Kel walked passed Cleon's room when she saw a figure bustling around.

She knocked on the door then pushed it open.

" You're leaving? " She gaped.

" Eh... " Cleon sat down on his saddlebag and rubbed his forehead. " I'm sorry, Kel. I meant to tell you. Really I did but I couldn't. "

She came closer and sat on his bed. " Why are you running away? "

" Who said I was running away? " He cried, indignantly.

Kel looked up at him. " Cleon! With that tone I can obviously see you're running away. " He looked down. " But from what? "

- Seph (I'm giddy!)

22-year-old Cleon ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I shouldn't tell you it'd-"

"Cleon" Kel said warningly. She said it in a tone of voice that said "you better tell me right now or you're in for it".

"Um....Ok." he said, giving in. He looked at the floor, not wanting to meet Kel's eyes--the eyes of his lover. "I'm not running away, exactly. Mom has ordered me to go home to Kennan to be wed to that heiress," Cleon said miserably.

Kel gasped in shock. She and Cleon had been lovers for almost 3 years now. The thought of losing him was unbearable. "Oh, Cleon!" she cried, sobbing into his shirt. "Why is she making you come home NOW???"

"The crops failed again this year, so Kennan is very poor. When I marry this heiress, we will have a lot of money to handle the fief properly," he explained.

"And why wouldn't you tell me? You would have just left, without telling me ANYTHING?" Kel asked, still shocked from his news.

"Yes. I didn't want to break your heart, and I thought that if I just left you might forget about me..." he stopped.

"No! I will never forget about you! No matter where you are, or who you're with! I LOVE YOU!!!" Kel started to cry again.

"Love, I have to go now," Cleon said, grabbing his pack. "Remember, I will always love you. Now be strong and try to forget about me." With that he left his room.

Kel ran as fast as she could to her own room. She was blinded by tears, and hoped that she wouldn't run into anyone. Unfortunately, she did.

Neal was walking down the hall. He was crying because Yuki had just dumped him for another man. *It's not fair! I love her!* he thought to himself sadly. Suddenly he was hit square in the face by something, or someone, who was running in the opposite direction.

Both of them fell down. Kel landed on top of Neal, who's legs were tangled together. They looked at eachother in surprise.

"Kel, what's wrong? What happened? Did someone attack you?" Neal asked noticing her red eyes.

"I could ask you the same thing," Kel replied. "But I'll tell you. Cleon is leaving--he has to go back to Kennan for good to manage the fief and get married to a rich heiress. He's never coming back to the palace," Kel started sobbing again.

"You loved him?" Neal asked. Kel nodded miserably. "Oh, I'm so sorry," Neal hugged Kel, who was still sitting on top of him.

Kel tried to wipe away her tears. "What happened to you? Why are you crying?" She looked at him worriedly.

"Yuki left me. She left me for another man," Neal said quietly and sadly. The two friends sat there in silence and conforted eachother until Sir Merric of Hollyrose, another one of their friends, walked down the hall and laughed at them before seeing their tear-stained faces.

"Kel and Neal, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes...." He stopped singing when Neal glared at him. Merric could now see he'd been crying. He quickly turned around and walked away, very embarresed.

"Kel, why don't we go into my room. We're lucky that one of our friends saw us first. We don't want people to take this the wrong way," Neal said. Kel dumbly nodded her agreement, so the two knights walked to Neal's room, which was a little ways down the hall.

~*~Annie~*~

Neal led Kel into his rooms and shut the door behind him. "Kel why does Cleon have to marry the heiress?" Neal looked at her with kindness in his eyes.

"His family had another bad year with crops and business dealings. His mother needs the money that the girl will bring to the Kennan family. Oh Neal! I don't know what to do! He ... he ... well you know how much I love him..." She sighed. What happened to Yuki? She was never the type to just go running off with men.

"She didn't just run off really, but I think it might have been better if she had. She came to me this morning and told me all about a man she knew in Yamani has come to Tortall and she told me how things had never been resolve between them. They must have been pretty close when she left for Tortall with the princess because she couldn't give him up again now that he was back." Kel looked at her friend. He was trembling with tears unshed and looking younger than ever.

"Neal, please. I'm sure everything will work out. There are plenty of girls out there that would love to be with you. With your sense of humor and incredible charm how could they not?" She looked earnestly at him, willing to believe her words.

"Kel, how can you be so wise? I've known you for more years than not and you still manage to be a teacher to me. I would rather kill myself than see you hurt by anyone including that ... man... Cleon." He met her eyes and caught his breath.

Kel and Neal look at each other and both reached at the same time. something in his eyes told her that it would all be fine as long as she didn't look away...

And as they reach for each other they both lost themselves completely into the moment, not knowing what could happen if they did.

~Jenn

Kel leaned forward towards his loving grey eyes framed by red curls... then her vision cleared, and memory returned. The truth was harsh. She lowered her face, but a sob escaped from her before she could control it. This was not Cleon sitting before her. Cleon was the one who was finishing putting his things away to leave her. No, this was Neal. She had lost her desire for Neal years ago, and now he was nothing more than a friend. The very best friend she had, perhaps, and very handsom, but he wasn't Cleon.

Neal heard her sob and lay a soft hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry, Kel... are you alright? I thought..." He trailed off.

"No," Kel answered. "I'll be fine. I just can't belive... How could Yuki? And why...? Is there no way...?" She trailed off.

~Sandy~

Many miles away, Cleon was riding home.

"Cleon, what's the matter ? " asked his mother. " You should be happy! You are going to be married in a few days!"

"I know mother, but what if I want to marry someone else?" Cleon replied sadly.

"Now Cleon," His mother said warningly. "We already talked about this many times. I wouldn't force you if we didn't need the money!"

Just then, an idea popped into his head.

"Mother, if I was to get enough money for you would I need to marry that heiress?"

His mom thought about it for a few minutes.

"Well .... I suppose not. But how will you get 500 nobles??"

"I don't know," admitted Cleon. " But I'm willing to try !!! "

~JuLia~

There was a knocking on the door. Kel rose to answer the door. There, in the doorway, stood Merric, beet red with embarracement.

"Um, Kel?" asked Merric. "Can we talk...alone?"

"Sure," Said Kel. "What about?" Neal left to go to his room, a confused look on his face.

"Well," Merric explained. "It's like this...Gods, I can't say it."

"Alright, lets walk, and maybe you'll get the strength to say it." Suggested Kel.

Kel left a note for Neal saying that she and Merric were taking a walk.

"Ok, it's like this. I was out for a ride, and I met up with someone, only he wouldn't tell me who he was. He looked like someone we knew, but, different. I think, I think it's Joren."

"But he's DEAD!" cried Kel. "What? How? What happened?

"I don't know. Thats the problem. He...he...he tole me he loves you." Kel, not watching where she was going, tripped and fell.

"Gods curse it!" cried Kel. She began to curse in Yamani. She got up, and stared at the ground. Suddenly, she said, "I...I'm going to go for a walk."

"you want me to come?" asked Merric?

"No, I'll be fine." Kel left. Still not paying attention to where she was going, she bumped into something, or someone large. "Gods curse it!" she began cursing in Yamani.

"Kel?" asked a booming voice. "Mithros! It IS you!"

Kel looked up to see who the speaker was...It was Raoul.

"Raoul?" Kel asked dumbly.

***~~~Kay~~~***

"Yes it's me!" Raoul replied a bit worried. "Kel, you look as if you've seen a ghost. What's the matter?" Raoul's eyes showed concern as Kel looked at him, still in shock at seeing him. Taking a deep breath, Kel relayed the whole story about what Merric had siad about Joren. "Gods bless it Kel, you know better than to believe such things as that!" Kel blushed and looked down. He had a point, Maybe it was a look alike or something. I mean, there has to be guys that look like him. Kel told herself. "I guess you're right. I shouldn't let my mind get carried away from me like that." Kel told her Knight master. "That's the Kel I know! Now, where is that lover boy of yours?" Raoul said happily. With the words 'lover boy' kel burst into tears and ran down the corridor. Coming to her room, she flung herself on her bed, and sobbed. A few minutes later, a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. "Kel," The soft voice of Raoul's met her ears. "What happened?" Kel sobbed into the bed, and muttered into the pillow "He left. His mother is making him marry that girl!" It was extremely muffled by the blankets, but Raoul still heard her. "Oh Kel, I'm sorry. I know how much he meant to you. Does his mom need money?" Kel nodded. "Well, maybe we could help her out some, and earn some money." Kel's head ubruptly came up our of the blankets. She had never thought of that. "Really? You'd do that?" Raoul nodded his head, and smiled, "Only if you help" "Of course I will!" Kel replied, hugging her Knight master.

~Aimee

Kel ran as fast as she could back to her room, where Lalasa was letting out some of Kel's dresses. Kel looked at her maid in disbelief, "You aren't my maid anymore, you know that." She said indignantly.

"I know that." Lalasa said patting Jump on the head as he bounded in before Raoul. Lalasa stood and curtsied before Raoul. Raoul bowed quickly and turned to Kel. "Do you have horse-blood or something? You ran like a terrified jackrabbit.

Kel smiled. "I believe speed is in the essence of emergency."

Raoul looked confused. "Uhhhh, whatever."

Kel put her hands on her hips. "I have money that I can put in the 'Cleon Fund'" She rooted around under her bed, in the pockets of all her breeches and in a large wooden box. She went back to Raoul hand outstreched. It contained 8 gold nobles, 2 silver nobles, and 3 bronze nobles. Raoul dug in his pocket and produced a small sack of silver coins.

"Got them last week for defeating an ogre in Dunlath. Kept meaning to spend them but I never did. It's 20 silver nobles." He added to Kel who was counting them.

Kel smiled again. "Maybe that's enough?" She whistled to her sparrows. When they arrived she said to them. "I need one of you to take a note to Cleon. He should be in Kennan. You know where that is right?" The sparrows nodded. They all flew off at once except for the one called Crook, because of his crooked tail. Kel quickly sprawled a note.

Got some money. I hope that it's enough. I love you. Kel.

Kel tied it to Crook's leg with a big of twine and he took of. Gods go with you, thought Kel.

*Maddy*

Cleon sat on the roadside, kicking at a stone, his mother stood by a small stream at the wayside and watered the horses. A small cheep caused him to look up. A sparrow had landed on his arm, with a small note on it's leg, " Crook?" Cleon asked, "What are you doing here?" The sparow stood patiently as Cleon untied the note. Upon reading the contents, he broke out in a wide smile and laughed. His mother turned, "Cleon, what are you laughing at?"

"Nothing mother, nothing. I need to go back to the palace, there is news for me."

"No, you cannot. Your bride will get worried."

" Tell her i will come later." Cleon strode to his horse, plucked the riegns out of his mothers grasp and swung himself onto the animal, grabbing his pack as he did.

He kicked the horse into a gallop and rode away, fast into the beginning of the evening."Cleon!!!" His mother shouted. "Come back!"

Amara

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