Terzatrack: Wow you write amazing reviews :D so entertaining! Wow, that's such a good idea! How are you going get all the costumes? You can just imagine a trailer for this fic, lol! Shorts, Neal as a hedgehog, colossal sandwiches…
Anyway I hope you carry out your trailer idea, I wanna see!
Poor you, I hate exams…technically I should be revising for mine…but I agree fanfic is way better :D If you write a Tortall fic I will review, though I might have trouble living up to the length of your reviews! Aahh they are soo nice :D I'm now a happy author. I'll try and put some more Aly in for you as a reward.
He he he! I'm not to sure your mum would have been too happy…a pet cute boy that turns into a crow…well it would be …um…different…lol!
Yeah the whole Neal on a bank thing was part inspiration, part in memory of when we went to Welsh camp and there was like this muddy thing, and my boot got stuck and we were trying to get out of the lake but kept falling back in, and then the raft fell apart….
A badge is on its way, though you might have to scale it down a bit, cos my scanner did weird things when it scanned it… hmm… anyways… I'd better go otherwise chapter 20 will just be a reply to your review ! Lol!
Jo xx
Dom's Girl: Thanks!
anonymous girl: lol! I love swimming, racing is even better. He he he! Yes, Alanna does like to get carried away…poor Kel. Lol! I think Dom will enjoy it more than her… no one of consequence: hmm… I don't think I saw it on a shirt…hmm…Its just one of those random things I've picked up from somewhere..
Pink Squishy Llama: Thanks!
nativewildmage: Thanks! I was laughing while I wrote it, ( I was imagining the sandwich I had a few days ago but like times 10 and rock solid.) I think Alanna should stick to fencing and leave catering to the cooks…lol! (Your badge is on its way!)
Jules-Gemma: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
SarahE7191: Thanks! I'll send you a badge. What's Nancy Drew? I've never heard her? Are they good books?
Sarra21: Don't worry, HYPER IS GOOD! I get hyper so easily on chocolate, sweets, ice cream or fizzy drink :D I start to giggle and can't stop, then I start bouncing and skipping around…
x17SkmBdrchiczxx: Lol! It would, but I don't think chainsaws were invented…lol!
imakeladrygirl: he he he! Alanna in a swimsuit! (and I think Kel might get dragged into this too…Poor Kel!)
wildace keladry2005: thanks times 10 million. Badge is coming…listen….zoom… there it goes speeding across the net…whoosh! lol
LadyKnightOfHollyrose: Yeah, I think Kel was probably so shocked about being in the water and also the fact that, well we can't blame Neal, its not his fault he is lacking in certain qualities…brains! Lol! Don't we all love Nealykins?
balinnka: I'm going on the theory that he didn't want to draw attention to himself, and also I think Lord Wyldon is actually nice underneath….0)
queenoftheostlers: died? Why would I die? (looks around confusedly) Its Christmas in five days! Anyway if I died where would you be? No end to the story, no one to sit next to in English…No one to swim backstroke in the swimming team…lol! (I think I'm missing the point here…)
'Where are we going?' Asked the dripping Kel.
'Corus, to Lalasa's dress shop.'
'I can't go into Corus like this…'
'You will dry…'
'Alanna this is indecent!'
'Tough!'
And the strong-willed Lioness continued to drag the reluctant Lady Knight behind her. Although Kel received some very odd looks, to her relief no one arrested her for indecency and they arrived at Lalasa's shop.
Alanna rushed inside, flinging open the door and making the bell ring noisily.
Lalasa looked up from the counter, where she had been writing up her accounts.
'Another inspiration Alanna?' She asked smiling.
'This one is the best, most fantastic… Ok look at Kel.'
Lalasa stared at Kel.
'What do you notice about her?'
'Um…she's wet?' Suggested Lalasa confused.
'Yes, but look at how her clothes are clinging to her body, if the tank top was a little longer, you could join it to the shorts and create A SWIMMING COSTUME!'
Lalasa circled Kel, thinking hard. 'The material would have to be stretchy, so it could recoil and be worn tight. It can't be at all see through…hmmm.'
Rushing over to the cupboard, she pulled out the top half of a dress she had been working on.
'I've been trying to develop a tight material that can be used as undergarments, that won't be as bulky, that way the dresses can be more defined. So far we have come up with a material that might just work.'
And showing Alanna the inside of the dress, Alanna nodded happily, it would be perfect. As Lalasa already knew the ladies measurements, she agreed to have the swimming costumes dropped to their door's.
Just as they were leaving Alanna said. 'You go on ahead Kel, I'll catch you up.' Eager to be rid of Alanna and her crazy ideas, Kel hurried off. Leaving Alanna and Lalasa to a hurried conversation. What Alanna had asked the dressmaker to do, would only become apparent the next morning.
When Kel woke, a package just inside the door of her room signalled another revolutionary day. Sighing she walked over and carried the package to her bed, on top of it was a note from Alanna.
The note read:
Kel,
Please put on your swimming costume and then put shorts and a shirt on over the top. We meet at ten thirty at the Duck pond.
See you then,
Alanna.
Sighing, Kel opened the package and swore violently. The swimming costume was tiny, pulling of her nightclothes, she stumbled into her washroom and pulled on the swimming costume. Although it looked small, the material stretched and it fitted perfectly, not that it wouldn't if Lalasa had anything to do with it.
The swimming costume was royal blue, it consisted really of shorts joined to a vest top. The back was quite open with the straps crossing over. The shape was not what worried her, but the tightness of it.
(-a/n- I have based the swimming costume on my racing costume, Queenoftheostlers and me call it the Squished fish costume because I bought it several years ago and its tiny. But I love it so much and therefore squish myself into it, hence the name squished fish. But it is a great swimming costume, one of the posh ones with little shorts, and it cost me quite a lot so I may as well get some use out of it… Anyway it isn't really indecent, but I can imagine Kel finding it quite horrifying!)
The stretchy material acted like a second skin, and left no room for the modesty of loose clothing. It showed off her shape all too well and Kel buried her face in her hands.
Why me? She thought. Why me?
Just take it off, and don't turn up to the swimming race, Alanna will kill you later, but at least you won't have to die of shame.
Suddenly the Chamber's voice drawled in her head, 'Surely the Protector of the Small isn't scared of wearing a swimming costume?'
This turned Kel's dread to annoyance, 'Its alright for you, I've bet you've never had to wear a swimming costume.'
'You'd be surprised…' Said the voice full of mirth.
I wish there was a Protector of the Protector of the Small, that could protect me from Alanna…But there isn't, I'm in a right mess here and I have to learn when to say 'no' to Alanna's hair brained schemes.
Dejectedly Kel put on a loose shirt to hide the swimming costume and shorts. Glancing at the time, Kel realised with a start that she had overslept and was due at the duck pond in ten minutes, and again no breakfast for poor Kel, she thought as she hurried out of the castle.
She arrived at the duck pond panting and hot, having run so as not to be late. Alanna also wore a large shirt, undoubtedly to cover her swimming costume.
Raoul was already in the water, as were Dom and Neal who had come along to watch. Alanna pulled off her shirt, not to reveal a swimming costume, but just an ordinary pair of shorts and a tank top. Alanna jumped into the pond.
'You know I've always wanted to do this…eww… the bottoms all squelchy!'
'Alanna,' said Kel in her dangerously low voice. 'Where's your swimming costume?'
'I don't have one, it's not decent for a middle-aged woman like me to wear one.'
'It's not decent for any woman to wear…' spluttered Kel. 'Right that's it, I'm going to go back to the castle and get changed.
'Don't be a spoilsport, you're here now.' Called Alanna.
'Alright, I'll come in, but I'm not taking off this shirt.'
'Don't be silly.' And Alanna used her gift to make the shirt and shorts disappear.
Kel clutched at wear her precious shorts had been.
'Alanna!' She roared. This did it, Alanna had finally gone to far, and Kel charged into the pond, embarrassment forgotten in an attempt to hurt Alanna while she was unarmed.
Dom stared transfixed, Kel had such a beautiful figure, she was thin, but not so thin that she looked anorexic like some of the court ladies. Her height only added to her elegance, she was curvy and muscley and the swimming costume looked great on her.
Kel splashed into the water after Alanna, who had begun to swim away frantically. Without warning the bottom of the pond dropped away and Kel screamed as she lost her footing, Kel panicked and began to thrash around, choking on the water that surrounded her.
Suddenly strong arms held her and brought her back up to the life giving air, shaking all over, she held on tight and sobbed into her saviour's shoulder. He carried her trembling form to the dry bank and laid her on it. Kel stared up into Dom's worried blue eyes.
'Are you ok?' He said, checking her pulse.
'Yeah,' she said weakly, still too shocked to feel anything. 'I didn't realise it went out of my depth. I haven't swum properly for years and years, and I panicked.'
'We should get her dry,' said Neal.
'She can use my shirt to dry off, it's the biggest.' Said Raoul. He had been scared for the woman who was like a daughter to him and he had seen fear in Neal's eyes too. But the horror in Dom's eyes, he wouldn't easily forget. He really and truly loves her, thought Raoul and I wish Kel could see the depth of his love.
Dom carried the still shocked Kel, who was draped in Raoul's shirt, up to the castle. Surprisingly, tall as she was, Kel weighed barely anything and he had no problem carrying her. Neal rambled on about some philosophy and checked Kel's pulse every now and again. Kel could feel Dom's breathing against her chest and she felt oddly comforted by it. Although they had been courting for several weeks, their relationship had gone no further than kissing.
When the group reached Kel's room they laid her on her bed. She tried to sit up, but felt to shaky.
'You should rest, you've had a healing and you know they tire you out.' Instructed Neal.
'What was wrong?' Asked Kel confused.
'Your lungs had been full of water, its not good for them to say the least.' Neal informed her.
Just then Lalasa arrived and took charge of the situation. She shooed Neal and Dom out while she dried Kel off and changed her into a clean shirt and breeches, Lalasa tucked her in and hurried away, as she had a client coming to pick up some dresses.
Dom came in and walked over to the bed.
'How are you feeling now?'
'Weak and useless.'
He laughed, 'You gave us a right old scare.'
'Thanks, for saving me.'
'It was nothing.' Mumbled Dom. 'You should get some rest.'
But he needn't of said it, since Kel was already fast asleep. He looked at her sleeping form for a few seconds, she looks so cute when she sleeps, he thought and left the room slowly.
Meanwhile Raoul and Alanna had stayed in the pond for their race. Years more practise meant that Raoul won easily and together, the two friends, tall and short, walked back to the palace discussing the relationship between the younger Lady Knight and the Sergeant who had rescued her.
(-a/n- He he he! I bet you weren't expecting that! Lol! Dom saved Kel, he is the Protector of the Protector ! Lol! Aah they are so perfect for each other ) I love Kel and Dom! Happy Advent! Please review !)
Confusedknight xxx