A/N: I'm sorry; I just couldn't go on with out Neal anymore! So he just had to make an appearance (not that he does much but hey, he's still in there and still gorgeous!) and now I've managed to work out a part for him to play later on. It just came to me all of a sudden like ping! And I was like, Mithros, Mynoss and Shakith! I can get Neal back in my fic! Yay! And the chapter'll be called Neal to the rescue! Dundundun!!! (Hey people- there's a little clue to later on in the story! But at any time, if you think you know what's gonna happen don't, I repeat, don't write me a really long review telling me your predictions- if you wanna do that write me an email at brandybuckmeriadoc@hotmail.com and I'll be happy to reply. I mean, how annoying would it be if you got it all right and it was in a review that I couldn't delete?!) Oh, and before anyone asks, no, I'm not getting Kel and Neal together and how ever much I hate it, Neal is still happily with Yuki. Mainly because I couldn't bear to cause both Neal and Dom pain and as I'm causing Dom a hell of a lot of pain…I thought for this fic it's best to leave Neal with Yuki. And this is supposed to be a Kel/Dom fic!

Ok, responses to reviews:

Magelet: Interesting question. Yes, but at the same time a huge, resounding no. Ok, in english, technically, yes I did make up the italic thingies but I used songwords- I don't know where I got the first one from, the second came from some Celine Dion song (don't ask me which one- my mum had it on in the kitchen and I was like ah-ha!) and the third and most important one was from, as Lady Katherine Heartspark guessed, the Titantic song. It goes: And you're here in my heart/ And my heart will go on and on. And at another time, We'll stay forever this way/ You are safe in my heart. And I just kinda pushed them all together and mushed them up a bit to get: In my heart we'll always go on and you will be safe in my heart, forever. So thanks Celine Dion!

And HerbieWerbie and Keziah you see a bit of Dom here although not a terribly pleasant scene if I remember rightly. But the next chapter is just Dom.

And for all of you that have asked and for all of you that want to know, NO I HAVENT BLOODY READ LADY KNIGHT COS US OVER HERE IN MERRY OLD ENGLAND DON'T BLOODY GET IT TIL OCTOBER 18TH!!! SO THERE! I'M REALLY NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE WHOLE LADY KNIGHT THING BECAUSE I WENT TO READ SOMEONE'S STORY AND THEY HADN'T PUT A WARNING UP AND IT HAD A BIG SPOILER IN THE FIRST LINE OF THE AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!!!!! AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DROPPING HINTS AND IM LIKE I DON'T WANT TO BLOODY KNOW!!!!!!!!!!! Phew, glad I got that out of my system. (excuse my, um, bursts of rage and shouting and cursing).

Ok, mortally outraged, I promise I won't stop but I'm approaching difficulties in chapters 18 & 19 which I am currently trying to write. I will not tell you what's going to happen just like that because that wouldn't be fair etc, etc, etc. BUT I am willing to consider letting you become my beta reader if you want (Gods- I sound like I have such a big head!) but if u do u have to seriously tell me what u think and how I can improve it. And help me when I get stuck. I get stuck a lot. At the moment, the characters aren't behaving and Neal's doing very majestic and magical stuff and embarrassing Kel. So, anyways, if u want to be my beta reader (or anyone else for that matter that is actually reading this!) then tell me. I live in Kent, near London and I love yr hyperness cos I'm hyper and insane too!

And I've had enough of this now so to everyone else who wrote me a review, thankyou! Its greatly appreciated especially lovely compliments! And no, this isn't the end of the story, I wager it'll go on to about 21/22 chapters. Please you? And I would write everyone else a review-response thingie but I've hurt my hand so it hurts to type and I'm tired and I want to go read A Knight's Tale fics. So, here's the next chapter and I'm gonna shut the hell up now! Phew.

Chapter 13-Here Comes Neal To Make Things All Better!

It was not her shift but never the less, Kel sat on the palace wall, her weapons around her, her eyes gazing out over her surroundings. Gazing, but not seeing.

Her mind was fixed as always on those notes in her book the maid had given her two days ago. Especially the last one. She couldn't believe how soft she had become- remembering its words brought tears to her eyes. She had to hold down her tears now, as she thought of it.

In my heart we'll always go on and you will be safe in my heart, forever.

There was no doubt she was meant to read that and there was no doubt as to what it meant.

'My lady, the Baron asks for you.' Kel came out of her thoughts enough to smile shakily at the man, before walking off the curtain wall. When she got to George's study, she took a deep breath and knocked on his thick door.

When she entered, Kel found not only George waiting but also Alanna, Thom and a strange man. Glancing at him, she bowed to George and Alanna. They nodded and George said, 'This man is a messenger from Myles.'

Kel lifted her eyebrows. That explained a few things. 'And I take it you have a message for me them?' she asked.

The man nodded. 'Sir Myles said he wants you to go directly to the Copper Isles as quickly as possible. He says he cannot afford to be too explicit in his message in case the wrong person gets hold of me. But someone important, I think some kind of warrior or fighter has been taken. The Copper Islanders kidnapped whoever it was for some reason. Myles wants you to go and find out what you can- see if there is anyway we can get them out of there.'

Kel nodded grimly. 'Right. I'll get ready now and leave within the hour.'

'Oh, and one other thing.' Kel turned back. 'He said it's likely our friend would be in their capital city therefore there'd be lots of guards around. He told me to warn you and to use your charm to get past them.'

Kel pulled a face. 'I wonder what charm that is.'

~*~

Slowly, Dom came around. His head hurt. He moved to put a hand to his forehead but then realized that something was hurting more than his head. His shoulder. Gingerly, he put his fingers to it. Somewhere along the line, the arrow had been removed and so had his shirt (A/N: yummy!). A rough bandage had been pulled taut across the wound but some blood had seeped out and dried on his sore muscles.

Groaning, Dom put his head back against the wall. It was only then he realized the walls, and the floor, were moving. He was moving. He must be in some kind of vehicle, he guessed. Whatever vehicle it was, it seemed to rock smoothly from side to side.

Taking in his surroundings, Dom guessed he was in the hull of a ship or boat. The room he was in was relatively dark, dank and not very big either. It seemed to be the food store room- barrels, crates and boxes were stacked up against the other walls and a distinct salty smell came from them. Dom wrinkled his nose in disgust and groaned as the boat gave a sudden lurch, jarring his shoulder.

Once the boat had settled again, he shifted into a more comfortable position while he took in the room in more detail. Then, using a tall and smelly barrel for support, he hoisted his weary body to his feet. Dom stumbled over to the one door and tried to open it. But it seemed the door was locked and bolted on the other side. Dom gritted his teeth together, thinking hard.

Again the sea lurched, taking the ship with it yet more violent this time than before. Dom flew to the side, caught unawares. He cried out painfully as his shoulder collided with something hard. His last thoughts as he gave in to the welcoming blackness that tried to envelope him were of Kel…

~*~

Kel fastened her saddlebags onto Peachblossom's saddle with a sigh. Exactly why did I want to be a spy? Kel thought to herself. 'Oh yeah, because I'm a stupid clod, that's why!' she muttered under her breath.

'And since when has my lady been a "stupid clod" in her own opinion as well as others?'

Kel turned, a joyous beam on her face. 'Neal!' she cried, throwing her arms around him.

'Well done Kel, I'm glad to see your observation skills haven't deteriorated at all since I last saw you, oh, just a number of weeks ago.' Despite Neal's facetious (A/N: Alert! Alert! Big Word! Big Word! See Kermie, I can use Big Words too- just like you. Can I be a wizard now? Please?) taunts, he gave her a short but tight hug, glad that he was back with his friend.

'What are you doing here?' she asked when they separated; ignoring his earlier questions as frivolous remarks.

'Well, isn't that nice?' teased Neal, his eyes dancing as his cousin's often did. 'Would it be so hard to believe I might have come to see you?'

'To travel from the palace just to see me here, with no reason? Yes.' Kel grinned as Neal threw his arms out.

'Fine!' he cried. 'I know when I'm not wanted. I'll leave immediately.'

Kel laughed and grabbed his arm as Neal turned away. 'Don't be silly, Meathead.'

He grinned a comical lopsided grin. 'I can't help it.'

'Come on,' she said. 'I can spare an hour or two before I have to leave.'

Neal groaned as Kel grabbed his arm and started to walk away. 'Kel,' he protested. 'I've just got over the war. I don't need any more bruises.'

Kel laughed. 'You dolt! I meant come and have a talk with me not practice our fighting. I'm sure we do enough of that as it is.'

'Oh, well in that case... why didn't you say so earlier? Lead on, my dear friend.'

Kel rolled her eyes at him but lead him back to her room. Once there, Neal plonked down on her bed. 'So what does my dear Yamini Lump wish to chat about?'

Kel rolled her eyes again. 'Firstly, I am not "yours". Secondly, I do not take kindly to being called a "lump". You should know that by now.'

'I feel justly chastised, my dear,' said Neal solemnly. 'Now. Talk.'

Kel sighed and sat down next to him. 'What am I going to do with you?'

Neal put his arm around her shoulders. 'Absolutely nothing, my dear. Absolutely nothing. Now, how are you?'

She smiled, albeit weakly. 'All right, I suppose. What about you?'

He shrugged. 'So so.'

Kel smiled. 'And Yuki?'

Neal's face brightened. 'Yuki? Aaah... Yuki's just as beautiful as the first time I saw her- her beautiful brown eyes, her perfect nose, her delicate mouth, her creamy skin, her-'

'Okay, okay- I get the picture! How is her health?'

Neal blinked, startling out of his reverie. 'Her health? Well it's fine. Of course. After all,' he puffed his chest up and grinned. 'I have been keeping a close eye on her.'

Kel smiled and shook her head. 'You ninny.'

He gave her a friendly shove. 'Don't tease.'

'If you insist. So you're happy together?'

Neal smiled contentedly. 'Yeah.' He disappeared in his thoughts for a second and when he came back to reality he gave her a quizzical look. 'There's something different about you.'

Kel glanced suspiciously at him. 'What?' she asked warily.

'I don't know... just... something's changed, that's all.'

Kel made a throaty noise as if she was unsatisfied with his answer.

'So...' Neal started tentatively. 'Any special new person come into view, Kel?'

Kel looked at him sharply, her suspicions increasing. 'What do you mean?' She wondered if Dom had got in touch with Neal, knowing how close his cousin was to her.

'Well...' Neal looked uncomfortable with how the conversation had turned around. 'I was just wondering if, well, you know- if you'd met anyone new yet.'

'Oh. Well...' Kel didn't know whether to admit to everything that had happened with Dom or not. 'There is someone...'

Neal beamed. 'Hey Kel, that's great! You wanna talk about it?'

'No, not really.'

'Oh.' Neal looked dispirited. 'You ought to fall in love, Kel. It's wondrous. Opens up the world to you- puts everything in a different perspective, a new light. It does great things for you.'

The normal Kel would have rolled her eyes at silly old Neal, shrugged off his words and reminded herself that she'd had enough romantic nonsense. But Kel was no longer the normal Kel and her view on "romantic nonsense" had rather changed. So instead of pulling a face and giving Neal a friendly shove, she looked thoughtfully down at her feet, twiddling the edge of her tunic between her fingers.

This perplexed Neal but at the same time ignited his curiosity. He was determined to find out something at least.

'Kel... this special someone... Is it anyone I'd know?'

Kel looked away and, despite her situation, felt herself smiling. Now what could she say to that?! Neal sensed something was not right and put a hand on her shoulder. 'Kel, tell me the truth.'

'Would I do otherwise?' she demanded tartly. He raised his eyebrows. 'Ok, ok. Yeah- I suppose you do know him.'

Neal looked slightly surprised. 'Well?' he demanded.

'What?'

'Who is it then?'

Kel sighed. 'If I tell you that, you'll want to know the whole story.'

'And?'

'I don't know if I can bring myself to completely admit to everything I've done,' Kel whispered. 'Oh Neal, I've been such a fool.'

When Kel met his eyes, Neal was surprised to see fear and anguish in her hazel eyes. He put his arm around her shoulders. 'Hey, hey- now stop that. You are the smartest young lady I know.'

'That doesn't stop me from being a fool, Neal.'

Momentarily that stumped him. But presently he said- very cheerfully- 'Oi- stop it. Why don't you tell me all about iy and I can be the judge about whether you're a fool or not.' He added under his breath, 'Although I already know the verdict.'

She sighed. 'All right. But Neal, promise you won't tell anyone?'

'Of course, Kel. On my life.'

Sighing again, Kel tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 'It's Dom,' she said, quite matter of factly although she was quite worried about his response.

At first there was none. Then Neal said, 'Dom?' in a weird voice as if Kel had said she often had tea with the local spidrens. Something quite unexpected, unbelievable and more or less impossible.

'What- my cousin Dom? As in, Domitan of Masbolle? Sergeant in the King's Own?'

'Yes Neal,' Kel managed.

Neal's sudden smile quite positively could not be bigger. 'That's great Kel! Wow! But how, I mean, when did this happen?'

'Well, I'm not completely sure- it just seemed to progress - to develop- from when I came back to the palace. And then-' There was a knock at the door; Kel stopped talking. Neal got up and opened the door. Thom was leaning against the doorway. He and Neal exchanged brief, welcoming looks then Alanna's son turned to Kel.

'Father says he doesn't want to sound pushy but he thinks you ought to get going now.'

Kel sighed and stood up. 'Ok. Sorry Neal. I'll talk to you when I get back. Nice to see you.' As Neal said goodbye, they hugged warmly. Kel went out to Peachblossom, the men following. As she rode out of Pirate's Swoop, she turned in the saddle and waved to Neal and Thom.

~*~

A/N: By the way people, how long does it take to get to Corus from Port Caynn? I think it's about a day. Oh, and what about the sea journey between Tortall and the Copper Isles? If you tell me your ideas it will help me get the next few chapters up quicker!