I gotta say, when I went into my login this afternoon and saw I had almost 600 hits, I about fell off my seat. You guys are awesome. I'm sad this story is ending in a few chapters, as well, but perhaps…we'll see what happens.

Also, please don't kill me at the end of this chapter! Everything happens for a reason. Please keep reading. Don't give up on Kel and Dom just yet, loves!

Chapter 10: Empty Rooms

As Kel rode over a ridge, she took out her spyglass to get a good luck at New Hope. A smile would not leave her face as she looked at the newly refurbished walls and the trails of smoke that were streaming up from the new homes. The fields around the fort walls were empty. Fanche had written only a week ago to say that all of the crops had been brought in without any trouble. The shields from Scanran raiders still hung as trophies off of the wood of the palisade, a reminder that the pretty town had sharp teeth.

A horn call rang out over the valley. The guards must have spotted the two horses on the road about half a mile from the town. Without a horn of her own to call back with, Kel sent the sparrows ahead to warn them of her arrival. If the guard was new, surely the birds would make such a ruckus that someone would have to recognize them.

When Kel finally did reach the gates to New Hope, she had a welcoming party waiting for her. Fanche was there with Saefas. Loesia, Meech, Irnai and all the other one-time children of the camp, who were now more realistically young adults, came out to greet Kel as well. The children hugged Kel as if they hadn't seen her for years. Fanche and Saefas shook her hand along with other townspeople, too many to count names or faces.

"Welcome back, Lady Knight!"

It felt good to be back, Kel thought as she looked every townsperson in the face and shook their hands firmly. The children she recognized she patted on the shoulders or gently ruffled their hair.

"When we heard they'd be making this place into a fief," Fanche told Kel with a grin. "We were all worried they'd send us some silly, green knight fresh off the front line. And lookie what we got here! We were right!"

Laughing openly, Kel realized that Saefas had as much influence on his wife as Neal had on Yuki. The woman hadn't lost any of her frankness, but she could joke easier now even if she did keep her face perfectly straight. If she had more water in her, Kel thought as she grinned at the older woman, she'd make a wonderful Yamani.

The welcomes finished, someone took Kel's horses from her and Kel was led on a tour of the town. Finishing touches had been made during the summer she was gone and she was proud to note how much improved everything looked. It wasn't until they reached the open area in the middle of New Hope that had once been where the flagpole and stocks were, that Kel's eyes widened.

When she'd left at the beginning of the summer, the ground had still been dirt. The mud was gone and the only thing that was there to prove to Kel it was still the same place was the flagpole. The new flag that Lalassa had made was now snapping in the wind. The rest was completely different. The ground was green, fresh grass covering the area as a new town green. There were new saplings placed along it's side as the grassy area led up to a building that had only been half done when Kel left. Now, it was a tall, stone building that was very much the most prestigious building in town. The craftsmanship was wonderful, Kel noted. And they had finished it so quickly. They had even had time to decorate, window boxes filled with autumn blooming flowers and curtains in the windows.

"Everything looks amazing, Fanche," Kel breathed as she tore her eyes away from the town to look back at the headwoman. "Especially the meeting house. I hardly recognize it from when I was here last."

Fanche and Saefas glanced at each other. When neither of them spoke for a few minutes, Kel couldn't help but think she was missing something. "What?"

"It's not the meeting house, lady." It was one of the craftsmen who'd helped build their town that spoke up. He'd accompanied the group on Kel's tour, explaining the architecture of each new building and reassuring her that they'd stand up through most anything. Kel raised an eyebrow at the man and to her surprise, the bulky craftsman blushed and stumbled as he quickly tried to explain, "We didn't have time for a proper manor house. We wanted to leave it up to you, to—to decide what'd be best and so on. If you don't like it…"

Kel's mouth fell open as she looked away from the man and her other tour guides to stare at the building in shock. Of course Kel hadn't expected them to build a castle in the few months she was gone, but she hadn't expected this much either. The house was a fine one, better than even the best townhouses in Corus. It was one aspect of her new title that Kel hadn't given any thought to. She realized now that she'd honestly expected to be back in her old rooms at headquarters.

"If it's not up to your expectations—"

"It's perfect." Kel's smile was sincere and warm as she turned back to the group. The man who'd spoken up sighed in relief. "Although, I think it might be too big and grand for me."

"We've got a reputation to uphold, miss 'I'd rather sleep in the stables'," Fanche scolded. "What would they say of us? Letting our Lady sleep in a wooden shack. That just wouldn't do." Everyone laughed, even Kel as they all started to head towards her new home. "'Sides. Once you hurry up and get married, it will be too small."

Changing the subject to avoid any awkward questions, Kel instead started to ask for details on the harvest.

Later on that night when Kel was alone in the big house, she explored the home on her own with only an oil lamp as her guide, Jump tagging along at her heals. Not only had the carpenters of New Hope finished the building, but they had also supplied their new lady with plenty of furniture. A large, four-poster bed that must have taken the carpenters a good deal of time to complete had taken up most her bedroom. Besides a few other extra spare bedrooms, Kel grimaced as understanding dawned on her as to why there were a few upstairs rooms that had been left empty. To those rooms, she quickly shut the door almost as soon as she opened it.

"I'm shocked they didn't just put cradles in there," Kel grumbled to her dog as she finally blew out her lamp and crawled into her own bed for a good night's sleep that took an hour or so to come. When it finally did, Kel was highly displeased when she woke up the next morning to realize she'd been dreaming of blue eyes babes.

New Hope received several visitors that fall. Many of Kel's family and friends wanted to come see Kel's new home with their own eyes before the passes north closed for the winter. Ilane and Piers made a week long visit, pride shining in their eyes every time they saw the respect Kel had for her people and visa versa. Alanna stopped through on her way to Steadfast at the very end of the season, accompanied by Buri and Alanna youngest son, Alan, that Kel had never met. The two had some lively conversations about their common knight master, each listening interestedly to the other's anecdotes as Buri and Alanna laughed on the sides.

It was the last visitor of the year that the townspeople were the most interested in. The anxious look in Kel's eyes said it all to Fanche and anyone else within eyeshot as the big redheaded knight rode through the gate. Cleon used the excuse that he was just riding south and decided to stop to say hello, but his true intentions were revealed after Kel and him were finished with dinner at the big house. Kel would have felt pressed to offer her friend a place in her own home, but sensing her discomfort, her servant quickly lied and said that none of the other rooms were furnished as of yet. Instead, Cleon would be spending the night at the old headquarters.

Kel sent out a silent thank you to the servant, but the woman smiled and curtsied as she left the two knights alone. Kel made a mental note to give the girl a bonus with her next wages and to also give her a substantial raise.

They talked stiffly for a few minutes before, as Kel had feared, Cleon moved in closer, a look of begging in the eyes Kel refused to meet.

"Cleon, please don't."

"But Kel…" His voice was so hopeful that Kel couldn't help but wince and look away. What had she done to give him any kind of hope like this? "I wanted you years ago and couldn't have you. Now—"

"Things have changed," Kel insisted as she tried her best to gain space from him. It was hard, and suddenly the room that had seemed at first too large now seemed too small. "I have changed. We're not the same people we were when we were young."

"You are right, Kel. Things have changed." Kel finally looked up at met his eyes, but the look in them still scared her. "Kennan is in a fine situation now. You're in a good situation. We can be together now."

"But New Hope—"

"You'd still be the lady of New Hope, but also of Kennan. You said once that I was lucky to have a wife I liked, well I want a wife I love, Kel." Kel inwardly groaned, wishing that her servant would come back. "I still love you, Kel."

They were both silent again as Cleon stepped forward once more and took Kel's hands in his. When Kel refused to meet his gaze, his rough fingers gently pulled her chin up. His grey eyes did not make her stomach turn into knots, but Kel did care for him. He was a trusted friend. She respected him. She knew he would never hurt her. She just could not care for him in the way he wanted her to, she thought as she gulped.

Cleon sighed as he realized that Kel wouldn't change her mind. As he gathered his things to leave, he gave Kel one last pleading glance. "Think about it, please. Just consider it over the winter."

Kel nodded and wished him a good night. She wasn't up early enough to see him leave. The next night was the first snow fall of the year and it wasn't until the ground started thawing in early spring that Kel actually seriously thought over Cleon's words.

Once the roads were clear, letters started filtering in to the north from southern and eastern fiefs. Neal wrote a letter that was dated the month before, telling Kel of the new things Meg was learning and how big she was getting. It was a letter that was signed by Kel's mother with seal of Mindelan that pushed Kel completely over the edge.

Dear Kel,

I hope that you have survived your first winter at New Hope, but do not waste paper. I expect to hear all the details in person for you are ordered to attend another one of your niece's weddings within the next two months.

You will not be surprised to hear that both Hattie and Lorraine are betrothed. Lorraine will be married first to Merric of Hollyrose. Their wedding will take place at Mindelan, as I said, two months hence. The terms of Hattie's engagements will mean that her wedding will not take place until midwinter. Her betrothed is a relation of someone whom you know very well and I'll leave it at that. It would spoil the surprise and I want to give you incentive to make it to Mindelan to find out for yourself.

Your ever loving mother,

Ilane of Mindelan

Tears had clouded Kel's eyes before she'd even finished the letter and she thanked the Goddess she was alone in her office when she had started to read. She had to force herself to read the words a second time before she threw the parchment into the fire. The tray her cook had left for her on the desk was left untouched as she turned in early. Kel felt cold and numb inside, the words from the letter etched into her mind with what felt like a dull knife.

Dom was engaged.

The thought would not leave her alone. She cried herself to sleep that night and for the next week before finally she was left without any emotions what so ever. She had always known it would happen in the back of her mind, but it didn't make it any easier to accept. The knowledge of it made it harder to sleep in the big empty house alone every night. The empty rooms were each a sting to the still fresh wound.

It was the knowledge that the man she loved was to be married to another, that led Kel to really consider Cleon's offer. She knew she would now never be able to marry a man she loved, but at least she could marry a man she cared for, a man she respected. If it couldn't be Dom, why couldn't it be Cleon?

Her heart gave her the answer as, but her head ignored it. She was determined to tell Cleon her answer on their next meeting.