"Let me help you."
By ShadowGryffyn
"My dearest daughter, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you of your father's death. We will all miss him terribly, and I wish I could be there with you to tell you myself. Unfortunately, civilians are not allowed in war zones. He died in his sleep after a massive blood clot in his brain. He would have been miserable had he woken up anyway, as he would have been bedridden for the rest of his life. I hope you have someone with you who can comfort you the way I would, Lady Ilane."
She couldn't believe it. Her father was dead. Lady Kel was no ordinary girl, having learned at a young age to hide her emotions; she had done so all day since she had received the letter in her hands from her horse boy, Tobe. Still, she was only human and those closest to her had seen the cracks in her outer façade all day. Most let her be, knowing Dom would help her through whatever was troubling her. Kel had been rather fond of her father, but she knew she loved Dom. He had been by her side when she received the letter, and she knew he would be next to her again when he came back from patrol. She was currently sitting on the command roof, enjoying the feel of the fresh air on her tearstained face. The hatch door to the roof creaked and Kel sat up to see him peering back at her.
"Please come in, I want to help you." She smiled and obliged him. Coming to the hatch she found herself lifted by the waist and pulled into his chest. "I love you." He said. She smiled and nodded into his shirt. He sat down among the rafters and sat her sideways on his lap. "Now, little girl, what do you want for Midwinter?" She laughed, for the first time in what seemed like forever, she laughed. It was a sweet ringing that made the folks in the lower levels look at each other knowingly and smile. They hadn't heard that sound in a long time. Finally, when she stopped laughing she smiled at him, making his insides melt; he smiled back at her. They were the smiles of two lovers who could and would love each other until the end of time.
"Thank you Dom. You are always able to cheer me up."
"That's what I'm here for. I'm always here for you."
"You know I love you right?"
"You'll love me forever and ever, just like I love you."
"Good, just so long as you know that." And with that, she leaned against his chest fell asleep; the kind of sleep that only comes at the end of a long trial.