I've ruined it. Ruined it! What was I thinking, asking her to marry me? I wasn't thinking, that's my problem.

Whenever I'm around her, I never do. I can't. My brain must be addled from all those healer potions Neal's made me drink over the years.

But I love her. And I know she loves me. She must. Or is it all a lie? Maybe she loves someone else. Maybe she doesn't love me…oh gods, don't even go there! Don't let me just be a replacement for someone else! Please, gods, no! Don't even think about that!

Maybe she's at the mess hall. I've already been to the practice courts. She's not there.

But if she's at the mess, if she's by herself, I'll apologize. Maybe, just maybe, she'll take me back.

If she's with her knight-friends, I'll give up. Accept she's gone. Accept my love, my lady knight, no longer wants me.

Maybe I'll try to forget her. Maybe I'll try to move on. I can't even kid myself. I never will.I'm at the doors to the mess hall now. Deep breath. Open the door. The place is almost full now.

Kel's got a table all to herself, way at the back, almost invisible. But I can see her. It's almost like she's glowing, the way she always draws my eyes to her. I look down, slightly startled, to realize I have a tray of food in my hands, too lost in thought to realize what I've been doing for the last few minutes.

I'm walking towards her, ignoring my friends in the Kings Own, ignoring the Knights table, where Neal sits. I'm ignoring my squad. They watch, confused for a few seconds, as I ignore them and walk past, headed towards the back of the room. Towards Kel.

I blink, lost in my thoughts again, and I'm standing only a few feet from her. Just looking. I move forward, until I'm next to her, but still facing her.

She blinks up at me, and I find my voice. "Kel, is this spot taken?"She looks stunned for a few seconds, like she never expected me to look at her again, before smiling and speaking. I feel my heart break.

"Of course not, Dom" I sit down and we eat quietly for a few minutes before speaking.

"Kel, I wanted to..."

"Dom, I'm..."

"You go first."I smile inside. Trust Kel.

"Kel, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sprung that on you. Forgive me?"

"Of course, Dom. And I just wanted to say I love you, and I'm sorry. "

I'm stunned. She still loves me? For real? Buy why does she feel sorry? It was my fault! There's a long silence, while we steal glances around the hall at our friends.



"I won't ask you to marry me again. Just come back?"

"Not even if I want to marry you?"

"You... you want to marry me?"

I'm stunned. She wants to marry me? She wants to marry me!

"Of course. How could I not? I love you."

I'm marrying Kel! And she loves me! Without a second thought, ignoring the teeming multitudes in the mess, I lean across and kiss her. And forget about them. Now, it's just me and her. I don't even care about the men, or the fact that we'll soon be the butt of much teasing. Too soon, we pull apart, and notice the whole mess has fallen silent.

Well, except for Neal choking. I smile, and pull her back. It's time they knew, after all