Chapter 3

Kel stayed in her room for the rest of the afternoon. She was ashamed that she had let herself go to pieces in front of Dom. He was probably off having a laugh with the rest of his squad now. She passed the time doing pattern dances and some of the Shang exercises that Eda Bell had taught her. She might have skipped dinner, but her grumbling stomach, and Tobe, reminded her that she hadn't had lunch and needed to eat at least a little something.

Her dread of going to the mess hall was lightened a little bit by the companion she ran into on her way. Lost in her thoughts she nearly ran directly into the realms only other lady knight and her husband, baron George Cooper.

" Oh Lady Alanna, I'm sorry, I was a wasn't watching where I was going"

" I can see that. What's on your mind?"

" Oh just tired that's all, wedding stuff and training all afternoon. Speaking of which, when are you wanting to learn the glaive my lady"

" Its Alanna, and I wouldn't mind after dinner if your not too tired"

" Not at all"

The two lady knights made plans to meet at the second bell after supper in the training courts. In all honestly, Alanna had no intention of learning Glaive fighting tonight. She had overheard a sergeant from the Kings Own, the cousin of her former squire, muttering to himself in the privy that afternoon about how to court a lady knight. Since she was already married, he must have been talking about Kel and she intended to find out what was going on. She had conscripted her husband to help, he was to sit with the sergeant at dinner and figure out exactly what was going on.

Dom had intended to talk to Kel over dinner, but when she entered the mess hall she with talking intently with Lady Alanna. The first lady knight was well known for her temper and Dom didn't feel like interrupting. He was focusing on his dinner when he was joined by Baron George Cooper and Lord Raoul.

" My lord, Baron, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

George was the first to answer, " I thought you mightn't mind some advise lad. Seeing as I am currently the only man alive currently in a relationship with a lady knight I thought you might appreciate a few pointers."

Dom looked up in surprise. " I beg your pardon sir?"

" My lovely wife overheard you in the privy this afternoon, and being her, she just couldn't resist meddling."

Realization dawned on Dom's face accompanied by a faint blush. " well, Sir, I guess I have to accept, I honestly have no idea what on earth to do. She's always been just Kel to me, but today she told me she was lonely and wanted someone to love her. I never even thought of her as a woman before, but now that's she's pointed it out I can't get her out of my head. But I have no idea how to go about mentioning it to her, I mean she's not exactly a court lady, but that's what I love about her."

The baron looked a him a while and finally said " what I am going to tell you is something that my wife herself told me. She said that what she really wanted was a man who could see her as a woman and treat her right, while understanding she is a warrior. To many men put the two in separate categories and assume they cannot overlap. Don't make that mistake. Treat her as a woman and treat her as a warrior."

This, to Dom, seemed remarkably unhelpful and he responded with " so are you suggesting I give her a bunch of flowers whilst asking her opinion on strategy sir?"

This elucidated a chuckle out of both George and Raoul.

" well, I'm not sure about that exactly, but just keep that in mind for when you try and talk to her." With this the Baron finished his dinner and went off to find his prickly wife. Dom then turned to Raoul and said,

" Sir, you have been remarkably quiet this whole conversation, what do you suggest?"

Raoul looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before responding. " This is a tough spot for me Dom, you know with her parents in the Yamani Isles I think of myself as Kel's father, and as such I feel like its my job to keep flirts like you away from her." Dom looked shocked at this, but Raoul held up his hand indicating he should wait. He continued, " however, you certainly seem to want to make things better for her, and I know you care, so I'll put my misgivings aside for a moment. I think what you need to do is think about Kel, what she needs most, and then ask yourself if you can give it to her."

Dom thought for a moment. Kel definitely wasn't in need of a man to defend her, she didn't need a man to give her life meaning, and she didn't need a man to fulfill her. What she might need was a man to make her laugh, a man who might listen at the end of day, a man who could care for the woman who cared for everyone else. Dom knew in his heart he could be that man, he was simply suited to it, a flirt, a tease, he always knew how to make her laugh.

" Thank you Sir" he said to Raoul who was now standing to leave " I think I have a better idea of what to do now"

Raoul smiled and added one last comment; " Masbolle, I may be helping you now, but I swear to mithros if you hurt her, I will make you pay for it, and no doubt there would be others lining up to help me. Keep that in mind"

Dom swallowed hard at that thought. He knew along with Lord Raoul, the entire third company and most of her year mates would feel the need to damage the man who had hurt their Kel. Kel had that affect on people, even though she needed no one to take care of her, people always felt the need to. He was going to need to be very careful.