: Minuiko
Summary: During the ten day celebration in Corus, Yuki decides to break with Neal, and Dom with Kel (Pretend that they were together, alright?). So Neal and Kel decide to pretend they're in love to win back their original partners. But what if they accidentally fall for each other? K/N
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Four: Talkative
"Actually, I did, once. And what was that scene about, my former squire?"
Neal turned at the dry voice. He pasted a grin on his face. "Scene? What scene?"
Alanna the Lioness rolled her eyes. "You know. What happened at breakfast."
Kel cocked her head to the right. "What about what happened?"
Alanna sighed, her violet eyes casual. "Do you love each other?"
They didn't know how to answer: having a fake relationship because their former partners left them was not only a bad answer to the question, it was stupid. Kel admitted, "No, not really. I love him as a brother, as a best friend, but not much more."
Alanna's eyes danced. "This is like déjà vu."
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Alanna explained, "Well, in the past, when I was still actually in love with Jon," she coughed as Kel looked horrified and Neal looked unnaturally interested, "we had a fight. Because I told him I needed time to think about marrying him."
Kel decided not to interrupt, but she was thinking, 'What would life be like if the Lioness was queen?' Neal seemed to have the same thought, because he was shuddering involuntarily. But Kel understood why she would say no; marriage would interfere with her dream of being a knight.
The Lioness told them, "Jon left me when I got mad at him for assuming I was all ready to go. When he returned to court, he met Princess Josianne of the Copper Isles. Of course, she was somewhat insane, but she was beautiful. So Jon courted her, telling me that he didn't need me in his life."
She took a breath. Kel said slowly, "So you think that I'm like King Jonathan and Neal's like Josianne? As in we don't care for each other, I'm just trying to spite Dom? Well—I agree with the insane part."
Neal elbowed her. He said disgustedly, "Why is it that everyone picks on me?"
Alanna grinned, retorting, "You have the most annoying traits for us to pick on. Yes, Kel, that's what I'm saying. Is Nealan your rebound?"
Neal coughed. "NEAL. NEVER call me Nealan."
"Is Neal my—wha?"
Alanna replied, "Your rebound. It's someone you go to for comfort if you're hurt emotionally. I went to George—you know."
Kel said nervously, "I guess we're each other's rebounds. But it's not completely déjà vu, right? It's not like I'm gonna marry him."
The Lioness shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not."
Neal cut in, "It's not exactly rebounding. We're just trying to win them back, you know—the old jealousy-confrontation thing?"
Alanna said off-handedly, "I don't think it's going to work, especially if they have a sense of pride."
"Why not?" Neal demanded.
"Listen. Like your Yukimi for instance. If she likes the other guy, but also likes you, she'd stay with him, not you, because she already broke with you, and she doesn't want to suffer again."
Neal answered dejectedly, "So it's hopeless?"
Alanna said quickly, "No, not completely, but there's a very small chance of her apologizing. You may think you hurt, but she's hurting too."
Kel worked it out, "So . . . Yuki's probably very confused right now. She liked you, she was going to marry you, but then she didn't see you for a while, and now she likes this Kanoushi guy, and doesn't know who she likes better."
Neal sighed. "Enough about me and Yuki. What about you and Dom?"
Kel said to Alanna, "About what you said about spiting Dom—that's not entirely true. I don't know what to think about Dom. We've been together, as friends, for so long. We're practically related. Then he acts like I'm the only one he cares about, and he's always teasing me, and then suddenly—he's off with this-this RITA girl, saying I don't matter anymore."
Alanna scoffed, "Men. They're all bastards."
Neal glared. "Oh, go ahead, talk as if I'm not here."
Alanna grinned. "You need a backbone to be called a man, Neal."
"Gee, thanks."
"No problem."
"That was sarcastic, lady."
"I know. I was being sarcastic, too."
Kel sighed, rubbing her temples. It was almost like SHE was the adult and they were two kids, always bickering about something. It was ironic; Alanna was nearly twenty years older than she was and still acted like she was twenty or so, while Kel was the opposite. She told them off- handedly, "Whenever Dom's around, I have this strange mix of feelings. I-I want him to feel like I do, miserable, but I also don't want to do that to him. He's still my friend, and I still have feelings for him. I hate and love him. It's . . . strange."
Neal smirked. "My, aren't we talkative today?"
Kel retorted, "And you're talkative only every other second."
Alanna looked at her. "You mentioned love. And you said you weren't just spiting him. So, do you really love this Dom? I thought it was just—well, you know, a crush?"
Kel stared: it was almost as though the Lioness wanted her to say she liked Neal! Almost. She repeated, "I said, I don't know."
Alanna sighed, then grinned. "I'll leave you to work out your feelings for your partners, though I don't think your plan will work. As for me, I need to get to the dressmakers today; Buri'll kill me for not attending her wedding."
Kel froze in shock, then wailed, "Lord Raoul's wedding! It's today! How could I forget?"
Alanna added as she left, her eyes crinkled with amusement, "There'll be a ball, too."
"A BALL?! NOOO!!"
When Alanna was out of sight, she darted to a nearby rosebush. There was a man hiding there. She smiled. "You heard everything?"
Duke Baird nodded. "I still haven't changed my mind about them, though. It's a highly unlikely match."
Alanna shrugged. "She says she still loves Masbolle, but things won't ever be the same between them again. Your son's a better choice, in spite of the big mouth and all. At least he's loyal. She just doesn't realize it yet."
Duke Baird replied, "You're crazy, betting twenty gold nobles on them."
The Lioness gave a smug look. "I have my sources, and I know they'll end up with each other. Be prepared to forfeit twenty gold nobles."
"You wish."
"It's obvious they're still in the denial stage, and they're comfortable with each other, too."
Duke Baird shrugged. "Think what you want, my lady."
"I'll win the bet, you'll see."
"Hn."
Oh, so Alanna DOES want Neal to be with Kel?! TWENTY GOLD NOBLES?! She must've read this story to know. JK, I'm the authoress, I made her smart .
Not a cliffie this time, is it? Oh, sorry if it's not Neal's POV, Kel's more fun.
Next one will star Dom and Yuki's POVs, if I don't forget. Review!
By: Minuiko
Summary: During the ten day celebration in Corus, Yuki decides to break with Neal, and Dom with Kel (Pretend that they were together, alright?). So Neal and Kel decide to pretend they're in love to win back their original partners. But what if they accidentally fall for each other? K/N
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Four: Talkative
"Actually, I did, once. And what was that scene about, my former squire?"
Neal turned at the dry voice. He pasted a grin on his face. "Scene? What scene?"
Alanna the Lioness rolled her eyes. "You know. What happened at breakfast."
Kel cocked her head to the right. "What about what happened?"
Alanna sighed, her violet eyes casual. "Do you love each other?"
They didn't know how to answer: having a fake relationship because their former partners left them was not only a bad answer to the question, it was stupid. Kel admitted, "No, not really. I love him as a brother, as a best friend, but not much more."
Alanna's eyes danced. "This is like déjà vu."
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Alanna explained, "Well, in the past, when I was still actually in love with Jon," she coughed as Kel looked horrified and Neal looked unnaturally interested, "we had a fight. Because I told him I needed time to think about marrying him."
Kel decided not to interrupt, but she was thinking, 'What would life be like if the Lioness was queen?' Neal seemed to have the same thought, because he was shuddering involuntarily. But Kel understood why she would say no; marriage would interfere with her dream of being a knight.
The Lioness told them, "Jon left me when I got mad at him for assuming I was all ready to go. When he returned to court, he met Princess Josianne of the Copper Isles. Of course, she was somewhat insane, but she was beautiful. So Jon courted her, telling me that he didn't need me in his life."
She took a breath. Kel said slowly, "So you think that I'm like King Jonathan and Neal's like Josianne? As in we don't care for each other, I'm just trying to spite Dom? Well—I agree with the insane part."
Neal elbowed her. He said disgustedly, "Why is it that everyone picks on me?"
Alanna grinned, retorting, "You have the most annoying traits for us to pick on. Yes, Kel, that's what I'm saying. Is Nealan your rebound?"
Neal coughed. "NEAL. NEVER call me Nealan."
"Is Neal my—wha?"
Alanna replied, "Your rebound. It's someone you go to for comfort if you're hurt emotionally. I went to George—you know."
Kel said nervously, "I guess we're each other's rebounds. But it's not completely déjà vu, right? It's not like I'm gonna marry him."
The Lioness shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not."
Neal cut in, "It's not exactly rebounding. We're just trying to win them back, you know—the old jealousy-confrontation thing?"
Alanna said off-handedly, "I don't think it's going to work, especially if they have a sense of pride."
"Why not?" Neal demanded.
"Listen. Like your Yukimi for instance. If she likes the other guy, but also likes you, she'd stay with him, not you, because she already broke with you, and she doesn't want to suffer again."
Neal answered dejectedly, "So it's hopeless?"
Alanna said quickly, "No, not completely, but there's a very small chance of her apologizing. You may think you hurt, but she's hurting too."
Kel worked it out, "So . . . Yuki's probably very confused right now. She liked you, she was going to marry you, but then she didn't see you for a while, and now she likes this Kanoushi guy, and doesn't know who she likes better."
Neal sighed. "Enough about me and Yuki. What about you and Dom?"
Kel said to Alanna, "About what you said about spiting Dom—that's not entirely true. I don't know what to think about Dom. We've been together, as friends, for so long. We're practically related. Then he acts like I'm the only one he cares about, and he's always teasing me, and then suddenly—he's off with this-this RITA girl, saying I don't matter anymore."
Alanna scoffed, "Men. They're all bastards."
Neal glared. "Oh, go ahead, talk as if I'm not here."
Alanna grinned. "You need a backbone to be called a man, Neal."
"Gee, thanks."
"No problem."
"That was sarcastic, lady."
"I know. I was being sarcastic, too."
Kel sighed, rubbing her temples. It was almost like SHE was the adult and they were two kids, always bickering about something. It was ironic; Alanna was nearly twenty years older than she was and still acted like she was twenty or so, while Kel was the opposite. She told them off- handedly, "Whenever Dom's around, I have this strange mix of feelings. I-I want him to feel like I do, miserable, but I also don't want to do that to him. He's still my friend, and I still have feelings for him. I hate and love him. It's . . . strange."
Neal smirked. "My, aren't we talkative today?"
Kel retorted, "And you're talkative only every other second."
Alanna looked at her. "You mentioned love. And you said you weren't just spiting him. So, do you really love this Dom? I thought it was just—well, you know, a crush?"
Kel stared: it was almost as though the Lioness wanted her to say she liked Neal! Almost. She repeated, "I said, I don't know."
Alanna sighed, then grinned. "I'll leave you to work out your feelings for your partners, though I don't think your plan will work. As for me, I need to get to the dressmakers today; Buri'll kill me for not attending her wedding."
Kel froze in shock, then wailed, "Lord Raoul's wedding! It's today! How could I forget?"
Alanna added as she left, her eyes crinkled with amusement, "There'll be a ball, too."
"A BALL?! NOOO!!"
When Alanna was out of sight, she darted to a nearby rosebush. There was a man hiding there. She smiled. "You heard everything?"
Duke Baird nodded. "I still haven't changed my mind about them, though. It's a highly unlikely match."
Alanna shrugged. "She says she still loves Masbolle, but things won't ever be the same between them again. Your son's a better choice, in spite of the big mouth and all. At least he's loyal. She just doesn't realize it yet."
Duke Baird replied, "You're crazy, betting twenty gold nobles on them."
The Lioness gave a smug look. "I have my sources, and I know they'll end up with each other. Be prepared to forfeit twenty gold nobles."
"You wish."
"It's obvious they're still in the denial stage, and they're comfortable with each other, too."
Duke Baird shrugged. "Think what you want, my lady."
"I'll win the bet, you'll see."
"Hn."
Oh, so Alanna DOES want Neal to be with Kel?! TWENTY GOLD NOBLES?! She must've read this story to know. JK, I'm the authoress, I made her smart .
Not a cliffie this time, is it? Oh, sorry if it's not Neal's POV, Kel's more fun.
Next one will star Dom and Yuki's POVs, if I don't forget. Review!