Chapter Nine, Dom
New Hope
Early December
Sorry for the wait
I'm not using my regular computer.
Thanks to all my readers!
Keep reviewing and
Keep reading, Drama to come!
~Dawnfire
Dom woke up the next morning before dawn, his Kel in his arms. He kissed her temple and got up to open the shudders. You could say he was more than surprised to see the snow that had piled up during the night. Looking down he saw that there was nearly seven feet of snow. It nearly reached the second story of the building and all but buried the one story buildings below.
We must have had a storm last night, Dom thought, this much snow can't be good; it may leave us snowed in!
Dom turned and walked over to the bed, shaking Kel awake. Without speaking he pointed to the window. Dom watched as his lover rolled out of bed and stumbled over to the window. She gasped when she the layer of white that climbed up the walls.
Dom got dressed slowly, while Kel hurriedly threw on her clothes. Dom knew what he would find, so when Kel ran down the stairs he sat down on her desk chair and watched the door, waiting for her to return.
When Kel appeared in the doorway again she looked at Dom and murmured "We're snowed in." Dom got up and walked slowly down the stairs. He could hear Kel following him. He looked at the wall of snow in the door Kel had left open. It had spilled down so that the floor was wet and cold on his bare feet.
"It must have snowed last night." Dom commented shutting the door.
"I'd forgotten how erratic the weather can be in the north. It didn't look like it was going to snow last night." Kel sighed and walked upstairs to the small sitting room at the end of the hall.
It was only twenty minutes before everyone else had woken up. They were all gathered in the sitting room. Merric and Dom were battling for dominance on the chess board. Raoul was leaning back in a chair watching his sergeant, his eyes flicking over to Kel very few minutes. Dom could feel his commander's eyes on his back but he ignored it; Merric had just cornered his King with a Knight, and he was trying to figure a way out of it.
His hand was just brushing his priest, about to take the younger boy's piece when Raoul finally voiced his question. "Dom shouldn't you be in the barracks with your men?" Because of the lack of room at headquarters both sergeants had been given a place in the barracks. Dom could see a faint blush spread across Keladry's cheeks.
She wasn't saying anything so Dom replied meekly "I would be if I could my lord. In case you haven't noticed, we're snowed in."
"Speaking of that," Wyldon's voice was dry, a sign that he was amused, "Where are the snow shovels? We really ought to have started clearing the pathways."
"The snow shovels. They're in theā¦" Kel trailed off. Dom looked up and saw embarrassment plain on her face. "They're in the tool shed."
"What good will they do there?" Raoul asked gently. "Your tools work better when you have them."
Dom would bet everything he owned that Kel was calling herself ten kinds of idiot in her mind. "Check Mate." Dom looked up and saw that Merric had indeed captured his King. He had been too distracted to notice the trap that had been set. Dom himself started to internally curse his stupidity.
"Rematch?" Dom asked, resetting his pieces.
At noon Tobe managed to find some food. He apparently had been planning on a cold winter already. He had a few days of meals in a first story store room. "At least we won't starve." Neal had joked.
After lunch Kel went to her room, probably to sulk. Dom watched her walk up the stairs. He thought it over in his head; should he follow her, or let her sulk in peace. It's not like it's her fault they had forgotten to put the snow shovels up! Dom thought. Kel may be amazing, nut no one could do everything. He made up his mind and nearly ran up the stairs.
He opened Kel's door slowly. Dom shut the door behind him; Kel was looking down at the snow below the window. Dom came and put his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. He felt Kel's arm go up and felt a hand on his cheek. Her other hand on his; they stood like that, watching out the window. The townspeople hadn't forgotten the threat of snow. They were started to dig around their doors. At least they wouldn't be stuck until the snow melted.
"I feel like an idiot." Kel sighed.
Dom kissed her cheek. "You're not. You are human. We all make mistakes." Dom kissed her hair softly. Kel turned in his embrace and kissed him back.
"At least I have more time to spend with you." Kel moved her lips against Dom's, not pulling away from the kiss when she spoke. Dom shivered and captured her mouth again. It dinnertime before they left Kel's room again.
