A quick note - anonymous reviewer Ruthie noticed a few mistakes I made; firstly, Dom doesn't have the Gift (oops) and secondly…I have no idea what has happened with knights / King's Own / leaders / squadrons in this fic. (double oops). This is a definite sign that I should've done my homework and looked up some quick facts on Tamora Pierce Wiki. The thing is, though, I've been pretty busy recently and will only be able to finish this fic. on time by the skin of my teeth – this means that sometime in the future I may go back and make small changes to the fic. in order to make it more accurate…but in the meantime, I'll just continue on with things as they are, party due to lack of time, and partly because I really can't be bothered looking up military affiliations after working on my history essay all day :S

Sorry about what is now a ridiculously long author note. Oops. And it's about to get longer because I haven't done a disclaimer and probably should.

Disclaimer: I, Philippa Spark, do not own anything in this fic apart from the mediocre storyline. :) Characters, world etc. all belong to Tamora Pierce…although who wouldn't mind a share in Dom? :P

Chapter 3 must include a candle…

The moon was high in the sky, and everyone in the campsite was asleep – well, nearly everyone.

Crash!

Somewhere near the hospital tent, a tent rope had claimed another victim.

"Shush!"

Kel sat bolt upright in bed.

"Sorry!" came the whispered reply.

A voice – a lady's voice? – sighed affectedly. "Well, Clumsy, you should be, you – you-"

"Meathead?" That was Dom's voice for sure.

Kel's eyes widened as she heard nervous giggling and the sound of a tent flap being pushed aside. The voices belonging to Dom and his friend retreated inside, and Kel caught a brief murmur of conversation before the tent flap resettled and the listening spells kicked in.

Her eyes narrowed and she squared her shoulders. Listening spells weren't about to stop her!

She reached under her bed sheets for her griffon feathers – and felt only sheets. She wriggled around, tossing about her covers as she hastily tried to grab them, but still couldn't find them. Shuffling about, searching unsuccessfully, Kel knew she was wasting precious time – and missing out on what could be very telling information! Then she was forced to stop as her movement caused Owen, in the next bed down, to roll over and mumble in his sleep.

Owen, her lieutenant. She had forgotten about him. He had moved into the sickbay the same time she had, claiming his stomach felt a little odd. It was as if when he saw that Kel could be admitted into the hospital tent, he felt that it wasn't shameful for him to be admitted either. Although, Kel smirked, he didn't look that ill to me. Maybe he just wanted a break.

Normally a slack attitude such as this would have bothered her, but currently Kel had more pressing concerns. Dom's lady-friend was right there, in the camp!

If only she could find the feathers – and she couldn't light a candle for light to search by, or she'd wake Owen, who had enough inquisitiveness for the whole squadron.

There was nothing else for it. She'd have to eavesdrop the traditional way.

Kel shivered as her bare feet touched the cool earth. She slid them quickly into a pair of boots and pulled a blanket round her shoulders as a makeshift cloak. As she tiptoed out of the hospital tent, she carefully felt about for a candle and picked one up as quietly as she could.

One outside, she glanced around for any sign of a small fire. She spotted some embers from last night's campfire smouldering in a heap. Shuffling over, she prodded the candle into the dying embers and prayed.

Life spluttered to candle, and Kel grinned in the dim light of the growing flame. She turned quickly and slipped towards Dom's tent.

The listening spells were still in effect – Kel had to make an opening in the tent to find an opening in the spell. She gave a silent prayer to the Goddess as slid her fingers under the tent flap, raising it as high as she dared. She knew the tent was large, so chances were that no-one would be looking her way. Besides, she thought darkly, they're probably otherwise occupied.

She put her ear to the gap in the tent. She swallowed nervously as she heard the voices so near.

"So," Kel's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Dom's voice, "where are the others?"

Others? thought Kel. Others!

"I rode ahead." That voice was undoubtedly female – and Kel had a strange feeling that it was terribly familiar.

Dom chuckled. It was a warm, rich sound that raised goose bumps on Kel's already shivering skin. "That's a good thing," he said, "you're a lot easier on the eyes than some of the others – I can think of one who would burn my men's eyes out."

"You amuse me when you speak that way." The woman laughed, and Kel felt a pang of envy at the beautiful, feminine sound. "Sometimes I actually think you should marry each other!"

Kel knew that voice. She knew she knew it.

Kel could tell Dom was rolling his eyes. "I'm sorry, but that is disgusting. I am repulsed."

There was a moment's silence, and then the pair broke out laughing once more.

"You know what?" The woman sounded reflective. "I'm so proud of you. You actually planned this properly – I didn't think you were capable of that!"

"Hey, I'm not entirely governed by sudden urges and impulses!" Dom put on a mock injured tone.

"No, really; it's wonderful you planned this so well. I mean, Kel doesn't have the least idea that anything's going on in this camp behind her back!"

Kel recoiled in shock, her head spinning. She had just realised who owned the light, female voice. It was a lady who should have been miles and miles away, standing faithfully by her husband's side. She was one of Kel's best friends, and her name was Yukimi noh Daiomoru.

BAM BAM BAM!

Did you see that one coming? I hope not :P Who did you think it would be? In the meantime please review (and thank you if you already have), and look out for chapters 4 and 5, which will be up before the end of May if I'm going to meet my deadline :)