Theme set Alpha – Kel/Dom
Comfort
Dom finds that even Kel needs comforting about what so nearly happened to her refugees; she is not as strong as always appears.
Kiss
It took them so long to have their first kiss it is shockingly short; afterwards, of course, the kisses become longer and more frequent.
Soft
Dom is pleasantly surprised to discover that Kel's skin is incredibly soft for one who works so hard in all weathers and he cannot bring himself to stop stroking it whenever the opportunity arises.
Pain
Pain, Kel decides, is not knowing.
Potatoes
The potatoes are the first of New Hope's crops to be ready for picking and the whole settlement turns out to watch as their commander pulls up the first plant; Dom is stood with them, almost awed by the love her people have for Kel. (Almost, he says, because it still is not as much as he loves her.)
Rain
Kel cannot help the laughter that comes out as she watches Third Company and Raoul ride into New Hope, soaked to the skin; her laughter stops when she catches sight of Dom and decides appreciatively that rain is her favourite weather.
Chocolate
Dom smiles as he presents her with the Gallan speciality, well aware that it is her favourite treat.
Happiness
Watching his ex-squire and his sergeant together, Raoul decides that happiness is what you make it (and these two have made it in each other).
Telephone
Kel and Dom fall about, helpless with laughter, as they watch Neal try and fail (again) to get the spell which will connect him with Yuki right.
Ears
Kel finds that Dom has very sensitive ears and takes great delight in using said knowledge to her advantage; she reasons that it is only fair since he has so many other advantages over her.
Name
Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, also known as Milady Mother (which she doesn't mind), or the Protector of the Small (which she does) finds that she struggles to breath when Dom whispers her name.
Sensual
Despite the public nature of the Midwinter Ball, Dom finds himself struggling to control his urge to drag Kel away and hide her somewhere only he can appreciate her, and particularly that single curl that has escaped her hairpins to rest along her collarbone.
Death
Watching Dom on the Own's training ground, teaching the newest recruits, Kel is thankful that he is capable of keeping death away; she doesn't know what she would do without him anymore.
Sex
It is so much more than just sex for them; whilst the physical element is enjoyable, it is the feeling that their souls are touching that tells them that they are making love.
Touch
The morning after their first time together, Kel is amused to find that merely the touch of her hand on his as she passes him the honey pot is enough for the desire to light in his eyes.
Weakness
Everyone who knew them well knew that they were each other's greatest weakness, but that was alright, because they were also each other's greatest strength.
Tears
Kel did not cry so when Dom saw tears welling up in her eyes he knew something was terribly, incredibly wrong. It turned out she had overheard some gentlemen discussing their relationship in a less than appropriate manner.
Speed
The speed with which rumours spread throughout the court about certain gentlemen shocked even some of the most seasoned court gossips.
Wind
The gentlemen caught wind of said rumours and assumed Kel was the perpetrator; Dom was only too happy to correct their assumptions.
Freedom
Freedom, for Kel, was the ability to choose how she spent her time; Dom found it ironic that her choices tended to reflect the orders she would have received anyway.
Life
Gareth of Naxen watched as the Lady Knight and the Captain of the King's Own danced together; they reminded him of the good things in his own life through the love they made so evident.
Jealousy
Cleon couldn't help the jealousy that spread in the pit of his stomach as he watched them together.
Hands
Neal fell of his horse the day he caught sight of Kel's hands as she mounted up and saw a ring on her left hand.
Taste
Kel knew she would never get tired of the taste of him.
Devotion
The people of New Hope rejoiced that their commander had found a man as devoted to her as they were.
Forever
"Forever," Kel murmured on their wedding night, "is an awfully long time." Dom merely smiled and proceeded to show her how much fun forever was going to be.
Blood
The blood of Kel's monthlies quickly came to aggravate Dom as she insisted upon the need for more care at those times despite her charm, arguing that she was not ready to be a mother; Dom not only thought this claim ridiculous but found the his wife delighted in teasing him most at those times.
Sickness
Shinko struggled to hide her amusement at her husband's reaction to Kel's observation, "I hate morning sickness."
Melody
Ilane of Mindelan beamed at her granddaughter as she reached up for the mobile above her cot, playing the melody of a popular lullaby.
Star
Hoshi was fascinated by the tiny scrap of life her mistress carried with her now; Peachblossom was more interested in the man who followed his mistress and made squeaks even more interesting than Neal's.
Home
Despite having rooms at Mindelan, the palace, and Masbolle, home for both of them was New Hope; Kel often wonders whether it was the King or the Queen who saw this but she is forever thankful that the town and surrounding lands have been gifted to her for services to the Crown.
Confusion
The only problem with Neal and Yuki choosing to honour Kel by naming their daughter for her is that when she grows up it becomes very confusing as to which Lady Knight Keladry is being referred to.
Fear
Fear, Dom decides, is having all the women in your life determined to look out for the rest of the world no matter what the cost; he never gets over his worries about Kel, about his niece or about his daughters.
Lightning/thunder
Alanna the Lioness thinks it is beyond hysterical that two seasoned war veterans could so dislike storms; she finds it even funnier when George informs her that Kel dislikes lightning and Dom thunder.
Bonds
The bonds of family are stronger than anything, especially in theirs.
Market
The scariest moment of Kel's life is when she turns around at the market and discovers that she cannot see Devona.
Technology
Dom quickly decides that he loves advances in technology which allow non-Gifted individuals to work the spell which allows fire to be used to see others; it is especially useful when his duties take him from home.
Gift
The best birthday gift Dom has ever received was his wife telling him she was pregnant for a second time.
Smile
Kel's smile after the birth is both tired and proud, and Dom is struck once again by how beautiful his wife is.
Innocence
Daine is overwhelmed by the quiet innocence of the baby she holds in her arms; she hopes that her godsdaughter will be less work than her own children but somehow she doubts it.
Completion
The third time Kel awakes to a bout of morning sickness she knows full well what it means and cannot help but think that a boy would complete their little family perfectly.
Clouds
The sky was overcast the day Kel heard the news that her beloved mother had passed away.
Sky
The birth of their final child came at dawn, just as the sky turned a dusky pink, and he is consequently named Asa, literally meaning born at dawn in Yamani.
Heaven
Heaven for Kel and Dom is having their family together, all of it – Neal and Yuki, and their daughters, Keladry and Kimi; Tobe and Loesia and their son, Bryant; Devona, their eldest, and her husband, Jared, expecting their first born any day now; Eydie and her best friend Dylan, who is less than subtly in love with her; and Asa, their only son, who has just passed his big exams to become a squire.
Hell
Hell was hearing that the baby had come to early and not knowing whether Devona was alright or not. (As it turned out the healers were able to save both mother and child, but only just.)
Sun
Cyrus is named for the sun which blazed so hot over all of Tortall the summer he was born; he also carries the name Domitan in tribute to his grandfather, who nearly cries when he hears.
Moon
The full moon lit up the sky as Kel and Dom danced the night away in celebration of Eydie and Dylan's marriage.
Waves
When people ask how she feels about her niece choosing to be trained as a lady, she tells them that Kimi is sensible enough to make her own decisions and perfectly capable of looking after herself without being a page and, quite frankly, how else is she supposed to cause waves in a family as unconventional as hers is?
Hair
Dom is shocked when he discovers his first white hair; Kel just laughs at him and says she has been finding them since she was fourteen and knew both of the cousins at the same time.
Supernova
Even though they are both past their prime, with children and grandchildren to dote upon, they can still make each other see stars.
AN: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Below is the time line as I see it in my mind.
461 – Relationship starts
463 – Dom made Captain
464 – Kel adopts Tobe
465 – Kel and Dom marry
468 – Tobe and Loesia marry
470 – Devona born (Kel and Dom)
472 – Keladry born (Neal and Yuki)
474 – Bryant born (Tobe and Loey)
475 – Eydie born (Kel and Dom)
477 – Ilane dies
478 – Asa born (Kel and Dom)
483 – Kimi born (Neal and Yuki)
490 – Devona marries
492 – Domitan Cyrus born (Devona and Jared)
493 – Eydie marries, Kimi to convent