I'm back! This fic follows on from my previous one "Welcome Back to Scanra" - if you haven't read that one, then this one will probably make more sense if you do.

I'm not sure yet where this story is going to go, but that's half the fun surely? :oP

As ever, I own none of the characters you recognise. I'd be rich and living in a mansion if I did.

1

"Look sharp lads, party coming through! Open the gates!"

The shouted command made Dom change course, heading towards the palace gates and not the stables as he was planning.

"Who is it?" he asked someone nearby. The war with Scanra had been over for almost a year now, but knights and companies were still trickling back in from the front lines.

"Dunno, Sarge. Some knight and a small company. Back from the desert by the looks of the dust on 'em."

Dom nodded absent-mindedly, trying to think of which knights had recently been posted out to Bazhir lands. There was no war there, but bandits were ever a problem and a constant military presence was required. The Crown made sure to rotate the warriors every few months to avoid boredom and jealousies becoming a problem.

The noise of hooves was thunderous as the company rode through the gates. They came to a ragged halt and began to dismount as stable hands rushed to take their horses. There was indeed a lot of dust billowing in the gusty day both from mounts and men, stinging Dom's eyes and making him cough.

When his vision cleared somewhat, he found the knight who had been leading the company standing in front of him.

"Sergeant Domitan," the knight said, with a broad grin.

Dom bowed, a little confused as to who he was addressing. As he straightened up, the knight had removed their helm revealing tousled, sweaty brown hair tied back in a short horsetail. A pair of sparkling hazel eyes looked up a couple of inches into his own.

"Kel!" Dom said in delight. "Lady Knight, it's been too long!" He bowed again.

Keladry of Mindelan laughed. "It has! It's good to see you Dom."

He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling suddenly awkward. "If I'd known you were going to be dashing off to the Bazhir, I'd have made sure to get to New Hope in time to see you off. As it was I think we missed each other by a week or two."

"Oh…" Kel looked fleetingly embarrassed before her face became carefully impassive. "Well, we were being cleared out of New Hope and the options were to return to Corus, or bandit duty with the Bazhir…"

"Never one to miss bashing some manners into bandits, eh Kel?" smiled Dom.

"To be honest, I welcomed the change of scene after…"

She didn't finish the sentence but Dom knew what she meant. The business with Maggur in Scanra. He had been present at her rescue and had seen her afterwards at Steadfast. Dom remembered how gaunt and pale she had been. How her hazel eyes had been haunted. He had meant to go and see her once she was back at New Hope, busy turning the refugee camp into a bustling town. Third Company and desperate Scanrans had different ideas, keeping him occupied until Kel had already left New Hope to go and stay with the Bazhir for a few months.

The change had done her good, Dom admitted. Meathead had written to him, letters filled with concerns over how thin and wan she had become in the weeks following her rescue. There was no sign of that now – the Lady Knight that stood before him was as broad and powerful as ever; her face liberally sprinkled with freckles and deeply tanned. Glints of almost blonde were apparent in her untidy hair, bleached by the sun no doubt.

"Dom?" Kel raised an eyebrow at him and he realised he'd been staring at her, not saying anything.

"Sorry, was just thinking…your hair's got longer."

"Oh…" Kel scrunched up her nose and pushed her fringe out of her eyes. "I think it's the heat, I've never known it to grow so quickly. First thing…after a bath and a good nap, mind you…first thing I'm doing is hunting down the palace barber."

"Hmm, maybe you should keep it. It suits you."

Was that a blush creeping over the Lady Knight's cheeks? Dom rather thought it was.

"I've had short hair since I was ten, I've forgotten what I look like with it any longer than my ears," she muttered. "Mind you I suppose ten years is a long time to have the same haircut."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the two of them as they realised they were standing discussing hairstyles with each other.

"I'd, er, better…"

"Yeah and I've got to…"

"Nice to, erm, see you…"

"Yeah, yeah you too…"

"See you then…"

"Yeah, um, catch you later…"

Dom walked away, but only got a few steps before he turned back to stare at Kel's retreating back. Seconds later she glanced over her shoulder, met his eyes, tripped on an uneven flagstone and resumed walking without glancing back again.

Shaking his head, Dom shoved his hands into his tunic pockets. He needed to have a talk with someone. A certain Meatheaded cousin of his…