A/N: Thank you to all of you that reviewed- your reviews were really encouraging! Special thanks to all of you who have given me title ideas or are continuing to read this even though you don't like some element (e.g. Cleon's death- sorry Jossie!).

This was going to be dedicated to my cousin, Peregrin (look out for her new Gary fic coming soon!!!) but chapter 4 will be instead (for reasons she will understand when I post it). So this chapter will be dedicated to Tigereyes!!! Yay! You're great! Thank you for correcting my work and being my human dictionary and telling me little stories about a knight called Raoul to cheer me up! I bow down to you, o ruler of Froggies! (For all of you that don't know Tigereyes and me, don't worry- we're not too insane!)

Chapter 3- Developments

They rode through the Royal Forest together, talking quietly. After some time they stopped by a small lake, dismounting to let their steeds drink the cool water.

Dom sat at the base of a tree, leaning his solid back against the trunk. Kel sat down near him as he asked her what her plans were for the coming days.

'I have no idea,' murmured Kel truthfully. 'Maybe I'll go up to Mindelan for a while and drive everyone insane.'

'You could join the Own,' Dom suggested hopefully. 'I know my Lord won't object. And I could certainly do with a new second in command.'

Kel grinned at him. 'Maybe.'

'Or maybe you could go off and have lots of adventures and take me with you.'

Kel laughed.

'Or maybe you could be a spy. I heard Sir Myles thought you would be suitable for that post.' His eyes were twinkling and Kel could tell he wasn't being serious. But the job appealed to Kel and, deep in thought, she only made some noise as recognition.

The conversation ebbed and Dom sighed. 'Come on, we'd better get back. I ought to finish that paper work for Lord Raoul,' he said as he stood up and dusted himself off.

Kel looked up at him in surprise. His voice was dull- it no longer held a tone of enjoyment. He wasn't watching her and was running one hand roughly through his hair- a trait he had likely picked up from his cousin, Meathead.

Kel frowned at his sudden change of mood but then noticed, as he dropped his hand, a stray strand of hair falling across his forehead. She had the sudden urge to get up and softly brush it aside. She quickly got herself under control but sudden memories of a similar situation with Neal stirred and made her chuckle at her own fickleness.

Dom looked sharply at her. 'What?' he demanded, blue eyes narrowing in intense suspicion.

'Nothing,' Kel replied, all of her amusement disappearing from her face.

'No, tell me.' His voice betrayed his impatience.

Kel sighed. She wouldn't usually give in this easily but she really didn't feel like an argument. 'Fine. It's really nothing-only a memory of Meathead.' He didn't look convinced. 'Why in all the realms am I calling him Meathead?!' she demanded of herself, exasperated.

Dom gave her a smug smile. 'Because I invented it and I'm great.' Kel raised her eyebrows at him but he either didn't notice or chose to ignore her.

'And I influence people all the time because I understand people. But people just don't understand me!' Kel's brown brows shot even higher but Dom continued to ramble on. Kel got to her feet.

'Dom. Shut up.'

He paused for just a second before saying, 'See what I mean?' He lifted his hands to the sky. 'Nobody cares for me, nobody loves me, nobody understands me. I mean, do you care about me, Kel? Do you understand me? Do you love me?'

Kel had just mounted Hoshi. She stopped and looked at Dom but did not answer. She was partly afraid of what she would say and partly afraid of how he would react. A tension grew in the air between them; Kel's mouth went dry and she was fighting an internal battle to break her eyes away from Dom's blue and deep gaze.

Finally, Hoshi snorted and shuffled her feet. The atmosphere broken, Kel whispered, 'No.' Then she looked down and cleared her throat so that she could say, 'We really ought to be leaving.' Dom sighed and mounted his own horse, his face crestfallen. Back at the palace, Kel caught Dom's arm as he went to leave her.

'Dom- wait.' He stopped and turned to her, giving Kel his full attention. She took a deep breath but kept her eyes averted.

'Dom- I- I do care about you. And I would like to understand you. I believe I understand you slightly but I…I would like to know you better.' Her voice had become croaky.

'Mmm. Maybe we can arrange that sometime.' Kel glanced up at him; his eyes had their twinkle back and the corner of his mouth was forming that grin his lips were made for.

'But until next time, I'll see you around, Lady Knight.' With a flourish of his hands, Dom mock bowed to her before heading out of the stables.

Kel sighed. How could she be falling so quickly for someone else? Was she really that fickle? Dom made her heart race but she could no longer think of Cleon to appease these feelings.

*

The next morning, Kel decided to find Sir Myles of Olau, the King's Spymaster. She was apprehensive about meeting him, not only because of his position and that he had once been her teacher but because he was also her hero's foster father.

Kel knocked on his door and entered when his soft voice called out, 'Come in.' Myles was seated at a small table which had an old chess board half set up on it, under a pile of papers. On seeing Kel, Myles put down his large tankard and made his way towards her.

'Lady Keladry!' he exclaimed. 'How nice to see you! Can I get you a drink?'

'No, I'm fine, thank you.'

Myles shrugged. 'As you wish. What can I do for you then?' he inquired as he re-seated himself. 'A game of chess perhaps?'

Kel smiled, she liked her old teacher and his cheery outlook on life. 'No, sir- I was wondering if I could ask a favour of you?'

He raised his eyebrows.' Then sit down and we will talk.'

Kel sat down opposite him as he removed the papers from the desk and began to set up the chessboard. His actions, however, did not lessen his attention span and he listened with undisturbed diligence.

'Hmm,' said Myles thoughtfully after Kel had explained why she wanted to be a spy for a while and why she thought she would be any good.

'Have you ever noticed how life can be like chess? You make a wrong move and it costs you lives. You need everyone you can protecting your King and Queen-' Myles pointed to the corresponding chess pieces. 'But you need as many people as possible out there, watching what the enemy is doing, the moves they make. Then you can move your army out and take your enemy.' He met Kel's eyes. 'With the Scanran war over, Tortall's warriors come home to rest and recover. However, my spies continue their work, for it is important they keep a close eye on not only the Scanran's but also our other enemies- such as the Copper Isles. They could think this a very good time to attack.' He sighed and rubbed his face. 'I think you are right I think you will make a good spy. But I cannot send you out like this; you must have some training.'

Myles pondered for a moment, pressing a finger against his lips. 'I'm right in saying you've met my daughter, aren't I?' he asked Kel as he reached for a sheet of parchment. Kel nodded. 'Good. She owes me a favour. You will travel down with the group of the Own that are soon headed south. If I can twist a few ropes, you will be given a temporary place in the Own and I can get them to stay at Pirate's Swoop a while. There, Baron George will teach you a few useful tricks.'

Kel thanked Myles profoundly before leaving to inquire which group of the Own would be leaving and when. She couldn't decide whether she was happy or cross when she found out Dom's section o the Third Company were those Myles had referred to.

Ok, now please review! I am currently working on chapter 5 so the more reviews I get, the quicker I put chapter 4 up! Hopefully…

Oh and by the way, I wanted to know how you wanted the k/d relationship to be at the end. I know where this story is going, just not how it's ending. So if you have any ideas/ preferences…e.g:

*they get married

*they're just in a friend relationship

*they're in a love relationship

*they're engaged

*they go off with different people

*Dom dies (Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!)

*Or something totally different which I am not going to say because I quite like it…