Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character or places
I do not like this chapter very much, because technicaly... nothing happens... It's sort of a chapter that is in between two important event. I think the story will be coming to an end pretty soon.
Kel was in the practice court jousting against Meathead.
"You should keep your shield higher" she told him.
"Well, I do not intend to joust against people, so I do not need to improve!" he replied.
"Queenscove!" someone yelled. Neal flinched at the sound. "You do not know when you will need the lance. I suggest you heed the Lady Knight's advice"
Neal grumbled about The Stump all the way to his starting point. Lord Wyldon then settled himself on the fence close to the practice yard to watch Neal and Kel go again.
As soon as the flag went down Kel felt Peachblossom bunch up under her. That moment felt so right to her. Like a thousand horses running with her. She felt powerful and confident. She lowered her lance firmly. She watched Neal lower his lance hesitantly. She knew she was going to make him fly. She struck his shield dead on and pushed on her lance. She felt an impact on her shield, nothing compared to Lord Raoul. She watched as Neal took flight.
Neal got up stiffly. "That is it" he yelled "I'm never jousting with you again"
She laughed. "Queenscove" said Lord Wyldon, who had been forgotten while Neal ranted about the unfair treatement of best friends. "You need to be more stable in your saddle, do not lean foward to much. Also do not hesitate. Mindelan, your technique is almost flawless, only if you could just keep a tighter hand on your shield it would be better. It slipped slightly as Queenscove hit it, I would have found that weakness in the first joust and taken advantage of it"
"Thank you, my lord" she told him. He was right that she didn't hold her shield with has much force as she should.
She looked at Neal "Another go?" she asked nicely.
"No" he told her.
"Fine" she answered as she dismounted Peachblossom. Neal led his horse to the stable.
"Congratulation on your engagement" said Lord Wyldon.
"Thank you" she told him, smiling.
"I can see it will make you immensely happy" he said "I'm glad you found someone to love you. Every warrior needs that"
"We need someone to come home too" she said, knowing the war saying very well.
"Indeed" he said.
"Good Job!" yelled Dom has soon as she caught up with him. "I heard meathead grumbling all the way back from the stable about hurting and best friends and monsters" he told her.
She smiled at him.
"So..." he said "the guest list..."
"yeah..." she said.
"Well..."
"Ummm..."
"Our families"
"That is a start" she said. "our friends"
"We have so many, and their families will have to come too" he said.
"Well let's make a list" he said.
'Neal" she said.
"He's the best man, but Lady Melody, Duke Baird, Duchess Amelia and his brother Hugo will have to come."
"Well for the number of times his grace patched us back together he should be there" she said.
"True. Who else?"
"Well Merric, Esmond, Seaver, Faleron, Roald and Cleon" she said.
"How about they can bring their siblings and parents?"
"Sounds perfect!" she said.
"Now... all of third company?" he said.
"Well they are our friends, might had well"
"Lord Raoul, Buri, Daine, Numair, Professor Lindhall Alanna and her husband, the King and Queen, Lalasa, the Yamani ladies" she counted.
"My older brother and my parents" he continued
She groaned "What?" he asked.
"My extremely large family!" she said. "Adalia, her husband and her four children, Orannie, Anders, his wife and his three children, Iness, his wife and his four children, Conal, his wife and two children, Patricine, her husband and three children and my parents" she said.
"Wow, well we'll have quite a big wedding" he said.
'Apparently" she said back. "Oh, I asked Fanche and Seafas if they could come and they said they might, and if they do they would bring Gydo, Loey, Irnai and Meech" She said with a great smile. "She even mentioned that Loesia wants to become a queen's rider"
"That would be wonderful!" said Dom "Meech could be the ring bearer and Gydo the flower girl" As he said that he saw the pride and joy in her eyes and felt that the children should be there.
"Oh and Lord Wyldon" she said. He raised an eyebrow. "I know he wasn't fair, but he came a long way and I respect him and I want him to be there"
"Neal will have a heart attack" he said.
"Well counting everyone here, we have over 200 guests"
"Well, it'll be memorable" he told her. He then decided they had had enough planning for now and he swept her in a kiss.
The next day, Dom, Merric, Neal, Wolset and Tobe were in Lalasa shop. They had come in when plenty of court ladies were there ordering their dresses. They saw the line up and almost turned around, only to be called back by Lalasa herself.
They were then ushered into a room, where they were being measures. Lalasa was peering at Dom and walking around him as if gauging a pig for sale.
"Kel said blue and it will look lovely on you" she then told him. "I'll make a blue tunic with a white shirt it will look great" she then shoo them out of the store for her to work.
"I can totally understand why Kel hates dress fitting now" said Dom.
"That wasn't even a fitting that was a measuring" said Wolset.
"I will demote you" said Dom.
"You won't be sergeant for long' said Wolset.
"I know" said Dom.
"We'll miss you" said Wolset.
"I'll miss third company too, however she's worth it"
"I know" said Merric "Love is worth anything"
"When is your wedding?" asked Neal. "I don't think the families agreed on a date did we?"
"It's going to be next autumn" said Merric.
"You know you'll e related to Neal?" asked Wolset.
"Well Dom seems to be doing fine despite the relation" said Merric with a grin.
"I am misunderstood" said Neal. "He is the one doing all the torturing"
They all laughed as they went back to the palace.
"Lord Wyldon, what do you think of this proposition?" asked the King.
"It makes sense" he answered "It is true that we are losing valuable men because of the law, and I approve that it should be merely commanding officers or men who have been in for over seven years, it would allow them to know what the risks are"
"Duke Turmot?"
"I do not think it wise to change it so drastically, maybe just the captitains?"
"But then the men in the Own will see no advantages to seniority and will not e as prompted to stay in the Own" said Duke Baird "Allowing the sergeants to marry will also keep the Own more elite and it is enough men allowed to marry that it will not deterred new recruit to join."
"I guess you are right, but I still think it is slightly overboard" said the Turmot.
"Lord Provost?"
"We have many new men from the Own joining the guards and their skills are better than what we require, it is a waste to make them leave because they want to marry" he said. "I approve of the proposal"
"Duke Gareth?"
"It had all been said and I approve" said the elderly men.
"Gary?"
"I think it is worth a shot, it would help Raoul immensely" he said.
"Then the council agrees to change the law?" asked the Queen, who had until this moment remain silent. She was overjoyed at the decision. That meant one of the realm best knight and pillar of the country could marry one of their best commander without making him leave his post. She was also extremely happy because that meant that Keladry would be so happy that Dom could retain his job. And when Keladry was happy, she radiated and everyone she talked to wanted to join her happiness. Since she had gotten engaged she smiled and skipped everywhere and everyone wanted to follow he example. The palace was livelier since the betrothal. Mainly because the servant all loved her; and happy servants meant happier palace.
A chorus of 'yes' answered her question. In a few weeks they would make the announcement and watch the happiness it would create, not only for Kel and Dom, but for all those men who had been in the Own for so long and now could finally marry.
Kel was reading a book, in one of those peaceful afternoons she had nothing to do. She was lying down on the bed, her head propped on Dom's chest while he was writing his reports.
Someone knocked on her door, She got up to open the door to be greeted by Lord Raoul.
"Hello my lord, what can I do for you?"
"Hello Kel, first you can call me Raoul and second, Third company is needed."
"Where?" she asked, snapping in, what she thought was her Lady Knight Commander mode.
"The Bazhir tribe of the Sun Eagle has trouble with renegade tribe, you will go help them" he told her. He gave her the report and the locations and the list of supplies they were sending with her. "Here is everything, I suggest you leave in one hour and camp here" he said while pointing at the map.
"Dom..." she started.
"I'll go warn third" he said.
"You read my mind" she said. He laughed as he left to warn the rest of the company.
Before leaving she went to say bye to Neal and Yuki and Kely. "Yuki?" she started.
"You want me to help with your wedding?" she asked.
"Why can everyone read my mind today?" she said.
"You are very predictable, and don't worry me, the princess, Buri, Alanna and your mother will take care of everything."
"Thank you" she said, while hugging her namesake. "She's getting quite big!" said Kel.
"She's almost a year old!" he said. "So when will you and Dom produce some idealist warrior children?"
"Not soon" she replied embarrassed.
"See you soon!" said Yuki while Kel walked away to the stable. She then smacked her husband with her shukusen.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"For mentioning children! We all thought she would never marry, but here she is. So let's take it one step at a time and not scare her shall we?" she said.
"I guess you are right" said Neal "But imagine how cute her children will be, they will never be as pretty as Kely but they'll be cute little devils"
"I will just imagine you never said that ok?" she said.
Thank you for the reviews! So people please give me feedback! I know this chapter is sloppy :( not as good as i wish! But let me know where i could improve! Thank you! As i mentioned this story is coming to an end!