Disclaimer: Not. Mine.
A/N: Finally! It took me ages (over two months, actually) to write this. But I did it!


As her last breath escaped her lips, something inside him broke. His heart would never allow him to forget what happened there that day. In that instant, he began to feel pain that wasn't physical. His heart had broken when Kel had breathed her last.

Dom stared at her unmoving body for a moment, his mind and heart screaming that it wasn't true, that it was a dream. But he knew it wasn't. Tears streamed down his mud-splattered face, becoming one with the rain that continued to fall.

Why had he waited so long to tell her how he felt? Why hadn't he told her before she'd left Steadfast after the weddings? Why hadn't he taken advantage of his position and the news that he'd gotten a few weeks before? Why, why, why? He shook his head, as much to clear it as for the sake of movement. How was it that Kel, the Protector of the Small – the Chamber of the Ordeal's chosen, could be killed by Mithros-cursed bandits? That just wasn't fair. She had faced Immortals, Scanran warriors, and Stenmun Kinslayer, and she hadn't faltered a single one of those times.

Dom knelt there for what seemed like years. It wasn't until Neal came up behind him that his mind even began to work again. "Dom?" He placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Dom, you have to fight. Your men need you. They're counting on you. Think of what Lord Raoul would say." Dom looked up at him, his blue eyes full of more pain than Neal had thought possible.

"I loved her, Neal, and I didn't tell her until it was too late. Now I've lost my chance and the woman I loved," Dom said. Before Neal could respond, Dom was on his feet again, Kel's sword in his hand. He would fight, but only in her memory, only for her.

That was all that kept him going through the long hard fight ahead of them. It seemed as though the waves of bandits would never stop - even as they defeated them, more seemed to appear out of nowhere. Then, finally, it was over. It took Dom a moment to realize that the battle had ended, that they had defeated the last of the bandits. He released a sigh of relief.

Then the pain and grief washed over him again. Kel was gone.

The men of the Own arrayed themselves in squads to see if they'd lost anyone. Miraculously, they hadn't – several had been severely injured, but amazingly, none of them had died. Kel was the only casualty of the day. She had also been the target of the attack, from the way it looked.

Dom ran a hand through his hair, not caring how muddy he was. He couldn't believe this was happening. It just didn't seem right. How was it that out of the entire group, the only person who had been killed was a knight? She should have been better protected and prepared then any of the soldiers were. Dom let out a sigh that almost turned into a sob. He felt Neal's hand on his shoulder again.

"I know how you feel, Dom. She was my best friend. She wouldn't have wanted you to mourn her. She knew what she was doing when she became a knight. It was her dream, and her wish. She knew how dangerous her life would be when she chose this life."

Dom nodded, thinking. He glanced back at his cousin to see that there were tears in Neal's eyes. "Let's go."


Dom stared at the words on the paper that had been in front of him for hours. It was covered in scratched out words and teardrops. It was so hard for him to write about Kel, even for the tribute to her life that Raoul had asked him to write. The words just didn't want to come. Dom sighed and turned the quill over in his fingers, thinking about the friendship he and Kel had shared. Finally, he began to write.

Keladry of Mindelan was an extraordinary person. She was strong, brave, honorable, and courageous. She was a good leader, and a loyal friend. In all the years since I met her, I've never met anyone who embodies those qualities better than she. Even after she proved herself many times, those who opposed her still would not see her worth, and continued to call her names and place obstacles in her path. Even then, she was kind and she never struck out at them in vengeance.

She served steadfastly with the men of the King's Own, and made many friends among the people she met and worked with. She was an inspiration not only to the young girls she met, but to everyone.

Kel risked everything for the refugees in her camp, Haven. Lord Wyldon of Cavall assigned her where he thought she would be best, and she accepted it, even though she had hoped for a different position. Never once did she falter in her duty to the refugees. When they were taken, she went after them, single-handedly at first, until her friends joined her. She risked her shield and her life for the people she was to watch over.

I know Kel will be missed, especially by those of us who knew her best. History may eventually forget the name of Keladry of Mindelan, but I won't, and neither will the rest of her loved ones. She was a special person, there's no denying that. I'll never forget Kel, I promise.

Yes, that's it, he thought. Those were the words he had been looking for. He almost smiled at the last line. He would never forget her, even if he tried, he would never be able to. It was just that simple.

Dom glanced up when the bell rang. With a sigh, he got up from his chair, changed, picked up his paper, and started on his way down to the funeral. Forgotten on his desk was a sealed letter with a single line of script across it: Keladry of Mindelan.


A/N: Review, please! I want to know what all of you think!