Author's Note: A little different than the others so far… a lot quieter. And you will have to guess who says the last thing. Enjoy!
As sung by Ronan Keating… We've Got Tonight
Kel was tired—body, mind, and soul. Fighting Scanrans all day had taken a toll on everyone. Tortallan forces had won the field, but a few hours after the battle, when the adrenaline had worn off and exhaustion had taken over, victory no longer meant as much.
In the coming twilight, she rode back into the fort on Peachblossom with a long, ragged line of soldiers and knights filing back as well. The usually alert battle-horse's head hung low; he was weary too. Kel's eyes moved slowly over the crowd, looking for the people she knew, checking to see that they made it through the morning skirmishes without too much harm.
Milling around the gate, she saw a group of Third Company men that she had known for years. When their eyes met, one man slowly raised a hand in acknowledgement, and the lady knight nodded back. She only vaguely wondered where Dom was. Inside the walls, she dismounted and handed her horse off to Tobe who had miraculously appeared at her side.
"I'll be up to clean your armor soon, Lady," he told her with a bob of the head.
Kel gave him a small smile. "Take your time, Tobe, and see if you can help anyone around here. I doubt the Scanrans will be able to regroup by tomorrow, so my armor can wait." She rested a hand on his shoulder for a moment. His presence was reassuring and reminded her why she fought today—to protect him.
After a moment, she released the boy and walked away, hefting her glaive on one shoulder. Kel had been released from duty in the field by Lord Wyldon, so she grabbed a few rolls from the mess tent and headed up to her room, munching on them as she walked.
There was a basin of cool, clean water waiting for her there. The lady knight hung her weapons up on their rack and began stripping off layers of armor, mail, and sweat-stained padding. When she was down to her damp tunic and dirty breeches, she rolled up her sleeves and began scrubbing the sweat and grime off of her hands and face in the bowl of cool water.
Kel was just patting her face dry with a clean towel when a knock sounded at her door. She opened it to reveal Dom, leaning heavily on the doorframe with a small grin on his face. Surprisingly, he was totally clean.
"So, Sergeant Domitian, how did you manage to find a bath at this time?" she asked teasingly with her eyebrows raised. "I just got back and all I got was a washbasin."
"Some Scanran managed to scratch me up pretty good this morning, so I've been back at the fort all afternoon. I got a nice soak after my healing. But when the infirmary started to fill up I figured I should free up a bed for someone who really needs it," he explained.
Kel's eyes widened and unconsciously scanned his body for the injury. "Dom! You should be resting after a healing!" She opened the door wider and stepped back. "Come in here and sit down before you pass out on my doorstep."
The soldier pushed himself off of the doorframe heavily and took the few steps across the room to perch on the end of her bed. From his movement, the woman could see that he was favoring his left side. Letting the door swing shut, she approached him, shaking her head. "And how badly did you get 'scratched,' Domitan?" she said in her best admonishing mother tone.
In answer, Dom lifted the edge of his shirt up, revealing a bandage thickly wrapped around his abdomen. On the left side, there were spots of blood where the cut had reopened. Kel sighed in despondency, "You meathead—that's a little more than a scratch." She held out her hand to the wounded soldier. "We're putting you to bed. Now."
"Hey!" he responded with false distress, "I'm not the meathead in this camp!" Nevertheless, he did not try to argue about the going to bed part.
Dom took her hand and heaved himself awkwardly, trying not to jolt his bad side. Without saying anything, Kel propped herself under his left shoulder with an arm around his back. Side-by-side like this, they walked down the hall to Dom's room. Kel did not move away as he unlocked the door, swung it open, and stepped inside. She led him all the way to his bed and helped him sit. As he stayed there, the lady knight lit the few candles around the room. Then, she kneeled before him and gently pulled off his boots.
"Never thought I'd have a Lady Knight putting me to bed," he said amusedly as she tugged the second one off.
Setting the boot aside, Kel looked up, meeting his weary blue eyes with her tired hazel ones. "Well it's a night of first for everyone then… I never thought I'd see you get cut up, Dom. You should be more careful," she replied quietly. The knight had never seen him this hurt. He was hiding the pain fairly well, but Kel knew that an injury like that would be more than just stinging. He would be off combat duty for three or four weeks at least, regardless of if the stubborn soldier would admit it or not. And it all scared her.
Their eyes stayed locked, each one trying to read the others.
I know it's late, I know you're weary
I know your plans don't include me
Still here we are, both of us lonely
Longing for shelter from all that we see
Why should we worry, no one will care
Look at the stars so far away
We've got tonight
Who needs tomorrow?
We've got tonight
Why don't you stay?
Kel's eyes were worry and weariness. Her body was tired from the exertion of the battle that day, yes, but her mind was also troubled by the things she had seen and done. No knight, no matter what they ever said, could ever get used to the things that happened in war. And here was the greatest illustration of a warrior's fear—a wounded friend. It was all too much this time.
Dom's eyes just held a question with a lot of doubt swirling around behind it. The physical pain was suppressed for now.
Somewhere inside them, each knew exactly what the other was feeling. Kel set her hand lightly on Dom's knee in a gesture of comfort. His warm, dry palm covered hers, curling his fingers around it. "Don't go, Kel," he said softly.
Deep in my soul, I've been so lonely
All of my hopes, fading away
I've longed for love, like everyone else does
I know I'll keep searching, even after today
So that there it is
We've got it all now
And here we are
What do you say?
Kel looked down. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Dom. We're at a fort in the middle of a war… It's not the best time to start anything foolish. And you need some rest." She tried to slip her hand out of his grasp, but he only gripped it harder.
"Exactly, Kel. There are no guarantees here," the soldier told her. "I got a reminder of that today." The lady knight almost winced at the reference.
We've got tonight
Who needs tomorrow?
We've got tonight
Why don't you stay?
I know it's late, I know you're weary
I know your plans don't include me
Still here we are, both of us lonely
Both of us lonely
"Just come up here, Kel," he instructed. She obeyed reluctantly, rising from her kneel to sit on the bed next to him, her eyes downcast. One hand still holding hers, Dom used the other to tuck some loose strands of hair behind her ear. He slowly tilted her chin up, bringing her gaze back up to meet his, and ran his thumb along her jaw and across her lips.
The lady knight leaned forward and pulled her hand out of his grip so she could wrap both of her hands around the back of his head and neck. She pressed her lips to his lightly.
One of his hands ran though her hair and the other wrapped around her waist. He slowly lowered himself back, pulling her down with him. But Dom let out a sharp exhale as his cut was jarred by the movement. Kel sprang apart from him. She helped him to lay flat on his back with the pillow under his head. With one last gentle kiss, she climbed over him and off of the bed. The soldier grabbed her arm. "Don't, Kel," he said almost pleadingly.
She brushed him off firmly with her other hand.
We've got tonight
Who needs tomorrow?
Let's make it last
Let's find a way
Turn out the light
Come take my hand now
We've got tonight
Why don't you stay?
Why don't you stay?
Kel moved about the room blowing out the candles. By the light of the moon streaming in through the window, the soldier watched her walk to the door. But instead of walking out it, she locked it. Dom half-lifted himself up as she returned to the bed. The lady knight pressed him down and climbed back to the other side of him, careful not to jostle his wound.
She settled herself in and then leaned over Dom to shower him with a few more kisses which he answered eagerly. When Kel broke off, she laid her head on his shoulder and let her arm rest on his chest. She was content to feel it rise and fall with his breath. One of Dom's hands covered the one on his chest, and his other arm snaked around her and pulled her in closer to his side.
"And don't forget, this is just for tonight."