A/N: Well, I promised that I'd update sooner than I did last time and, well, here's the update. Once again, thank you for all the great reviews! It was nice to know that my readers hadn't abandoned me. Responses are at the end. Enjoy this chappie!

Disclaimer: Well, obviously I don't own anything.

This chapter takes place directly after the previous chapter.

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My Greatest Fear

Chapter 4: Nice and Simple

Breakfast. Despite the hour, it's my favourite meal of the day for one simple reason. No vegetables are involved. Most people believe I don't eat vegetables and that I complain about them so much as a kind of joke. They couldn't be more wrong. I hate vegetables with a passion. I always have. They're just not as enjoyable or exciting as some other foods I could be eating.

Drizzling honey on to my porridge, I looked around at the other occupants of the table. Merric, Seaver, Roald, Esmond and Owen all looked too tired to do more than mechanically spoon their porridge into their mouths. Beside me, Kel was stirring her porridge in a very un-Kel like manor.

I leaned over to her and whispered, "Are you feeling alright? You're not sick are you?"

Kel turned to face me and I found that we were nose-to-nose. Surprisingly, she didn't pull back. Instead, Kel sighed quietly and leaned her forehead against mine before she whispered back. "I'm fine, Neal. Really. I'm alright."

"You don't look alright. What's wrong?"

"Nothing… just…" she sighed again. "Nothing."

Kel turned back to her breakfast and forced herself to swallow a mouthful.

I could see something was bothering her but she wouldn't talk about it if there was 'nothing' to talk about. Not that it would make a difference if there was something to talk about. Kel was the kind of person who thought she could solve all her problems by herself.

"Well, when you finally decide that the 'nothing' is 'something', I'm here. You can talk to me." I reached over and took her hand in mine. She communicated her thanks by gently squeezing my hand and I saw a small smile appear on her face.

She seemed to gather herself then turned to me, ready to say something when we were interrupted by Owen.

"Look! It's Cleon!"

Everyone at our table looked to the doors and sure enough, there he was; big, red-headed Cleon.

Kel turned away from the door and almost shrank in her place. It looked as if she wanted the ground to swallow her up. Her hand in mine was suddenly damp. Kel? Nervous?

I knew that Kel and Cleon were romantically involved and I knew that most of our friends suspected that they were. I also knew for a fact that it hadn't gotten very far. Cleon was betrothed and Kel didn't want any major commitments. Nice and simple.

What I didn't know until that moment was that I hated Cleon almost as much as I hated vegetables. He was leading her on and he knew it. One way or another, it would have to end. His fief needed the money that his betrothed had as dowry. He had to marry her.

Cleon sauntered over to the table, grinning from ear to ear, and dropped into the empty space on Kel's other side.

"How's things?" Cleon asked and pulled an apple from a pocket.

"Great!" Owen said in his usual excited way.

Merric scowled. "Great for you. You don't have to go through the ordeal tonight, do you?"

Cleon looked over at him and bit into his fruit. "You're doing it tonight? Who's already done it?"

"Neal went first," Seaver supplied. "And he made it out alive. Last night it was Quinden"

Cleon chuckled. "That's alright then. If our own dear Meathead got through it, you'll have no problem."

Everyone but Kel and I laughed. In a tight voice I said, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me Meathead."

"Why? You don't get angry when other people do it and you let Kel call you 'Meathead' anytime. Now really, does that seem fair?"

I ignored him and shovelled my breakfast into my mouth with the hope that I'd be done soon and could leave.

Cleon turned to look intently at Kel who was again stirring her porridge. "When are you going in Kel?"

"Going in where?" Kel didn't look at him but instead spoke to her food.

"The Chamber. For your ordeal? When is it?" Cleon said.

"Oh, that… I'm last; at the very end of the week."

"That'd be right. Of course it's you who has to wait."

"Yes… that's what I thought."

"Are you feeling ill, Kel?" Cleon asked, worried. "You don't seem yourself."

"I'm fine, thanks. Just not hungry I guess."

"You look pretty tired, Kel," Merric said. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

Kel smiled ruefully and finally looked up. "Not really. I couldn't get comfortable and decided to go for a walk. I stayed out until dawn talking to someone."

"Who were you talking to?" Owen asked, displaying his curious nature.

Kel smiled secretly. "Just… someone… an old and very dear friend."

Everyone except myself, Kel and Cleon looked bewildered; Cleon frowned as if in deep thought.

'Deep thought? His thoughts are about as deep as a puddle.' I thought angrily to myself.

"Kel, as a healer, I really must insist that you go straight to bed and get some sleep." I said. I just had to get her away from Cleon and, anyway, she needed the rest.

She turned to stare at me, "But… I have things to do. And Merric! He's going into the Chamber tonight!"

"All the more reason for you to sleep now." I stood and pulled her up by the elbow.

"When did you become so reasonable?" Kel asked but didn't resist as I picked up our trays and led her away.

"Well, a knight has to be reasonable. Knights use their heads."

"Something you've previously had a great deal of trouble doing."

"Why thank you, Keladry, nice to know that my best friend supports me."

She laughed as we left the mess hall and began walking towards her rooms with the King's Own in silence.

"So…" I began, feeling the need to break the silence, comfortable as it was. "An old and very dear friend? I hope you don't mean to imply that I'm old in years."

"No," she giggled. "Just in mind."

"OH!" I let out. "You make me sound like the Stump! How dare you, wench!"

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened and then closed. "Wench! Watch who you're calling wench, you… you…"

"Yes?"

Kel didn't finish her sentence, instead, she let out a stifled scream and came at me.

Laughing, I turned and ran down the corridor, not going very fast but fast enough that I was always just out of her reach. I was teasing her and I enjoyed it. We hadn't had fun like that in years.

I rounded a corner and skidded to a halt as I came face-to-face with Lady Alanna, my old knight-mistress, her husband, Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop and their good friend, King Jonathon. Kel collided into my back a moment later.

Behind me Kel gasped then stepped up and bowed low. I followed suite.

Straightening I found George laughing, King Jonathon's mouth twitching and Alanna's eyebrows up at her hair line. She was looking very stern.

"Neal. You've been a knight for two days and here I find you gallivanting around the palace like a five-year-old child. Is that how you are going to show off everything I've taught you?"

"Well, Lady Alanna, the thing is-"

"It was my fault, Lady Alanna. I started it."

I looked at Kel in shock. "No you didn't. I did."

Kel turned to me, frowning. "No, it was me. I started chasing you."

"I called you 'wench', though."

"What difference does that make? The fact is I retaliated."

"It was all in good fun though."

Alanna coughed and we turned to face the trio that we'd both forgotten.

"We're sorry, Lady Alanna," I said. "It won't happen again."

"What? And why not?" she asked, curiously.

"Well, it's not very responsible, it's not proper, someone could have been injured and…"

"And next time it might be Wyldon that you almost run into the ground. You don't want to chance that, now do you?"

Kel and I shook our heads.

"Well, just so you know, I've done my fair share of running all over the palace. As I recall, it was quite enjoyable."

A smile spread across her face and she laughed. It was then that I realised that Alanna wasn't at all angry and that she wouldn't be yelling at us. She was just having a bit of fun. Even the Lioness needed fun in her day.

I smiled in return. "Come on, Kel. You really ought to be in bed." We bowed again and they walked away.

When they were gone Kel asked, "What just happened?"

"We just had an encounter with the Lioness of Tortall. How did you like it?"

Kel stared at me and I laughed, again starting to her rooms.

Finally reaching them, I was glad to see that Cleon wasn't hanging around waiting for her.

At her door, Kel turned to me and said, "Thank you, Neal."

"What for?"

"Brightening up my day, listening to me… getting me away from Cleon…"

"I didn't do anything of the sort."

A corner of her mouth turned up in an endearing sort of smile. "Sure Neal; whatever you say. I'll see you later."

Half way through her door, Kel paused and looked at me standing there. She looked around the hall, gathered herself and kissed my cheek. Before I had the chance to say or do anything, she was gone and I stood alone in the hall.

I made my way back to my rooms in a daze. She'd kissed me. Granted, it was only on the cheek, but it was still a KISS! I could still feel the slight brush of her soft lips on my skin.

Turning down the corridor to my rooms I was brought back to reality by Cleon, who was standing outside my door, scuffing the toe of his boot on the floor. He looked up as I approached.

"How's Kel?"

"She's fine, just like she said she was. Didn't you believe her?" I fished my key out of a pocket and inserted it into the keyhole.

"Where is she?"

As I turned the key I said, "She's in bed, asleep."

"Good."

I was about to close the door in his face when he said hurriedly, "Can I talk to you, Neal?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Why is it that suddenly I'm everyone's favourite confidante? I ought to get paid for this." I opened the door wider and let my large 'friend' in.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" I asked as I lay down on my bed. Cleon stood uncomfortably in the centre of the room.

"It's about Kel."

"I figured it might be."

Cleon drew a deep breath and straightened his shoulders, looking confident. "I want you to stay away from her."

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A/N: Mwhahahahahaha… I feel evil.

Before I get to the replies, I just want to say that I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to update next. I know it's horrible what with the ending the way it is but I'll do it ASAP but I've got an exam coming up, lots of VCE meetings and work experience. And Harry Potter's coming out in 11 days! Like I said, I'll do it ASAP. Thanks.

Now, replies, right?

The Golden Shadow: True, it's Neal or no one. I like the way you think!

Guacamole13: Neal definitely needs a kiss. He got one in this chappie… better than nothing, right? And don't worry, there'll be more. BTW… what is guacamole?

Shadow of the Underdark: I think maybe my phrasing confused you. See, originally, I had two copies of Chapter 3. The first one I wrote was disgusting so I wrote the one I put up instead. I don't know if that's what you were trying to get across. And yes, I like Neal when he's at his sweetest. Hay! What am I saying? I like Neal all the time!

White-wolf2: If you thought last chapter was cruel, what do you think of this one? LOL.

Cerri: Thanks so much and I'm a hopeless romantic too. I live on fluff!

PrincessPeach131: I opened my reviews to find who to reply to and I'm greeted by this… book… that you've sent me. Thank you so much! I really look forward to your reviews. You go into so much detail, picking it apart and commenting on bits that you liked and bits you thought weren't exactly right. What more could I ask for? I'm glad you liked the dream. I really enjoyed writing it. It was kind of challenging because I wanted it to seem real but… not… at the same time. I wanted to put in her blood somewhere too. I find blood such a powerful substance, even if it does make me queasy. It's so sweet that you'd buy my books! I'd love to publish some one day. It's a goal of mine. When I achieve it, I'll put in something about fanfic so that you know it's me. (laugh) To tell you the truth, I don't think Kel's eyes would be 'pools of desire' either, but this is Neal's dream. Need I say more? As for future chapters, well, I'm going to try and include dream-like events. That should make things a bit more interesting for Neal. So, thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I don't like it as much as I did the others.

Thanks also have to go to Jeweled Rose, queenofdiamonds1, The Midnight Line, thingy of um thingyness and Sunset of the House of Darkness House.

Are you going to review now? PLEASE! (puppy eyes)