Rob: Again, with this disclaimer shtuff. Tamora Pierce owns most of it. Cai is Caila's own character, and Daniel and Matthew and Ernilion are sorta created from my friends. Except Danny and Mattifer aren't as evil as they seem xD Or idiotic. 'Cept when Danny's being a french maid. Then he's idiotic. But its blackmail -dances- Maybe i should explain myself. I mean, it IS the 3rd chapter. Although in Caila notes this is the 2nd chapter. The prolouge just had to count as its own chapter xD Anywho, I'm Rob -shakes hand- I'm the ghost who haunts Caila's house. Caila, a.k.a. Maxie Fonseca (Heeheehee xD) didn't come up with the name of Cai, but came up with the character description. Just for you people who are like "Oh, she named the main character after herself." Nuh uh. Someone else named her character. The person itself is based loosely off Caila, but whatever. Anyway, I'm the ghost wh's haunting her house. I'm a struggling actor, I have a British accent, a motorcycle, and i look like a cross between Orlando Bloom (His hair) and Hugh Dancy's face, apparently. But i'm cuter xD And on with the story!
Me: Yeah, Rob, next time don't ramble on
Rob: Lo siento Querida
Me: Rob, have you been reading The Mediator series again?
Rob: Noo...
Cai sat peering out the window as she had done a few days ago, however this time she was wearing a gorgeous silk dress, dark green, every stitch made originally for Kel but changed to fit Cai. The dress brushed the floor gently, with darker green embroidery along the hem and trailing from the hem to her waist in an intricate design. Over it was a sheer lighter green over robe, with embroidery along the sleeves that reached her elbows. Her blonde hair had been darkened to match Kel's, and it was pulled up and curled so a few tendrils escaped to tumble down her back. Her eyes, so recently a blue-gray, had been magicked to match Kel's hazel ones. She quickly stood, and after steadying herself she looked in the mirror. Her appearance matched Kel's exactly, from the scar on her cheek from the Scanran War to the anti-pregnancy charm around her neck. She clutched her own charm necklace, safely clasped around her neck, and noting the look of fear on her face she schooled herself to mask the fear and show a calm demeanor. Kel had left just half an hour before, disguised as Cai, and had told her to have fun. Right now, Cai was doubting that she would, given the masquerade she would have to pull off in front of the entire court, half of whom were mages. As the door behind her slowly opened, she whirled around to find Alan staring at her apprehensively.
"Kel, what are you doing here? I thought you left!" Cai starting giggling as Alan kept staring.
"Really, Kel, where's Cai?" She lost the battle, and succumbed to laughter as she explained.
"Alan, its me. Cai." She hid her mouth with her hand as Alan walked into the room. He grinned, and replied,
"And I actually believed it was Kel. You should forget that, and go back to thinking I'm a god. How did you mask the magic?" Cai shrugged.
"I'm not exactly sure. My da said that traceable magic was lost magic, and so I've always sort of… well, put it into my charm, for lack of words." Alan reached for the anti-pregnancy charm. "Er… not that one Alan. The swirl necklace." She unclasped it, and put it into Alan's outstretched hand. He grinned, and she glanced in the mirror, and saw her own face, not Kel's. Alan examined the charm, and then he clasped it back around Cai's neck. Taking her hand, he strode towards the door. He wore a dark green tunic edged with gold, for he was too lazy to get new dress tunics made, and wore the ones he had worn while he was a squire to Sir Raoul, for he had not grown much in the past year. Nervous, Cai gripped his hand tightly, and as he led her out into the hall and towards the great hall where the ball was to be held, she felt like she wanted to run away to back home. Alan, noting the tight grip she had, smiled sympathetically at her. They did not speak as they walked through the halls, and only stopped when they got to the large double doors that opened onto the great hall.
Alan removed Cai's hand from his momentarily as he smoothed out his tunic and his hair, and then as the manservant opened the doors to announce them he gave Cai his arm to lean on. She took his arm, and bit her lip as they walked down the stairs with all the eyes of the court on them. Talk resumed to normal as they reached the main floor, and Cai let out a nervous breath of air. Neal gestured to two empty chairs at his table, but as they started to go a courier tugged on her elbow and motioned for them to sit with Prince Roald and his wife, Princess Shinkokami, the rest of the Royal Family, Gareth the Younger and his wife, Raoul and Buri, and Alan's parents, Alanna the Lioness and Baron George Cooper. Seeing Cai's face go pale, Alan leaned in and whispered to her,
"Don't worry. Raoul and Buri already know who you are. The King and Queen won't guess, they don't spend so much time with Kel. My parents, if they figure out, probably won't care that much. We can always explain to them…" he trailed off as they reached the high table, where Cai was faced with the problem of greeting everyone. She automatically went into a deep curtsy, but straightened and tried to bow as she remembered that Kel bowed, and she almost fell over. Alan caught her and put her back on her feet. Blushing, Cai bowed, and as she slid into her seat Raoul dryly remarked,
"Well Kel, I don't believe you've done that since you were ten years old." He smiled, and the rest of the table chuckled as the King motioned for the pages serving to begin the meal. Cai sighed, and said to herself, One awkward moment over, and least a hundred more to go. The castle bells rang out, and Cai nervously counted them. Dong… dong…. dong… dong… dong… They trailed off. Five. Five lousy chimes, Cai thought in her head. That's… too much time for me to think of at the moment. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and tried to pay attention to what was being said at the table.
At that moment, Kel rode on the Great Road North with a scowl on her face. Nudging Hoshi with her knees, she rode with Dom next to her a few lengths ahead of Cleon of Kennan, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Kel…" Cleon said, but trailed off as a glare from Dom silenced him. He chanced another sentence, and asked "Can't we go back to the way we were?" Kel glanced over towards where Dom rode, and saw him clench his fists. She laid a restraining hand on his arm, and informed Cleon,
"No. Cleon, we can't. For one thing, you're married. For a second matter…" Her mind raced back to half a year ago where Kel was almost killed by Cleon's sister-in-law. She had been pushed off of a cliff by the insane woman, and after looking for less than five minutes Cleon had agreed to go hunting. Dom had come to find her, and had ended up saving her life, and later Cleon thought they were game and missed them by mere inches. She shook her head, and continued. "We can never go back. You lost your chance." Turning to Dom, she quietly asked "Is it all right if we camp here?" Seeing the weariness in her eyes, and another emotion he couldn't name, Dom nodded, grabbed Hoshi's reins, and hand-signaled the men to ride into the clearing up ahead. Dismounting, he motioned for Kel to do the same, and as she sat on the ground musing he unsaddled both their horses. Kel sat stonily through their meal, hardly touching her food, and Dom, somewhat worried, set up a tent for her next to his. She nodded gratefully to him, and without a word to anyone she walked into the tent. Sighing, Dom told his men,
"We'll stay here tonight and into the morning. We'll leave when the Lady Knight says so." He rose, walked to his tent, and lay down, staring at the ceiling until he fell asleep.
As a sob sounded from close to him, Dom woke with a start. Getting up, he crept to the tent next to his, and opening it, he found Kel sitting there, softly crying.
"Kel?" he asked hesitantly. "Is everything alright?" She looked up at him, hazel eyes watery with tears.
"I didn't think anyone would hear me. And I don't cry. So if you would, could you please go back and…" Here she blew her nose, and then continued. "Please, just go back and forget about this. " Dom ignored her last sentence, and sat down next to her. "Really, Dom. Go back into your tent. Let me deal with this myself." He put his arm around her shoulder, and turned her to face him. "Dom, listen to me. Go away. Go back to your tent. Leave me alone."
"No Kel. You listen to me. Cleon is a jerk. An idiot. Don't waste yourself on him. Or even thinking of him." Dom took a deep breath, and nodded to reinforce his statement.
Kel looked up at him sadly.
"But Dom, I can't stand it that he still loves me. Do you understand that? I loved him once. But that was awhile ago. And I don't anymore. But Cleon still thinks I do." She looked away from him, and blew her nose again. "Now will you go back? I'm fine. I don't need anyone's sympathy."
"Kel. I'm going to stay here until you stop crying and are better. Until then, we'll talk about something else." He leaned back against the side of the tent. After a few minutes trying to start a conversation, only to be answered by a sullen "Sure. Fine. Will you go?" from Kel, he said, "Now then. I wonder how Cai's doing." Kel gripped his hand, former annoyance at him forgotten.
"I hope she's alright. I shouldn't have left her like that. If something goes wrong… I'll feel so terrible. Dom, do you think she's alright?" He laughed, and said cheerfully,
"You worry about everything Kel. I'm sure she's fine. She has got Alan there. And Raoul. So don't worry so much." He hesitantly leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Good night Kel. I think you're fine now." Dom quickly rose, and walked out of the tent with Kel staring after him.
Cai sat between Alan and Raoul, completely lost in court talk. Alan, noting her distress, asked,
"Kel, are you feeling alright? You look flushed." Gratefully, she replied,
"I do feel a bit odd. Maybe fresh air would help." Rising, she bowed to the table, and walked towards the open doors at the end of the hall. Cai walked onto a balcony, and a few minutes later Alan joined her.
"Seriously Cai, are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm just nervous Alan. I've never had to impersonate someone for this long before." Alan raised an eyebrow.
"And you've impersonated people before? Cai laughed and told him a story about how she had impersonated her neighbor once and traveled to another town to see a joust, since she wouldn't have been able to go on her own, it being frowned upon to travel alone when you are female. He was laughing as she told him about when a villager from the other town tried to beat her up, and after he had gotten in a few punches she had beaten him to the point where he was so angry he got three of his cronies to fight with him. She had ended up enlisting the help of a few thieves, and then they had escorted her back to her town, much to the joy of her father. Looking up, Alan was surprised to see that the moon was rising.
"Cai, we should go back in. We've been out here awhile." Sighing, Cai turned so she was facing the moon, and nodded.
"If we have to…" She murmured. Alan put his hand on her shoulder, and she turned to face him.
"We should really go back." She nodded, and Alan slung his arm around her shoulder, towing her towards the hall. Walking towards the doors, they did not notice a small step, concealed in the darkness, and they tripped. He dragged her down with him, and Cai's necklace slid off as the clasp broke. Getting up, both of them silently laughing, they did not notice the necklace laying on the stones. Roald stepped out of the doors and looked quizzically at Alan.
"Alan, who is this? Where's Kel?" Alan looked at Cai and bit his lip as he saw her face and not Kel's. Cai's hand flew to her neck, where she found one charm, not two. She quickly curtsied, and started talking to Roald as Alan walked back to search for the necklace. He ran his hand over the stones, especially around the step, but found nothing. Alan stood and walked back over to where Cai was explained to Roald what was happening. Matthew of Qimat watched silently from the shadows, absentmindedly tossing the necklace up and down, his face a mask of anger. Alan put his hand on Cai's shoulder, she shuddered slightly as his magic coursed through her. He whispered,
"I can't find it. I'll create a disguise… you had a slight fever to be healed." Cai nodded, and then as Alan broke contact with her she curtsied again to Roald.
"Your Highness, I would appreciate it if you would not tell anyone about this.
Roald nodded.
"But lets go inside now, before my parents notice you've been gone so long. And I want to talk to Raoul, and ask him why he thought not to inform at least me." He spun on his heel and walked inside, while Alan and Cai walked a few feet behind him. As they entered the ballroom, Cai quickened her step until she was walking next to Roald, and started chatting with him amiably. She was almost bowled over as five court ladies came up to them and pushed her aside, and was surprised as they started talking to Alan, and not the crown prince. Roald glanced over to her, and steadied Cai as he laughed at Alan, who was trying to wave Cai over to help him. As he escorted her back to the high table, she smoothed her dress and straightened her over robe of a sheer lighter green cloth, trying to make herself look more presentable. She sat down, and hid a grin as a wry voice drawled in her ear.
"Well, glad to have you rescue me." She looked up at Alan's face, and lost the battle to not laugh as she saw his mournful look. However, as the evening wore on, she could barely keep her eyes open, much less laugh.
The clock chimed ten times, and Alan touched Cai's arm.
"Your Majesties, do I have your permission to escort Keladry back to her chambers? She is still not fully recovered, and she has yet to return to Mindelan tomorrow as scheduled." He rose, and bowed, with Cai doing the same. Taking her arm, he then led her out of the hall and they walked in silence to Kel's rooms. Alan opened the door, and motioned for her to step inside. He then turned to walk to his room, but Cai interrupted his movement.
"Alan, er… Could you stay here tonight? I'm still not used to staying by myself. You can take Lady Kel's bed. I just have a bad feeling." Alan nodded.
"Sure Cai." He walked in, and she closed the door behind him. "But I'll stay in your room. You take Kel's." Alan walked into her room, and then shut the door. Cai shut the door to the hallway and then changed into an extra pair of breeches and a shirt she found in Kel's chest of drawers. She sunk onto the bed and unpinned her hair from its tumbling curls, set to braid it, but dozed off as she got halfway through.
She sat up quickly as something fell near her, and saw a figure standing over her with a staff. The man picked her up, and she saw Alan lying on the floor before she was thrown out the window and into the back of a waiting wagon. "Alan!" Cai screamed before hitting the wagon bed. Her vision went black as something hit her on the head, hard. As the wagon rode through the darkened countryside, she woke up, and found herself traveling on the Great Road North. Her body was a giant bruise, hurting whenever she moved. The wagon stopped outside a clearing, and shaking she rose slightly to see what was happening. Dom and Kel were fighting a group of presumably men. She saw Dom go down, and then after a few minutes she was knocked back as something fell on top of her…
"Cai, Cai? Wake up." Someone shook her shoulders gently as Cai woke up and almost hit the man sitting next to her. He moved his hands from her shoulders to her hands, and gripped them tightly and asked, "Cai… what's the matter? You were yelling in your sleep. I heard my name, so I came in here and…" Alan looked at her and smoothed her hair back. "It was just a dream. Shh…Go back to sleep."
"Alright..." She whispered, and wiped her sweat-laden forehead on the blanket before leaning against Alan's shoulder. Her breathing slowed gradually, and she was soon back asleep. Waiting a few moments to make sure, he untwined his hand from hers and kissed her forehead.
"Good night Cai." Alan said softly, and then got up and turned to go back into the other room. He did not notice the staff flying through the air at his head until it was too late, and fell to the floor with a thump. The man yielding the staff grinned under his mask, and took Alan's boots from the open doorway and threw them into the wagon.
"She'll wear those." He said gruffly, and bent over Cai. She sat up quickly, and he immediately tied her hands and legs together roughly. As he picked Cai up and threw her into the back of the wagon as well, she screamed loudly. A punch to her face made her quieter, but as her head was thrown back she saw Alan lying on the ground.
"Alan!" she yelled, and the man grimaced and hit her on the head with the staff. Pulling off his mask, Daniel of Qimat looked at his son, who was covering Cai with a blanket.
"Matthew, we must rush to catch up with the Lady Knight. You wanted to get your prize. Now let me finish my work. " He grinned, and in his head the words of the opposition ran quickly. Kidnap Keladry of Mindelan. Make it seem like she's a traitor. Win against Tortall. Become King.
Matthew nodded, and mounted a horse hitched to the wagon. They hurried off to the Great Road North, wanting to travel as fast as they could before someone found out what they had done.
Sunlight streamed through the tent flap, and Dom woke as it hit his eyes. He rose, pulled on his boots, and walked out of his tent. Looking into the tent next to his, he didn't see Kel, and noticing one of her spears were gone he walked to a small clearing where he had seem some of the men practicing with their weapons the night before. Kel, instead of practicing, was sitting against a tree trunk, deep in thought. On impulse, Dom crossed the distance between them, and sat next to her. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, he put his hand on Kel's shoulder, and she jumped, as if she hadn't known he was there.
"What's wrong Kel?" She raised her head to look at him, and Dom could see tears in her eyes. "Really Kel, tell me what's the matter. Friend to friend." Kel shook her head, but Dom continued. "You know you can tell me. Are you still upset about yesterday?" She slowly nodded, and said in a choked voice,
"Dom, really, could you go? I just need to… I just need to think some things out." "Like what? You can tell me, Kel." Kel glared at him.
"You never listen to what I say, do you?" He grinned cheerfully back.
"You know I never do. Its part of my charm. Only think of what would happen if I was like Sir Meathead. You'd never take care of yourself." In spite of herself, Kel laughed, but quickly sobered her face. "Ah, see that's the Kel I know and love." She looked at him strangely, and Dom grimaced for that slip.
"Fine Dom, you want to know?" He nodded enthusiastically. Goddess, Kel thought to herself. Why did I have to get the weeps now? Clearing her throat, she said, "All right. I'm just sad because Cleon was my only chance. No one else likes me. No one else loves me. And although he is married," Kel said in response to Dom's look, "I think we could have made it work if he wasn't. I just feel like now I'll never find someone. Happy?" Dom nodded slowly.
"Mother, I'm sure there's plenty of men who love you." He said thoughtfully.
"Yes, as with that stupid nickname, they might love me because I'm like a mother to them. One who won't hesitate to beat them if they don't eat their vegetables, and one who can whoop them any day." Dom shook his head at that.
"No, Kel, I know that there's plenty of men who love you for who you are." Kel sighed.
"Well, the one I want doesn't love me. He only likes me as a friend-" Dom looked at her questioningly. "No, Dom, that I'm not telling you." Kel inwardly sighed as she thought, Damn, damn, damn. I just told him everything. Why did he have to come and talk to me! Stupid monthlies! He slung his arm around her shoulder, and Kel leaned her head against him.
Mithros, I just wish I could tell her, Dom thought to himself. But I'm not the one she wants. She probably wants Merric. Or Faleron. Merric, that idiot. Well, he's not too bad. Neither is Faleron. She would be happy, I guess. If only… Dom trailed off in thought.
"Dom? Could you go now? I'm going to practice for a bit." He shrugged.
"No, I think I'll enjoy the early morning light, and relax here for a bit. Don't overdo it. If you start to hurt, stop. You have just had a healing, remember?" Kel sighed, and then stood and started a practice dance, using her spear instead of her glaives, which were at Mindelan and Corus. Dom leaned against the tree trunk with his hands behind his head, staring at her intently. Kel caught his eye a few times, and after sighing she sat next to him again.
"What's wrong now, Dom." He laughed softly. "Nothing, Kel. Just that you are completely going against the orders of all those fellows looking after your safety." She looked at him quizzically.
"Who?"
"Well, Raoul for starters…"
"Who told me that I'd better whoop you into shape." Dom glared at her.
"Well then, Baird."
"Who told me that if I didn't get back in shape soon, I was going to end up like Meathead."
"Er… Alan?" He asked hesitantly.
"Who never said anything to me." She grinned.
"Buri?"
"Who is firstly not a fellow, and secondly, told me never to listen to you." Dom glared at her again, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. "But it's all right. I'm tired anyway. And my shoulder hurts. Stupid hole." At that he laughed.
"So I'm finally making you get rid of the mask,"
"What?" Kel asked.
"Your mask. You're showing emotions. Quite an improvement, I must say. I was getting tired of having to ask other people what was bothering you." He slung his arm around her shoulder, and hugged her.
"I am not losing my mask."
"Yes you are."
"No. I. Am. Not." She said through clenched teeth.
"As you can see, you most obviously are."
"Domitan-" A bit scared, because Kel never called him by his full name, Dom tugged her into his lap and restrained her.
"Nope, no killing me today." Kel glared at him, and tried to get him to let go of her. "No way." She looked into his eyes and then tucked her head under his chin.
"Pretty please?"
"No way. Because I know you'll come after me. Now I am going to sit here. Since you are so graciously accepting my invitation to stay," Here he moved his head to avoid her hitting him in the throat with the top of her head, "We will have to stay like this." Dom looked into Kel's eyes, trying to read through the layers.
What can I do… Kel thought to herself.
"And you can do absolutely nothing about it." He read my mind again. Damn. Thinking quickly, she decided to go for a direct attack. Kel tried to raise her arm to hit him, but he knocked her over.
"Now Kel, what did I tell you. Don't go doing that." Dom grinned, and lowered his face until it was only inches from her own. "That's not nice. Not nice at all." Kel trembled slightly at the short distance between them, and timidly brushed his lips gently with her own. Blushing, she pulled away quickly, and said quietly,
"I mean… I didn't mean that. Err… wow, this is embarrassing. Dom, can I get up-" Dom laughed, and put his hand around the back of her head.
"Mindelan?" She looked curiously into his eyes, and he impulsively crossed the distance between them to kiss her again, and for a moment he enjoyed the feeling of kissing someone he had loved for a long time. But he was the one to end the kiss, and grabbed Kel by the shoulders.
"Kel, I want you to know something. I like you. A whole lot. But this can't go anywhere right now. It wouldn't be fair to you. You know that. I'm not permitted to marry as long as I'm in the King's Own. If you want me to quit, I will. But I can also talk to Raoul about it. You know he loves you like a daughter." Kel blushed, nodded, and hugged him.
"I would never want you to quit the Own for me. And Dom?"
"Yes, Kel?"
"Thanks for being here. And I like you too." Dom rose, and offered her a hand up. Kel took the offered hand, and squeezed it before stepping away from him. Dom allowed her to walk a few steps before he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her against him, and said,
"Kel, scratch the liking you part. I'm quite taken with you. Scratch that as well. I love you," before kissing her again.
"Quite alright with me, Dom. I love you too." She grinned, but disentangled herself from Dom's arms after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Kel bent to pick up the spear, and waved it in the air. "Now we should probably go back. The men will wonder where we were. But if you don't want to, I'm sure I could trounce you with my spear. Even if I'm still somewhat injured." Dom quickly stepped backward, greatly exaggerating someone dying, and Kel snorted before putting her Yamani face on.
"Please, O Beautiful Lady Knight, do not trouble yourself with beating me with said beauteous spear. If you would, you could take care of a particular cousin, but you know you love me far too much to beat me…" He winced as Kel whacked him with the spear butt a few times. "Mindelan, stop!" Kel laughed, and offered him a hand up, only to go sailing over him. Rising, Dom started laughing back at her, but stopped as he went down, tackled by Kel. After rolling around, throwing punches and screaming at each other, Kel sat up to pull leaves out of her hair. Dom joined her, but just picked up the leaves from the ground and artistically put them back in her hair. "Lovely as usual, Lady Knight." She hit his hand away as he tried to put more leaves in her hair.
"Masbolle, stop it. I don't want any more leaves in my hair. And you… you keep putting leaves in! Curse you!" Kel flipped him over from his seat, and crouched next to him. "Happy now?" Struggling for air, the captain could only glare at her. Kel started laughing, and then she leaned over him. "Aw, little Dommie lost the fight." Dom's only response was to cuff her lightly on the head before dragging her down and kissing her soundly. Kel smiled in spite of herself, and she felt Dom grin as he ran his fingers through her hair. This time when she offered him a cautious hand up, she didn't go flying, and Dom slung an arm around her shoulders before turning towards the direction of the camp. As they walked back into the clearing, they separated and went to opposite sides of the campfire, but they stole looks at each other when they thought no one was looking. However, someone was watching them intently.
"Really, bravo." Cleon said angrily. He walked over to Dom and muttered out of the side of his mouth, "She's not yours. She'll never love you." Taken aback, Dom paused for a second before calmly replying,
"Kennan, She's no longer yours. Don't act like she still is. She was, once. You lost her when you got married, and when you almost killed us. Men" He continued, directing his attention to the squad. "Could you please leave us for a few minutes?" They all rose and left quickly as Cleon's face went into a rage.
"No, Masbolle. You stole her from me." At that Kel took a step forward, but Dom hurried to her and put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Kennan, you had your chance. She doesn't love you anymore. Get that through your head. I love her, and she loves me. So stop acting like she belongs to you. She's her own person, and she's grown-up, and she can chose who she wants to be with." Cleon's face went dark and contorted with anger until Kel was almost afraid to look at him. He looked like he was going to argue with Dom, but instead turned to Kel and put his hand on her shoulder, and his other hand on her chin, forcing her to look up at his face.
"Kel," Cleon said, his voice soft compared to his angry face. "I can't believe you don't love me. You can't possibly love him." Kel looked him in his eyes.
"Cleon, let go of me. I don't love you anymore. I wanted to be your friend. I thought you said that nothing could ever change the fact that we were friends. But you stood by and then almost killed me. And I do love Dom. So stop this arguing." But Cleon only seemed to hear 'I do love Dom.' His hand left her face only to fly back up and hit her, hard. Kel fell against Dom's shoulder, and he instinctively and protectively put her arms around her, although the Lady Knight hardly needed to be protected. He looked at Cleon and in a voice like steel said,
"Kennan, leave here. Come near her again and I'll hurt you, badly." Kel, after getting over the shock, tried to duck under Dom's arms to get to Cleon, but he picked her up and walked into her tent while cradling her in his arms, which were currently suffering the impact of Kel's fists hitting them.
"Put me down!" She yelled, and placing her gently on the ground, Dom pushed Kel's hair back from her face to see the red mark left by Cleon's hand that extended from her chin to her eye. Sitting back on his heels, he told her,
"Well, it looks like you'll have a bruise, but nothing too bad. You're used to worse." He tweaked her nose, but seeing her eyes go watery he wrapped his arms around her and leaned against the side of the tent. "Kel, second time crying in two days? What's happening? What happened to the blank face-" She glared at him, but then just leaned her head against his chest.
"Dom, I never want to see him again." "Shh… you won't have to." Kel looked at him quizzically.
"Dom, we're knights. Most likely we'll get assigned the same area to protect. And at this moment, thinking about working with him is not making me feel any happier." Dom kissed the top of her head.
"So talk to Roald about it. He'll listen." She shook her head. "Kel, he is your friend, isn't he? He'll listen. And agree with you. And if not, Alan will help, you know that. Everyone listens to him. Alanna is his mother, after all. And he and Cai seemed to hit it off." Kel shrugged, and finally replied,
"Alright, I'll ask them. Is Cleon gone?" "I told him to leave, but I'll go check. And I'll get you something to eat." "No, Dom, I'm fine." At that moment, her stomach growled. Dom grinned.
"Oh, really. I'm sure your stomach is lying. I'll be right back with some food." As he was leaving, Kel stood up.
"Dom?" He turned around and walked back to where she stood. She threw her arms around his neck, and then said quietly, "Thanks for sticking with me." Dom grinned and kissed her forehead.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, my lady knight. But lets not get all emotional in front of the men. And I guess my plan to not kiss you anymore is getting ruined. Well, ruined by you being there. Stop it! And to show you how much I love you…" He picked her up and kissed her soundly before she shrieked, and then blushed.
"Dom, that hurt! You grabbed my shoulder."
"Whoops?" Dom leaned over and tugged Kel's shirt away from her shoulder, kissing the bruise there. "That better?" He replied with a laugh, and kissed her on the lips before he walked out of the tent, grabbing two bowls of food and a flask of water from the campfire. Walking back into the tent, Dom handed both bowls and the flask to Kel, and went to get his saddlebags from his tent, so he would have clean clothes. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and glanced in shock at an arrow lodged there. Dom spun and pulled out his dagger, taking the few steps to Kel's side, but these attackers, outnumbering his squad two to one, were already knocking out his men, leaving Dom and Kel near defenseless.
Kel grabbed her sword, but she could barely lift it due to the healing, and ropes snagged around her as Dom blacked out from a hit to the back of the head. Kel looked at him before struggling, but a dagger to her throat forced her to stand still as he was bound, and the men looted through her bags before walking out with a piece of jewelry. She was picked up and thrown into a waiting wagon, odd for an attacking party, and landed on something soft in the bottom of the wagon. A man leaned over her and snatched something from the thing under her, and Kel rolled over to see the scared and bruised face of Cai.
"Cai? What happened to you?" She shook her head, and asked quietly,
"Are you alright? I'm so sorry Kel. Its all my fault." Kel looked at her quizzically.
"Its not your fault. It can't be. But no arguing. Whose boots are those?" Cai, her arms bound in front of her and not behind her like Kel's, gingerly lifted the boots and put them next to her. "Check the crest on the heel. Tell me what it is." Cai squinted before replying,
"A… a wolf. Definitely a wolf." Kel half-heartedly grinned.
"Then we're in business." Dropping her voice to a whisper, she continued. "Reach into the right boot and grab the small dagger that's hidden there. When I tell you to, cut your bonds and run as fast as you can to Corus. Since I never arrived at Mindelan, and you were kidnapped, Raoul will be sending people. I wouldn't be surprised if Buri sent some as well. And Daine will have the animals searching. So catch up with them, tell them to follow the trail, and then go back to the capitol. I'll meet you there. Lets wait until they stop the wagon. And remember. Keep running." After an hour or so, the wagon slowed slightly so the men could eat and relieve themselves.
"They won't catch up with us for a few hours." A gruff voice said, the same that Cai recognized from Kel's room before she was kidnapped. "They don't know where she went. And she could have run away to her father. But don't dilly dally, 15 minutes and then we're out of here." He continued on speaking, but neither Kel nor Cai could hear him, for he had lowered his voice to a whisper. Kel nodded to Cai, and cut the ropes on her arms before she mouthed the words 'Roll over'. Cai complied, and as she felt the bonds on her legs fall off she pulled on the boots. Hesitantly, she looked at Kel, but was kicked out of the wagon. Gasping with pain as Kel's feet hit her bruises, she hurriedly ran with only a quick backwards glance at Kel lying in the wagon bed.
Mother Goddess, Kel prayed. Goddess, please let her get there safely…
