She sat up and stretched, Kel was tall for her age, and her now shoulder length sandy brown hair fell loosely down. She yawned then rubbed her amber eyes. Dom snaked an arm around her waist, he was just taller than her with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes.

"Don't leave" his voice was deep but whispery at the same time

"I've got glaive practice with Thayet,"

"She'll find someone else"

"She's the queen"

"she'll find someone else" he sat up next to her, pushing her hair out of her face, "happy three month anniversary" he smiled, she grinned back at him

"You remembered"

"You expected me to forget" He stopped playing with her hair and began kissing her shoulder. She sighed and rolled away from him,

"I have practice" she went into the adjoining wash room to dress.

When she back out, dressed in a thigh length sea blue tunic and cream breeches, he was lain back out, the blankets only covering half his naked torso. She kissed his cheek, he smiled wide but didn't move, "I'll see you at breakfast" she whispered into his ear.

She joined the queen, Buri, Shinko, and Yuki who where already practicing; she waved her hello and began a complex warm up pattern dance. After they finished the bell went in the mess hall, she returned her glaive to her rooms, washed up and headed down to breakfast.

In the mess hall Neal, Dom, Fulcher and Yuki were already eating, Kel grabbed her oats and a roll then sat between Dom and Fulcher, across from Yuki and Neal who exchanged glances and smiled.

"What?" Kel watched them as she shredded the roll

"Nothing" they chorused; they had been married almost a year and the whole finish each others sentences down to a key.

Dom rolled his eyes, "so lord Meathead are you coming patrolling again today?"

"Sorry Yuki and I are going to the market. We need to get um… things," he stuffed d oats in his mouth

"Things?" Kel lifted a brow, Yuki blushed

"Yes things," her blush spread

Dom pretended not to notice "so Kel can I count you in for patrol?"

"Sorry I've also got things, to do,"

Dom looked slightly downtrodden, "you people," he rolled his eyes jokingly, "well for those of us who actually have stuff to do," he kissed Kel's cheek and walked out, Fulcher following him.

Kel looked at Neal, who was pulling a face of disgust

"Sour oats Neal?"

"Of course, you and Dom though I thought it was just a silly crush and a fling, but he's never been with a girl for a whole month"

"Three" Kel interrupted,

"As I said, not even a month, let alone three. I'd never have guessed"

"Oh I did" Yuki grinned her blush had subsided

Neal looked at her, horrified, "and you didn't tell me"

"You didn't ask," she innocently sipped her juice, "and Kel told me"

Neal looked back at Kel "you told her before me!"

"You seemed to have overlooked telling me that Yuki was pregnant" Kel narrowed her eyes jokingly,

"Yes… b-but. Wait, how did you know," he dropped the sarcastic act,

"Yuki told me" both girls laughed, Neal got up,

"Excuse me" he left,

Yuki stopped laughing, "Oh I made him mad,"

"Don't worry; he's just being a theatre queen"

They finished, as they walked back they got onto the topic of Neal being a father, when they parted they both couldn't stop laughing. Yuki went back to her rooms and the sulking Neal; and Kel went back to the rooms she shared with dom. 'why didn't she and Dom get married? He would be a good father' she quickly dismissed these thoughts, Dom was in the own and if he married he would have to leave, and she couldn't make him do that, not to prove a love that she was already sure of.

She looked up and almost crashed into someone heading in the other direction "oh, excuse me…" she recognised that deep gravely voice, "Kel"

She threw her arms round the stranger in a hug "Cleon!"

"Wow, Kel. It's been too long, how have you been? How's new hope, wait, why aren't you there?"

She stepped back from her old friend and ex-lover "I'm good, I'm on a reporting break, so I'm here all winter"

"Great"

"Why are you here?"

"Well. This is unbelievable," he looked down trying not to smile "the fief. The fief. We struck opals, black opals."

She smiled wide and hugged him again, "that's amazing"

"I know! We have plenty of money now!" Cleon's fief he was to inherit was poor and to feed the people he had been forced into an arranged marriage. She looked up he'd been thinking the same thing, the only reason they'd broken things off was because of his betrothal, this now meant he could marry any woman he wanted; she looked away, her feelings for him rose to the surface. He changed the subject before anything could be said; "so how are things at new hope?" all built and finished?"

"Duke Baird was helping to finish Neal's work on the new hospital wing when we left and the school was finished in November"

He looked around nervously, "that's great. Um… are you going to the first midwinter ball tonight?"

"I have to" She produced an image of Dom in his court clothes.

She smiled, Cleon misinterpreted this action, and he smiled too, "so you will. Maybe I'll see you there." He walked away, her heart raced; he hadn't changed much since the day he'd left her. His hair had lightened for his posting in the desert to a soft sandy brown, but he was still just as tall. His eyes hadn't changed a bit. She jerked out of her daydream, realizing someone was staring at her,"

"Lady Kel?" Tobe was her servant, although he was more like a younger brother or son, he had been ever since she bought him from his abusive master on the way to the old fort Haven.

"I'm sorry Tobe, did you want something?"

"Stefan says he doesn't need me in the stables this afternoon. He say's I'm like gold, I checked all the 'orses in an hour."

"But there must be 500 horses" Kel yawned and rubbed her head, she hadn't got enough sleep and found an ache coming on,

"I kno' t'ats why I'm good as gold"

"How's the lesson's with Daine going?"

"Lady Daine is so great with 'em horses. I ent never seen 'em so calm"

"I'm glad you're enjoying your lessons, and I think we need to work on your proper English lessons as well."

"Lady, you don't look so good, why not 'ave a lay down and I'll get some tea"

She patted his shoulder, "thanks Tobe"

Returning to her rooms. She fell onto the bed and slept instantly.

Tobe came in with the tea and found her sleeping; he gently removed her boots and pulled a blanket over her, he lit up the fire and played quietly with jump and the sparrows. Several hours later when Kel woke, it was late afternoon. Tobe was asleep in front of the fire, instead of roll the blanket up she placed it over him and went to find Lasala.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lasala was in her shop surrounded by dresses, material's and pins. She looked up "oh Kel your dress is over there. Sorry I can't chat but this is the queens and she needs it finished"

Kel just nodded and left the money on the table. Tonight should be interesting.