many of ya'll may have noticed that I condensed ch1-3 and 3-7 for
easier reading. Although I had made later chapters longer, the first were
still so short and annoying for new readers
Kel had been prodded and poked at by Buri for details for almost half an hour. Lord Raoul and Dom had walked off to talk and were now sitting in two chairs on the other side of the room in deep conversation. She watched as Neal walked up to them and took a seat.
"Kel are you listening to me?" said Buri.
"Oh yeah, sorry. What was that you said?" stammered Kel as she jumped back to reality.
"I was asking if you were doing ok," said the older woman.
"You know I am," smiled Kel as a big grin spread across her face.
"No I mean physically. You were almost gutted remember?"
"Oh, that. I'm ok. Tired but ok," replied Kel.
She wasn't lying. She was still tired and weak, but she already felt better than she did the day before. Secretly she was hoping to get out of bed and do some simple exercises in a few days. Whether she was supposed to or not, she couldn't let her body get too stiff. If that happened then getting back into training would take way longer than she had planned.
They talked for a few moments longer. The servants brought in some hot green tea, made popular by the Yamani ladies, and Kel gladly took a cup. It was one of her favorite drinks, and something she didn't get to drink much on the road. She hadn't even finished her cup however, before she was asleep in her chair. Talking she could do, but the walk to the luncheon room had worn her out.
When Dom had finished talking to Raoul and Neal he went over to Kel's chair. She looked tired and weak which worried Dom. Muddy and bruised were things he was used to with Kel. But weak was a new thing. He bent down and kissed her on her forehead. Wrapping his arms around her he lifted her from the chair. For all of her height and muscle she was light in his arms.
"Neal," he said in a voice just loud enough to get his attention. "I'm taking her back to her room, she's out like a light. Are you going to come check on her again this afternoon?"
Neal knew that Kel was asleep partially because of the medicine he'd slipped into her green tea when she wasn't looking, but he could see the concern in his cousin's eyes.
"Yes," said Neal. "She's doing fine, but I'll come by just because today was the first time she's walked around." The fact that Dom hadn't called him "Meathead" for once might have also had something to do with it.
Dom turned and carried Kel down the halls to her room where he laid her on her bed. After tucking her into her blankets he went over to the windowsill. Lalasa had filled the Sparrows dish that morning but they had already eaten most of the seed. He refilled the dish and checked on Jump's food as well. Toby and Jump were spending a few days in Lord Raoul's chambers to give Kel time to rest, as well as to help Raoul run errands. It was evident that Jump had made a few trips to Kel's room however, by the paw prints on the window sill and the half eaten bowl of dog food left behind. Laughing to himself, Dom refilled Jump's bowl as well.
There was a light knock on the door. Dom was expecting Neal, but found Duke Baird there instead.
"Hello Uncle Baird," said Dom, a slightly surprised look on his face.
"Afternoon Dom," replied Baird. "Neal asked me to come check on Kel. Just to make sure she was healing ok."
"Thank-you," said Dom. Neal must have known how much this meant to him. Silently he promised to call him "Sir Meathead," instead of Meathead from now on... Well, he'd use the "Sir" for about a week.
Duke Baird placed his hands over Kel's side and Dom could see his magic spread over Kel. He moved his hands and turned to Dom.
"Nothing to worry about," he said. "She just needs rest. I don't think I'd of let her out of bed for a week, but Neal was right to let her be around her friends. Kel's not one to spend much time alone."
Dom let out a sigh of relief. He gave his Uncle a hug (something he had not done since he was little) before he said goodbye. Duke Baird closed the door behind him as he left and Dom sat down on the bed.
Something that didn't make sense to him was why Kel's parents had no problem with him being in her rooms all the time. Normally a girl who was sick would be surrounded by only her family and healers. Of course Kel wasn't a normal girl. And she was probably closer to her friends than she was to her family after all the years she had spent in training. Her mother had been very nice to him as well. Perhaps she knew that he and Kel had been friends for years. And maybe Raoul had said something to her. He'd hinted that when they were talking. Or maybe she approved.....
Kel stirred in her sleep and called out for Dom. Distracted from his thoughts he went over to her and laid down and wrapped his arms around her. He used his opposite feet to help kick off his boots, then he tucked himself under the blanket with her. Sighing, he snuggled in. He had work to do but it felt so good just to hold her. During their chat earlier Raoul had told Dom that he had about a week before he needed to start worrying about being called out. The First was out patrolling again, leaving 3rd to baby-sit the court. Still, that didn't mean he didn't have paper work to do. Raoul might not mind him taking a little longer than usual to get things done, but that didn't mean he didn't still have to do them. Reluctantly he eased out of the bed and slipped his boots on. After kissing Kel lightly he left to uncover mounds of paper work.
Dom knocked on Raoul's door and waited for an answer. In that past he would have knocked and gone in immediately, but since Raoul and Buri had been married he'd learned the hard way that he couldn't do that anymore. Buri came to the door with a grin on her face.
"I see you've learned to knock," she teased.
"Well, as tempting as it is to see you in all your glory, my lord here is another story," joked the Sergeant.
A loud "Hey!" came in reply from behind the door. Buri opened the door farther to let him in. Dom walked to the corner desk where Raoul was sitting and laid a stack of about 20 pages down.
"What's all of this about?" asked Dom.
"What's what about?" said Raoul. "Those are your reports."
"Yes I know they are my reports. But this morning, there were about 15 more of them. 15 more of which were NOT completed," said Dom.
You've got other things on your mind, Corporal Wolset and I thought we'd handle a few of them for you. Give you time to think about what we talked about over lunch."
"The fact that I'm with Kel doesn't mean that I can't do my job. I'm not leaving the Own. At least not now!" snapped Dom.
"Whoa there Dom! I never said anything about leaving the Own. I need you out there. All that I said was, I'd understand if you wanted to use your leave time next week. Just a few extra days until Kel is up and moving. You had better not be leaving the Own."
"Sorry Raoul," said Dom as he checked himself. "I just panicked when I didn't see those reports. It was nice of yall to help me out. But I can do them." Dom sighed. "Kel knows we go on duty next week. And it's not like she didn't ride with us for four years. She knows how it goes. We could be here a day, we could be here a week." Dom looked down. "That doesn't mean that I'm happy about going. But were both fighters and we both have a job to do. As soon as she's healed the king will have another job for her to do too."
"Why are you telling me this?" asked Raoul. "Shouldn't you be talking to Kel about this?" "You're right. We talked a little but she's been resting a lot and we didn't get that far."
"Dom?" cut in Buri. "We both know that Kel is the last person to expect you to leave the Own."
"Thanks," said Dom as he moved to the door. "I'll have those reports for you by tomorrow night."
"What reports?" said Raoul with a wink.
Ok be patient with me, I just had a presentation, midterm and a test all in the same day so I've been busy. Not my best chapter, but I'll have more lovey-dovey up soon.
Kel had been prodded and poked at by Buri for details for almost half an hour. Lord Raoul and Dom had walked off to talk and were now sitting in two chairs on the other side of the room in deep conversation. She watched as Neal walked up to them and took a seat.
"Kel are you listening to me?" said Buri.
"Oh yeah, sorry. What was that you said?" stammered Kel as she jumped back to reality.
"I was asking if you were doing ok," said the older woman.
"You know I am," smiled Kel as a big grin spread across her face.
"No I mean physically. You were almost gutted remember?"
"Oh, that. I'm ok. Tired but ok," replied Kel.
She wasn't lying. She was still tired and weak, but she already felt better than she did the day before. Secretly she was hoping to get out of bed and do some simple exercises in a few days. Whether she was supposed to or not, she couldn't let her body get too stiff. If that happened then getting back into training would take way longer than she had planned.
They talked for a few moments longer. The servants brought in some hot green tea, made popular by the Yamani ladies, and Kel gladly took a cup. It was one of her favorite drinks, and something she didn't get to drink much on the road. She hadn't even finished her cup however, before she was asleep in her chair. Talking she could do, but the walk to the luncheon room had worn her out.
When Dom had finished talking to Raoul and Neal he went over to Kel's chair. She looked tired and weak which worried Dom. Muddy and bruised were things he was used to with Kel. But weak was a new thing. He bent down and kissed her on her forehead. Wrapping his arms around her he lifted her from the chair. For all of her height and muscle she was light in his arms.
"Neal," he said in a voice just loud enough to get his attention. "I'm taking her back to her room, she's out like a light. Are you going to come check on her again this afternoon?"
Neal knew that Kel was asleep partially because of the medicine he'd slipped into her green tea when she wasn't looking, but he could see the concern in his cousin's eyes.
"Yes," said Neal. "She's doing fine, but I'll come by just because today was the first time she's walked around." The fact that Dom hadn't called him "Meathead" for once might have also had something to do with it.
Dom turned and carried Kel down the halls to her room where he laid her on her bed. After tucking her into her blankets he went over to the windowsill. Lalasa had filled the Sparrows dish that morning but they had already eaten most of the seed. He refilled the dish and checked on Jump's food as well. Toby and Jump were spending a few days in Lord Raoul's chambers to give Kel time to rest, as well as to help Raoul run errands. It was evident that Jump had made a few trips to Kel's room however, by the paw prints on the window sill and the half eaten bowl of dog food left behind. Laughing to himself, Dom refilled Jump's bowl as well.
There was a light knock on the door. Dom was expecting Neal, but found Duke Baird there instead.
"Hello Uncle Baird," said Dom, a slightly surprised look on his face.
"Afternoon Dom," replied Baird. "Neal asked me to come check on Kel. Just to make sure she was healing ok."
"Thank-you," said Dom. Neal must have known how much this meant to him. Silently he promised to call him "Sir Meathead," instead of Meathead from now on... Well, he'd use the "Sir" for about a week.
Duke Baird placed his hands over Kel's side and Dom could see his magic spread over Kel. He moved his hands and turned to Dom.
"Nothing to worry about," he said. "She just needs rest. I don't think I'd of let her out of bed for a week, but Neal was right to let her be around her friends. Kel's not one to spend much time alone."
Dom let out a sigh of relief. He gave his Uncle a hug (something he had not done since he was little) before he said goodbye. Duke Baird closed the door behind him as he left and Dom sat down on the bed.
Something that didn't make sense to him was why Kel's parents had no problem with him being in her rooms all the time. Normally a girl who was sick would be surrounded by only her family and healers. Of course Kel wasn't a normal girl. And she was probably closer to her friends than she was to her family after all the years she had spent in training. Her mother had been very nice to him as well. Perhaps she knew that he and Kel had been friends for years. And maybe Raoul had said something to her. He'd hinted that when they were talking. Or maybe she approved.....
Kel stirred in her sleep and called out for Dom. Distracted from his thoughts he went over to her and laid down and wrapped his arms around her. He used his opposite feet to help kick off his boots, then he tucked himself under the blanket with her. Sighing, he snuggled in. He had work to do but it felt so good just to hold her. During their chat earlier Raoul had told Dom that he had about a week before he needed to start worrying about being called out. The First was out patrolling again, leaving 3rd to baby-sit the court. Still, that didn't mean he didn't have paper work to do. Raoul might not mind him taking a little longer than usual to get things done, but that didn't mean he didn't still have to do them. Reluctantly he eased out of the bed and slipped his boots on. After kissing Kel lightly he left to uncover mounds of paper work.
Dom knocked on Raoul's door and waited for an answer. In that past he would have knocked and gone in immediately, but since Raoul and Buri had been married he'd learned the hard way that he couldn't do that anymore. Buri came to the door with a grin on her face.
"I see you've learned to knock," she teased.
"Well, as tempting as it is to see you in all your glory, my lord here is another story," joked the Sergeant.
A loud "Hey!" came in reply from behind the door. Buri opened the door farther to let him in. Dom walked to the corner desk where Raoul was sitting and laid a stack of about 20 pages down.
"What's all of this about?" asked Dom.
"What's what about?" said Raoul. "Those are your reports."
"Yes I know they are my reports. But this morning, there were about 15 more of them. 15 more of which were NOT completed," said Dom.
You've got other things on your mind, Corporal Wolset and I thought we'd handle a few of them for you. Give you time to think about what we talked about over lunch."
"The fact that I'm with Kel doesn't mean that I can't do my job. I'm not leaving the Own. At least not now!" snapped Dom.
"Whoa there Dom! I never said anything about leaving the Own. I need you out there. All that I said was, I'd understand if you wanted to use your leave time next week. Just a few extra days until Kel is up and moving. You had better not be leaving the Own."
"Sorry Raoul," said Dom as he checked himself. "I just panicked when I didn't see those reports. It was nice of yall to help me out. But I can do them." Dom sighed. "Kel knows we go on duty next week. And it's not like she didn't ride with us for four years. She knows how it goes. We could be here a day, we could be here a week." Dom looked down. "That doesn't mean that I'm happy about going. But were both fighters and we both have a job to do. As soon as she's healed the king will have another job for her to do too."
"Why are you telling me this?" asked Raoul. "Shouldn't you be talking to Kel about this?" "You're right. We talked a little but she's been resting a lot and we didn't get that far."
"Dom?" cut in Buri. "We both know that Kel is the last person to expect you to leave the Own."
"Thanks," said Dom as he moved to the door. "I'll have those reports for you by tomorrow night."
"What reports?" said Raoul with a wink.
Ok be patient with me, I just had a presentation, midterm and a test all in the same day so I've been busy. Not my best chapter, but I'll have more lovey-dovey up soon.