A/N - I wasn't planning on being able to post for another two weeks, but because of the war w/ Iraq, our school board called off the exchange, so I was able to post. I'm sorry about leaving the cliffhanger last week, but, well...I'm evil, what can I say? And I really want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, I've almost reached 200! When I started this story, I never thought that I would write so much, or that so many people would like it. I'm planning on finishing it in the next few chapters. Thank you all again, and enjoy!

~*~*~

Kel felt like her entire body had been submerged into an ice-cold lake, her blood turning to ice in her veins, and her thoughts moving more slowly than molasses mid-January. She stammered, "Dom, no, I can't--" and stumbled towards the small stream where Peachblossom was picketed. "Dammit," Kel cursed as she tried to untie him.

Dom had run after her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Kel, what is the problem?"

"You can't love me like that..." Kel trailed off, holding back tears. "I am not going to have you sacrifice most of your life because of your feelings for me now!" A tone of slight desperation crept into her voice. "If you wake up six, seven, years from now, roll over, see me, and wonder what I'm doing with you...You won't have your spot in the King's Own to go back to, and it will have been my fault."

"Kel-" Dom broke in.

"No, I'm not finished yet, Dom. I won't let you change your whole life because of me."

"What if my life will change even if you say 'no'?" Dom yelled, "You've heard bard's tales of people dying of heartbreak, or wasting away to nothing..." He stopped to consider for a moment. "Well, I don't think I'd die, but my whole life would have changed, and then it would be your fault. Accept the facts, Keladry. Firstly, I love you. Secondly, don't think of what will happen if we get married, think about what will happen if we don't get married!

"Kel, haven't you always wanted to have children and settle down with a man? Not necessarily settle down as in stay in one place, but to have at least one constant in your life?" Dom could see Kel beginning to waver. "Can you truthfully tell me that you don't want that?"

"Well-" Kel started.

"Kel, I would love to be that constant in your life, the man that made you look forward to coming home. In case you couldn't tell from my cousin, Sir Meathead, we're a really close family, and you would be the perfect addition to it."

Kel's Yamani mask had deserted her twenty minutes ago. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. She wanted so badly to tell Dom 'yes,' and that she loved him. But she wanted to do what was best for Dom, too. "Dom," Kel began. "I don't really know what to say. I would love to say yes, but-"

"Then why don't you? I can figure out something with my job. Raoul will give me excellent reviews, and Masbolle will always need at least one strong sergeant."

Kel's eyes filled with tears of hope. "You really think we could pull this off?" she asked, a bit of wonder creeping into her voice.

"I know we can. I'm going to ask you again: Would you, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, marry me, Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle?"

"Yes, I would love to," Kel replied, for once thinking about her and her present rather than the future of everyone else.

Dom's eyes lit up, and not for the first time was Kel reminded that at heart, Dom could still be a little boy. And she loved him for it.

"Dom?" she started.

"Hmm?" he answered, burying his lips in her hair.

"I love you." The words sent yet another pleasant tingle down her spine. Everything would be okay. Dom loved her, she would get married, Dom would talk to Raoul, and things would work out just fine.

~*~*~

Later that day, after a long picnic and ride back to their rooms, Kel met Dom after dinner. He had promised to speak with Raoul to find out exactly what their predicament was.

"How did it go?" Kel asked anxiously.

"Well..." Dom began.

~*~*~

"You want to what?" Raoul bellowed.

"I wish to resign, sir." Dom answered, cowed.

"For Mithros' sake, boy, why?"

A dreamy looked passed over Dom's face. "I'm in love, and getting married," he answered simply.

"So you're casting away years of work to whelp some brats with some court airhead?"

Now Dom was angry. "In case you didn't know," he started icily, "Keladry and I are getting married."

Raoul's eyes grew wide. "Keladry? My former squire, Keladry?" Dom nodded. Raoul blushed. "Well, then! That's a different story altogether, now isn't it?"

For a minute, Dom sat in stunned silence. What was his lord, Raoul, talking about? "Sir? As I recall, we can only be a part of the King's Own if we're not married. You being the exception of course."

"Do you know who made that rule, Dom?"

Dom shook his head.

"I did. D'you know why?" Raoul didn't wait for an answer. "Nearly all men can become, uh, let's say, distracted by a pretty face. I've heard from Kel about your cousin writing love poems to his current 'love interest'. That doesn't keep my men focused on their job, protecting the kingdom."

"So what are you saying?" Dom was becoming slightly impatient.

"I never believed that a man would find a wife that would truly want him to do his duty of fighting for the crown when it could take him away from her eight months out of twelve."

Each company of the King's own took one-month-long "vacations" every three. It kept them fresh and from tearing out each other's throats.

"Keladry on the other hand will truly know where you're coming from. She herself will be traveling or fighting for a good part of the year. I don't see any reason, therefore, to keep you two apart."

"But the rule..." Dom trailed off, not wanting to dig himself into a hole.

Raoul pulled out a worn leather-bound book. Inscribed on the front cover was Rules of the King's Own: by Sir Raoul (the Giantkiller). Raoul flipped open the book and thumbed through a few pages until he came across the one that he needed. He read aloud, "None who have joined the King's Own shall marry a woman and continue as a part of a company." He then took a quill pen, and added something. "The sole exception being if they are marrying a Lady Knight."

"Think that'll do the trick?" Raoul asked a twinkle in his eye. "Not many men can boast that they've stolen the heart of a true Lady Knight of Tortall."

Dom was speechless, a first for him. "Sir, so I can stay with the King's Own?"

"Of course! You know I wouldn't let such a thing as a woman take away my favorite sergeant, don't you?"