Kel stopped her glaive pattern dance when she heard
a knock on her door. She placed the weapon on a
hanging rack and went to open the door. Outside she
saw a girl with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. The
girl looked to be about twelve and was dressed in a
page's clothing. Kel smiled warmly at the girl.
Wyldon Had learned a lesson about female warriors
From her.
"I have a message for you, Lady Knight, from milord
Wyldon at Steadfast." The girl handed her a scroll,
And in return, Kel gave her a silver crown; the page
Bowed and left. Kel shut the door and sat down on
Her bed, opening the scroll.
Lady Knight,
I request that you come to Steadfast in
one day. There I will give you another squad of men.
You will be here for one month, as you shall be
Commanding for a time while I return to New
Giantkiller. After I hear of your progress, you will
Return to New Hope on my orders. Nealan will
Accompany you.
~Lord Wyldon
He's making me leave? I just got settled here, commanding New Hope.* She decided that taking Peachblossom for a ride would do her some good.
Kel nudged Peachblossom into an easy canter through the woods. I don't want to command Steadfast. What of my people? I can't just leave them behind. And Dom.
What would she do without him? He was what kept her awake every night and running New Hope every day, even with Idrius Valestone in her way.
Kel sat by a stream, leaving Peachblossom to graze on some nearby baby grass. She sat quietly thinking until she heard some rustling in the bushes, and Dom came out.
"Kel. I heard you are leaving. Why does that idiot Wyldon want you to leave now? You just got here."
"He wants me to command Steadfast while he goes to New Giantkiller.
"Do you want to go?" He asked. Kel looked at him. Why would he ask something like that.
"Of course not. My people are here, and you." She replied. Dom smiled.
"How long?" He asked as if his teeth hurt. Kel sucked in her breath.
"A month."
"A month! Kel I'm coming with you. I can't wait a month for you to come back!"
"I wish you could come too, Dom, but I need you here. Promise you'll look after New Hope while I'm gone. Please. I'll come back as soon as I can. I need you here, to keep everyone safe." She said.
"I promise." He whispered.
"I'm leaving tomorrow so I'd better get back."
"I'll be waiting for you, Lady Knight."
Kel stood in the courtyard by the gates with Peachblossom, waiting for Tobe to come out with Hoshi. The ride to Steadfast would be quick, Kel didn't want to be away from New Hope longer because of slow riding. She turned around when Dom came out of the barracks, running towards her.
He swept her up in a passionate kiss.
"I'll be waiting when you get back," He breathed. "Please be careful, Kel. I need you more than you know."
"I'll try," Kel promised. Little did they know that they were being watched.
"Raoul," Bur said in her office. "I do believe you owe me ten gold nobles for that bet we made."
"I don't think so, Buri. Kel is to overly sensible. She wouldn't allow herself even though she is completely in love with him."
"Look for yourself." Buri replied, looking out at Kel and Dom in the courtyard. Raoul ambled over.
"Great Mithros, it took them long enough. Should've happened three years ago." He said, smiling.
"You had best change the marriage rule for the Own men." Buri suggested.
"You're right." Raoul said and pulled out a large book. With a quill and ink, he quickly amended the rule.
'No member of the Own shall be married.' Under that he scratched out; 'unless they are marrying a female warrior."
"We won't have to wait long for the rule to be put to good use with those two carrying on." Buri grinned wolfishly.
Dom let Kel go reluctantly just befor Tobe came out leading Hoshi.
"Ready?" She asked the boy.
"Yes, Mother." He replied. Neal came next, looking tired and crabby.
They mounted their horses and galloped through the gates. Kel glanced back at Dom on last time, knowing she wouldn't see him for a long time.
"Soldiers don't look back, Mother." Tobe reminded her softly. Neal was glaring daggers at his saddle horn and not paying attention to Kel or Tobe.
They do when they think it is the last time they will see the one they love for a long time. Kel thought, sadly., She tried to keep herself from crying.
a knock on her door. She placed the weapon on a
hanging rack and went to open the door. Outside she
saw a girl with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. The
girl looked to be about twelve and was dressed in a
page's clothing. Kel smiled warmly at the girl.
Wyldon Had learned a lesson about female warriors
From her.
"I have a message for you, Lady Knight, from milord
Wyldon at Steadfast." The girl handed her a scroll,
And in return, Kel gave her a silver crown; the page
Bowed and left. Kel shut the door and sat down on
Her bed, opening the scroll.
Lady Knight,
I request that you come to Steadfast in
one day. There I will give you another squad of men.
You will be here for one month, as you shall be
Commanding for a time while I return to New
Giantkiller. After I hear of your progress, you will
Return to New Hope on my orders. Nealan will
Accompany you.
~Lord Wyldon
He's making me leave? I just got settled here, commanding New Hope.* She decided that taking Peachblossom for a ride would do her some good.
Kel nudged Peachblossom into an easy canter through the woods. I don't want to command Steadfast. What of my people? I can't just leave them behind. And Dom.
What would she do without him? He was what kept her awake every night and running New Hope every day, even with Idrius Valestone in her way.
Kel sat by a stream, leaving Peachblossom to graze on some nearby baby grass. She sat quietly thinking until she heard some rustling in the bushes, and Dom came out.
"Kel. I heard you are leaving. Why does that idiot Wyldon want you to leave now? You just got here."
"He wants me to command Steadfast while he goes to New Giantkiller.
"Do you want to go?" He asked. Kel looked at him. Why would he ask something like that.
"Of course not. My people are here, and you." She replied. Dom smiled.
"How long?" He asked as if his teeth hurt. Kel sucked in her breath.
"A month."
"A month! Kel I'm coming with you. I can't wait a month for you to come back!"
"I wish you could come too, Dom, but I need you here. Promise you'll look after New Hope while I'm gone. Please. I'll come back as soon as I can. I need you here, to keep everyone safe." She said.
"I promise." He whispered.
"I'm leaving tomorrow so I'd better get back."
"I'll be waiting for you, Lady Knight."
Kel stood in the courtyard by the gates with Peachblossom, waiting for Tobe to come out with Hoshi. The ride to Steadfast would be quick, Kel didn't want to be away from New Hope longer because of slow riding. She turned around when Dom came out of the barracks, running towards her.
He swept her up in a passionate kiss.
"I'll be waiting when you get back," He breathed. "Please be careful, Kel. I need you more than you know."
"I'll try," Kel promised. Little did they know that they were being watched.
"Raoul," Bur said in her office. "I do believe you owe me ten gold nobles for that bet we made."
"I don't think so, Buri. Kel is to overly sensible. She wouldn't allow herself even though she is completely in love with him."
"Look for yourself." Buri replied, looking out at Kel and Dom in the courtyard. Raoul ambled over.
"Great Mithros, it took them long enough. Should've happened three years ago." He said, smiling.
"You had best change the marriage rule for the Own men." Buri suggested.
"You're right." Raoul said and pulled out a large book. With a quill and ink, he quickly amended the rule.
'No member of the Own shall be married.' Under that he scratched out; 'unless they are marrying a female warrior."
"We won't have to wait long for the rule to be put to good use with those two carrying on." Buri grinned wolfishly.
Dom let Kel go reluctantly just befor Tobe came out leading Hoshi.
"Ready?" She asked the boy.
"Yes, Mother." He replied. Neal came next, looking tired and crabby.
They mounted their horses and galloped through the gates. Kel glanced back at Dom on last time, knowing she wouldn't see him for a long time.
"Soldiers don't look back, Mother." Tobe reminded her softly. Neal was glaring daggers at his saddle horn and not paying attention to Kel or Tobe.
They do when they think it is the last time they will see the one they love for a long time. Kel thought, sadly., She tried to keep herself from crying.