Dear all awesome readers,

I know its a bit short but here is chapter 10! I'm finally officially in double digits! (Im not counting the prologue) everyone read and enjoy and keep letting me know what you think, it means a lot

lots of love

izzy

Chapter 10

Troublesome Times

Raoul pov

It had been almost four weeks since Raoul had dropped the bomb on Jon and Alanna and they still hadn't come up with their response. The suspense had grown tiresome and painful and Raoul impatient. He walked from his chamber in the Own's barracks to the king's office in the palace. Jon was sitting at his desk with his face resting in his hands, exhausted.

'Jon', Raoul's voice brought his head up at the sound of his name, 'we need to talk.'

'Raoul,' Jon sounded tired, 'the last time you said that we needed to talked you told me you were retiring! What more bad news are you going to lay on me?'

'I don't come with bad news, Jon, I have a suggestion.' Raoul responded gently.

'Raoul, we've discussed this!' Jon responded with exasperation. 'Keladry of Mindelan cannot take your place. It is inappropriate and the conservatives will have a fit!'

'They'll have a fit no matter who you choose, Jon. They did with me, and I dealt with it. Why do you believe that Kel would be any different?'

'Because she's a woman, Raoul. It will be her in charge of hundreds of men and rumors will spread.'

'Jon, who else can you choose? She's the only person qualified!'

Jon buried his head in his hands, 'Raoul, the conservatives will not tolerate another woman in a high ranking military role. We already have the queen and both her ladies and her riders, who up until recently were run by Buri. We have a female Champion. It will not be viewed positively to have a woman commanding the King's Own.'

'Jon you know very well what happens when a man is placed in a larger position than he's ready for, or need I remind you of Captain Glaisdan of Haryse? Surely it would be better to have Kel, a woman with experience with command and with the own, than to have some young man who has only ever led a small group or just himself?' Raoul didn't notice that his voice was beginning to rise.

'No, not if it looses what little support the conservatives have afforded me!' Jon spoke bitterly.

'What support? Jon, the conservatives have never supported you, but they know that there is no one else so they put up with you. I doubt Kel's role would change that much. Besides, I know that some of them respect her in their own way.'

Jon's blue eyes burned with anger as he looked up at his old friend. 'Raoul, for now you are dismissed. I will make my own decision in this matter based on what I think is best for the kingdom.' Before Raoul turned to leave, he met the king's eyes with a glare of his own.

Kel's pov

All of this happened without Kel's knowledge, for she continued with her normal activities completely unaware. However a month after Raoul's argument with Jon, no retirement announcement had come and the king had far more to deal with as princess Shinkokami fell suddenly ill six months into her pregnancy. Kel and Yuki spend many hours sitting at her sick bed while the healers in the city tried to discover what was ailing the princess. They said that they had to be delicate with their magic because they could risk harming the child.

Kel was taking a short break from her vigil since Yuki had insisted that after five days at Shinko's bedside, she was due for a break. When Kel initially refused, Yuki revealed that she had brought back up in the form of Dom, Neal, Merric and Owen. The men insisted that at the very least she had a proper meal and a short nap.

The group ate a hearty beef stew and tried to maintain conversation and restore some resemblance to normality but Kel ate little, and spoke even less. The hour she spent with her friends drifted past in a haze, exhaustion blurring her vision and hunger making her weak. Ultimately, they carried her to Merric's rooms and the second she placed her head on the pillows on the couch, she was overcome by sleep.

Dom's pov

As Kel slept in the guest room, Dom sat with his cousin in another, tapping his foot nervously.

'Dom, you have to calm down,' Neal insisted.

'Neal, I'm sorry but I've never seen Kel in such a state and I'm worried about her. She's lost weight and she looks so pale.'

'Thats what happens when you don't eat or sleep for several days on end.' Neal paused, 'Kel probably feels helpless, you know how much she hates that.'

'I know, but still...'

'From what I've heard from Yuki and my father, Shinko has been slipping in and out of consciousness. It can't be easy for Kel to watch her friend in such a state. They don't know if she'll survive, and if she does, the baby may not.'

Dom nodded and stood up. He walked quietly over to the door, which was slightly ajar to see Kel curled in a ball on the couch. He turned back to his cousin who was lounging on one of the armchairs thinking.

'How long will she sleep?' Dom asked quietly.

'Normally I'd say about seven more hours but given how tired she was, it could much longer.' Neal paused, 'Dom, stop pacing.'

The other man stopped mid step, completely unaware that he'd even taken it in the first place.

Just then, Lady Arina stuck her head in, 'I was wondering if I could offer you some more to drink.'

Neal responded, 'I think my cousin could use some, but I'm afraid I must decline. I am going to see whether my father or wife need any assistance.'

Suddenly, Dom was alone with a large glass of strong mead, a sleeping knight and more worries than he cared to count.