Raoul and Deylnar were the first to notice the change in Kel's emotions.  After discussing it amongst themselves, they decided to approach Kel.  "Kel?" Raoul asked. "Are you there?"   There was no answer from with in the tent, but they could hear someone sobbing. 

"Kel?" Deylnar inquired.  "I know you're in there.  We're coming in."  Raoul and Deylnar barged into the tent, only to find Kel weeping into her bedroll.  It took them a few minutes to calm her down.  Finally she was able and willing to answer their questions.

"Kel," Raoul started to ask.  "Was there something going on between you and Dom?"

"Kel, please tell us." Deylnar added.

"Yes," Kel replied slowly, as if unsure of the answer, and then suddenly amended, "I think so.  I DON'T KNOW!!" And with that Kel burst out of the tent. 

Moments later in the woods, Lord Shalam and his servant congratulated each other on their success.  "Very good, most humble of all servants.   We now have her in the palms of our hands."

"It is an honor as well as a pleasure working with you my liege." 

"By the next full moon we shall have her."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kel awoke sweating.  She felt as if she had been running for hours.  She started to sit up as she heard the familiar sound of the crunch of paper.  She looked under her hand.  The was a letter with an unfamiliar seal.

My dearest Keladry,

I miss you.  Please come into the woods tonight where we kissed and I will meet you there.  I am deeply sorry I left so abruptly.  It was the only way for me to get out of that rat hole, by feigning my own capture.  I simply wanted to buy you a present, a gift to show my love to you.

Yours forever,

Dom

Kel nearly yelped with hoy.  Then she remembered where she was. * Don't let a stupid mistake mess you up Mindelan * she thought fiercely to herself.  Kel threw on a dress she carried with her, out of habit.  It was golden gown with a cream border.  Kel walked slowly into the woods.  She saw Dom standing in the clearing.  He was shaking his head "no", gut she ignored it.  She threw her arms around him and kissed him heartily as he kissed back, momentarily forgetting their danger.  Kel suddenly noticed that his hands were tied up.  Someone grabbed Kel and Dom and wrenched them apart.  Kel screamed and thrashed, but her captor was too strong. She and Dom were blindfolded, gagged, and their hands were tied behind their backs.   Kel heard Dom making noise and inched towards the sound, found Dom, and leaned up against him.  He rested his head on top of hers and fell asleep.  Kel woke up to the abrupt stopping of the wagon.  She felt Dom behind her as she woke up. She mentally smiled and snuggled a bit closer to him.  She almost couldn't bear being that close to him and not kissing him, but remembered she was blindfolded, gagged, and had her hands tied behind her back as did he, making that venture impossible.

Kel was tugged roughly from the cart and her blindfold was taken off.  She saw them roughly drag Dom from the cart and remove his blindfold.  Four Scanran soldiers came, two to each captive and removed their gags. 

Kel looked at Dom, who noticed her gaze and mouthed, "I love you Kel." 

Kel replied silently, "I love you too."  They were brought to a castle somewhere near the Tortallian border, because they hadn't ridden that long.  Kel and Dom were thrown into the same cell, shackled on opposite walls so that they could talk but not plot without the guards knowing. 

            Kel and Dom fell asleep on their cots, looking at each other and dreaming of their life when they got out, if they ever would get out.