A pounding on his door woke Neal early the day after the ball. He muttered darkly as he rolled over, hoping to sleep off the affects of the night before, but the pounding kept going. Muttering some more about early people and where they can shove such happy attitudes Neal pulled on some breaches and a shirt.

"Yes?" Neal was leaning tiredly on his door frame and looking at a red faced Merric.

"Hurry, Kel was attacked." Neal shocked out of his tiredness quickly grabbed a pair of boots shoved his feet in and ran down the hallway following the redhead. All of Kel's year mates were huddled around the entrance to the Healer's wing. Elbowing his way through the boys Neal entered and closed the door behind him.

Duke Baird and his entire staff were rushing to and from a bed. He caught a glimpse of Kel and his heart skipped a beat. The prince was sitting in a chair out of the way, his face pale and drawn. The royal spotted him and waved Neal over. Slowly and trying to stay out of the way, Neal made his way over.

"I found her this morning on her floor." Roald said quietly. "I was going there to see if she would like to go and have lunch in town with me later. I knocked on her door and at first there was nothing, and then there was a sound. I opened her door, it was unlocked and Kel would never leave her door unlocked, and there she was sprawled out."

Neal laid a hand on Roald's shoulder. He had obviously done as much healing as he knew how to. "We'll get her fixed up."

"No, that's it though Neal," Roald wiped a traitorous tear from his cheek, "I tried to heal her, but she was too far gone. Your father said he'll do his best, but he said they would do what they could. The Lioness went to fetch my father, the three of us were able to heal her enough to carry her here, but we were quickly drained. The Lioness gave your father some energy before she left."

Neal stood paralyzed. His best friend was dying and not even the Lioness was confident in Kel's healthy return. He sat, more like collapsed, on a bed that was next to the Prince and they watched the scene before them unfold, utterly useless.

Kel looked around her. The last thing she could remember was blacking out as Roald tried to speak to her. Though now she was standing in a beautiful garden that reminded her of the Yamani Isles. Smiling, Kel looked at her attire. Gone was the fancy gown from the ball, all that was there was a comfortable Kimono in her favorite colors. The fabric was soft and her feet were encased in her favorite Yamani slippers.

"Kel." She turned to see who had addressed her. There was a woman with dark hair and bright beautiful eyes. Smiling, Kel made her way to the offered hand stretched out to her.

"Yes?" Kel's voice was different, it sounded older.

"Why are you here child?" The woman asked as she linked Kel's arm in hers. She led them away deeper into the gardens and Kel could smell the fragrance and it cheered her up. The woman stopped them at a small fountain and they sat along its rim. Kel studied the woman. She was wearing a plain white robe of some sort and her hair hung loose, and her feet were bare.

"I don't know." Kel really didn't. She tried to focus more on what had happened, but it kept flitting away leaving her mind in content.

"You weren't supposed to be here for many a year. Things have gone very wrong indeed. If you stay here with me, I will be ignoring the many prayers that are coming to me. Now, I must send you back before my brother insists that you go with him, since you are both of our chosen's. Though you don't have any Gift, don't ever doubt that you are blessed by us." The woman placed a kiss on Kel's forehead which burned.

Kel tried to scream, but then the pain faded and she welcomed a soft emptiness that was floating up to meet her. She could still hear the woman, but now she was speaking with someone else.

"…I know brother. You wanted her for yourself….. But Mithros, it wasn't her time to know yet and definitely not her time to die…"

Here is an update…sorry it has taken so long to update….avoids flying objects but here it is!!!

Okay, by looking at everyone's reviews it looks like we need to re-vote on who she ends up with excluding Roald…sorry ladies, he is taken. Lol.

So, let me know your vote!

Muchos Loves

Macko