DISCLAIMER: Characters and setting belong to Tamora Pierce. The song (in italics) is The City Sleeps in Flames and belongs to Scary Kids Scaring Kids.

Tortall was in trouble. Numerous fiefs had been lost, people had been killed. The capital was slowly emptying, its inhabitants abandoning it for a safer refuge. Only those who could fight stayed, those who would die for their country.
The culprits were unknown; Scanra, Carthak and Tusaine were among those suspected, but no one was sure.
The Dominion Jewel was lost, destroyed maybe, only the King knew, perhaps this was why Tortall was dieing, or perhaps it was coincidence that the one thing that could save Tortall, was the one thing that was lost.

The empire will fall like they planned on
Can we even last through the night?
We watch as the skyscrapers crumble
Under the burning blue sky
That blinds our eyes

Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan was in Corus. She was there to save her country, along with many other knights. She had been ordered to leave the city, everyone had, but they knew that they had to stay and fight, they couldn't abandon their home.
No one knew who was attacking, it seemed as though everyone was against Tortall, and Corus was their next target.

This is our last chance
To make things right
A world lost forever
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight

The capital was quiet, too quiet. Kel knew the next attack would come soon, and she was ready. Tonight she would fight for what was lost, she would fight for those who couldn't, she would fight for what was right, she would fight for her country.

Let's try to find a place to sleep
It's going on days that we've been awake
A sadness that I've never seen
I said your name and you looked the other way

Domitan of Masbolle, Sergeant of Third Company of The King's Own, was also in Corus. But he didn't want to be there. He was there for Kel. He loved her, and he couldn't leave her there. As much as he wanted to leave and find somewhere safe, he couldn't leave Kel, and he knew she would hate him if he did.
Dom had tried to tell Kel he loved her, but se must have seen it in his eyes. She had stopped him and shook her head.
"Not now, Dom. I'm sorry."

Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
I have nothing left to prove
And I will live with my regrets
I'd give you everything
If there was something left

Kel knew how Dom felt. But she couldn't deal with it right now. Corus was falling, Tortall was dieing, she'd tell Dom how she felt afterwards, if there was an afterwards.

The disconnecting count of days
Are fading away, the lives that we made
Tear drops will spill from your blue eyes
Intentions were wrong, I apologize
The empire is falling
Like they planned on and we lost it all
The city sleeps in flames

The enemy had come through and slaughtered anyone in their way. Kel and Dom had fought. But they were overcome. And for the first time in her life, Kel had run. She had grabbed Dom's arm, and run. They hid in an abandoned house on the outskirts of Corus and watched as smoke rose above the palace.

Lost...
Time...
Everything's gonna be fine. Right?
Everything's gonna be fine. Right?
Everything's gonna be fine. Right?
I can't find a way to live in this life

Dom cradled Kel, fresh tears clung to their faces.
"Everything's gonna be fine," he told her, over and over again.

The empire will fall like they planned on
Can we even last through the night
We watch as the skyscrapers crumble
Under the burning blue sky
That blinds our eyes

Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
If there was something left
I've got nothing left to prove
And I will live with my regrets
I'd give you everything
If there was something left

They lay together, as the city burned. They cried together, as the city burned. And it was because of each other that they decided to carry on. They couldn't give up, they had to go out and find the survivors, and they had to make a new life.

Because these are my last words
And this is my last breath
I'd give you everything
But I've got nothing left

And as Dom looked into Kel's eyes, he realised she loved him too, but they couldn't act upon their feelings yet. They had to rise up from the ashes of their fallen city and create a new life. And after that, who knows.

AN: Okay, so. I don't really like the ending, I was going to have someone die, but i couldn't kill half of the best TP couple. lol. So please review.