Dom sighed. "It's difficult to say, really." He sat down on Kel's bed. "When you ran off, Jon told us to go and wait by the river. We did not understand why."

Kel smiled. "I do." But she did not say anything more, so Dom continued.

"We went to the river and waited, just like we were instructed. Then, suddenly, we heard something coming along the river. We tried to stay hidden, but we looked. We could see the immortals flying towards us, then we saw you. Galloping faster than I've ever seen anyone ride, coming straight towards us. But when you were riding over the bridge, Apple's foot caught on a loose plank and he tripped. You flew at least ten feet and hit a rock while the bridge crumbled under the immortals weight."

Kel shuddered to think about it. "I heard your voice," she said. "I thought I imagined it."

Dom shook his head. "No, I did call out to you. Raoul would not let me come to you. The next thing we knew, one of the two remaining dragons picked you up off of the ground."

Kel closed her eyes. She hurt, physically, but also in her heart. Raoul would not let them attend to her? Why would he do that? Then she remembered, there were forty immortals for his men to kill.

"We realized that it was you that it held, and we chased it. it came to this clearing with a mage in it. His name was Hagen, the young mage. We destroyed his cover spell, and killed him in our anger. We should not have. He could have helped us, but we killed him." He looked down for a moment. "We then came to another mage, whom Hagen had warned us about. Her name was Rhian. She was the one controlling the immortals, including the one holding you, that was hovering directly in front of her. I don't really know how it happened, but she had us frozen until Numair made us shoot. We killed the dragon, but Numair held you up. That is the last I know. I came over to you then."

He touched her forehead. "You had a large and ugly gash right here, filled with shrapnel from your helm. I think you got it when you flew into the rock. Can you still feel it?"

Kel nodded. "I can. I thought I just had a headache."

Dom smiled. "No, you were badly wounded. I assume you already knew about your shoulder. Anyway, Rhian overpowered Numair, and-"

He stopped and ran his hand through his hair. "I don't think I should tell you the rest. I, I wouldn't know what to..." he faded off, looking nervous, his eyes darting everywhere except to Kel's face.

She took his face in her hands, making him look at her. "Dom, please tell me what happened."

He looked at her. "She said that if you lived to see another day, she would come back for you."

Kel was not expecting that. What would this mage want with her? Why was she so important?

Dom lay down beside her. "She got away." He said. "We don't know what to do, Kel. I was afraid. She overpowered Numair in the end. If he could not beat her, who would be able to?" He kissed Kel's forehead. "I just don't want to lose you already."

Kel didn't say anything for a moment. She felt Dom's warm breath against her neck, felt the stubble on his face rub against her skin, felt the weight of his arm spread over her chest with his hand holding her opposite shoulder. She did not want to lose him, either. For such a long time, she had been alone.

"Dom," Kel said slowly, "when I was flying over the bridge, what happened to Apple?"

Dom looked puzzled for a second. "Mithros, I never even though of that. I guess he went down with the bridge and the immortals."

Kel nodded slowly. She had become attached to that horse. "Goddess bless him." She said quietly.

Dom kissed her forehead. "He died honourably. He died in battle."

Kel smiled. "He died for Tortall."

She kissed Dom. "Thank you." She said.

Dom smiled. "For what?" He said.

Kel kissed him again. "For saving my life."

-----

The next three days passed incredibly slowly for Kel. She saw her friends, but she was not allowed to leave her room, and it got boring. Finally, Neal paid her one last visit.

"Stand up for me, Kel."

Much more quickly than before, Kel stood up and stretched her arms. She grinned.

Neal nodded, happy with what he saw. He checked her now disappearing wounds, and her energy levels. He grinned when he had finished. "Congratulations, Kel. You can now officially leave your bedroom. But you still have to take it easy for a day or two."

Kel hugged him. "Thanks, Neal." She said. "I owe you one."

Neal sighed. "I am just to helpful, I guess." Kel punched him. "Well," he winced, "you've certainly got your strength back."

Kel smiled. "Thanks to you, dear Meathead."

Now that Kel could leave her room, the king called a meeting about everything that had happened. Raoul said that because Kel was the most important person to be there, they waited for her.

The day after Kel was admitted back into her life, she was called to the throne room. Every knight that was in Corus at the time was there.

The king nodded to Kel, signalling for her to come to the front. She was given a seat beside Raoul at the front of the room.

"We have serious issues to speak of." The king said, as soon as Kel had sat down. "We must speak of this danger to our country and this realm. Her name is Rhian. She is a mage; the magic maiden. She is very powerful, and she appears to be working for Scanra. We believe that this is their last offence. We defeated their armies, we killed their king. They have nothing left, and they are attacking us with her.

"She is powerful. She is very powerful. She is very possibly more powerful than Numair Salmalin, our most powerful mage. We need to come up with a plan."

He looked over at Kel, who was sitting, motionless in her seat, taking everything in. "When Rhian overpowered Numair and left," he said, "she said that she would come back for Lady Knight Keladry." He made a hand gesture towards Kel. "We must know what she wants with us, and with Keladry.

"From now on, Lady Knight Keladry is never to be alone. If something happens with Rhian, I want someone else to be there to help.

"Secondly, I want to send out a party to find this mage. I want to attack her, I want to stop her, I want to kill her, if I have to. I don't care. This woman is a menace to my kingdom. It is your duty as the knights of the realm to organize men. I want soldiers trained, mages to be practicing, anything it takes, and anything you can think of. I am sorry I cannot be more detailed, but we have very little information. That is all." With that, the king stepped down and walked briskly out of the room.

Kel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This could not be good. She did not want to be watched, like some young child whose mother always had one eye open for, in case of mischief. She just wanted to live her life.

She stood up and followed the king out of the throne room to his study.

"Your majesty," she said, ignoring the guards at the door and walking straight in after him, "I cannot understand the order you gave."

Jon looked up at her and frowned. "I believe it was very straight forward."

Kel sat down. "Your majesty, I don't quite see the point. Having me constantly under supervision cannot possibly help the situation."

Jon looked at her. "What do you want me to do? Ignore it and hope it goes away? Or would you rather I tie you to the top of Balor's needle and leave you there as bait? I am doing the best I can, Keladry."

Kel looked down. Maybe the king was right. Maybe it was the best he could. But he could not do everything. There was always something else.

"There is always something else." She said quietly.

Jon looked at her. "What do you suggest?" He said sharply.

Kel shook her head. "I don't know."

The king sighed and went on with his business as if Kel wasn't there. "I will," he said distantly, "assign someone to be in your presence twenty four hours a day. You are not to stop him from going through with his orders in any way, or you will quickly find yourself in a nice little spot of solitary confinement for the next little while."

Kel stood up. "I may agree to that, your majesty," she said confidently, "but I reserve the right to give you a better option, if I can think of one." She turned to leave, but said when she got to the door, "and I will find a better option."

She walked quickly back to her rooms and flopped down on her bed. Almost instantly, she stood up again and began to pace. She sat down in a chair. She stood up and went to the window. She continued this pattern of movement for quite a while, until there was a knock on her door.

"Kel." The muffled voice said when she did not answer, "Please let me in. I don't like being locked out."

Kel sighed and opened the door. "What do you want?" She asked.

Dom stepped forward and held Kel's face in his hand. "Kel, what happened back there? What is wrong?"

She pushed his hand away. "I am being treated like a child." She said. "I don't want to have a babysitter all the time!"

Dom smirked. "You are being treated like a child because you are acting like a child."

Kel frowned. "Just get out, Dom." She said. "I don't want to see you right now."

Dom shook his head. "I'm not leaving you alone just so that you can boil your blood. I know what the king said. And even if he hadn't," he said, holding up a hand to stop Kel before she began to protest, "I would still not leave."

Kel sighed and lay down on her bed with her feet dangling over the end. "I know I am being childish, but I can't help it." She said as Dom lay down beside her. "this is very difficult. There is an incredibly powerful mage who wants something to do with me, and I do not know what. If she came for me, I could probably not defend myself physically, but it is not like I would get a chance. She would use her magic before I could do anything. She would use her magic before anyone could do anything."

Dom put his arm around her. "Kel, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

Kel smiled. "Thank you." She said. The wind rushed through the open window of her room. The weather was getting colder, the days getting shorter. Kel snuggled up against Dom. He kissed her.

"I love you." He said.

Kel smiled sleepily. "I love you too."

She fell asleep there.

Dom stayed awake for a long time. He knew he had to protect Kel. She was weak and tired and in danger. But she did not seem to realize that. She had not seen Rhian, had not seen the malice in that woman's eyes. Kel did not understand what could happen to her.

The king had told Dom to protect Kel, to never leave her side. And protect her he would, and he would not leave her side, either. Not because the king ordered him to, but because he knew.

This was not good.

Kel woke early the next morning. Dom was still asleep, his arm draped protectively over her body. She looked at him. He, as well as Kel, had fallen asleep in his tunic, which was now rumpled and wrinkled beneath him. His hair had grown since Kel had been gone, but she had not noticed it until she really had time to look at him. It covered his eyes now, as he lay. His chin and cheeks were stubbly from sleep, but even with all this, he still looked beautiful.

Kel sighed. She did not deserve this man. He deserved some beautiful creature. Someone who could wait for him at home, Someone who lived to look pretty and please him.

But as she thought that, she knew that she would never give him up.

Dom opened his eyes as Kel was looking at him. "Good morning." He said quietly.

Kel smiled. "Good morning."

Dom sighed and closed his eyes again. He pushed himself up close against Kel's body. "I don't want to get up." He said. "Can we just stay here?"

Kel smiled and ran her hands through his hair. "I think I have had enough of my bed for the time being."

Dom chuckled. "I like your bed. It is softer than mine. I'm coming here every night."

Kel kissed him on the forehead. "Okay, Dom. You do that."

He looked up at her. "I was serious." He said, no longer smiling. His eyes, however soft and beautiful they were, pierced Kel's.

She averted her eyes and found herself looking down at her body. She was pushed right up against Dom's warmth, she could feel his skin through their tunics. "I don't know, Dom."

He kissed her. "I love you, Kel. No matter what you decide."

She smiled, but did not speak. She was not sure what she wanted from Dom. She loved him, she knew that much, but she was not sure if she was ready to bed him. The pregnancy charm she had bought so long ago hung lightly around her neck still, and she fingered it absently as she thought. I know that it is love and not lust, she thought, remembering what her mother had said when she was a squire. If only I knew what I actually wanted.

Dom saw her playing with her charm and took her hand in his. "Kel, don't think about it."

She sat up slowly. "I have to practice, Dom."

He sat up beside her. "So I will come with you. I am not giving up any time with you."

Kel looked at him. "Dom, I just need some time to think, alone." She kissed him again. "I will come and talk to you again."

He frowned. "Kel, the king said you should not be alone. I know that. And I agree with him. I do not want to leave you alone.

Kel sighed. "I will be fine, Dom. Watch me from afar, I don't care. Just go away and leave me alone!"

Dom looked down in silence.

Kel bit her lip. She was an idiot. "I didn't mean that, Dom."

He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "No, I think you did." He looked at her. "Maybe I should go. Let you have your time to think."

Kel looked at him pleadingly. She did not want him to go like that. "Dom, I-" before she could finish, Dom stood up and left without kissing her goodbye.

Kel did not want to practice any more. She lay back down on her bed, tears springing to her eyes.

She had not cried in a very long time. She had not cried when she had been hurt, she had not cried when she had seen Dom again, though she almost had. She had not cried since the day that Dom had told her he was engaged.

But today she cried. She cried tears of pain, tears of love, tears of memory, tears of heartbreak. She cried until she did not think she could cry any longer.

She did not move when she was finished. She looked around her room. It looked as it always had, even when she was a page, though it was much bigger now. Her bed sat in the middle of the room, against the wall. Her washroom was apart, but a door led to it. Her dresses hung in an open closet across from her bed. Her desk sat at the end of her bed. She looked at her Yamani cats. Good luck, they were supposed to be. Fat lot of good they had done her.

She sighed. If the gods wanted her to be alone, she would be alone. There was nothing she, or anyone else, could do.

With that, she stood up and stretched her weary legs. She did not even know if she had the strength to practice yet. She just picked up her glaive and did some pattern dances right in her room. Jump sat at the end of her bed, watching her. Sparrows came and went, careful to avoid her weapon.

After giving herself a few hours of practice and tears, Kel ventured out in search of Dom. He did not answer when she knocked, but she knew he was in there. She opened the door a crack and looked in. He was lying flat on his bed, his hands crossed over his stomach, looking at the ceiling.

Kel did not say anything. She closed the door and walked over to him.

"I thought you didn't like your bed." She said quietly.

Dom shrugged, his eyes unmoving. "I thought I should probably get used to it."

Kel sighed and sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry, Dom. I was just frustrated." He did not say anything. Kel continued. "I just don't know what I want yet." The words tasted sour in her mouth. "I don't know how to tell you any other way."

Dom finally looked over. "That's always your problem, isn't it? You never know what to say, or how to say it. You just insult people until you figure it out."

His words stung into Kel's heart, but she told herself that he was just saying that out of anger. She stayed calm. "What do I have to say to you to get you to forgive me?" She asked.

Dom shrugged. "You just have to tell me what you feel." He said.

Kel took a deep breath. "You want to know what I feel, Dom? Right now I feel hurt that you would say that about me. The time I spent in my room, I felt sad that you were angry with me. This morning, I felt angry that I was being treated like a child. For the past few months, I have felt scared that I have been in great danger. But through all of this," she said slowly, "I have felt loved. I felt love. I have felt proud that I could have friends who would respect me, someone I loved who would wait for me.

"Through all of those times when I was out on my own," she said quietly, not letting her embarrassment show, knowing that Dom would be upset by it, "I missed you. I thought about you every moment of every day. I imagined you with me." She stared to cry again, but wiped the tears away with her sleeve. "I loved you."

Dom closed his eyes. He took a deep, noticeable breath, and opened his eyes again. He looked directly at Kel.

"I'm sorry." He said hoarsely. "I thought you didn't want me anymore."

Kel cupped his chin in her hand. "I would never do that." She said. Dom smiled and stretched his arms out to Kel. He pulled Kel down to his level so that she was lying on top of him.

"I'm sorry, Kel." He said.

Kel smiled. "I am too."

He kissed her. "Did you have enough time to think?" He asked, his cheeks pinker than usual.

Kel kissed him. "Just about, I would say."

Dom kissed her again, and she felt her insides melt. His finger stumbled with her tunic, pulling it off of her.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her there as he kissed her. Kel felt his warmth through her, and she thought, maybe I am ready.

Kel woke up early in the morning. It was light out, and Kel could see the bright reds and oranges of the autumn trees. It looked cool, but Kel was warm and comfortable where she was.

She lay beside Dom now, his arm again draped over her protectively. She had been so afraid she would be scared, so afraid that bedding Dom would change everything. But lying there in the exact same position she had slept in the night before, she just felt happy.

Kel slipped out of Dom's embrace and picked up her clothes. As she dressed, she looked back at Dom. He was still sleeping peacefully. She lay back down beside him when she was ready to go.

"Dom," she whispered. "Wake up."

He didn't move. Kel kissed him. "Dom, wake up." She said.

Dom groaned and pulled his blanket up. "I don't want to wake up."

Kel laughed. "You are awake, you just have to get up."

Dom opened one eye and looked at her. "Why do I have to get up?"

Kel smiled. "Because I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning. I am famished!"

Dom glared at her and sat up. "Alright, I'm going." He said as he got dressed. "I don't see why I have to come."

Kel smiled. "Because I don't want to leave you all alone in here, of course! And besides, it is very early, and I don't want to eat all alone."

Kel grinned. "And besides, dear Domitan, you told me never to be alone."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bad a bum! 3,666 beautiful words of pure fluff. Huzzah! Now NO ONE can tell me I don't have enough fluff!

But anyway, I should be getting back to an actual story line in the next chapter, so no worries.

Aradia: I have absolutely no idea what CC means. I really am getting a sense of déjà vu from this, though.

MistyFox14: thank you, I will do my best!

Lady of Masbolle: they weren't really 'pretending.' She sort of brain washed them, I guess that is a good way of putting it.

Soccerchick-08: aww, that is always good to hear! That's okay, I don't mind lame questions. I ask them ALL the time.

Wake-Robin: thanks!

Dreamerdoll: thank you, that made me feel better. Ha. You thought he was cute in that chapter? I loved him in this chapter! I was like, 'damn you, Kel, why do you get him? So not fair!'

Alannalovingwriter: ok! Can do!

Laelai: thanks!

Mage Light: yay indeed!

Anonymous: I know exactly what you mean. I really wanted to show Kel getting hurt, Kel getting rescued, all that stuff that I usually forget to have happen.

Aradia: thank you! That is good!

Well, that is all for today. It might be a little while before the next post...maybe a week or so, because I want to work on Time (and that crazy thing called homework).

"I don't think I'm alone when I say I'd like to see more and more planets fall under the ruthless domination of our solar system."

-unolimbo