A/N: OK, I'M SORRY, PEACHBLOSSOM WAS A BLOODY MALE HORSE!! I'M SORRY!! I'M NOT A BLOODY HORSE EXPERT!

Ok, now that that's out of my system.....I apologize....I forget Peachblossom was a 'he', and I was way too lazy to go back and look, and I'm way to lazy to go back and change the entire chapter, so you'll just have to deal. So yeah. Sorry. And yes, Cloud has to die sometime. He's an old horse, in case you were unaware. Daine had known him forever, which is like 5-6 years, her books took place over what, 3-4, and then Kel started a year later, and then Kel's books were 8 years plus the extra two before my story started. So, he's realllllly old. So good job to whom ever was mad that he died. He had to die sometime.

Sorry if I seem really angry during this author's note....I am a little bit because EVERYONE told me that Peachblossom was a boy....ok, if one person tells me, I GET IT!!! But I feel loads better now. This is waaaay behind me now. So enjoy this chapter!

ENJOY!!

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Kel was sitting at her desk writing final reports to Wyldon and Raoul about New Hope. She leaned back in her chair and smiled; she'd gotten the news today that she was no longer needed in New Hope. It was going to become a formal village, run by the people (mostly Fanche and the other older refugees). She might visit there though again when and if Third Company was going to ride near it...

Riding. Her face fell at the thought of going to battle without Peachblossom. She held up her head with her hand and continued to slowly and somberly finish the reports before starting on a letter to Fanche.

She didn't hear Dom walk in a few minutes later. He coughed and tapped her shoulder before she noticed he was there. She jumped out of her chair and would have kneed him in the groin if he hadn't first grabbed her fists. "Easy, there...." He smiled and helped her out of the chair. "Come on, let's go down to the stables. Neal's been begging me to go riding with him, and I don't think I can handle him by himself."

Kel looked skeptically. "Well..." she nodded towards her letters, "I guess they don't need to be finished today anyway." She grinned. Dom grabbed her hand, and the two walked down to the Own's stables.

Dom opened the door slowly and dramatically. "What are you-"

She stopped mid-sentence at the sight before her. Alanna and Baron George were holding a new leather saddle, one very similar to Peachblossom's. Neal and Merric were holding the reins to a young, dark brown gelding. Owen, Yuki, Shinko, Prince Roald, Raoul, Buri, Daine, and Numair were all standing around the young horse. Tobe ran up to her.

"Kel, meet yer new gelding." He smiled, and Stefan came forward presenting her with the horse's papers.

"Yer the proud new owner of yer very own gelding. Should be one o' the finest warhorses in all of Tortall."

Kel's eyes watered. "You guys didn't have to do this...."

Alanna waved her hand. "No, Lady Knight, we didn't have to, we wanted to." Alanna hugged her friend, and took the reins from Neal and Merric. She blew in the horse's nostrils, and stroked his mane.

Kel looked at Daine. "Would you mind teaching him the words that you taught to Peachblossom and Hoshi? I don't think I could ever spur another horse..."

Daine smiled warmly. "Surely. But you get to name him, he doesn't have a name."

Kel looked around at her friends. "Anyone have any suggestions?"

Buri laughed. "He's your horse, Kel."

Neal chuckled and drawled, "I personally think you should name him after your best friend, which – OW!" Neal's hand started to bleed and he whimpered over to his wife. "Why must ever warhorse of yours feel the need to bite on me?"

"I already told you, Master Neal. They like they way ye squeal."

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Kel knocked on Raoul's door the next evening. "Come in." Raoul was reading her reports when he asked her to sit down.

"You wanted to see me, Raoul?"

"Yes." He folded his hands in front of him. "You already are aware that you're going to be riding with Third Company for at least this spring." She nodded. "And I know that you and Dom, are well, semi-engaged."

She blushed. "You could call it that, sure."

He chuckled and poured her a glass of cider. "Well, I was hoping that you would want to ride with us for longer than this spring, Gods permitting, as long as there aren't any major conflicts with any other countries."

Kel smiled. "Is the King alright with this?"

"Yes, he and Wyldon both feel bad that you had to spend almost the entire war babysitting refugees, no matter how well a job you did. And they wanted to reward you, besides that hefty purse, for defeating Blayce and his dog."

Kel blushed. She didn't bother putting on her Yamani mask, Raoul would be able to see right through it.

"But I also know how well you, Merric, and Neal work together. So, we've decided to change the Own around. You, Neal and Merric will all be riding with Third Company, for now until the King needs them with the other companies, and will Flynn and I since he is going to be retiring soon."

Kel beamed. "That sounds wonderful!" Her smile faltered. "But what about Buri and Yuki?"

Raoul smiled. "Well, since the sergeants and all are allowed to marry now, they all might have wives. So, the King said, that as long as the wives want to, and they have no children, and they knew how to bear arms, then they can ride with us."

Kel and Raoul continued to talk throughout the night, until upon realizing it was midnight (thanks to Buri calling Raoul to bed), Kel walked back to her and Dom's rooms.

She took off her boats and cloak and curled up next to Dom. He mumbled sleepily, "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, Raoul and I were talking."

"Hm?" He kissed her pleasantly on the lips.

"I'm going to be riding with you and Third Company for a long time...or at least until there's another conflict with another country."

Dom's eyes opened suddenly. "Then let's get married next Midwinter."

"What?"

"Well, we'll be riding together for a while like you said, so why don't we get married? We don't need to settle down yet or have kids, but we can at least be married..."

He kissed her again, this time more passionately and looked pleadingly into her eyes.

"You know? You're right. Next Midwinter we'll get married...."

Dom's grin grew wider and wider as he took in her words. She kissed him, and he kissed her again, taking her in his arms again as they laid back on the bed.

It was going to be a fun year until next Midwinter when she was going to be Lady Knight Keladry of Masbolle.

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A/N: YAY FOR THE ENDING!!! I hope you all liked it. I sure did enjoy writing it. REVIEW!! Hopefully I'll be writing a new one, but I have no idea when....so pleas review, I hope everyone enjoyed this story!!

-ATLANTA ENCHANTED