A/n: Hey all! I just got home from our competition, and we WON! I couldn't believe it, of 44 states and 7 Canadian provinces, we won! It was so awesome, and I met some really great people…sighs. I wanna go back! Well, here's the next chapter, short, but finished.

Chapter Sixteen

The End of an Empire

Two weeks later, Kel was sitting in her room with her squire. The King's Champion was due back that day, along with her husband, the Baron George of Pirate's Swoop.

"Damn it!" Yvenne shouted, throwing down the paper she was reading. Kel picked it up but couldn't read it; she didn't have to. By the look on Yvenne's face, she'd just read another encoded letter about the Lord of Stone Mountain who was still safely locked in his manor. Yvenne had been sifting through empty reports every night until very late. Kel would wake her up for practice and lessons, and then the two would settle down together and work in a comfortable silence.

"He's got to come out sometime," Kel told her squire gently. "Patience."

"Yeah, I just…" Yvenne blushed and looked down.

"Wanted to get him before George and Alanna came home," Kel smiled as Yvenne nodded. "Well, you still might. And even if you don't, it's not for a lack of skill, and Jon knows that. I wouldn't worry."

Yvenne thanked her knight master, "What are you doing?"

Kel turned her eyes down to her own work. What was she doing? Daydreaming, her mind jested. She wanted to smack her conscience, but upon studying the nearly blank page in front of her she realized she had no right. Dom and she had barely seen one another in the last two weeks, at dinner they barely spoke until he just stopped coming. Kel's heart ached; somehow, it didn't seem worth it. One night of pleasure, yes, but was that as important as having Dom near, even as a friend? She had replayed the night 1,000 times in her mind, and as much as she'd relished in his arms, as safe and loved as she'd felt, she knew she couldn't let it endanger their longstanding friendship. They worked too perfectly together; the King needed them together. I suppose I'll just have to tell him all this myself, she thought grimly, but at least she was decided on a plan of action. Now I can get back to work, but no sooner was the thought completed than there was a loud knocking at the door.

Yvenne, who was closer to the door, tossed it open anxiously to see Will's excited eyes, "We got him, My Lady," this time there was no doubt he was addressing Yvenne though he made his bow for Kel. "The fool covered himself and slipped by as a peasant into Corus to empty his accounts. He entered the city this morning; Blade's been on his tail every since," Will's words were almost too fast to understand, but Yvenne got the gist of it and looked back to her knight master. Yvenne's job had been to find him; it was Kel's to bring him to justice.

Kel tried not to let her glee show through her mask, but her joy was overwhelming. Finally Stone Mountain was getting what it really deserved – nothing, "Yvenne, go get Dom and have him assemble a guard, fifteen ought to do it, assuming he has no guard himself?" Kel sent Will an inquiring glance, but he shook his head, and she nodded. "Fifteen it is, oh, and make sure Neal is in that guard; I think he'd like to see this."

Yvenne grinned outlandishly and was rewarded with one of Kel's real smiles, one that even touched her eyes, before she banished it all under a Yamani mask, and Yvenne bounded out, chatting eagerly with Will.

"Burchard of Stone Mountain, you are charged for the crime of High Treason for threatening the life of the Crown Prince of Tortall. The sentence is death; however, you do have a right to a fair trial and as thus, have the right to speak the truth under oath. Do you accept this right or do you forego the trial and meet the maximum punishment?" Kel barely bit back her joy when she, Dom, Neal and Yvenne entered the small inn where Burchard had been hiding away and confronted him.

"I accept," he snapped, eyes never leaving Kel's, "Keladry of Mindelan."

"Ah, so you remember me," Kel's voice was completely calm, but Yvenne hinted a razor edge to it.

"Hard to forget the whore that killed your son," Burchard lashed back, and Neal responded with a whip of magic that sent him to the floor in pain. "Bitch!" he snarled and turned his eyes on Yvenne, assuming she'd been the one who'd used the magic.

"Why don't I ever get credit for my magic?" Neal grumbled, and Yvenne turned to grin at him. In that one moment, Burchard leapt from his position on the floor and drew Yvenne's sword, spiraling to meet Kel's freshly drawn blade.

Kel, who had hastily drawn her sword, fought clumsily for a better grip, but Burchard only overpowered her for a moment before she had control again and was smoothly moving into her routine, block, attack, block, attack, attack, attack, Burchard tripped over a nearby table, but he only lost his balance for a second before he kicked it in front of Kel who easily leapt over it. Burchard spun and grabbed Yvenne from behind, positioning her own sword near her throat and stopping Kel in her tracks.

Yvenne laughed inwardly, "Didn't you learn anything in the palace?" she whispered hatefully.

"What do you mean by that dear, besides the fact that tramps aren't fit to carry swords?" his grip on her tightened, but instead of lashing out with it, she focused her anger and gathered her Gift around her. She glanced at Neal who gave her one magical green spark off his finger to approve her actions before she responded, "Never, ever threaten a Mage," she threw her Gift at him, shoving him back with raw energy, before Kel jumped forward and ran him through, and Yvenne let a knife fly to his throat. Neither knew which one hit him first, but the affect was the same – Burchard of Stone Mountain was dead.

"So they took it all right?" Dom asked as Kel fell into a nearby chair and nodded.

"I think the King was just angry he didn't get to do it himself," she admitted, and Dom smiled wryly.

"Probably, I imagine Jon wasn't too pleased you stole his revenge and left him with a mountain of paperwork and a few angry nobles to attend to."

"Well, he was going to kill my squire. I did what I had to," Kel replied serenely, trying to keep her nerves down. This was the first time the two had been alone since that night, and as far as she could tell, they were both pretending it didn't happen, but the mask was very fragile and things were tense between them.

"You did what you had to; no one blames you for his stupidity," Dom soothed, and Kel thanked him. If anything, his words were just assuring her she didn't want to lose their friendship. She needed the stability and good humor that was Dom. He was her balance.

"Really, it's Yvenne I feel for," Kel continued, mostly to keep conversation going so the awkward tension didn't resume. "The minute George got back, he took her into a room probably wanting to know who she used, why she used them and wondering if they'll work for him. They've been at it for quite some time, and I doubt they'll be done by any reasonable hour tonight. It's a shame too," she joked, "I really did need my armor shined."

He chuckled and took a perch on the arm of her chair, resting his hand devastatingly close to hers, "What oh what will you do without her?"

She laughed and shook her head before the dreaded silence set in.

Finally, Dom resolved to break it, "You know, you never laugh anymore, and I miss that about you. Why is that?"

She sighed heavily and stood with her back toward him. She'd guessed the farce couldn't last forever, but it had been nice trying, "Dom, I must admit that I've found myself working a little too hard…"

"Don't lie to me," he cut in. "You've always worked too hard, and it's never been a problem. Kel, look at me."

She fastened on her best Yamani lump face, thinking of stones on the mountains and faced him.

"Damn it," he stood and grabbed her arms, tearing at her barriers with his caring blue eyes, "No! Really look at me. What's wrong?"

She didn't let the mask completely slide away, but she did soften it some, "I suppose I've been a little…lonely – I guess. Nothing I can't handle," she tried to pull away, but he held her firmly.

"Nothing you can handle alone," he interrupted.

She half smiled and nodded, "You've always been the best of friends to me."

"Friend," his face fell with the word, and he dropped his hold on her.

"That is," she started timidly, "if you still want to be friends. I thought something… you stopped coming to dinner…"

"I…" he began, but she cut him off in a rush to fix what wasn't broken.

"Listen, Dom, what happened here," she looked around the room, almost shivering in pleasure, "It was amazing, and I don't regret any of it, but I'm not a fool. I was vulnerable and needing comfort, and you supplied what was needed. You don't have to be afraid that I'll expect more than that; I know that you don't…"

It was his turn to stop her, but it wasn't with words. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and before she knew what was happening, she was being devoured by his passionate kisses.

"Kel," he breathed heavily while he let his hands explore her absolutely ravenous body, "I want to be more than your friend, and I plan to be, if you'll let me."

She gasped both at his words and in delightful pleasure as his lips teased a sensitive spot on her neck, "I think I can handle that," she muttered against his ear, then kissed it delicately.

He grinned and picked her up to move her to his bed while she giggled helplessly at the feel of his skin against hers. This could be quite a pleasant arrangement, she thought delightedly as he placed her delicately on the comforter, and they began stretching their bond of friendship. It turned out that battle wasn't the only place that the two worked perfectly together, though Dom seemed to hold rank over her in this particular new venue. The thought made a smile curl onto her lips as Dom kissed her drowsily. She laughed and set her head on the chest of her new lover before drifting into a deep, dreamless sleep. She had no need for dreams; he was lying right beside her, and she knew she would never have to be alone again.

"Are you having regrets about last night?

I'm not…but…I like rivers that rush in

So then I dove in

Is there trouble ahead

For you the acrobat?

I won't push you, unless you have a net

You say the word, you know I will find you

Or if you need some time I don't mind

I don't hold onto the tail of your kite

I'm not like the girls that you've known

But I believe I'm worth coming to

Kiss away night

This girl only sleeps with butterflies

So go on and fly then boy…"

Tori Amos, Butterflies