From: artemis@cwis.unomaha.edu (Gina Ritter)
Subject: Castle -- E & M: "Where our heroes don't face certain death"
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 19:36:08 GMT


	Meghin and Elo and Fenwyck and Noel wandered about the Castle
grounds, Jones still dangling rather unhappily from Elo's arms.  "C'monn,
guys!"  Elo bounded ahead.  "You've got to see the pond.  It's really,
really neat."
	"Really?"  Meghin said, glancing aside at Noel.
	"Really!  It's just over the hill ... here!"  Suddenly they 
emerged from the tall grasses into a small hidden clearing.  The pond 
shimmered silver in the morning light, edged with twirling water lilies.  
Across the pond, the nearly risen sun peeked through the beginnings of the 
forest.  "Wow,"  Elo whispered.  "I forgot how pretty it is here."
	"It *is* pretty,"  Noel murmured.  "It reminds me ..."  Meghin and
Noel's gazes locked; absolutely silent, they stared at each other
meaningfully.
	Elo blinked, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully.  She and Fenwyck
really probably shouldn't have tagged along.  Meg and Noel seemed to need
some time to themselves.  Turning, she grabbed Fenwyck's sleeve.  "Say,
Fen, what do you say we, ah, get lost?"
	"Gettin' pretty foreward, aren't ya?"  Fenwyck said, oofing as
he caught an Elo elbow in the ribs.
	"I meant get lost as in scram, scoot, leave Meg and Noel *totally
alone* so they can talk ... and stuff."
	"Aaah.  I gets it."  They wandered back into the tall grass.
	"I wondered if you would."  Elo made a particularly impressive
face.  "Anyway, if they start to smooch, this way, I won't have to watch."
	"Ooops ... problems."
	"Huh?"
	"We've got company."
	Noel walked into view, looking curious.  "Where are *you* two
going?"
	"Uh ..."  Elo blushed, at a loss.  Fenwyck hopped into the 
conversational stream like a rabbit from hell.
	"We're ... ah ... talking."
	"Talking?"
	"Ah, yeah.  Talking."  
	"Yes, that's it, we're *talking*."  She spun Noel around and 
pushed him in the opposite direction.  "What say you go on back and 
*talk* with Megs some, hmm?"
	"But ... we haven't even gotten to look around yet ..." he
protested.
	"You could look around *while* you talk with Meg."
	"But ... wait .."  he continued to sputter, until Elo stamped
her foot in frustration.
	"You are so obtuse!  Hey, Meg!  Come reel in your boyfriend!"
	"What?"  Meghin came up, swiping tall grass aside.  She looked
a wee bit irritated.  "Oh, Noel.  I was wondering where you'd gotten to."
	"Megh.  I thought they'd gotten lost."
	Meghin's ears twitched.  "You can't be serious."
	"Believe me,"  Elo rolled her eyes, "he is."  She pulled Meghin
aside, whispering in her ear.  "This was a mistake -- we really shoulda
let you and Noel wander around alone."  She grinned.  "Me and Fen are 
gonna scoot so you and your intended can *talk*.  Alone."
	"Alone?"  Meghin's eyes widened.  "My."
	Elo grabbed Fenwyck's arm, dragging him and Jones away.  "Yep,
Alone!  My, oh, my my my!"
	"Where are they going?"  Noel asked.  Meghin put her hand around
his wrist and gave him a tug.
	"They're going off to ... *talk*."
	Her intended blinked at her.  "Oh, they must be fonder of each 
other than I had thought!"
	"Yah, *may*be,"  she sniffed irritably, and started towards the
pond.  "Come on."
	"Oh.  All right."
	They reached the pond and stood looking for some time.  Then
Noel glanced at her and sighed.  "Aaagh.  Megh, I'm sorry.  I just
figured out ... I was foolish again."
	"Well, yes."
	"You should swat me when I do that."  He slipped his arm around
her and asked softly,  "Would you like to talk, love?"
	"I don't know.  It's nice enough ... to be here."  She looked
up at him and smiled.  He smiled back and ...
	"Hey!"  Fenwyck ambled up, looked at them obliviously.  "I was 
gonna go ... get some juice.  You know.  Ya want me to get you some
juice?"
	"Fenwyck!"  Elo bounded up and swatted him.  "We're leaving
them alone, you goober!"
	"Oh.  Shoot.  I just thought I might get 'em some juice --"
	"I'll juice you, you goober!"  She grabbed his arm and dragged
him away again.
	"You will?  Really?  That'd be keen!"
	Noel shook his head, confused.  "Well, that was different."
	"Come here, you,"  Meghin said, and they walked further away, 
down towards the pond itself.  Noel followed her happily along.
	"You're pretty aggressive for a priest."
	She looked over her shoulder at him and giggled.  "And you're
pretty observant for a sheep-boy."
	"Sheep-boy?  You've been listening to Fenwyck again, haven't
you?"  He sighed and gave her one of his more long-suffering looks.
"It's a good thing you're worth all this trouble."
	She stopped walking.  "You bet."  She stood on her toes and
kissed him.
	Just then a furry tan streak flashed through the air and latched 
on to Noel's shoulder.  "Ow!  Jones!"  The cat yowled pitifully as Elo
burst from the grass.
	"Kitty!"  Elo grabbed Jones, plucking him from Noel's shoulder.
"Bad kitty!  Leave them alone!"  She grinned sheepishly and darted off.
"Sorry!"
	"Oh *no*,"  Meghin said, shaking her head.  She flopped down 
on the grass.  "I cannot believe this."
	"Believe it, priest!"  Elo yelled from somewhere not too far off.
	"Privacy.  I remember privacy ..."  the young priest began
wistfully.  Noel sat down beside her,  looking amused.
	"Now you know, if we always got to be alone, we'd never 
appreciate it when we actually got to be alone."
	"I don't know,"  Meghin said, stroking his hair back from his 
face.  "I think I could appreciate it *very* well."
	"Well, now!"  Fenwyck ambled into the clearing yet again.  "Things
seem to be proceeding rather well here!"
	"Fenwyck!"  Meghin cried.  "Don't you know the meaning of, say,
privacy?"
	"Uh ... no."
	"Go look it up,"  Noel suggested quietly.
	"C'mon, I'll help ya!"  Elo popped into the clearing as well.
Reaching up, she grabbed Fenwyck by the back of his collar.  "Geez,
let 'em off their leash for a second and look what happens!"
	"I was on a leash?  Wow.  That sounds almost ... disreputable."
Fenwyck grinned.  "I could get into that."
	"Oooh, you're vile."  Elo glared snootily at Fenwyck.  He snickered.
	"Glad ya like it, sweetie."
	"Don't sweetie me!"  She yanked him by the collar.  "C'mon, let's
leave them to themselves."
	"Leave them to themselves?  That could be dangerous --"
	"Not as dangerous as not leaving them to themselves."  She tried
looking threatening, but he just giggled.  "C'mon, Fen, lessgo."
	"What if I don't wanna go?"
	"Gods, you're so juvenile."  She frowned at him, an evil twinkle
suddenly sparking her eyes.  She cocked an eyebrow at him.  "If I 
promise to give you a smooch, will you come with me and leave Megs
and Noel alone?"
	"If you promise to give me a smooch, I'll do most anything,"  
he said with an almost (but not quite) innocent smile.
	"You would,"  she muttered, dragging a suddenly willing Fenwyck
away.
	"Ah ..."  Meghin looked around hopefully.  "Are we alone?
Could it be?"
	"Yes ... looks like."
	She yawned.  "I sure could use a nap."  
	Noel squinted.  "What?"
	She curled up beside him, her head on his knee, smiling.  "You
know, I could get to like this being alone thing."
	"You could get quite spoiled,"  he said absently, stroking her
hair.  "I wouldn't know what to do with you then."
	"Oh ... I'm sure you'd think of some --"  They startled at a
faint yell in the distance.  
	"But you promised!"  Fenwyck wailed.
	"I lied."
	Meghin sighed.  "Maybe we'll be lucky and they'll finally go
back indoors."  Looking smug, Jones wandered into the clearing and sat
down not too far away at all to lick himself.  "Then again, maybe sheep
will fly."
	"Sheep don't fly."
	"I know.  That's the point."
	Noel sounded frustrated.  "But sheep don't fly!  I should know,
I'm a shepherd!"
	"Nevermind,"  she said, and sighed again.  She looked up at 
him playfully.  "So, are you going to kiss me or what?"

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Gina Ritter			----^_^----			Di Atkinson
artemis@cwis.unomaha.edu			  dementia@cwis.unomaha.edu
	"A day without elves is like a hamster without roller skates."
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