Kel surveyed her work. Okay. It wasn't too bad. She fully expected Lord Raoul to send her a reply begging hr to go to Lord Wyldon to take letter-writing lessons, but it would do. Besides, she had had enough lessons from the old coot. She stuck out her tongue at no one in particular.

Truth being, she was lonely. Alanna had left, as Verei's "official" training had started. Gods help her if she started talking to the Queen for company, and she couldn't quite get on with the King, either. Lalasa was busy with her shop; Neal was wrapped up in Yuki, and Merric and Cleon were…not distant, to be sure, but she agreed with Lord Raoul.

The realm needed another lady knight, even if for her own selfish reasons.

So she decided to go back north. Fight Scanrans. Get her failing social life off her mind. It had to be easier being male, Kel thought as she packed her bags. Shaking her hair out of her eyes, Kel turned to the door and promptly forgot what she had been doing when she saw Neal in the doorway.

She had long gotten over her crush on him. Really. But he looked drawn and worried. "Sit," she said, indicating her desk chair.

"Yes, your Majesty," he replied seriously, but his eyes gave him away. "Leaving already?" he asked, gesturing at her bags, and her bare room.

"Mmhmm. Court life is boring," she said. By rote, almost. She had repeated that to herself so many times it was almost as boring as court life.

"No, its not," Neal countered.

"Maybe not for you, party boy," retorted Kel. "I, on the other hand, have a brain."

"I have a brain!" protested Neal. "I just don't use it as often as her most exalted Sensibleness, Keladry of Mindelan."

"Oh, well. We can't all be perfect!" Kel said with a wicked grin.

"I know. No need to feel sorry for yourself, we all know you mean me." Neal smirked.

"Arrogant prat."

"I know."

Silence.

"I'll miss you."

"I'll be back soon."

"I'll miss you anyways."

Scraping of a chair. Something clattered downstairs. Neal left the room. Suddenly it felt much colder than it had been. He's right. You've barely been in Corus a week, and you're already going. Half of Kel wanted to turn her bags up side down and stay for the rest of the summer. And the other half, the sensible half (as Kel told herself) said she HAD to go. Her country needed her.

No more patriotic shit, please, her inner voice said. You're just running away.

Again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A/N: so there it is. i have no idea where its going from here. suggestions? i don't want to do Kel/Neal, and i want to make this tory short. no kel/raoul (ugh. pedophilic.) and...kel/OC? i dunno. please come up wwith something, my lovely REVIEWERS. ;)