A/N: sorry for the leave of absence of about 5 months but its been so crazy lately. I hope to finish this story and start a new one in the next week. Enjoy!

Kel went for a long ride in the forest with Peachblossom that day. She knew that she would receive a reprimand from Lord Wyldon for going out into the woods alone, but it was worth it. The workout was just what she needed to sweat out the vile jealousy that was infecting her body. As she brushed a sweating Peachblossom down that evening, Kel decided that she could actually try to make an effort to get to know, Dom's Kristen.

Kel walked into the inn, and entered the dining room where the knights and Rider groups went for meals. She looked around the room and saw many of the Riders, but no Kristen. Kel turned around to look for here when a voice shouted at her from across the room.

"Oi! Kel! Are you too good to sit with your old year-mates?"

Kel smiled and crossed over to where Neal, Merric, and the rest of her year mates were sprawling on benches in front of a huge meal. Being up north certainly hasn't affected their appetite, she thought with a smile, as she whacked Neal across the side of the head. She sat down with her boys and said,

"Oi! Neal! I thought that you were too good for us old bachelors now that you're as good as married,"

Neal grinned at the engagement ring that was shining on his index finger, "Aye, that I am Lady Knight, but I feel that it is my duty as a knight of the realm and a noble man to mingle with the common folk every now and then. I-"but his speech was cut off by a huge chunk of bread that Merric had stuffed in his mouth.

"That ought to keep him quiet for, oh say, five minutes?" Kel chuckled.

Neal responded with some foul language that was muffled by the sound of the bread in his mouth.

They all went back laughing to their meal. Every now and then, Neal would open his mouth to make a retort, and someone else would stuff some bread in his mouth. By the end of the meal, he had eaten every one of the fifteen pieces of bread on the table.

Kel's friends said their goodnights and went upstairs to sleep. Finally, Neal and Kel were the only people left at the table. He rose up to go to bed and groaned, "Ugh. If this "oh so amusing" game of Merric's keeps up, I'll be fat as a cow for my wedding."

"I'm sure that Yuki would find that very attractive." a voice said from behind Kel.

Kel turned into her seat to find Neal and Kristen grinning at the table. Kel's heart skipped a beat. Where had they been all during supper?

It's none of my business, she told herself sternly. All I have to do is become friends with Kristen. I don't need to know anything about their private life, if the have one.

Kel swallowed up her jealously, smiled up at Kirsten and Dom and said, "Do you two want to join me for some dessert? With Neal gone, there will be much more room. You know how he sprawls about.

Neal chucked his last piece of bread at Kel's head and then sprinted out of the room as if he had bloodhounds on his tail.

"What does he think I'm going to do, run him through?" smirked Kel

"Not a bad idea if you asked me," laughed Dom, "The Meathead could use some slimming down."

"Meathead?" asked Kristen.

"It's a nickname." Kel and Dom said at the same time. Dom grinned at Kel, and she felt that familiar fluttering when ever she knew that he was close by.

There was a pause in the conversation as servers brought the three of them a bowl of winter fruit and a small cake. As Kel leaned over to cut the cake she noticed Dom continually glancing over at Kristen. The fluttering in Kel's stomach tightened into a knot. Maybe this was a bad idea. They obviously wanted to be alone.

She quickly finished cutting the cake, picked up an apple and stood up making a lame apology about having to get up early for the exhibition practice. Dom and Kristen exchanged glances, and Kristen turned to Kel and said,

"I know you're probably busy with all the wedding stuff tomorrow, but would you mind if I came and watched you? I've always wanted to see someone work with the glaives after the Progress. I think they're an excellent combat weapon"

Kel's first thought was NO, sorry, but I like to practice alone. Kel saw from the corner of her eye a hopeful look on Dom's face. She knew that he would want her to like Kristen, because she was his friend and he cared about her. So she gritted her teeth, smiled at Kristen, and said

"I wouldn't mind at all. I usually start around dawn down in the practice yards. See you in the morning."