Disclaimer- Tamora Pierce owns everything and I am not her.

Thanks to all of my readers that reviewed the last chapter. Most of my comments were about Dom's proposal, so I hope this chapter answers those questions.

I am sorry if some people seem a little OOC in this chapter, It couldn't be helped.

"Because I want you to marry me."

"What? Marry you?"

Kel's brain was racing. She couldn't believe that Dom had just proposed! He was the court flirt, and he had said that Kel was different, but she hadn't really believed him. Even if she had, she never would have thought that he would propose so soon. They had only been courting since July.

"Dom… I…" Kel trailed off. She really didn't know what to think or what to say.

Kel remembered what Yuki had said several days earlier.

"You have known Dom for, what, almost 6 years... You know almost everything about each other... You have worked and fought and laughed side by side for years… He even followed you to Scanra and back. I think you two know each other better than couple that have been married for years.. It isn't weird that you love Dom already because I think you two have loved each other for years before you even owned up to it."

Kel smiled at Dom. "I don't know what to say. I love you so much and I can't imagine being without you, but I don't think I am ready to get married yet. And, if we did get married, it would be tough. With both of us traveling and being assigned different posts, it would be hard to see each other and, wait… you are in the Own. You can't get married. I won't let you. You love the Own and are a great soldier, I can't ask you to resign. That wouldn't be fair to…"

Dom kissed Kel. "I love you. You mean more to me than anything else, but I am not quitting the Own just yet."

Kel cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I was thinking that we could have a long engagement. I know that this seems soon, but I kind of just wanted to stake my claim, sort of. I know that you go back to active duty in April, and I want everybody to know that you aren't free. I also love you and will always love you, and I wanted you to know that this isn't just a joke to me. There is no law that says men of the Own can't be engaged, so I thought that we could be engaged for a couple of years before I quit."

Kel smiled and held Dom's face as she kissed him. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you. I love you so much."

"I'm glad." Dom wrapped her up in a hug and spun her around, grinning like a maniac, or like Neal, whichever one works.

As Dom towed Kel back over to his family he wrapped his arm around her while his soldiers hooted and laughed and shouted encouragements.

Neal was grinning and clapping. "May I be the first to say "Welcome to the family, Kel". Pretty soon you'll be just as crazy as the rest of us, my dear Protector… Umpf!"

Yuki smacked her husband on the side of his head with her shukusen. "Congratulations, Kel. You two are perfect for each other."

Yuki had arrived at the entrance hall while Kel and Dom were speaking. Anna, Kaitlynn, Alaysia, and Virginia had entered with her. Kaitlynn and Yuki hugged her while Alaysia and Virginia glared at Kel.

"Congratulations Kel, Dom," Anna smiled hesitantly.

"Thank you."

"So, when will you be joining this lovely group of insane nobles who I am forced to call family…" Neal broke off when Yuki hit him again. All of the girls giggled as Neal rubbed his head.

"We're looking at a long engagement. I am not ready to leave the Own yet and Kel is returning to active duty in April. I just thought I would propose before my men could start a betting pool. They bet on everything and I don't need them betting on when Kel and I would get married and how I would propose and how Kel would react and if you would kill me and…" Dom broke off as his betrothed elbowed him in the side with a smile.

"I love you, Kel. Please don't kill me!!!" Dom knelt on the ground and clasped his hands together, shaking them as he groveled. Neal joined him on the ground and he was soon followed by the rest of Dom's men. The twelve of them looked so ridiculous that Kel couldn't help it.

Kel laughed. "Hush, you insolent curs. Aren't you supposed to be greeting your guests?" Kel turned towards the guests and smiled. "I apologize for them. My lord is always assigning them punishments and latrine duty but it doesn't seem to stick."

"I always knew that you were a whore. The whole court knew that you were sleeping with 'your lord" Raoul and half of his men, but I never thought that you could corrupt someone so much that they would propose to you. Does Domitan even know half of the men you've slept with, you jumped-up chit," Doanna of Fenrigh replied, shrilly.

She was standing with her brother, Imrah, their mother, several soldiers from their home fief, and Duke Baird.

At her words, Dom stepped protectively in front of her, as did Neal and the rest of Dom's squad.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't talk to my betrothed like that. You know absolutely nothing about her and have no right to speak to a knight of this realm like that," Dom answered, his voice full of scorn.

At his words, Neal and his squad all growled at Doanna. They never took insults to Kel well.

The group standing in the entrance hall separated into two distinct groups. Yuki and Kaitlynn moved behind Kel, as backup. Emry backed up Doanna and the Lady of Fenrigh as did their soldiers. Duchess Tanya and Duke Baird stood between the two hostile groups, flanked by Alaysia and Virginia and Anna. Sir Imrah went to stand by his betrothed, Kaitlynn.

The hall seemed to be divided, progressives on one side, conservatives on the other, and the House of Queenscove thrust in to the middle.

"Are you sure that you want to be marrying in to such a conservative group of pigs?" Neal called back to his sister.

"Neal", Kel admonished before him real mother had a chance to. "You are a knight of Tortall. You shouldn't be so rude. Besides, you know that I can take care of myself. I'm used to dealing with conservatives and their ignorant comments. I would think that after 9 years, you would be immune to them as well."

"Oh, you know I could never take insults to your honor as well as you. And, in this instance, at least I don't have to worry about getting punish work from my lord Wyldon or my oh so lovely, deadly knight mistress."

"I've told you, I can defend my honor myself."

"Well, you shouldn't have too," added Wolset.

Duke Baird interrupted the exchange. "I would appreciate it if you would keep comments such as those to yourself while you are in my home. Keladry is an honored guest and a great knight and I do not wish to hear such insults to her honor in my presence."

He then turned to Kel. "Congratulations on your betrothal Kel. You have definitely changed since the first time I healed you back during your page years." He gave her a hug before turning to his nephew. "I don't know about your parents, Dom, but I give you my blessing and I suspect my sister will feel the same. Congratulations."

He then rounded on his eldest son. "As for you, Neal, I thought that somebody might have taught you to hold your tongue by now. You should apologize to Lady Jessica and her daughter. I hope that, come April, when you are back under Kel's command, you will obey her better than you have today."

"I apologize for taking offense to your comment about my best friend and for replying in kind." Neal gave a great, sweeping, Players bow and stalked off. Yuki gave the guests a polite Yamani smile and followed her husband.

Dom sent his men to practice. He glared at his cousin, Emry, who was still standing with Lady Jessica and Doanna before turning back to his uncle and Kel.

"The duchess will show you to your rooms. I would like to talk to Kel and Dom. Follow me." Duke Baird left the still fuming conservatives and walked to his office, followed by Dom and Kel.

The duke let the couple into his study before locking the door and placing hearing charms around the room. "Is it too much to ask, Kel, for you to tell me that you aren't pregnant?"

"What? I'm not pregnant. I promise. Besides, if I was pregnant, why would Dom and I agree on a long engagement?" Kel was growing annoyed. All she had wanted to do was slap Doanna when the lady had accused her of sleeping around, but she had held herself together.

She had even held herself together when all of the soldiers and Neal had tried to defend her honor, but Duke Baird accusing her of being pregnant was almost too much. She had known that a lot of nobles at court and servants and commoners would think the same thing, but she trusted the Duke and didn't think he would be one of them.

"Kel, you know I had to ask. Everybody will be wondering the very same thing and I thought it best to get this conversation out of the way. I apologize if it offended you, but you could still be pregnant, even with a pregnancy charm. They don't always work. They can get old or crack or just not be well made."

"I am not pregnant, but you can check if you want. Even if I were pregnant, it wouldn't factor into my decision to marry Dom. And I don't think my charm doesn't work. I bought a new one not long after I returned to Corus, after the attack in the practice courts, precisely, and Alanna added extra protection to my charm before I left Corus."

Duke Baird probed Kel with his magic before agreeing that she wasn't pregnant. Kel let out the breath she had subconsciously been holding. She hadn't thought that she was pregnant but it never hurt to be sure. Especially since everybody was going to be asking her once it got back to court that she was betrothed to Dom. Kel was just glad that they would be at Mindelan when the worst of it happened.

Half a bell later, Kel and Dom retired to Kel's rooms.

Back at the palace

Raoul was in his study working on the supply lists for the Own. It was the worst part of his job and he actually thought of taking on another squire just so he would have somebody to do it for him, like Kel did, but he almost immediately discounted the idea. He didn't know how much longer he would be an active knight and he doubted he would be able to find as talented and dedicated of a squire as Kel.

He had just finished checking over second company's supply list and had moved on to third company's list when his door glowed purple.

"Gods all bless," Raoul said exasperated before Alanna strode into his study followed by Buri. His wife walked over to stand beside his chair while Alanna started pacing the room."What are you two doing?"

"Neal just messaged me. Kel and Dom are betrothed," Alanna replied, still pacing.

"That's great!" Raoul said as a smile broke out on his face. "Why are you upset? I thought that was the plan?"

"I'm upset," Alanna turned to Raoul, eyes flashing, "because they are looking at a long betrothal. Like, several years long. Why?"

"They are going to be betrothed for several years?" Raoul repeated. "Why?"

"They don't want to rush into anything. They haven't been courting for very long. Dom still hasn't asked Kel's father for her hand in marriage. It will be hard for them to see each other if they are both traveling on active duty. Kel doesn't want to make Dom retire from the Own. Dom isn't ready to retire from the Own. Kel isn't ready to be a wife. Dom isn't ready to be tied down. Neal's list went on for ages," Alanna replied, disgusted. "He also mentioned something about pregnancy rumors but I know Kel isn't pregnant so I don't see how that is relevant."

"He said that they don't want people to assume that Kel is pregnant or anything and they are hoping that a long engagement will counter-act those rumors," Buri informed her husband.

"It is ridiculous. They can't be betrothed for several years. They will both go insane." Alanna resumed pacing.

"Maybe we can do something about that."

Both women turned to Raoul. Alanna smiled. She remembered some of the pranks that Raoul had pulled when they were pages, squires, and even knights. Buri was a bit concerned. Alanna and some of their friends had told her about the pranks Raoul had played when he was younger, and she was worried that whatever he had in mind might spell trouble for Kel and Dom.

"You are the one who said that they will go insane if they are separated for so long, well, maybe that is what we should do. Kel is on leave until April, right? Well, what if Dom and his squad get called away to help with problems in the desert or somewhere else, far away. I wonder how Kel will feel, helpless, stuck up at Mindelan for months while Dom is in danger. It just might make Kel come to her senses.

"And Dom, well, he will do whatever Kel asks and if she asks him to move up the wedding date, he'll do it without a second thought," Alanna added.

'True, but we can't leave Kel alone at Mindelan. Someone is still trying to kill her. Jon will never agree to leave her at Mindelan, unprotected except for a few Mindelan men- at- arms," Buri interjected before the other two could get carried away.

They just dismissed her, though.

"Kel hasn't been attacked in months. The war is pretty much over. Jon is already looking at turning New Hope into a town or barony or something. Besides, in the off chance that Scanra tries something desperate, Kel is close to several forts. They'll be able to send soldiers to help her, if she can't take care of it herself," Alanna replied, not really paying attention.

Buri left as Raoul and Alanna continued planning.

"Okay, we can't call Dom's squad away until Kel is at Mindelan. She will go crazy faster if she is all alone and isolated from any information about what is going on in the desert and we can't have her travel to Mindelan alone. We will have to wait a few days. Kel leaves tomorrow morning so they should be at Mindelan by Thursday night. If we call them Friday night, they can leave Saturday morning. That will give the couple enough time to tell the baron and baroness about their betrothal," Alanna planned.

"When do the weather mages predict the passages to be snowed shut?" Raoul asked.

"They recently had a defrosting, and Mindelan is close to the sea, so the men should be able to travel until Sunday or Monday. If they leave on Saturday, they should be far enough south to avoid the frost."

"Good, then this might just work out perfectly." Raoul grinned. He hadn't had this much fun planning anything since the Immortals War.

Buri went straight to Thayet's rooms. She had gotten back a few days before, and Buri knew that she would be getting ready for a dinner that night. Buri knocked on Thayet's inner chambers and a maid let her in.

Thayet saw the look on her friend's face and dismissed the servants.

"What is wrong?" Thayet asked.

Raoul and Alanna are going to kill Kel! I swear! Those two lose all common sense when planning a prank! I know that Kel is a great knight and can take care of herself, but she is going to die waiting for news of Dom," Buri burst out.

"What do you mean? What are they planning now?" Thayet asked, a bit concerned. She had been involved in the original plan to get Kel and Dom together along and had been forced to temper some of Alanna's more outrageous plans. Shinko, Yuki, Neal, Buri, and Alanna had all created the plan and Thayet had been approached to get Jon on board with the plan.

Shinko and Yuki had been the voices of reason since Neal and Alanna had been a little extreme, but Thayet couldn't imagine what had Buri so upset. She, herself, was a little worried about Raoul and Alanna planning something by themselves, but Buri bordered on hysterical.

Thayet knew that Buri really like Kel and had enjoyed working with her and thought of her as a daughter, but Thayet couldn't think of anything that the two knights could be planning that would have her sounding so desperate, short of actually murdering Kel themselves.

Buri filled Thayet in on Alanna and Raoul's plan. Thayet agreed that it would be very dangerous and promised to have Jon put an end to it.

The following afternoon, the king called Alanna and Raoul to his personal study. When the two scheming knights arrived, Thayet and Buri were already there as well as Shinko.

"I'm putting an end to this plan of yours before it even starts. I can't allow you to endanger Keladry just so you two can play matchmaker," Jon said, absolutely.

"Snitch," Alanna told Buri before turning back to Jon. "So you would rather Kel and Dom be engaged for several years instead?"

"What?" Jon asked. "They want to be betrothed for several YEARS?! Nobody told me that."

Thayet coughed and glared at her husband.

"Well, it doesn't matter. You can't put Kel's life in peril just to get them together. There are still some crazy Scanrans out there waiting to kill Kel."

"Not even if it shuts ups the conservatives?" Alanna countered.

"What? How would Kel's marriage shut up the conservatives?"

Raoul jumped in. "Their favorite insults include calling Kel a "jumped-up merchant's daughter" and "an ungrateful chit who is no better than she should be" and insinuating that she is sleeping around. Masbolle is a highly respectable, old Tortallan family, and Domitan is a respectable nobleman, even if he is considered a court flirt. By marrying into that family, Kel would be gaining the support of some of the most influential families in Tortall and that might shut up some of the conservatives until the next female knight."

"You can't actually be considering this?" Thayet asked her husband, outraged.

Jon replied, calmly. "They make a valid point. On top of that, many conservatives might believe that Kel plans to settle down and produce heirs once she gets married. Didn't Domitan's older brother recently die in the war?"

When Raoul confirmed it, Jon continued. "He has to produce an heir for Masbolle, so Kel is going to have to have at least one child. And while we know that she is not going to stop being a knight, it might make some of the conservatives back off a bit." Jon continued musing and by the time Alanna and Raoul left, the three knights had concreted their plans.

"Poor Kel. They are going to break her heart," Shinko told her mother- in- law as they left. That night, the servants set up a bed in Jon's study.

Please review!

I am back at school and will be starting classes on Tuesday so I probably won't update until next weekend.