A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews! Here's what happens next!

Chapter Six: Yamani Observations

"There were tournaments: Kel entered as many contests as she could. It was the only way she could even briefly stop worrying about Cleon, in battle as a knight for the first time…"

-Tamora Pierce, Squire

Not long after her birthday had passed, Cleon left for Northwatch. He told her that he would probably be gone at least all summer and it wasn't long after he told her that that he had left.

Kel tried to fill her days with jousting, training, and visiting with friends on Progress, but eventually her mind would wander back to Cleon. She was worried since it was his first call to duty as a knight.

"Missing that red-headed friend of yours?" Shinko teased her one morning. She was getting into a routine of having glaive practice with her Yamani friends almost every day. Their practice had already ended for that morning, and Kel was busy cleaning her glaive when Shinko said this.

She was tired of her friends asking that question. Of course she missed him, but did they really expect her to spend every waking second thinking about him? Was it bad that she wasn't? She obviously thought about him often, but was often far less than she should be?

She sighed somewhat irritably, "Yes, I am, Shinko. But he's a knight like I, gods-willingly, will be as well. We can't dwell on things like that. Knights are constantly being called here and there. You can't expect me to moon over him while he's gone. I'm a squire, I have to train and fight, too."

Looking at her friend's eyes, Kel quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Shinko. It's just that everyone's been asking me that lately, and I've just gotten tired of it. Of course I miss him, but I can't let that take up my whole life. I have a lot of things to do, and daydreaming has never been one of them. To tell you the truth, I'm more worried about him than wishing he was here. Is that okay?"

Shinko's gave a small laugh. She was coming a long way in Tortallan society for a Yamani. "Certainly it is, Kel."

To her, and Yuki who had just walked over, Kel said, "But Cleon and I are courting. Shouldn't I feel more than just worried for him? I mean, I'm worried for Neal too when he's off traveling with the Lioness…"

"That's because that sharp tongue of his is likely to get that hot-tempered Lioness to bite his head off one day," commented Yuki, exasperated. Kel had taken notice of the way Yuki and Neal always found something to argue about. Kel wasn't foolish enough to mention that Yuki had just as sharp a tongue as her best friend.

Kel chuckled, "You do have a point there." Then returning to her previous topic, she said, "But is it wrong for me to worry about Cleon the same way I worry about my other friends? I think of him more, but I worry about him much more than I miss him. Shouldn't the two be equal?"

"Those are some loaded questions," commented Yuki.

"I don't really know how to answer those for you," added Shinko.

"Well then how do you feel when Roald's gone?" asked Kel.

Shinko chuckled, "He isn't gone often. You should know that by the way he complains."

"But when he is…?"

Shinko looked down and said softly, "Then I miss him a whole lot."

Kel cupped her face in her hands and groaned. "Cleon's been gone for over a month, and I'm already not missing him as much as I should be. What's wrong with me?"

Yuki and Shinko hid their amusement expertly. "Nothing's the matter with you," said Shinko kindly. "Like you said, you're a busy young woman. Don't compare yourself to me. People are different. And unlike you, I have very few things to keep my mind busy."

"Yeah, nothing besides becoming queen one day," said Yuki sarcastically.

Shinko shot her a look that told her she wasn't helping.

To make up for it, Yuki told Kel, "But you know Cricket, Kel. She's always been a hopeless romantic, whereas you and I are planted firmly on the ground."

That comment caused Shinko to put her hands on her hips and ask stubbornly, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"All I'm saying is that Kel and I are more rational, whereas you are more of a head-in-the-clouds type," Yuki explained.

"Head-in-the-clouds? Just because I miss my betrothed while he's away?" Shinko questioned unbelievably.

Kel was laughing too hard to listen to the rest of the conversation. She decided to leave before she got pulled into that mess. Like her, they would be too stubborn to give-in for awhile.

As soon as Kel left, both Yamani's stopped their arguing and stared at the door Kel had exited through.

Then Shinko turned to Yuki. "I don't know about you, but did you ever think that Kel and Cleon…together…worked?"

"No," Yuki replied softly. Knowing what her friend was already going to say, she had answered even as Shinko was still finishing her sentence.

"Good. Then I don't feel so horrible saying it," said Shinko.

Deep in thought, Yuki observably added, "And to tell you the truth, I think Kel knows it- always has. She never had any inkling that the boy even liked her until he kissed her. She told me that herself- which leads me to believe that she never had feelings for him beyond friendship until then. And with him not around, I'm guessing that she'll soon remember that too."

"Well friendship can turn into love," said Shinko. "Look at me and Roald."

"Yes, that's true," admitted Yuki. "But then again I don't think they- or maybe she…" Yuki shook her head, not finishing her statement.

"Neither do I," agreed Shinko, on the same train of thought.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Shinko suddenly said, "Though I do think Kel and that sergeant-"

"Forget it, Shinko," said Yuki, waving it off. "You've told me that theory a million times over the last couple of months!"

"But I think they would really-"

"Head-in-the-clouds, Shinko, head-in-the-clouds," Yuki teased.

Shinko rolled her eyes. But she still did think they would work well together…

On a very hot night in August, Kel sat with a group of men from the Own around a large fire. Though the fire was hot, it provided the light they wanted. They were eating a late supper after setting up camp.

Once they got their food, they ate quickly and quietly. Kel had learned years ago that men rarely conversed when there was food in front of them. Once they finished however was a different story. They laughed and joked and loved to tell stories of their exploits, especially whenever there was a new recruit or any listening ear around to hear them.

As luck had it, Raoul had hired a few new recruits out of the last town the Progress had stopped in. The men were talking their ears off.

"-And then those filthy bandits tried to outsmart us by circling around behind us and retreating, but Lord Raoul is a mighty fine tracker, lads," said one of the veteran soldiers.

"Yeah, don't try to run away from the Own, boys. If you do, milord will hunt you down like a bloodhound," said another.

"That's right, he'll just follow his nose," said the first one. Then he put his hand to the side of his mouth like he was telling them a secret, "That's because we sometimes don't bathe for months."

Laughter boomed from around the campfire as they saw one of the young men's eyes widen visibly. Kel couldn't help but laugh along.

"He can sense cowardice, too," said another soldier.

As if on cue, Raoul came walking by, no doubt on the way to his tent. The men laughed as they watched the recruits follow him with their eyes.

Chuckling, Kel turned to Dom who was late in coming to the campfire. He was sitting next to her, laughing between mouthfuls of food. "I don't know why you guys find this so funny," she told him, "You do the same thing basically every time."

Dom turned and grinned at her, "We like to keep tradition. Plus…it's fun."

Kel shook her head and smiled, looking back at the new recruits, "Did they do that to you?"

"Oh yeah," he said, "I would have run too if they hadn't fed me that bloodhound line."

She looked back at him disbelievingly. She had seen Dom fight before. He was far from cowardly. She laughed, "You're kidding, right?"

Dom looked at her. "Yeah, but it makes for a good story, huh? Besides it's not like we haven't all flirted with the idea before."

Kel smiled, "That's for sure."

The men continued to tease the new guys until Raoul appeared out of his tent.

"Stop teasing and get to bed, lads! We have a long day's journey ahead of us tomorrow!" And with that he disappeared back into his tent.

The men were silent for a moment. Raoul rarely interrupted their nightly gatherings unless they got too late. Even then he would just put the blame on your shoulders if you chose to stay up.

Looking at Raoul's tent, Dom said loudly for others around them to hear, "I don't think that man's smiled in weeks."

"It's because of this bloody Progress we're stuck on," commented another.

Like Raoul, all the men, including Kel, were tired of the Progress. They were ready to go hunt some bandits or spidrens.

"Hey Dom," said Wolset, a soldier in Dom's squad, "Why don't we show the new lads how we usually get the commander into a fine mood?"

Dom laughed, "I don't know. He seems pretty mad. But then again, there's no such thing as a lost cause…"

The men vocalized their agreement.

Kel, wary of the idea, said quietly, "Dom, I don't think pranks are going to make him happy…"

He smiled at her, "Don't worry, Kel, he hasn't killed us yet."

"It only takes once," muttered Kel.

Dom grinned, "You know, you can join us…"

"No thanks," Kel laughed, "I want to at least make it to the ordeal."

He stopped smiling and looked at her intently. Kel shifted slightly under his steady gaze. "Kel," he finally said, "If anyone is going to make it through that thing, you are."

The look in his eyes made her breath come faster. It was funny how having him just look at her caused that to happen.

The look in his eyes also told her that he believed every word he had said. "Thanks, Dom," she said softly.

"So what are we going to do this time?" someone asked.

They both turned back to the others and Dom joined in decided what prank to play on Raoul.

When Kel got up to go to bed, Dom looked up and asked her, "You're not sticking around for the excitement?"

She shook her head, "No, I don't wish to be any part of it. Remember, I'm his tilting partner."

"Good point," said Dom smiling, "But one of these times I am going to get you in on one of these."

"Whatever, Dom," she said, chuckling. Then she walked to her tent.

Unbeknownst to them, Yuki, coming to visit Kel in her tent, had been watching their exchange. When she talked to Kel for a few minutes, she didn't mention anything about the interaction she had seen between Kel and Dom…though, she was starting to see what Shinko meant.

A/N: Hmmm…so Yuki's catching on, huh? And Shinko's so smart. Great judge of character. Won't she make a great Queen someday? Lol . The next chapter will be up soon!