From: artemis@cwis.unomaha.edu (Gina Ritter)
Subject: Castle -- Meghin and Noel: "Alone again (finally)"
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 20:22:53 GMT


	"Meghin!  Meeeeeeeeeghin!"  Elo whined, pounding on the door.  
Meghin closed the book she'd been reading (yep, _Pride and Prejudice_),
and glanced at the door.  
	"Come in, Elo."
	Elotheria threw open the door and hopped across the room.  She 
looked at Meghin severely, toying with something clothlike in her 
hands.  "It's pretty outside!  Why are you wasting it reading!"
	She blinked.  "I've been meaning to read this for some time.  
I've only just now had time to."
	Elo rolled her eyes.  "Megs, you're such a *priest* sometimes!
Why aren'tcha out with Noel?"
	"We do have things in our lives besides each other,"  Meghin 
replied coolly.  Truthfully, Noel hadn't been by to see her yet today.  
This did irritate her a bit.  But she wasn't about to say so to Elo.  "I 
can respect that."
	"But you haven't seen him -- *really* seen him -- in ages!"  her
friend exclaimed.  "Doncha want to?"
	"Well,"  she granted, setting her book on the bed beside her,
"it would be nice to talk to him again."  And it would.  All they had 
done lately was talk about what was going on in the Castle and --
	"Alone?"  Elo winked.  The young priest blushed.
	"Elo, it's not like that at all."
	"Yeah.  Sure it's not,"  she snickered.  Meghin stared at her.
	"You're *so* embarrassing sometimes!  Where do you get off 
making assumptions about my personal life?"
	"Someone's got to."  Elo held the cloth (which Meghin now noticed
was a dress) out to her.  "Put this on."
	"Oh, first you appoint yourself my chaperone, now you're my
fashion counselor?"  The young priest looked at the dress (a sort of
smock-gown, white with blue flower print) distastefully.  "I'm *not*
wearing that."
	"Sure ya are."
	"What are you up to?"  she asked suspiciously.  With Elo, you
never could tell.
	"Oh ... nothing."  Elo smiled way too smugly.  "Nothing at all.
Get changed, okay?"
				---^_^--- 
	No sooner was she changed than Elo hurried her to the kitchen.
Meghin followed along, scowling.  "I don't know what you're planning, 
but I wish you would have left me out of it.  I don't like it.  I want
my book back."  Meghin picked at her dress, much too pretty for her
taste.  "I want my robes back."
	"Too bad, ya can't have 'em."  Elo stopped walking, grinned, 
and shoved her into the kitchen.  Meghin looked around in surprise. 
"Noel!"
	Her intended looked about as bemused as she felt, but very very
nice.  He was wearing leather boots and brown trousers and a white 
tunic and a short cloak around his shoulders.  Jones sat by his feet,
looking (for once) approving.  Noel walked over to her and smiled at
her fondly.  "Meghin.  You look ... nice."
	"Nice ain't the word fer it,"  Fenwyck said from his perch on
a nearby countertop.  He grinned evilly.  "She just looks better an'
better everytime I see her.  I really do have to bag me a priest."
	"You *goober*!"  Elo crossed the room and frowned up at him.
"You stop looking at Megs like that.  She's not yours!"
	"That doesn't mean I don't appreciate --"  he began.  Then he
smiled.  "*Oh*.  I unnerstand."
	"Understand what?"
	"Nothing."  He smirked.  Elo poked him on the knee.  
	"Whadaya mean, 'nothing'?!"
	Fenwyck poked her on the shoulder.  "Whadaya mean, poking me 
like that?"
	"Oooh!  You're so -- so -- aargh!"  She stomped her feet in
frustration.  Smiling, Fenwyck slipped down to the floor and loped
his way over to Meghin and Noel.
	"Hi there, kids.  Gotcha a picnic basket."  He picked it up
from the table and handed it to Noel.  Noel stared at the basket as
if he'd never seen one before in his life.  Fenwyck laughed at him.
"Have fun on your picnic."
	"Our what?"  Meghin and Noel exclaimed.  Meghin blinked and 
looked at Elo.  "Did you plan this?"
	"You bet!"  Elo smiled.  "Well, actually, it was me and Fen.
We figured you two needed some time alone to *talk*, so ..."
	"An' I promise not to bug ya this time.  Maybe,"  Fenwyck
said.  Elo pointed at him.
	"*Definitely*.  We don't want *anyone* intruding on you two.
We're gonna go pass out notes to everyone all over, telling 'em to 
leave you guys alone."
	"Er ... thank you,"  Noel said, looking quite startled.  "May
I ask ... Did you do the basket as well?"
	"Nah,"  Elo shrugged.  "Lady Elaine did it."
	"Lady Elaine!  That was nice of her.  Could you thank her for
me, Elo?"  Meghin asked.  "I mean, I'll see her to thank her soon 
enough, but --"
	"I'm gonna thank her already,"  Elo said, ears twitching 
happily.  "Now get going!"
	"Wait."  Meghin gave her a hug.  "Thankies, Elo."
	"Welcomies, Megs."  Elo giggled and pushed her away.  "Go!
Your intended is starting to look bemused."
	"He always looks bemused."
	"Hey,"  Noel said softly.  Meghin smiled at him.
	"I like you anyway."
	"Say,"  Fenwyck said, snagging Elo by the arm, "do I get a 
hug too?"
	Elo shook her head firmly.  "No."
	"Why *not*?!"
	"Well ..."  Elo scratched her head, then smiled.  "Tell ya what.
If I promise to give ya a hug, will you let Megs and Noel go?  Alone?"
	"I dunno.  The last time ya promised me something, I seem
to remember it being a lie."
	"Awh, c'mon.  Would I lie to ya *twice*?"
	Fenwyck's ears twitched.  He grabbed Meghin and Noel each by a
shoulder and steered them towards the outside door.  "Ya do only live
once, ya know,"  he said, blinking.  "Might as well make the most of 
it."  Fenwyck forced them out onto the stair and slammed the door 
behind them.
	They glanced around.  The leaves were just beginning to turn
in a couple patches, and the sun shone brightly through the trees.  
Meghin glanced at Noel.  "Where to?"
	He smiled.  "I know the perfect place."
				---^_^---
	The warm sunshine, the delicious meal, and the company of her
intended were not enough to keep Meghin in good spirits.  For the first
time since she had met up with Noel again ... indeed, for the first time
that she could honestly recall ... she felt uncomfortable around him.  
This time, for certain, she was going to have to speak to Noel about things.  
Things that could well make him leave her.  True, he had come all this way 
for her, but was he willing to face death for her too?  It would not have 
been fair to expect that of him, or of anyone.  Yet she did not want him 
to leave ... She did care so very much for him ...
	Meghin scowled, prompting a worried look from Noel.  She was 
getting blessed tired of lying.  She knew well how she felt about Noel!
But to say it ... or even perhaps to think it ... was death.  She watched
him as he fed Jones scraps of chicken left over from their picnic lunch.  
Noel looked so calm and peaceful that she wanted to wince.  What right had
she to bring such darkness into his life?  He deserved far better.
	She swallowed.  If she did not tell him now, she never would.  
"Noel?"
	He looked up and smiled at her.  Spiteful at being ignored, Jones
clawed his hand.  "Owh, Jones!"  Noel scooped up the cat and carefully 
tossed him a few feet away.  Jones landed easily on his feet and strode
off, head and tail held high.  "Bad Jones."  Meghin bit her lip 
unhappily, impatiently.  "Megh?"  Noel crawled across the blanket to her,
looked at her concernedly.  "Meghin, what's wrong?"
	"I ... um ... haven't been exactly honest with you."  She glanced 
away, blinking.  "And it's time that I was."
	"Honest?  Honest about what?"  Noel asked, puzzled.  She just
shook her head, feeling choked.  "Meghin,"  he began gently, "you don't
have to tell me anything if you're not up to it.  I trust you."  He
took her hand.  "If you can't tell me right now, tell me sometime.  I
will wait, you know."
	"I ... know.  That's why I should tell you now."
	They sat there in silence.  Leaves scattered from the trees to 
the surface of the pond, stirring the water into broken reflections.  
Noel looked at her, frowning.  Finally she said, "You may have noticed
I've never told you I love you."
	"Yes ... I have."  He dropped his eyes, looking troubled.  "I
never knew why.  Is it ... Is it because ... you don't --"
	"No,"  she insisted, patting his hand reassuringly.  "No.  That's
not it at all, Noel.  I care ... very much for you."
	"Then ... What is wrong?"
	More than he could imagine, she was sure.  She blinked hard.
She had best tell him and get it over with ... "When I was very young, 
a sorceress made a Prophecy that ... whoever I loved would die."
	"That was a long time ago,"  he said, sounding a bit nervous.
Noel always sounded a little nervous when mention was made of how old
she was.  Meghin could not really blame him; she was not just older than 
him, she was older than Elo (who was coming up on her second century, 
if Meghin remembered right).  Meghin just looked very young, and Noel 
seemed to like to think that she was.
	"It doesn't matter how long ago it was.  She made the Prophecy.
And since then ... whoever I loved ... has died."  Before he could ask,
she continued, "The priests at the Church were good people.  I didn't 
particularly like some bits about being there, but I loved the people.  
Some of them were closer than my family, except my for my mother Akane.  
But you know what happened at the Church."
	"I know,"  he said softly.  "But that wasn't your fault."
	"If I hadn't loved them, they would not have died."
	"You don't know that."
	"Well I don't *not* know it either!"  Meghin cried.  He 
flinched.  "I don't, Noel.  I can't know.  So it's better ... if I 
just ... don't ... love ..."
	"Megh ..."  He drew his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned
against him, sniffling.  "Meghin ..."
	"Don't leave me.  I don't want you to leave me."
	"I'm not going anywhere."
	"But --"  She looked up at him, blinking, "but you could die.
You could die.  I don't want you to --"
	"Megh, listen.  I didn't come all this way just to leave you."
He touched her chin, looking at her intently.  "Did you honestly think
that I could live without you?"
	"Noel ..."
	"I've loved you since I came back from my apprenticeship ...
no, before.  I've loved you as long as I can remember.  I loved you
before I ever knew about the Prophecy.  I'm not about to stop loving
you now."
	"But, I can't love you, darn *it*,"  She sat up, scowling.  
"I don't dare love you.  Don't you understand?"
	"I understand that you're under a Prophecy ... but it doesn't
always have to be that way, my love."  He smiled at her.  "Fenwyck
and I spoke a great deal while we were travelling.  There are stranger
things than we can imagine in the Lands and beyond.  Somewhere there
must be a way to lift the Prophecy too.  Who knows?"
	"What are you saying?"
	"I'm saying ... I really admit I don't much like travelling,
but if it was with you ... Would you be up for a journey?  To find
out how to lift the Prophecy?"
	"Where would we start?"
	"I'm not sure,"  he admitted.  "But I won't have you living 
the way you have any longer.  Not if I can help it."  He smiled at her
and kissed her on the cheek.  "And I mean to try."
	She stared at him, amazed.  "You're not afraid."
	Noel laughed.  "Of course I'm afraid!  But I'm willing to try,
if you are."
	She thought about it, frowning.  The Prophecy could be lifted.
She could live her life again.  They could ... oh, that would be 
beyond wonderful!  She had to tell Elo!  That brought her up short.  
"Elotheria,"  Meghin said quietly.  "Drat."
	"What's wrong?"
	"I was just thinking ... What about Elo?"
	"Elotheria is a big girl,"  Noel said, patting her shoulder.  
"I'm sure she can take care of herself."
	"You don't understand.  I ... well ... I'm supposed to watch
after her.  The Goddess said so."
	Noel nodded.  "Well then I guess we'll just have to ask Elo
to come with us.  And Fenwyck, of course."
	"What?  Are they a matched pair or something?"
	"They certainly have been bounding about alot together."
	Elo?  In love?  Meghin shook her head; it was almost starting
to sound ... well ... plausible.  "True,"  she murmured.  "I'll have
to speak to them when we go inside."
	"Intent on going inside already?  Am I that boring?"  Noel
asked so pleadingly she reached out and tapped him on the nose.
	"Yes.  I'm just with you because I happen to like boring."
	"Ooh, now *that* wasn't very nice!  I should pitch you in the
pond, baby priest!"
	She grinned at him.  "You won't, though."
	"Ho, so sure!"  Noel picked her up.  She screeched in surprise.
	"Aaa!  Don't you *dare*!"
	"I will very well dare, and you know it."
	"Better not!  I'm telling the Goddess on you!"
	"Oh, as if She's going to listen to a baby priest!"  He stood
at the edge of the pond.  "How about it.  Are you going to be nice 
anytime soon?"
	"Let me down and I could be *very* nice,"  she said pretty 
convincingly.  Noel dropped her.  She smiled and grabbed him by the 
shoulder.  "I think I'll be very nice later, though."  Meghin ducked and 
threw him in.

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Gina Ritter 			---^_^---	 artemis@cwis.unomaha.edu
"talk"----------------Can you tell the difference?---------------"*talk*"
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