"Mithros." He muttered, his eyes wide open.

Andrea looked from him, to Kel, to Dom, and back to her father. "Daddy, what's wrong?"

Neal shook his head. "Never you mind, Andrea." He said, still staring at Kel.

She smiled at him weakly. "It's nice to see you." She said carefully. "Would you like to come in?" Neal nodded slowly, and Kel led him into her room, leaving Dom and Andrea outside.

"Well," Dom said, sitting down on the cold stone floor, "I guess it's just you and your uncle Dom, Andrea." He said.

Andrea narrowed her eyes at Dom. "Who is that woman?" She asked bluntly.

Dom sighed, rubbing his hands over his knees. "That's your dad's best friend, Andrea."

The young girl sat down beside him. "Why is she in your room?" She asked.

Dom grinned and poked the young girl. "I thought you would figure that out, Andrea!" He said. "She's my wife. She was just away for a long time."

Andrea looked pensive. "Have I met her before?" She asked. "She doesn't look familiar at all. But she seems very nice. She approves of me wanting to be a knight!" The young girl sat up, grinning.

Dom chuckled. "You met her when you were just a baby. She left when you were only a few months old. And she is very nice, that's why I married her! And you know what, Andrea?" He asked.

Her eyes brightened. "What?" She asked excitedly.

"She is a knight." He said, nodding his head to the disbelieving look on Andrea's face. "The first one in Tortall to study to be a knight when everybody knew she was a girl. You know Alanna, she was your daddy's knight master? When she studied, she pretended she was a boy. Kel was the first girl." Dom said proudly.

Andrea grinned. "Well, that is what I am going to do too." She said. "And if daddy doesn't like it, I can just sic Kel on him!"

Dom laughed. "Good plan." He said.

-----

Neal sat down in a chair across from Kel, who fidgeted nervously. "When did you get back?" He managed to spit out, still staring at her.

"Well, last night, really, but I have actually been here for almost three weeks." She looked away, biting her lip, waiting for the coming burst.

"What?" Neal cried. That was what she had been waiting for. "Here? In the palace? Who knew?"

Kel looked at him shyly. "No one..." she said. "Only Zonta..." she squeaked out her words.

Neal's mouth feel open again. "You- she- the- wha?"

Kel giggled nervously. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Neal. But I had a reason!" She added quickly. "I had to disguise myself, I wasn't planning on staying here, but I had to come... it is a very long story that should wait for another time. Can't you just say you're happy to see me?"

Neal shook his head in disbelief. "Mithros, Kel," he said as they both stood up. "I am. I really am." She smiled and hugged him tightly. "Can you explain it?" He asked.

Kel sighed. "I'm not sure if I ever really can. I don't know if I can explain it to myself!" She exclaimed. "But please, Neal, don't tell anyone yet. I want to tell them myself. I don't want my friends to find out about me through gossip."

Neal nodded slowly. "Am I allowed to tell Yuki?"

Kel bit her lip. "Maybe she should come here and find out yourself. In fact, while you are at it..."

Almost an hour later, there was quite an assembly gathering in Kel and Dom's rooms. Kel was not sure how she wanted to do it- she wanted to tell everyone personally, but that would be difficult. How would she get to them? She asked Neal to go fetch a few people... but he did more than that, just in his fashion. All of Kel's friends were there.

She stood in her dressing room and peeked through the doorway. Dom, standing behind her, put a hand on her shoulder. Kel turned to him. "What do I tell them?" She asked. "They will want to know where I was, what I was doing, why I left... these are all questions I haven't even answered myself! I know where I was, of course, but it is not just as simple as leaving the country."

Dom sighed. "I don't know what you will tell them." He said. "You haven't told me anything either. It's not like I could do it for you! You got yourself into this, Kel. And as difficult and unfair as it may seem, you must get yourself out."

Kel ran a hand through her now long hair and looked out the door again. Fhire, Raoul, Merric, Yuki, Owen, Lalasa, and Alanna were all standing in the rooms, looking very confused.

Slowly, Kel opened the door, holding her breath. "It's good to see you all." She said, her voice unnaturally high. "It's been a long time."

Everyone stared at her. They all looked completely shocked, except for Fhire, who had a look of relief on her face.

Fhire smiled. "I knew it." She said. "I knew it!" She ran forward and hugged Kel. "I knew there was something familiar there! I knew it!"

Kel smiled and hugged her friend. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you all." She said, looking at the ground. "I'm sure you all have questions, and I wish I could answer them, but I cannot. I hope you can all forgive me for running away like that, and I promise I will answer your questions when I can."

She looked up again. Everyone was still looking at her. Raoul smiled, nodding his head. "I think that's a fair deal." He said, reaching out and scooping Kel into a painfully tight hug. "It's good to have you back, Lady Knight."

Kel hugged him back. "Thank you. It's good to be back."

She hugged everyone, trying to catch up on what she missed. "Please, you must tell me everything that has happened since I left!" She cried.

They all sat for hours, sharing their stories of war and journey, love and hate, until all of them were exhausted, and no one could think of anything else to say.

After they were all gone, Kel let out a breath, as if she had been holding it all day. Dom snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "See? You did fine!" He said, grinning.

Kel turned around and looked at him. "Dom, I'm afraid I have to leave again." She said.

Dom's mouth fell open. "What? No! You can't!" He began to protest until Kel put a finger to his mouth.

"Hush, Dom!" She said. "I am coming back, don't worry! I just need to tell my parents that I am here. I have to go home for little while."

Dom ran his hands through his hair. "Gods, Kel! Don't do that! You scared me half to death!" He said. "But I'm coming with you, either way."

Kel frowned. "Dom, this is between me and my family."

"I am family!" He snapped. "Have you forgotten?"

Kel threw up her arms in exasperation. "Fine, Dom! I don't see why this is so important to you!"

Dom frowned. "Kel, there are plenty of reasons! For one, I am your husband, your family is my family. Secondly, you know perfectly well that no one should travel these roads alone! They are dangerous for anyone. Thirdly," he said, calming down, "I don't want to lose you again." He sighed.

Kel ran her hand through her hair. "Dom, I haven't seen my parents in eight years. They probably think I'm dead. I don't want them to have to cater to a guest at the same time." She held up a finger before Dom could protest. "And while you are my husband, you didn't grow up at Mindelan. I did. My parents don't have to make sure I am comfortable and such, they know I can do it myself. And about being on the roads by myself, I can handle myself. Zonta and I came all the way from the port city without an incident, and we would have been fine anyway."

Dom sighed. "Alright, Kel." He took her in his arms and hugged her. "Just be careful, promise?"

Kel smiled. "Of course." She picked up her still packed bag and walked to the door.

She walked down the hall, but paused when she heard her name. Dom was standing at the door of their room. "You never said anything about number three." He said.

Kel smiled weakly. "I'll see you in a few weeks Dom." She said, turning away from him again.

A few weeks. She had been away so long, but that still seemed like such a long time. Maybe she was being silly for telling Dom to stay behind. What good was that doing her anyway? All it meant was that there was no one to talk to on the long road. No one to keep her warm at night, no one to convince her, at the last moment, that she actually had to figure out a way to go and talk to her parents without disappointing them.

"Maybe this was a stupid idea." She muttered, slowing to a stop. She looked behind her. Around a corner and down a hall, and all she had to do was open the door, and Dom would come with her. She wouldn't have to explain herself, at least not right away.

She sighed. "Looks like I've convinced myself." She said, and walked back to her room.

Dom looked up from his book when she got there. "Did you forget something important?" He asked.

Kel grinned. "Most important thing." She said, taking his hand. "Come on, get your things together!" Looking very confused, Dom began to throw clothes into a pack. "I am going to tell Zonta where we are going. She will be distraught if I do not." She turned on her heel and walked out of the room.

When she returned ten minutes later, Dom was ready to go. "Are you sure you want to go now?" He asked. 'It is getting very cold outside. Won't your father be coming into Corus for Midwinter?"

Kel shrugged. "I don't want to see my father in two months. I want to see him now. Besides, what if they decide to stay home this winter?"

Dom shrugged. "Whatever you want," he said, "I'm just saying."

Kel rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Dom. Bring enough warm clothes, and you'll be fine."

Four days later, they walked their horses through deep puddles of mud that spanned the entire road. It had been raining for three days straight. A heavy, cold, torrential downpour.

"Bring enough clothes, you'll be fine!" Dom said in a high, mocking voice. "I don't think the Queen has enough clothes to stay dry in this!" He said, pulling his boot out of a suction of mud, falling over into the puddle.

Kel laughed. "You wanted to come, darling! Besides, mud is very becoming on you!" She tilted her head back and opened her mouth, drinking the rainwater that fell from the sky. "I think we've travelled enough for today, what about you? It's not like anyone is expecting us."

Dom nodded, glaring at Kel. He was covered in mud from head to toe, the rain just barely washing the silt and dirt out of his hair and clothes.

Finally, they set up their tent and were just huddled inside it, chewing on salted meat, when Kel heard something. "Do you hear that?" She asked.

"I don't hear anything." Dom said, looking at her quizzically.

Kel grinned. "That's the point, Meathead! It stopped raining!" She opened the flap of the tent and looked outside. It had indeed stopped raining, and while it was still bleak and grey, there was blue sky on the horizon, moving in from the west.

Kel lay down, just to the side of the dripping clothes. "I thought the rain was a sign. I thought something bad was to come. But maybe the goddess has changed her mind. Maybe things will turn out a bit better than planned."

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Well, I hope everyone enjoyed that... I sure did!

Alanna0101: Of course...

Lady Crystaline of Jewel Cove: everyone seems to think they are spoiled... hmm...

Laelai: he didn't turn out quite as dramatic as some might expect, but I quite liked it. I found that Neal got a lot less cynical and became more of a comic relief later in the books- or maybe just my writing.  Anyway, I didn't want him to be so over the top. I just wanted him to react the way I think a real person would. Of course, every person would react differently, but still. I think that is how he would act (get it?)

Dreamerdoll: thanks, I'm always glad to hear that I'm perfect! Of course not! Dude, I would never end like that. I thought that I was running out of ideas, so I ended Good Things... but this story is leaning less to magical things and great enemies, and more to relationships and the people in them. Even though Kel did this whole thing, in the end, it was about her and the way she felt about he friends and husband.

Eeppoonnaa: of course of course of course!

Goddess Usagi: OK HERE IT IS.

Smiles28: dude, haven't heard from you in a while! anywhoo... I'm glad you like it... I am doing my very best!

Alannalovingwriter: thanks!

PsychoLioness13: ooh...chapter 4... so long ago, dude! Oh well... I did not realize that the times were difficult to understand... I will be more careful. Oh, and I'm glad you liked chapter 10, too!

Alyois: thank you!

"Ambition is like a frog sitting on a Venus Flytrap. The flytrap can bite and bite, but it won't bother the frog because it only has little tiny plant teeth. But some other stuff could happen and it could be like ambition."

For your listening pleasure: Addicts of Communication, by Randy, and dinner for two, by deerhoof. Two very quality songs.

And dudes, can anyone guess who 'fingers crossed' is by?

-unolimbo

mm... too much energy... gah!