A/N- Now 15- and I'm sure I'll have a black eye tomorrow from playing Quasar (laser shooting game) and getting knocked off my feet by my own team! How's that for team spirit/ no physical contact? O well- great night! I also took my AS Maths exam –in year 10, they sure do push you.

Thought I'd give you an extra instalment now if possible- I let/made/forced my friend at school to read this story, and she was laughing pretty hard… I was quite surprised actually!

Sorry for not updating, this chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but I couldn't prolong not posting it for any longer. Now, enough meaningless rambling, o one more thing- you may need to look back at earlier chapters (i.e 26) for the whole Jonathan speech orientated thing... now on with the show!

Yours truly,

Jasmineb

Disclaimer- is as always; I own the plot, the characters aren't mine (apart from Kai) and well bits and pieces may be taken off of movies, TV shows, or randomly made up by yours truly. (Many witty one liners)

Chapter 31: A deals a deal (dedicated to Jess)

Recap in the castle: ""No Duke Baird, ready your infirmary, as I fear there will be a riot soon enough."

Recap in the woods, aka Game show:. "Kel moved one foot closer to her doom and her fate rested on Dom. No pressure."

"You ready for this sir?"

"Ready for what now- and why am I all dressed up like this?" Jonathan asked, peering down at his smart velvet clothes.

"Don't play dumb sir, you're still going to have to say the speech whether you like it or not."

"But I don't want tooo!" he whinged, throwing a tantrum similar to what a three year old would do when you took away his candy. Daine reached into her pocket, and pulled out a boiled sweet.

"If you're good, I'll let you have it."

"Three..." Jonathan merged the word with a cough.

"What? That's ridiculous, two sweets maximum," Daine bargained.

"Deal," Jonathan grabbed Daine's hand and quickly shook it, before she could realise how he had gotten the better deal. Or had he... a deals a deal, he couldn't go back on that now.

"Take a deep breathe sir, straighten your jacket… and do up your buttons properly this time- no, that's the wrong hole, now that's better," Daine said, stepping back and looking Jonathan up and down, like an artist admiring his own work. "There, all set."

He turned; ready to take a step out into the sunlight, ready to make his war-breaking speech and stepped out onto the steps. "Good luck Jonathan," she whispered.

The clerk had given him his speech earlier, and Jonathan appeared impressed with his work.

"So you remembered to add the sugar coating bit?"

"Yes sir, first thing I did."

"With extra, yummy sugary coating, just enough to cover the cold hard fact that I've waged war on an unknown enemy?"

"As always your majesty, although the enemy isn't exactly unknown..."

"But it does sound so much more mysterious and more planned if the enemy has yet to fully reveal themselves. What do you think?"

"I think whatever you think, sir."

"Good answer there clerk lad, you'll go far with that butt-kissing attitude. I like that about you."

"Thanks… I think."

Jonathan then decided a little test was in order, just to double check he'd gotten the facts right. "A festival in honour of..." Jonathan tested.

"The faithful frying pan- and it shall be called Fryday," he stuttered, trying to remember his notes from the hour before, which was harder than he thought it would be. "I personally think that it is a brilliant idea my Lord, if you don't mind me saying so…"

"Not at all, flatter away to your hearts content." So the clerk did- it was a wonder Jonathan's head could still fit through the doorway it had inflated so much.

(Gameshow)

"Dom!" shouted Alanna, realising just how much danger Kel was actually in. "Concentrate- don't let your mind wander!"

"Keep your eye on the target!" yelled George, and soon after the other members were shouting their support and advice. Most of the tips were helpful, some on the other hand, were not.

"Be one with the target Dom! See yourself as it, visualise the arrow flying towards you… be circular and erm... striped! Think red and white thoughts Dom, or maybe pink and white, whichever matches better." It was surprising that Neal was the one who said this. Did I say was surprising? I meant wasn't.

"Ignore whatever Neal says- he's colour blind anyways!" shouted Numair.

"That's the best advice I've been given all night. Neal- shut up." He breathed deeply, inhaling, and then exhaling slowly- he could do this, he told himself repeatedly, he wouldn't fail. Kel's life depended on this. He couldn't let it slip, not now, he wouldn't be able to live without her- he realised that now. The feelings that he had felt for her before were surfacing, he couldn't suppress them any longer- he loved her, he loved her. That was it, he couldn't deny it- and he didn't want to either- and they could be together. All he had to do was play his shots right. How hard would that be? It was harder than he expected, that's for sure.

He stepped up to the range, his ears muted from everything but the loud thump of his erratically beating heart. He looked around, it was all an eerie hush, to Dom, it had seemed that everything had quietened down for his turn.

"Ok, release your arrow when you're ready." The host's menacing voice broke through the silence.

"Be… target…pink...arrow…circle…" Neal's muffled voice cut through the silence, even though George had his hand grasped tightly across Neal's stubborn-bad-advice-giving-distraction of a mouth, he was only able to choke out a few more words before being subdued quickly and not so quietly. To Dom it sounded strangely like 'force...be…with…you' much to his confusion.

He pushed all puzzlement out of his mind, and drew back the arrow, and taking one last calming breath, let it fly towards the target…No pressure.