They rode down the Smiskir Road for days on end, and never, no matter how high or low they were, did they see an army chasing them. They traveled quickly, wanting to get back to a proper healer as fast as they could.
They were back in Tortall within the week. They took Kel to a healer in Anak's Eyrie, the first fief they came to. Neal had tried to help when they were still in Scanra, but he was cold and tired and did not have the power to do much until he himself got some rest.
They stayed there for three days while Kel rested, and when she emerged on the third, day, her face was no longer swollen and the welts across her collarbone were receding, but she still looked massively underweight and sick.
"Just give her time," the healer said. "Get her home quickly, with as little exertion on her part as you can stand. And take her to a healer in Corus. They will do more than I ever could."
Alanna thanked the healer, and they were off. Kel rode with Dom again, as she had no horse, but now she was conscious and could hold herself up and talk to him, and they were not galloping as fast as they could.
Kel and Dom walked their horse slowly at the back of the party. Kel, as much as she needed to get home and see a healer, was quite enjoying herself.
She was with her friends again. She had almost died, almost been killed, but here she was, sitting in the arms of the man whom she had tossed out. And there was no where she would rather be. Dom wrapped his arms tightly around her, protecting her from the cool wind that nipped at them. Kel wouldn't've noticed it anyway. She was warmer than she had been in months. But that didn't mean she disliked Dom's arms around her. She leaned against his shoulder and smiled.
It was good to be going home.
"It's good to have you back." Dom whispered into her ear.
Kel smiled. "It's good to be back." She said.
He kissed her. It felt glorious, the sweet taste of the dried fruit they had eaten still in his mouth, but not only that. She had thought she would never feel that again, the feeling of his soft stubble rubbing against her face, his arms around her, the feeling she felt inside of her.
"Oy! Lovebirds! Hurry up!" Neal cried from ahead. "You two are slowing us down!"
Kel felt her lips part from Dom's, but she didn't open her eyes. "What do you say we go beat up Sir Meathead?" She asked.
Dom chuckled. "I think that's a great idea." He kissed her again, and they rode to catch up with Neal, who figured them out very quickly, and hid behind Alanna.
Kel didn't sleep easily that night. Her body was aching, as it often did now, but her mind was also filled with thoughts. Why had she done it? Why had she taken him back?
She looked at Dom's sleeping face. He looked content, a faint smile on his lips. Kel knew it was not a good idea, but she could not help herself; she shook him awake.
"Dom." She whispered.
"Wha? I'm awake!" He mumbled, his eyes still closed. "Whassamatter?"
Kel smiled. "I just want to talk to you, Dom." She said.
"Oh." Dom said, putting his head back down on the pillow. "Okay."
"I'm serious, Dom." She said.
He opened one eye and looked at her. "Carry on, Kel." He said, strangely wide awake.
"I want to know what happened." She said. Dom did not speak. "I want to know why you did that to me."
He opened his eyes and sighed. "I never did anything to you, Kel. You did it to yourself. But I guess I can tell you why." Kel nodded, deciding not to protest until she had heard it all. Dom sat up in his bedroll and looked at her. "You had such a fit about being watched like a child that I knew you would kick me out if I told you, so I didn't."
Kel looked up at him. "So why did you decide to bed me then? Why did you never speak of it before?"
Dom shrugged. "I didn't really decide. It wasn't just for me to say. And I never asked you because I didn't know what you wanted. I didn't want to upset you or anything. But I finally thought it made sense, so I asked you. It just happened to be at a time where I was keeping a secret from you."
They sat in silence, both ashamed in their own way. "I didn't want to hurt you, Kel." Dom said, finally. "But you wouldn't listen."
Kel covered her face in her hands. How could she be so stupid? "Oh, Dom, I'm sorry!" She said, tears coming to her eyes. "This was all my fault. I should've known you weren't trying to hurt me. I made a mess of everything."
Dom lay down on top of Kel. "Don't worry about it, Lady Knight." He said. "I forgive you." He kissed her, then rolled down beside her. He cupped her face in his hand. "Am I allowed to sleep now?"
Kel laughed. "I think so, Dom."
-----
They left first thing in the morning. It was warm outside, warmer than it had been in a long time, and the snow was almost all melted. The days passed quickly, filled with laughter and song, and idle chatter.
They arrived home a few days later. It had been almost three weeks since they got Kel out of the castle, and she was still weak. Her bruises and swelling had gone down, but angry red welts still littered her back, and she was still massively underweight. She couldn't hold herself up very well, though with a guiding arm to lean on, she could still walk.
They arrived at the palace after sunset. They had decided to ride through the night and get straight to the palace, and they arrived late. The palace was quiet.
Everyone quickly untacked their horses and went to bed. Kel sat on a hay bale in the barn while Dom untacked. "Dom," Kel said suddenly, "I never thanked you."
Dom leaned over the wall of the stall, looking at her.
"Thanks." Kel said.
Dom smiled. "Not a problem." He said. "I quite enjoyed myself – the ice cold climate; the reckless, life threatening danger; the unneeded violence..."
Kel rolled her eyes. "If I had the energy to stand up, I would punch you."
Dom laughed and stuck his arm out. "There." He said. "Punch away."
Kel smiled. "You don't have to pamper me that much, Dom." She said. She took his hand and stood up. "I am going to go see my horses. I'll be right back."
Dom looked wary. "Are you sure? Do you want me to take you?"
Kel shook her head. "I can hold onto the wall, I'll be fine. I'll scream if I need you." She took hold of the wall, steadying herself, and walked down the hallway to the other side of the barn, where Hoshi and Peachblossom were held. Peachblossom whinnied when he saw her, making Kel smiled. It was good to see they recognized her. "Nice to see you too." She said, as the horse nuzzled her.
"Kel?"
Kel heard Dom calling her name. "Down here, Dom!" She called out, and Dom appeared at her side a moment later. "Ready to go?"
Kel nodded and took Dom's arm. Slowly they walked up the long path to the palace, until they arrived at Kel's room. She sighed. "I haven't slept in a real bed in a long time." She smiled. "Thank you for everything, Dom."
Dom shrugged and grinned. "Anytime, Kel. do you need a hand with anything?"
Kel shook her head. "I'll be fine. Thanks again." She kissed him. Dom wrapped his arms around her, and Kel felt warmer than she had in a long time. She shuddered as he kissed her. She had missed him. She was sorry she ever doubted him. "Oh, bloody hell." She said with a smile. "Would you like to come in, Dom?"
He smiled. "I'd love to."
Kel opened the door to her room and let out a shocked laugh. Looking up at her from the bed was a small, tattered looking dog, and a line of sparrows.
Jump barked and looked at her with his small black eyes. Kel smiled. "It's good to see you again too, Jump." She said, as the sparrows chirped. "Now off of my bed!" She said with a laugh.
She lay down on the bed, Dom beside her. "It's nice to be home." She said.
Dom nodded. "It is. While I don't think I had it as bad as you, I was away for a while."
Kel smiled. "It wasn't so bad." Dom raised an eyebrow, but Kel continued. "I could have had everything. Rhian offered it all to me. I could have been rich, powerful, anything."
"But you turned it down."
Kel nodded. "I knew that inevitably, it would get me nowhere. I knew that I could not give in. I thought I was just going to die there."
Dom held her close. "Kel, we would never do that to you. You must have known we would come for you."
Kel shrugged. "I knew you would. Well, I hoped and prayed you would. But I thought that I would die there, Dom. I was prepared for it."
"That's just silly, Kel. Just go to sleep." He kissed her forehead. "You need it. and we will go see the healer in the morning."
Kel smiled and blinked back the tears that were filling her eyes. "I love you."
Dom kissed her again. "Go to sleep, Kel."
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I want to clarify: THIS STORY IS NOT OVER! It is merely the end of this plotline! So please, review, yes, review, but do not complain that the story is over!
Okay, maybe I went a little overboard there. Well... yes. I am taking a slight break from this story until I come up with my next, or continuing, plotline. Please read my other stories that I am finally finding time for!
Daisyduke947: thanks!
Lady of Masbolle: well, she wasn't dead in the first place... just unconscious. And I don't know why chapter 21 did not come up. If it is still not there, then email me at , and I will send it to you! It should work, though... it wasn't showing on my computer either, but now it is...
Wake-Robin: yes, she will stay that way, as far as I know.
Evilloveberry08: ooh, I'm glad you like it!
ShadowPirate: thanks!
Well, that is all for now. I am hoping to get my sequel to After the Deed up soon, because I have been writing it for ages. It should be pretty good!
Please read it when it goes up!
"As I bit into the nectarine, it had a crisp juiciness about it that was very pleasurable - until I realized it wasn't a nectarine at all, but A HUMAN HEAD!!"
-unolimbo