Two in one night. Not too shabby, eh? We're extremely close guys! Don't abandon me now!

Chapter 11: New Nephews

Even fair tempered Hoshi was impatient with Kel's incredibly slow pace. The sparrows were chirping in her ears and Jump was squirming around in his carrier, making Hoshi even more nervous. Kel sighed. She wished her animals were human enough to understand why she wasn't so eager to get to Mindelan, but she could understand their annoyance at the slow trip. Normally it would take a few days of quick paced riding. They had all been on the road for more than a week.

"Alright, alright," Kel grumbled to Nari as she waved the bird off of her shoulder. "We're almost there, anyways."

It was going to be easy to be happy for Lorraine and Merric. Her niece was kind and gentle, in a way perfect to set of Merric's quick temper. Kel was happy that her niece and good friend had found love in the other. She would wish them a long, healthy life without having to force the smile on her face, but Kel knew the same could not be said for her other niece. The thought of Hattie married to Dom made Kel want to get it over with and just jump off Balor's Needle already. How would she be able to face him at any family event?

Kel sighed once more, hoping that perhaps her feelings for Dom would diminish as she grew old and bitter. Maybe by the time Dom was a grandfather she would be able to show her face to her Mindelan family once more, but even then Kel doubted it.

The entire ride had given Kel plenty of time to think of her own duty to marry. As happy as she had been to accept New Hope as her own, she still couldn't help but curse the king. Being Lady of New Hope meant that she'd have to provide heirs. For a long time, perhaps a day and several hours, Kel had been very much considering placing Tobe as her heir. The New Hope people would love that as he was as much one of their own as Meech, but Kel knew that the king would never agree to it. He'd already taken enough criticism for his lady knight without her trying to put a commoner as the heir to her title and lands.

There was the option of doing as Raoul had done: avoiding all social situations and throwing herself into work until she was too old to avoid the inevitable any longer. Perhaps she would be as lucky as her Lord. If she waited long enough she might fall in love again and she could get a number of other references under her belt as a knight.

Tempting as that option was, Kel knew it was unrealistic. Unlike Raoul, as a man, Kel's days for producing heirs were slowly ticking away. Even Buri had been considered well on in years by court lady standards when she married Raoul. Kel remembered Neal having told Kel once that without the help of some of the best healers in the realm, Buri would have never been able to give birth to the couple's two sons.

That left only one option for Kel. She would have to force herself to marriage with love or without it. The thought made her scowl openly and damn the king once more. She had never wanted to get married, not until she was well settled in life and it was a time of peace in the realm. Now she had both, but she was just missing one thing: a man she truly loved. It seemed that Cleon would have to be a stand in for that. Kel only prayed to the Goddess that she would be able to grow to love her friend as she once had many years ago.

It was a year later and it was a different setting, but both of Kel's nieces came out to greet her as she rode through the gate at Mindelan. To her surprise, Tobe was also there and after hugging his former mistress he whisked Hoshi away. Kel was a little disappointed when he left. She felt anxious to be alone with her nieces, especially Hattie, but neither girl felt their aunt's discomfort and hugged her just as happily as they had the previous summer.

"Aunt Kel! We were worried that bandits had attacked you! What kept you so long?" Hattie seemed much more cheerful and sweet in her newly engaged state. Dom must be having a good affect on her, Kel thought but still smiled at her niece, telling herself she was happy for them both.

"No, I'm afraid not. It was just slow comings along the northern road, that's all."

The two girls chattered, reminding Kel of her sparrows, as they pulled the tall knight into the entrance hall of the castle. Kel was only half listening, but the end of one of Hattie's sentences confused her greatly.

"Dom is here, you know. I didn't understand why until Merric explained they became friends on some trip they took with you and that infuriating Queenscove some years back? Anyways, it's a pity Thom's not here. I would have loved for you be able to meet him though you must be acquainted already, are you not? He said his mother is quite close to you. Oh, you must come to Pirate's Swoop for our wedding this midwinter. I'm afraid the Baroness doesn't like me very much and perhaps you could—"

"You're having you wedding at the Swoop?" Kel's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her bangs as she looked at Hattie with a strange look on her face. Hattie and Lorraine both stopped and looked at Kel as if she was quite out of her wits. "Whatever for?"

"Where else would we have it?" Hattie asked in return, stating it as if it were quite a bizarre question. "Thom will be Baron one day and it would only be fitting for Thom and myself to be married there…"

Hattie's voice trailed off as Kel fell into a shocked silence. Hattie was marrying Thom, Thom of Pirate's Swoop. For a long few seconds, nothing made sense and then suddenly her mind repeated it: Hattie was marrying Thom not Dom.

If Kel's mask hadn't firmly been in place, Kel was sure she would have screamed and danced for joy. Dom wasn't engaged. Kel wouldn't have to fake happiness for her niece. She wouldn't have to avoid family reunions for the next century. Her mind and body, both of which had been extremely tense during the past few weeks, were now as calm as if Kel was enjoying a relaxing bath. A wide smile split across her face and she shocked her brunette niece as she put her arm through Hattie's.

"You're right, Hattie," Kel said quietly as she smiled off into the crowd of wedding guests that had arrived just before her. "Of course it would only be fitting."

Kel was still smiling when Lalassa, who was at Mindelan to do final fittings for the bride's dress, helped Kel into her gown for the gathering of guests that was being held the night before the wedding. It was another one of Lalassa's masterpieces, but after Kel scolded Lalassa gently, the older woman swore that it would not over shadow the bride. The crimson shift and the pale pink over gown tugged perfectly in certain spots, but Lalassa couldn't help but be suspicious, as the knight didn't even argue once except for at her niece's expense.

"You're excessively cheerful tonight, Kel." Lalassa had stopped referring to her old mistress as 'milady' years ago. In reply, Kel simply smiled ahead at the wall as she pulled her hair back with a white ribbon.

"I'm just happy for Lorraine and Merric, that's all."

Lalassa didn't look very convinced but she simply told Kel she was going to be late if she didn't hurry and watched her set off down the halls to the Mindelan ballroom.

Kel had greeted her parents and most of her family that afternoon when she arrived, but Kel had missed her most recently married niece. When Kel saw Cora arm in arm with Arthur, Kel's smile extended, a thing that Kel had assumed would be impossible. Her niece smiled happily as she saw Kel in return and rushed away from her husband to hug the older woman tightly. Once Cora pulled away, it was obvious what had been the barrier between them as they hugged.

"Cora!" Kel exclaimed as she saw the slight bulge in her niece's stomach. She sure hadn't waited long, Kel remarked to herself as she laughed quietly. "Mama didn't mention anything in her letters. How far along are you along?"

Cora's hands smoothed her gown gently over her stomach, looking down at it fondly as Kel had seen Yuki do many times during her pregnancy. "About four months. Grandmama didn't know either until she saw me when I arrived," the young woman explained with a laugh. As Kel talked to her niece for the next few minutes, she saw what many woman had described as the 'glow of pregnancy' all over Cora's face.

Leaving Cora to feed her growing appetite, Kel made her way to the side of the room. A smile still firmly planted on her lips, Kel surveyed the room, looking from one face to another. It had taken quite a while to make her way through the crowd of people as many of her year mates were there: Seaver, Esmond, Faleron, even the Prince and Shinko. Neal was supposed to arrive early tomorrow with Yuki and nine month old Megumi in tow. Cleon, thank the Goddess, was planning to arrive around the same time as Neal.

The only person Kel hadn't encountered yet suddenly appeared behind her as she was watching Lorraine and Merric smile at each other even while each was across the room completely.

"Cute couple, eh?"

Kel jumped a bit and turned, blue eyes meeting hazel. Instead of turning and looking away embarrassed, Kel smiled back at him as she nodded. "She'll keep him in check."

When Dom laughed, the sound made Kel's heart beat for what felt like the first time in two months. Kel had been nervous he would be down because of Hattie's engagement, but he seemed more cheerful than any of the other times Kel had seen him in the past year. His eyes met hers once more as his hearty laugh turned to into a quiet chuckle. As his voice trailed off, the two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, but neither seemed much bothered by the silence.

"You can hold it over his head now. Imagine, you're Merric's 'aunt'."

It was Kel's turn to laugh. Her head fell back and a few people looked to see what had improved the best mood they'd seen their lady knight in in years still more. Seeing the Own captain and Kel in conversation for again what must have been the first time in years, no one seemed very surprised but watched the two with interest.

"If you don't remind him, I'm sure Neal won't hesitate to do it for you."

"Seems like both your nieces made out like bandits," Dom commented, glancing around the room once more. His blue eyes and smile didn't falter as they spotted Hattie talking to Shinko. "Thom seems to have been good for Hattie. A few of the men who weren't with us when we left Corus last fall said Thom made her work for his affection. She seems calmer. Something about giving her a taste of her own medicine." Kel looked at him with mild surprise but he didn't notice it as he went on with a laugh in his voice, "I gotta say, having the Lioness as a mother in law should be…interesting. Poor girl."

Turning to look at Hattie as well, Kel had to agree, more about the girl's changes than her future mother in law. She was lost in thought for a second before she looked back up into those eyes and said quietly, "Sometimes it just takes a certain man to bring out the best in a woman."

The two were silent, but both of their eyes seemed to say what their mouths could not. Dom's eyes were steady as Kel's were suddenly hopefully. As with Cleon months before, Kel felt like suddenly Dom was much closer. This time, however, it was not uncomfortable. His warmth felt wonderful and she craved to be even closer than she was. Suddenly, though, Wolset was upon them, clapping Kel on the back as if the lady knight was in the mess hall wearing a dirty shirt with breeches, not in a ballroom wearing a delicately crafted gown.

"Wolset?" Kel asked, tearing her eyes reluctantly away from Dom's as she raised her eyebrow at the now sergeant. "What are you doing here?"

The man didn't take what she said as rude, thankfully, and nodded his head at Dom. Dom, who's face was slightly redder than it had been when he'd first come over to Kel, explained slowly, "There was word of some centaurs in the area looking to raid a town near here. Raoul asked me to take a squad in case anything seemed funny."

Kel nodded her head as her eyes met Dom's once more. The two talked of simple things, laughing at common jokes they hadn't shared in a very long time. For most of the night, other people came into the conversation, drifting in and out as they stopped by to talk to one or both of the warriors. There was barely a person in the room that didn't doubt reconciliation was under way between the one-time lovers and many were extremely thankful for it.

Things turned down hill the next morning, however. Kel had left her niece in the care of her mother, other nieces, and Lalassa. They were far better at preparing a girl for her wedding than Kel ever would be and Kel was waiting for Neal and Yuki to arrive to greet them. They weren't the first to arrive, to Kel's mental groan. Originally, she had been searching the grounds for Dom, but instead she turned back to the castle to come face to face with Cleon.

"Hello, Kel!" The big knight was as cheerful as ever, but the hopeful look in his eyes made Kel want to grimace. She wished she could tell him that he should not be cheerful about that for once she worked up the nerves he would be incredibly let down, but she didn't get the chance. "How was your winter?"

"It was fine, Cleon. How was yours?"

"Wonderful. Daren is getting big." After a second, Cleon added softly. "I hope you'll be able to meet him soon." There was a question in his voice that Kel was not in a hurry to answer. To her incredibly relief, the Queenscove couple was the next guests to enter through the gates, and Kel was given the perfect excuse to farewell to Cleon to turn to greet her friends.

It wasn't until Kel turned back toward the castle, a bubbly Megumi squirming in her arms that she noticed Dom stepping down the steps from the walls and head toward the castle without so much as a glance in his cousin or her direction.

Neal, giving his cousin an odd look, raised his eyebrow at Kel and Yuki as he stated sarcastically, "He has the look of a jaded court lady." For what wouldn't be the last time, Kel silently cursed herself a dozen times of idiot. Dom had seen her with Cleon.