Chapter 6:

"I will never understand how Raoul, Neal, and even Prince Roald can get married? I swear that I will die a bachelor." Dom scratched his chin as he walked along the training pavilion. It seemed like only yesterday that he was a squire, tossing his hair for the giggling noble girls. "Women are never constant. One is beautiful but lacks any intelligence. Another is intelligent with no personality, and yet another has the personality of a goddess with no beauty or wisdom. Until all these are in one woman then the entire race is not for me. She must have character or she will not come near me, intelligence or I will live a mime, and beauty or I will defiantly never look at her." He climbed steadily onto a wooden rope coarse leaning on one of the vertical beams for support. Dom looked down from his position and saw Numair, Raoul, and King Jon traveling down the dirt road. "Oh look, the married men!" he scoffed rolling his eyes, "I'm staying up here."

A hawk circled the training field, its wings glinting in the sun. Numair smiled and pointed out the sparrow to his companions.

Dom shaded his eyes from the sun and looked at the bird. "And this is out King, Knight Commander, and Mage…gawking at a bird. Look what has become of them, soft and sickening."

"Daine's given us his position." Numair commented.

"Remember, bait it well and he will bite, "Jon spoke before clearing his voice and beginning again, "What was it Thayet told me last night? Ah yes, that Kel was in love with Sergeant Domnitan!"

Dom wailed around and clung to the wooden pole as his mouth dropped open.

"Being her mentor, I can honestly say that that girl could love anyone." Raoul projected, clasping his hands behind his back.

"But isn't it wonderful that she should love Dom, who she argues with constantly?"

"What the…?" Dom watched on hardly breathing.

Raoul continued, "I don't know what to think, but that she loves him with all her heart."

"Maybe it isn't true?" this from Jon

"False love!" he threw his hands up, "her love is the life of passion!"

"What feelings of love does she show?"

Dom leaned in closer.

Out of the corner of his eye Numair caught sight of Dom's leaning form. The three of them gathered as if whispering.

"YOU AMAZE ME!" Jon yelled in mock surprise.

"I would think this was a trick," Dom said as he grabbed a tuft of hair, "But that the King speaks it."

Jon continued, "Has she made her love known to Dom?"

"No, and she swears she never will. That is her torment." Raoul shook his head.

"Then down upon her knees she falls!" Numair kneeled in his black robe acting out the motions, "Cries, sobs, beats her heart!"

Dom reached up to brace himself and unfortunately grabbed the obstacle, a rope. Raoul tried to keep from laughing as he saw Dom swinging for side to side.

"Daine thinks that she will die. For Kel says that she will die id Dom doesn't love her and she will die if she makes her love known." Numair hung his head.

"I love Dom like a brother," Raoul put his hand on Numair's shoulder, "and he is so unworthy of our Lady Knight, but come, let's go to dinner." The three turned and gave each other sly smiles as they walked towards the palace.

Dom swung to the side of the platform and extended his legs to pull himself onto it. His efforts failed, his hands and feet slipped, and he landed on his back in the mud. He laid there motionless, numb, but not for the fall. He began to speak softly, "Love me…WHY!" Dom placed his hands behind his head and stared at the sky, "When I said I would die a bachelor, I didn't think that I would really live until I was taken."