Disclaimer: All things recognizable belong to Tamora Pierce.
AN: The other day my dad said a phrase and it made me think of our wonderful Meathead! Hope you enjoy!
"Our love is more newer…"
"Seriously Nealan? 'Our love is manure'?" Kel asked him.
Neal sniffed, "Not manure Keladry, more new…er" he turned his nose into the air, "any person would listen and tell the difference," he stated haughtily.
"Well Nealan, I must tell you that I have listened and all I have to say is that any fair maiden you say that phrase 'more newer' to is going to take it the wrong way." Kel returned trying not to lash out at her once again love struck friend, especially seeing as they were walking through the tents full of men from the Own.
Neal had wandered down from his knight mistress' tent to relay his newest poem to Kel, having not seen her for some time. Kel was more than glad that her crush on him had passed, but she still wished he would bug someone else for help.
Neal scoffed, "If I wanted a fair maiden's opinion I wouldn't be here asking you."
Kel froze in her tracks, crossing her arms and glared at her older friend. "Nealan of Queenscove!" She snapped, "I may not prance around in ridiculous dresses flirting with the entire male population, but that does not make me any less of a maiden." Kel's cold voice seemed to get a little louder with each word, although she never actually raised her voice. She would have laughed in amusement as she watched all the color drain from his face if she was not so annoyed.
"Kel…I…you…" Neal's mouth opened several times as he tried to put a sentence together. He swallowed hard, "Kel I'm sorry. I know you're a girl, how could I not? I mean you have the breasts and…"
Kel felt her eyes turn a little colder but before she could snap another remark a voice besides her spoke up, "Gods above Meathead just hold your tongue!"
Kel glared at Dom, "And what are you doing Domitan, listening to this conversation?" She raised her eyebrow, waiting for his response.
Dom gave her a player's bow, "Sorry madam Keladry, but I couldn't help but over hear as you stopped in front of my tent. I thought it best to stop Meathead before he did something, or said something you'd both regret."
"I know how to talk to and behave around my best friend Domitan of Masbolle." Neal's eyes held a small fire in them, at being caught saying such things to his best friend or annoyance at his cousin's presence Kel couldn't tell.
"Obviously you don't Nealan. If you did you wouldn't have snapped at Kel for not knowing a maiden's heart, or bringing in her physical characteristics." Dom stopped his cousin before he could continue.
"Oh and what would you suggest I do instead?" Neal asked his cousin sarcastically, "Flirt shamelessly with her, toy with her heart strings? I don't think so."
"I don't flirt…" Dom began
Kel had enough, "Stop it both of you!" Her annoyance had returned. Before she could start talking she felt a hand on her arm she looked up into grey eyes.
"There you are squire of dreams, I was rather hoping that you could show me that new trick you learned, you are just as good as the lads…" He stopped when he saw her eyes storm over.
"Not right now Cleon." Kel hissed before she walked away leaving three stunned men behind.
"What crawled under her skin?" Cleon asked looking between the two cousin's, his gaze cooling at Dom. They both shrugged.
"Meathead offended her." Dom supplied grinning.
"Stop calling me that infernal nickname! And we all know that Kel is more than capable of brushing off comments of that manner." His eyes looked worried, "You don't think she's ill do you?"
Two laughing figures emerged from behind two tents, "Don't worry about it squire, I feel that you just caught her at a bad time." Alanna informed her squire.
"Lady Alanna." Dom bowed to her than turned to Lord Raoul, his eyes twinkling with understanding, "We'd best keep out of the war path sir, it promises to be a difficult week."
Raoul chuckled, "That it is, if any of the men act out feel free to send them her way."
Neal's brow was creased as he looked between the three older people around him. "Why would it be a war path? It's just Kel, she holds together better than anyone I know."
Alanna approached her squire, clasping his shoulder, "Nealan, you're a healer-to-be, shouldn't you have already heard of a woman's monthlies?" She chuckled at his red face.
Raoul looked at the two squires in front of him and shrugged, "She'll calm down in a couple of days." He clasped Neal and Cleon on the shoulder then nodded to Dom before he and Alanna continued their walk.
"Well, I'll see you two later." Dom told them walking away whistling. Before he went out of sight he called back, "If I were you two, I'd start keeping track, you never know if it's going to be the war path, weeps or sweets." And he was gone.
Neal and Cleon stood in comfortable silence then Cleon broke it, "How come we never noticed it before?" Neal shrugged. They remained in silence for a few more minutes "Want to go find the others?" Cleon offered.
Neal quickly agreed, "We'd best let Kel come to us, should we warn the others?" They both shook their heads no before bursting out laughing.
Cleon's grin held a bit of mirth, "I'd like to see my Kel release her temper on the next hapless victim if it's all the same to you."
Neal looked lost in thought for a second then stated, "Cleon, can I ask you something?"
"Sure Neal, what's on your mind?"
"My Lady Yuki, our love is more newer than, the flowers of spring." He looked to Cleon for his reaction.
Cleon burst out in laughter, "Manure?"
Neal stalked away muttering under his breath, nobody seemed to understand his poetry.