Thanks to out to these really cool people who bothered to review my story.
I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story in like 3 months. *hangs head in
shame*.
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Chapter 3
It was the first time Kel had slept in her bed in two years and she felt oddly comfortable. She slept blissfully that night. Her dreams playing her visions of the handsome blue eyed Sergeant over and over again. Kel sighed and rolled over again, slipping back into sleep once more.
Out of habit, Kel was up at dawn the next morning. She picked up glaive and begun her ritual morning practice. She has started this morning routine ever since her squire years and knew the pattern off by heart. Kel had only started to work up a sweat when a knock on the door broke her attention from the dance. Kel swiped a hand at her forehead and replaced the glaive back on its rack before walking to the door. Kel opened it to reveal Dom.
"Morning Kel" Dom greeted her with a warm smile. "You wouldn't happen to want to accompany me to breakfast would you?
"Hi Dom, of course I'll go, I'm starving. Let me just wash up first."
Kel walked over to the wash room and gave her face and hands a quick scrub with cold water. She dried it with a towel and rejoined Dom.
"Let's go"
Kel closed her chamber doors behind her and together they walked down the hallway leading to the mess hall. Both Dom and Kel seemed to be occupied in their own thoughts so mostly the journey was silent. Occasionally they would both try to speak at the same time and then stop to allow the other to go then start again when neither would say anything.
At the mess hall, a sight of Neal shoveling food down his throat greeted them. He looked up when he saw them sit down at his table and tried to grin.
"Morning" Neal said with a mouth full, splattering several bits of food everywhere.
"Sorry"
Dom rolled his eyes and Neal's dreadful table manners and sighed "Morning Meathead, try not to choke."
Kel attempted a weak smile before looking back down at her food. Her mind was still thinking about the previous night's discussion with the king. This was all happening a bit too fast for her.
"Oh by the way, Owen, Esmond and Merric told me to tell you two that they were spending the day in the lower city" Neal suddenly remembered.
"Getting drunk no doubt" muttered Dom. "The least they could've done was ask me along"
"They did try to but you were still sleeping like a log when they stopped by your room this morning"
"Oh" Dom smiled sheepishly. "Well old habits never die, and you know how men of the Own are, we never turn down a good night's sleep"
"So when does the King want to speak to us again?" Kel questioned.
Neal took a swig at his glass before licking his lips and answering "he said to meet him after supper like yesterday."
Dom grimly nodded his agreement "Yeah, Raoul mentioned when I passed his chambers this morning that the king changed his mind and wanted us to ride to Mastiff tomorrow. Apparently, we lost 3 squads yesterday due to some explosion and he wants Carthark and the Yamani Islands into the fray with us as soon as possible"
Kel was shocked "3 squads!! That's 30 men."
"Looks like Maggur's already got another new toy" Neal voice was tight.
After hearing that news Kel decided that she couldn't eat now and emptied her plate into the bin.
"You guys eat, I'm going for a walk"
Kel made her way to the stables and into Hoshi's stall. The mare recognized Kel and went up to greet her. Producing an apple from somewhere in her pocket, Kel offered it to Hoshi who took it gladly. After Hoshi had finished the apple, Kel brushed him down and left the stall with a goodbye.
Feeling uneasy, Kel made for the practice courts to take her mind off the assignment. Upon getting there Kel heard a loud voice.
"Prepare to die!"
Not thinking to clearly, Kel rushed forward to see what was going on. What she found was Neal and Dom locked together in a swordfight. They were using the blunt wooden practice swords.
"No, you prepare to die. I can win this without even trying." Neal retorted, breathing heavily.
Kel blushed as she noticed that Dom wasn't wearing a shirt. Sweat glistened on his perfectly tanned arms and torso. Dom was very well muscled with broad shoulders and a slim waist. Quickly she realized that she was staring and reluctantly turned away.
Neal looked up and noticed and Kel for the first time.
"Hi Kel, I'm just teaching Dom a thing or two that I bet he hasn't learnt in his precious King's Own."
"Oh yeah Meathead? So why is it that you're laying on the floor like that?"
Neal looked confused. "I'm not lying on the floor"
Dom stuck his foot out and caught Neal's ankle. Neal flayed his arms out trying to regain balance but lost and crumpled to the floor. Dom laughed and Kel couldn't help but join in.
"That was low." Neal scowled.
"Oh come on Meathead you gotta admit it was funny. Besides who said we men of the Own are above using cheap shots" Dom stuck his hand out to help Neal get up to his feet.
Neal took Dom's hand grudgingly and glared at Kel.
"You're meant to know better than him. We knights have a standard to uphold" Neal puffed out his chest.
"Well you looked like you were handling it comfortably enough..laying on the floor like that"
Neal gave her the death stare.
"I'm all sweated out." Dom puffed.
Neal nodded his agreement and brightened as an idea came to him. "Hey lets go for a swim. I know a real nice lake in the Royal Forest."
"Sure I could do with a swim, and when better to dunk you like in the good old days aye cousin"
"I'm the only one who's gonna be doing the dunking dear cousin"
"So Kel, care to join us" Dom inquired.
"I'll tag along but I'll pass on the swimming bit"
"Sure, come on ladies follow me" Neal emphasized on the word "ladies" and a meaningful glance at Dom.
Kel rolled her eyes and Dom gave Neal a shove.
"Well here we are. I told you it was real nice" Neal waved his hands wildly about to prove his point.
They three of them were standing in a little clearing beside a lake in the Royal Forest.
"Wasn't this the one you and the others always snuck off to after lessons when we were pages?" Kel wondered aloud.
"The very same"
"What are we waiting for?" Dom raced towards the lake.
Kel looked at the lake. It was quite beautiful with a little stream leading from it and trees bordering the outside. The afternoon sun was high ahead and little rays of sunshine pierced through the dense forestation surrounding the lake. The lake itself was clear enough to see even the little pebbles on the very bottom of the lake.
Kel heard a splash quickly followed by another one. She looked out and saw Dom and Neal each attempting to dunk each other. Kel smiled and chose a large rock near the large rock to sit on. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing to relax herself. She was still faintly aware of the laughter and noise made by Dom and Neal in the background. It was peaceful there. The little trickling of water in the small stream could be heard and birds overhead were communicating with each other. After a while she heard nothing. Kel listened hard but could no longer hear Dom and Neal. She opened her eyes and saw that the lake before her was empty save for a ripple or two. Before Kel could jump of her feet to investigate, a pair of wet arms grabbed her shoulders. Another pair of arms grabbed her feet and before she knew it, Kel was gasping as cold water enveloped her. Kel swam upwards and air rushed into her lungs. She looked into Dom's amused eyes.
"That was not funny" Kel glared at Dom and Neal's guilty expressions.
"It was Dom's idea" blamed Neal.
Dom opened his mouth to explain and a jet of cold water hit him squarely in the face. Dom spluttered and Kel laughed.
"Were not even yet." Kel manage to say before another blast of water hit Neal.
Neal and Dom looked at each other a brief moment before them both dived towards Kel.
Kel shivered after a while and groaned. "Now I'm going to catch a cold. And were going to have to walk back to the palace dripping water. Now look what you've done."
Dom shrugged and Neal's stomach rumbled. "I guess we really should head back. Wouldn't want to miss lunch"
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Chapter 3
It was the first time Kel had slept in her bed in two years and she felt oddly comfortable. She slept blissfully that night. Her dreams playing her visions of the handsome blue eyed Sergeant over and over again. Kel sighed and rolled over again, slipping back into sleep once more.
Out of habit, Kel was up at dawn the next morning. She picked up glaive and begun her ritual morning practice. She has started this morning routine ever since her squire years and knew the pattern off by heart. Kel had only started to work up a sweat when a knock on the door broke her attention from the dance. Kel swiped a hand at her forehead and replaced the glaive back on its rack before walking to the door. Kel opened it to reveal Dom.
"Morning Kel" Dom greeted her with a warm smile. "You wouldn't happen to want to accompany me to breakfast would you?
"Hi Dom, of course I'll go, I'm starving. Let me just wash up first."
Kel walked over to the wash room and gave her face and hands a quick scrub with cold water. She dried it with a towel and rejoined Dom.
"Let's go"
Kel closed her chamber doors behind her and together they walked down the hallway leading to the mess hall. Both Dom and Kel seemed to be occupied in their own thoughts so mostly the journey was silent. Occasionally they would both try to speak at the same time and then stop to allow the other to go then start again when neither would say anything.
At the mess hall, a sight of Neal shoveling food down his throat greeted them. He looked up when he saw them sit down at his table and tried to grin.
"Morning" Neal said with a mouth full, splattering several bits of food everywhere.
"Sorry"
Dom rolled his eyes and Neal's dreadful table manners and sighed "Morning Meathead, try not to choke."
Kel attempted a weak smile before looking back down at her food. Her mind was still thinking about the previous night's discussion with the king. This was all happening a bit too fast for her.
"Oh by the way, Owen, Esmond and Merric told me to tell you two that they were spending the day in the lower city" Neal suddenly remembered.
"Getting drunk no doubt" muttered Dom. "The least they could've done was ask me along"
"They did try to but you were still sleeping like a log when they stopped by your room this morning"
"Oh" Dom smiled sheepishly. "Well old habits never die, and you know how men of the Own are, we never turn down a good night's sleep"
"So when does the King want to speak to us again?" Kel questioned.
Neal took a swig at his glass before licking his lips and answering "he said to meet him after supper like yesterday."
Dom grimly nodded his agreement "Yeah, Raoul mentioned when I passed his chambers this morning that the king changed his mind and wanted us to ride to Mastiff tomorrow. Apparently, we lost 3 squads yesterday due to some explosion and he wants Carthark and the Yamani Islands into the fray with us as soon as possible"
Kel was shocked "3 squads!! That's 30 men."
"Looks like Maggur's already got another new toy" Neal voice was tight.
After hearing that news Kel decided that she couldn't eat now and emptied her plate into the bin.
"You guys eat, I'm going for a walk"
Kel made her way to the stables and into Hoshi's stall. The mare recognized Kel and went up to greet her. Producing an apple from somewhere in her pocket, Kel offered it to Hoshi who took it gladly. After Hoshi had finished the apple, Kel brushed him down and left the stall with a goodbye.
Feeling uneasy, Kel made for the practice courts to take her mind off the assignment. Upon getting there Kel heard a loud voice.
"Prepare to die!"
Not thinking to clearly, Kel rushed forward to see what was going on. What she found was Neal and Dom locked together in a swordfight. They were using the blunt wooden practice swords.
"No, you prepare to die. I can win this without even trying." Neal retorted, breathing heavily.
Kel blushed as she noticed that Dom wasn't wearing a shirt. Sweat glistened on his perfectly tanned arms and torso. Dom was very well muscled with broad shoulders and a slim waist. Quickly she realized that she was staring and reluctantly turned away.
Neal looked up and noticed and Kel for the first time.
"Hi Kel, I'm just teaching Dom a thing or two that I bet he hasn't learnt in his precious King's Own."
"Oh yeah Meathead? So why is it that you're laying on the floor like that?"
Neal looked confused. "I'm not lying on the floor"
Dom stuck his foot out and caught Neal's ankle. Neal flayed his arms out trying to regain balance but lost and crumpled to the floor. Dom laughed and Kel couldn't help but join in.
"That was low." Neal scowled.
"Oh come on Meathead you gotta admit it was funny. Besides who said we men of the Own are above using cheap shots" Dom stuck his hand out to help Neal get up to his feet.
Neal took Dom's hand grudgingly and glared at Kel.
"You're meant to know better than him. We knights have a standard to uphold" Neal puffed out his chest.
"Well you looked like you were handling it comfortably enough..laying on the floor like that"
Neal gave her the death stare.
"I'm all sweated out." Dom puffed.
Neal nodded his agreement and brightened as an idea came to him. "Hey lets go for a swim. I know a real nice lake in the Royal Forest."
"Sure I could do with a swim, and when better to dunk you like in the good old days aye cousin"
"I'm the only one who's gonna be doing the dunking dear cousin"
"So Kel, care to join us" Dom inquired.
"I'll tag along but I'll pass on the swimming bit"
"Sure, come on ladies follow me" Neal emphasized on the word "ladies" and a meaningful glance at Dom.
Kel rolled her eyes and Dom gave Neal a shove.
"Well here we are. I told you it was real nice" Neal waved his hands wildly about to prove his point.
They three of them were standing in a little clearing beside a lake in the Royal Forest.
"Wasn't this the one you and the others always snuck off to after lessons when we were pages?" Kel wondered aloud.
"The very same"
"What are we waiting for?" Dom raced towards the lake.
Kel looked at the lake. It was quite beautiful with a little stream leading from it and trees bordering the outside. The afternoon sun was high ahead and little rays of sunshine pierced through the dense forestation surrounding the lake. The lake itself was clear enough to see even the little pebbles on the very bottom of the lake.
Kel heard a splash quickly followed by another one. She looked out and saw Dom and Neal each attempting to dunk each other. Kel smiled and chose a large rock near the large rock to sit on. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing to relax herself. She was still faintly aware of the laughter and noise made by Dom and Neal in the background. It was peaceful there. The little trickling of water in the small stream could be heard and birds overhead were communicating with each other. After a while she heard nothing. Kel listened hard but could no longer hear Dom and Neal. She opened her eyes and saw that the lake before her was empty save for a ripple or two. Before Kel could jump of her feet to investigate, a pair of wet arms grabbed her shoulders. Another pair of arms grabbed her feet and before she knew it, Kel was gasping as cold water enveloped her. Kel swam upwards and air rushed into her lungs. She looked into Dom's amused eyes.
"That was not funny" Kel glared at Dom and Neal's guilty expressions.
"It was Dom's idea" blamed Neal.
Dom opened his mouth to explain and a jet of cold water hit him squarely in the face. Dom spluttered and Kel laughed.
"Were not even yet." Kel manage to say before another blast of water hit Neal.
Neal and Dom looked at each other a brief moment before them both dived towards Kel.
Kel shivered after a while and groaned. "Now I'm going to catch a cold. And were going to have to walk back to the palace dripping water. Now look what you've done."
Dom shrugged and Neal's stomach rumbled. "I guess we really should head back. Wouldn't want to miss lunch"