Disclaimer: none of the characters or story is mine.
A/N: again more sorries for not getting this story up quicker.
Redneck Girl: I know he quit, but he's still her commander and in charge, thanks for reviewing.
Ch5: Home sweet home
Kel spent the first two weeks going over mountains of paper work, making her rounds to see if everyone was alright and overlooking the new planning for an extension on new hope. The village had become a town very quickly and didn't look like it was going to stop growing; when people heard of a new settlement with fair overlords and great opportunities they fell over themselves to move there.
Kel was sitting by the window in the headquarters', every Saturday night they held a massive bonfire in the town centre, everyone came along sang and forgot about the past week, as always Tobe headed up the choir; he had put it together and began practicing songs with them. Saefe's urchin was a good friend of Tobe's now as was Ciarn, Diand and Mellion, the three squires; the boys now took over weapons training for the children of new hope.
Kel sighed, everyone had come so far and they'd done it themselves. She shuffled the papers into a pile and went to join the bonfire. The night was cooler than it had been for a while, but people where to busy listening to the singing, jokes or stories that people told that they barely noticed. It was long past midnight when the bonfire was finally put out, Kel walked up to the walls that surrounded new hope. The men on watch all greeted her; she paused by the main gate. It was weird to think that two years ago this lay in ruins after Stennum's attack. She shivered; Blayce had haunted her nightmares for too long.
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Dom cried out in agony, the blade sliced down his chest; someone blocked his attacker and killed them, Dom put his hands to the cut, blood coated his armour, his attacker had caught him right between his chest plate and helm. Someone threw him over a horse and mounted behind him, he looked up to see Raoul's face above him, "hold on Dom, hold on"
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Kel woke in a sweat; she rubbed her head, why was Raoul shouting at her in her nightmare? The sun was just peeking over New Hope's walls, the sky was clear it looked like a good day. She entered the mess hall, grabbing a bowl of oats and sat down by Fanche. The older woman thrust a note at her. "Arrived last night," Kel took off the waterproof covering and cracked the seal.
Kel,
I'm sorry this is so rushed but there's been a fatal attack near the city of gods, I need to send the wounded to you. Sorry again.
Raoul.
Kel looked up at Fanche, "the first of the injured arrived last night." Kel pushed her oats away and ran to the infirmary; Duke Baird was overseeing the hospital area of New Hope. He and Neal had helped spell the buildings against the spreads of infections and disease. The main rooms of the infirmary were almost full, Baird was bent over one of the beds, working his healing magic on the man; Kel approached him, her heart jumped into her throat, tears rolled down her face, "no" she whispered, she couldn't touch him, then it would be real; this was a nightmare, she was really back in Corus, under the blankets with Dom curled beside her, this couldn't be him, laying here. His hair was messed up and his skin was pale from blood loss, his lips were dry and cracked, bandages covered his chest but the white linen was already stained a dark red. She slid down into a chair beside the bed. Baird who had his eyes closed, was letting his gift seep into Dom, Baird hadn't noticed the weeping Kel next to him; but someone else had.