Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs, of course, to the wonderful Tamora Pierce. Anything else is mine!

Note – for those who have read KoM before, IT HAS CHANGED!!! I have edited, condensed three chapters into one, and changed many bits (mainly from the former first two chapters), so please re-read!!

Greeting the Islands

Keladry of Masbolle looked around her and sighed in pleasure. Inwardly, that was. For she was back in the Yamini Islands, and here emotion was kept tightly tucked away behind expressionless faces. But it was hard after so long to quell all the emotions running about inside her. For a start, her pulse was jumping at the feel of Dom's arm around her, and the look in his blue eyes almost made her blush. She was so happy it took a huge effort to keep a grin from spreading across her face. Dom felt no such restraint. Broad shouldered, with dark hair flopping beneath his ears, he was incredibly good looking; at least in Kel's opinion. His bright blue eyes sparkled with mirth and love, and his mouth held a wide unreserved grin. His open manner was earning him cool, dispassionate looks from the ships crew and native passengers, the equivalent of a glare to the Yamin. Keladry had tried to instruct him in the ways of the Yamini, but he just didn't seem to remember. To tell the truth, Kel did not care very much at the moment. It was her honeymoon, and she was overjoyed. She kept repeating it to herself: I am married to Domitan of Masbolle; I am married to Domitan of Masbolle!!

Drifting back to her thoughts, Kel remembered the first time he had kissed her: the wonder of realizing he felt the same way that she did, the heat of desire rushing through her ears. She also remembered the teasing they had endured from Dom's squad and the Third Company the first time they appeared in public together. Not to mention Lord Raoul! The men had been merciless. But Lord Raoul had given his blessing, with a wicked grin across his face, and said he trusted his men weren't leading his poor old squire on. Her good friend Neal, who happened to be Dom's cousin, had been even worse – he was now affectionately called Meathead by Dom and Kel both.

But Kel didn't care what their friends or the palace gossips said. She realized she hadn't really been in love with Cleon or Neal – nothing less than the explosion she was feeling now could be called love.

After their betrothal, she had spent many an afternoon with Yukimi, Neal's wife, and her own mother Ilane discussing the wedding plans – there were guest lists, bridesmaids, dresses (all made, of course, by a tearfully proud Lalasa), flowers and food to organize and prepare. And a time and date to be set. When Dom had first asked her to marry him, Kel had turned him down with a breaking heart. Because married men could not belong to the King's Own, and Kel knew Dom loved his squad and fighting for the realm more than she herself did. But they had discussed it at length, and Dom had assured her he did not mind. He could, she had discovered, be wickedly persistant. So they had married, and now had come to the Yamini Islands for their honeymoon!

Looking forward once more, Kel realized she loved the familiarity of the harbour and surrounding city. As they approached the capital city, Yent, memories of running through these streets as a child came flooding back.

The harbour widened from a narrow mouth to form a wide uneven crescent lined with warehouses and docks; houses on stilts spilt out over the water to crowd the shoreline along the right; to the left ships of the imperial navy lay gleaming peacefully in long ranks. Directly ahead a wide road led straight from the shore to the Emperor's palace. It was lined with grim guards in imperial colours, the glint of weapons in the midday sun forming an ironically festive counterpart to their rigid stance.

On either side of this road, the palace was preceded by a maze of wide and narrow streets. Inns and taverns mixed with shopfronts and cheap lodgings, slowly changing to the houses of rich merchants and traders, opulently expansive temples, high walled noble residences and lesser palaces.

Viewing it like this, Kel realized her childhood senses were painting the exotic as familiar. It was a compilation much like Corus – but she looked again and realized that Yent was a city unlike any in Tortall. The architecture was alien, the scents that blanketed the city were strange, the babble rising from the streets was in a different language. She would enjoy introducing Dom to the Yamini Islands.

To provide a magical honeymoon for them both they would be touring over the main island Yentir, through the hills and forests to the sea on the other side. In two months time they would return to Tortall, and Kel planned to enjoy those two months. It would be hard for her to do anything else with Dom by her side the whole way. She was definitely in love.

They stayed the first night back on dry land at a large, pleasant lodging house in the upper city. The innkeeper was a motherly middle aged woman, who was welcoming in the reserved Yamani way. The food was wonderful, and they spent the night dancing in the common room. Kel was thrilled to meet a few old friends from her childhood in the Islands, but nothing could distract her from Dom.

They next morning they took a brief walk to the large market district. This would be their only day in Yent – they would leave that afternoon, striking out west from the city toward higher country. If time allowed, the couple planned to spend a few days in the capital on their return journey.

Kel managed to talk Dom into shopping for some Yamini clothes – it wasn't hard, actually, since he was only too happy to buy things for her. He bought her three new outfits, and Keladry made him buy one for himself. They also spent hours in the armory. Kel's sword Griffin was of the finest Yamani steel, and they both delighted in looking through the high quality weapons. While they didn't buy anything it was a reminder of the battles most probably being fought at home. It was sobering, but neither would let anything ruin their honeymoon and they left to buy lunch at one of the best Yamini eating houses, highly recommended by their innkeeper. Kel laughed at Dom's face as he tried the exotic Yamini cuisine – she ordered for him, and insisted that he try everything they were brought.

In the afternoon they joined the wagon train heading out of the city, and the real journey of their honeymoon began. As they were absorbed by the bustle of horses, wagons and travelers, Kel looked back at the city. She felt a small pang at leaving so soon – an echo of home as it was long ago had returned. Dom rode close beside her and gripped her shoulder, then held her hand to close the distance between them. His clear blue eyes said he understood – and Kel realized that Yent was her home in the past tense. Tortall was home now – wherever Dom was, was home.

That first afternoon they rode through outlying farms and villages, on well trodden thoroughfares filled with people. They took pleasure in all the scenery, so different from home yet in many ways the same. Kel pointed out with pride the native Yamini animals they saw, mostly birds and a unique breed of bullock that thrived in the temperate climate of the islands. Separating from the group at dusk, they camped that night just outside the smallest village they had passed yet, and went to sleep listening to the crickets and night life.

Honeymoon or not, Kel rose at daybreak. Some habits died hard, and a lifetime of early mornings died the hardest. The only concession she allowed herself was a brief pause to take in the beauty of dawn. The horizon was tinged pink, light streaking from a muted glow along the treetops, gilding the green-black leaves of night with rosy warmth. The moon had set, leaving the western sky a deep blue velvet, and birds woke in a wave from east to west singing in the early light. A starry constellation shone in the north, a reminder of part of a childhood spent on the road that had bred familiarity with the night sky.

Then the moment was gone, and muted daylight spilled over the trees to rush across the sky, stabbing Kel's eyes with its fresh eagerness for the day. She sighed, and went to the nearby creek to douse her face with icy water. Its chill had the desired effect, and she shook out her hair with renewed enthusiasm before beginning the familiar old routine of stretching exercises. Kel shut her eyes, mind wandering, and allowed her body to complete its movements almost of its own volition. New was nice. Marriage was nice. Dom was very nice, but there was much to be said for the familiarity of the old. Kel could trust the old.

Sighing again, she stood up slowly, tucking her fingers under her toes as she straightening her legs.

'Mmmm… nice view from back here!'

The soft, amused voice broke through her quiet thoughts like an axe, and Kel, startled, squeaked and lost her balance. Landing in an undignified heap, she turned angrily to find that Dom's amusement had turned to outright laughter. She sprang to her feet and poked her tongue out at him, conscious of a warm feeling inside that stopped her being angry. New was exceedingly good, she decided.

He walked toward her, the look on his face one she would never tire of.

'No keeping you down, aye? Do you ever stop, my love – we're on holidays! You know: a rest, a break, an absence of work…our honeymoon…' His arms were around her, strong and loving, and Kel decided exercises could wait a little while.

Dom cooked breakfast while Kel went through her glaive pattern dances – joking barbs aside, they both knew the road entailed too many dangers for their weapon skills to get rusty. Kel realised she was happy – Dom made her happy, exercise made her happy, being back in the islands made her happy. She put her glaive away as the smell of bacon became too strong, and they lingered over breakfast. It was an enjoyable change to have the time to relax, ease through breakfast without a schedule to keep. They had two months to explore and no agenda but their own. The efficiency of a military camp stuck with them, however – the place was neat as a pin, breakfast cleaned away effectively and the campfire doused and scattered when they were finished with it. By the time they had loaded their packhorses and mounted up, you would not have known two Tortallan lovers had spent the night there.

The islands were resplendent. The frost of winter was still in the air, but spring was winning the battle – green was showing off her many shades, tinting the copses and fields with life, and an excitement filled the air. Kel and Dom passed many travellers, quiet and unsociable in the way of the Yamanis. The mountain passes had just thawed: early spring was a time of renewed travel, merchants, traders and nobles all crossing the islands for their various reasons. On their third day of travel, an imperial courier passed in a richly coloured blur on some imperative task. They settled into a pleasant routine – long, slow days on the road, taking in the land and the villages they passed; late nights and early mornings, falling in love all over again as they grew into each other more. Kel was filled with a contentment and peace that she had not known since she began her page training. Dom, the islands, the lifestyle – they soaked into her skin. Normally a cheerful pessimist, this time thoughts of foreboding never entered her head.

Hope that wasn't too painful – thanks to my wonderful reviewer who pointed out I needed to make it into an actual story… so this chapter will serve as an introduction – you now know when, where and who this is happening to. All that's left is for you guys to review, give me your love and hate (preferably more love than hate, but I would appreciate constructive criticism :) ) before reading the next chapter!!

Ciao, Liss :)

Ps - If there are any facts about the Islands that I have missed or changed form the books, please let me know!!