A/N - I took this one down so I could fix it...and then chapters three and four followed...don't ask. As I was re-reading it, my perfectionist side came in and something was bugging me...soo...end of that story...

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Brea's days at the castle fell into habit; she awoke each morning before dawn, had breakfast (which she rarely had time for), practiced with the Queen's Riders, who gave her quite the work-out. She would then have lunch with Raoul, then practice with the pages and squires, who were dead set on besting a Goldenlake, but had yet to do it. Then dinner with her knight friends and off to bed with her, with little time in between for herself. That was how her days went, and she was very happy, except for the rare times when she would catch Dom staring at her or vice versa. Brea had been at the castle for about two months and one afternoon found her sitting in her rooms after lunch, reading a letter from her mother.

"Brea?" Raoul knocked on her wide open door and poked his head in. "Honestly, my dear, you must stop leaving your door open." He stepped in the rest of the way and sat in a chair beside her desk, where she was sitting.

"I close when I'm not here, when I'm sleeping or in there." She said simply, gesturing to the privy door while she finished reading the letter. Raoul sighed and shook his head, wondering if Brea would ever learn to shut her door.

"Letter from your mother?" He asked, nodding to the letter she was folding and shoving into a desk drawer.

"Yes, she says Marlene is working on Midwinter gowns for me, even though it's a good four months away." Brea said with a smile and shook her head.

"You know how Rhiannon is. Those gowns will be done and fitted to you in two more weeks." He said with a smile and Brea nodded her agreement.

"Something else you needed?"

"The older squires are afraid they scared away their only real competition. Besides the teachers, no one else out there can knock them on their rumps and damage their egos as well as you, my dear." Raoul said laughing at the way Brea's cheeks turned a bright red color.

"What can I say? I had a good teacher." She said, nudging Raoul's foot with hers.

"Aw stop it, your making me blush." He said, pretending to be a court lady and bat his eyelashes. Brea rolled with laughter. "Come now, let's get out to the fields." He said and the two of them stood, making there way to the practice fields, Brea left Raoul and made her way to where a group of older squires were fighting.

"Told you we didn't scare her away!" Said a young man by the name of Jordon. "Afternoon Lady Brea."

"Afternoon." She responded with a smile and turned on one of the boys, she was pretty sure this ones name was Nathaniel. "Ready?" She asked with a grin and he nodded. Brea wasn't a hundred percent sure how long they had been fighting, and she still wasn't sure how she wound up on her back, but it happened. She had dodged a kick aimed at her and with a cry of pain, Brea landed on the ground, with a pounding head and throbbing ankle.

"Lady Brea! I'm sorry." Nathaniel muttered, biting his bottom lip as the other squires gathered around them. Dom saw the commotion and rushed over, as Raoul was nowhere to be seen.

"What happened?" Dom asked, pushing the squires backwards to give Brea room to breathe.

"She was fine while we were fighting and all of a sudden, she just kinda fell." Nathaniel explained, hoping he hadn't done anything or he would most likely face the wrath of Raoul. Kind he may be to them, but he wouldn't be to thrilled to learn that one of them had harmed his niece.

"Brea, can you sit up?" Dom asked, kneeling beside her.

"Ugh...get away from me, I'm fine." Brea snapped, sitting up and ignoring the pounding in her head.

"I'm trying to help you, you could be seriously injured." He said and stood up, staring down at her.

"I told you, I'm fine." And to prove it, Brea struggled to her feet; only to have her ankle give seconds later and she collapsed in Dom's arms.

"Yeah, your excellent." Dom said sarcastically and picked her up in his arms.

"Damn it, Domitan, put me down." She demanded angrily as he walked her to the Healers.

"No, you're injured and despite how much you hate me, I'm not putting you down." He said stubbornly and continued to walk as Brea complained rather loudly. "Were almost there and stop yelling at me, I'm only trying to help you, Brea." He told her angrily and if it weren't for the fact that he cared to deeply for Brea, he might've put her down.

"Why do you care so much? Most guys would've just left me there." She whispered, studying Dom's face.

"I care because I still love you." He replied and rendered Brea speechless; he left her with the healers and then slipped from the room, making his way out to the practice grounds. After reassuring the squires that no permanent damage had been done to her, he made his way back to the King's Own stables, where his horse still needed to be unsaddled and brushed down. After the night in Brea's room when he tucked her in, so to say, Dom managed to keep himself away from the girl, but couldn't keep from staring at her. He often cursed himself when she caught him looking at her.

"Dom?" Questioned Raoul, leaning against the stable door; he had just come from seeing Brea.

"Yes, Raoul?" He replied, pulling his eyes away from the wall and looking at the commander.

"Brea is going to be fine, her ankle is going to be somewhat swollen and she isn't allowed to do much for a week, but she's okay." Raoul told him, happy that Dom had gotten to his niece, or Brea would've continued fighting, pain and all. "Is there something else on your mind?"

"That's good, she fought me the whole way there." Dom said with a bit of smile. "No, why?"

"Because you've been brushing that horse in the same spot for about five minutes. I reckon he's annoyed now." Dom sighed and threw the brush down in the stable, finding it hard to focus on anything. "You've been out of whacks since we returned from Goldenlake. Tell me. Has my darling niece managed to captivate your attention again?"

"In a way, yes sir." Dom admitted with the nod of his head. Raoul sighed deeply, staring at his friend and sergeant.

"The first time this happened, I couldn't think of a better person for her. You helped her in so many ways. But you hurt her Dom, you hurt her deep and I know that your hurting from your mistake as well, I can see it in your eyes." Raoul sighed again; he hated speeches, especially giving them. "I could be the mean uncle and tell you to back off, but I won't. I still believe that things could work out for the both of you. And I will tell you the same thing I told her."

"What's that?" Dom questioned curiously.

"That only time can heal your wounds."

"How do you know when there healed?"

"Your heart will tell you. Just like Brea's heart will tell her when it's healed and ready for a second chance." Dom nodded and Raoul left him; he departed from the stables not to long after that and roamed the halls, mulling over what Raoul had told him.

FLASHBACK

"May I have this dance, my lady?" Dom asked, always the gentleman as he offered his hand to Brea.

"Of course you may, kind sir." She responded and slipped her hand in Dom's allowing him to lead her out to the floor. It was the first of many Midwinter balls and with Dom; Brea was starting to think they wouldn't be as bad as usual. "Have you informed Raoul about us?"

"Depends. Have you told your parents?" Neither one of them were sure how people would take it if they knew they were together, there was a four year age difference.

"Actually I have. They aren't thrilled about it, but aren't complaining either." Brea told him.

"Damn. I was hoping you would give me some more time." Dom accidentally squished one of her feet while they danced, as he suddenly became preoccupied with how he was going to inform his commander that him and Brea were seeing each other.

"Ow. That was my foot." She howled in pain.

"Sorry, my love, I honestly didn't mean to. You just made me nervous about having to tell Raoul." The song they were dancing to ended and Dom took Brea's hand, leading her from the ballroom.

"My foot still hurts. Slippers don't protect well against boots." Brea limped slightly as they walked, trying not to put to much weight on it. Dom sighed and they stopped walking; in one motion, he lifted Brea into his arms, carrying her like a groom would his bride.

"Better?" He asked, setting her gently down on the bench as they reached their destination.

"Much." She replied as Dom sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I will tell Raoul. I will tell him tomorrow if I must." Dom said, staring down at Brea. She was sixteen, but behaved like a woman much older than her years.

"Thank you, I just don't want him to found out and think I'm a slut or something of that sort." Many men were chasing after Brea, but Dom was the only one she gave the time of day to.

"Raoul would never think of you like that. He loves you far to much and talks very highly about you." Dom reassured her with a brief kiss on the lips. "You should hear him at times."

"I know that, I just don't want him to hear it straight from you, because court gossip will have me in bed with you and my uncle wouldn't be at all thrilled to hear that. True or not." Brea said, shivering slightly as the wind whistled past them.

"Cold?" Dom questioned, rubbing her arms.

"Yes, but I think a kiss might suffice." She said and Dom smiled leaning down and kissing her softly, but passionately on the lips.

END FLASHBACK

Brea sighed and rolled over in her bed, having laid awake for the past two hours. Her thoughts were twisted and jumbled and she couldn't focus on anything. With an aggravated sigh, she stood up and dressed, slipped her boots on, then left her room, ignoring the pain in her ankle. She had no idea where she was headed, anywhere but staying cooped up in her room; at long last, her feet led her to a rose garden and she sat down cross-legged on a bench. She wasn't sure how long she sat there or how long a certain pair of emerald eyes watched her from the shadows, but it was awhile.

"You know, some people would think you were mad for being out here in the dark for so long. Then again, you were with my cousin for awhile, so you must be some sort of crazy." Neal commented quietly, startling Brea, who fell off the bench and landed in the grass.

"Do you have to be so damn quiet. Queenscove?" She demanded, struggling to her feet without hurting her ankle even further, and brushing grass from her hair and clothes.

"Hello to you too, Lady Goldenlake." Neal drawled, sitting on the bench.

"Hello, Neal, it's good to see you." Brea said and hugged him; they had been friends since she her first trip to the castle.

"May I inquire as to why you are out here, Brea?" He asked, pulling her down on the bench beside him.

"No." She said, staring up at the stars again.

"It has to do with Dom, doesn't it?" He ventured quietly, staring at her. Brea was quiet and the silence lengthened. "I see that it does. He's hurting you know. He's been with very few woman since you left him."

"Are you saying I'm wrong for doing away with our relationship?" Brea demanded, her grey/blue eyes flashing angrily.

"No, I didn't say that." He said gently, trying not to anger her.

"Then what the hell are you saying, Neal?" She snapped, glaring at him.

"I'm saying you should talk to him. Listen to him and let him explain. There is more to the story than just what you know." He said quietly, staring back at her with shining emerald eyes.

"How much more to the story can there be." Neal had done what he was trying not to do: piss off Brea. "He slept with a whore and I caught him, end of story." She growled and stood up, walking back into the castle with a slight limp.

FLASHBACK

"Uncle Raoul, where is Dom?" Brea asked, glancing around at the various men seated at the table. It was dinner and she was eating with Raoul as he and the men had just gotten back.

"I think he retired to his room early." Raoul replied, chuckling at the eagerness of his niece. He couldn't be happier at the paring of one of his soldiers and his niece, it was a good match, no matter how much his brother whined about it.

"Oh, it was good to see you uncle." Brea stood and kissed his cheek, before starting to walk away, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her arm.

"Going to leave me for your man then? I see how you are." Raoul teased, putting on a mournful puppy dog face. Brea laughed and patted her uncle's cheek.

"I love you, uncle Raoul, but I've spent almost the entire evening with you. Please let me go." Brea begged and Raoul laughed, releasing her arm.

"Be gone with you then." Raoul said, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. Brea left the dining hall and started towards Dom's rooms, trying not to run. When she faced the door, she found it shut and figured he was probably sleeping.

"Dom?" She called out and knocked, before opening it and walking in. What she saw, instantly made her heart crumble into a million pieces.

"Brea!" Dom shouted, rolling off the pretty red head beneath him and quickly covering himself up. "Wh..What are you doing here?"

"How could you do this to me? I guess it was just to good to be true." Brea said and ran from the room, headed for her rooms. Dom groaned and stood up, dressing quickly and haphazardly. As Brea reached her rooms, she slammed the door, sinking onto her bed as tears spilled over. The door creaked open and Dom poked his face in. "Go away!" She shouted.

"Brea...I'm sorry." Dom said, pushing open the door the rest of the way and standing in her doorway.

"Sorry? Sorry?" Brea shouted and stood up, standing in front of him. "Sorry isn't going to fix this! Sorry is when you step on someone's foot. Sorry is when you run into someone. Sorry doesn't fix it when you cheat on me!" Both of them stood silent for a moment, Dom trying to find something besides sorry to say and Brea just staring at the floor. "Why? Why did you do it?"

"I don't know, I honestly don't." Dom muttered, feeling horrible. He truly did care about Brea; he would even go as far as to say that he loved her. Why he had just broken her heart, he didn't know. It was something that truly boggled him.

"Then I honestly don't know why I fell for you. Were through." Brea said sadly and shut the door, being sure to lock it.

"Brea please! Please, forgive me!" Dom said, pounding on the door.

"Leave me alone, Dom." Brea begged, tears falling down her cheeks as she sobbed. "Your only hurting me more than you already have."

"I can't! Because I love you! Damnit, I love you Brea." He called back and heard her fall silent. "Brea?" He ventured, knocking on the door, wondering what had happened.

"Please, go away. If you loved me, you wouldn't have hurt me." She said back and finally heard Dom walk away. Brea didn't bother to change out of her gown and ended up crying herself to sleep that night. She left the castle three days later.

END FLASHBACK