Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, NOTHING!!

I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...

On with it!

SEND IN YOUR IDEAS! PAIRINGS! SITUATIONS!

--

-

Kel/Esmond: Between a Pile of Clothes

--Pairing submitted by: Myself (he fitted). Situation submitted by: Lioness-of-Tortall-7

-

--

"You know, Brigitte has good odds to win." Owen said while clapping his hands together as the two settled to start the race.

"I know that," Kel responded loftily, smiling in the summer heat, "but I have complete confidence in Loesia. She always wins with the people here, she's gotten herself quite a reputation for it too." She couldn't help but chuckle when Loesia would win a horse race and the villagers would carry her to the mess hall laughing. There were some happy moments here at New Hope now that things had settled. She would miss it when she left, even though she couldn't help but feel useless in here.

"But Loesia isn't a rider." Owen pointed out.

"She's as good as, she confided she wanted to become one to me." Keladry of Mindelan had high hopes for the little refugee girl, she knew she would win the race, hands down.

"I'll tell you what," Owen started, eyes sparkling in humor, "Brigitte wins and you do my laundry for the week, Loesia wins, I do yours." Kel knew better than to accept, but it was not for money. The day was bright, a gay sun smiling upon them, the birds chirped and the sky was blue, and she was too happy to care. Besides, Loesia would win, and she had never liked doing the laundry.

"Alright." She said, shaking Owen's hand in acceptance of his bet.

Her mouth dropped when Brigitte pulled slightly ahead of Loesia at the last minute, barely, but undeniably, winning the horse race. She glanced at Owen's smirking face.

"It's all in the horses," he said wisely, "Loesia's tires more easily than Brigitte's and Brigitte's has stronger forelegs, giving her a good advantage in last-second speeding. She knows it too."

Kel let her head drop on her hands, she had forgotten that Owen had indeed been Lord Wyldon's squire and that Lord Wyldon specialized in breeding some of the realms' finest horses. She groaned at the prospect of having to do Owen's laundry.

"Hmpf. I guess I'm doing you laundry then?" Even though a small black cloud had entered her mind's vision, she decided not to let the annoyance worry her too much. She was far too carefree and happy that jolly afternoon to be in a sullen mood.

"Guess so." Owen let out a hearty laugh as one of the refugee children ran into his arms. He swung the little boy around and put him back down, ruffling his hair. He felt at home here, just as much as she did, though he had never been stationed here and had been here a lot less.

"Goodbye Lady Knight, have fun." He strolled away casually, grin ever prominent on his happy face, this caused Kel to scowl and sigh as she made her way towards his chambers. Better to have it done with sooner rather than later.

Her nose cringed as she found a dirty tunic under his cot. He was such a child, she couldn't help but repeat again in her head. Owen was a happy, light-hearted man, but he sure didn't know what cleanliness meant. Or, rather, he was basking in the fact that he no longer had such a strict knight master. Whichever, his chambers were a complete mess of clothes. No wonder he had bet her to do his laundry, knowing she would loose.

Kel dropped the dirty tunic into the straw basket she had picked up from the washers of the week. She had it filled with clothes and was about to leave when there was a knock on the frame of the open wooden door.

"You're actually doing his laundry?"

"I gave him my word," She said nobly as she stood, giving Esmond the basket to weigh with his hands. He whistled appreciating;

"That's heavy. Need any help, oh noble lady?" He asked with a mocking bow.

Kel answered with a sardonic smile as she started to leave, Esmond fell into step with her. He had come in with Owen not too long ago, roaming knight free of the palace for a while.

"Sure, if you would give it. He has more dirty clothes than books, quills, parchment and clean clothes put together."

Esmond chuckled; "Ah, yes, I felt it." he said, indicating the basket, full to the brim. It was actually quite heavy.

After a while of work in silence Kel looked at the chatting women and men admiringly, she had never known washing was so hard. She had done every job at this fort except washing duty. She had never known it could be such dull, backbreaking work. Her fingers trembled slightly, feeling numb from the freezing cold water of the stream.

She was glad that Esmond worked quietly beside her, she knew not why he was there, but she was very happy he was, he was quite efficient at washing, and hadn't complained once. If Neal had been there....

They sat upon the grassy hill as they waited for the clothes they had spread on the floor to be warmed by the glowing sun. Their shoulders touching they watched as the light wind rustled the blades of grass, how the little animals ran here and there, it was a quiet, secluded grassy area near the camp, just far out enough that they couldn't hear the noises but close enough that they could call for help and be heard.

"Why did you help me Esmond?" Kl asked suddenly, turning to look at him, "I appreciated it very much, rest assured, I'm just enquiring as to why you would help with Owen's laundry above all." He smiled slightly at the last part.

"Above all." He repeated. "Isn't helping what friends do?"

Kel snorted slightly; none of her other friends would have helped, kept her company? Sure. But actually washed? She highly doubted it.

"Not likely." She smiled at him, and she turned back to watch the glaring sun, feeling warm and hungry and overall satisfied with yet another passing day.

"Do you ever wonder about love?" She turned her head sharply towards Esmond but though he had asked the question he wasn't looking at her. He was staring out, but she doubted he was actually looking at anything.

"Of course," She replied, "all the time." She added in a smaller voice. Looking away once more, lost in thought.

"And?" He prodded.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked Esmond, not unkindly, but feeling as if he was looking a little too much into her privacy. She was his friend, yes, but they had never been that close.

"No, I'm just...curious."

"But why? People don't usually make questions like that unless they have a reason." She realized it was her now who was being impolite. "Sorry, I don't mean to pry, you just caught me off guard is all." He nodded at her, not seeming perturbed in the slightest.

"That's quite alright, I pried first, did I not?"

Silence reigned once more, but it was not the comfortable one of companionship it had been earlier that day.

"It's just, every year that passes I change, every day and week and month, I start to grow older. I see that slowly each friend falls in love, or ends up bethrothed, or both. And I wonder, why is it taking me so long? I want to fall in love, and yet, if there is never the perfect girl, should I wait forever? Should I wait until wrinkles claim my face and white hair reigns untamed through my dark one? Should I wait until I am old, forever waiting for someone, a feeling, that may or may not come?

"Should I wait for love, or settle down with some pretty lass who'll have me? I am a knight, my work will most likely be my death, I want to pass into the Dark Realm's happy and fulfilled. I feel neither right now. I feel empty, as if a part of me isn't here. I see children run about happily and realize I want children of my own. I see lovers embrace one another and know I wish it was I holding the woman of my dreams. I wish I was that happy knight, returning home to a family who loves him. I just --don't want to grow old alone."

He let out a long gust of air as he finished, looking away dejectedly. Kel knew full well he had been holding that one in for a long time, she knew a pained rant when she heard one.

She put a hand lightly on his shoulder; "There will always be someone. Always. If you pass into the Dark God's Realm, there will forever be friends to mourn your passing. People who will never forget you. As for a family and love, you are still young, there is still time. You'll meet the right girl, like the rest of them. Mayhap you'll fall in love, your heart will know. There is still time." Kel stressed the last words.

After all, he still had a lifetime ahead of him, not that she blamed him, she knew the feeling of being alone all too well. She looked him deep into his chocolate eyes and smiled warmly.

"There is still time."

She embraced him about the shoulders, and he returned the gesture. She then set about pulling up the now-dry clothing. When the basket was full again, he took it from her hands, ignoring her protests and took it himself to Owen.

"What happened to Kel?" Owen asked baffled as a different friend than the one he had been expecting showed with his laundry.

"Nothing, she's fine." Owen stared at him bemusedly as he didn't look at Owen and just left in a daze.

Esmond walked the path to his own chambers in the log cabin on the other side of the 'camp'. He couldn't help but rethink her words in his mind 'there is still time'. He breathed a sigh, Kel, as always, was right. There was still time, plenty of it. Of course. Though he wasn't sure he needed time to search anymore as he slid into his cot, knowing that a certain brown-haired Lady Knight would visit his dreams. Knowing full well that he had gotten himself into yet another fix.

He didn't know why he had helped her with the laundry, he just knew that he was glad he had.

Between a pile of clothes and a good friend, he had gotten advice, a nice afternoon, and a big ache off his sore chest.

Between a pile of clothes, he had found someone to talk to, found a bit of himself with the conversation. His clouded heart had settled a little.

Between a pile of clothes he had found a charming pair of brown eyes.

--

Hope this was to your liking Lioness. To be fair, it's that time of the month and I am so not in the mood for writing love. Besides, these are just situations right? So, for those who hate the spontaneous 'I love you', this is for you.

Sigh, so here we have it. I made a chart of the stories I updated from from the most recent to the... least recent. And this was third, so here it is...

Hope you liked it!

Review!

--

Keep Reading,

xxTunstall Chickxx

1/12/08

P.S. SEND IN YOUR IDEAS/PAIRINGS/SITUATIONS