AN: Today was my first day of school. It's ba-ack! So naturally, I came home feeling inspired to write this chapter. Thanks to 13.shimer.13, Lioness Queen, LouLaBelle13, An-Jelly-Ca, anythingatall, CopperIslander, Starzgirl, and Darking Girl for reviewing chapter 2! For now, here's Dom!
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IN PAIN AND PASSION
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I whistled as I walked down the path. It was just after morning practice. I'd been sparring with Wolset and two other sergeants, Osbern and Balim. Wolset elbowed me.
"What's got you so 'appy?" he muttered. I'd clobbered him in practice.
"He's just at that place in life when everything's golden," Balim teased. I didn't say anything; why draw attention to the comment if it was true?
"Now that's a sight," Osbern said, looking down the path. I glanced ahead and saw three ladies standing in a circle. Yamani fans danced above their heads.
"What're those things called?" Balim asked.
"I think Kel said they're sasu-somethings," I said. "I don't know, to me they're just sharp fans that almost cost my dear cousin a limb."
Kel gave a green fan an extra twirl and tossed it into the air, sending a blue one after it.
Now the ladies had three fans going.
Prince Roald, his father, and Sir Gareth the Younger were standing nearby, the latter awkwardly . Me and my boys bowed to the royals, then settled down to watch the game. I saw Kel's cheeks flush, and she gave a command I didn't hear. Each lady caught a fan for a final time and snapped them shut.
Grinning, I snuck up behind Kel and wrapped my arms around her.
"You're beautiful," I whispered over her shoulder. Kel smiled, resting her head against mine. Prince Roald came over and clapped me on the shoulder.
"Let me be the first to threaten you," he said. "After all, there are plenty of us who won't stand to see Kel hurt."
"Why do you think I didn't pursue the relationship when she was a squire?" I mumbled. Kel elbowed me gently. I thought that I'd receive a scolding when I turned to her, but instead Kel's eyes were fixed on the cobblestone path.
I looked to see a page-boy running towards the King. He stumbled and fell, bloodying both knees, but the lad proved resilient. When he reached King Jonathan he gave a breathless bow.
As Prince Roald healed the scrapes, his father got the boy's message. Yamani warships had attacked Port Caynn at dawn!
An emergency council was immediately called. Kel and I went back to her room, packing what we'd need if we were called to fight. I knew I was sure to be sent, but I prayed Kel wouldn't be going too. There was no sense in endangering the life of the baby. I told her so. She relieved me by agreement.
"I'm only a few weeks along and I already don't know what I'd do if I lost the baby," she whispered, hugging me.
"Lord Raoul-" I began. "Maybe we should tell him. He'll make sure that you're stationed somewhere safe." Kel nodded, stress showing on her face and in her posture. I rubbed her back with my right hand.
The palace was chaotic, everyone bustling around trying to be useful. Lord Raoul came out of the council room with his arm around his wife. They smiled when they saw us.
"My Lord, may we have a word?" Kel asked. I grasped her hand and followed them to a quiet corner of the hall.
"What is it?" Raoul asked. I let Kel draw strength from my fingers.
"I suppose that by now you know that Dom and I are more than friends," she began. Raoul shifted anxiously and Buri watched someone across the room, both too preoccupied to pay attention to babbling. Even I was out of patience for Kel's hedging. I put an arm around her shoulders.
"There's a child," I blurted. That drew the attention of the commanders before me. "I was hoping- well we were hoping that you could find her a post were the baby wouldn't be in any danger."
"Princess Shinkokami already requested that you head her private guards," Buri said. Lord Raoul still looked too shocked to speak. Kel smiled up at me.
"I should have known she would do something," she said. Raoul still said nothing, just looking between me and Kel.
"My lord, it's alright. I want this," Kel whispered, hugging him. He and his wife were called down the hall. Raoul patted Kel's back before he glanced at me.
"I'll hurt you later," he said, hand on my shoulder as he passed.
The next couple of hours were confusing. Kel helped me get the rest of my gear and my mount ready. At last it was time to say goodbye. I was already mounted, so I leaned down and caught Kel in my left arm, pressing my lips to hers. She smiled tremblingly when I let her go.
"If you die, I'll never forgive you," she said fiercely, hitting my leg to accent her point. I leaned down and captured her in a more passionate kiss, drawing whistles from my squad.
"Take care of yourself. Remember to eat for two," I whispered, voice thick. Kel nodded, turning away so I wouldn't see her tears. As the order was given to ride out, Kel disappeared into the crowd of well-wishers.
I turned, determined to stay focused and come home to her in one piece. It took our party of warriors the better part of the afternoon to get to Port Caynn. I was shocked when I saw how different the port looked from the last time I'd seen it. The outer seaside wall had been torn apart by Yamani catapults. Smoke billowed about, but we rode on through, passing into the gates.
A great white hawk flew down and landed on Lord Wyldon's mount. A human head appeared where the hawk's had been. The Wildmage. I was nearby, riding by Lord Raoul, so I was close enough to hear and see everything.
"There's a heavy dampener spell on the city. We lost three little boys because the healers can't work. Before the spell started my husband took out one of the ships but he's weak now. Very weak."
At that point Lord Raoul called my squad forward. We were sent to the wall with a rushed wish of good luck. As soon as I got there I started rethinking my decision to join the Own.
What kind of man would put himself on this kind of blatant danger? Especially a man who was soon to be a father. I wanted nothing more than to turn and run away from the battle. Fortunately, I was distracted from my thoughts by a young woman's calls of "Thet, stop!"
I turned just in time to see a young boy racing towards me, dodging between my men. Timing my step just right, I caught him by the back of his shirt and lifted him into my arms.
"Where do you think you're going- Thet, is it?" I asked, looking into the boy's face. He nodded, then rushed breathlessly on.
"M'lord, one of the ships has different colors, but no'un believes me."
"Where?" I asked, looking out to the sea. Thet pointed.
"The one in the back."
"Gods, he's right," Wolset said. I grabbed his spyglass, still holding Thet. The boy must have had the Sight, to see ships from so far away.
"It's a Scanran galleon," I said. Immediately I sent Wolset to relay the new development to Lords Raoul and Wyldon. "Where's your mama?" I asked Thet. Tears welled up in the boy's eyes. He buried his face in my shoulder and soon there was a wet spot on my tunic.
"His ma died yesterday, my lord," said the woman who'd been chasing Thet. "Blown off the wall in the blast. I'm in charge of the local orphanage. I'll take him now."
"Please don't make me go 'ith her," he whispered. "She be mean."
"I'll come and see you later," I said softly. I didn't want to make him go, but he had to be safe. If Kel and I had a boy, would I let him stay in the thick of a battle? Thet sniffled.
"Promise?" he whimpered. I pulled off one of my sergeant's armbands and handed it to the boy.
"Keep this for me until I come," I said, patting his back. Then I handed him off.
"Softie," Wolset teased, reclaiming his spyglass. I turned my attention back to the ships. A couple new ships were sailing over the horizon lines. If Scanra had united with the Yamani Islands, Tortall could very easily be in a heap of trouble, more than any of us wanted to see.
