There was Anda the Seamstress, wicker basket on her arm like always, talking to a group of young women. The girls always looked up to Anda, as both a great seamstress and a caring, compassionate woman that they could talk to.
After a moment, Kel's gaze roved away from them and settled on the old men standing in the town square. They must be talking about Corus politics again, she thought. The men were a bit stuffy and conservative in their views, but surprisingly enough, they had accepted her as their new lady without so much as a byword.
Then the faint sound of shouting pulled her attention to the base of Masbolle's castle. There were the town children, among them her young son, Patricke, and his older sister, Elizi. Kel laughed as she watched them play their game of tag.
"Elizi," Kel whispered to herself, "I hope you make the right decision tonight…" Turning away from the large window, Kel made her way out of the room and down the hall.
As she started to knock on the door to Dom's study, Kel was stopped when a pair of arms encircled her waist. "You know you don't have to knock," said her husband, "you never have."
He reached out with one hand and opened the door. Taking Kel in with him, he shut the portal behind them both and then sat down on the floor and pulled her into his lap with a laugh.
Before she could do anything, Dom started to kiss her. Kel opened her lips to his, and kissed him back with everything she had. Holding Kel in his lap, Dom wrapped her in his arms and pulled her closer.
After a minute, he pulled his lips away from hers and laughed. "Gods above, Kel," he whispered into her ear, "I love you with everything I have." With that, he kissed her again and then rolled onto his back.
Stretched out and resting on top of Dom, Kel laughed with him after their kiss was broken. "I love you too," she told him in between trailing kissed down his neck, "you are my knight in shining armor."
Dom snorted at the image that thought presented to his head, and then shivered agreeably under the touch of Kel's soft lips. "Like you need one," he replied, "if anything, you're my knight in shining armor."
Kel's breath sounded a bit ragged as she spoke, and it had a definite tone of lust to it, "Right, like my husband needs a knight in shining armor. "
"Ooh, Kel," With a quick move, Dom flipped onto his side and then caught Kel as she fell off him, cradling her in his arms before she could hit the ground, "if you only knew how much I really do need you."
Turning slightly, Kel nuzzled her face against Dom's chest for a moment before letting herself fall. Lying on her back, she reached up and pulled Dom's head down to her and kissed him again.
With out even bothering to pull her lips away, Kel dragged her fingers across Dom's back and pulled on him until he was half resting on her, his right side draped over top of hers.
Intertwining one of his legs with Kel's, Dom increased the pressure of their kiss. Then, without so much as a single warning, he scooped his wife up off the floor and stood.
Kel twined her fingers through Dom's hair and smiled at him; she knew what he had in mind. Just as he started walking to the door that adjoined the master suite to Dom's study though, a knock at the door interrupted them.
Dom swore under his breath as he placed Kel on her feet, and then he jokingly said, "I hate people at times."
Leaving Kel to smooth out her slightly crumpled clothing, Dom did the same as he went to answer the door.
Upon opening it, he was greeted by the sight of his ten-year-old daughter. Hiding a blush at his earlier 'people hating' comment, Dom escorted her into the room, "Elizi, I take it you're here to tell us your decision?"
Elizi dropped Dom a small curtsy and said, "Yes, Father."
Before Dom could say anything else, Kel walked over to her child and asked, "Why did you curtsy? If you are going to train as a knight, you're going to have to bow. You should practice that."
Elizi bit her lip, looking very indecisive. "That's just it, Mama," she whispered, her voice soft and quiet, "I don't want to be a knight, I want to go to the convent. I want to be a lady…"
For a moment, Kel looked rather stunned, but then she stiffened and said, "I see. Well, we did leave it up to you," she stopped to gaze at Dom for a second, "and if that's what you want, you are entitled to it."
Elizi opened her mouth, and released her teeth from their grip on her lip, "Thank you Mama."
She then turned her attention away from her mom to let it settle on her dad, "And thank you too, Father."
Dom smiled at his little child. Walking over, he ruffled her hair and said, "You're welcome, my girl." He then picked her up and whirled her around in a circle once. "We'll send the news out to the convent tomorrow, how does that sound?"
A genuine smile of joy spread across Elizi's face, "It sounds wonderful!"
She threw her arms around Dom's neck and hugged him with all her might, "Thank you!" After that, she gave both her parents' one last curtsy, and then skipped out of the room to go tell her brother the news.
Kel watched her daughter flounce away, and when Dom looked at her he could see a measure of sadness in her gaze. "Kel," he whispered, taking one of her hands in both of his, "I knew you wanted her to follow in your steps, but we can't force her."
After biting her lips the same exact way Elizi had, Kel nodded her assent to Dom's words, "You're right." She stopped to sigh, "I had so wished she would want to, but we always have our son."
Dom kissed her softly, "That's true." Pulling his lips away slowly, he ran his hand down Kel's cheek and laughingly said, "Can I ask for a rain check on our previously anticipated affection sharing?"
Kel placed her hand over his and smiled, "Of course you can."
There we go, that's the epilouge! Alternate ending to be written and posted asap! The only thing is, I don't have computer access during the week, so it will take a while. But I will get it up, so no worries!
Until then!
Sull