a/n. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Surprisingly, only one person knows who I am. Well, two, I guess, but one guessed. :D Kudos and cyber cookies. Anyway, if you want a review reply, let me know and I'll be happy to oblige! :D

Chapter Four

Kel's eyes drifted closed as the kiss continued and Dom moved even closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. Somehow without her brain, her arms moved to link around his neck.

A throat cleared and thy jumped apart. A woman was standing near them on the wall, grinning wildly at the sight. "Well, Lady Kel," she said. "Sergeant Dom. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Mistress Fanche," Dom replied, smiling.

Kel stuttered something that sounded like 'fine,' and watch Fanche move off along the wall. She turned back to Dom and hit him on the shoulder. "I told you people could see us," she told him.

Dom shrugged and leaned against the wall. "I didn't care. And you didn't seem to until Fanche showed up," he pointed out.

Kel used all of her Yamani training to keep the blush from her face. "I've got things to do," she muttered, and started to walk past him to get the stairs off the wall.

O.o

Dom watched her go. What else could he do? He smiled to himself. She'd enjoyed it until Fanche had come along, so that was something. He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked down the stairs, whistling as he went.

"Hey, Dom, what's got you so upbeat?" Wolset called.

"Nothing really, Wolset. Just happy about my winnings."

"Winnings?"

"Yeah. The money I'll be taking from you when I beat you in a duel."

Wolset grinned. "All right, then. Let's get going."

O.o

Kel sat down heavily on the stairs leading up to her room in headquarters. That was as far as she'd gotten before she couldn't move anymore and her legs gave out. She put her head between her knees and tried to breathe normally.

"Lady? Lady, are you all right?" Tobe's voice asked, and a second later, Kel heard his footsteps thudding up the stairs. He sounded concerned.

"I'm fine, Tobe," she tried to reassure him.

"Do you need me to get Sir Neal?"

"No!" Kel exclaimed suddenly, lifting her head. Tobe looked startled, and Kel dropped her head again. "I'm really fine, Tobe. I promise. I just needed to sit down for a minute."

Tobe sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her even though he didn't know what was wrong. "It's okay, Lady," he murmured soothingly. "Whatever happened, it'll all be okay."

Kel closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. His words brought back Lord Wyldon's orders. 'You will be out of the north in two weeks, or else you'll be forcibly removed,' were his exact words. Forcibly removed? Why?

She shook her head and sighed before standing up. "Thank you, Tobe. Will you go check on the horses for me?"

"Of course, Lady," Tobe said. He left the hallway after smiling one last time at Kel.

She went up to her office and sat down at her desk. She didn't even look at the letter from Lord Wyldon. When Neal got around to reading it, he'd be up here complaining, so she'd wait.

She picked up the letter from Lady Alanna and opened it. It was just a brief missive making sure everything at New Hope was all right and that Kel was fine, too. Kel replied, saying that everything was fine and that she was going to Corus soon. She left out the part about Wyldon's orders.

The next letter she looked at was from Lord Raoul. She usually saved his letters for last, knowing that his letters made her smile.

This time was no different. He wrote about the pranks the Own had been playing recently, and briefly talked about Buri, his wife. About halfway through the letter, Kel saw Dom's name.

I heard about your appointment in Corus, by the way. I had words with Wyldon over it, to tell you the truth, but he said he had a good reason that he wouldn't tell me. So I'm sending Dom and his boys with you. They'll stay with you the whole time you're guarding the prince and princess. Have a good time until I get there, but not too good a time, okay? Yes, I'm coming to Corus, not long after you, actually. Thayet spoke to Buri, and Buri spoke to me, so we're headed to Corus at the end of this month. It'll be nice to see you again. It's been too long.

The letter went on to talk about something Buri had told him, but Kel was still focused on Raoul's words about Dom. He'd be accompanying her to Corus, and then he was staying there as long as she was.

Part of her was gloriously happy, but another part shrank back and didn't know what to do. She was glad she'd have his company. Dom was one of the few people she actually liked to travel and spend time with.

But now she didn't know what to do. He'd kissed her, it was true. And what a kiss it was, but what if he hadn't been serious? She didn't know what to think, and Lord Raoul's news just made it worse. In a way.

Mostly she was happy about it, though, if she spoke honestly with herself, something she always tried to do.

"Kel!" Neal's voice was shouting up the stairs. She heard his heavy footfalls coming closer and braced herself. He'd probably just read Wyldon's message. "Kel, where are you?" he yelled.

"Where do you think, Meathead," Kel replied as he stuck his head into her room.

He stormed in and slammed the door shut behind himself, letting it hit the frame with a loud bang. "Out of the area?!" he yelled. His face was turning purple already. Not a good sign. "We have to be out of the area?! What is he thinking, Kel? You were the best thing to ever happen to this place! And now he's making us leave?!"

"Sit down, Neal," Kel told him. "You'll wear a hole in the floor with your pacing."

"Well, I don't especially care about that," Neal replied, but he dropped into a chair. "Aren't you upset?"

"I took my anger out on Dom earlier," Kel replied calmly. "And Lord Wyldon will probably have a good reason for doing it."

"Good reason or not, I'd like to go tie him up in knots for this. Not only are we supposed to leave the area, we're going to be guards? You're a commander and I'm a Healer. Two people less likely to be thought of as guards you'll never find."

Kel smiled slightly. She should have known Neal would agree with her and be on her side. He usually always was. "True enough," she told him. "But we have our orders, and now we have to follow them."

Neal sat back in his chair and grumbled under his breath. "I still don't believe this."

"Dom and his squad are on orders to come to Corus with us and stay as long as we're there," Kel told him. "Well, for as long as we're guarding Roald and Shinko."

"Lord Raoul sure does like you," Neal said, smiling grudgingly. "Sending one of his best squads to play guard duty for an indefinite period of time."

Kel laughed. "I guess so. Poor Dom and the others."

"They'll find a way to make the best of it, and probably draw us into the fun," Neal replied. Then he sobered and crossed his arms over his chest. "I still hate him for this."

"Lord Wyldon?"

"Yes, the Stump! I can't believe he would just take us out of the area completely."

"I know, Neal. But there's nothing we can do about it now. Best just to get everything in order here and pack our things. I don't think we're coming back."

a/n. Please review and tell me what you think! Sincerely, LoveIsBooks