There was only one other time Dom was asked to come to the infirmary at his quickest and it was when Yuki had gone into labor and someone had to restrain Neal. At Yuki's request, Kel had been in the delivery room keeping her company so she had been unable to keep Neal from trying to burst into the room. Despite Neal being a healer, he was not allowed to help birth his own child. Yuki had said that it was bad luck for the husband to be in the delivery room. Dom also knew his uncle would never request him to come at his quickest unless it was very important. His already anxiety wracked mind was jumping to the worst conclusions. Was Aunt Winnie alright? Did Neal finally sharpen his tongue on the wrong person? Was it Karin? Only a year old, she would be starting to get into things. Had Neal not put his weapons up high enough? Had she hurt herself? Or perhaps it was Kel. Maybe his note had found Kel at the infirmary and Baird had realized Dom might want to know she was ill or injured.
Dom skid around the corner into the infirmary with the practice of years of being in the Own and responding to emergency late night calls. Immediately Dom's eyes fell on Kel, her face carefully blank but her eyes holding back unshed tears. In her lap was little Karin looking scared and clinging to Kel for all she was worth. When Dom tore his eyes off of them, he noticed Princess Shinkokami also sitting in the room with her face perfectly calm but the way she smoothed at her skirts told him she was nervous. Neal and Baird were nowhere to be seen.
"What's happened?" Dom asked looking between the two women. Already he knew it had everything to do with Yuki. Kel and Shinko made eye contact and then Kel stood and handed Karin off to Shinko with a bit of coaxing before she pulled Dom out the door with her.
"We went for a ride, just us women," Kel started. Dom realized she was still in her riding clothes meaning she hadn't had time to change. "We just wanted some quiet before Midwinter started with all of the parties. And we were on our way back." Dom could only stare when he saw the mask Kel always wore crack enough for him to see how distressed she was. "Spidren aren't normally so close to the palace. I don't know why they were so close but there were two of them. Shinko was the priority. Both of us knew that. But… but…" tears were starting to leak out of Kel's eyes. She shivered an immediately Dom pulled her to him to hold her. Either she was cold or just completely upset but both could be helped the same way.
"Neal is in with them?" Dom asked as Kel buried her face against his shoulder.
"He was so… quiet when he came in. He just handed over Karin and went in," Kel turned her head to tuck herself firmly under his chin and so he could hear her clearly. Dom swayed her slowly trying to assure himself that she was in one piece while trying to calm her down. He couldn't help but feel a bit guilty that he felt better knowing it hadn't been Kel. At the same time he wished it hadn't been anyone.
Dom knew the timing wasn't right. That this would be a bad moment to announce his intentions to court her and claim her for his own. He knew it wouldn't be the big romantic gesture she deserved. But he also knew she needed someone. He shifted so he could pull back enough to see Kel's face. She looked up at him, tears glistening on her cheeks. He closed the distance between their lips carefully and held her close while he gave her a thorough kissing. If it wasn't such a sad situation, Dom would have let himself think on how much more satisfying this was than every dream and day dream about kissing her. He would have let himself think about the way she clutched at his tunic and pressed her body against his. He would have marveled over how fragile she seemed and yet how strong she was as he pulled her closer. Instead he put those thoughts all aside to ponder later, and brought himself back to reality. Kel clung to him as he pulled back.
"Let's go keep Karin and her Highness company," Dom whispered moving to take Kel's hand. If she had anything to say about the kiss she kept it to herself, but her hand gripped his tightly as they went back inside.
Dom took Karin from Shinko without any fuss from the girl. Dom had made a point to be active in his cousin's daughter's life simply because Neal felt more like a sibling than his own siblings and Karin felt more like a beloved niece than the distant children his siblings had have. He paced with Karin, rocking her in his arms while Kel and Shinko spoke quietly in Yamani. By the time the door to the room Yuki was in opened, Karin was asleep against his shoulder and both women were quiet. Baird stepped out and closed the door behind him and shook his head when all three adults looked to him.
"She lost too much blood," Baird looked close to tears himself. "Neal is just taking his time to say goodbye privately."
"If I hadn't wanted to go riding," Shinko whispered.
"Stop that," Kel's voice was calm and reasonable. When Dom looked to her he saw her shoulders were squared and her chin was jutted out in the way that marked her at her most determined. She was determined to be the strong one and it wouldn't just be for Shinko but for Neal as well. He would have to watch her for when she needed someone to be strong for her. "If Yuki didn't want to go riding she would have said something. She always talked you out of things she didn't want to do."
"I know but I can't help but feel responsible." Shinko looked around and her eyes settled on Baird's desk. "Your Grace, might I have a piece of paper and borrow some ink and a quill. I'd like to send a note to my husband."
"Of course, your Highness." Baird pulled out a piece of paper and took out a quill and a bottle of ink for her to use. No one made any noise as she wrote her note and it was sent on its way. Roald arrived long before Neal made his appearance. Even then Baird had had to go and get him to remind him that there were living people that cared about him and needed him, including his daughter.
Neal came out of the room to find the waiting room full of his friends all there to support him. Dom watched him, seeing how pale he was, his eyes red rimmed from weeping. He would need someone to watch him, to keep an eye on him overnight and to watch Karin. Someone needed to be the cool head and help Neal through a funeral and the holidays without his wife. He would need to go to Raoul and request the time. The better part of nominally in charge of Third Company but in reality second in command to Raoul meant he didn't feel like he was abandoning his men.
Kel met his eyes from across the room. She had retreated to support Shinko when Roald had stepped forward to talk in hushed tones to Neal. She would do whatever was needed as well. Raoul was also her task master. Dom crossed the room, keeping his eyes on Kel. He handed Karin over and leaned in to give her cheek a brief kiss.
"I'll tell Raoul neither of us can do an assignment for a while," he whispered in her ear before he nodded to his uncle and strode out the door.
An hour later Dom stood in his rooms again trying to gather whatever he needed for a few weeks in Neal's rooms. It wasn't like he couldn't return to gather things he forgot, but it would take time and he would need to be there despite Kel planning on the same thing. Dom recognized that while he had liked Yuki and had welcomed her as family, they weren't as close. Neal had lost a wife, Kel a best friend, and Karin a mother. Dom was more sad for them than for Yuki. It wasn't heartless. She would be safe in the Peaceful Realms while those left behind were in mourning.
As Dom looked around one last time, his eyes fell on the lilac gown. Perhaps Kel would wear it next year but she would not wear it this year. He knew he too well. She wouldn't attend parties and she would probably spend all of Midwinter sitting in with Neal. He took the dress out of his closet and laid it out on his bed to admire it. Only hours ago he was looking forward to seeing Kel wear it and perhaps be on his arm when she wore it. Life had a way of throwing obstacles into dreams but that was how he could tell he was awake.
"Dom?" The door to his rooms opened to admit Kel. "My Lord said you came here to gather up some things. Are you planning on staying with Neal?"
"He can't be left alone," Dom turned to look at her and saw her eying the dress. "I meant to give it to you as a Midwinter gift."
"You bought it? You?" Kel came to stand by him.
"It might have been selfish, but I wanted to see you in it again. And since you wouldn't let me pay for dinner I had some spare money to spend on your Midwinter gift." Dom sighed. "I wish there was a better way to give it to you now but considering the circumstances. Happy Midwinter, Kel."
"I wish I had a reason to wear it this year." Kel turned to him and traced a finger over the seam on his tunic. "Dom, that kiss, the dress…"
"You don't have to answer now. I don't expect you to worry about this sort of thing when Neal is going to take both of our attentions." He captured her hand and held it.
"Dom, something tells me you don't actually need an answer," Kel gave him a hint of a smile. "We should probably hold off until Neal is in a better place though."
Dom knew exactly what Kel was thinking. Neal was overly romantic and overly dramatic at the best of times. At the situations where normal people would be depressed, Neal would be utterly distraught. She didn't want to flaunt their budding relationship in front of Neal when he had just lost his wife. Then again Dom doubted Kel would flaunt their relationship at all. He was the one who wanted to show her off. Kel would keep him sensible and grounded, and he would simply have to push her into being less sensible and grounded.
"You know we have to give him some credit for this…" Dom indicated how close they were standing. "He's been playing matchmaker since I returned."
"I thought so, but I only thought so because he found out that I had a crush on you." Kel blushed deeply.
"We'll have plenty of time to talk," Dom leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I'm going to go get established in Neal's rooms before he can think enough to argue."
"Dom," Kel caught up with him halfway down the hall. "I'm coming too. All of the things I need are already there." Dom hugged her around the shoulders and steered her out of the barracks ignoring the men gathering in the doors to watch them.
By the time Roald steered Neal into his rooms, Dom and Kel had shifted around the sitting room so they could fit two pallets without interrupting the space too much. They had tea brewed and were both sitting and waiting for him. They expected a protest from Neal about them staying. Instead Neal strode forward and captured Kel in a tight hug and just started to cry.
"She's gone!" He wailed into her shoulder. Kel took charge of him.
"Karin?" Dom asked Roald.
"His Grace decided they would take her for a few days. He thought Neal might need a few days to grieve without fear of upsetting his daughter." Roald sighed. "Are you two planning on staying put for a while?"
"Yes, both of us want to make sure we are available to him at any time," Dom turned to look at where Kel was holding Neal who now was weeping fairly loudly into her shoulder. "And I want to make sure I'm here when she needs it too."
"I'll have meals sent up and servants check in often. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything," Roald clasped Dom's hand and then left. Dom closed the door and turned to see what he could do to help Kel who now sat on the couch letting Neal cry himself out onto her shoulder.