I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever, but my life is insane with work and volunteering. And when I'm not doing that, I'm up at my cottage on Lake Michigan, which has no internet service, making it difficult to update. But thank you all so so so much for your reviews, I really appreciate them! Here's your next chapter!

Replies!

Fic Slayer: I know that it has possibilities and that I'm just staying with the boring KN and whatever, but I'm a sap for that stuff!

Chisakami Saiyuki: Sorry this took a while. But yay for more right?

WolfdemonGrl: I love Dom too! He's just way too old for Kel! And I love Neal more!

Lady Knight 1512: Well thanks for 2 reviews! I love their relationship too! And I hate Dom as a love interest! I mean, then you have to hurt his feelings! And you can't do that to Dom! He's too sweet! You just can't! And thank you always for your support and compliments.

VinnieRoxyFrankie: Thank you! And I love your story too! If you didn't notice from all the complimentary reviews and adding to favorites list and all.

Lady-of-tormentdeath: Have I ever told you that your name kinda creeps me out? No? Well it's not that bad, just kinda… dark. And it's so against every review from you that I've received, cuz they're all really nice and make me go all fuzzy inside!

Guacamole13: Thank you! You deserve cookies for your happy reviews!

FanFictionFan: I hope I won't start going too fast!

Arcadia: Thank you, as always your reviews cheer me up and I love you for that!

Stormy Winter: Yay for healthy fruit! I'm glad that you think that Neal is in character, I do my best. I'm glad I use natural humor; I just didn't realize that I did. Yeah, that was a typo. Sorry! I really should proofread these more I just want to get them up quickly! And no, I'm not superwoman or even close. I just love to write, and I love to receive reviews. Thanks for the offer, and if I ever need anything, I will take you up on it.

Virgo: Oooh good idea! You are valuable!

Pussin Boots: We shall see!

Piglet12345: I didn't abandon the story! I had writers block, and then I was busy, and then… well then I wrote this. But thank you for your review! It really made me quick about updating this as soon as I got home and was reconnected with high speed internet. (dial-up and uploading do not go together). And English accents are cool! Compared to Americans like me who drawl and spin words together and whatever. Do you like American accents then? Where in England are you from? Do you think that this reply is long enough:)

Disclaimer: Is this really necessary? I. Am. Not. Tamora. Pierce. If this is a shock to any of you, then I suggest that you return to a little place that I like to call reality. It's really a nice place to live in.

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Kel rummaged in her breeches pockets, eventually coming up with an apple. Looking longingly at the ruddy fruit she sighed, and then handed the succulent morsel over to her horse. Peachblossom took little opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the apple, and devoured it in seconds, leaving only great gobs of spit. Kel smiled affectionately at her horse before picking up a brush and brushing out the snarls in his hair. She was in her own little world when she interrupted by a familiar voice.

"So this is where you've been hiding out," drawled an ever-dramatic Neal.

Kel blinked at him. "Hiding?"

Neal snorted. "Don't deny it. I know a rebuff when I see it. Here I am, your friend, feverishly reading away for your sake only, and I finally uncover some interesting information and you're hiding from me."

Kel widened her eyes. "Oh no! How could I be so irresponsible! Of course, looking after my horse could never be as important as some facts that have been hiding away in a book for years, and will remain hidden there for years to come."

"Are you mocking me?" Neal gasped in mock outrage. "This is very important! You see, the philosopher Gadrien, who lived about seven hundred years ago, when female knights still lived had some intriguing remarks on the subject of feminine fighting styles and clothing…"

Kel rolled her eyes as Neal rambled unintelligibly and sword work and fashion styles. Oh no, here he goes again. I have to find a way to stop him! She looked at Peachblossom, who was gazing menacingly at Neal. She walked up close to the horse as Neal continued lecturing. Softly, Kel whispered in Peachblossom's ear. "Please bite him."

Neal paused, aware that his audience was less than completely absorbed, and faced the advancing Peachblossom. He lurched backwards just as Peachblossom's neck whipped out, and tumbled into the bench behind him. The bench in turn, fell over, turning Neal onto his backside. The legs of the bench sprung upwards, and one of them caught Kel in the right knee and twisted her leg around. (A/N: For all of you picky readers, the bench was relatively long and reached over to where Peachblossom had just stood) Kel gasped at the impact and fell to the floor, clutching her ankle.

Neal was unhurt and sprung up right away. He looked confusedly at the spot where Kel had previously stood, then noticed her position on the ground.

"Kel! Are you ok?" Neal knelt down next to her, noting her pale face.

She tried to smile, coming up with more of a grimace. "I'm fine. I think- I think I sprained my ankle. But I'm okay," She held up a hand, silently requesting assistance getting up.

Neal raised an eyebrow doubtingly, but knew better than to ague with her. He extended a hand and grasped hers firmly, pulling her into a standing position. He let go allowing her to stand on her own. Kel rested her weight on her left leg, then tried to take a step. As she transferred the weight she felt a sharp pain and collapsed once again.

"Maybe the sprain is worse than I thought."

"Maybe," Neal allowed, smiling wryly. He pulled her up again, and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Here, lean on me. We've got to get you to the healers."

Kel shook her head. "No, I don't need a healer."

Neal glanced at her incredulously. "Kel, you can hardly walk. You need to be healed."

"No. Help me back to my rooms." As he opened his mouth to refuse, she added, "Please Neal."

Neal shook his head at her folly, but assisted her back to her rooms. On their way they passed Dom, who looked concerned and offered to help, but Kel turned him down, saying, "I already look distressed enough. Any more help and I might as well grow my hair out and retire to an incredibly high tower." She was referring to a popular children's story. Dom smiled and shook his head, allowing the pair to pass. Neither noticed him gazing at them as they continued to Kel's rooms.

After Kel was laid out on the bed, Neal stood. "Kel, it's dinner and I'm starving. I'm going to go get food." He pushed her down as she started to get up. "You stay here. I'll bring you something to eat. Maybe some bloody vegetables or something. But when I get back, you are going to explain to me exactly why you can't get healed."

Kel nodded and slipped back onto her bed, and Neal strolled out, gently closing the door behind him.

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When Neal returned he had gained two trays of food and lost a fair bit of his anger. The remaining fury had simmered into an emotion more recognizable as irritation. Both time and human support had calmed him down. The most soothing fact being Lady Alanna's reassurance that she would stop by Kel's rooms later that night. Lord Raoul's sympathetic glance had also calmed Neal. Dom's thoughtful gaze, however, had only managed to make Neal nervous. He wondered what was going on behind those impenetrable cerulean eyes.

Neal shook himself back to reality and placed one tray in front of Kel, then inquired, "So why exactly can't you be healed? Is it some religious vow? Or do you fight it? Or does magic hurt you somehow?" He paused for her to answer, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

Kel sighed. "No, it's not any of those reasons."

"What other reason is there?" asked Neal, looking strangely at Kel. One of his eyebrows was cocked in confusion.

"Well," started Kel. "You know that I spent most of my childhood in the Yamani Isles." Neal nodded. "In the Yamani Isles, fighters are encouraged to not accept healings."

Neal widened his eyes, bringing his other eyebrow up as well. "…Why?"

"To need a healing shows weakness. If you are in battle and you get wounded, you will have to continue fighting through the pain. So, you train for that stamina by not ever accepting a healing. It shows your strength."

Neal's eyes popped and his mouth dropped open. "You're not letting me heal you because someday you MIGHT have to fight wounded? It's not enough that you're in pain during that battle; you have to suffer through all other pain. Do you really think that you can train your body to not feel pain?"

"Yes," said Kel, sticking out her upper lip stubbornly.

Neal shook his head, murmuring under his breath. Kel caught the words "Yamanis," "crazy," and "stupid" floating through his grumblings. He had just opened his mouth to further berate her when Alanna came bustling in.

"Hello Kel. Neal told me that you hurt your ankle."

Kel glared at Neal. Why does he have to have such a big mouth? Finally she sighed. "Yes, I did."

Alanna smiled sympathetically. "But it is feeling better now right? Neal did heal it for you?"

Neal shook his head angrily as Kel tentatively said, "No."

Alanna frowned. "Why not?"

Before Kel could answer, Neal burst in. "She thinks that it shows strength to suffer through pain."

Alanna's frown deepened, and she looked questionably at Kel. "Really?"

Kel nodded. "Lady Alanna, in the Yamani Isles, they don't encourage healings because it shows that pain is a weakness. You need to be strong and deal with the pain, just like you would have to in battle."

Neal was about to break in with another disparaging comment, but Alanna held up a hand. "Kel, I understand that completely. However, the Scanrans are rapidly approaching and should be here in a few days. As my standard bearer you are required to do all that you can to protect me. I trust that you are able to do just that. After four years with me, your fighting skills are very good, and you manage yourself with calm ease in the face of battle. But to be able to do your duty to me, you need to be in top fighting condition. You cannot be lame at the beginning. I hope that you will consider your duty to me and rethink your standards on this issue just this once."

Kel looked at Alanna for a long minute. The wheels in her head were spinning. I owe Lady Alanna everything. She has helped me live out my dream. And she needs me to do this. I owe her at least this much. Kel nodded her ascent and Alanna smiled.

"Good," the lady knight said. "I will leave Neal here to work on your ankle. I am going to a meeting, and then I hope to go to sleep early. Kel, Neal, have a great night. I will see you tomorrow morning." She left the room.

Neal smiled at Kel, and then took her ankle in his hands. She watched as emerald fire flowed into her flesh and felt a cooling sensation. She closed her eyes as Neal concentrated on mending the inflamed muscles and ligaments. Neal worked steadily and quickly, and finally restored everything back to normal. When he opened his eyes, Kel was asleep and breathing quietly. Neal gently arranged a blanket around her sleeping form and smoothed her hair away from her forehead. Then he left, closing the door softly. He didn't notice the figure lurking in the shadows outside of the door, watching him. Dom waited until Neal was gone, and then retired to his room to think over the events that he had just witnessed. (A/N: I kind of think that this makes Dom sound evil, but he's not, I swear! He's just mischievous.)

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A/N: I have a plot! It's not actually apparent yet, but it will be shown in the next chapter! Which should be put up pretty soon as I know what I'm going to write! This is the first time that I've thought about a fanfic before I actually sit down to my computer to write it! It's funny, because I know all of these people talk about having a basic outline and thinking of a plot before they write the story. I just let the story go where it wants to go, and depending on my mood the plot shifts. I don't know, maybe that means I'm a bad author. Anyways, about this plot business, I'd appreciate a little advice. See the easiest thing would be to have an unidentified (as in you don't get to know yet) person get taken hostage. This is similar to my other story. However, hostage stories are much easier to write than war stories because I don't have to write battle scenes. But is that too repetitive? Otherwise I can make it more of a battle/war plot. But I do have some great ideas for the hostage! I only have good ideas for battle/war! So, I'd really appreciate any opinions and whatever! So yeah this author's note is getting long. But before I wrap up, I want to hear a cheer for my really long chapter! The fact that I'm stranded at a cottage on Lake Michigan surrounded by either water or corn fields (both of which are completely devoid of human contact and lack entertainment value) and have nothing else to do is beside the point. So yay!

Love always and always, and send me your opinion! Please!

PrincessPeach