Chapter 2

Recap from last chapter:

The air was warm for late fall. Kel and Yuki swiftly made their way to the gardens and chose an isolated bench in the middle of a thick hedge fence to sit and talk.

"What did you want to talk to me about Kel?" Yuki inquired softly.

"I have a problem." Kel started then changed her mind.

Seeing her friend was having a hard time she asked, "Is it about Dom?

Kel nodded. "Yuki. I'm with child."

Yuki who was looking down at her lap looked up suddenly to meet Kel's eyes.

"Kel, this is no time for a jest," Yuki started. Kel cut her off.

"I'm not joking Yuki. You must be thinking about Neal. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this!"

"Does anyone else know about… your current condition?" Yuki inquired aware that Kel's temper, that was rarely ever seen, would jump into action.

"No," she said shoulders drooping, "I've only told you. Mamma and Papa are still in the Isles for another visit and aren't due back for a couple of years. I couldn't tell Neal. He's still too open-mouthed and—" Kel's voice drifted off. "I'm scared to tell Dom," she whispered.

Yuki hugged her best friend's shaking shoulders. As the mother of twins she knew how Kel must feel. She had found it hard to tell Neal she was pregnant and she had been married to him! She tightened her hold on her friend as she began to cry in full.

"Shhh. It's alright Kel. You and I both know that Dom loves you even though you broke up with him. I'm sure that he will be totally understanding and will want to take some of the blame."

Kel looked up suddenly. "Take some of the blame? It wasn't his fault that this happened! It was my fault! Me! If I had been more careful we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place!"

"It's not all your fault Kel. It was the fate of the gods. The goddess chose you and you should welcome it!"

"But Yuki, how am I going to tell them? How can I admit I disgraced myself to the entire court? This would burn both our reputations. I can't do that to him. I love him too much."

"Kel. If you love him, and I know you do, you will find a way to tell him." Yuki's voice was soft and comforting.

Yuki took to straightening the girl's appearance. Fingering the girl's sandy blond hair (it lightened in the summer I don't want flames about the colour of her hair!) she made a fast decision.

"Kel, would you like to spend this Friday evening with the Princess and I? We're going to go to the city and have a 'sleepover' in her second set of rooms."

Kel looked up and smiled. "I'd like that very much. Thank you Yuki."

"We'll meet you at five thirty in Shinko's rooms then?"

"Sure." Kel looked happy for the first time in days.

When both Neal and Yuki were both back in their rooms they held a conference. Having talked to the two people they cared about the most and seeing them both in pain caused them to want help fix it.

"Who should start?" Neal asked.

"Well dear, it looks as if you already have!"

"Okay. Dom still loves Kel and doesn't understand why she wont talk to him anymore."

"Well… My end of the problem has a slightly bigger problem. Kel is with child." Yuki's voice was soft.

Neal opened his mouth to rage but her slim strong hand wrapped across his mouth silencing him.

"She is in so much pain Neal! She has no idea of what to tell your cousin. She thinks that it's completely her fault and the only way of saving his reputation is to ruin her own."

Neal pried Yuki's fingers away from his mouth. "What? How and when did this happen? How could they be so careless?"

When Yuki threatened to shut him up again he changed tactics. "It also explains why she's been avoiding the healers, or anyone with the Gift for that matter."

"She's been avoiding you?" Yuki asked.

"Well. She certainly hasn't been seeking me out! I've talked to her once or twice in the past week. But I've never used my Gift on her lately."

"Well at least we know who the father is. Kel was never one for bedding men."

"Neal!" Yuki said elbowing her husband. "That was rather inappropriate! We are in no way in the know of Keladry's affairs"

"What kind of affairs?" Neal asked deviously. Yuki sighed in exasperation. Neal was back to being his usual annoying self.

"Anyways my dear Nealan don't you have somewhere you need to be right now?"

Neal smacked himself in the head before replying, "The infirmary! I should have been there thirty minutes ago!"

Neal rushed out the door giving Yuki a kiss and almost tripping over the many baby toys. Neal thanked the gods that the twins were staying with their grandparents at fief Queenscove.

Dom sat down at the table where the men from his squad were waiting. He had gotten over some of the initial shock while he had talked to Neal and decided that he could survive without Kel. For now. All he had to do was occupy himself with something. A new lady was out of the question. That would only make him think of Kel more. He could always do more combat training but seeing as Kel liked to joust with my lord Raoul all the time it would cause some problems. What he needed was an assignment or a new activity.

"Wolset," he said directing his comment at one of the corporals. "Do you know of any sports or activities we can take part in?"

Wolset looked up from his food slightly startled at Dom's request.

"I'm not sure Dom. But I could ask the boys I'm sure they'll be able to think something up." Wolset grinned evilly as he said, "Still can't get your mind off Lady Kel? I'm sure it will pass." He ducked the blow Dom had aimed for him and got up to get more food talking to some of the other men in Dom's squad.

"I am sick of this," Dom whispered to himself. There he decided that he would go for a ride for an hour before the new orders were said. He needed to clear his head of all his thoughts and a good ride would clear it.

Kel walked towards the stables, tucking her hair behind her ear she looked around. Putting Hoshi's tack on the stand outside of her stall she went in search of a new buckle for Hoshi's bridle.

Turning a corner she bumped right into a large person who was going around the other way. Looking up she saw the one person she wanted desperately to see and not to see at the same time.

"Dom," she whispered as she fell.

Dom caught her right before she hit the floor not believing she was there, in his arms, looking scared and hopeful at the some time. Suddenly her eyes filled with tears. Recovering herself she ran to Hoshi's stall with the tack and started tacking her as fast as she could. She had to get away before all her control vanished and she started crying. Leading the horse out she jumped onto her back and galloped away leaving Dom standing bewildered in the stables.

A/N: Hi it's Gwen Lyon and there's the next instalment for my story. I'm having a hard time with this and any help is greatly appreciated. Here are my review thank yous.

daughter-of-faeries: Thank you! I think I will!

rachel132: Thanks! I'm carrying on now so don't worry about it!

Alianne Cooper: I know. I wasn't trying to be mean or anything I just ran out of ideas!

Gothabe: I noticed that too but I've read so many KD stories where Cleon gets Kel pregnant and Dom comes to the rescue but none where Dom does the dirty business! I just wanted Dom to be the one in the wrong for once but not really being bad. And constructive criticism is a good thing!

Anonymous: Ok! I'm doing so.

HI!: Ok. I'm glad you like it!

Gwen Lyon