A/N: So here you go. The first installment of chapter 16, ending 2.
And thankyou SO MUCH for the reviews. I seriously live on those things!!
Anonymous review reply:
Lydia: ahhh I love you!!!!! you review every chapter!! lol =)
Ugh, I hated Renesmee too. I mean, she was a sorta cool character but the fact that she was Bella and Edward's kid was just... stupid.
I LOVE YOUR EPILOGUE IDEA!!!! The title of the story was totally on the spot and pointless, but your epilogue idea made it work. Yessss- I'm loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you like this chapter (part 1 of it that is):
Chapter 16 (E2, Part One)
Dawn was just breaking and Kel and Dom staggered out of the forest, exhausted but pleased. By then, Kel had told him the whole story behind Lady Kariami.
"There's just a couple of things left," Dom's brow wrinkled as he remembered. "Why were you avoiding us last week? Especially me?"
Kel blushed slightly, but she wanted to be honest with him. "I was... embarrassed," she told him, hoping he'd leave it at that.
"Embarrassed?" Dom demanded. No such luck. "What about?"
Kel stared at the ground, trying not to go even redder than she already was. "I was embarrassed... because I'd liked you ever since I was Raoul's squire. I was trying to get over you, Dom."
There was a long silence and Kel looked up to meet tender blue eyes. Dom wordlessly stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't try to get over me now," he whispered.
Kel smiled and they stood like that for a few minutes.
"What about New Hope?" Dom asked suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Kel asked, slightly confused at the abrupt change of subject.
"Are you still upset over it- and Tobe?"
"I miss it," Kel said quietly. "And I miss Tobe, of course. But I think, over time, I'll be fine. The last few days have been hectic, I've hardly thought of it. But sometimes..." She fell silent.
Dom rubbed her hand soothingly.
Reluctantly, Kel took her head off his shoulder. "I'd better go, before Yuki wakes up. What are we going to do...about us?" She realised that she didn't even know whether there was an 'us'. "What am I to you?"
Dom chuckled softly and Kel looked at him, slightly hurt. Dom noticed and was instantly sorry.
"I'm sorry, Kel. I just find it funny that after all we've been through, you don't realise how much I care for you."
He let go of her and took a step back, holding her hands tightly in his. "Keladry of Mindelan, may I have the honour of courting you?"
Kel was elated. I can't believe it. He actually feels the same way... She smiled euphorically and then met a thoroughly puzzled Dom's eyes.
"Um... do I get an answer?" he asked.
She giggled. "Of course. Yes, I mean."
Dom grinned, he felt like he was on top of the world. "Now about the whole telling thing..."
"Yes?"
"Can we please keep it a secret?! Let's not tell Meathead, okay?" Dom said, a mischevious grin lighting up his face. "I want to see him tortured... Trying so hard to set us up but not realising that we're already together..." He smiled at her.
Kel had to laugh. "Alright. In that case, let's go back to our rooms and pretend nothing happened."
Dom nodded and then hesitated, not sure whether to kiss her on the lips or the cheek. "Kel," he said decisively. "I want you to know that I've treated women badly in the past. I've broken plenty of hearts. I've been what you'd call a ladies man."
He paused uncertainly and then continued. "I regret it. But I want you to see that I'm serious about you. The others... I don't know why. But I care for you, and I'm not going to hurt you. I just want you to know, I want it to be right with you... I want to take it slow and not ruin your reputation. I was stupid with other women and I really wish I hadn't been, I just-"
He stopped when Kel brought up her hand to touch him on the cheek. "I know, Dom. And I should say, I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Why are you sorry? I should be sorry, I was an idiot."
"No," Kel admitted. "I was. The other day... I thought you did it for the fun of it. I was going to try and hurt you, break your heart like I felt mine was broken. But then you told me... well, Lady Kariami, about how you felt..."
"I'm sorry, Kel." Dom apologised softly. "I hurt you. I didn't mean to. I didn't realise how strongly I felt about you, up until yesterday. I was annoyed at myself for actually caring. I was furious, I was hurt that you'd left without saying goodbye or talking about the kiss. I was trying to get over you."
Kel smiled. "I think we should both just forget it. We've hurt each other, but we're fine now."
He squeezed her hands gently, loving how she was so quick to forgive, loving how they could actually talk to each other, loving the feel of her hands in his... loving her. "Kel, can I kiss you?"
"Of course you can kiss me!"
Their lips met.
Kel tiptoed down the corridor and into her normal room, her emotions churning- excitement, disbelief, elation, anticipation...
She pushed open the door quietly and was startled to see Lalasa sitting on a stool, sewing.
"Oh! M'l-Kel! I thought you were staying with Yuki?"
Kel hated lying to Lalasa, but she quickly thought of an excuse. "I am... but I sneaked out this morning to do some training. I need a bath now, though."
Lalasa instantly jumped up. "I'll get the hot water... Why were you training in a dress?" she asked, as she noticed Kel's muddy riding dress.
"Oh... I... Yuki confiscated all my shirts so I had to wear a dress with breeches underneath," Kel explained lamely.
"Ah." Lalasa knew that that wasn't the whole truth but left it alone.
Kel dug through her clothes and found a suitable dress to wear back to Yuki's. She then found clean undergarments and boots.
She helped Lalasa with the remaining buckets of water until the bathtub was full.
"Thanks, Lalasa," Kel smiled at her maid gratefully.
She slid into the warm water and closed her eyes, wishing that she could get back to sleep instead of having her last day as Lady Kariami.
The dirt and muck washed off and the water turned a faint, pale brown. Kel only got out when the water began to go cold.
She dressed quickly and, thanking Lalasa once more, hurried back to Yuki's rooms.
Kel let herself in. Much to her surprise, Yuki was already up, brewing a cup of tea for herself.
When she saw Kel, a massive smile lit up her face.
"Kel," she said, looking a little too pleased. "Where were you? Did you have any... trouble while riding?"
Kel narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Why did Yukimi look so satisfied? And why would she have paused before 'trouble'? Could she have... Oh no. I bet she hired those bandits... Sly. Very sly.
Kel kept her face carefully blank and innocent. "No. We were fine. We rode further than we thought, so we got back when it was dark. I thought it was best not to wake you up, so I slept in my room instead."
Yuki now looked slightly put-out. "Oh," she muttered, glaring at the floor. "You should have woken me. I wouldn't have minded."
Wow, the extremes my friend would go to to get me and Dom together... Bandits! Kel thought, slightly horrified. It did work, though...
Yuki brightened again, realising that there was one question that she hadn't yet asked. "So, how did it go? With Dom, that is."
Kel decided to play being upset. She plonked on Yuki's bed and sighed in what she hoped was a tragic way. "He doesn't like me. Nothing happened." More like everything happened...
Yuki sat beside her, forgetting about the cup of tea that she had just been making. "Tell me all that happened during your ride."
Kel was alarmed. Oh no. Now I have to make up a whole ride!
Dom returned to the Own's barracks, humming contently, to hear loud talking. He halted, confused. His lazy Third Company never got up this early, unless they were up to something...
He strained his ears to try and hear, but couldn't, and so stepped closer.
"You're right!" Wolset's voice exclaimed. "I woulda never thought!"
Thought what? Dom stepped closer, in the hope that they would continue talking.
He wasn't disappointed.
"D'ya think Sergeant Dom knows?" one of them sniggered.
"Nah," said Lerant. "An' I don't think we should be telling 'im!"
"Let's pull a few pranks on 'im!"
Dom groaned silently. What didn't he know, and why were they pranking him?
"So," one of the slower Third Company members tried to understand. "The Yamani isn't a Yamani... It's Lady Kel..."
WHAT?!!! How in Mithros's name did they figure THAT out?
"Yes, you dimwit!" Wolset shouted loudly, and then lowered his tone. "And Sarg Dom doesn't know."
Dom couldn't help finding it amusing. He restrained his laughter with difficulty.
"But how is she Lady Kel? She's... er... the Yamani wears dresses permanantly! And makeup! And does her hair!"
There was the sound of a hand connecting with a head. "She is, you moron. Can't you see it? They look similar. Either the Yamani's Kel's sister or she's Kel. And I'd say she's definitely Kel." That was Lerant.
"And so," Wolset continued slowly. "We are not going to tell Dom, and we are going to have some fun. Got it? And course one of action- steal the lady and pull a prank."
Dom, shaking his head in disbelief- how did they figure that out when I couldn't? -, tiptoed away to tell Kel.
"OW!" Kel yelped, as Yuki tightened the braid in her hair, after doing her makeup.
"Kel," Yuki said with forced patience. "It's only braiding. You have been through a war. Which do you think is worse?"
"Braiding!"
Yuki sighed. "I shouldn't have asked that." She finally finished the braid and tied the end with a ribbon. "There. You look great. Now let's go have breakfast. It's the last day."
Thank Mithros it's the last day...
Kel stood and rubbed her head. "What were you doing to me?!"
"Don't do that!" Yuki scolded. "You're going to mess it up!"
A knock on the door made both of them look quickly in that direction. Yuki walked swiftly over and opened it.
Neal stood on the other side, wearing a large grin.
"You idiot!" In a split second, Yuki pulled out her shukusen and smacked him over the head. "We'll be back, Kel." She dragged him off down the hallway, whispering furiously.
Kel tried not to laugh. Yuki was obviously telling Neal that his brilliant bandit plan didn't work.
After several minutes, an abashed Neal and a grim looking Yuki came back to the door. "C'mon, Kel," Neal muttered, looking highly disappointed. Kel almost felt sorry for him. "We're going to breakfast."
Kel nodded and followed them down to the mess hall.
On the way, they met Dom. "Hello, Sir Meathead," he said, with an infectious smile. "Hello, ladies." He bowed briefly to both of them.
Kel tried not to smile, but it was hard- a massive smile was spreading its way across her face. She pulled out her shukusen and flicked it open in front of her face.
Neal and Yuki continued walking, Yuki deliberately looking away from Neal and Neal trying in vain to get her attention.
Dom fell in step beside Kel. "So, how did it go?" he asked in an undertone.
Kel glanced up but the couple was several metres ahead. "Fine. I think she believed me."
"Good," Dom smiled again at her and this time Kel let her answering smile show. "Kel... I think the Third Company boys have figured it out."
Her eyes widened. "What?! How did they...?"
"I don't know," murmured Dom. "But they think I don't know, and they're planning something. A prank, probably."
Kel shrugged. What could they do? "It's the last day, anyway. There isn't much that they can do."
"I wouldn't be so certain," Dom replied with a wink. "We managed some pretty short notice pranks." He was about to tell her all that he had heard, but they reached the mess hall doors and fell silent, entering behind Neal and Yuki.
The first thing that Kel noticed was the Third Company, all sitting at the one table with four spare seats.
It was easy to guess just who those four seats were reserved for.
Kel, Dom, Neal and Yuki gathered their food and headed towards the table.
"K- Lady Kariami!" Wolset exclaimed pleasantly. "Sit here." He waved a hand in the direction of the chair next to him.
Kel eyed him suspiciously but sat down.
There was no seat next to her, only three seats further down the long table and Dom reluctantly went and sat with Neal and Yuki.
"So," Wolset shoved a piece of bacon down his throat. "What are you doin' today, m'lady?"
"Uh... nothing?" Kel chewed her lip, confused. Was this one of their plans?
"Would you like to spend some time with me 'nd the boys?"
Kel, noticing Neal's suspicious green eyes on her, nodded. "That sounds... great."
Oh no. Dom tried to subtly get Kel's attention to try and signal that it was part of the Third Company's plan's, but Wolset occupied most of her attention by asking her questions constantly.
Breakfast was finally finished, and Wolset, followed by an apprehensive Kel, headed out of the banquet hall and down into the palace grounds.
A/N: Okay, so I think that was pretty long! That's why I'm splitting it into two seperate parts, I was never going to finish this today, and I wanted to so... I split it.
OK- I need ideas for Wolset+Third Company's pranks otherwise the next chapter won't be up for a looooong while! Muahahahahaaaa!!!!!!
You know what I'm about to say- please review!!! hehehe last chapter I got LOTS of reviews!!!
But just to let you know- I'm not even going to start writing the next chapter until I get 10 reviews XD. Sorry. But I'm evil..... Shouldn't be hard though, seeing as this story is on 73 people's alert list. HEHEHEHEHe! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fluffy much, eh? I didn't have all that in to begin [Kel+Dom's talk] but I felt it was essential, so I added it.
Anywayz, I don't care whether your reviews are one word or one paragraph! Or even just a smiley face! So long as I know that you're reading (and hopefully liking), I'm good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crit is good as well of course though =)
ALSO- I have a question. I'm turning 14 in a few weeks, right, so I consider myself a young member of the site. Do you think my writing sounds immature?
Be honest. I'm cool with that. =)
OH- and there's going to be next part of this chapter, and probably more than just an epilogue. You'll see. =)