Chapter 1
Kel looked up at Owen, surprised.
"He's growing up," she thought. "And he's growing up well."
"When did he get to be so handsome?" Kel said aloud.
"Who is this he you're talking about?" Owen asked.
"Did I just say that aloud?" thought Kel, so embarassed that not even her Yamani mask could cover up her blush. Owen watched, fascinated, as Kel's cheeks started to redden, then abruptly stopped and went away, as if she had regained control of her emotions.
"So who is this fellow you like?" asked Owen. "A pence for your thoughts? Are you thinking about, hmm, I don't know, Quindan? (Kel made a face.) Lerant? (Kel shook her head vehemently.) Or how about one of the men of the King's Own, perhaps a sergeant who is a cousin of a knight named Sir Meathead?" Owen teased. Kel's face turned beet red.
"Don't think we all haven;'t noticed," said Owen, watching her carefully.
"What's all this talk about my mad cousin for?" Dom interrupted as he joined them on the palace wall overlooking Corus. "Here I was, just taking a nice morning stroll, and I hear people talking about my troublesome cousin. What has he done now worth gossiping about?" Kel's blush, if it was even possible, deepened, with Dom noting it carefully. "It must be something juicy, the way even our infamous Lady Knight Stoneface Protector of the Small is blushing," teased Dom.
"Oh, it's nothing really," Kel managed to stammer out. "But it's getting late, and I've wasted enough time already, so see you around later." Kel turned and briskly walked away.
"Why is she being so, so odd all of a sudden?" mused Dom aloud. Owen, who would not have explained the situation to Dom even if his life depended on it, wisely kept quiet and let Dom continue. "I mean , at least she could have said hello, or reacted somehow to my calling her Protector of the Small."
"Maybe it's that time of the month or something," thought Dom. "Women," said Dom with feeling, leaving Owen very confused as Dom walked off, following the path that Kel had taken.