--------------------
Chapter 2: A Party and a Conversation
A/N: Well...sadly I do not have many reviews now...I need you to REVIEW! FOR EACH CHAPTER! I'M BEGGING YOU HERE! You see, I have a bet with my friend...and both of us need to have three hundred reviews by the end of next year...and I don't even have one hundred...yes, so please?
--------------------
"Yuki, if we don't leave now, they'll leave without us, and then we won't end up going to the party at all."
Yukimi no Daiomoru frowned at the Lady Knight, but left her mirror and came to stand before her friend. "Very well," she sighed. "How do I look?" she asked more hopefully.
Kel smiled as she gazed at the Yamani lady, stunning in a Tortallan-style gown of yellow silk. Yuki was accompanying her husband Neal to the party hosted at the haMinch household. Kel felt her stomach twinge. This was the night that she and Neal were meant to set up Dom. "You look beautiful," she assured Yuki, then opened the door to Yuki's room. Together they walked outside the newly fortified town of New Hope to where the carriages were waiting for them.
"You know, you would have looked a lot nicer if you had worn a dress," Yuki reproached her as they climbed into the carriage, where the waiting Neal greeted them enthusiastically.
Kel shrugged. Despite Yuki's protests, instead of wearing a dress, she wore a plush tunic and breeches in Mindelan colours. "Well, I'm not coming here as Lady Keladry, just Commander Kel," she told the disgruntled Yamani. "And I don't think any of the other commanders will be coming in dresses."
--------------------
Kel hopped out of the carriage, then waited as Neal helped Yuki from the carriage with considerably more elegance. Yuki shivered in the cold – winter was approaching fast. Together they headed towards the clan house, with warm light leaking from the windows, promising a night of warmth and fun, as Neal put it. Kel wasn't too sure about the latter though, since, according to her part of the plan, she was meant to draw out Lady Adele and strike up a conversation with Dom. According to Neal, since he had thought of the plan, Kel should carry it out. Plus Neal had not had very good experiences with Lady Adele in the past, as he reminded her.
Why did I ever promise to help him in the first place? Kel wondered as she followed Yuki and Neal into the hall. Though, it's not as if I'm jealous or anything...Catching Neal's meaningful glance, she drifted away from her friends, scanning the crowds for the intended lady. Unfortunately, Dom seemed to have caught up with her first.
"Lady Kel!" Sergeant Domitan appeared at her side, grinning. "Looking out for eligible males, are we?"
Kel rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully, knowing he was joking. Met with his laughing eyes and mischievous smile, she couldn't deny the fact that she was glad to see him. "I'm a busy woman, and you know it, Dom," she replied, grinning.
"So what are you doing at this party then?"
"I'm supervising the unruly youngsters," she told him with a straight face. "Actually, I'm surprised that they were allowed to host a party. Especially with the war just wrapped up. There are still Scanran raiders on the prowl," she said worriedly.
Dom shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much. Not all out men are here tonight – there are still plenty left out to protect the border in case our Scanran friends come to pay a visit. And most of the nobles here are from the Own anyway."
Kel agreed, and Dom proceeded to inform her about the birth of the heir to the throne of Cathak – Kadin, son of Kalasin and Kaddar. She was about to ask him how Kalasin was dealing with slavery, when she saw the graceful features of Lady Adele coming towards them. For a minute she felt slightly ashamed – she'd been so engrossed in talking to Dom that she'd forgotten all about her part of the plan. And maybe...you didn't want to carry out the plan in the first place, whispered a spiteful part of her. This thought troubled her.
Adele smiled at Dom as she approached. Despite the rumours of her sharp tongue, she looked lovely in a dress of midnight blue velvet, making Kel feel self-conscious in her breeches. Dom turned as she reached them, and greeted her enthusiastically, introducing Kel to her. Adele looked her over critically, then smiled and struck up conversation with Dom about people Kel had never heard of before.
It seemed that Adele was carrying out Neal's plan without Kel needing to do anything at all. Murmuring her excuses, Kel bowed and slipped off to the gardens to mull over her thoughts. Dom watched her retreating back dodging through the crowd, an odd expression in his eyes. "Was it just me, or did she seem worried about something?"
"You're in love with her, aren't you?" asked Adele in amusement.
Dom looked at her sharply. "What makes you think that?"
Adele sighed. "Dom, it would be pretty impossible to make it any more obvious. Why don't you just tell her?"
"Well, for one, she runs a refugee camp and I wouldn't want to distract her from her work," said Dom, counting off the reasons on his fingers. "Two, She would never fall for me like a court lady because she's the Lady Knight, and three, Father expects me to be betrothed by next Midwinter and she would never, ever, agree to that."
"Only three? Then there should be no problem at all," Adele informed him. He rolled his eyes in response. "Well, I suppose it would help if she had your father's approval, but she seems nice enough, and besides, he shouldn't expect too much of this marriage. Masbolle has plenty of money, and you are only a younger son," she told him, patting his shoulder in mock sympathy.
"Really? If you hadn't told me, I would never have known that," Dom said, his voice dripping sarcasm. "And judging from your encouraging comments, I can see why you're still unbetrothed."
"Not any more," Adele told him proudly. "I'm getting married to Sir Erik of Whitethorn next summer."
"Congratulations," said Dom, in surprise. "How come no one ever told me?"
"It's because you're not important enough," Adele smirked, then ducked Dom's half hearted swipe at her. "We just haven't made it public yet, so don't go and tell anyone else, all right? We're announcing the betrothal next time we're in Corus," she called as she headed off to talk to another noble. "I'm going now, so you'd better go and check on your love and ask her what's wrong. Maybe you can make it all better," she snickered, then hurried off into the crowd.
Dom watched her go with a sour expression on his face. He considered not going just to spite Adele, but relented. After all, he knew that Kel only wore that look when she was really worried about something.
--------------------
Kel frowned and cursed herself inwardly. Why did she have to fall for the currently most unattainable man? she wondered. Apart from various other reasons, Dom was about to be betrothed, more likely than not to the haMinch she had just met. Kel sighed.
You shouldn't be falling in love with him anyway, Kel told herself. You have a refugee camp to run, and with winter setting in, you should be spending this time thinking about increasing supplies. Not on a stupid sergeant, even if he is rather charming...then Kel realised what she was doing and swore softly under her breath.
"I do hope that wasn't directed at me," an all too familiar voice drawled, making her jump about two feet into the air. Kel turned and glared at the widely grinning Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle. He pretended to look hurt. "What? I come all the way out here to look for you, and all I get it a glare?" Kel hid a smile. That was another good thing about Dom, she thought unconsciously. He can always make me laugh.
So he wasn't kissing Adele. If fact, he was out in the gardens walking with Kel. After looking for her specifically. Hope rose in her, but then Kel quenched it determinedly. It would just hurt more later on.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, Dom stopped. He put one hand on Kel's shoulder, turning her around. He tilted his head to look up at the full moon. "It's rather beautiful, isn't it?"
Kel followed suit, looking up at the pearly white moon. "Most certainly," she said softly, her mind buzzing with the contact.
Dom looked at her in concern. "Kel, is there something wrong? Is someone bothering you? You can always tell me if there is. You know I'm your friend."
Kel said nothing for a long minute. If she told him, she'd just be setting herself up for heartbreak, Kel knew. It would be pointless, and she might as well save him from the awkwardness of having to reject her. "I know. But really, it's nothing. At least," she added, seeing the disbelief in his eyes, "It's nothing you can fix."
Dom gave a look which meant he didn't believe her in the slightest. He would have dearly liked to ask her again, but he knew that she needed her space, and if he pushed it, most likely he would either end up getting hurt or losing their friendship, and he fancied neither of the choices.
Kel raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say something. Clearly she had no intention on telling him her feelings. He'd have to try another time. Dom sighed and instead turned to conversation to Maren land development practises.
--------------------
A/N: Next chapter has more KelDom, I promise! And Adele haMinch does have a part to play in future chapters, so I do hope that you don't hate her.
Review please!
