Yet to try her charm

ShadowGryffyn

It had been two months since Kel had rescued her people from Blayce. The war was on the decline and life was getting back to normal, or as normal as life in a refugee camp on the border could be. New Hope was coming along nicely and was becoming a nice little town in its own right. Dom's squad had been assigned to help get the walls up and get food stored up for the winter. Roaul and Buri were married, and Neal and Yuki were to be married in two month's time.

Messages had been coming from Lord Wyldon about the last mission to go kill King Maggur. Kel was told to stay at New Hope and guard her people, and Dom's squad was to stay until they had more food than they could possibly ever eat in one winter. Kel was antsy and ready for a fight, but none ever came this far into Tortall any more. After reading the most recent dispatch with specific orders to remain where she was, Kel started to pace the room. Neal read the dispatch aloud to Merric and Dom, the other two in the room as Kel paced and swore in Yamani, Tortallan, Kyprish, Scanran, and Common. Dom stood to walk towards Kel, and placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing. Slowly, her turned her to face him.

"Kel, I agree with Lord Wyldon. You should stay here and watch over your people who believe in you. Going to Scanra to rescue them is one thing, but leaving them here so you can fight another battle is completely another. Yes, you want revenge for those of your people that those monsters killed, I want it to. But getting yourself killed in the process won't help matters and won't bring your people justice!" Kel looked up at him with big eyes, her hurt shining through her mask.

"Of all the people I expected to support the Stump and tell me to stay, never was one of them you!" She wrenched herself out of his grasp and ran from the room. Dom turned to follow her but a voice behind him stayed his steps.

"You really love her don't you?" Dom turned and smiled at his cousin.

"With all my wretched heart." Merric smiled.

"Good, because we have good reason to believe that she loves you to."

"But remember, if you hurt her you will have the better half of the castle and a good third of the realm, plus a good portion of the Yamanis after you. And trust me when I say you really do not want the Lioness after you, and she would be at the head of the 'kill Dom squad'."

"I know, and I do value my head thank you very much Meathead. Which is why I do not plan on hurting her. May I go after her now?"

"Yes, but remember our warnings." Dom merely smiled and walked out, going to the place he knew she would be. She wouldn't risk her people seeing her distressed to she would go straight to her chambers. He knew he was right when he arrived at her door to find it locked. "Kel, I know you're in there, I need to talk to you. Can you let me in?" No answer. "I'm coming in then." Dom picked the lock on the door and walked in. What he saw made him very sad. Kel was lying on the floor, partially covered in a blanket with all her clothes still on. She was fast asleep with red blotchy tearstains on her cheeks. Gently shaking her awake, Dom lifted her up so she was sitting in his lap, wrapped in her blanket with her head on his shoulder. Her tears started up again and she had to ask through her sobs.

"Why Dom, why did you say those things? I'd have expected you of all people to support me fighting in the war."

"Because I wouldn't be able to go with you. Because I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt or worse, if you got killed. You are everything to me Kel. I love you." He looked down into her teary eyes. "Now do you understand?" She knew he was telling the truth and she smiled up at him.

"Yes, I understand. And I'm glad, because you know what? I love you too." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that." He whispered to her as he lowered his head to kiss her forehead, her eyelids, and her mouth, at which point she kissed him right back and made sure all the feelings she had felt made their way into the kiss. It was exactly as she had imagined, with her kissing Dom, except most of the dreams didn't have her with tearstains.

Dom picked Kel up and brought her over to her bed, where he lay her down and took off her boots. He walked over to kiss her forehead one last time. "Sleep well love." A smile graced Kel's lips momentarily before she drifted off into the deep slumber that only comes at the end of a big adventure. Or in this case, at the end of a long trial.