A/N: I actually wrote this before the last chapter... so.. here it is!

This chapter is dedicated to the people who actually reviewed: TheWackedOne, Lydia, DomLuver, mistmagic, TomandJerry, bclovr-22, Aunty J, FaxidentallyInLove and P.P.V.V (even though she probably won't read this for a long while... but still =) )

So.... you un-reviewers *glares daggers* you're lucky you're getting this chapter. Because if the other people who reviewed weren't so nice and I wanted to make them happy, I wouldn't have posted this chapter for WEEKS until I got my 15 reviews!

But *deep sigh* fine. I posted it. Happy?

Anonymous review replies:

Aunty J: Thankyou! =)

Yeah- I guess the foreshadowing was kinda to try and show how Kel is still uncertain about her and Dom.

But I'll try to improve that in later chapters.... thankyou heaps for telling me.

Lydia: LOL- thanks! =D

I've never seen Mulan.... I want to though. I love the Little Mermaid and Aladdin though.... YAY!

You live in Australia? Hey, cool! Me too!

(LOL TO JAR OF DIRT- I LOVED THAT BIT!!!!!!!!!!)

So, hope you like the chapter XD

Chapter 18: You're WHAT?!

"Father... I'm..." There's no better way to tell them. Just say it. "I'm betrothed, Papa."

"You're WHAT?!" Piers of Mindelan demanded incredulously.

Kel chewed her lip nervously and decided to put it in simpler terms. "I'm engaged, Papa."

Piers stared at his daughter, mouth open. "Who to?!"

She cringed slightly, knowing the reaction that would follow. "Dom. Domitan of Masbolle. Remember, I introduced him to you last summer?"

"Domitan of Masbolle!" Kel's older brother, Anders, stood up. "Kel! He's the court... the court... ladies man! Do you know how many women he's been with?"

Kel began to wish she hadn't told Dom to wait in the next room. "Yes, I know," she said, trying to be patient.

"Well, I think it's wonderful, darling," Ilane of Mindelan smiled warmly at her daughter and stood up to hug her. "He seems very nice."

Kel's other brother, Inness, stared at his mother in sheer shock. "What?!"

Ilane shot him a glare. "Inness, if he makes her happy..."

"Isn't he supposed to ask the father, first?" Conal eyed his sister with suspicion.

Kel had completely forgotten. "When I became a knight, it was decided that I wouldn't have to have an arranged marriage," she reminded her brother firmly. "It's my choice, no one else's."

"Domitan of Masbolle," her sister Adalia sighed dreamily. "Wow."

Kel tried not to groan. As much as she liked her sisters, she really wouldn't want them fawning over Dom.

Oranie had stayed silent through the whole thing, but now she spoke. "Domitan of Masbolle- he's one of the dark haired, blue eyed Masbolles, right?"

Kel nodded, wondering curiously why Oranie would ask.

Her sister said nothing more.

"Isn't he in the Own?" Adalia asked suddenly. "They aren't allowed to be married, are they?"

"No, they aren't," Kel said quietly. She still felt guilty that Dom had quit for her. "He quit."

"Wow," Oranie murmured enviously.

There was silence for a moment.

Then, her brothers began again. "Kel..." Anders started.

Something inside the usually calm Lady Knight snapped. "Anders, I don't want to know. Whatever you think of Dom, whatever you've heard of him, I'm engaged to him. And I'm not going to break up with him just because you think he's not good for me."

Her whole family stared at her in surprise.

"Alright," Anders muttered sulkily. Under his breath he said, "I still don't like it."

Piers of Mindelan nodded his head in consent. "If that's what you want, Kel."

She nodded again, her decision made.

Anders, Inness and Conal all got up. "We'd better go," Inness announced. "Congratulations, Kel."

Kel smiled at her brother gratefully. "Thanks."

They all exited, leaving Ilane, Piers, Kel, Oranie and Adalia.

"Oh, darling," Ilane kissed her daughter's cheek, her expression elated. "I'm so happy for you!"

Kel hugged her mother. "Thanks, Mama."

Oranie was silent. Adalia congratulated Kel and returned to her needlework. Piers, despite his earlier misgivings, also hugged Kel.

Dom waited. It seemed like forever to him since Kel had gone in to tell her family.

"You're WHAT?!" He heard a male voice exclaim, and winced. He wished that Kel had let him go in with her.

But she had been adamant when she had told him to wait outside, that she would handle it.

Dom paced the room restlessly, trying his hardest to eavesdrop.

"Domitan of Masbolle... He's the court...." the voices faded and Dom couldn't hear anything, until: "Do you know how many women he's been with?!"

Dom ran a hand through his dark hair, sighing as he did so. He really wished that he could leave all of that behind and start a new life, where he didn't have such a... reputation.

He hated his reputation, now. Kel... She had made him turn over a new leaf, a clean slate. He could honestly say that he loved her.

Dom shook himself out of his thoughts and tried to listen again. Muffled voices came to him but he couldn't make out any of the words.

He paced closer to the wall of the room that they were in again.

"He's one of the dark haired, blue eyed Masbolles, right?" A familiar voice asked.

Oops, Dom thought guiltily.

The voice was Oranie's, a voice he knew well. He had courted her, one summer- she'd been one of the longest he'd ever courted.

He hadn't really loved her, not at all. She had been sweet, but not someone he could spend his life with.

Not like Kel.

I should have told her, though. Ahhh. I'll tell her... later.

Heavy footsteps approached the door and Dom jumped back quickly and pretended to look at a painting on the wall.

Kel's brothers stepped out of the room and shut the door.

One of them, from what Dom knew, it was Inness, approached him and gripped his shoulder tightly.

"I swear, if you ever hurt my little sister," he said quietly and menacingly. "I will kill you. And that goes for all of us."

He motioned to Anders and Conal and they both nodded.

"I won't," Dom promised, looking at Kel's three brothers.

"Good. We might get along then."

The three of them left the room, leaving Dom staring at the plain, pale painting.

"No," Dom insisted to a stubborn-faced Kel. "My parents are visiting the palace today, I'll tell them. You can wait and I'll come and get you and introduce you again."

"But-" Kel began.

Dom placed a gentle finger on her lips. "You made me wait outside. Now it's your turn."

Kel sighed. She couldn't argue with that.

"Come in, Mother," Dom opened the door of his room to his mother and gestured towards one of the only chairs that weren't covered in clothes.

His father followed, and the two of them sat down.

"Well, Dom. What is it you want to tell us?" his mother asked, a familiar curious glint in her blue eyes.

"I... uh..." Dom really didn't know how to tell them. He'd never been serious with a woman before, and he wasn't sure how his parents would react.

"What is it, son?" Sir Liam demanded.

"IquittheOwnandI'mengagedtotheLadyKnight," Dom blurted out, so fast that it sounded like nonsense.

Lady Felicity blinked. "Pardon?"

"I'm..." Dom began again. "I quit the Own."

There. That part was out.

"Why?" Sir Liam inquired, his tone neutral.

"I... I'm engaged."

There. It was all out.

He watched his parents' faces apprehensively.

His mother's face held shock as she registered his words, and then a huge smile appeared on her face. "YOU'RE ENGAGED?!" She practically squealed. "Oh Dom!"

She showered his cheeks with kisses while Sir Liam realised that Dom hadn't told them a key piece of information.

"And who's the mysterious lady, Dom?" he asked gently.

"Kel... Keladry of Mindelan," Dom told them nervously. "You know, the second lady knight."

His mother stopped abruptly. "The lady knight..." she sat down again slowly, her expression thoughtful.

"Yes," Dom confirmed, his heart in his mouth.

Sir Liam's face deepened into a frown.

"You're... not happy?"

"I'm not happy..." said Sir Liam sternly. "That you haven't introduced us to the girl!"

Dom sagged with relief. He would never admit it, but it meant a lot to him what his parents thought.

"When do we get to meet her?" Lady Felicity demanded, her expression excited.

"You can meet her today," Dom announced. "Do you want me to go get her?"

His mother nodded eagerly. "Yes- I want to see the girl that's finally made you settle down."

Dom grinned as he exited the room to go and find Kel.

"What if they don't like me?" Kel hung back as Dom reached for the doorhandle.

"They'll love you," he soothed. "Now come in."

"But..."

Dom turned the doorhandle and opened the door swiftly, pulling Kel in behind him by the hand.

"Mother, Father, this is Kel."

Kel turned to face them, stomach churning with fear. She'd met them once before, as her Yamani alias, but this was different.

"Kel!" Lady Felicity exclaimed happily, standing up. "It's so lovely to meet the woman that has finally made my son settle down!"

Kel smiled and went to curtsey, but Lady Felicity stopped her. "Now, none of that. We're going to be good friends." She hugged Kel, even though she was barely up to her nose.

Sir Liam held out a hand for Kel to shake. "Good to meet you."

Kel actually had to look up to see his face. "And you too, sir."

Dom smiled and mouthed to Kel; "I told you so!"

A/N: Just a bit of a filler and insight into the family.

A NOTE: Dom's brothers (I've decided that he doesn't have any sisters- not sure whether he does in the book- but yeah) are away on a knight thingo, but they'll be back in the sequel. Oh heck, will they ever!!

You'll see in the first sample chapter that I'll put up after the epilogue XD

So... reviews? Please? :)

And also- I mean it, lol- if there aren't 15 reviews for this chapter

I am literally refusing to post the epilogue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

truly!

lol

sorry to the people who DO review...

=)