Domitan of Masbolle, ran his hand through his dark hair, making it stand at odd angles. A habit he picked up from his cousin, no doubt. He was staring at the parchment in his hands. Dread settling in his gut like a stone. The script on the missive before him was his mother's. A demand that he make an appearance to the holiday ball to be held at his parent's town home in three days time.

Dom stifled a groan. The unspoken threat of being followed by every eligible woman in attendance was giving him a headache. The speech he knew his mother planned to give him at the end of the evening turned his developing headache into a migraine. He'd heard his mother give her monologue enough times to have it memorized.

'Domitan, dear, when are you going to settle down? Have you found a nice girl yet? You aren't getting any younger. You'll find yourself alone one day if you continue this way.'

Dom clenched his jaws together at the thought of having this discussion with his mother yet again. It wasn't that he disliked talking, flirting, and dancing with pretty women. His reputation as a flirt proceeded him and was well earned to boot. No. Dom was just tired of trying to explain to his family that he doesn't want to settle down yet. Men in the King's Own weren't allowed to marry and he wasn't ready to leave the Own yet. He enjoyed making a difference in people's lives.

Not to mention that Dom felt as if he hadn't met the woman he was meant to marry yet. The women of the court were beautiful but he found them lacking in qualities he hadn't realized he was looking for. Kindness. Compassion. Passion. He wanted someone who could understand him and his work. Someone to be his equal. He smiled remembering a conversation he had had with Kel years before.

'Why didn't they mention hammering and digging and sawing, when they talk about war. They never talk about mud in your teeth,' she had said to him.

'If they did, who would be crazy enough to fight? Pretty girls look oddly at a fellow if he talks about the mud in his teeth, instead of the enemies he killed so THEY might sleep safe,' had been his reply.

Dom decided then that when he was ready to leave the Own, he wanted someone who he could talk about mud in his teeth with. He swept his hand through his hair again before he raised a fist to knock on the door in front of him.

"Come in," called a muffled voice. Dom opened the door to see his commander sitting behind his desk, sorting through paperwork. Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak looked up and smiled when he caught sight of Dom in the doorway. "Dom, what can I do for you?"

"Hello, sir," Dom started as he moved to sit in the chair before the desk Raoul had gestured to. "I just received orders from my mother to present myself at the Masbolle town home for a holiday ball." Dom waved the letter he held in his hand.

Raoul winced; his dislike of social gatherings was well known.

Dom chuckled. "My sentiments exactly, sir. I was just leaving the address in case we get a call and you need to reach me. Unless you happen to know of some errand that will take me out of Corus for the next three days?"

It was Raoul's turn to chuckle. "Sorry, Dom, no such luck." He paused then asked, "Why don't you want to go? As I recall, you used to enjoy yourself at parties." Raoul took the bit of parchment with Dom's parent's address on it and stashed it in case it was needed. "Thanks for this, by the way."

Dom scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He was embarrassed to admit that the Great Flirt, Domitan of Masbolle, was sick and tired of matchmaking mothers, his own included. But surely, if anyone understood his predicament, it was the man sitting in front of him.

"Well, sir, I did use to enjoy myself and there are times when I still do. It's just that lately my mother has decided that I'm going to end up old and alone if I don't find someone to marry soon. I keep telling her that I have time, that I'm not ready to settle down yet, but she doesn't agree. And every time I go to a ball now, I'm followed by every eligible woman and her mother." Dom slouched in his seat, rubbing his eyes with his hand.

Raoul sat with his hands steepled, listening to Dom intently, a thoughtful look on his face. When Dom's eyes met his again, he gave a kind smile. "I know exactly how you're feeling. I hate being the bearer of bad news, but it's only going to get worse before it gets better."

Dom sighed. "I know that, sir."

"Have you thought of taking someone with you?" Raoul asked, a sly smile creeping onto his face. This whole situation was especially familiar to him. All he could say was that it was nice to be on the other side of the discussion this time.

"I did, but there's no one I could take who wouldn't think of it as a date. I'm not courting anyone and I don't want to give someone the wrong idea," Dom replied, running his hand through his hair once again.

Raoul was doing his best to keep the grin off his face. "Don't you have a friend you could explain the situation to and who would help you?" After a slight pause from Dom, Raoul suggested, "What about Kel? Surely she'd help you if you asked her?"

"Kel?" Dom managed to choke out. "What makes you think Kel would agree to help me? She hates these sorts of things about as much as you do, sir."

Raoul shrugged, an attempt at nonchalance. "Kel's a steady girl; she wouldn't get any ideas if you explained your situation. And what's more appropriate at Midwinter than helping a friend in need?"

Dom shook his head even as he started to stand. "I don't think she'll go for it."

"You won't know unless you ask. The worst thing she could say is no," Raoul remarked as he lifted another stack of papers and started to sort them.

"You're right. Thank you for the advice, sir." Dom replied as he bowed then made his way to the door.

"Oh and sergeant?" Raoul called just as Dom reached the door and was about to pull it open.

"Yes, sir?"

"Bribery wouldn't hurt your chances either. She's crazy for that Carthaki specialty chocolate," Raoul said with a face splitting grin.

Dom returned his grin. "Thanks again, sir," he said as he left Raoul's office.

Later that evening, as he lay in bed holding his wife, Raoul started to chuckle.

Buri turned her head to look up at him. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Remember how we finally stopped dancing around each other?" he asked her, kissing her on the nose.

"Of course," Buri said with a smile in her voice. "All it took was a Midwinter party you didn't want to attend, and a shrewd squire who was too observant for her own good."

Raoul tucked Buri's head under his chin. "Well, I think I just returned the favor today." His voice was a deep rumble in his chest.

Buri pushed away from him and propped herself on her elbows. "And how did you manage that, oh husband mine?" she asked.

He chuckled again. "I told you about my suspicions, yes?"

"You mean that you think she has feelings for that handsome sergeant in Third Company?"

Raoul scowled at her to cover a grin. "Don't go around calling other men handsome. I might get jealous."

Buri rolled her eyes, knowing he was teasing her. "Sorry, love. I won't inflict any more harm to your male ego. Now, continue please."

"Well, like I told you before, I've been watching those two interact for years now. I have a feeling that Kel likes him but is too afraid to broach the topic in case he doesn't feel the same way. I also have a feeling that Dom likes her back, he just doesn't realize it yet. So I've been on the look out for a way to give them a little push in the right direction."

"Sounds eerily familiar," Buri mused. She poked her husband in the chest. "But this doesn't tell me how you managed to return the favor for pushing us together."

Raoul chuckled again. "Dom came to see me today. His mother has requested his presence at a Midwinter party. He told me that his mother has been at him to settle down and that the matchmaking mothers are now out to get him. So I suggested to him what Kel suggested to me."

"You didn't!" Buri cackled. "And I suppose you somehow dropped Kel's name as a suggestion?"

"You bet I did," Raoul said proudly. "It's about time she realizes that what goes around comes around."

Buri chuckled and settled under Raoul's chin again. "To borrow Kel's words, you are a bad man, Raoul."