Author's Note: This little one-shot has an interesting history. When I was about thirteen, a young, wide-eyed fangirl, I decided to try my hand at writing a Kel/Dom story. What resulted was a pile of steaming horse manure. These three chapters are all that is marginally decent… in fact, I'm told that I'm quite good at writing dear old Domitan's point of view. In light of that fact, here is what I imagine to be Domitan of Masbolle's version of events on the Scanran journey in Lady Knight, with the requisite Kel/Dom elements thrown in. Beware, there is much stealage of dialogue and sundry from the aforementioned novel. Remember, too, that this version has not been touched or polished since 2004, but I've decided to leave it as is as a glimpse back into the past of a young writer.

"—gave us the slip on the Giantkiller road. Lady Alanna would never do something like that. Maybe milady should have been her squire instead." My heart lurched. There was only one person Connac and Hevlor could be referring to, and from what other scraps of conversation I heard, it soon became clear that Kel had gone haring off after her refugees, with twelve dogs, ten cats, a horse, assorted sparrows, and her glaive. There was no way she could win. Not even Raoul or Alanna could beat those odds, and Alanna knew the sword better even than Kel knew the glaive. I decided to go to the practice yards. When I got the opportunity I would speak to Raoul.

I didn't have to wait long. Raoul stormed out of headquarters with a face like thunder. Quietly he hand-signaled me to gather my squad and meet him in the stable lofts. Once everyone was there, Raoul began, "I have a mission for you lot, if you'll take it, but it's risky. Volunteers only. If anyone wants out when I'm done talking, I'll understand." Around me, my squad looked as confused as I felt. Since when did the Knight Commander of the King's Own give a choice in duties? "This isn't a fight or patrol. It's behind enemy lines- way behind."

In a flash, I realized what the mission was. "We're following Kel?" I asked eagerly.

One of my corporals, Fulcher, asked, "What's this about milady? We've heard nothing."

Raoul looked at me. "I had to use the privy," I explained. "I heard Connac and Hevlor in there."

Raoul looked at me ruefully. "Tell them," he said. Quickly I related the story. Raoul added, "She went alone. I need volunteers…" Before he was finished, every man's hand had shot up, including mine. I'd never loved her so much as I had then. She was willing to go alone and risk her life to bring back her refugees. That's what made her a true noble.

We rode hard for a day, finally reaching the broken stockade of Giantkiller. According to Raoul, Kel would likely be here about now. She was, sleeping in a barracks with Hoshi and the rest of her animals. My men and I picketed Hoshi with our own horses, built a fire, and went to sleep.

I was awakened at some point in the middle of the night by a scream. Realizing that it was Kel screaming, I rushed to the barracks where she slept. She was tossing in a fretful nightmare, screaming in terror. It shook me to the core to see her like that, especially when I was pretty much helpless. I knelt on the floor and drew her into my arms, soothing her as best I could. I stroked her face and murmured soothing phrases into her ear. At first she fought, but eventually she relaxed into my hold, and was soon sleeping soundly.

In the morning, my squad and I were cooking bacon and oatcakes on the fire when a very angry Lady Knight stomped out of the barracks. "Are you out of your minds!" she rasped.

I figured the only way to handle her was to turn my charm on full blast. "We wondered if we should wake you, but your breakfast wasn't done yet. We figured you could use as much sleep as you could get." With that I handed Wolset the sticks of bacon and looked up at her.

It was Fulcher who spoke next. "We haven't run mad, Lady Kel. My lord sent you to do whatever you say needs doing."

"My lord sent you," she said, complete disbelief in her eyes and voice. "And you got here from Steadfast in what, a day?" She scowled at us impartially.

Wolset spoke this time. "No, we were at Mastiff with my lord-something to do with my lord Wyldon."

"You can't do this," argued Kel. "You've no idea what I'm doing, the laws I'm breaking…,"

"Actually, we have a good idea," I said. This was thanks to Lofren, whose father was a magistrate. The minute he heard that Kel had snuck off, he had given us a complete overview of what laws Kel was breaking. I looked at her again and she looked at me, love softening her eyes. I knew the same expression was in mine. "Here, eat this," I ordered. "Which of you hedge pigs has the honey pot?"

Later that day, the sparrows came up to Kel and gave the sign for 'friends'. Kel looked and apparently recognized a horse and rider immediately, because she said, "I'll kill him. I'll kill him very dead and leave him for the border ghosts." I tried to placate her by saying, "Can we kill him later? We lose time if you kill him now. Besides, Peachblossom is as good as a squad in himself." She knew I was right, but she argued with Owen on the way. It didn't work, and I don't think she expected it to.

Even later, the sparrows arrived signaling the arrival of even more friends. We looked and saw Sirs Neal, Merric, Esmond, Seaver, and Faleron, in addition to Sergeant Connac and his squad. She argued fiercely, but in the end they wore her down. It was only after we crossed the Vassa that she knew they were there to stay.

We trailed the refugees on the Smiskir road. One day we spotted them camped in a place surrounded by rocks. When I heard what the 'slave-drivers' had to say, I grinned evilly. I knew that Kel's people would not make it easy for them. (I'm going to leave out the description of the battle because I know that if you're reading this you've probably read Lady Knight. This is the ONE topic I will allow you to flame on, because if I get enough requests I will include the battle scene.)

After the battle, Kel decided to send most of the refugees back, along with Merric, Esmond, Seaver, and Faleron. She wanted to send Neal back too, but he refused point-blank to go, and I wasn't about to leave her either. I knew the only argument that would work was that Raoul had ordered my squad and me to stay with her, but I think that she knew the real reason I was staying. Apparently there was one very opinionated cat who point-blank refused to leave, which she made very obvious by hiding in my saddlebags and scratching me when I tried to remove her. I informed Kel, "I make it a point never to argue with a lady." That was all she needed.

So back the refugees went, accompanied by four knights, about ten dogs, and nine cats. The rest of us; Connac's squad, my squad, Neal, Owen, Tobe, Kel, our horses, Jump with a few of his friends, and a very queenly cat made our way down the road.

A few days out, as we topped a rise, all of us except Kel sent our horses back and got flat on the ground. We saw an army, two full companies and five mages, down the hill. Kel, on the other hand, remained standing. "Are you mad?" I whispered as I yanked her flat. "That's an army down there!"

"An army? You see an army?" I looked up, saw the griffin-feather band over her forehead, looked closer at the army, and realized something; their banners didn't flap in the wind. Neal, however, was skeptical until Kel jammed the band over his head. "Oh," he said sheepishly. With that we got up and trotted on down the road.

As we passed through the village, we met a few people, all adults except for a child named Irnai. When she saw Kel, she smiled and said, "They are here. The Protector of the Small has come. She's got her knowing animals, the horse boy, the trapper and the bitter mother. Blayce will fall."

The villagers explained, "She is a seer. She predicted that you would come. She also says that your chances are fifty-fifty. Since that's better than ours, we'll pray for you." As Kel spoke to the villagers, gleaning what information she could, I took a look around. The houses were ramshackle, the animals even skinnier than the humans.

Pretty soon, Kel called me over. "All right," she said, there's a tunnel under the walls. I'll go in that with the villagers, Neal, and Tobe. Owen, Dom's squad, and Connac's squad will wait outside the portcullis until we've got the children out, and then we'll open the gates for you. We go at dusk." With that news, our group retired while the villagers went back home.

Once we were camped, Kel and I went off a little ways to talk. "Kel," I said, "How are you going to go after Blayce with a bunch of people? It won't be very quiet." Her answer shocked me to the core.

"I'm not," she said quietly. I knew her too well to think that she wasn't going after him, so that left only one possibility. She was going in alone.

"Kel, you'll be killed," I gasped. "And I don't know how I could live without you."

Kel looked at me, then said fiercely, "I can and I will. I have to. And I'll feel very foolish if I'm killed with the paint still wet on my shield. Dom, you have to let me do this. I have to get my refugees back, and I have to make sure that he can't pull a stunt like that again, which means he must die."

"But can't I fight him?" I asked desperately, grasping at anything that might keep her from doing this.

"No," she said firmly. "They're my refugees, and are therefore my responsibility."

"You really have to do this?" I asked.

"Yes," was the firm reply.

I looked deep into her eyes. In those hazel depths I saw the love that meant she would not be leaving me without a very big fight. I knew that she could read the same emotion in mine. I grabbed her hands. "Kel, I love you. If you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you."

"Dom, I love you too. I won't die if I can help it." Our lips met, with a passion we could feel through our entire bodies.

A few hours later, my squad, Connac's squad, the knights, and Owen rode silently to the portcullis blocking the gate. Inside, we knew, Kel was getting the children to safety in the village. Now, all we could do was wait.

It had seemed like an eternity, but really it was only about a half an hour, when we heard the portcullis creak open. In an instant we were inside, cutting down any Scanran we could reach. I parried, blocked, and attacked automatically, my eyes searching for Kel. I could see her on the other side of the courtyard chopping at Scanrans.

She started working her way over to me when it became clear that we were going to win. She leaned over to me and said, "I'm going to find Blayce."

I whispered back, "I love you. If you die in there, I'll have to hurt you." She laughed, then turned and walked away. I gulped, knowing that it might be the last time I ever saw her. Then I returned to chopping up Scanrans.

The battle raged for at least another hour. We whirled around like madmen, killing any Scanrans we could reach. Through it all, I wondered about Kel. What was she doing? Where was she? How was she? I couldn't bear to wait much longer.

Soon I heard a most welcome sound; Neal yelled, "We've got 'em all!" All of the Tortallan fighters raised a cheer. I darted over to Neal and muttered, "I'm going in after her." He nodded, his eyes understanding. Without knowing where I was going or what I was getting myself into, I headed into the keep.

I followed the stairs upward until I came upon a small landing with splashes of blood- Kel's, her foe's, or both? I wondered.

Then I got a shock- a man's body was sprawled on the landing. I could only guess it to be Stenmun. There was a hallway behind him. A little way along it was a crumpled form, with a smaller one next to it. I saw short, light brown hair and dashed along the hallway.

It was Kel, with the orange-and-white cat crumpled beside her. I ran down the stairs yelling, "I found her! I found her! She's unconscious; I need some help!" Two men from my squad rushed up to help me. I bent down and draped the cat over my shoulder. I could feel a heartbeat and see her breathe, so I knew she would be all right. Then, with a grunt, I put my hands under Kel's back and lifted as the men from my squad got her head and feet. "Ready?" They nodded, and we began to carry the lady knight downstairs and out of the keep.

The cat I gave to Zerhalm, who I knew could heal animals. While he got to work on the feline, I yelled for Neal. As he came over and took a look, he began to grumble about lady knights who took a minute to try and save herself while she took a month to try and save others. When I took a closer look at her, I saw why; she had a gash along one arm, around which a rough bandage was tied. Neal untied it and got to work picking threads out of her wound.

I walked over to my squad, who were murmuring anxiously among themselves. I didn't need to listen twice to hear what- or who- was concerning them so. All I needed were the worried glances in Kel's direction. "She'll be all right," I told them. I could hear the collective sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Connac's squad was bringing out the bodies of Blayce and Stenmun and laying them on the courtyard- the villagers wouldn't believe they were dead until they saw for themselves.

I glanced over in Kel's direction and saw the orange-and-white cat leap out of Zerhalm's hands and curl up next to Kel. I smiled, then settled down to wait for the lady knight to awaken.

A few minutes later I was gazing dreamily at Kel when her eyes fluttered open. I started, then smiled. She grinned back. I leaned over to brush her lips with mine. As she struggled to sit up, I pulled her into my lap. She sighed gratefully as I held her.

Eventually she sat up and looked around. The Scanran dead had been left where they fell, with the exception of Blayce and Stenmun. She frowned at the sight of these bodies and asked, "What are they doing out here?"

I explained, "The townsfolk wouldn't believe they were dead until they saw the bodies." As Neal came over, I stood up and walked away. When I looked back, Neal was scolding the lady knight. Her shoulders slumped, and then she squared them and began to give orders.

A few minutes later, we stood in front of two funeral pyres; one for men, one for animals. In the pile for humans, casualties were heavy; we had lost Sergeant Connac, Gil the former bandit, two men from my squad, and numerous others. In the animals' pyre were the dog Shepherd, Owen's warhorse Happy, and some other dogs.

Kel was still too weak to stand; she took part from Peachblossom's back. I could see that she was struggling to hold back tears, but her Yamani face gave away nothing else. As one of the men lit the funeral pyres, her Yamani calm cracked. A tear rolled down her cheek. I walked over to her and touched her leg gently. She looked at me, bleary-eyed. I whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," was the reply.

One of the men asked, "What about the Scanran dead?"

Kel's reply shocked us all. It was the only thing that really showed how much she had changed, for she would never have said it before the battle. "Someone should get some good from this," she remarked. "Leave them for the Stormwings."

We rode out fast that day. Kel had ordered a torch put to the keep lest any of Blayce's spells be found. It would illuminate the country for miles around. We had to get back fast.

With us rode the children and the townspeople, as well as the seer child Irnai. None of the townspeople had wanted to stay in a place that harbored so many bad memories. Frankly, I didn't blame them. Riding back took longer than riding there, simply because the children couldn't ride for as long as the adults. So it took us an extra three days to get back.

Through the entire ride Kel maintained a face of composure. It was only once we were on the boat across the Vassa that I realized she was worried. She kept looking out at the landscape, probably contemplating possible escape routes. However, I knew her too well to think that she would run off; she would return even if it meant a death on Traitor's Hill.

I went to sit next to her. She looked at me, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. I gathered her into my arms and held her. Eventually her body stopped shaking. I leaned down to kiss her, trying desperately to reassure her. I clung to her as she clung to me. We kissed desperately, knowing that once our lips broke contact reality would come smashing back.

As I glanced out across the Vassa, I saw that a welcoming party awaited us. It was comprised of Lords Wyldon and Raoul. As we disembarked, Kel knelt in front of the two men. The rest of the knights and Owen did the same. A little nervous, I waited to hear what they had to say.

My worries were soon put at ease when Raoul remarked, "Sergeant Domitan, please tell me that these children are not the result of your Scanran frolics. I'll admit, some do look a little old to be yours." I heaved an internal sigh of relief. It looked like I would get away with a whole skin. I couldn't say the same about Kel, though. Wyldon still had not spoken, and that could not be a good sign. I decided to reply to Raoul. "Well, sir, my men helped." I grinned. "You missed a tidy fight," Raoul continued. "Smashed one of King Maggot's little armies all to bits. Come along and I'll tell you about it." Raoul drew me away as he related the details of the fight. I listened with one ear as I strained to hear what Wyldon was saying with the other. It didn't seem to be bad, because Wyldon helped Kel to her feet. I heaved another sigh of relief and listened avidly to tales of the fight.