AN: Thanks to all my reviewers so far! And yes, Peachblossom is a boy! Sorry for my mistake.

Chapter Two: Early Arrivals
As Kel and the rest of New Hope's riding group rode through Fort Steadfast's gate, they were greeted by Neal and Alanna, the Lioness, already going back and forth with each other. Neal was searching around, no doubt looking for Yuki. He had already found out that Kel had been waving to Alanna, not his betrothed. Kel and the others, to their dismay, had missed his comical reaction. Neal had gotten there even sooner than they thought.

"Not excited to see your former knight-mistress, Neal?" they heard Alanna ask, a smirk playing at the edges of her mouth. "Expecting someone else?"

"Where's Yuki?" Neal asked, looking around frantically, ignoring the Lioness completely.

"She's not here yet," said a deep voice from beside Kel's horse. Kel smiled when she saw Lord Raoul, her former knight-master, standing there. Kel had been watching her best friend and the Lioness in amusement so that she had not noticed the big man walk up beside her.

"What?!" exclaimed Neal. "Where is she?"

"She's still on her way, along with Buri. Congratulations, you made it here before them," said Raoul, patting Hoshi's mane.

"We're here before them?" Kel questioned, unbelievably.

"I'm as shocked as you are, Kel. I was expecting my future wife, and instead I get an anxious, lovesick young knight who comes racing into my Fort. Not really what I was hoping for," joked Raoul.

Kel and the others laughed. To a scowling Neal, Kel teased, "You're right Neal, that was a much better entrance than ours."

Everyone laughed, including the soldiers of the Fort who had gathered around. Kel recognized many men from the King's Own, but she didn't see the one face that she was looking for. When she saw Neal's clearly disappointed face at not seeing Yuki, Kel couldn't help but feel slightly the same way at not seeing the certain someone she had hoped for.

After they gave their horses over to the Fort hostlers and Tobe, who took Kel's and his own, Kel had just started to ask when Buri and Yuki were expected when a horn was blown from Steadfast's wall. Not long after, a faint reply could be heard coming from outside the Fort. When Neal heard the friendly reply, he raced up to the ramparts to look out.

"From the sound of their horn, they're still pretty far off, Neal," Alanna shouted up at the young knight. He was leaning over the side, using a spyglass to see the group, who were in fact, still far away. "And don't fall off the wall," she warned, "if you do, be prepared to heal yourself, because I won't be doing it."

The guards on watch confirmed that it was the expected party, and that they were about a few miles away. Neal was as anxious as ever.

Kel had been talking with Raoul, Alanna, and men from the Own when the gates to Steadfast opened to admit the awaited band of travelers.

Before anyone passed through, Neal came up behind Kel and Alanna, clearly winded, and asked, "Where's Yuki?"

"Is that all you can say?" asked Alanna, clearly annoyed.

"Where were you?" Kel questioned, wondering why he wasn't the first one at the gate.

"I had to get something real fast," he replied.

"What?" Kel asked, intrigued.

But Neal didn't reply, because at that moment all his attention was directed at Yuki, who came riding through the gate, accompanied by a grinning Buri. Kel smiled, rolling her eyes at her transfixed friends, since Raoul was doing the same thing as Neal.

Kel was about to point this out to Alanna, who was still beside her, when Kel became aware of who had also ridden in with the two ladies. Before, she had vaguely noticed that they were men from the King's Own, but when she saw Corporals Wolset and Fulcher ride in, Kel had a good guess of who was to follow.

Sure enough, when she looked back to the gate, Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle, a very handsome young man in his mid-twenties, came trotting through the gate. With his typical broad grin, he rode up in front of Raoul, his knight-commander, and said in a voice that reminded Kel a lot of Neal, "See, no need to take my head, sir, we got'em here safe and sound. The only harm that befell us was being subjected to Wolset's horrible cooking. Besides that, and some upset stomachs, it was an almost enjoyable ride."

Raoul laughed as Dom hopped off his horse. Wolset, who had overheard his loud sergeant, replied hotly, "I only cooked one meal…"

Dom laughed as he slapped his corporal on the back, "Thank Mithros for that."

They all laughed, including Kel, who could hear it all from where she stood. Watching Dom, she saw him glance over and spot Yuki and Neal, who were clearly kissing behind Yuki's opened fan. He rolled his eyes, just like Kel had, and then he looked around, as if searching for something, or someone. Kel was surprised when his eyes rested on her. He smiled boldly and bowed his head in greeting. Kel smiled back, but much more shyly than the sergeant.

Their eye contact was broken, however, when Alanna tapped Kel's shoulder and asked, "How did he get a rose?"

"What?" Kel asked distractedly, embarrassed at being caught off guard.

Alanna pointed in front of her. Kel turned her head to see Neal hold out a beautiful rose up to Yuki, who covered the lower half of her face with her fan before taking the flower.

Alanna then repeated her question, in disbelief, "How did he get a rose?"

Kel was about to reply that it was Neal they were talking about, when a familiar voice said jokingly from beside Kel, "What I wonder is how Meathead got a lady."

Kel turned to see Dom standing there, smiling down a few inches into her face. Kel suddenly found it difficult to breathe. He then shrugged his shoulder and said to her, still grinning, "He probably exposed her to one of his vile tasting healing concoctions. Just the smell of those things can distort your thinking for weeks. We already know that's what happened to him…"

Kel laughed, as did Alanna who added, "Just don't think that that happens to all healers, all right, sergeant?"

Dom chuckled, "Of course not, Lioness. But, don't think it runs in the family, either."

Alanna laughed as she left to go over to talk to Buri and Raoul, leaving Dom and Kel alone.

"You guys got here fast," Dom said to Kel. "I can only guess who to blame for that…" He looked directly over at Neal, who was again kissing Yuki.

Kel smiled, "He practically carried his horse here. However, I didn't mind getting here so quickly. I thought of throwing myself in the Vassa rather than listen to anymore about Yuki's features…"

Dom looked back at her and smiled, "And sacrifice your pretty self, and leave me with only Meathead for company? No, the simple solution would be to just throw Meathead in the river. We would be the heroes of the Realm if we did."

Kel laughed softly, though trying to hide her blush from Dom's words.

Then Dom added, "I'm just glad his 'Yamani Blossom' didn't do the same. I don't think I could've stood hearing about how green Meathead's eyes are for three days."

"Well, eyes are better than eyebrows," laughed Kel.

"I didn't talk about her eyebrows the whole time!" complained Neal suddenly. Kel and Dom looked over at the couple, who had finally parted.

"I guess that's right," Kel agreed. "You talked about her hair, her nose, her lips, her teeth-"

"Alright, alright," said Neal, red from embarrassment.

"I'm delighted you two finally decided to rejoin reality," said Dom to the couple, grinning. He then put his arm around his younger cousin's shoulder. "Welcome to Steadfast, Sir Meathead! It's great to see you!"

"It is?" questioned Neal, looking at Dom weirdly.

"Of course it is! You've made me as wealthy as a Lord. I made a bet with some of the men that you would arrive before the ladies. No one thought that would happen."

"If I would've known that, I would have waited," mumbled Neal.

"You mean instead of racing into the Fort alone on your horse?" Dom asked, smirking.

"How do you know that?" Neal asked, pulling away from his cousin in alarm.

"I didn't until now…" laughed Dom, "It looks like I just won another bet."

Neal scowled, "Do you guys bet on everything?"

"Why? Do you want in on a few?" asked Dom, laughing.

"Of course not. I don't want to participate in any of those childish games," replied Neal, with his head held high.

"Whatever, Sir Meathead," said Dom, smiling as Neal and Yuki walked ahead. Turning to Kel he asked, "How do you stand being around him for so long?"

"That's why I'm glad we got here as fast as we did," Kel replied, laughing quietly.

"Well, I'm glad you did, too," said Dom, grinning at her playfully. Kel couldn't help but smile.

AN: The next chapter will be up soon!