Previously:

"Sir Meathead! When did you get here?" The youthful man asked walking up to his cousin with a huge smile, which immediately fell when he saw his cousin's anxious face. "What's wrong? Where is Kel?"

….

"Keladry is still being seen to by Lady Alanna and His Grace Duke Baird." Yuki's answer was soft and cracked due to her tears.

Dom's face drained of color and his men's eyes widened in alarm.

"Kel's hurt?" Dom whispered yet no one confirmed his question.

"What happened to Lady Kel?" Wolset asked louder than his sergeant had.

"It 'us a raid" Tobe spoke up. All the men's heads swung to face the small boy but to their shock all he did was burst into tears.

"Tobe?" Dom said softly placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"I dun't know no's more M'lady sent me fur help" The boy whimpered.

"Neal what in Mirthos name happened?" Dom shouted losing his patience.

"We thought we had taken them all out. But there was still one more, an archer. Kel had a few scrapes but was fine she had just finished off the last solider standing when the archer shot. It hit her shoulder, the one Stennum stabbed by in Scanran. Kel fell off Hoshi and Hoshi panicked and became protective of her Mistress. Hoshi stood guard over Kel and would not let anyone get neat enough to her. I tried to get to her but it seems Peachblossom taught Hoshi how to bite I understand the horse was frightened…"

"Terrified 'ats what she was." Tobe cut in feeling the need to protect Hoshi.

"Anyways it was easy to see that Kel was bleeding badly and the arrow was still embedded in her shoulder. All I could tell was that she was defiantly unconscious. Quasim's squad found us and Tobe calmed Hoshi down so I was able to get to Kel and examine her. She had bled out a lot, and the arrow…"

Neal paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "was poisoned."

Dom and the men of the Own were shell shocked, "Will… will she be alright?" Wolset managed to ask.

"She is still unconscious however she is better off than before." A new voice announced a look showed a short fiery redheaded woman.

"Can we see her Lioness?" Dom's voice cracked as he asked.

"Only two people at a time for now she needs her rest. Does anyone know where her brother's are positioned they should be sent for."

"Inness is at Giantkiller, and I believe Conol is on leave at Corus." Yuki responded, "That's what llane told me."

"Very well I will send a letter to Inness as well as her parents. He may be given leave to come visit her. So two at a time, who is the first to visit Kel?"

Tobe was already out of his chair and Dom was ushering him out of the room.

…

(Tobe POV)

Milady had been asleep for five days today she had gone three days with the poison running through her. According to Lady Alanna the poison was slow working, one meant to starve a person from the inside out. The poison did affect Milady, it ate at her fat and muscle, that's what Sergeant Dom said. Caused her to lose twenty pounds and Milady was not large to begin with.

Its was Master Numair who came and gave her a potion that stopped the poison. That was two days ago, and she had been sleeping ever since. Sergeant Dom is a mess, he did not leave Milady for two days and not willingly did he leave.

Milord Raoul dragged him out by threats, bribes; he also caused Dom to feel guilty by using Kel herself, and physically dragging him out.

"How did you think she would react to you ignoring your duties?"

It worked for less than one night Duke Braid awoke to a crash in the infirmary, early in the morning. He rushed in and found Dom sitting in his unusual chair at Kel's side. Lord Raoul decided Dom needed a good break anyways and so allowed him to stay as long as he took care of himself.

I was just now coming to bring him a lunch and see Milady. Master Numair believed she should wake any day now, and I hoped today was the day. I reached the room and I heard a crash and shouting.