This chapter is dedicated to Incarnated Soul who wants me to update before she goes on holiday and Magewhisperer, my unofficial PenPal!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone. Even Neal. But if I did I would lock him up in a cage and feed him on marshmallows then send him out hunting every night…

Kel jumped a foot into the air with surprise. "Oh my word!" Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized who it was. "What the hell are you doing here? Spying on me you perve! How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

"Get out. I never want to see you again."

"But I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because, Keladry of Mindelan, I happen to be madly and passionately in love with you."

"What? Then, why did you take offence like that?"

"Because...because...Oh I don't know. But I feel like such a Meathead (A/N How original!) for doing it. I guess I'm just so in love with you that I was worried that you wanted to break up with."

"If you were worried then why didn't you try to find out whether I still loved you?"

"Oh Kel you know I'm no good at that sort of thing. I didn't want to make things worse by probing and poking."

"I thought you hated me."

"So did I."

The two sat for a moment, reflecting. Suddenly, Kel realized she had a question.

"Why me?"

"Huh?"

"Why me? You could have your pick of any gorgeous girl. So why pick me?"

"Oh Kel." He sat down next to her and sighed. "Don't ask me to explain the fantastical thing that is true love. I thought you were the most amazing, most fabulous, most…most… WONDERFUL person I had ever met. I wanted to be with you as much as I could. And so I sponsored you. I wanted to protect you. I didn't want anything to happen to you."

"I can look after myself. I don't need you to help me survive."

"But don't you see?" He took her by the hands. "Kel, I need you in order for me to survive. I couldn't bear for anything to happen to you. Or to us."

"Really?"

"Really. Now I understand completely if you don't want to be with me anymore. Ever again. But I want to be with you. I love you with all my heart and soul."

"Oh Neal." She spoke his name for the first time. (A/N Ok really bad song thing coming up now. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!) "We're just ordinary people. Maybe we should take it slowly." (A/N Oh god. So bad. So very bad.)

"You're absolutely right. Are you staying here over the Summer?"

"Yes. My parents will be very busy."

"Same here. They're visiting my cousin, Dom."

"Is he nice?"

"Oh God stop making small talk."

"Sor-REE" They sat in silence once again.

"So I was wondering whether you'd like to go riding together in the Summer?"

"That would be… nice."

So that was exactly what they did.

A few months later

Sweating and panting, Kel reined in Hoshi by the bank. It was boiling hot and she was glad that they had decided to rest by the stream, it was nice and cool in the shade of the weeping willows. A few moments later, Neal drew up behind her. He jumped off his and came to stand next to her. It was almost the end of the holidays and neither of them had Knight Masters yet. But they weren't worried. It was too hot and pleasant too worry.

Kel flopped down on the river bank. Neal tied his horse to the tree and came to join her. Over the course of the past weeks, the couple had grown closer once again.

"So, what do you want to do tomorrow? It's the last day of the holidays?" Queried Neal.

"Dunno." Replied Kel. "I don't really have any plans.

"Well that's good. Because I made some reservations in a lovely little place that I in town."

"NEAL! I might have wanted to do something!"

"And if you had oh Lady Knight -to-be we would have done exactly as you wished. I am, of course, your humble servant."

Laughing, Kel pushed him into the river, only to find herself dragged down with him. Playfully, they splashed each other and shouted in the dancing water.

Later on, Kel arrived dripping in her dorm. Lalasa was there, on a visit.

"Lalasa!" Kel cried rushing to hug her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on a visit. And while I'm here, do you need anything mending?"

"Oh Lalasa! You don't want to work on a visit."

"But I love seeing you properly clothed."

"It's fine. Really." The two continued to chat as the evening wore on. Eventually, the subject of Neal cropped up. Kel told her the whole story.

"…And so tomorrow he's taking me out for dinner." She finished. A grin began to creep over Lalasa's face.

"And what are you planning on wearing?"

"I don't know. Whatever falls out my cupboard first." Lalasa made no comment which puzzled Kel as she usually told her how impractical this approach was. Later that night, Lalasa left and Kel fell into bed.

The Morning

"Kel, Kel, Kel guess what!" Neal burst into her room. "I have a knightmaster!"

"Oh Neal that's brilliant! Who is it?" Neal's face clouded over briefly. Catching himself, he replied "It's a surprise."

Kel was confused. It wasn't like Neal to keep secrets from her. The moment passed and she hugged her beloved.

"That means tonight can be a celebration instead of just a normal date!"

Later on, a package arrived in Kel's room. Kel shrieked with surprise as she opened it. It was a gorgeous green silk dress, with lace at the throat. She pulled it on. It was tighter than she usually had her dresses. And more low cut… These thoughts were driven out of her head when she spied what Lalasa (for it was surely her who had sent it) had carefully folded and put underneath the dress. A lacy green bra and matching thong confronted her eyes.

DURN DURN DURN!