Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, places etc. They all belong to Tamora Pierce. I own the plot though! Anything you might find familiar is probably a quote from TP's books. Hang on, I own: Ked, Salin, Jamil and Ked's Warrior Lord, Lord Parrton, oh, and Feran!

A/N: Some people wanted a re-cap, so if you want it, here it is…

RECAP…

Kel trained for one year in the palace and was then thrown out. She spent a little time at home, but her sister's-in-law made her life a misery and she went to the Yamani Isles to train as a Warrior. On coming there, she was pitched head-first into a fight with her old best friend (who had been part of a rebellion against the Emperor) and killed her before they recognised each other. She trained at the Emperor's Court until she was a calawabi (the Yamani version of a Squire). First she was picked by Tait (her best friend's brother), but he was injured and passed her training to Lord Jamil, the Captain of the Yamani Army. When Shinkokami is sent over as the final part of the treaty between Yaman and Tortall, Jamil is sent over to guard her so Kel goes with him. Kel feels that her friends won't want to know her because she failed to get into her second year and goes by the name Jhedy (the name of the friend that she killed). She holds this up for a while until she tells Joren in a fit of distinctly Tortallan anger. When she does so, she realises she had made a mistake. A few weeks later she goes to Dom (who she is friends with) and explains who she really is and asks him to do something about it. Dom blackmails (sort of) Joren into keeping quite, which he does. Kel and Dom start to get on really well. He tries to find out about Jhedy, but she doesn't answer. The next day she is called back to the Yamani Isles to defend them from immortals. She fights side-by-side with Ked. Ked and Salin (another one of her friends) were killed. Kel comes back to Tortall with Jamil when the battle is over. Neal and the others find out who she really is and about Jhedy. She makes friends with all her old friends again. There is a ball where assassins try to kill the royal family and Kel saves them, nearly killing herself at the same time. In doing so, her true identity is told to the whole court. The King tries to reward her and offers her all manner of things including money, land and an Honoury knighthood. Kel refuses, saying that her loyalty is to the Yamani Islands and she couldn't go back on the oath that she took for them. Soon the time comes for her to have her Tribulation (the Yamani version of the Chamber of Ordeal), so she starts the journey back to Tortall. Meanwhile in Yaman, the Emperor's son (Ednar, one of Kel's old friends and year-mates at the Yamani Court) has his Tribulation. In it he sees Kel leading a Tortallan Army against a Yamani one. This is a prophecy of what should be happening, but Ednar doesn't realise this and thinks that it means Kel was traitorous. He tells his father who orders that the Mindelan family be killed as soon as they enter Yamani waters. Piers is killed and Jamil and Ilane captured. Kel is thrown off board and swims/floats back to Tortall where she washes up on the beach in front of Pirate's Swoop. Thom finds her and rescues her. They return to the palace where Neal snoops around until he finds out what had happened. At the funeral, Kel destroys the Yamani flag, signalling that her allegiance to the Yamani Islands is no more. Also, she and Dom get together. When they get back to the palace Jon re-offers her the honoury knighthood and she accepts. The complex part of the plot (the misinterpreting of Ednar's Tribulation) is explained perfectly in this review by Tanydwr. Thanks! She said: 'If Ednar's Tribulation hadn't showed him Kel leading the Tortallan army, the Emperor wouldn't have ordered her death. And had he not ordered her death, she would not have ended up in Tortall.' Perfectly correct!

And that is the plot so far. If anyone doesn't understand, e-mail me at theblackladyknightyahoo.co.uk and I'll explain it. Now, on with the story…

Chapter Fourteen: Rain

"And?" Kel asked with arched eyebrows.

"All I'm saying is that I didn't think you were the sort of person who liked going clothes shopping!" Dom explained hurriedly.

Kel grinned. "No, I'm not usually known for my eagerness to go out and spend money on useless garments that I'll probably never wear again."

Dom chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "So why are we traipsing around Corus, in and out of clothes shops?"

Kel yawned. "Meathead's orders. Apparently my clothes aren't good enough. He tried to get Alanna to lend me some, but there was the matter of the slight height difference."

Dom chuckled as he tried to imagine Kel in some Alanna's clothes. "I could imagine that might be a problem."

Kel nodded. "Neal didn't seem to think so though."

"Well, he is Meathead, what did you expect?"

Kel laughed, and veered towards another shop.

Dom sighed. "This one doesn't look anymore promising than the last one!"

Kel shrugged. "I've got to find something though."

"But this is futile." Dom pushed open the door to the shop and followed Kel in. "It's a waste of time."

Kel grinned slightly evilly. "I thought you enjoyed spending time with me." She started to wander around the shop, glancing at the clothes and occasionally feeling the fabric.

A woman walked out of the back. "Ah, my Lady. Do you want something for a ball perhaps? To impress the fine gentlemen of court?"

Kel smothered a laugh and glanced at Dom who was still trying to work out what she had meant by her last comment. "Not quite, Mistress…"

"Mistress Kauri," the lady supplied.

"Not quite Mistress Kauri. I need something practical. One of my friends has insisted that I improve my wardrobe for tonight's ceremony. He's the sort of person you can't say no to," Kel explained.

"Ah, it's like that, is it?" Mistress Kauri said with a sly grin.

Kel was shocked by what she was implying. "No, it isn't like that. He's a friend."

"They all say that."

Dom, who had been watching this exchange with amusement, figured it was time that he stepped in. He walked up behind Kel and placed his arms around her waist and leant his head on her shoulder. "Mistress Kauri, as much as I'm sure you mean well, you can believe me when I say that Kel is not looking to impress this man. He's not worth it."

Kel turned slightly and grinned. "I'll just tell him that, shall I?"

Dom shrugged. "If you want. I'm not scared of him."

"Oh, but Dom, it appears you've forgotten Yuki and her fan."

Dom gulped. "You know, maybe we would be better off keeping that little comment to ourselves, what do you think?"

Kel laughed. "Maybe, maybe not."

Mistress Kauri coughed a little, but recovered well from the gentle rebuke. "So Lady, what's the occasion?"

"A knighting," Kel explained.

"Ah, in that case, I have just what you want," Mistress Kauri said and she bustled to the back of the shop and rummaged around there.

"At last!" Kel sighed. "Maybe this will be better."

Dom grinned. "I still can't believe she thought you wanted to impress Meathead though!"

Kel laughed quietly. "Neither can I, but then again she's probably blessed with the luck of not knowing him."

Dom nodded. "I think you're right. Look at what Mistress Kauri is bringing back."

Kel turned and stared at the garments Mistress Kauri was holding up. There were three things, a low cut dress in a sickly shade of forest green, a dress with a fairly high top in a deep shade of blue and a skirt in black with small stars on it. She also held a white shirt, presumably to go with the skirt.

"Um…" Kel uttered. "Very…nice, I guess. But that wasn't quite what I wanted. What have you got in the way of breaches and tunics?"

Mistress Kauri blinked and turned to Dom. "But don't you want your lady to look pretty for your knighting?"

Dom laughed. "I'm King's Own. It's my lady who's getting knighted. So, breaches?"

"I'm afraid we only stock women's clothes," Mistress Kauri explained, using that phrase that Kel had heard to many times over that afternoon.

"Never mind then," Kel sighed and she followed Dom from the shop.

- - -

"Oh Gods, I didn't think it was this difficult to get clothes!" Kel sighed in frustration as they walked out of another shop. "And it's raining!"

Dom shrugged. "It's only a little water."

"A little?" Kel echoed as she watched the water form streams at the side of the street. Raindrops bounced off of the cobbles so high that they struck Kel's kneecaps. People were rushing to take shelter wherever they could, and merchants were quickly packing up their wares. Suddenly she felt rebellious. "Come on!" she shouted to Dom and skipped out into the street.

Laughing, Dom joined her. Bending down he cupped a handful of water from the side of the street and threw it at her.

"Ah, ah, ah," Kel gasped. "You little…!" Grinning she ran up next to him and jumped, making sure she landed hard into the puddles. It soaked him from head to foot.

Suddenly Kel found she was flying through the air and screamed out as she fell straight into a hole in the road, full of water. She scrambled out and looked for Dom.

"What?" he asked innocently, he resumed his whistling and started to walk towards the palace.

Kel shrugged off her outdoors cloak. Usually it was heavy, but with all the water in it, it was quite a weight. "Dom! Help!" she yelled in a good impression of a court lady. When he turned, she threw her cloak straight at him.

Dom gasped as he got a mouthful of soggy cloak and wasted no time in throwing it straight back. Marching over to Kel, he picked her up and started to walk up the hill towards the palace. "Squirming isn't going to help," he said calmly as Kel kicked him in the thighs.

"Put me down!"

"No can do, sorry. I'm not risking getting even wetter than I already am."

"Dom, I don't think you can get any wetter! You're soaked through!"

Dom shrugged. "And? Plus, this is fun. Have you any idea how fun it is to annoy you?"

Kel sighed, struggled one last time and then relaxed into his arms. Suddenly she thought of something and raised her head slightly to speak. "Have you any idea how much this will harm your reputation?"

Dom shrugged again.

"Have you any idea how annoying it is when you do that?" Kel asked.

"Yes. That's why I do it," Dom replied. "As for my reputation, do you think I care?" He turned to a garden wall and placed Kel down. "Race you to the palace. Last one there is a rotten egg!"

Kel jumped off of the wall and started to run.

"I haven't said go yet!" Dom yelled after her.

"And?"

Muttering something about women who cheat Dom followed her.

- - -

Yukimi noh Diamoru relaxed next to Neal on one of the hard palace benches in the entrance halls. "I enjoyed myself."

"Mm," Neal agreed. "Pity it had to rain."

"Yes, it…" she trailed off as the door was flung open.

"I won!" a woman yelled as she ran through the door.

"You cheated!" a voice said from just behind her. "Oh, hello Meathead."

Neal regarded his cousin in surprise. His dark hair was flattened against his head and sapphire coloured eyes were glinting with laughter and mischief. "Why are you wet?" he asked slowly, not sure what he cousin had been doing out in the rain.

"It was raining," the woman explained slightly patronisingly. She ran a hand through her sopping wet hair. "I thought even you would have realised that."

"Kel?" Neal asked in surprise. He hadn't given much thought to who the woman was, but he had just presumed it was one of the Riders, or someone. After all, Dom was quite friendly with a few of them.

Kel nodded. "It's tipping it down out there and I didn't get any clothes!"

"You went clothes shopping," Neal said slowly.

"Yes," Kel replied, wondering what had got into Neal.

"With Dom."

Yuki hid a grin, only Kel caught the smile in her eyes. "Do you want me to explain it to him? You can go to the palace tailors and get some clothes for tonight."

Kel grinned. "Please. I don't think he quite understands." She turned to Dom. "I've got to go and get some clothes, I'll see you tonight."

Dom nodded. "Sure. Have fun." His eyes glinted mercilessly and Kel was sure he knew exactly how much she hated being fitted for clothes.

- - -

"Since when were you and my cousin courting?" Neal demanded as he strode through the door to Kel's room.

"Since when is it customary to storm into a lady's room without knocking?" Kel asked calmly. She had hoped that because Yuki had explained this to him, he wouldn't insist on going through all of this, but it appeared that her hopes were too high. "For all you knew I could have been changing!" She set aside her book, realising that this could take a while.

"You weren't though," Neal protested.

Kel sighed. "I tell you what. You back to Yuki and tell her I sent you back until you have calmed down. Once you've calmed down I'll answer your questions. Is that settled? Good." And without waiting for an answer, she pushed Neal out of the door and closed it behind him. She returned to her bed and stretched out. Pulling her book back, she continued to read.

There was a sharp rap on the door and Kel sighed. She had thought Yuki would have managed to keep him longer than that. "Go away!" she yelled. "I told you, we'll discuss this when you've calmed down!"

"As far as I was aware, there wasn't anything we needed to discuss," a dry voice said through the door. "Can I come in?"

Kel laughed. It wasn't Neal after all. "Sure."

Thom opened the door slightly and slid through. "So what were you going to discuss with someone?"

"Neal didn't seem to like the idea that he had been slow in realising that I was with Dom," Kel explained.

"Ah, so you are together," Thom cackled with mirth. "You do realise I'm going to make your life very hard, don't you?"

Kel sighed. "Why did I even start talking about this with you?" she moaned. "Was there a reason you came here?"

Thom nodded. "Unfortunately I can't remember it at the moment. It's a pity really, because if I had remembered we could have sorted that out and I could have left. However, seeing as I've forgotten I'll have to stay."

Kel shook her head and gestured to a pitcher of juice on the dresser. "Help yourself to a drink."

"Thanks." Thom got up and poured himself a drink. "I hope I wasn't interrupting a good book."

Kel snorted. "Oh you ruined the whole thing. I just could not believe that you had to come in. It was getting so exciting," she said sarcastically.

Thom raised an eyebrow at her and she elaborated.

"Well, you see, the main character, Charlotte, who by the way survived a horrific bandit attack, slavery and servitude to the King was in a bit of trouble. Before her father died he arranged a marriage to some noble, but this much better looking man has come along and asked for her hand in marriage. And Charlotte's brother is threatening this man and telling him to get lost because she is already married. Now she has to decide between them." Kel pretended to cry. "It is so sad."

Thom laughed. "And why are you reading that junk?"

Kel gestured to the bookcase. "This was the best thing there! Now that tells you something about the quality of books that they supply the young ladies with."

Thom winced. "Ouch. Do you want to borrow something?"

Kel laughed slightly. "Thom, I expect all your books are about sorcery."

Thom looked affronted. "No they are not! I have a few on history."

"How many?"

"Two," Thom admitted. "The rest are on sorcery. But do you blame me? After all it is my profession!"

"Just sit down and tell me about the university," Kel ordered.

- - -

He was half-way through an amusing tale about the time he and one of his friends had bewitched all of the books in the library to snap shut as soon as they were opened when there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Kel called, wondering if it was Neal.

"Is Thom with you?" the Lioness called.

Thom winced. "Oops."

"Come in," Kel invited, walking over and opening the door. "I'm sure your arrival will mean he'll remember what he was meant to be asking me."

Thom nodded forlornly. "I remembered."

"And how long would it have taken you had I not come looking for you?"  Alanna asked her son with a slight smile on her face.

"I would have remembered!" Thom protested.

Alanna shook her head and turned to Kel. "What I sent Thom down here for was to ask you if you had found some clothes."

"I did thanks. I went to the palace tailors in the end, none of the shops that I know of in Corus would sell me breeches."

Alanna nodded and gestured to her son. "Come on, I think Neal's waiting outside to speak to Kel."

Kel winced and Thom laughed. "Have fun!"

As they let themselves out, Neal walked in.

"Calmed down yet?" Kel asked almost nervously.

Neal nodded and sat down. "I found Dom," he began and Kel winced. "He said he'd be along in a few minutes."

Kel sighed with relief. She wouldn't be handling Neal alone.

"So…" Neal said.

"So what?" Kel asked suspiciously.

"Do you want to start?"

"I thought we'd wait until Dom got here."

"Talking about me?" he asked as he walked through the door.

Kel nodded and he sat down beside her.

"So what exactly am I doing here?" he asked looking from Kel to Neal and back again.

There was a silence in which Kel stared at her feet and Neal tapped the chair arm.

"Okay, that was very responsive," Dom said slowly.

Kel shrugged. "I figured Meathead would explain it."

Dom looked towards Neal in askance.

"Fine! Why didn't you tell me you were courting Kel?" Neal questioned.

Dom looked slightly confused. "I thought you knew. Most people do."

"So you told nearly everyone else but me?" Neal exploded. "I thought I would have been first on your list of people to tell! I'm Kel's best friend and your cousin!"

Kel grinned slightly. "We didn't tell anyone. I think they just, sort of, picked it up." She got up and poured herself a drink. "Either of you want one?" she asked, holding the pitcher up so they could see.

Neal shook his head and Dom nodded. "Please."

Kel poured a second one for him and came and sat back down next to him. He took one of the cups off of her and slipped his arm around her shoulders.

"No, seriously Neal, we just presumed you knew. After all, as you just said, you know the both of us better than almost anyone, we thought you would have guessed."

Neal's face took on a pained look. "Why do people just assume I know things?"

"Maybe we think you're cleverer than you really are," Dom's eyes sparkled with mischief as he said this and he had to duck quickly as both Kel and Neal moved to slap him. "I thought you were on my side!" he called to Kel.

Kel shrugged. "Ah, well maybe you were wrong. Didn't you know that Neal and I have been having a secret affair for years?"

"I'm sorry Dom," Neal said with a Player's dramatic gesture. "We assumed you knew!"

Dom laughed. "Alright Meathead, I guess I'll just have to settle for Yuki."

"Oh no you don't!" Neal yelled at him.

Dom threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, no need to kill me." He turned slightly more serious. "You're happy about Kel and I, aren't you?"

Neal nodded. "No problem with it, just, when you decide to get married, make sure you tell me first." With that, he scampered from the room.

"Married?" Kel echoed.

Dom shrugged. "I think we ought to warn Yuki that she has somehow found herself one very mad man."

Kel nodded with false seriousness. "Yes, it's only fair." Then she glanced at Dom and they burst out laughing.

- - -

Dom hugged her tight and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Be good," he said with a slight grin. "And I'll see you later."

Kel nodded and gripped his hand tightly then turned and walked towards the two waiting men. Although she would not be going into the Chamber, she had to be instructed in the code of chivalry all the same. The King and Dom's father were going to do that. She hadn't even realised that Dom's father was a knight, let alone that he was at the palace. Dom hadn't mentioned him apart from to tell her that his father would instruct her.

She bowed low to the two men and thanked them both for instructing her.

The King smiled slightly and Dom's father grinned. When he grinned Kel could see where Dom had got his smile. In fact, he looked almost identical to his father apart the eyes. Where Dom's were bright blue, his father's were a pale, almost translucent green. That was where Neal had got his eyes.

"It's a pleasure. I've heard about you from my son."

Kel blushed and Dom's father laughed even more.

The King started to make his way to his office. "Come on, we'll instruct you in my office."

Kel nodded and followed him. As soon as the office door shut behind them, the King started.

"Keladry of Mindelan, are you prepared to be instructed?"

"I am," Kel replied firmly.

"After your knighting you will be a Knight of the Realm. You will be sworn to protect those weaker than you, to obey your overlord, to live in a way that honours your kingdom and your gods," Dom's father said austerely.

The King sat down on the edge of his desk. "To wear the shield of a knight is an important thing. You may not ignore a cry for help. It means that the rich and poor, young and old, male and female may look to you for rescue and you cannot deny them."

Dom's father, Feran, cleared his throat. "Knights were established for two things: to protect the country and to uphold the law. Once you gain your shield it is your sworn duty to uphold the laws of this realm whether you agree with them or not. You cannot engage in any wrongdoing, nor can you choose to ignore it, for if you ignore it, you may as well have helped the criminals."

It was Jon's turn again. "As a knight you must value honour, both your own and that of the realm. You must protect your honour and when it is threatened you must react. You must defend your honour, but not in a way that will ruin another's honour. When challenged you must defend the honour of the realm you serve. You must fight for the honour of your King and family. If someone slanders your family, it is your sworn duty to protect them and the family name."

Kel gritted her teeth at the mention of family. Her parents had needed her to defend them, and she had failed. Was she even fit to become a knight? Jon seemed to sense her doubts because he smiled encouragingly at her and then nodded to Feran.

"As a knight you must keep your word whether it be to a commoner or to the King," Feran continued. "When you swear you will do something, that must be done, no matter what. Even if what you promised would compromise your own goals, you must do it. If you fail to keep your own word, your honour will fall into disgrace."

Jon rose. "When you wear your shield you must remember the code of chivalry and act by it. When you don't wear your shield you must still heed by the code. It sacred and many will not take it well if you bend or break the rules."

"Remember all we have said and keep it close by you for these words will be your guidance in the hard times that are to follow," Feran said in a quiet and gentle voice.

"Do you understand all we have told you?" Jon asked in a grave voice.

Kel nodded. "I understand."

Jon smiled. "Good. Then I believe we can continue. Shall we make our way to the Throne Room?"

- - -

A/N: Are you proud of me? I updated fast! For once. Anyways, there'll probably be another chapter coming in the next few days.

Hannah