"It is not pleasant to be ignored, even when the attention is unwanted."
Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan hated balls and tried to avoid them, but this time she had been forced to attend my Lord Raoul, her old knight master. His reason: "If I have to suffer, my old squire can too!" And no matter how much Kel begged along with bribed, he would smirk and advice her to get a new formal dress for the occasion.
So there she was, clad in a midnight blue gown, which, in her opinion was far to revealing but was said to be the latest fashion, and tried to look casual while downing one glass of apple juice spiced with cinnamon after the other while watching couples dance. Neal and Yuki, who she had come with, had abandoned her for first a dance and than to catch up with some friends from the University. They hadn't returned and Kel could not recognise any other friends in the crowd. She saw Raoul stroll past with his wife Buri, but they were deep in conversation with the Prime Minister and Kel didn't want to interrupt.
Sighing, she fanned herself with her hand. It was too early to leave just yet, but soon ...
A man caught Kel's attention. He was slipping past a couple on the other side of the dance floor. The long brown cloak her wore hid most of his feature sand the hood had been pulled up to cast a shadow over his face.
It wasn't just the suspicious way he dressed, that made Kel watch him. He seemed jumpy and agitated as he crossed the hall, heading almost directly towards her. At the last moment he turned right and headed outside onto the terrace, which led into the royal gardens.
Kel felt uneasy. Glancing around, she noticed that no one else seemed wary of the man, if they had even become aware of him. Carefully she got up and smoothed down her skirts. She hated to admit it, but it suited her well. It would have been even nicer if someone had commented on it. After all, she was a lady knight and didn't walk around in a gown every day.
Snorting at her own folly, Kel strolled out onto the patio pretending to need some fresh air. Not seeing the devious man, she was just about to descend the steps down into the dark gardens when a hand on her bare arm stopped her. Spinning and getting tangled in her numerous skirts; she nearly fell and grabbed the person's limb for support.
"Easy, Kel! It's only me!" Domitan of Masbolle stood opposite Kel and smiled down at her in the way that always made her heart begin to melt. Resisting the urge to hug him, she laughed and said, "It's good to see you, Dom! It's been too long!"
It was true; Dom and Third Company had been away from the palace for the last few months hunting bandits in the hill country in the northeast of Tortall. Kel had missed him. She felt comfortable around him, not to mention that he was easy on the eyes. Kel blushed. Luckily the darkness hid her red cheeks from Dom's searching eyes.
Dom grinned at her. "You look well." Kel raised a single eyebrow at him. "I mean to say, that the dress is becoming! You should consider wearing it more often." Kel couldn't help snigger mockingly. "I am a knight, not a court lady!" She felt like such a hypocrite.
Dom inclined his head and offered her his arm. "True, my dear, but you are dressed like one tonight, so let us enjoy the evening."
Kel stopped in the act of placing her hand on his arm. She had forgotten the man. Biting her lip, she looked over her shoulder into the garden. There was no sign of him. Should she go back inside and enjoy the remains of the evening with Dom or sneak through the garden?
Dom noticed her hesitation and followed her gaze. Turing towards the garden he asked, "What is it, Kel?"
"Well," said Kel, "I am probably acting on some instinct but, this fellow caught my attention back inside. Not in that way!" She hurriedly added when she saw the way Dom looked at her. Embarrassed she continued telling her companion about the man while mentally she kicked herself for making a complete fool of herself in front of her long time crush.
Dom listened patiently but his eyes were watchful. When Kel finished he sighed. "Oh well, here I am, just come home from chasing criminals and am expecting to be able to sit down and just relax, and off I go again, chasing a man again." He sighed dramatically, reminding Kel of Neal, but than he placed his arm around Kel's shoulders and steered her down the stairs into darkness.
Kel smiled inwardly. She would never admit it, but she really liked the position she was in. Only the reason for the whole night-time stroll sent shivers up her spine. A spy wouldn't be quite so careless as to wear a cloak in a ballroom, so who could it be?
They reached a fountain and behind it the gravel path forked off into two different directions.
Dom dropped his arm from Kel's shoulders. "Now what?" Kel rubbed her bear arms. She had goosebumps not only because the night breeze was chilly but also because she had the horrible feeling of being watched. Carefully she gazed around, checking the shadows cast by the hedges that lined the path.
A rustle made both Dom and Kel whirl around. Kel's hand strayed to her side, but met no substance; Griffin, Kel's sword was leaning against the wall in Kel's rooms. She hadn't brought it to the ball.
She swore. She hated being caught off guard. Remembering her hidden dagger, she pulled it out from under the layers of cloth. Dom had drawn his sword and was tense.
Something was amiss. Kel couldn't place the odd feeling in her stomach but it reassuring to have Dom with her.
Together they slipped into the shadows and took the left path. Kel knew that it led into the royal maze. This might get tricky, she thought to herself.
They moved along, taking guesses on which way to turn and becoming more and more frustrated. Finally Kel peeked around the edge of one hedge and spotted her pray deep in discussion with . . .
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
That was unexpected! I only started writing to get over my very annoying writer's block and it's actually going somewhere! WOW!
Please review and let me know what you think!
Ideas are welcomed, but I think I know where this is going!
Yes, this will defiantly be a KEL/DOM fic!
Wolfy
Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan hated balls and tried to avoid them, but this time she had been forced to attend my Lord Raoul, her old knight master. His reason: "If I have to suffer, my old squire can too!" And no matter how much Kel begged along with bribed, he would smirk and advice her to get a new formal dress for the occasion.
So there she was, clad in a midnight blue gown, which, in her opinion was far to revealing but was said to be the latest fashion, and tried to look casual while downing one glass of apple juice spiced with cinnamon after the other while watching couples dance. Neal and Yuki, who she had come with, had abandoned her for first a dance and than to catch up with some friends from the University. They hadn't returned and Kel could not recognise any other friends in the crowd. She saw Raoul stroll past with his wife Buri, but they were deep in conversation with the Prime Minister and Kel didn't want to interrupt.
Sighing, she fanned herself with her hand. It was too early to leave just yet, but soon ...
A man caught Kel's attention. He was slipping past a couple on the other side of the dance floor. The long brown cloak her wore hid most of his feature sand the hood had been pulled up to cast a shadow over his face.
It wasn't just the suspicious way he dressed, that made Kel watch him. He seemed jumpy and agitated as he crossed the hall, heading almost directly towards her. At the last moment he turned right and headed outside onto the terrace, which led into the royal gardens.
Kel felt uneasy. Glancing around, she noticed that no one else seemed wary of the man, if they had even become aware of him. Carefully she got up and smoothed down her skirts. She hated to admit it, but it suited her well. It would have been even nicer if someone had commented on it. After all, she was a lady knight and didn't walk around in a gown every day.
Snorting at her own folly, Kel strolled out onto the patio pretending to need some fresh air. Not seeing the devious man, she was just about to descend the steps down into the dark gardens when a hand on her bare arm stopped her. Spinning and getting tangled in her numerous skirts; she nearly fell and grabbed the person's limb for support.
"Easy, Kel! It's only me!" Domitan of Masbolle stood opposite Kel and smiled down at her in the way that always made her heart begin to melt. Resisting the urge to hug him, she laughed and said, "It's good to see you, Dom! It's been too long!"
It was true; Dom and Third Company had been away from the palace for the last few months hunting bandits in the hill country in the northeast of Tortall. Kel had missed him. She felt comfortable around him, not to mention that he was easy on the eyes. Kel blushed. Luckily the darkness hid her red cheeks from Dom's searching eyes.
Dom grinned at her. "You look well." Kel raised a single eyebrow at him. "I mean to say, that the dress is becoming! You should consider wearing it more often." Kel couldn't help snigger mockingly. "I am a knight, not a court lady!" She felt like such a hypocrite.
Dom inclined his head and offered her his arm. "True, my dear, but you are dressed like one tonight, so let us enjoy the evening."
Kel stopped in the act of placing her hand on his arm. She had forgotten the man. Biting her lip, she looked over her shoulder into the garden. There was no sign of him. Should she go back inside and enjoy the remains of the evening with Dom or sneak through the garden?
Dom noticed her hesitation and followed her gaze. Turing towards the garden he asked, "What is it, Kel?"
"Well," said Kel, "I am probably acting on some instinct but, this fellow caught my attention back inside. Not in that way!" She hurriedly added when she saw the way Dom looked at her. Embarrassed she continued telling her companion about the man while mentally she kicked herself for making a complete fool of herself in front of her long time crush.
Dom listened patiently but his eyes were watchful. When Kel finished he sighed. "Oh well, here I am, just come home from chasing criminals and am expecting to be able to sit down and just relax, and off I go again, chasing a man again." He sighed dramatically, reminding Kel of Neal, but than he placed his arm around Kel's shoulders and steered her down the stairs into darkness.
Kel smiled inwardly. She would never admit it, but she really liked the position she was in. Only the reason for the whole night-time stroll sent shivers up her spine. A spy wouldn't be quite so careless as to wear a cloak in a ballroom, so who could it be?
They reached a fountain and behind it the gravel path forked off into two different directions.
Dom dropped his arm from Kel's shoulders. "Now what?" Kel rubbed her bear arms. She had goosebumps not only because the night breeze was chilly but also because she had the horrible feeling of being watched. Carefully she gazed around, checking the shadows cast by the hedges that lined the path.
A rustle made both Dom and Kel whirl around. Kel's hand strayed to her side, but met no substance; Griffin, Kel's sword was leaning against the wall in Kel's rooms. She hadn't brought it to the ball.
She swore. She hated being caught off guard. Remembering her hidden dagger, she pulled it out from under the layers of cloth. Dom had drawn his sword and was tense.
Something was amiss. Kel couldn't place the odd feeling in her stomach but it reassuring to have Dom with her.
Together they slipped into the shadows and took the left path. Kel knew that it led into the royal maze. This might get tricky, she thought to herself.
They moved along, taking guesses on which way to turn and becoming more and more frustrated. Finally Kel peeked around the edge of one hedge and spotted her pray deep in discussion with . . .
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
That was unexpected! I only started writing to get over my very annoying writer's block and it's actually going somewhere! WOW!
Please review and let me know what you think!
Ideas are welcomed, but I think I know where this is going!
Yes, this will defiantly be a KEL/DOM fic!
Wolfy