Goddess Usagi – Thanks, you flatter me.

Wake-Robin – Thanks, it's good to have support.

Lady Angelique of mystiqu – The food was mostly based on stuff that I have eaten – the green bean stuff is based on green Thai curry (kind of spicy). Please hang on there, I will try everything in my power to finish the story, even if it takes me a while. Sorry to keep you waiting.

Fantasizing-Fluff – Thank you, I try very hard to keep Kel in character and to hear that I have succeeded is good to hear.

Dupdeedup – Merry Christmas. Here is my present to you – an update of my story! Enjoy.

Heartdamoose – Hey, that's a great poem. I'll have a look at the one that you advised, but because I am on holidays I only have limited time on the internet, so if I don't review it, I am sorry, but if it is as good as the one in the review, well, I am impressed!

Alannalovingwriter – Pleased to hear it.

Atlanta Enchanted – You boost my self-esteem. Thank you.

Warrior of Tortall – Yes, Kel is scared about taking it further with Dom. She wants to stay focused on her work and on her mission, but at the same time, the feelings that she is harbouring, are trying to burst free and she isn't sure what to do about it.

Allimba – Thanks.

Gray Eyed Fighter – Yay, you know about the great chain of being! That's great! Like you, I learned about it in English. We were doing Macbeth and the chain is important because it shows why Macbeth was uncertain of killing King Duncan. He didn't know if it would interrupt the chain and so cause chaos. Thanks for such a nice, long review!

PsychoLioness13 - Most stories have Kel and Dom fake a marriage relationship, but it gets on my nerves. I was trying to do something different. Happy that you enjoyed the chapter.

HeartKel – I know what you mean: it would be so nice if they could just stay like they were in the books. What's second base??!!

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Chapter 13

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning dawned brightly. It has stopped raining and everything was fresh after the showers. Water droplets clung to everything and sparkled as the sun's rays broke in them.

Kel lay in a pool of sunlight, which was shining in through the window. Smiling with closed eyes, she turned over and dozed on.

A while after dawn, Kel threw back the blankets. She wasn't a late riser normally, but for the first time since their departure, she wanted to sleep as much as possible and so regain the most possible amount of energy that she had lost on the journey due to injury, lack of vitamins and only half her usual amount of rest since they had set out.

Revitalised after a hearty meal the night before and a good sleep, Kel grabbed her glaive and tested the strength of her right arm, the one that had received the injury during the scuffle with the bandits.

It was stiff and Kel could feel the muscles in it strain to lift the glaive.

Annoyed at the weakness, Kel took comfort in knowing that at least the wound had healed well. She wouldn't have any permanent damage and after a bit of training the slack muscles would build up again.

Quickly dressing in the same outfit as the night before, Kel made her right hand clench up around the grip of the glaive. Relaxing again, she repeated the exercise till she felt the muscles in her arm scream their protest.

Using her other arm, she swung the glaive, getting into a steady rhythm. Adding footwork, she completed most of a pattern dance. She couldn't do a whole one, because she needed both hands for it, but she was happy with her efforts and that the other arm's muscles hadn't slacked off.

Kel repeated the exercise till she felt sweat droplets running down her back. Satisfied, she cleaned up and knocked on the adjoining door.

"Come in."

Kel pushed the door open to see Dom sitting on his bed, sliding his feet into freshly polished boots.

"Good morning, my dear", Dom said, as he stood up and stretched, "I hope you slept as well as I did."

Kel grinned. "I never really did mind my bedroll or my tent with its little pallet, but a soft bed with a quilted blanket does make me feel fresher in the morning."

Dom nodded his agreement before asking, "Now, what do you say to some breakfast?"

A little while later they were sitting in the dining hall of the inn and Gevern bustled in with a tray packed with a fruit platter, two bowls of porridge and a small basket of freshly baked bread rolls and an assortment of jams.

While they enjoyed the meal, Kel, who was facing the door, saw a man enter the room via the main door, glance around, see them and quickly dart out again.

Suspicious, Kel waited.

Shortly, he came in again. He was wearing travel cloths, his thick cloak had a fur lining and he had the hood pulled up so that his face was cast in shadows.

Gevern met him at the door. Kel didn't catch the words that they exchanged, but she saw coins being swapped and a role of parchment changing hands.

Soon after the man left the inn and Gevern returned to the kitchens. Kel got up. Dom watched her with raised eyebrows.

Ignoring the look that he was giving her, Kel whispered, "I'll be back in a moment." and dashed out through the door.

Outside, Kel saw the stable hand disappear in the stable. Otherwise the yard was empty, only a steaming pile of horse droppings revealed that someone had been there in the last few minutes.

Charging on, Kel reached the road to see two riders cantering out of the town, taking the main road to the capital of Tyra.

She had just enough time to recognise the cloaked man from the inn and the royal Tyran emblem on the back of the second rider's cloak before the road turned sharply right and she lost sight of them.

Kel returned to the inn slowly. She wasn't quite sure what the surprise visit had meant, but she was certain that the man had recognised her as the second lady knight of Tortall.

Disturbed, Kel recalled the king's orders:

"You are going to sneak in, find out what it's all about and either report back to us or even try and break the whole thing up! But you aren't supposed to draw too much attention to yourself."

"Well," Kel thought to herself, "that part didn't work."

She felt uneasy as she entered the dining room again and sank into her chair opposite Dom, lost in thought.

Dom had finished his porridge and was now giving her half a glare. When she didn't seem to take notice of him, Dom cleared his throat.

"Are you going to tell me what made you leave my presence or will I have to settle with being left in the unknown?"

Kel smiled weakly before commenting, "So much for secrecy."

"What do you mean?" Dom asked around a mouthful of fruit.

"The man, who barged in here a couple of moments ago, saw me."

Dom looked at her baffled. "So? Even if you have obvious Tortallen features doesn't mean that he suspects you of being up to no good."

Kel toyed with her spoon. "He knows that I am the second lady knight of Tortall. It was easy to see him glance at me, glance at my attire, see Griffin hanging of my belt and put all the pieces together. How many normal Tortallen women look and dress like me? And, anyway, from what I heard after my Scanra excursion, I seem to have become quite the topic at other country's courts."

Annoyed, Kel put her head in her hands and just barely managed to suppress a groan.

She heard Dom put down his cutlery. His hands found her hands and pulled them away from her face. He interlocked their fingers and his eyes met hers.

"Kel," he whispered, "don't worry. We'll leave tomorrow at first light and just disappear into the forests for a couple of weeks. It will all work out fine and we'll try taking a short cut to the capital."

He squeezed her hands.

Kel smiled. "Thank you, Dom."

His response was to lean forward over the table, but Kel, recognising his intentions to kiss her, leaned back.

Shaking her head, she said softly, "We are meant to be brother and sister, Dom."

"I don't care." He whispered, sounding to the world like a spoiled child who hadn't been given a favourite treat.

Kel shook her head again.

Rolling his eyes, Dom freed his hands and focused on the food in front of him again, but Kel caught the glimpse of a small smile before an apple hid his mouth from view.

Kel picked up her fork again and enjoyed the meal.

They were just finishing the last bits on the fruit platter when Gevern walked in again.

"Excuse the disturbance, my lady," he said to Kel, "but this was given to me to give to you." He handed her a small roll of parchment.

While Kel opened it Gevern busied himself by clearing their table.

The first thing that caught Kel's eye was, once again, the royal Tyran seal of two crossed daggers beneath a crown and star.

The script was readable, but it was obvious that the writer had been in a hurry.

Lady knight Keladry of Mindelan,

We are watching you.

Tyra

Kel looked up.

Gevern wasn't in the room anymore.

She met Dom's gaze. "A hidden short cut to the capital sounds good!"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

As you can see, I updated (kind of) quickly. I am sorry to say that I can't promise all my updates to be this fast. Sorry.

Hope all of you are having a great holiday. I am being eaten alive by flies during the day and by mosquitos during the night. But, hey, holidays are always good so I am definitely not complaining!

Don't forget to review!

Wolfy