A/N from Erkith: Hey guys! Pray please don't throw anything, please don't throw anything! I know it's been a while and I know I promised to update "The Spy" which I will... eventually, but I've been getting reviews in all my fics asking me to update this one. Specifically, someone (lil miss lireal ) requested a Courtyard scene. I WAS going to skip over it, but I thank her... as should you, because I got into the spirit of it and am now bursting with ideas for all my fics. Hopefully this long chapter will sustain you until the next, and help you forgive me for my long absence. Without further adieu I present my latest DKOM (notice DK – Dom and Kel lol completely unintentional hint) chapter:
Courtyard EncountersShe couldn't believe they were still arguing about this! Whoever had told her that all servants were quiet and unobtrusive had certainly NEVER met this Nurse!
"You don't need to come with me, you know. I'm not going to fall the second you glance away." Kel said, annoyed.
"Hmph!" Nurse Layissa snorted. "I'm sure, Milady, that you won't collapse, or you wouldn't be leaving at all."
"Well that's settled then. I'm going." Kel jerked the door open.
The old nurse moved to follow. Kel spun back to face her.
"If you're so certain I can walk, why do you insist on coming? I know your knee's been acting up."
"MY knee? There is NOTHING wrong with my knee." The old Nurse sniffed.
Kel rolled her eyes. Layissa had been favouring the leg all morning. Ruthlessly, the frustrated Knight pointed out the fact. "You've been limping, sit down and rest. Don't hurt yourself on my account. I don't need babysitting. Besides," she grumbled darkly with the memory. "Dom'll be there to make sure I don't overdo."
The Nurse gave her an unreadable look.
"I'm meeting him in the courtyard, remember?"
Oh, she remembered.
"Meathead!" Dom greeted his cousin jovially.
"Mithros! How many times have I told you not to call me that horrid name?"
Dom grinned. "Clearly too few as I never seem to remember. Curious..."
Neal sighed. He knew better, but still repeated, "Curious..?"
"That someone with a memory as flawless as mine would never seem to remember not to call you 'Meathead', Meathead."
The knight glared.
Dom laughed. "What'cha doin' here, Nealan?" (A/N: I apologise for the ''s but I'm being forced to read joual... a french... dialect? anyway, lots of annoying apostrophes! Lol thought I'd share the pain. Besides, Dom'd look cute in a drawling accent don'cha think?)
"Would you stop it with the nicknames already!"
"No."
"DOM! THAT WAS NOT A QUESTION!"
"I know." A wicked smile lit the sergeant's face.
Neal glared.
"I'm here to check on Kel. Anything I should know about that she won't tell me?"
Cocking an eyebrow, Dom shot back. "She's not going to tell you anything at all except that she's well enough to train again."
"Which she probably isn't. This should be fun."
"Ha ha! Good luck."
Smiling, Dom saluted his leave.
"You know where Kel is?" Neal called to him. Dom paused, then smiled. Oh, this was going to be fun!
"That I do." He replied in lecherous tones. Neal lifted a brow. "WE have a courtyard encounter planned in half a candle."
"A what?" Green eyes bulged in disbelief.
"A meeting in the courtyard, Cousin."
"You're meeting Kel, my best friend the Lady Knight Kel, in the courtyard. Mithros, but you better be joking!"
Dom shook his head, teasing. "Why not? Kel's a nice lady, and I haven't seen any snakes, save yourself, there in years."
"You know damn well what courtyard meetings mean, Dom!" Neal's jaw clenched.
"But Neal, you know the Lady and I are just close friends." Neal did not appreciate the double entendre. "Seriously though, it's not like she's some courtisan I'm trying to get into bed with."
"That would probably be less scandalous."
"Would you relax? I'm not romantically interested your Lady Knight - beautiful and under-appreciated though she is."
"No?"
"No, what?" Dom asked.
Dom looked genuinely befuddled. Dom, the most romantically savvy and sought after soldier of the King's Own, didn't know what he was implying? Where was Dom's head these days? Neal thought. Oh, that was easy. Kel.
That in itself was not all that disturbing as Dom'd always had an innate need to protect his friends. It was how unnaturally over-protective and absorbed Dom'd become over Kel and her illness. And frankly, Neal thought, it worried him.
"Neeaal." Dom snapped his fingers beside his ears. He could feel the displaced air frame his ear.
"What now?"
"You awake in there?" Dom asked as he rapped his cousin's head sharply.
"OW!" Rubbing his head furiously, Neal glared. "GODDESS! What was that for?"
"The Lady you seek is standing right over there, you twit."
Yet ANOTHER name... oh joy, thought Neal.
Green. The courtyard had always struck him as being very, very green. Its gardens were lush with exotic vegetation, bearing precious fruit in the guise of beautiful flowers gently perfuming the air. Birds called to each other among the branches – heard, but unseen – their song weaving a spell of mystique into the gardens. The quiet splashing of the nearby Fountain Déese caressed his ears and drew his eyes.
This is peace, he thought idly, as he stroked a finger through the pool of water at the fountain's base. There isn't enough peace these days. Oh, doesn't that just sound rich coming from me – a soldier. But Mithros, I'm getting tired of so much war. He sighed. Thinking about the war wouldn't change anything ...
The soldier ran a hand through his dark hair, ruffling it slightly. He was frustrated. Who wouldn't be after so many years of seemingly endless fighting? I'm sure that's why you're frustrated, a voice said mockingly. Dom whirled around; his eyes shifted around the clearing. No one was there.
"Great, Dom, now you're going nutty too." He muttered.
"Weren't you always?" a lady teased from behind.
Dom shook his head and stood to greet her. "You wound me, fair maiden."
"I'm sure you'll survive it."
He turned to look at her, and a cheeky quip dripped of his clever tongue unvoiced.
Every thought had fled. She was wearing a dress – a dress of white, breezy fabric so light the gentle wind floated the hem. Light spilling through the branches above shifted over her, making her appear as untouchable as a goddess. She looked more like the mists of Gainel's world than the Lady Knight he knew her to be.
Unable to speak, the man walked to her and bowed low over her hand. He paused – the space of a breath – then his lips brushed so lightly over her knuckles - the touch almost reverent.
Her breath caught audibly. Surprised, he glanced up and their eyes met. His mouth went dry.
Blue. She thought. So blue. Blue like the sky blue cobalt navy baby blue the colour of the deepest ocean cold cool shivering shuddering ice-cold nerves lips tingling numbed blue the colour of the lightning haunting my dreams bluebells blueberries forget-me-nots baby's breath I can't catch my breath cornflower-blue heartache and sadness the spell cast over me and the blood running through our veins
They stared at each other. Unable to break the connection, unable to say a word.
"ACHEM!" Layissa coughed as she limped into the clearing.
Kel and Dom jumped apart. Kel blushed furiously, mortified beyond previous experience. "I...I... I'm going to go get my glaive."
Dom frowned. The dress he'd admired only minutes ago was now grossly impractical. But who would have thought Kel was so beautiful. Down, boy, one thing at a time. He cautioned himself. "Should you really be trying that?"
Kel's chin lifted a sure sign of her stubborn streak. "Neal said I could practice if I took it easy."
"In that?"
Kel glanced down at herself with a scowl. "THAT," she said, "is her fault." One finger pointed squarely at the old nurse. "She wouldn't let me leave until I put it on... said it would 'keep me in line'."
Dom laughed and waved his hand. "Fine then, go get it, but take Jump or a sparrow with you."
Kel left, grumbling to herself about obnoxious sergeants.
"That was well done," Layissa observed.
He sighed. "Sit down, Layissa."
Gratefully, the old nurse folded her legs and collapsed onto the marble ridge of the Fountain Déese. She felt like some slip-handed blacksmith had just hammered two long nails through her knees.
Dom sighed again. "Why are you here, Layissa? You should be in bed resting those knees – at the very least you should have seen Neal before went back to New Hope."
"I did."
"And he did nothing for your knees." He looked at her with disbelief.
"Well, he was more concerned about this whole courtyard escapade..."
And that, he thought, explained that. "You still haven't answered why you're here."
"I go where I'm needed." She was getting defensive.
"We don't need a chaperone."
The nurse's eyebrows rose. "No?"
"This is just a casual meeting between friends. There's nothing... further... between us. I'm not going to deflower her or ruin her reputation, Layissa, I'm not even attracted to her."
"Oh, really?" Her arms were crossed and she now glowered at him. "That's not what it looked like when I walked in." Layissa challenged him to contradict her with her eyes.
She's wrong isn't she? I don't feel anything for Kel. I don't! She is just, Kel... funny, brave, loyal Kel. So sad and beautiful. Ah crap! He cursed himself. This is so dangerous...
Where is Numair? Daine thought breathlessly as she soared in the skies above New Hope.
It was a candle later when she finally found him, sitting in a field staring at a log.
"Numair."
He turned to her, surprised. "Daine! Done already?"
She shook her head. Taking a deep breath she said, "I think I know what's wrong with Kel... and you're not going to believe it."
A/N from Erkith: Yay! Done... lol sorry about the cliffhangers, but I do so enjoy torturing my poor readers – that and I'm incapable of making a non-clifhanger ending sound good... I'm really sorry about this whole not updating for a couple months thing, but I do WAY too much stuff! I'm practically crumbling under all the stress.
I'm rewriting "The Promise". Anyone with suggestions as to how to improve it or who hasn't read it yet please let me know by email or review.
Lol be proud of me! I wrote some fluff for you and made a nice long chapter :D smiles winningly I'll really try to speed up the process... I do so love getting reviews hint hint they make me feel guilty for not writing which in turn makes me write faster, so...
THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!
Tattooed Goddess
2005-02-14
Sorry for the inexcusable delay. Thank you for reviewing and the kick in the butt.
Sheyana
2005-02-06
Lol sorry! One more chapter – at least. Hope you enjoy the fluff.
LegolasismyLife
2005-01-13
Thank you for the wonderful compliment and for reviewing
katie-xoxo
2004-12-28
Thank you for reviewing, the kick in the butt, being understanding, and the compliment
Indigo Feline
2004-12-23
Sorry NEXT chapter :p I'll go check out that story and get back to you on the BETA thing... I'm juggling a few too many balls at the moment
alyios
2004-11-14
'The Spy' is next on my list.
Kj
2004-11-12
Lol I am indeed a girl. Thanx for the encouragement!
Rowenhood
2004-11-11
Updating!
Emerald Angel6492
2004-10-29
Lol love the death threat! Unfortunately you won't get the answer for a while, but do enjoy the arguments and fluff :D
Atlanta Enchanted
2004-10-19
Updating! And here's another cliffie for ya :p
Macko
2004-10-09
Lol keep wondering! And enjoy the new cliffie!
CTHKSI
2004-10-07
Death by anticipation... hmm... lol sounds good!
Cat
2004-10-03
Updating! Please read more!
lil miss lireal
2004-09-25
Courtyard scene just for you! Thank you so much for the extra push! Hope you like it...
Silver Goddess1
2004-09-05
Continuing!
Rubber Duck
2004-09-03
I can't believe that NO ONE... I repeat NO ONE gets the wine glass thing. It's in Lady Knight! And if you find it, you'll see that my plot was evolved from a hint in LK. Here's more Dom/Layissa/ Kel and bit of harmless fluff for ya. PLEASE UPDATE! 4 MONTHS! My goodness!
I win :D!
crazylittlekiwifruit
2004-08-31
Lol your reviews make me laugh. Thanks so much and keep writing!
lena-jade
2004-08-24
Lol Romance speeding up just a bit. If you haven't noticed I have a penchant for humour filled arguments :D Thanks for the review.
Kore Yan
2004-08-23
Updating! So sorry and thank you for the well-deserved kick in the arse!
Lady Knight Wolfy
2004-08-22
Thanks for the compliments and critique. I too had problems with Kel completely forgetting to take care of herself but she does have a lot on her plate and it is consistent with her 'other before self' attitude. However, that is not the real reason for her illness...
soccerchick08
2004-08-21
Really want to know about the wine glass hint? Reread Lady Knight... see if you catch it
TrafficLights
2004-08-21
Lol more of sexy Dom:D fluffy chapter!
warrior of tortall
2004-08-21
Writing more! I promise!
MysticMoonEmpress
2004-08-21
Thanks, anything at all is appreciated.
Dave the L's gal
2004-08-21
Because I love torturing ppl! Lol sorry to do it again... :p
Saya
2004-08-21
Hope you enjoy the flow of this one too... I completely agree that flow is half the battle in getting a readable story.
Sora Icefreeze
2004-08-21
Wow! Amazing compliment! Especially because I read your work! Keep writing and reviewing!
Deadmen's Bells
2004-08-21
Sorry... maybe next chapter I'll tell you what Daine saw.
Those guesses are SO desperate! Lol go read Lady Knight! The significance of the wine glass lies within LK's pages.
kelley
2004-08-20
Writing!
hobbit shortness
2004-08-20
Updating! Sorry for the unforgivable delay! Dom and Kel... gotta luv'em
Victoria
2004-08-20
Here's more:D!
Parcheezie
2004-08-20
Writing!
Wake-Robin
2004-08-20
More Kel/ Dom action! Yay! Lol the wine glass thing is actually from Lady Knight. As to your fic... keep writing! The suspense is killing me! It almost seems as if Mel's stealing Aidan away too... but then you've made them (danric and aidan) have the same eye-colour, so I'm suspicious... WHAT ARE YOU UP TO!
Goddess Of The Moon
2004-08-20
If you want an explanation for the wine glass you can find it in Lady Knight.
crystaltambaia
2004-08-20
Ah... SOON? What's the meaning of soon? Heh heh looks nervous sorry about the wait
Sun+Moon,Earth+Sky
2004-08-20
Good guesses... wait and see :D
Lady Angelique of mystiqu
2004-08-20
Lol good guess! We'll see how right you are... sorry about the time thing.
The ORIGINAL Meathead
2004-08-20
Kitten is simply adorable and I fully intend to work her in several times, for no other reason besides that I love her... awww...