Chapter 1
The tall woman standing on the fort wall looking towards the rising sun could have been thinking of anything. Things she had to do that day, when she could possibly do them, who she needed to talk to, how she could improve her already impressive fighting skills, anything at all. Instead, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan's thoughts were miles away, on a certain blue eyed sergeant, in another fort down the border line, who was probably still sleeping.
For as long as she had known him, Kel had felt something for Dom. She wasn't sure exactly what it was, but she knew she had a strong attraction to him. Even when she and Cleon were together, she had always gotten that tingly feeling down her spine, or the shivers when he smiled at her, or their arms brushed. Once Cleon had gotten married however, and was out of the picture, those feelings had increased. She could barely think of him without blushing, for Mithros sake! Whenever Dom was near her, her stomach clenched and her heart sped up.
She shook her head and looked around at the buildings of New Hope that surrounded her. Kel noticed that the cooks were starting to move around and start breakfast. She sighed and started down the wall steps, making her way towards headquarters.
Miles away, in the fort of Steadfast, that same blue eyed sergeant was having similar thoughts as he dressed. I've got to stop thinking of her! My men are starting to notice that my thoughts aren't always on my work, they're off somewhere, miles away, with a beautiful Lady Knight. As he pictured Keladry in his mind, he sighed wistfully, wishing he could be with her. Wolset, one of the men that were standing behind Dom, puckered his lips and sighed, dramatically imitating his commander. Dom whirled and glared at his men, who instantly all tried to smile and look innocent, not succeeding in the least bit. At least they don't know who I'm thinking of, he thought gratefully as he walked out the barracks door. I'd never hear the end of it!
When Kel arrived at the mess hall for breakfast it was well past dawn and the tables were almost full. She collected her porridge from the cooks, then went to sit beside Merric to eat. All of a sudden Neal rushed in waving a large pink envelope and a letter.
"Kel, Kel!" he yelled, sprinting down the aisles between the tables. When he arrived at her table, he skidded to a stop and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Ahem. This is a letter from Lord Wyldon."
Sir Nealan and Lady Keladry,
In the next couple of days you will be receiving a letter from the king. He will command you to return to Corus as soon as possible. I ask you to pack now, so you can be ready to leave immediately after the summons. On the behalf of all the married men in the palace, I ask you to hurry.
Lord Wyldon
"Wow. I didn't know the Stump could be that stiff, and in a letter for Mithro's sake! All the married men in the palace? Well, isn't that interesting." Neal commented as he opened the letter in his other hand, the one in the pink envelope. He glanced at the writing, then folded it and put it in his pocket.
"This one's from Yuki, so I'll read that by myself a little later, thank you very much." He paused, then added as an after thought, "Hey, I'm a married man too, and my wife is at the palace. I wonder if I count? I'm going to go pack, just in case." He grinned as he patted Yuki's letter in his pocket, then ran out the door, leaving his breakfast cold on the table. I'm going to have to bring him some food later on, Kel thought as she grabbed his dish along with hers and headed to the staff on kitchen duty. On the behalf of all the married men, eh? Wonder what it is. Oh well, she thought, then pushed it from her mind. We'll find out soon enough.