Author's Note: So sorry for not updating sooner I've busy lately. Anyways what was with the lack of reviews on the last chapter? Was it really that bad? Well now you have to live my choice of name for the baby, so HA! Thank you to the five people that did review, mistmagic, soccachix101, natsumi456, tuxie13, and oirishgoddess. So now onto chapter 10?

Chapter Ten – War Again?

Dom beckoned the others over with a grin on his face, "Meet the newest addition."

Alanna cooed over the baby, Raoul was plotting with Dom how they were going to recruit him into the own and Neal looked Kel over with a healer's eyes.

"Well what are we going to do with you?" he asked skeptically of her.

As they traveled back through the tunnel, it felt like it was taking them days. Almost as if someone had made it much longer. Even more so because now they were carrying Kel and the baby, Aiden as they'd decided to name him. At least they had light now, thanks to the now vanished spells.

"Is it just me or did this tunnel get like a billion miles longer?" Neal asked from the back of the group.

"Hey Neal," Dom said from in front of him, "Do you want some cheese with that whine?"

"I'm not whining! I was merely stating that it felt like this tunnel had gotten longer," he yelled at Dom who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay boys it's nap time," Kel laughed as she turned to look at the two men.

"But I'm not tired," Dom said in a child's voice as he turned to his wife with an innocent look on his face.

Kel laughed and turned back to Raoul and Alanna who were shaking their heads. They did not seem very impressed with Neal and Dom. It could only be because it reminded them of when they were that age, green knights and like puppies in a basket. But things were so different now, for one thing they were all getting old, Raoul and Gary were almost fifty and Jon wasn't too far behind. Alanna let a sigh of wonder escape her, what if things had been different, what if the old king hadn't killed himself. Would she still be here, or would she be on some other sort of adventure?

"What's up Alanna?" Raoul asked curiously as they got a little farther away from the three young adults.

"Oh I was just thinking about when we were their age, before we all started getting old." She murmured, it was weird looking back in on the memories and having Kel, Dom and Neal be the reason for the flashback.

"We weren't the same as them Alanna, they're different than we were. I have to say that have it a lot harder than we did, sure we had to deal with Roger trying to kill Jon but back then all he had were humans, now they have to deal with immortals, and humans and undead mages who have been killed who knows how many times," Raoul told her, "But in a sense they do remind me of you, me and Jon, especially after Thom was born."

The tunnel eventually sloped upwards, Raoul and Alanna were the first to reach the ladder. They'd managed to get lost in the memories and the time had passed much faster than it had earlier. The things they remembered were quite hilarious, like when Raoul had been dared to kiss Lady Roxanne and the look on the court gossips faces when they'd found out that Alan was actually Alanna.

Dom, Kel and Neal finally caught up to Alanna and Raoul who had stopped. Kel was rocking Aiden back and forth in her arms. She loved her son just as much as she loved the other people in her life, well maybe she loved him more than Neal but that wasn't the point. He looked just like Dom with the exception to his hair, which was a few shades lighter.

"Come on guys I'm tired and hungry and covered in dirt, I want to get back to the palace where a nice warm bath will be waiting for me." Alanna murmured annoyed at the young people.

Neal stuck his tongue out at Alanna when her back was turned.

"You'd better put that tongue back in your mouth Nealan!"

Dom, Kel and Raoul laughed as Neal looked like he'd swallowed a bumble bee. Kel secured Aiden in the makeshift sling that had been made for him out of Raoul's tunic and started to climb up the ladder after Alanna. Dom followed, with Raoul going after him. Neal of course muttered dark words under his breath about always being last.

Hours Later Back At the Palace.

Kel was sitting on a sofa, Chris was napping in her lap and Aiden was asleep in his crib. She felt peaceful, everything was as it should be. Yuki sat on another sofa, Willow was sleeping as Chris was, in her mother's lap. Dom and Neal were playing a very competitive game of chess across the room while their wives chatted.

A knock fell upon the door, bringing a sudden jolt of confusion to the group. It was quite late, no one would call on them at this hour. Dom slid from his chair and opened the door. A messenger stood there with a note, he thrust it into Dom's hand and briskly walked down the hall.

Dom cleared his throat and read aloud, "Sergeant Domitan and Lady Knight Keladry of Masbolle, could you please report to the meeting hall for a very important meeting, Your's Truly King Jonathon III."

"Neal you'd better come too, no doubt they sent a messenger to your rooms as well, Yuki will you watch the children?" Kel asked of her friend, Yuki nodded and kissed her husband who'd come to stand by her.

"Alright let's go, it must be important if the king is calling for it at this hour." Dom forced a laugh as they proceeded to the meeting.

King Jonathon sat at the head of a very long table, Roald on one side and Raoul on the other. Various people sat in chairs around the table, most of them were very important such as Numair and Daine. All the sergeants of the Own were there, Buri, Alanna, Padraig haMinch, and Wyldon were also present. Three seats remained, between Daine and Wyldon. Neal sat next to Daine, naturally as far from "the Stump" as possible. Dom sat between him and Kel who was next to Wyldon.

The king called order to the room, and it fell silent. He looked around, eyes flicking from one person to the next. He looked scared, his eyes had purple bags under them and his mouth was frowning.

"I don't know if you've heard the rumors but Maren is seeking a new standing in the Eastern Lands. They've invaded Galla to the north. Galla of course as one of allies is looking for help and because of our treaty with them we are obliged to help."

"They want to be the biggest country on this side of the Emerald Ocean, and they won't stop until they have brought every country under their name. If we don't stop them then who will, so it is unfortunate but we will be going to war with Maren. A messenger has been sent to the capital with a notice. I'm sorry everyone, I know that the Scanran War just barely ended but it's fight or be conquered."

Moments passed in full silence, no one moved, no one spoke. It was almost as if it was a room full of statues. Kel looked around the room at all of the faces, most of the were from the king's generation, old withering knights. Though there were some like green like her, Neal and Roald.

"Fight or be conquered," Kel said in a steady, clear voice.

All heads turned to the face that had broken the silence. Kel was on her feet, and looked towards the man that had place her on probation twelve years ago, the man that had almost denied her of her dream, the man that she owed her life to.

"Fight or be conquered." A voice as clear as Kel's had been came from next to the king, Roald was now on his feet as well.

All around the room, the greenest knights were on the feet and repeated the words that were coursing through everyone's minds now. Dom and all of the other sergeants stood as one and shouted it.

Alanna and Raoul were grinning. Of course none of the conservatives were standing, at least not until one of the stuffiest of them all got to his feet.

"Fight or be conquered!" Wyldon yelled, bringing everyone in the room to their feet.

The king closed the meeting. Everyone was trying to get to the door as soon as possible. Wyldon caught Kel's wrist as she headed for the door. She stopped, confused, and looked at his face.

"Sir?"

"That was a very brave thing you just did there."

Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long to update, I was having a difficult time trying to find an idea for this chapter. Anyways I would like 10 reviews, at least! Or NO 11th chapter!