Ooooh you all should be incredibly proud of me! I have managed 2 updates in 2 days! Granted, they are in different stories, but hey, I need some variety in my life! So be happy and review! And to those that did make my life wonderful by reviewing:

Chisakami Saiyuki: Here's your update! And I'm really glad that you like it!

Dreamerdoll: I updated soon! I hope that this reaches your expectations.

Orliluver1137: Thank you!

Lady Knight 1512: You are amazing, how loyal you are to reviewing my stories! I really hope you like this and thanks so so much for your support!

Seelie: Um, thanks! (at least, I think that that was a compliment)

Arcadia: thanks so much! I posted! Now may I eat? I'm feeling a bit faint.

Virgo: I'm glad you feel that way! I do try to be original.

FanFictionFantom: You rock for reviewing all my chappies and I love you for it! Go KN!

Lady-of-tormentdeath: They will hook up. Eventually. And I'm glad.

Flower Kid: I'm glad you love books! They really are amazing. Without them, life would be so dull…

HyperLittleCatIsBloodyLazy: I heart Neal too!

Scottish Wish: …. What is derby week? And thank you.

On to the disclaimer: Not. Mine.

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"May I present my son Neal?"

At this comment Brown Hair rose and bowed, finally facing Kel. The first things that she noticed were his bright green eyes.

"You!"

Kel blinked at this Nealan's sudden outburst. She understood his shock, of course, she was in the midst of shoving her gaping mouth closed, but had he never learned to hide his emotions. Well, apparently not, as he continued rambling on.

"I mean, I guess that that makes sense, from what I saw of you out at the practice courts. And the historian Delsus used to write that female fighters had a certain…"

Kel narrowed her eyes at him. He was talking about the stupid books again. And these were the types of men that they wanted as knights? She was thoroughly relieved when the Duke reached up and smacked the top of Nealan's head.

"Neal. You can stop talking to yourself now and introduce yourself to the nice girl in front of you."

Nealan visibly shook himself and turned to Kel, who smiled slightly at his obvious embarrassment. He bowed deeply, waving his hands around dramatically. "My dear, please forgive my indiscretion. I am Squire Neal of Queenscove. But," here he trailed off miserably, "I'm sure that you already knew that. Alanna must have told you and all, so…"

Kel put him out of his misery by cutting off his introduction with a mocking curtsy. "The honor is all mine Nealan."

Neal grimaced. "Please, gentle lady, it is Neal. Not Nealan."

"Of course. And I am Kel."

"Oh beauteous maiden, I could never address you so informally." Here his flailing hands almost knocked over a wine glass. This boy certainly has a flair for the dramatic, thought Kel.

"Then I will be forced to call you Nealan oh strong squire."

She turned on her heel and proceeded to her seat, her skirts flouncing after her. She could feel her dislike for the boy choking her. What does he think he is doing? He deserves to be placed as a host somewhere to charm all the brainless girls that don't see through his phoniness. Kel almost rolled her eyes as she observed Neal tripping over the carpet on his way to the table.

Kel sat quietly through the rest of the meal, avoiding Neal's attempts at conversation. She smiled politely and replied concisely to the questions that demanded an answer, and then fell back into silence. The rest of meal passed, and she returned to her room, wishing that this overly enthusiastic scholar had never entered her life.

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The next time that Kel and Neal saw each other, the conditions were certainly less desirable. They were sitting in a room with Hakuin placed between them, listening to the ranting of a livid King's Champion. Alanna paced back and forth, her violet eyes snapping furiously.

"You two! I still cannot believe that you would behave so immaturely and stupidly. Picking a fight in front of all of Pirate's Swoop? What is your problem? Do you realize how stupid you look?" She gestured angrily at Neal's black eye and Kel's split lip. "Do you think that I don't have enough problems already without you two adding your sum? I'm being summoned north so that I can help out in the Scanran War. Of course this means I'll have to bring you two lummoxes, and I can't have you fighting. We'll have enough trouble fighting our enemies. I don't need you killing our friends as well."

Alanna vented more, as the two teenagers gaped at her. Their summons were news to them. And both had learned not to argue with the lady knight. They waited until she cooled down.

Finally Alanna sighed and glanced down at them. "I guess you'll learn the hard way. Go, get packed, we leave at dawn tomorrow." She left the room abruptly. Kel and Neal stared at each other for a second, wide-eyed. Finally Neal stuck his hand out.

"Look, I don't know why you hate me so much. I'm sorry for whatever I did. But this can't continue. I need Alanna to much to be kicked out." He looked at her expectantly.

Kel looked down at his hand then at his green eyes. Turning, she stalked away down the hall, leaving Neal alone with his out stretched arm. She was even angrier. HE needs Alanna? Does he know what her help means to me? He would get another chance, just because he is a boy, and therefore superior. But I would be left alone; to marry some stupid court sop and wear dresses for the rest of my life? And he's worried about himself? Stupid selfish prig.

Sometimes it's funny how things make sense in your head.

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Fingers of light were just beginning to creep over the sky when a group of horses assembled in the courtyard of Pirate's Swoop. On closer inspection on could observe one orange horse, one gold, one brown, and one gray. The man perched on the gray horse bore a pennant that displayed a lioness rearing. She was heading into battle.

The company rode long and hard for days. Although there was no immediate need, Alanna wanted to get there quickly, and there was nothing holding her back. Both Neal and Kel took care to cause no further disturbances. Either they avoided each other, or they talked in clipped, polite tones. Neither wanted to incur Alanna's wrath.

So they continued peacefully for several days. Finally they had traveled far enough so that they were only one or two days away from the Scanran border. They picked their way through dense woods, taking comfort in the silent solitude. That is, until Kel felt a slight wind brushing her arm, and then noticed the arrow continuing past her. Turning quickly she glimpsed movement in the trees, and a green-clad man was joined by 3 others.

"Raiders!"

Kel halted Peachblossom and sprung off, grabbing her glaive. She sprinted toward the nearest bandit, seeing a flurry of movement behind her. More raiders.

She quickly whirled her glaive, neatly slicing the first man's throat. Her blade shone as it rose again to bock the second man's sword. She dimly noticed Neal fighting the man beside her. Alanna and Hakuin were engaging the three bandits behind her. The raider in front of her sneered, and brought his sword up over his head, chopping down at her. She got there first, her glaive sinking deeply into his stomach. He stared at her for a moment before slowly crumpling to the ground. She turned to meet her next foe and found only Neal, a dead man at his feet. She smiled lightly at his disgusted face.

"Well. Who knew that our dear old sophisticated Nealan would ever get his blade so dirty." He turned to her, emerald eyes, sparking, and then threw himself at her. Kel braced herself for the following punch, fully prepared to roll with it. After a minute passed, she opened her eyes and glanced at him, and then past him. And arrow had sprouted on the tree behind which she had been standing moments before. Her befuddled mind took a second to contemplate the rarity of growing arrows before noticing the direction of Neal's gaze.

Alanna stood surrounded by three corpses, while Hakuin quickly shot an arrow into a tree. Kel was again puzzled at the purpose of shooting the tree, and was mildly surprised to see a man fall from the tree. Men didn't usually grow on trees either. After a few moments of deeper thought, she came to the conclusion that the bandit must have shot at her, and then been shot down by Hakuin. Which would mean that Neal must have been trying to save me. Even though I've been nothing but mean to him ever since we met. Dazed, Kel looked up into Neal's beautiful emerald eyes.

"Thanks."

"No problem," Neal replied. Then he noticed that all of his limbs were still sprawled over hers, and scrambled up quickly. He extended a hand to her, trying to help her up. She put her palm in his and his fingers closed over hers, warm and comforting.

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A/N: Ahhh! I'm rubbish at writing battle scenes! But that's not the good part. It's just kinda necessary for this piece to have some semblance of a plot. Which is always a good thing. I don't really know if I rushed through that a little too quickly, but I want to get to all the nice fluffy stuff. Which is about to happen, if you can't tell from that ending. So please please please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! You know, ther are 24 people on my author's alert list, so I should get 24 or more reviews right? Well logically. Then again, when does the real world make sense?

Till I get those encouraging and helpful reviews!

PrincessPeach

Oh! P.S. or whatever. Check out the fantastic amazing fantabulous magnificent dreamerdoll's writing! I'm her new beta and she rocks my socks!