The True Meaning of Love
They stood in the headquarters of New Hope passionately kissing and springing apart at the slightest sound. Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle had only been together for a month but their greatest fear was that someone would find out. Accusations had already been thrown at Kel, referring to her as a whore, but these were only from people who didn't know Kel, who wanted to put her down and would use any excuse to do so. There was a knock on the door.
"Dom your squads waiting for you to go on patrol" Neal's voice sounded through the door.
"They were about to come in here and get you but I intervened and insisted I needed to speak with Kel anyway so I would save them the walk" Neal teased
"Ok, be there in a second" sighed Dom.
He treasured the little time he and Kel had alone and didn't really want to leave.
"Go on. I'll see you when you get back" Kel told him with a final kiss.
"My dear cousin Meathead thinks he's so cleaver because he knows" growled Dom
"He's never going to stop his teasing unless we cut that tongue of his off" with that Dom turned and strode over to the door.
"You keep safe" Kel warned
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare risk disobeying you" Dom smiled and hurried out the door.
Kel hated all of this sneaking around. She thought it would almost be worth telling everyone just to be able to have some time alone with Dom. No, she thought imagining all the teasing he would receive when technically at the moment she was commanding him and his men. I couldn't put Dom through that. Kel sighed. She wished things were simpler. She had to go through all of this when she was with Cleon, having to be satisfied with quick kisses in the shadows and always looking over their shoulders, afraid they would be found.
Kel walked out the door Dom had just left through intending to go for a walk throughout New Hope, but instead was intercepted by Tobe, standing with his spear grinning.
"Ok Tobe, go and get the others" Kel said trying to keep the smile off her face. Of all the fighters the young ones were the most determined.
"They're already waiting by the gate my lady" replied Tobe.
Kel's biggest problem was escaping from Tobe long enough to see Dom. Since she returned from Scanra four months earlier Tobe hadn't left her side, afraid that she might leave him again. Thankfully though, like Neal, Tobe had worked out what was going on and could make himself scarce when Kel and Dom most needed their privacy. Unlike Neal however, Tobe hadn't let on that he knew of their relationship.
Kel spent the rest of the day with her young students practicing the spear, teaching archery, and ploughing, a job which Kel found extremely difficult but was slowly improving. She returned to the gate on dark.
"Anymore due in before we close the gate Adner?" asked Kel.
"Only Sergeant Domitan and his squad my lady" replied Adner
Kel frowned. Dom and his men should have been in ages ago. She couldn't think what could have happened to keep them out so long. If they'd run into trouble they should have sent out a call for help. Kel chewed on her lip thinking.
"Leave the gate open for another hour and if they're not back by then we don't have any choice but to close it" I just hope it doesn't come to that thought Kel.
"Nari, Arrow" She called the two closest sparrows flying to her immediately.
"Can you go and look for Dom and the rest of the men? Come straight to me if you find anything" as soon as she completed her sentence the birds took flight.
"Tobe can you saddle up Peachblossom for me?" asked Kel. "I need to speak with Sir Nealan"
After a quick conference Kel and Neal decided to ride out and see if they could find any traces of Dom's squad.
"Great. How am I going to tell Raoul I lost a whole squad?" Kel tried to joke. "Its not as if they're easy to misplace"
"It's ok Kel. I'm sure there's a good reason they're late" reassured Neal reading through Kel's brave face.
However after an hour of riding they had found no trace of them. Even the sparrows had returned to Kel empty handed.
"Come on Kel. We have to go back" pleaded Neal
"Just a bit longer, I'm sure we'll find some sign of them up here" Kel was becoming desperate.
"Kel, they're about to close the gate. We have to get back. We'll all come out first thing in the morning. It's to dark to find anything now anyway" reasoned Neal.
Kel knew Neal was right but it didn't make her decision to turn back any easier. Thoughts of what could of happened to the squad filled her mind. How could this have happened? They hadn't seen any Scanran activity around New Hope for weeks now and from the reports she was receiving Tortall were well and truly winning the war.
Kel slept fitfully that night. When she actually managed to sleep visions of Dom and his squad being tortured pierced her dreams and Kel would wake, a cold sweat covering her face and running down her back. Two hours before dawn Kel gave up on sleep and rose to start her morning her glaive practice. At least this got rid of some of her nervous energy and left her feeling calmer than she had been since the previous afternoon.
The morning dawned bright and cold as Kel, a handful of sparrows, Jump, Tobe who refused to be left behind, Neal, Merric, the remainder of the Third Company and Sergeant Jacut's squad of former convicts rode through the gate ready to recommence the search. They had packed supplies and were able to spend a couple of days at least on the search if it came to that. Kel hoped it wouldn't.
They stood in the headquarters of New Hope passionately kissing and springing apart at the slightest sound. Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle had only been together for a month but their greatest fear was that someone would find out. Accusations had already been thrown at Kel, referring to her as a whore, but these were only from people who didn't know Kel, who wanted to put her down and would use any excuse to do so. There was a knock on the door.
"Dom your squads waiting for you to go on patrol" Neal's voice sounded through the door.
"They were about to come in here and get you but I intervened and insisted I needed to speak with Kel anyway so I would save them the walk" Neal teased
"Ok, be there in a second" sighed Dom.
He treasured the little time he and Kel had alone and didn't really want to leave.
"Go on. I'll see you when you get back" Kel told him with a final kiss.
"My dear cousin Meathead thinks he's so cleaver because he knows" growled Dom
"He's never going to stop his teasing unless we cut that tongue of his off" with that Dom turned and strode over to the door.
"You keep safe" Kel warned
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare risk disobeying you" Dom smiled and hurried out the door.
Kel hated all of this sneaking around. She thought it would almost be worth telling everyone just to be able to have some time alone with Dom. No, she thought imagining all the teasing he would receive when technically at the moment she was commanding him and his men. I couldn't put Dom through that. Kel sighed. She wished things were simpler. She had to go through all of this when she was with Cleon, having to be satisfied with quick kisses in the shadows and always looking over their shoulders, afraid they would be found.
Kel walked out the door Dom had just left through intending to go for a walk throughout New Hope, but instead was intercepted by Tobe, standing with his spear grinning.
"Ok Tobe, go and get the others" Kel said trying to keep the smile off her face. Of all the fighters the young ones were the most determined.
"They're already waiting by the gate my lady" replied Tobe.
Kel's biggest problem was escaping from Tobe long enough to see Dom. Since she returned from Scanra four months earlier Tobe hadn't left her side, afraid that she might leave him again. Thankfully though, like Neal, Tobe had worked out what was going on and could make himself scarce when Kel and Dom most needed their privacy. Unlike Neal however, Tobe hadn't let on that he knew of their relationship.
Kel spent the rest of the day with her young students practicing the spear, teaching archery, and ploughing, a job which Kel found extremely difficult but was slowly improving. She returned to the gate on dark.
"Anymore due in before we close the gate Adner?" asked Kel.
"Only Sergeant Domitan and his squad my lady" replied Adner
Kel frowned. Dom and his men should have been in ages ago. She couldn't think what could have happened to keep them out so long. If they'd run into trouble they should have sent out a call for help. Kel chewed on her lip thinking.
"Leave the gate open for another hour and if they're not back by then we don't have any choice but to close it" I just hope it doesn't come to that thought Kel.
"Nari, Arrow" She called the two closest sparrows flying to her immediately.
"Can you go and look for Dom and the rest of the men? Come straight to me if you find anything" as soon as she completed her sentence the birds took flight.
"Tobe can you saddle up Peachblossom for me?" asked Kel. "I need to speak with Sir Nealan"
After a quick conference Kel and Neal decided to ride out and see if they could find any traces of Dom's squad.
"Great. How am I going to tell Raoul I lost a whole squad?" Kel tried to joke. "Its not as if they're easy to misplace"
"It's ok Kel. I'm sure there's a good reason they're late" reassured Neal reading through Kel's brave face.
However after an hour of riding they had found no trace of them. Even the sparrows had returned to Kel empty handed.
"Come on Kel. We have to go back" pleaded Neal
"Just a bit longer, I'm sure we'll find some sign of them up here" Kel was becoming desperate.
"Kel, they're about to close the gate. We have to get back. We'll all come out first thing in the morning. It's to dark to find anything now anyway" reasoned Neal.
Kel knew Neal was right but it didn't make her decision to turn back any easier. Thoughts of what could of happened to the squad filled her mind. How could this have happened? They hadn't seen any Scanran activity around New Hope for weeks now and from the reports she was receiving Tortall were well and truly winning the war.
Kel slept fitfully that night. When she actually managed to sleep visions of Dom and his squad being tortured pierced her dreams and Kel would wake, a cold sweat covering her face and running down her back. Two hours before dawn Kel gave up on sleep and rose to start her morning her glaive practice. At least this got rid of some of her nervous energy and left her feeling calmer than she had been since the previous afternoon.
The morning dawned bright and cold as Kel, a handful of sparrows, Jump, Tobe who refused to be left behind, Neal, Merric, the remainder of the Third Company and Sergeant Jacut's squad of former convicts rode through the gate ready to recommence the search. They had packed supplies and were able to spend a couple of days at least on the search if it came to that. Kel hoped it wouldn't.