(-a/n- Thanks for the great reviews guys! You're all amazing! Unfortunately there are no more chocolate raisins in the entire house (as I have eaten them all) so I shall have to carry on without, -author sniffs sadly- anyway…I'm really sorry about the delay in updating, I have been on holiday for two weeks. The first week I stayed round a friend's house and the second I went to Wales. I had a great time and learned to surf! Whoo! Anyway here is the long over due chapter…

Dolphindreamer: Thanks!

Drop Your Oboe: Thanks! That's what I'm aiming for, to keep the plot moving so it is actually a story rather than random humour, but still keeping it fluffy and fun.

LandUnderWave: lol! I would be in a lot of 'evil authors' lists!

Ss: Thanks!

meganidge: me too! lol

Mrs. Dom Masbolle: mmm! Sugary lolly with more sugar! Sounds good to me!

Seirien: I'm lucky; I have a swimming pool in my garden so I spend a lot of time in there… unfortunately it does have a rather bad ant problem and I'm terrified of ants…eesh…-shudders- …Global warming is bad! Save the planet! lol

Aly the Spy: llamas make me laugh, just the way they look…

Gewher: You'll have to wait a while for more Kel/Dom fluff I'm afraid…we shall all miss it so…but hopefully there will be plenty of other stuff going on so we shall survive…

Erytha: You'll have to wait and see! He he he! Anyway thanks!

Queenoftheostlers: A likely story! Muah ha ha! Thanks for the great holiday surfing rules!

x17SkmBdrchiczxx: I know I can't wait until she gets there too :D hehehe Lally is being stalked!

alynawatlovers: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it :D

kelroxmysox: Thanks!

lemsterette: haha! Kel/Dom fanfiction is the best!

On top of cloud 9: Glad you enjoyed it :D Thanks for reviewing!

Confusedknight xx

The third company was getting ready to ride resplendent in all their finery. Sliver shields and weapons glinted in the bright morning sun. Blue cloaks and burnooses whipped in the fresh wind and people milled about. The men were all performing last checks on their equipment and preparing for the ride. Gradually they began to mount their horses and congregate in their squads. Before Dom mounted his horse, he went over to say a last goodbye to Kel who was sitting on the fence watching all the activity sadly.

'I'll be back soon,' he promised her.

'I'm going to miss you so much,' said Kel, her voice quavering.

Dom kissed Kel and they embraced each other, holding each other close, not wanting to let go. The men wolf whistled and cheered, many of them knowing how long it took for Kel and Dom to finally realize their love for each other. When they broke apart tears were sliding down Kel's face. Dom wiped the tears away with his sleeve. Kel let out a watery chuckle.

'I love you more than anything in this world,' whispered Dom, 'You know that don't you?'

Kel nodded and gave a small grin.

'I'll miss you so much.'

'See you in six months,' called Dom as he mounted his horse.

'I'll count down the days!' yelled Kel.

Raoul addressed the Company, and Kel saw once again the power behind his words, these men would follow Raoul into death and worse, and yet again Kel understood truly that men such as Raoul were as rare and as valuable as the heroes of legends like Alanna. Dom also briefly addressed his company, as second in command to Raoul. Kel saw many of the leadership qualities in her husband also and felt a swell of pride. The men roared and with a surge they charged forward, cantering out through the gates of the palace. Men and women had lined up to wave them off and with one last glance back at Kel, Dom rode out of sight.

Kel waved frantically as her husband charged off. After all the men, came the supply wagons and healers and other people who rode with the third company. When the last horse had departed from the courtyard Kel made her way back up to the palace. Her suite seemed big and empty without Dom or his things and she was glad that she was leaving for Mindelan in a few hours, so she wouldn't have to bear the emptiness for too long. The trip would occupy her and keep her thoughts from wondering what Dom was up to.

Kel packed a last few things into a trunk and shut the lid. Her pack lay on the bed along with the weapons she was going to take with her. The trunk would be sent on in a ship and would arrive at Mindelan two days after her. The pack contained the things she would need for the two week ride north. Deciding to set out sooner rather than later, she picked up her pack, glaive and bow. Her sword was already strapped to her waist, so without looking back she left the suite.

Down in the stable she groomed and tacked up Merla and Peachblossom. She had decided to take both of her horses so she could switch horses when one became tired, one could also carry her pack. Although Peachblossom would still be her main mount for another few years yet, it was always good to train a horse in advance so that when the time came for Peachblossom to retire, Kel would have a fit horse who was used to travelling and jousting etc. after all an improperly trained mount could get a knight killed in the field.

Kel still had Hoshi, and would've liked to take her on the long ride to Mindelan, but Hoshi was lame having sprained a tendon the week earlier, and Daine had been unable to heal her due to the fact that she had left for the north several days before the accident happened.

Kel strapped her pack to Merla and swung herself up onto Peachblossom's broad back, telling him not to bite Merla or there would be consequences. She set out of Corus in a brisk trot, slowing to a walk outside the main part of the city. Here the houses were more spread out, fields separating them. Children playing with balls and toys in the grass waved up at her cheerfully, while their older siblings looked up at her with awed expressions. It was obvious who she was, the Mindelan shield with a distaff border strapped to her packs, and her long, loose hair and feminine shape unhidden by armour, would tell them she was Keladry of Mindelan. Kel couldn't even be mistaken for on of the Queen's riders as her tunic bore her own crest and not the insignia of the Riders. Kel was most certainly recognizable by sight. Maybe in a few days, further from the capital she would hide her identity, but for now her knight status allowed her to travel across the realm unquestioned.

Although the sun shone, the air temperature was cool and Kel pulled her cloak tighter around herself. It was her fourth day of riding and so far the journey had gone as planned, the night before she had stayed in an Inn called 'The Leaky Barrel' and had overindulged slightly on their delicious sponge pudding, and this morning was feeling the after effects. She stopped briefly to exchange pleasantries with a passing merchant. But the rest of the morning passed without incident. Kel stopped for a break around midday, but only nibbled on her sandwich briefly, for one thing she still felt incredibly full of sponge and eating only made the feeling worse.

Travelling long distances by horseback was something Kel was used to, it was very peaceful just riding along and Kel enjoyed the solitude. She often wondered where Dom was and what he was doing. The peaceful hours gave Kel a chance to reflect on her life. She thanked the Gods silently that the war had come to an end without the deaths of any close friends or family members. She also thought back on her courtship of Dom and though for what could've been the thousandth time, how lucky she was to have him.

As Dom rode, he thought similarly how fortunate he had been, he had found a wife who he truly loved with every fibre of his being and that she returned his love. He had always regarded marriage as something which he would have to face, but had always presumed it would be to some air headed girl with whom he would not be able to hold a conversation. Certainly if his mother had gotten her way that would be the case, but Dom had met Kel, become friends with her, and had always admired her intelligence, courage and level-headedness. It had been during the war that he had begun to realise his feelings toward Squire and then Lady Knight Keladry, although he had at first thought it to be a fleeting crush. However several pairs of hot pants, and a near drowning in the duck pond later, he had finally realised how serious his love for her was and had finally expressed his feelings, finding, to his delight that she returned those feelings. He smiled to himself as he thought over the highly eventful months that lead to his proposal of marriage, it was hardly a conventional courtship he thought laughing inwardly. But the most important thing was that when he came back from his six month duty, he would find her waiting and they could pick up where they left off on a wonderful, long relationship.

'Thinking about a certain ex-squire of mine?' inquired Raoul.

'Wha…' said Dom coming out of his happy musings.

Raoul laughed, 'I can always tell, you get this dreamy vacant expression and start smiling or laughing to yourself.'

Dom flushed slightly pink, 'Is it really that obvious?'

'My dear man,' said Raoul jovially, 'It is as obvious as if you had I'm dreaming about my wife Kel stamped across your forehead. Of course, its probably better that everyone can guess, otherwise people would get quite worried, with all this smiling and laughing to yourself.' With that, Raoul rode off to the front of the column of riders, leaving Dom once again stooped in thought.

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On the third morning of her journey Kel reached into her pack for a clean pair of breeches, she delved to the bottom feeling about for her thick pair. Her hand connected with something hard, and she drew out of her bag a package wrapped in paper. It was small which was why Kel hadn't noticed it before. Kel sat on the bed and opened the small package, inside a tiny box was a small chain, upon which a tiny sapphire pendant hung, underneath the pretty necklace was a note, scribbled in Dom's untidy scrawl.

My Dearest Kel,

I hope you like the gift, I was going to give it to you before we left, but decided to pack it as a surprise, hopefully a good one. I saw this in a shop window and it was so beautiful. It reminded me of you. I hope your journey is going well, and that you reach Mindelan soon. Thinking of you always, your loving husband, Dom

Kel lifted the beautiful chain up and let the light reflect of the sapphire, then undoing the clasp she redid it behind her neck, so that the sapphire hung in the v of her shirt. She decided at that moment to wear the pendant always, it seemed to connect her with Dom in some way. The morning was quite chilly and so she pulled a warm sweater over her shirt, not bothering with a tunic. Then she fastened her cape around her shoulders. She also pulled on her warm fur-lined boots and her riding gloves. Pulling up her hood, she gathered her belongings and made her way down to the stables. She had already eaten breakfast and Peachblossom stood ready in the courtyard. With a sigh, she strapped her pack on Merla and her sword to her waist. She still had a long way to go, fingering her new necklace, Kel trotted out of the yard and off into the early morning mist.

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Nine days later and thoroughly fed up of riding alone, Kel got her first glimpse of the Mindelan castle, strangely it didn't feel like her home fief she was visiting. It was Ander's home now, her home was at the palace, and more importantly with Dom. But still it was nice to see the familiar towers rising in the sky, and with a whoop of laughter she kicked Merla into a gallop, racing Peachblossom toward the castle.

(-a/n- Alas! You must all be hating me right now for yet ANOTHER in-between chapter, but at last Kel is at Mindelan and it will be non-stop action for the next ten chapters! Yay! As always please review and I'll update sooner.)

Confusedknight xxx