Kel wasn't going to go down for Midmeal, but just around the time everyone else would be going downstairs for it, a knock came on her door. She wrinkled her nose in annoyance. Before she could open the door, or hide, the door burst open and Neal came barging in.
"Kel!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. Yuki stood behind him, innocently fanning herself with her shukusen. "Let's go down to Midmeal." He grabbed one of her arms and began pulling her out the door.
Kel refused to move. "I don't go down for meals," she informed Neal icily, glaring at Yuki.
Yuki returned her glare with a smile. "Dom will be there."
"Do I care?" Kel growled, furious.
"Yes." Yuki flicked her shukusen shut and put it in her obi. "I might talk to him, you know. And let a few things I know... slip."
"Blackmail!" Kel grumbled. "Fine. He won't even believe you anyway." She sat on her bed, pretending to be calm. Inwards, she was panicking wildly.
Yuki shrugged. "Alright. Bye Kel."
She and Neal began walking casually away from Kel's room.
Kel gritted her teeth. "Fine! I'll come!" She got up from her bed and slammed her door shut, locking it behind her. Yuki watched with a knowing smile, Neal just smirked.
"Get that smirk off your face, Queenscove," Kel stalked off ahead of Neal and Yuki, who followed, smiling.
They reached the mess hall and Kel walked in first.
"Keep in mind, Neal," she muttered so only he could hear. "You will pay for this later, on the practise courts. Maybe we could joust?"
Neal cringed, imagining the pain of being thrown from the saddle again and again by Kel.
They lined up for food and then Neal began herding Kel towards a table with Dom and members of the Third Company. They greeted Kel enthusiastically, having not seen her for some time.
Yuki subtly shoved Kel in next to Dom and then sat next to her, earning multiple murderous looks.
"I am going to kill Neal later," Kel murmured to her. "I can't kill you because you're a lady. So Neal will get the brunt of my anger."
Yuki giggled and Dom turned to look at her.
"Something funny?" he asked her.
Yuki got her giggles under control and shook her head. "No, nothing. Just Kel."
Dom turned his sapphire blue eyes onto Kel. "Share the joke?"
Kel turned slightly pink. "There isn't one."
Dom shrugged and turned his attention back to his food.
Neal cleared his throat and attempted to start a conversation.
"Domitan, my favourite cousin, can you do me a favour?"
Suspicious eyes turned to him. Dom raised his eyebrows.
"Oh? And what would that be?"
"Joust with Kel for me, she wants a jousting partner." Neal replied smoothly.
Dom pulled a face.
"Ouch. No thanks, Meathead, you can do that yourself."
Kel gave Neal another glare and smiled sweetly.
"Neal, I think you'll do just fine as my jousting partner."
Neal shook his head.
"I don't think so. I just sparred with you. Someone else can have a thrashing."
Kel noticed him trying to subtly push his vegetables onto the floor and smacked his hand.
"Eat your vegetables, Meathead!"
Dom snickered and showed Neal a clean plate, all vegetables gone- presumably eaten. Kel smiled at him, managing to return to their old friendship.
"Good boy, Dom."
"Why thankyou, Mother," he returned the teasing easily. "I would be honoured to be your practise partner for later."
Kel looked away from Dom and straight into Yuki's brown eyes. Mischief sparked in them and Kel suddenly remembered her plans. The awkwardness returned.
Yuki put down her fork. "I have a guest coming," she informed the table. "A Yamani noblewoman."
A member of the Third Company whistled.
"A 'nice looking' lady?" Wolset asked hopefully.
"Yes," Yuki nodded. "Very."
There were sighs and voices saying "Can we visit?"
"Of course," Yuki replied. "Come to my rooms after Midmeal the second day of Midwinter. You can meet her then. Her name is Lady Kariami."
Kel stared at Yuki, not fathoming the mischief in her eyes.
Then she understood.
"Yukimi," she hissed under her breath. "You are getting it later. This will never work. Everyone will recognise me." Yuki smiled, not looking at all worried. Luckily, only she had heard.
The Third Company along with Neal had begun gossiping about this new Yamani lady.
A hand clamped firmly on Kel's shoulder.
"Kel, you're back. Good to see you. May I talk to you? Alone?" Lord Raoul asked firmly.
Kel nodded and stood quickly, not understanding why Raoul would wish to talk to her privately. He led her out of the mess hall and into a corridor just off it.
"Kel," he smiled widely. "Lady Yukimi approached me and asked me to do this, so it seems like you're on an assignment directly after Midwinter. It seems she wants you for three days?"
Kel scowled. "I am going to kill Neal."
Lord Raoul muffled a laugh.
"Well, have fun with Yuki, Kel. And don't forget to tell the rest of them at that table that you've got an assignment after Midwinter."
He walked away, his large back shaking with laughter.
"Everyone's against me..." moaned Kel, before walking back into the mess hall.
When she returned to her table, she found that the main topic of conversation was the mysterious 'Yamani' woman coming to stay.
"So she's beautiful, you say?" Dom asked curiously. Kel mentally groaned as she slid back on the bench next to him.
"Oh, hi, Kel," Dom said distractedly, waiting for Yuki's answer. "What did Lord Raoul want?" Kel knew he wasn't interested anyway, he was riveted on this Yamani guest idea. So she shrugged and returned to her food.
"Very," Yuki confirmed. Kel rolled her eyes at Yuki in panic. What had she gotten herself into? She wished she'd never promised to get Yuki whatever she wanted for her wedding.
Dom was practically drooling. "Is she... friendly?" he asked, much to Kel's disgust. She had had enough. Kel stood, abandoning her food.
"Neal, are you still coming to joust?" she demanded. By the looks of it, Neal was having too much fun, feeding the Third Company stories of the Yamani gust.
Neal looked up guitily. "Um, no thanks, Kel, I think I'll pass."
Kel pulled a face at him. "Later, then." she promised in a firm tone, much to Neal's terror.
She exited the mess hall. As she headed out to the practise courts she was surprised to hear footsteps running after her.
Dom skidded to a walk next to her. "Hi, Kel," he said breathlessly. "Do you want to spar?"
She gritted her teeth, it was hard being around him, especially knowing that he was drooling over the 'Yamani guest', when he would get a big disappointment.
"No, thankyou, Dom," she answered politely, stiffly. "I think I might ride Peachblossom for a while instead."
"Oh..." Dom looked visibly hurt, so she quickly amended:
"Do you want to come?" she regretted the invitation as soon as it was out of her mouth, now there would be no peace to think, it would be awkward.
Dom seemed pleased. "Of course. That'd be great."
They veered in the direction of the stables. Once there, they quickly saddled their horses and set off into the Royal Forest.
To Kel's surprise, riding with Dom wasn't actually too awkward. They rode in silence and gradually she began to relax. Her thoughts strayed away from the palace and she wondered how her family was, wishing she could see them. She stared at the sky, dreaming.
Dom watched Kel as she rode Peachblossom. She seemed more relaxed out on him than she had been in the mess hall. Her blondey brown hair fell over her face, which was uplifted to the sky. Her hazel eyes were dreamy, staring into the distance, like she was thinking of something not in the present place or time. Her pale pink lips were slightly opened, the corner of her mouth turned upwards. Her slender, fineboned neck was-
Dom shook himself out of it. This was Kel he was thinking about, Kel his friend and comrade. Nothing more, as if she would ever want to be.
She turned her face and looked at him enquiringly.
"What's the matter?"
He realised he was staring and quickly dropped his gaze. His cheeks flushed slightly.
"Nothing, just thinking. So what did Lord Raoul want with you?"
Dom actually sounded like he cared, this time, so Kel chose to answer.
"I might have to go on an an assignment after Midwinter sometime," she said, purposely not specifying when.
"Oh. That's a shame." Dom sounded sincere.
Kel shrugged, blocking her feelings for him firmly. "Not really. I don't really like just sitting around the palace." Too bad I don't actually have an assignment, she thought.
Dom watched her face. "Oh. I thought you might miss me... Us, I mean. Neal, Yuki and us boys." He winced inwardly at his slip, how would that sound? Like he was completely desperate?
"Yeah," Kel answered. "I don't like not having a purpose, though."
The subject was dropped. They rode in peaceful but a bit tense silence for the rest of the time.
A/N- alright! another chapter done! Maybe a bit of OOCness in that one, what do you think?