Chapter 5
"Where have you two been?" asked Neal, the picture of all innocence except for his eyes which danced mischievously.
Kel blushed, while Dom openly glared.
"We.....went for a walk" Kel lied.
"Oh yeah, I can really see him getting far on that" Neal pointed to Dom's leg as he limped over to the fire. "Besides you've been gone all morning"
Jump saved the day by, weather on purpose or coincidently, choosing that moment to steal one of Neal's sausages off his plate and proceeded to eat it in front of him. Kel couldn't maintain a straight face. She burst out laughing along with many of the other men including Merric who had just crawled out of his tent.
"Well Meathead, that will teach you to spend less time meddling in other peoples affairs and more time guarding your breakfast" Dom laughed
"Oh you just wait till I find out what you to were up to, although I have a pretty good idea already, and share every juicy detail with the men" threatened Neal
"I didn't realise there were juicy details in going for an early morning walk" retorted Kel as she sat down next to Dom, who caught her eye and grinned.
Kel knew Neal's threats were empty. He was one of her best friends and she trusted him. He had kept their secret so far and Kel knew he was only teasing. Neal knew what she was going through. Only recently he had married Kel's other best friend, Yuki. She looked to her left and smiled at him as he sat down with the remainder of his breakfast still grumbling.
After breakfast every one who wasn't to badly injured set about packing everything up. Most of Dom's squad had gotten off lightly in terms of injuries. Corporal Wolset had a rather nasty looking gash to his head which had provided the pool of blood Kel had seen earlier, but most sustained only shallow cuts and bruising, all of which Neal fixed easily once he had had a rest and something to eat. After everything had been packed they mounted up and headed back to New Hope. Kel was bundled up in her warm quilted coat her ex-maid Lalasa had made her. Even though the rain had stopped it was still cold.
They completed the two day journey back to New Hope without any more mishaps, unless you count Peachblossom taking a chunk out of Neal's arm and Merric slipping over in a rather large puddle of mud, and arrived back at the town in the late afternoon. The horns sounded welcoming them back and Kel sighed. It was good to be back.
As they rode through the gate Kel spotted a figure walking briskly towards them wearing a brightly coloured kimono. Kel smiled at the sight of her friend and Neal rushed forward, eager to see his wife after weeks of separation.
"Where have you been?" demanded Yuki "I came here to surprise you only to be told you'd gone and they weren't sure when you'd be back"
Kel grinned and welcomed her friend while Neal mumbled an explanation. Yuki's eyes twinkled and she smiled. It was obvious Yuki was only teasing, hoping to make Neal uncomfortable, and was succeeding brilliantly.
"It's ok Neal, your not in trouble" soothed Yuki "It gave me time to move all my things into your room and unpack"
"What?" asked Neal, obviously confused.
"Well now that we're married you can't expect me to stay away and not see you for weeks can you? I'm living here from now on"
Neal was stunned but his face quickly broke into a huge grin.
"Well in that case I'd better go and help you unpack" Neal said his eyes shining mischievously "Tobe can you fix up Magewisper for me?" with that Neal and Yuki retreated to the headquarters and Neal's room with obvious other intentions than unpacking.
Kel laughed at the two of them as she went to put Peachblossom away. For the thousandth time she wished she could express her feelings in front of everyone like Neal and Yuki. Not that she could complain though. The night before she had shared her bed roll with Dom, just being comforted by his presence and warmth. He had, however, had to rise before dawn to return to his own roll in case anyone noticed he was missing. If only I could speak to mamma and ask her for advice thought Kel. She would know what to do, she always did.
That night after dinner Kel was in her room when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to reveal Yuki who immediately pulled Kel into a hug. She was fast losing her Yamani ways.
"Kel, it's so good to see you. Sorry I didn't get to talk to you properly before. We have so much to catch up on"
"Yes we do" agreed Kel "You have to tell me all about married life with Neal, although there are some things I'd rather not know" she laughed
"Deal and you have to tell me all about you and Dom" said Yuki curiously.
Kel frowned wondering how Yuki knew. It couldn't have gotten around that quickly. Could it?
"Neal" Yuki said in way of explanation
"He was particularly interested in what were doing the other night. You've got him very curious" teased Yuki "You can tell me. It won't leave this room, not even to Neal" she promised seeing the mistrusting look on Kel's face.
"Well.....Dom and I,.....We.....slept together" Kel mumbled flushing furiously.
"What? But that's great" exclaimed Yuki.
"Really?" asked Kel "But I thought we were moving to fast. We're not even betrothed yet. We're not supposed to"
"Do you regret it?" Yuki asked seriously
"No" Kel admitted "Not at all"
"Well then, what's the problem? Gods only know Neal and I didn't wait until we were betrothed" Yuki informed her
"Thanks. I didn't want to know that" Kel laughed at Yuki's openness. This was as good, or even better, than talking to her own mother Kel decided.
After her talk with Yuki, Kel was more at ease when Dom came to her room that night.
"Where have you two been?" asked Neal, the picture of all innocence except for his eyes which danced mischievously.
Kel blushed, while Dom openly glared.
"We.....went for a walk" Kel lied.
"Oh yeah, I can really see him getting far on that" Neal pointed to Dom's leg as he limped over to the fire. "Besides you've been gone all morning"
Jump saved the day by, weather on purpose or coincidently, choosing that moment to steal one of Neal's sausages off his plate and proceeded to eat it in front of him. Kel couldn't maintain a straight face. She burst out laughing along with many of the other men including Merric who had just crawled out of his tent.
"Well Meathead, that will teach you to spend less time meddling in other peoples affairs and more time guarding your breakfast" Dom laughed
"Oh you just wait till I find out what you to were up to, although I have a pretty good idea already, and share every juicy detail with the men" threatened Neal
"I didn't realise there were juicy details in going for an early morning walk" retorted Kel as she sat down next to Dom, who caught her eye and grinned.
Kel knew Neal's threats were empty. He was one of her best friends and she trusted him. He had kept their secret so far and Kel knew he was only teasing. Neal knew what she was going through. Only recently he had married Kel's other best friend, Yuki. She looked to her left and smiled at him as he sat down with the remainder of his breakfast still grumbling.
After breakfast every one who wasn't to badly injured set about packing everything up. Most of Dom's squad had gotten off lightly in terms of injuries. Corporal Wolset had a rather nasty looking gash to his head which had provided the pool of blood Kel had seen earlier, but most sustained only shallow cuts and bruising, all of which Neal fixed easily once he had had a rest and something to eat. After everything had been packed they mounted up and headed back to New Hope. Kel was bundled up in her warm quilted coat her ex-maid Lalasa had made her. Even though the rain had stopped it was still cold.
They completed the two day journey back to New Hope without any more mishaps, unless you count Peachblossom taking a chunk out of Neal's arm and Merric slipping over in a rather large puddle of mud, and arrived back at the town in the late afternoon. The horns sounded welcoming them back and Kel sighed. It was good to be back.
As they rode through the gate Kel spotted a figure walking briskly towards them wearing a brightly coloured kimono. Kel smiled at the sight of her friend and Neal rushed forward, eager to see his wife after weeks of separation.
"Where have you been?" demanded Yuki "I came here to surprise you only to be told you'd gone and they weren't sure when you'd be back"
Kel grinned and welcomed her friend while Neal mumbled an explanation. Yuki's eyes twinkled and she smiled. It was obvious Yuki was only teasing, hoping to make Neal uncomfortable, and was succeeding brilliantly.
"It's ok Neal, your not in trouble" soothed Yuki "It gave me time to move all my things into your room and unpack"
"What?" asked Neal, obviously confused.
"Well now that we're married you can't expect me to stay away and not see you for weeks can you? I'm living here from now on"
Neal was stunned but his face quickly broke into a huge grin.
"Well in that case I'd better go and help you unpack" Neal said his eyes shining mischievously "Tobe can you fix up Magewisper for me?" with that Neal and Yuki retreated to the headquarters and Neal's room with obvious other intentions than unpacking.
Kel laughed at the two of them as she went to put Peachblossom away. For the thousandth time she wished she could express her feelings in front of everyone like Neal and Yuki. Not that she could complain though. The night before she had shared her bed roll with Dom, just being comforted by his presence and warmth. He had, however, had to rise before dawn to return to his own roll in case anyone noticed he was missing. If only I could speak to mamma and ask her for advice thought Kel. She would know what to do, she always did.
That night after dinner Kel was in her room when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to reveal Yuki who immediately pulled Kel into a hug. She was fast losing her Yamani ways.
"Kel, it's so good to see you. Sorry I didn't get to talk to you properly before. We have so much to catch up on"
"Yes we do" agreed Kel "You have to tell me all about married life with Neal, although there are some things I'd rather not know" she laughed
"Deal and you have to tell me all about you and Dom" said Yuki curiously.
Kel frowned wondering how Yuki knew. It couldn't have gotten around that quickly. Could it?
"Neal" Yuki said in way of explanation
"He was particularly interested in what were doing the other night. You've got him very curious" teased Yuki "You can tell me. It won't leave this room, not even to Neal" she promised seeing the mistrusting look on Kel's face.
"Well.....Dom and I,.....We.....slept together" Kel mumbled flushing furiously.
"What? But that's great" exclaimed Yuki.
"Really?" asked Kel "But I thought we were moving to fast. We're not even betrothed yet. We're not supposed to"
"Do you regret it?" Yuki asked seriously
"No" Kel admitted "Not at all"
"Well then, what's the problem? Gods only know Neal and I didn't wait until we were betrothed" Yuki informed her
"Thanks. I didn't want to know that" Kel laughed at Yuki's openness. This was as good, or even better, than talking to her own mother Kel decided.
After her talk with Yuki, Kel was more at ease when Dom came to her room that night.