Chapter 31

Author's Note- I have a confession to make. I don't know who Eli will end up with anymore. I've gone off the outline I made for myself, so just take it as it comes, because I'm winging it now!

Request- I'm starting my own fantasy story, tentatively titled 'Empress of Unicorns.' If you have an interesting name or you know someone with an interesting name, message me with it, because I'm looking for names! It will be the name of the main character.

Eliena woke up the next morning, smiling to herself. The warm body next to her wasn't Leo's, and she knew it. Frankly, she was glad it wasn't. She knew the form was Neal's and her whole body was filled with a pleasant heat when she thought of the previous night's escapades. Neal was ten times the kisser Leo ever was!

Neal rolled over and opened his eyes. "Good morning, Eliena," he said. "Are you a dream?" Eliena kissed him deeply. "I suppose not." He put his arm over her and nuzzled the place where her neck met her shoulder. "Mm… you smell good."

"Thank you…" Eliena giggled. "Stop! That tickles!" Neal put her mouth over hers and kissed her. Eliena entwined her fingers in his mussed brown hair, losing herself in his sweet taste. Neal pulled away and rolled out of her bed.

"I have to go before Lord Wyldon gets mad," Neal said, going to pull on clothes.

"Never mind Lord Wyldon," Eliena told him, catching his shoulder. "He can wait." She kissed him.

Neal smiled. "Maybe he can."

Meanwhile…

"Where is he?" Merric asked, rubbing his grumbling stomach. "I'm starving!"

"Didn't he disappear with Eliena last night?" Cleon mused.

"Oh, gods, he did," Faleron moaned. "We won't see him for hours!"

"Should we go find him?" Kel wondered aloud.

"And risk Lord Wyldon's wrath? I think not," Esmond responded.

"Lord Wyldon, can we please start?" a page asked. Lord Wyldon looked at the page.

"We cannot begin until everyone is here. Unless Page Nealan entered without my—"

"Here I am, my lord!" Neal exclaimed, coming in. Everyone groaned and gave him dirty looks.

"You will report to me after lunch, Nealan," Lord Wyldon told him. Neal bowed.

"Yessir." Neal got food and took his seat with his friends.

"You're wearing the same clothes as last night," Cleon observed.

"How perceptive of you, Cleon," Neal remarked. "And if you're looking for an explanation, you certainly won't be getting one." His friends exchanged a raised eyebrow, but kept their mouths shut.

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Daine-

I am confined to Corus. I'm not even allowed to go to Port Caynn! I have to stay in Corus. I'm allowed to venture to the Lower City, but what's of any interest THERE? I may go one day just for the fun of it—I've never been, you know. Its so boring here without you that I can't even begin to explain.

My only consolation is Neal. Gods, Daine! Neal is really something. There's just a CONNECTION. I don't know how to explain it to you. What I CAN say, though, is that Neal is a MUCH better match for me than Leo. I know what you're thinking, Daine, but I'm not fickle. I just… OK, so maybe I AM fickle. But, Neal WAS first… and don't go calling me any nasty names, because I'm not any of them. I'm just Eliena, and I've always been this way. You know it as well as I do.

Give my best to Numair, Raoul, and everyone else who you believe merits my regard. (And, no, in case you were wondering, that does NOT include one Leonard of Pirate's Swoop, though his parents do wish him well.) Try not to get yourself hurt and/or killed, Daine, because then I'll have no one to talk to anymore! Not to mention how CRUSHED Numair would be. I know that I would be devastated!

-Eli

Daine showed Numair Eliena's letter. Numair just shook his head. "I don't know what to say, magelet, except that it's Eli. What do you want from her?"

"I don't know," Daine sighed. "I just wish she would make up her mind. Have you seen Leo lately? He's not as happy as he was."

"Are you sure it isn't that he's in war?" Numair joked. Daine looked at him seriously, causing the mage to sigh. "I know, dearest. But bear with her. She'll come to her senses soon enough, she always does."

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"Leo, are you all right?" Raoul asked, entering Leo's rooms.

"Fine, Raoul," Leo replied. Raoul could see in his hazel eyes that Leo was not fine.

"No you aren't. Now, what's eating you, besides these blasted bugs?" Raoul wanted to know, sitting beside his on-loan squire.

"Eliena," Leo answered with a sigh.

"Eliena eats at us all, Leo, I thought you knew that," Raoul said. Leo glanced at the Knight Commander, who sighed. "I know it's more than that. Is it your engagement? Weren't you the one who broke it off?"

"Yes, but I didn't expect Eliena to live with it! I know her better than that, Raoul. When she doesn't get what she wants, she goes after it."

"Just like her mother." Raoul shook his head. "All I can tell you, Leo, is that you should wait it out. Maybe Eliena will snap out of it."

"Not likely," Leo snorted. "When Eli gets mad, she stays mad."

"She's as bad as her mother in that regard. But she's got some of her father there, don't forget. Jon's got a solid head on his shoulders. Maybe Eli's Conté blood will show this time."

"I won't hold my breath," Leo told the big man. He sighed. "I have to face it, Eliena won't come back if her life depends on it." Raoul went to the door.

"Then maybe you have to make her want to come back," Raoul commented.

"What, make her jealous?" Leo asked.

Raoul shrugged. "The details are up to you. Now get to bed, we've got Scanrans to kill in the morning." Raoul left, leaving Leo thinking. Could he make Eli jealous? Could he look so crazy about a girl that she would be driven mad and come back to him? It was worth a shot.

Author's Note- don't say a WORD about pairings, because I don't know. REVIEW.