Kel ran out the door and saw Dom's silhouette retreating down the hall. "Dom!" She cried. He turned. "What?" He asked.
Kel ran down the hall to catch up with him. "Dom, listen to me. I wasn't trying to keep this from you. Well, I was. But I was scared. You would be too! I didn't want to go and ruin my life and have my friends mourning me before I'm even gone. I didn't want you to worry about me, I didn't want you to know that I was leaving you again."
Dom sighed. "That's it, Kel. You didn't want me to know you were leaving me again. Why would you do that?"
"Because I wanted to be happy with you now! I wanted life to go on as if none of this had happened. I didn't want to lose you before I had to."
Dom looked at her. "Kel, you wouldn't have lost me if you had told me. You would have if you didn't. And you almost did."
Kel hugged him tightly. "Dom, thank you. I'm sorry."
Dom hugged her back. "Just promise that you won't keep something like that from me again. Everyone deserves to have their secrets, but that was something you should have told me." He smiled at her. "Now how about we go and you tell me what exactly you are going to say during this trial, hmm?"
-----
Weeks passed quickly, too quickly. Before Kel knew it, March was upon her. She found herself worrying more and more about her trial – she hadn't even thought it was possible to worry that much.
"What's going to happen when you leave?" Dom asked her as they lay in bed one morning, not wanting to get up.
Kel looked at him. "I'll leave. I don't know where I'll go. Back to Chatra, maybe."
Dom nodded. "And I'll come with you, of course."
Kel smiled. "That's sweet, Dom, but no."
He frowned. "Kel, please you can't go alone. You know that!"
Kel sighed, stretching out on the bed. "Dom, your life is here. Your friends, your family, your work. You can't just leave it all behind."
"You did."
"I thought that I had to. I thought that I couldn't stay here."
"And I know I can't stay here, if you leave."
Kel sat up and put her head in her hands. Dom sat up as well and put an arm around her shoulder. "This is ridiculous." Kel said, tears welling up in her eyes. "I left because I was scared. I left because I felt guilty about not being able to help the emperor on our honeymoon. I put two and two together, and I came out with the wrong answer." She looked up at him. "Why does that always happen?"
Dom smiled. "Everyone makes, mistakes, Kel. You've made your share of them, but so have I. You just have to get past them. You can accept that you made the mistake. You know it was your fault, and you're sorry for it. Tell them that. Tell them you made a mistake. There is no shame in learning from your mistakes."
Kel smiled. "I think you should be my lawyer, Dom." She said. "You could get everyone's pity for me!"
Dom kissed her. "You don't have my pity." He said.
Kel punched him. "Well, you don't have my pity for that. You deserved it!"
He laughed and kissed her again. "I love you, Lady Knight."
Kel smiled. "I love you too, you cretin."
-----
March passed as quickly as February had. All too suddenly, Kel's trial was upon her. She went to bed early the night before it, wanting to be rested. She did not sleep. She tossed and turned for hours, deep into the black of the night. Dom stayed awake beside her, and he held her hand until she finally fell asleep.
A sharp knock on the door awoke the lovers. Kel opened her eyes slowly, hoping it was a dream. She had barely been asleep for three hours. Another knock followed the first one. "One moment, please!" Kel called out, stretching her arms and shaking Dom softly. "Wake up." She whispered. "Dom, please."
He opened one eye and Kel left him to get the door. Kel opened it a crack, still in her dressing gown, and looked out. A guard was standing there. Kel gulped. "Sir Keladry, I am here to collect you. Your trial begins in exactly two hours."
Kel took a shaky breath, trying to stop herself from fainting on the spot. "Of course. Let me just have a bath and get dressed, and I will be right out."
Dom was standing beside her in an instant. "Kel, it's okay." He said, holding the shaking woman in his arms. "Go have your bath, Kel. I will be waiting here for you."
She nodded and went into the washroom to have her bath. She emerged a few moments later and dressed in a tunic and breeches. She would have worn a dress, but she didn't want to have to think about it. She braided her now long hair loosely, her fingers shaking.
Dom took her hands and held them. "Kel, breathe."
She nodded. "This is it." She said.
He nodded. "Just tell the truth, Kel. It will set you free." He hugged her tightly, and Kel felt his chest heaving softly as tears fell from his eyes.
She didn't cry. She couldn't. She wanted to, she wanted to sit down and cry about everything, but she couldn't. She was strong. She was Sir Keladry of Mindelan, Lady Knight of Tortall.
She felt Dom's hug weaken, and she pulled away from him. "Goodbye, Dom." She said. She kissed him softly, holding him close. She felt his tears run onto her face. She pulled away from him and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She smiled and stood up straighter.
She turned away from him and opened the door.
"Are you ready, Sir Keladry?" The guard asked politely. Kel nodded, and without looking back at Dom, she closed the door and walked away with the guard.
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Okay, this chapter even made me cry. I'm a big wuss, I know.
Goddess Usagi: thanks!
Evilloveberry08: thank you!
Alannalovingwriter: heehee… then I bet you hate this chapter…
Wake-Robin: ooh… drama yay! I am actually really nervous for writing the trial, because I really want to get it right… we will see how it goes!
Dreamerdoll: I'm not sure if this story will be happy or sad. I already know the outcome of the trial (isn't it obvious?) but I don't know what will happen after it. Heck, I don't even know if I will keep the story going after it. We'll see. I probably will, because I do this because I like to write, but I am running out of ideas, so it's difficult… who knows.
Rowenhood: yay! I can't think of something short to say. So it just stays like this. (How many words was that?)
AJ 4EVA: thank you!
Heartdamoose: aww, you're so sweet…
"I'd like to see a nude opera, because when they hit those high notes, I bet you can really see it in those genitals."
I have been waiting for this quote to come up. I think it is possibly the most hilarious thing ever!
-unolimbo