Chapter Ten, Kel

New Hope

December

Chapter Ten is here

Finally!

Sorry about the very long wait,

but I hope it will be worth it.

this week is the first week of

Soccer Training so on top of

writing something else

I am bone tired.

Let me know what you think!

They had been snowed in for two days and Kel was bored. There wasn't very much to do indoors; one could only play so much chess. At least Kel had Dom to keep her company. Dom could make her laugh, even when nothing was funny. And he wasn't a bad bed partner either.

It was early evening; Kel was cross-legged on the floor of the sitting room, a needle and thread in one hand, a small bit of cloth on her lap. She was making very tiny stitches in one corner. She was supposed to be embroidering, her pattern a very simple flower, but it had been a while since she had last tried to do anything other than her mending so she was going at a snails pace. What she had so far resembled… a shape.

She was alone, so Kel could focus her full attention on her work. Her friends and her teachers had drifted off to various corners of the house to spend some time alone. "What are you doing?" Someone asked, startling Kel into sticking the needle she held into her finger.

The girl cursed and sucked on the wound. Looking up she saw Dom leaning against the bookcase on the other side of the room. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's alright." Kel took her finger out of her mouth and wrapped a handkerchief around her thumb. Smiling up at her lover she beckoned for him to sit down. He came over and plopped down next to Kel leaning, his head on the armchair behind him. "I'm sewing." Kel told him putting her practice cloth in his lap. "What do you think?"

"It's very, very nice. What is it?" Dom cocked his head, examining the scrap of cloth and the blue stitches in the corner of it.

"It's a flower." Kel snapped, heat rising in her face, a mixed feeling of frustration and embarrassment. She snatched the cloth away from him and got up stalking out of the door and into the hall. She slammed her door as soon as she was through it.

To be honest, Kel didn't even know why she was upset. All day today, she had become increasingly frustrated by Dom. Not that he really deserved her, well it wasn't anger but it was very close to it, Dom had been a perfect gentlemen.

Maybe they weren't cut out to be in a relationship, especially not if Kel would constantly be blowing up about every small thing Dom did that irked her. It didn't seem like she should be that upset; although Dom had insulted her needlework.

Kel sank down onto her bed with a sigh. Kel heard a tentative knock on the door. It opened slowly, even though Kel hadn't replied to the knock.

"Kel?" Dom asked. "I wanted to say I was sorry. I think you should do things like that more often."

Dom still stood rather awkwardly in the middle of the room. Kel turned to look at him, confused at the flash of anger she felt at his words. The calm Yamani part of her knew that his apology was satisfactory and that she really shouldn't feel angry with Dom. But it had been over eight years since she had lived among the Yamani.

Even though her voice was calm, it was still clear to Dom that she was suddenly furious. "So you want me to become more lady-like. You think that should start doing frivolous things like embroidery so I can be more womanly for you; while I'm at it I can just hang up my sword, too!"

"Kel why are you mad? I apologized." Dom asked quietly.

"What do you want from me Dom?" Kel's voice had lost the angry note and was now filled with something almost like desperation. "Am I just a girl to fool around with while things are relatively calm on the border? Are you going to go and find yourself someone pretty and small when you go back to Corus?" Kel demanded.

"Kel don't be stupid. I care about you!" Dom insisted, striding forward and putting his hands on Kel's shoulders. Kel shook him off, finally naming the feeling that had been building up inside her. Insecurity. She felt insecure about herself and about her relationship with Dom. But Kel still couldn't quench the anger she felt inside, something that had started with simple insecurity.

"What so you think I'm stupid now?" Kel whisper-yelled.

Dom was beginning to loose his temper now to. "You're doing a pretty good impression of it!" He shot back.

Kel turned her back to Dom, closed her eyes told him "Cleon never called me stupid."

"Cleon! Why do you keep going on about him? Don't you know the meaning if the term ex-sweetheart?"

Kel made a stinging reply. She couldn't remember what else was said exactly, but they were exchanging insults, most hitting below the belt. Kel couldn't stop the words that were leaving her mouth, and they were mean and they weren't true… well most of them weren't true.

When the arguing couple finally had no more air to yell, and no more hurtful things to say they flew at each other, coming together in a bruising kiss. Hands tore roughly at clothes as Kel and Dom were swept up in the heat of their passion.

Kel was lying with her head on Dom's chest much in the same way she was when she woke up after they first made love. "Let's get married." Dom whispered in Kel's ear.

"What?" She almost screeched sitting up in the bed.

Dom pulled her gently back onto the pillow and brushed her hair away from her face. "Keladry of Mindelan, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"You'll have to leave the Own." Kel's voice wavered slightly.

"I don't care." Dom kissed her wrist gently then nipped it ever so slightly.

"You aren't being very fair." Kel protested when his lips moved to her ear after she still was hesitant.

"Do I have to be?" Dom murmured making Kel shiver.

"I don't have a dowry." Kel squeaked.

Dom pulled back and looked Kel right in the eyes.

"Kel, don't you know I love you?" He asked before capturing her lips gently with his.

The story wants me to take it in another direction. I have to oblige; a plot twist even I didn't expect for 11!