AN: WOW! 60 reviews! I LOVE YOU ALL! I'm heading to band camp soon, so I won't be able to update for a week...though I will be writing during camp, so I'll post as soon as I get back. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! :):):)
"Dom!" Kel shouted happily, running into his private sergeants quarters. He caught Kel in his arms and twirled her around.
"Stop doing that," she mocked scolded. "I have great news!" Kel remembered the reason she had come there in the first place. "I'm being sent out with the Third Company!"
"That's wonderful" Dom exclaimed.
"There is one bad thing, thought. The King thought some of the other Knights should get more experience."
"What's so bad about that?"
"Neal's coming with us."
The next morning, Kel headed down to the Own's stables, where the Third Company was waiting to move out. Meeting Neal struggling to keep awake on his horse, she wished him a good morning. He muttered something incoherent in reply.
"Kel, you forget that our Meathead here is not a morning person." Dom said, sneaking up behind her. Kel spun and hit him lightly.
"Don't do that." Dom grinned sheepishly, then kissed Kel on the nose.
"Hey!" Owen had appeared, "Don't do that to our Lady Knight. She doesn't like that kind of stuff."
"Owen," Kel laughed, "This is Dom, we're courting." Owen's jaw dropped and he just stared at the pair.
"Courting?" He asked, confused.
"Yes. Are you surprised that I am a girl after all?"
"No, I just...well, it's just that...umm..." Owen couldn't find a way to express what he was feeling without offending Kel.
"Just thought she was incapable of feelings like that?" Neal drawled from his horse. Apparently, he was paying more attention than he let on. Both Kel and Dom glared at him.
"You will pay for that, later." Kel promised. Neal paled.
"Well, it was nice knowing you," Owen said.
"Wait, I seem to remember this conversation," Neal remembered, "And I seem to be alive."
"Yes, but last time you didn't have to deal with me, too." Dom said.
"Mount up!" Raoul had appeared while they had been talking. "The King wants us to help the soldiers at Steadfast and New Hope." Kel cheered up, she would finally be able to visit Tobe. He had elected to stay at New Hope instead of heading back to Corus with Kel. Raoul turned his horse and raised his hand, bringing it down in the signal to move out. This time it wasn't Kel who was a step behind, but her other fellow Knights. Neal leaned over to whisper in Kel's ear, "You'll have to teach me the signals." Kel just grinned.
"Only if you promise not to be annoying."
"But you forget, Kel, it's not possible for meathead to not be annoying." Dom interjected.
"Hey!" Neal exclaimed, "I'm not annoying!" Dom, Kel, and Owen took one look at each other and burst out laughing. Neal trotted ahead, sulking.
When night began to fall, Raoul realized they were still miles from any city, so they would have to camp. Raoul brought up an arm, the signal to halt.
"We'll camp here tonight. Hopefully we'll make Steadfast by tomorrow. For now, just post sentries in two-hour shifts. The rest will have the night off." The Third Company dismounted and began to set up camp.
Kel set up her tent slightly away from the rest of camp, but close enough to be safe. After she finished, she went to find Neal, and found him swearing at a lump of fabric and tent poles.
"Now, now, Neal. That's not very nice," she laughed.
"I can't get this damned thing up."
"It's easy!"
"Maybe for someone who spent four years traveling with the Own and doing stuff like this." Neal muttered. Kel laughed and began to set his tent up for him.
"Mother," Dom whispered in Kel's ear, "Are you babying meathead?" Kel snapped her head around to look at him.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?" Kel scolded. Dom pouted.
"Yes, mother." Kel gave him a playful shove.
"Don't call me that!" Dom tackled her, crushing Neal's tent.
"Hey! Now I'll have to set that up again." Neal said, hurt. Both Kel and Dom ignored him. Neal peered through the mess of tent fabric to find his cousin and best friend kissing. "Hey, stop that!"