The air outside was warm, but a cold breeze blew through Kel's short hair as she walked out of the inn that was her temporary home. Most of the fort was up and about by this time, and off in the distance she could she a group of the Queen's Riders coming towards her after a night of riding from Tirrsmont. Raoul had told her that this was supposed to be Kirsten's command riding in; Buri liked Kristen a lot and wanted her to be there for the wedding. Raoul's plan was to get Kel introduced to Kristen so that she could eventually be comfortable enough to talk about, as he put it, girl "stuff."

The Riders halted their exhausted horses outside the stable and started to dismount. Kel followed them, and went to a nearby Rider leading his horse inside, and asked if he knew where she could find Kirsten.

"Yes my lord," said the rider, identifying her as a knight, "She is over there, getting off the white horse."

You'd think that by now I wouldn't care, thought Kel as she walked away from the Rider, but its kind of annoying that they keep thinking that I'm a guy. Kel approached the woman that must be Kirsten. She had her back to Kel, so all Kel could see was her blond hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. She was very thin, but showed through her dew stained tunic muscles that Kel could tell were not earned from dancing.
"Excuse me," Kel said quietly. The woman turned around, and Kel could immediately see why Dom, or any man would love her. She was very pretty, with clear blue eyes that seemed to Kel able to see right through her. Kel felt for a moment as if she were stripped of all her clothes and naked in front of the whole courtyard.
Where do I get this stuff from, Kel thought. Must be too much time with Neal.

"I was looking for the Lady Kristen," said Kel, "My lord Raoul is looking for her."
"Well I don't know about the Lady part," laughed the woman, "But if it's just plain old Kristen commander of the smelly, lazy, Wolfpack Riders, than I suppose that's me." Her last thought was for the benefit of her group who laughed appreciatively at their leaders teasing.
Her humor was lost on Kel. "My lord Raul wishes to speak to you madam, as soon as possible."

"Let me see to my horse," replied Kristen, "and I'll follow you straight away."

She began to walk away when she noticed Kel staying behind. "You can come on in with me, my boys and girls won't bite. Just gnaw"

Kel followed her into the stables and waited as she brushed down her horse. Kel could see the way she lovingly patted the white gelding, that Kristen was a great lover of horses. It was hard for Kel to dislike someone who was that good with horses. As they exited the barn, as nastier side of her wondered if she would look so pretty if she tried to take care of Peachblossom. "So you're the lady Knight that everyone's all worked up about?" Kristen said as they headed towards the tent that was Raoul's headquarters. "The famous Protector of the Small?" Kel shock her head, and had to keep herself from doing a Peachblossom and biting Kristen on the arm. She knew it wasn't her fault, but she HATED that nickname. It sounded like some bad minstrels ballad. "Yes, how did you know it was me?" Kristen shrugged. "I've seen you around before, and saw a few or your jousts during the Progress. I also know the squadron leader who went with you into Scanran, Dom." Kel's insides, which began to melt towards Kristen's easygoing attitude, froze again at the sound of Dom's name.

"I see." Kel replied keeping her face as nonchalant as possible.

Kristen looked sideways at Kel, "He talks about you a great deal." She said coyly as they entered Raoul's tent, "From the praise he gives you, I was expecting a marriage proposal any day now."

Kel shrugged curtly towards Kristen, turned her over to Raoul and then escaped from there as quickly as possible. Her feelings were all mixed up now. She felt part of herself liking Kristen and wishing her and Dom well, part of her wanting to take a knife to her tongue to stop her friendly chatter, and a very very small part of her excited to hear that Dom talks about her to his friends.

Kel walked over to a pond nearby and sat down. She thought first about Neal, her best friend and her first crush, then Cleon who knew her better than anyone, and now Dom who was her companion in arms and her secret crush.

Why do I have to fall in love with the closet people in the world to me, she thought to herself. Why can't relationships just stay the same?

Kel doubted that even the gods knew the answer to that question.