LadyKnightOfHollyrose asked for badges so my friend Jess, (Queenoftheostlers) is currently designing them, if you would like one, say so in your review and we will email them to you and you can print them off! Lol! Unfortunately we only came 4th in the quiz, but oh well… so she is sleeping round and the next two chapters are written by both of us.
Anyway there was a bit of a mix up with this chapter because CitrusFruit was gonna write it but she didn't get time to finish it, so she sent it to me, but I can't currently find it, its disappeared into the depths of my computer…hmm…(scratches head) where could it be..? So I had to start afresh…)
imakeladrygirl: don't worry there is plenty of fluff to come…23rd chapter in particular….lol! Thanks!
Lady Leah Of Chaos: Thanks! I love randomness!
ionalama: Ok, I'll try! Thanks for the nice review.
Sarra21: Whoa! Longest review prize to you! Lol! You're review made me laugh! Thanks :D
x17SkmBdrchiczxx: Thanks, don't worry I don't mind spelling mistakes, lol! Everyone makes them…
Penny : Well…I would get typing if you got off my computer! ( Penny is my lil sis, evil child!)
wildace keladry2005: Thanks! ( times 9 million.)
anonymous girl: Thanks, shorts rule. Hmm.. I'm not sure Kel would be to pleased if you nicked her man…lol!
Cry of the Wolf Child: Thanks, I'll try and check out your fic once I've finished this chapter :D
LadyKnightOfHollyrose: don't worry, badges are on their way, read as above! Lol!
It was four days till midsummer, and the new day promised to be a scorcher. Weather mages predicted it to be the hottest day in the Capital for fifteen years. By ten o'clock Kel had not a thought in the world but to seek a relief from the heat that was suffocating her. Even with her shorts it was too hot to venture far outside.
Kel stayed in her rooms, catching up on paperwork and wished there was a way in which she could go outside and remain cool.
To her great surprise her wish was answered by none other than Alanna, who appeared in her door frame.
'Do you want to come for a picnic?' She asked happily. 'It's a gorgeous day, perfect for a picnic.'
'Are you crazy? It's boiling out there, we'd be frazzled.'
'Nonsense,' cried Alanna. 'Have you no faith in our wonderful inventions?'
And Alanna dragged a protesting Kel away, stopping only to pick up her picnic basket in the doorway and then proceeded to the palace grounds, and the insufferable heat.
Within five minutes of being in the heat Kel felt sweat trickling down her back and her clothes stuck to her hot skin. Alanna, though used to the heat of the desert, faired little better.
Kel kept quiet, slightly worried by the older knight's sudden desire to have a picnic.
Settling down under the shade of a large tree, Alanna tried to cool down by fanning herself madly, but only succeeded in making herself hotter.
'This is pleasant.' Said Alanna with a false grin.
'Mm.' Said Kel in a non committal way.
Alanna opened up her picnic basket and drew out some large bread rolls stuffed with thick slices of ham and mature cheddar cheese (-a/n- MY FAVOURITE!) Kel goggled at them, having never seen such large sandwiches before.
Alanna handed Kel one of the massive sandwiches. Kel stared at it, unsure of how she should approach the task of eating the giant sandwich. She certainly couldn't fit it in her mouth, maybe if she just tried to nibble the corner… but it was no good, the sandwich was too big.
Somehow Alanna had managed to bite pieces off of her sandwich, maybe if Kel just tore it apart… but the bread was too hard and even attempting to break it hurt Kel's fingers.
'Do you like the sandwich?' Said Alanna, her mouth full. (Of sandwich.) 'I had a streak of creativity, they're homemade sandwiches.' She added proudly.
While Alanna looked the other way, Kel decided there was nothing else for it, she pulled her dagger out of her belt and proceeded to hack the sandwich in half. This achieved nothing except a blunted blade and only a small dent on the bread's crust.
Now thoroughly peeved off, (and hungry!) Kel turned away from Alanna, placed the colossal sandwich on a tree stump and unsheathed her sword. Swinging it up like an executioners blade, she brought it swinging down onto the poor, unsuspecting sandwich.
Finally the sandwich was beaten, it lay in two halves on the stump. Kel sheathed her sword sighing, she would have to clean it later to remove the grease and crumbs from it's blade.
Now the sandwich was more manageable and she was able to tear chunks away with her teeth. Half an hour later, with many sore teeth from chewing Kel had finally finished off the sandwich.
'Oh good, there's more in the bag if you…'
'No, I'm quite full,' interrupted Kel, 'Thank you.' She added on as an after thought.
Through the trees they heard splashing noises.
'What on Earth is that?' Said Kel, alarmed.
'Its only men in the duck pond.'
'The duck pond?'
Kel, having been the first Lady page, had never been to the duck pond as it was a place for men to bath. Alanna on the other hand had many unpleasant memories of the place.
Just then a squealing noise came from the direction of the duck pond.
'What in Mithros' name is that?'
The two lady knights jumped to their feet, alarmed by the high-pitched noise.
'It sounds like someone is being tortured.'
Kel followed Alanna through the trees.
When they came out into the open, Kel saw a large, green pond with about four men in it. She immediately felt envious of the fact that they were cool in the water and she was still baking hot.
Luckily the men were not completely naked, but merely wore loin cloths. The biggest was undoubtedly Raoul, he was the first to spot them.
'What are you doing here?' He asked.
'We heard someone squealing.' Replied Alanna looking all around for the torturer and his victim.
'Oh that was just Neal.'
Kel turned to two men, one of which was definitely Neal. Neal was trying to climb onto the shoulders of the other man, to escape the freezing water.
'Its cold!' He squealed.
The man onto whose shoulders he had been climbing, suddenly dived backwards, both disappeared in the green water with an almighty splash! Neal was the first to surface, spluttering and trying to find away out the pond. He splashed over to the nearest bank and tried to climb up it, the water which was now dripping off him, made the bank slippery and he merely slid back down. This did not perturb Neal who continued his desperate attempts to escape from the water.
The second man who had now surfaced, shook his floppy hair out of his eyes and roared with laughter at Neal, who was now trying to crawl up the bank on hands and knees.
Kel realised with a lurch that the second man was in fact Dom and he was now standing metres from her wearing, well not much. He seemed to spot her at the same time and he waved merrily at her.
Just then they were distracted by Neal sliding back down into the water. The only other inhabitant of the pond was swimming serenely up and down, with his head above the water in a neat breaststroke.
That was until Neal, who had been making another desperate escape, ran up the bank, slipped and toppled backward, landing on the poor man and submerging him completely.
As the man surfaced both Kel and Neal realised with horror that in had been Lord Wyldon. Neal tried to get away from his ex training master and swam over to Dom and Raoul, trying to hide behind Raoul. Seeing Lord Wyldon's advance he squealed and tried yet again to run up the bank, at the last moment he slipped and making a wild grab for Kel, he latched on to her wrist, the bank now being slippery with pond water sent both Kel and Neal tumbling with an almighty splash into the water.
Kel surfaced pushing wet hair out of her face. It was impossible to feel cross at Neal whose horrified face was now attempting to scramble up yet another bank. The pond was nice and cooling. Being sensible she found a piece of dry bank, and used tufts of grass to haul herself out of the pond.
The only trouble with this was that her already small clothing, now hugged her body, making it look like she was only wearing underwear.
Dom's P.O.V
Gods! She's so…so…so…sexy! That was the only way he could possibly attempt to describe Kel's attire.
Meanwhile Alanna was looking at Kel critically, her mind was whirring. With a few adjustments, shorts and tank tops made very good... swimming costumes! Her brain reeled, imagine, being able to swim in the duck pond, to be able to cool off when the sun was at its hottest. To be able to challenge Raoul to that long awaited swimming race!
'Raoul…you know when we were pages?'
'Yes.'
'And you challenged me to that swimming race.'
'Yes.' He replied, although he could already see where this was heading.
'Well, I'll hold you to that challenge, we meet at eleven tomorrow for our swimming race!'
And grabbing Kel's wet hand, she practically skipped off happily, on her way to ask Lalasa a special favour.
Dom and Raoul stared after the two remarkable women, Lord Wyldon had resumed his breaststroke and Neal was still scrabbling about on a muddy bank!
(-a/n- I hope you enjoyed! Please review ! Only 6 days till Christmas! Happy Advent.!)
Confusedknight xxx (and Queenoftheostlers!)