Thank you for reviewing! I'm not really the sort of person to say, "Review oh-so-many times and you'll get a new chapter!" but it would really be appreciated if you guys did =) It lets me know how you like the story. Anyway, here is Chapter 6!

Previously:

"Though, I must say, you might find true love sooner than you think…"

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know," Neal replied as the figure neared close enough to hear them. "Intuition?"

"Say, what?" a new voice asked, reining in his horse.

Kel whirled around to face the speaker. It was Dom.

Seeing him, she almost averted her eyes, but refrained from doing so. A blush rose in her cheeks nonetheless.

We're only friends, she thought. There's nothing to be nervous about.

Except for the fact that you've fallen in love with him, a treacherous part of her mind retorted.

Well, there was nothing to be done about it at the moment. The man in question was now standing right in front of her, with a slightly surprised expression on his features.

"Kel?"

"Hello, Dom. What brings you out here?" Kel asked, noticing that he had a saddled mount as well.

"I should wonder the same thing of you," Dom grinned. "Come to join us for a ride, dearest Lady Knight?"

Neal broke in before Kel could respond. "I invited you both to lunch on a whim because I wanted to spend time with you two. I thought you wouldn't mind, seeing as you haven't shown any inclination to kill each other in the eight years since you met," he added, grinning.

Sharing a laugh with the two men, Kel was instantly at ease. This would be a good afternoon. Just then, her stomach growled, reminding Kel of the breakfast she hadn't eaten.

Smiling, Neal stated, "We should get going, or else we'll miss lunch entirely and get into Corus just in time for dinner."

Concurring with this, Kel swung up onto Peachblossom, waiting in her saddle as the others followed suit. Then they all galloped towards the enormous palace gates, nodding at the guard as they passed.

It took them about five minutes to reach the city, and another two to find a good place to eat at. Finally, they decided on the Jugged Hare, a place the men of the King's Own frequented. Settling down at their table, they quickly ordered their food and sat back to wait.

"So, Kel, how's New Hope?" Neal inquired. Dom also straightened in his seat to listen.

"The people are doing well. All is as it should be, and the community is growing and getting stronger." Kel had visited the site of her old post the week before, and she was very impressed with its progress these past four years.

"And how's their headwoman, Fanche?" Dom asked.

Kel grinned. "Stubborn and healthy as ever. At the rate she's going, she'll last long after I'm gone."

Dom snorted while Neal grinned and nodded knowingly. "She's a survivor that one," he stated.

"That she is," Kel laughed, just as their food arrived. They all dug into their lunch, sharing companionable conversation all throughout the meal.

"This is so nice," Kel commented after they had finished the delicious, roasted meat. "We haven't had a time like this since…what? Before the war?"

"Yes, my two best friends have probably been pining for my company," Dom said, grinning at them.

"Your company? No, never…" Neal leaned back to avoid getting socked in the arm by his cousin.

"Oh, shut it. At least Kel missed me, right?" Dom inquired teasingly.

If only you knew how much, Kel wanted to say. Instead, she answered, "Oh, of course! Just as much as I love being bitten by Peachblossom or dumped unceremoniously from my saddle by my lord." She and Neal shared a laugh as Dom pretended to nurse his wounded pride.

"You wound me, Lady Knight," he sighed. "No one appreciates a soldier any more."

"Except the gaggle of court ladies who always swarm around you," Kel shot back, teasing.

Neal chimed in, "Yes, I believe some of the descriptions included: that dark, gorgeously messy hair; oh, the strength in those arms;and my personal favorite those dreamy blue eyes that you could just drown in!"

Dom looked around disgruntledly as Neal and Kel burst out into laughter. "I don't care for any of those women."

Kel was surprised. "Not even one?"

"Nope. They're all so shallow; they have no personality whatsoever. Well," Dom amended, "maybe they do, but they all have the same one."

This made Kel laugh again, but more softly this time. She was pondering his words. Maybe there's a chance…

But before she could contemplate this any further, Neal cleared his throat, standing up. "Come on, let's go."

"Where?" Dom and Kel asked in unison, curious.

"The Marketplace," he replied. "We can check out Raven Armory. I've been needing to get a new dagger."

"Sure!" Kel said. "I want to check out the swords they just made. Dom, are you game?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm always up for some weapon shopping," he responded with a grin.

As they left the tavern, Neal felt his hands sweating. This was where it was going to get tricky.