Okay, so here's the deal. I got 2 reviews saying they love it (hugs them). Then I read the third review, and they hated it. This person thinks I write shitty romance scenes. And this really bummed me out. I know I suck at writing romance (mostly because my love life is non-existent), but I don't think its bad enough that it would kill the story.

Anyways. I think I'm going to continue the story (just to spite that person who wants me to stop because it sucks).

Oh, and I'm sorry that those last two chapters were so short. I just wanted to write it, and get it out there before I forgot it.

I own none of these characters. I merely manipulate them for my own sadistic purposes.

Warning: There is Cleon-bashing in this chapter.

Chapter 4:

Kel was dead. Really and truly dead. Her funeral was scheduled for the next week. People were taking bets on how mangled her body would be. The Lady Knight punched the wall in her room at the palace, wondering how she could be so stupid.

Neal came rushing in moments later, his face full of worry. "Kel! I just heard the craziest thing. Please tell me it's just a rumor!" She just stared at him in silence. He shut his eyes, pinching his nose and sighing. "Kel, what in Mithros' name possessed you to accept the Stump's challenge? Don't you remember the last time you jousted with him?"

Now she was glaring at him. "I couldn't exactly say no! He just wants a friendly joust. And he asked in front of so many people that it would have made me look like a fool and a coward to refuse." Her arms were crossed defiantly across her chest. The look on her face was daring her - her- daring Neal to try and stop her.

He recognized her stubbornness immediately. Sighing, he sat on the edge of her bed. "Well. I can see you won't let me stop you. I'm guessing that Peachblossom will go to Tobe, as will Hoshi. Who will get your sword and your glaive?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

It worked. Kel smiled and rolled her eyes. She sat down next to him. "I'm not going to die, Neal. I didn't last time, did I? And I've done a lot more jousting since then. I've even beat Raoul since then."

It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Right, so you've got a decent chance of staying conscious then." Kel didn't bother retorting. She just shoved him off the bed. "Hey!" he yelped. "That hurt." he mock glared at her, and remained sitting on the floor. Suddenly he was looking away from her, with a serious expression on his face.

"Neal?" she asked softly, her face carefully blank. "What is it?"

Their eyes met at that moment, and the Protector of the Small swallowed. She had never seen her friend so sad. "Neal?" she repeated.

"Last time you jousted the Stump, you were with Cleon."

Kel raised an eyebrow. "So?"

He looked at her with an unreadable expression. "He told me that he bedded you the night before. He was bragging about it, actually. Did it help you relax?" Neal said bitingly. He regretted it instantly when Kel's eyes became stone-cold. Her face was wiped of any emotion, and he immediately knew why those she fought were terrified of her. "Kel, I-"

"How dare he!" she gritted out. "I never slept with Cleon. He wanted me to, but I didn't. He kept going on and on about how he didn't want me to die a virgin." Kel went off on string of curses that would have made any Carthaki sailor proud. Neal's eyes widened in a mixture of slight fear and amusement. After a few moments, he rose gracefully and put his hand over her mouth, effectively stopping her verbal torture of Cleon. She glared at him.

"Kel. Calm down. Its doubtful we'll see him any time soon, so you probably won't get to do any of those very painful and anatomically impossible things to him." he removed his hand from her mouth and dropped it to her shoulder. "Why don't we just go down to the mess hall, get something to eat, and then we'll go do something. You can start stressing out and worrying about jousting tomorrow. Today, you relax. Deal?"

Kel just shook her head at him, smiling. "Deal." She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his before turning to walk out the door. Grinning broadly, he followed her and grabbed her hand as she entered the hallway.

AN: that wasn't too much of a cliffhanger, was it? And it was much longer! Yay! So, you guys know the drill. Tell me if you like it or not. and there's a poll this time: Do you want Cleon to appear, to make Kel and Neal's love life even more difficult?