Glumly, Dom slumped into a seat in the mess. Daisuke noticed his presence. The ronin gathered two plates of stew and walked over. He placed the meal in front of Dom and sat down. "Eat." Daisuke ordered. "It will give you an excuse not to answer my questions."
Dom regarded the Yamani with suspicion, but nonetheless took a spoonful of soup. For a warrior, Daisuke was a "great help" in the kitchen.
"You are hiding something." The ronin started.
"I thought you were going to ask questions." Dom retorted, taking a bigger spoonful.
"I was leading into my first question. What are you hiding? The message to your commander and the guilt on your face tell me that your conscience is uneasy."
Dom shrugged, chewing slowly.
"I know you belong to the King's Own, and you cannot marry while you still serve. Yet, you and Lady Keladry are," Daisuke hesitated, "involved. Nod your head if the answer is yes."
Dom nodded and swallowed.
"So, I can infer that the letter to your commander asks for permission to leave the company. But why would this upset you?" Daisuke wondered.
Dom thought for a moment as he ate. Daisuke waited patiently, knowing the Tortallian would lose patience before he did. Finally, Dom explained, "it's more than just leaving the Own. What Kel and I have is different. We're removed from court, from gossip, but that means we also haven't bothered to define our relationship. When I leave the Own, my mother will pounce with her army of mothers with available daughters. What am I going to tell her? What am I going to tell them?"
"Don't tell me—your mother is a conservative." Daisuke joked.
Dom grimaced. "It's not funny. I still have enough siblings that my parents can afford to disinherit me. The next few months of my life," Dom trailed off and took a sip of the remaining broth. "Have you ever been in love?" He asked, trying to change the subject.
Daisuke's eyes glazed over, shielding his thoughts. "Once."
Dom caught the change. "What happened?"
The ronin rested his head on one hand. "She's a Shang, not the type to settle down with a husband." His lips curved up on the barest hint of an ironic smile.
"Is that why you wander too? Hoping to find her again someday?"
Daisuke gave Dom a polite, blank, Yamani smile, and took his first bite of stew. Dom growled in annoyance and went to find Kel.
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Wyldon sent news that the king had agreed to hold a tournament for the lands. The former training mastered also personally offered to command the fort while Kel competed in Corus. She shared the message with Neal and Merric first, as they would be eligible to participate as well. The two stared at her incredulously. "Why would we want to compete?" Merric asked lazily. "It's much easier letting you order us about. Besides, I'm only here for another season before reassignment."
Kel blinked. She'd forgotten that her year mates would move on to other projects. She'd been so absorbed in running the fort, it seemed like she forgotten how temporary this post was supposed to be. What would she do if she DIDN'T win the tournament?
Neal snapped her out of her thoughts. "Kel, we're your friends, and we know how much New Hope means to you. We wouldn't try to take it away."
Merric skimmed through the letter and his expression changed to alarm. "Meathead, take a look at this. Jonathan is re-instituting the melee for the tournament."
Neal squawked with surprise and grabbed the letter. He looked at Kel gravely. "Keladry of Mindelan, I will come with you to this tournament." He glanced meaningfully at Merric. "You know what that means. Every conservative with a horse will be out trying to knock Kel around before the matches even begin. I wouldn't put it past some of them to cheat. Remember Voelden? He almost ran her through when she was a squire."
"Honestly Neal, I am not a mousey young noble woman who needs protecting!" Kel's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. "I can win on my own."
"We know that." Merric remarked airily. "We just want to watch you in your crowning moment, Mother."
Kel couldn't decide whether to hug or hit them.
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She found Dom building new cots for the infirmary. "Tell me you're not planning to make your bed and sleep in it too." Kel commented.
Dom stood and dusted off his hands. "Not alone anyway." His lips quirked in one of his trademark grins.
Kel shivered and her fingers touched the anti-pregnancy charm around her neck. Not yet. she scolded herself. You still don't even know where this relationship is going.
"In a few weeks, I'll be heading back to Corus for a tournament, winner takes New Hope. My Lord Wlydon will be in charge here for a bit while I'm in the city." Kel explained.
Dom sighed. "I'd better go with you. I've been avoiding my family for a long time, and now that I just resigned from the Own, my mother will interpret my move as the signal to swoop in and attack."
"With what?" Kel asked, dreading the answer.
Dom took a step closer and put his hands on Kel's shoulders. "She's going to try and match me with every eligible noblewoman this side of the Emerald Ocean." He studied Kel's eyes; they'd gone hard and defensive. He sighed. "Kel, I'm not interested in any other women, but my mother...she was born and raised in a family where a woman's duty was to sit, sew and dote on her husband; and most of all, stay home. That's what she wants me to marry."
"Then she'll never approve of me." Kel retorted. Her dreamer's eyes were heavy with certainty.
"That doesn't matter, I like you just fine." He ruffled her short hair and kissed her softly on the cheek. "For luck." he murmured.
"For me or for you?" Kel asked, turning her face so his next kiss landed on her lips.
"Both." Dom replied as the kiss deepened.
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Later…
Kel hummed softly to herself as she rubbed down Peachblossom's coat. His sides were streaked with sweat. They'd been practicing the joust all afternoon. The willow target was tricky, but it was another experience entirely when a full-blooded knight was charging at you with a lance. She hoped she wasn't too out of practice.
Jump lolled in the hay behind her. He was exhausted after chasing rings all afternoon.
Daisuke entered silently and Jump offered his belly to the visitor. The ronin grinned and reached down to pet the little scamp. "You have many interesting friends, Lady Knight."
"You can call me Kel." She stated. "Your sister does."
"My little sister has been your friend for years, I barely know you."
"Are you here to change that?" She asked, feeling a little strange. Daisuke showed up in the oddest places, at the most unexpected times.
"I came to ask if I may compete in your tournament." He stated calmly, as pleasant as the Eastern breeze.
"It's not my tournament, the crown is hosting it." She retorted. "I'm merely a competitor. If you want to come, I won't stop you. The cooks will miss your help around here though." She gave him a conspiratorial grin.
Daisuke gave her a polite bow and retreated. Kel gazed after him, wishing she knew a little more about Yuki's older brother.
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