Chapter 9. Hope you like.

I own nothing but the plot

Kel made her way back to her rooms. She found Lalasa tidying as usual. Even though Lalasa wasn't officially Kel's maid she still looked after the knight. Looking up from her dusting she noticed her mistress looking very pleased.

"Milady you look like you're walking on clouds. You look very happy." Kel just smiled.

"Oh Lalasa I have ever reason to be happy. Nathan proposed to me and I said yes." Lalasa paused mid sweep.

"Why milady that is good news. But if I may ask what about Dom?" Kel faulted. Dom. It would always come back to Dom.

"Ah Dom. Well I have come to the conclusion that he will never feel the same way about me as I do him."

"Oh I see and you know this how?" Lalasa continued to sweep.

"Because I do. In fact I should go tell him before someone like Neal goes to tell him." With that Kel left her rooms again. Lalasa shook her head. Like Alanna she knew her mistress was making a mistake but knowing it wasn't her place she left Kel's rooms and headed down to her shop and began designing a wedding dress for Kel.

On the way towards Dom's rooms Kel was stopped by a messenger.

"Lady Kel. Lord Raoul wants to talk to you, immediately." Kel nodded and sighed. No doubt she would be sent out to hunt some kind on enemy.

"Ah, Kel." Raoul had left his door open as usual. "I know it's so soon after your last trip but I need you to take the second company out to Tirragen. There is word of some bandits on the loose. I need to go and take care of some things back home." Kel nodded. "The bandits stole the smith's older daughters and the family wants them back as soon as possible. So it's up to you to free the daughters and bring the bandits home for trials." Kel nodded again.

"Sure Raoul I can do that. Tell the men to get ready." Kel left Raoul's room and went back to her own to get her gear.

"Lalasa I'm being called ou…" Kel stopped. Lalasa wasn't in her rooms. She grabbed her bag which Lalasa had already packed and headed for the door. Kel ran to the stables where Hoshi was saddled.

"Move out men. Ride hard." Kel yelled after mounting Hoshi. They set off at a trot and moved into a gallop once they reach the forest. It was a 3 day ride to Tirragen and Kel wanted to make as much progress as possible.

They reached Tirragen in good time. It had been a smooth ride, stopping only to rest the horses and themselves. Kel talked with the headman and got directions to where the bandits were last seen. With some luck they wouldn't have gone far. Kel set Jump and other hunting dogs on the trail and followed them. As dusk was falling the dogs found where the bandits were. Making a note of there surroundings Kel organised with her men about attacking the bandits.

"We'll pick off the sentries but try not to kill them. They need to be trialled. Okay, Max you take your squad around the south side, Jake you take yours around the east side, Timothy you take a squad around the west side and your squad, David, will be with me and we will come from the north side. We will surround them. Remember our main focus is to get these girls back alright?" The men nodded. "Let's get to it then. Move out."

Kel and her squad waited in the trees. The moon came out bright. Kel gave the nod and her sparrows went into action cheeping loudly. That was the signal to start. Everyone moved towards the bandits quietly weapons drawn. They knocked the sentries out and moved towards the group. Through the trees Kel could see most bandits sitting around a fire with beer bottles in their hands. It was unusually quiet. The only sounds were coming from a large tent in a corner. Kel identified girls whimpering and crying and then a man laughed. Anger grew in Kel throat, she wanted to run through the man just for think of doing that to the girls but she knew it would be better if he stood trial. Kel gave the signal and the sparrows cheeped loudly again and her men charged with a loud cry. Moving into the clearing Kel cut down her foes with her glaive only wounding them so they wouldn't be able to fight. While her men took care of the rest of the bandits Kel headed straight for the large tent in the corner. The headman came out only wearing a loin cloth and he was welding a double headed axe.

"Step away from the tent. In the King's name." Kel cried as she came towards him. The man just laughed and lunged forward. Kel dodged him and moved with lightening speed. She cut his arms making him drop his weapon. He stumbled and fell to his knees. Kel called one of her men over and got him to tie up his hands and set him with the rest of them that had lived. Kel lifted back the flap and found two teenage girls about 14 and 16. The older one was lying on the bed naked. Her eyes were red with weeping and she had bruises all over her. The younger one was also naked but her hands, feet and mouth were bound with thick rope. Kel went to work freeing the younger girl telling her that everything was going to be okay now. She helped them both into the remains of their clothes. She ushered them outside and helped them on to Hoshi making sure that they were far away from the headman as possible. She gave the signal to move out and the headed back to Tirragen.

"Thank you so much Lady Knight. What ever can we do to repay you?" the smith bowed his head towards Kel.

"Please just keep your daughters safe from now on, that's all I ask. They are good girls." Kel and the second company had stayed in Tirragen for a few more days after they rescued the girls because of the trials held for the bandits. Kel had made sure the girls were looked after and checked out by a healer. They were all fine apart from the emotional side. Kel signalled her men off. They waved good bye to the town and head home again. They were all happy to go home and Kel couldn't wait see her blue eyed sergeant again. They didn't have to push themselves on the trip home so it took one more day because Kel allowed the men to sleep in and have a rest. Coming up to the palace gates, Kel noticed an extra man next to the wall guards. He waved and Kel guessing who it was waved back. She smiled and led Hoshi to her stall knowing Nathan would be very please she had come home in one piece. Kel took her time brushing Hoshi down letting her men return to their barracks. She felt hands snake around her waist.

"Welcome home Lady Knight." Whispered Nathan. Kel turned in his arms and gave him a huge hug. Nathan moved to press his lips to hers but Kel drew away.

"Are we alone? I don't want to be caught." Kel looked around. From what she could see the stables were abandoned but she wanted to make sure.

"Of course my love. I made sure everyone was gone. And besides we're engaged now so it doesn't matter." Nathan replied his eyes hadn't left Kel's.

"Well in that case." Kel crushed her lips to Nathan's. She had missed him so much when she was gone and it hurt to be apart from him.

"I love you Kel and I missed you so much."

"I was alright. Now I have to have a bath but I'll see you later alright?"

"Sure love. Off you go." Nathan walked with Kel until they came to her rooms. After a quick kiss Kel ducked into her rooms.

Kel fell asleep that night early and missed dinner. Opening her eyes in the morning her stomach growled reminding her that she hadn't eaten in ages and that she was still weak from her injury. Groaning she rolled over dragged clothes over her head and headed out the door in search of some food to fill her empty stomach. For a change she headed down to the Own's mess hall. Entering many called out to her but she looked for one squad in particular. Dom's squad and the rest of the third company were missing. She hadn't heard anything so she went over to the second company and asked them.

"Lord Raoul took them out last night. News of immortals I think." Kel just nodded thinking of the last time she encountered immortals. Not a happy memory.

"Oh okay. Thought it was quieter." The men laughed. Kel was sad. Dom was gone and she hadn't had the chance to tell him about Nathan. That would just have to wait. She pushed the thought from her mind that Dom might get hurt and tried to fill her mind up with the talk from the second company.

After breakfast Kel was feeling desperate. She kept thinking about Dom and his squad and how they could get hurt out there. She had one more thing that she wanted to try. She headed to Neal and Yuki's room.

"Kel what did I do this time? I swear I've been on my best behaviour." Neal wined as Kel dragged him towards the stables.

"I know but I need a jousting partner and you're the only one who will do it with me. Also it's been a few weeks since you last flew. I thought you might need reminding." Kel saddled Peachblossom as Neal saddled his horse.

"But that's not fair. I'm always your jousting partner. Why can't you pick someone else?"

"Others won't fly like you do. Besides you need the practice." Kel led Peachblossom towards the field.

"Why didn't I stay at university? Why on earth did I decide to become a knight?" Neal pleaded to the sky. Kel heard.

"Because of your family history. All the sons became knights." Kel replied as they readied themselves.

"That was a rhetorical question you know."

Kel laughed. "I know but I just had to answer it for you."

As predicted Neal flew every time they ran.

"Please no more. You've had your fun. I need to go back to my wife and beg for a warm bath." Neal said as he got up the seventh time he flew. Kel just laughed.

"Sure Neal. I can wait until tomorrow. That's fine with me. I almost thought you weren't going to fly that last time."

"Sod off." Neal grumbled as he made his way back to the stables leading his horse. Together they got the horses rubbed down and fed and made their way inside. Neal headed towards his rooms faking a limp. Kel laughed again and headed towards hers. She found them empty and lay down on the bed. The jousting had worked. For an hour and a half she had forgotten all about Dom and the immortals. Now that she was alone the thoughts came flooding back. Thinking of nothing else Kel went in search of her fiancé.

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